Not the Marrying Kind, page 13
“Your father’s selling the ranch, Katherine. Why would he hire a new foreman?”
“There’s been a slight change in our plans.” She took a step toward the door. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, my foreman and I need to head back to the ranch.”
“What about the boy? What are you going to do with him?”
Kat bristled at the harsh tone in Kendrick’s voice.
“I plan to keep him.”
Kendrick blocked the doorway. “You don’t have any right to do that. It’s not like taking in a stray dog that shows up at your door. We’re talking about a child.”
“You’re right. He’s not a stray dog. His name is Benjamin, and for now, he’ll be staying at the Rocking P. I’m putting him to work, and I’ll personally be responsible for him.”
“You don’t know him, Kat. He might be dangerous.” Kendrick glanced again toward the door. “And what about Barron? Who is he? What do you know about him?”
“I know my father hired him. That’s all I need to know. I trust his judgment.”
* * * *
Most of the bunks at the Rocking P were in deplorable shape. Nothing had been cleaned and scrubbed since Pa had let the last of the hands go. The old foreman, Mike Morrissey, had stayed on longer, only packing up his belongings and moving to Denver about two weeks earlier. His bunk was larger and altogether more habitable. Kat quickly got Benjamin settled in, grateful to have another worker to help out on the ranch.
At first, her father seemed reluctant to let the boy stay, but a few reminders of the need for good works and Christian charity were sufficient to change his mind. Benjamin could stay at the Rocking P, he decreed.
“At least, for now. We’ll need to find out who he is and where he came from. Once we have all the information, we’ll be in a better position to decide what we should do.”
It was the best Kat could hope for, really.
For now, Benjamin had a place to call home. He’d have regular meals, honest work to keep him busy, and a pillow for his head. Kat read him the ranch rules, same as she’d do for any new hand hired on at the Rocking P, the same rules she’d read to Joshua Barron not too long before. Simple rules, guidelines not only for work, but for life itself.
No foul language.
Tell the truth.
Do your best.
Wash up before meals.
Treat others with respect.
Speaking of respect, Kat thought, she’d do well to be on her best behavior that evening when Reverend Kendrick came for supper.
When, at last, the night ended and she said her bedtime prayers, she gave thanks that no arguments had erupted, no accusations had been bandied about, and no questions had been asked about Benjamin, about Joshua Barron, or about her interest in either one.
Kat blew out the light and drifted off to dreams.
The next few days passed quickly. Benjamin proved to be a strong, capable hand, and Kat’s confidence soared. She enjoyed the time she spent with Joshua, too. More and more she caught him watching her when he thought she wasn’t looking. Of course, more and more, she found herself looking.
And she found herself dreaming of him more and more.
Chapter Nine
She had always been an early riser, but on Sunday morning, Kat climbed out of bed even before the first streaks of dawn appeared. At her request, Mama had written out the recipe for apple pie, quite pleased to see her daughter actually taking an interest in baking.
“Just follow it step by step, honey, and you’ll do fine,” Mama had assured her.
Grabbing an apron from a peg on the wall, Kat read over the instructions then set to work. Precisely one hour and thirty minutes later, she opened the oven door and took out an almost-perfect pie. The crust was only slightly burned, but other than that slight miscalculation on the heat, the resulting pie looked every bit as good as the ones Mama made.
Kat intended to take a few slices along with her the next day when she and Joshua rode out to round up the last of the cattle for the contract. If they could find enough to fill the contract, that is. She still refused to believe anyone would be rustling cattle from the Rocking P, but the evidence said otherwise.
So far, her relationship with Joshua had been all business—well, except for that kiss. Her face flushed at the memory. Ever since that kiss had happened, she’d been looking at herself in a new light. She wanted Joshua to look at her differently, too, not merely as a tough as nails rancher with a bit of a bossy streak. Crazy or not, she wanted him to think of her as a woman.
Setting the pie in the safe, she hurried upstairs to dress.
