She ran her fingers over her hat but didn’t feel the hatpin. Sighing loudly, she tucked the hat back under her arm and turned back to the men in front of her.
“Well?” She tapped her foot impatiently.
The younger cowboy sat back up in the saddle. “I guess that would be me. Are you alright?”
“Do I look alright?” Her voice was starting to pitch. “I just had my life flash before my eyes. Granted, it wasn’t what I expected to see, but I’ve had quite an ordeal.” Polly looked around at the landscape. She could see the cows walking slowly towards a large pasture in the distance. A large animal was laying on the ground.
“Ma’am, I’m mighty sorry.”
Polly ignored the younger man. She turned to the older one and asked, “Do you own this ranch?”
“Do you own this ranch?” She repeated her question, gesturing around with her hand.
“No ma’am. I just work it.”
She turned back to the younger man. “I take it you work here too?”
“Yes ma’am.”
Polly gave a delicate sniff. “Well, I do not see any reason that your cows…”
“Longhorns, ma’am,” the older cowboy corrected.
“They are still cows.” She grabbed the ends of her jacket and pulled it down, gently swaying as she looked at them. “I don’t see any reason that your… longhorns,” she gave a pointed glance to the older cowboy, “should be this close to the road. I’m sure the owner of the ranch would be quite disappointed in finding out that you have longhorns roaming free.” She stretched the word out for emphasis.
The younger cowboy rolled his shoulders. “Perhaps you shouldn’t be trespassing?”
“Trespassing? Let me assure you, cowboy, I was not trespassing.”
“Then why’s the stage coming through our land?”
Polly held up a gloved hand. Her gloves were white when she left Atlanta, now they appeared beige from all the travel dust. “I don’t want to hear it. I just want to know who is going to get me the rest of the way to Flat River. It is your fault that those animals were in our path.”
“It is the driver’s fault that you were coming this way.”
The driver approached. “Ev, Sorry about having to cut through.”
“Joshua,” the man named Ev tipped his hat. “What’s going on?”
“Appears the bridge moved in that flash flood a few days ago. The Marshal was in Grand Platte and mentioned it. Said he was going to let you know we were cutting through.”
“He must have forgotten.”
Joshua rubbed the back of his head. “That don’t sound like Briggs. Not sure what I’m gonna do.”
“I’ll get some men to come help with the wagon,” Ev said. “You head up to the barn. You know there is hot coffee on the stove.”
“How long will that be?” Polly inquired.
She watched as he took off his leather gloves and shoved them in his pocket. “Dunno. Could be a while.”
Polly stamped her foot. “That is unacceptable. I need to get to town right away.”
“Start walking that way,” he pointed down the road. “Keep going for about five miles and you’ll be in town.”
“I demand you take me to town.”
“Ma’am,” he started again. “I have to get the herd down to the south pasture. Then I can deal with you and the stagecoach. But not a moment before. You can head to the barn. Tot has coffee on. I’m sure a cup of coffee will help.”
“I have no intention of sitting in a barn drinking coffee.” Polly tapped her foot again. “I would like to know your names, please.”
“Our names?” The younger man shifted in the saddle.
“Yes. So, I can report your behavior to the owner of this ranch.”
“I don’t think…”
“You are right. You didn’t think.” She could feel the hat falling from her hair once more. “You are lucky the wagon is just broken. You could have killed someone.”
“But we didn’t,” Ev replied.
“But you could have.”
“Ma’am, I have to get back to my livestock. I’ll be back shortly to take you to town.”
“I can’t wait…” Polly demanded.
“Ma’am…”
“No.” She jabbed her finger in the air towards the cowboy. “You did this. The least you can do is take me to town.”
She saw Ev sigh. He turned to the older man. “I’ll be back as soon as I can. Get a few men to help fix the stagecoach.”
“Sure thing, boss.”
Polly watched the older cowboy turn and kick his horse into a gallop towards the herd.
The man with the brown eyes looked at her. She thought he was going to say something, but instead, he moved his horse closer and reached down his hand. Polly looked at his handsome face for a moment before her eyes drifted down to the hand waving in front of her.
“What?”
“You wanted to go to town. Climb on the back.”
Polly took a step back. “I will not.”
“Listen, lady.” He pulled his hand back. “You’ve taken me away from my herd and my men, so you either get on the back of this horse or I’ll throw you over my knee and you can ride that way.”
“Well, I never!”
The man ran his hand down his face. “I am sure of that,” he finally said. The amusement in his eyes turned to annoyance. “I don’t know how you are going to get there, then.” He turned his horse to leave. “I’ll send some men along shortly.”
“Wait!” Polly called to him. She was ready to cry. The excitement was starting to wear off and she just wanted to collapse on the ground. Her arm was starting to throb. The rider turned to look at her. “Don’t you have a wagon or something? My trunks are still on top of the stage.”
“I can get you to town. I’m not taking your luggage.”
“I can’t ride on the back. It doesn’t appear I can sit sidesaddle back there, and it would be most inappropriate to lift my skirt to sit astride.”
“You can ride in the front.”
