made no move to take them.
“I wouldn’t have made this sale without you, sir. I appreciate your reputation in this town . . . and your honesty. Both about what price the saddle brought, and for the manner in which you expressed your opinion a moment ago.”
Slowly, the firm line of his mouth turned upward. He accepted the money. “If your brother’s half the worker you are, Miss Ashford, it won’t be long ’til I have the most profitable livery in town again.”
Wishing she could answer in the affirmative about Robert, she simply smiled and prayed again that her brother would make the most of this opportunity. And that he would act with better judgment here than he had back home. Without a doubt, Robert possessed broader talents than she did, but somehow he didn’t see it.
She turned to leave, and an idea came.
“Mr. Trenton?” She waited until he looked her way again. “What would you say if we could work out a sort of . . . partnership between us? A silent one,” she added quickly. “Where I would work for you making saddles, but not here in the livery.” Caution crept into his eyes and she rushed to expel it. “I need a place to sell my wares, and if the majority of people in Copper Creek share your opinion about women working with leather”—his expression said he was tracking with her—“then one way this might work for me—for us both—would be for me to work at home. At the Talbots’ home, I mean.”
Something changed in his expression. “You mentioned something about your cousin . . . That’d be Mrs. Talbot I take it?”
McKenna nodded.
“Then let me offer my condolences, ma’am. I had occasion to do business with her husband, Vince. He was a fine man, and he was going to make something of that ranch too. He had it in him to do it.” His voice softened. “How’s Mrs. Talbot gettin’ along since he passed?”
Emotions rose, and McKenna spoke past the lump in her throat. “Mrs. Talbot . . . Janie”—she spoke the name softly— “passed away earlier this week, along with her newborn son.”
He looked away and didn’t speak for a moment. And seemed hesitant to meet her gaze again. “What about their little girl?”
“Before she died, Janie asked me to look after Emma. I promised her I would.” Hearing that promise again from her own lips made her responsibility all the more real, and the pressure of all that rested on her shoulders returned. “So, Mr. Trenton . . . would you be willing to consider buying my saddles and selling them through your livery? No one in town need know about it. I won’t say anything to anyone, I give you my word.”
A man walked in. “Morning, Trenton. Got my wagon ready?”
“You bet. It’s out back ready to go. I’ll get right with you.”
“Ma’am . . .” The customer tipped his hat to her and slowed. “I’m not in a hurry, Trenton. Finish with this lady here.” His smile was kind and held invitation. “She was here before me.”
Mr. Trenton motioned McKenna over to the side, and she followed. She noticed the other gentleman looking closely at her saddle. But even more, she noticed that Trenton was watching him too.
Mr. Trenton leaned close. “You have all your own tools, ma’am?”
“Most of them,” she whispered, matching his muted tone. “And if I need to use any of yours I can come in after hours, at night, when the livery is closed. I promise I won’t be an intrusion.”
Biting the inside of his lip, he finally sighed. “Where’d you learn to do this? Work with leather like you do?”
She smiled, hearing the decision in his voice. “From my father. And I promise you, Mr. Trenton, you won’t be sorry about this. I’ll always deliver on time.”
He glanced at the man across the room. “How long does it take you to make a saddle, from start to finish?”
“About two weeks if I’ve got all the materials ready. But I’ll need to find a supplier for the leather.”
“I’ll get you that. And it’ll be top
“I wouldn’t have made this sale without you, sir. I appreciate your reputation in this town . . . and your honesty. Both about what price the saddle brought, and for the manner in which you expressed your opinion a moment ago.”
Slowly, the firm line of his mouth turned upward. He accepted the money. “If your brother’s half the worker you are, Miss Ashford, it won’t be long ’til I have the most profitable livery in town again.”
Wishing she could answer in the affirmative about Robert, she simply smiled and prayed again that her brother would make the most of this opportunity. And that he would act with better judgment here than he had back home. Without a doubt, Robert possessed broader talents than she did, but somehow he didn’t see it.
She turned to leave, and an idea came.
“Mr. Trenton?” She waited until he looked her way again. “What would you say if we could work out a sort of . . . partnership between us? A silent one,” she added quickly. “Where I would work for you making saddles, but not here in the livery.” Caution crept into his eyes and she rushed to expel it. “I need a place to sell my wares, and if the majority of people in Copper Creek share your opinion about women working with leather”—his expression said he was tracking with her—“then one way this might work for me—for us both—would be for me to work at home. At the Talbots’ home, I mean.”
Something changed in his expression. “You mentioned something about your cousin . . . That’d be Mrs. Talbot I take it?”
McKenna nodded.
“Then let me offer my condolences, ma’am. I had occasion to do business with her husband, Vince. He was a fine man, and he was going to make something of that ranch too. He had it in him to do it.” His voice softened. “How’s Mrs. Talbot gettin’ along since he passed?”
Emotions rose, and McKenna spoke past the lump in her throat. “Mrs. Talbot . . . Janie”—she spoke the name softly— “passed away earlier this week, along with her newborn son.”
He looked away and didn’t speak for a moment. And seemed hesitant to meet her gaze again. “What about their little girl?”
“Before she died, Janie asked me to look after Emma. I promised her I would.” Hearing that promise again from her own lips made her responsibility all the more real, and the pressure of all that rested on her shoulders returned. “So, Mr. Trenton . . . would you be willing to consider buying my saddles and selling them through your livery? No one in town need know about it. I won’t say anything to anyone, I give you my word.”
A man walked in. “Morning, Trenton. Got my wagon ready?”
“You bet. It’s out back ready to go. I’ll get right with you.”
“Ma’am . . .” The customer tipped his hat to her and slowed. “I’m not in a hurry, Trenton. Finish with this lady here.” His smile was kind and held invitation. “She was here before me.”
Mr. Trenton motioned McKenna over to the side, and she followed. She noticed the other gentleman looking closely at her saddle. But even more, she noticed that Trenton was watching him too.
Mr. Trenton leaned close. “You have all your own tools, ma’am?”
“Most of them,” she whispered, matching his muted tone. “And if I need to use any of yours I can come in after hours, at night, when the livery is closed. I promise I won’t be an intrusion.”
Biting the inside of his lip, he finally sighed. “Where’d you learn to do this? Work with leather like you do?”
She smiled, hearing the decision in his voice. “From my father. And I promise you, Mr. Trenton, you won’t be sorry about this. I’ll always deliver on time.”
He glanced at the man across the room. “How long does it take you to make a saddle, from start to finish?”
“About two weeks if I’ve got all the materials ready. But I’ll need to find a supplier for the leather.”
“I’ll get you that. And it’ll be top
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