Later that morning, when Kat and her family arrived for Sunday services, she immediately caught sight of Joshua, and a huge smile came to her face. It pleased her to no end to learn he was a church-going man; that fact would go a long way toward earning her father’s respect. Hers, too, although Kat figured what a man did wasn’t always as important as what he believed, at least, not where church attendance was concerned. She’d known a lot of men—like Mr. Hubbard—who never missed a Sunday service, but then went home, grabbed a bottle of whiskey, got good and drunk, and beat up on his wife and their eight children. Of course, he was always mightily sorry about it, did the necessary weeping, wailing, and gnashing of teeth, and gained everyone’s forgiveness just in time for Sunday to roll around, at which point he’d do it all over again.
Like her father said, going to church on Sunday didn’t make a man a Christian any more than sleeping in a stable made him a horse.
All the same, Kat was pleased to see Joshua at the early morning service.
Or maybe it was just that she was pleased to see him. Period. Anywhere. Anytime.
And who was the man beside him? Kat shielded her eyes and squinted. “Why, that’s Cody!” She laughed, catching her mother’s attention.
“What are you mumbling about, Katherine? I’ve told you, it’s important you speak up, enunciate properly, make your voice clear.”
“Cody Bradford,” she said again, enunciating each syllable. She pointed, but her mother pushed her hand away.
“You know it’s impolite to point.” Yet Amanda was staring at the man, too, amusement in her expression. “He looks right nice, doesn’t he? Never saw him cleaned up before.”
As they talked, Joshua and his cousin had noticed them and were now walking in their direction, both of them limping, both of them moving slowly. Cody supported his slender frame with a pair of wooden crutches, obviously hand-made.
“Good morning,” Joshua called out, tipping his hat. He looked mighty fine in his Sunday best, his boots polished, and his shirt pressed. The two men must have taken great pains on their appearance. Now, just who might they be trying to impress?
Kat noticed how Joshua kept an arm at his cousin’s waist, pushing and prodding him to step forward. Poor Cody. The reclusive fellow wasn’t accustomed to the rigors of Sunday morning—getting up at dawn, drawing water for a bath, getting into fancy clothes, slicking down his hair. He did look nice, Kat had to admit, yet she had eyes only for Joshua.
“You’re staring,” Emily whispered, nudging Kat with an elbow.
Kat cleared her throat and turned away. “Let’s get inside and find our seats.”
She saw Maddie Marlowe step into the church and noticed how people moved away from her. It made her think a bit of the parting of the Red Sea, only she knew folks weren’t stepping aside to make the woman’s way easier for her. Truth was, people felt uncomfortable around Miss Marlowe, almost as if they were afraid if they got too close, her scars might jump off of her face and land right on them. It was wrong the way people shunned her.
Kat was surprised when Joshua and Cody sat in the same pew with Maddie. Guess they felt a bit like outsiders, too.
After the service, Kat hurried off to teach her children’s Sunday class. She loved spending time with the little ones, reciting simple scriptures with them, and singing “Jesus Loves Me” and other hymns. But on that morning, her thoughts often wandered away like sheep straying from the good shepherd.
At last, classes were over. Kat reunited children and parents, then hurried outside to gather in the churchyard where other members of the congregation were milling about in what was called the fellowship hour.
She peered through the crowd, searching for her family. Pa would still be in the church building, meeting with the budget committee to count the morning’s offering. She saw Emily coming her way, the little girl’s long skirts swishing as she walked. Emily had worn her finest dress, a new, bright-yellow frock Mrs. McIntyre had made. Kat thought perhaps she should remind her sister that pride and vanity were still considered sins. Before Emily reached her, someone tapped Kat’s shoulder.
“May I have a word with you, Katherine?”
At the sound of Virgil Kendrick’s voice, she whirled around.
“What is it, Reverend Kendrick?” She fought to keep the irritation from her voice. She disliked the man, and she’d sooner die a horrible death by any means than to contemplate the idea of marrying him, but he was a clergyman and that called for a show of respect. She clenched her hands into fists behind her back.
He gestured her to step aside. “I’m worried about you. You’re walking into a troublesome valley, I fear.”