Polly stood there for a moment and then gave a curt nod. “Let me just get my reticule.”
The man followed her to the wagon. She heard him speak to the stagecoach driver as she leaned inside to grab her small bag.
“I’m sorry about the coach, Joshua. Sawyer went to go get some men and they’ll have it fixed up pretty quickly.”
“Today’s been pretty exciting. Wasn’t expecting a stampede on top of all that. What do you think caused it?”
“Lead steer got bit by a rattlesnake. Set him off and the rest followed.”
Joshua looked at the dead animal. “Sorry about the beast. But we are alright. I appreciate the help getting the axle fixed. And I will go grab a cup of coffee.”
Polly poked her head out the window. “Will you see that my luggage is delivered to town?”
The stagecoach driver nodded. “Yes, ma’am. I’ll make sure it gets there. You can pick it up at the livery station.”
She disappeared back into the coach and gathered the few belongings that had scattered on the seat when the stagecoach jackknifed. She didn’t want to leave the few valuables that were in her bag in the coach, so she decided she would take her carpetbag and her reticule to town. The trunks were locked and there was no way anyone could get into those.
When she was done, she latched up the bag and climbed out of the coach. The man with the chocolate-colored eyes was now standing next to the stagecoach driver. Ev. The stagecoach driver called him Ev. It must be short for something.
“Ready?” he asked, holding out his hand. Polly nodded and slid her hand in his own. Her eyes snapped to his, as she felt the warmth of his hand through her silk glove. “I was going to take your bag,” he said, his lips turning up in a slight grin.
Polly yanked her hand from his. “Oh, my apologies,” she mumbled. Heat flooded her cheeks as she passed the bag to him. Everett handed it to the driver and turned back to Polly.
“Let’s g
et you on the horse. Shadow, down,” he called to the horse.
The horse gave a snicker and lowered its front legs while keeping its back legs tall.
“He kneels?”
“She does.”
“Oh… I guess I think of all horses as males.” Polly gave a nervous giggle. “I’ve never seen a horse do that before.”
“There’s a family down the road. Has four little girls. They aren’t tall enough to use a stirrup, but they can climb up if she is kneeling. Took about three months to teach her.”
“She won’t knock me off when she stands up, will she?”
The cowboy shook his head. “No, she won’t. I’ll make sure you don’t fall. Have you ever ridden a horse?”
Polly shook her head. “No. They were always attached to something. A wagon or a buggy.” She moved closer to the horse. “How do I get on?”
“Sit sideways on the saddle and loop your leg around the saddle horn. That will keep you from falling off.”
As soon as she sat on the horse, Shadow stood, causing Polly to wobble on the seat. The cowboy was right there, with his hands on her arm and leg to hold her in place.
“You steady?”
Polly nodded. He removed his hands and handed Polly her carpetbag. He climbed up behind her and she felt his arms reach around to take the reins. He gave a little whistle and the horse turned towards the road leading in the direction the man had pointed at just a few moments before.
Polly held tightly to her carpetbag, trying to keep her balance. She tried to scoot forward as the heat from the handsome man warmed her through her travel clothes. It was difficult to move as the back of her skirt was wrapped around the saddle horn. She could feel the hard leather cutting into her leg.
“Stop squirming.” His arms tightened around her. Polly froze as the words filled her ears. He was even closer than she thought. She felt his breath against her neck.
“Please move back,” she whispered.
“There is nowhere for me to go. I’m not going to hurt you. Just relax.” He loosened his arms. He gave a slight whistle and the horse began to trot. “Where did you come from?”
“Why?”
“Are you always so difficult? It was simply a question. I don’t recognize your accent.”
Polly shifted slightly to look at him. She could see his eyes up close now. They weren’t as dark as they appeared when she was looking at him from a distance. They were still a lovely shade of brown, but she could see green flecks in them. His lips were pressed as he looked at her.
“I’m from Georgia.” He nodded but didn’t say anything. Her palms were sweaty as she clutched her bag. “I’ve never been this far west before.”
“Not many people travel this way. Flat River is a small town. You got business there?”
“No. Just visiting a friend.” Polly turned back around and relaxed. “What’s your real name?”
“Excuse me?”
“I heard the driver call you Ev. Is that short for something, or were your parents lazy in selecting a name?”
“I’ll have you know that my name means brave.”
“That still doesn’t tell me what your name is.”
“Everett.”
“That is much nicer than Ev.”
“I guess.”
Polly started shifting in the saddle. “It isn’t very comfortable like this.”
“You can lean back.”
“I don’t think so.”
“I told you that I have no intention of doing anything. Your reputation is perfectly safe with me.”
“I wasn’t concerned about my reputation. I was more concerned about your arms being around me.”
“Well I can’t loosen them any more, or I’ll look like the scarecrow in Widow Baker’s garden.”
Polly looked at the scenery. There was a large creek flowing under a wooden bridge. “Where does that go?”
“Runs into the Flat River.”
“You mentioned you were moving cattle.”
“Longhorns, specifically.”
“I didn’t realize they had those this far north.”
“They just arrived. Came from Texas.”
“That is quite a distance.”