“‘Yea though I walk, the Lord is with me.’” She could quote a few scriptures when needed, in her own fashion, at least.
“Please, don’t make light of the situation.”
“What, pray tell, is the situation, as you call it? What harm, exactly, are you afraid might befall me?” Kat felt a slight sense of relief as Emily joined them.
The minister didn’t acknowledge Emily, however. He threw a sharp look over his shoulder and jerked his head toward Joshua Barron. “That man could be dangerous. You know nothing about him. He shows up in Sunset, worms his way into a job at the ranch, and he’s putting on quite a show of righteousness. It’s all an act, Katherine.”
“How would you know that? You don’t know anything more about him than I do. He’s a hard worker, despite his injured leg, and obviously he’s a decent, God-fearing sort or he wouldn’t bother coming to church on Sunday.”
“It’s all for show, Katherine. I may not know Joshua Barron personally, but trust me, I know his kind. Barron is trouble. You can see it in his face, in his eyes. You’ve probably not read Shakespeare,” he said, his voice taking on a supercilious tone, “but there’s an oft-quoted line from Julius Caesar, describing Cassius. It was said he had ‘a lean and hungry look.’ And I see that look on Joshua Barron’s face.”
“Well, then, I suppose I should do my Christian duty and feed the poor soul, don’t you think?” She spun around. “Come along, Emily.”
Kendrick came after her. “That’s not what I meant, and you know it.”
“Good day, Reverend. I enjoyed your sermon at church, but I don’t need you preaching at me now. Excuse us, we need to join the rest of our family.”
She spotted their mother moving through the crowd and hurried toward her.
Mama loved to fellowship, which was really nothing more than a nice Christian word for socializing. The woman now seemed to have Joshua and his cousin in her sights. She homed in on them. Dragging Emily with her, Kat tagged along. It seemed the polite thing to do.
“I’ll be honest,” Mama said, reaching out to shake Joshua’s hand. “I never expected to see Cody Bradford in the house of the Lord.” She laughed and turned toward the reclusive woodcarver.
“Figured I ought to civilize the critter, you know.” Joshua grinned and poked at his cousin. “A little church-going and a bit of preaching never hurt any man.”
Mama turned to Cody. “Glad to see you’re doing better. Any problems with that leg?”
“Nah, it’s almost good as new.”
Maddie Marlowe stood nearby. She watched in silence, and then a look passed between her and Joshua. A knowing look. A look Kat couldn’t describe and couldn’t understand. Maddie turned and walked away.
What was that all about? Kat knew it was none of her business, but for some reason she didn’t like what she’d just seen. What connection did Miss Marlowe have with Joshua? Suddenly Kat felt as though she were the outsider and that she’d been excluded from something deeply significant between them.
Glancing over, she saw Pa come out of the church building. “It’s time to go,” she said, gesturing toward the wagon. “Pa,” she called, “do you need any help?”
Emily tugged at her sleeve. “Are you going to ask him to dinner like you said? What about his crazy cousin? And what about Benjamin?”
Embarrassed by her little sister’s tugging—and her all-too-audible whisper—Kat knew her face had already turned several shades of red and was probably getting redder by the moment. Joshua kept staring at her, obviously waiting for her to say something, and finally she managed a shaky smile.
“Well, Mr. Barron is welcome to come to dinner any time, Emily.” She looked away, wishing the tall, dark-haired man didn’t always leave her so nervous and discomfited. Worse, she couldn’t figure out what it was about him that made her suddenly stammer and turned every bone in her body to jelly. He was just a man, that’s all!
But, damn it all, what a handsome one.
Emily tugged again. “What about Benjamin? And Mr. Bradford?” she asked, her whisper as loud as before.
“Yes, Emily, they’re both welcome, of course. You know how it is at our home. Everyone is welcome to sit at our table and take a meal with us. We’re always pleased to share our bounty.” She lifted her chin and turned her gaze on Joshua Barron as she spoke, finally retrieving a bit of her lost composure. More relaxed now, Kat smiled warmly and extended a hand. “Truly, it would be a pleasure to have you at our table. Will you accept our invitation? You too, Mr. Bradford.”