“I guess it is. Took nearly three months to get them here.”
“Have you been a cowboy long?”
“Yes ma’am. All my life. Cattle ranching is in my blood.”
“My friend came out here to get married. She wrote me a letter saying that this was the most beautiful place on earth.”
Everett chuckled. “I think it is.”
“We didn’t have wide-open spaces in Atlanta. Everything is crowded and so busy. I don’t know how I’d adapt to life out here.”
“It is a harsh life out here. Good thing you are just visiting. Are you planning on staying long?”
“Just long enough to make sure my friend is happy. If she isn’t, I’ll make sure to take her back home.” Polly shifted in the saddle once more. She felt Everett’s arms tighten around her. Quickly reaching out to steady herself, her fingers curled around Everett’s forearm. Her breath hitched as she felt his arms flexing under her fingers.
He must have heard it because he stopped the horse and slid to the ground. “Scoot back.”
“Whatever for?”
“I’ll walk.”
“You can’t do that?”
“I can do anything I please.” He shook his head. “I should have gotten another horse from the barn.”
“Are you always this unyielding?”
Everett looked at her. “What do you mean by that?”
“Meaning you don’t adapt.”
“Lady, I adapted enough that I’m leaving my work to make sure you get to wherever you are going.”
“I don’t understand what Ellie Beth …”
“Ellie Beth?”
Polly scooted back in the saddle. “Yes.”
“You’re visiting Ellie Beth?”
Polly rolled her eyes. “I already said yes.”
Everett kicked the dirt with his boot. “What’s her last name?”
“Brooks. Why? Do you know her?”
“You say you are going to try to convince her to go back home?”
“I need to see for myself if she is truly as happy as she let on. The letters she wrote sounded almost too good to be true.”
“You must be Polly.”
Polly lifted her hand to her chest. “How did you know my name?”
“Ellie is staying with my family. She’s engaged to my brother Owen. Welcome to the Chapman Ranch.”
Chapter 3
Polly was pacing the bedroom she was sharing with Ellie until the wedding. Ellie was sitting on a wooden chair watching her friend pace.
“I swear, Elenore, that man is the most aggravating man I’ve ever met.”
Ellie laughed. “What happened? He didn’t fall at your feet?”
Polly stopped pacing and looked at her dearest friend.
“That is rude. I wasn’t asking him to fall at my feet.”
“You were demanding he drop everything and take you to town.”
“As he should. That stage was damaged because of those … those… longhorns.” Ellie was really laughing now. “What are you laughing at?” Polly demanded
Ellie got up from her seat and wrapped her arms around Polly, giving her a hug. “You, silly. Listen to yourself. Those longhorns.”
“I had quite the fright, Elenore.” Polly stamped her foot against the hard floor. “I thought of all people you would be on my side.”
“I’m not on anyone’s side. It was a terrible ordeal to go through. But thank goodness you weren’t hurt.” Ellie sat on the edge of her bed. “I’m sure Everett was genuinely concerned and thankful that you were alright. There is something extremely dangerous about a stampeding herd.” She gave a little giggle. “Or a charging bull.”
“Charging bull?” Polly went to sit in the chair Ellie had vacated moments before.
“I must not
have written about it. It was a few days after I arrived here. I was going down to the creek to read. There is a lovely little spot with a bench, just under the trees. Well, I didn’t know too much about the layout of the ranch. In fact, I knew nothing other than this is the house and where the two barns were.”
“Where are you going with this, Ellie?”
Ellie clasped her hands together. “I was going to the creek. I saw the easy way to get there was through this large field. There was even a step to get over the wire.”
“Why was the field surrounded by wire?”
“Will you pause long enough for me to finish the story? Patience is not your virtue. You should work on that.” Ellie gave her friend a smile.
“Continue, then,” Polly insisted.
“I decided to walk across the field, and I was about halfway across when this huge bull started charging at me.”
Polly sat up in the seat and put her hands on her knees. “How frightening.”
“I was terrified. Luckily, Owen saw me and came charging across the field and scooped me up on his horse.”
“How romantic,” Polly crooned. “No wonder you fell in love.”
“Actually, I was so upset I screamed. I think he just kissed me to keep me quiet.”
“Well no one kissed me,” Polly insisted. She saw Ellie wrinkle her forehead. “What?”
“Did you want to be kissed?”
“By Everett?” Polly scoffed. Ellie nodded. “He is the last person I’d want to kiss me.”
“I didn’t say Everett. You did say that Sawyer was there as well.”
“Well, I didn’t want to be kissed by him either.”
Ellie gave a light laugh. “The lady doth protest too much, methinks.”
Before Polly could respond, a knock sounded on the door, and a young woman with blonde hair popped her head through the door.
Alice.
“Come in,” Ellie called to her.
“Everett has your trunk. Is it alright to bring it in?”
Polly stood and moved the chair out of the way. “Of course.” Alice pushed the door open and walked over to Polly. Everett and a young man with ginger-colored hair walked in carrying the trunk. “You may just drop it there,” Polly said, pointing to the end of the bed.
Everett Page 3