Cody shook his head. “I’ve got some grits and gravy out at the cabin. I’ll be heading on home now.” He patted Joshua’s arm. “Go on, enjoy a decent meal while you’ve got the chance.”
Joshua grinned, making Kat feel all giddy inside like a thousand butterflies had suddenly taken wing.
“I can’t begin to tell you how much I’d enjoy that, Kat. It’s been so long since I’ve had a real, home-cooked meal, I honestly can’t even remember when or where it was, or what it was, for that matter.”
Emily giggled. “Our Mama’s the best cook in the whole Colorado Territory. Of course, Kat can-”
“That’s enough.” Kat grabbed her sister, all the while keeping a smile on her face. “There will be time enough for chat at the dinner table. For now, let’s get home.”
As soon as they’d climbed into the wagon, she fixed Emily with a no-nonsense scowl. “You need to just keep your big mouth shut, Miss Emily Sue. I know what you were fixing to tell Mr. Barron, and he doesn’t need to know the particulars of my cooking skills.”
“What cooking skills? You haven’t got any, and maybe he ought to know. I mean, really, Kat, if you’re thinking about marrying the man, you ought to tell him the truth.”
“Marry him? Now, where on God’s green earth did you come up with an idea like that?”
Emily’s smile spoke volumes.
Kat’s fury nearly exploded. “Emily Sue Phillips, have you been snooping in my dresser drawers again? Did you read my diary? I swear, I’m going to tell Mama, and she’ll whip you so hard you won’t be able to sit down for a week. And if she doesn’t, I will!”
“I only read a couple of pages. And I won’t say anything about it to Mr. Barron.”
Kat eyed her with suspicion. “Oh, really?”
“Really.” Emily nodded. “Some things are meant to be private, and you are my sister. I do respect your right to keep your thoughts to yourself. But still,” she went on, her smile growing, “other things should be public knowledge, or at least should be known by prospective husbands. I won’t tell Mr. Barron about your lousy cooking, either, but that one’s going to cost you.”
Kat figured she was getting off easy. “How much?”
“A nickel.”
“I’ll give it to you as soon as we get home.”
* * * *
Kat hummed softly as she sliced the pie. The sweet, spicy aroma of baked apples wafted through the kitchen, wrapping her in a cozy, comfy air of contentment. Mama stood nearby, setting out plates for the dessert.
“Did you notice how Emily keeps blushing?” Mama asked with a soft laugh and a look of love in her eyes. “I think it’s adorable.”
Kat laughed too. “Benjamin is blushing just as bad. I swear, those two make a cute pair, don’t they?”
“They’re not the only ones blushing, honey.” Mama turned toward her and tucked a lock of hair behind Kat’s ear. “I’ve seen the way you look at Mr. Barron. You wouldn’t be getting any ideas, would you? Is he the reason why you don’t want to marry Reverend Kendrick?”
Warmth crept up Kat’s neck and spread across her cheeks. It wasn’t from the heat of the kitchen or from the late spring day. She turned to hide her embarrassment.
“Mama, please.” Kat shook her head. “I don’t want to talk about this. Especially not here. Not now.” She peered into the dining room, fearful that Pa might overhear them. Or worse. Joshua might hear them talking.
“Be careful, Kat. Remember, we really know nothing about Mr. Barron.”
“I know enough, Mama. He’s a good man.”
“Well, he’s a handsome one, all right. I’ll give him that much. But it’s the handsome ones you’ve got to look out for. Always remember that.” She pointed toward the pie. “Now, how about getting that dessert on the table?”
Kat closed her eyes, imagining the look of delight on Joshua’s face as he took a bite of the sweet treat she’d prepared. Suddenly, her eyes flew open.
“Mama, no! We can’t serve anybody this pie.”
She’d done it again. Forgotten the sugar. Even though she’d had Mama’s hand-written recipe right in front of her, she’d somehow overlooked that one crucial ingredient.
