The Texas Cowboy’s Courtship (Testament Creek Book 1)

by Maya Stirling

  Sadness awoke in Prudence's heart as she recalled Silas's bright and alert mind. When it had come to learning, he'd had the enthusiasm of a young child. Silas had been the kind of man who wanted to achieve things in life. Prudence had found him delightful. He'd be sadly missed.

  "And you, Hope?" Cal asked finally.

  The buckboard hit a bump on the trail and Hope grasped the side of the seat. With her other hand she held onto her bonnet. "I was Mr Rowen's nurse for a short while."

  "Was he ill?" Cal asked.

  Hope nodded. "Just before he came to Texas he fell ill. For a while it looked like he wouldn't be able to come here at all. But he made a full recovery."

  "Thanks to your fine care, no doubt," Cal said.

  Hope's cheeks flushed pink. Prudence already knew how modest Hope could be. She didn't like to sing her own praises. Prudence guessed Hope was a fine and highly-skilled nurse. "I did my professional duty to the best of my ability. Mr Rowen seemed to appreciate what I did for him."

  Cal nodded. "Looks like he appreciated what every one of you ladies did for him. So much so that he decided to leave the ranch to you all." Cal tilted his head and sighed. "That's one mighty big way to show appreciation," he said, sounding like he could hardly believe it.

  The buckboard crested a ridge. Cal drew the carriage to a sudden halt. "There you are," he announced. "That's the Circle T ranch house."

  Prudence gasped in perfect unison with Hope and Grace. All three women gazed down into the valley.

  "It's beautiful," Hope exclaimed.

  Prudence agreed. The white-fronted, two-level, ranch house sat in a wide valley. A semi-circular grove of trees surrounded the cluster of buildings on the north side. The land around the ranch house was sprinkled with the blue of flowers. She'd read about the bluebonnets and already seen plenty of them on the drive up to the ranch.

  She saw two corrals, and three large buildings which she guessed were barns or stables. A long building that looked like a bunkhouse was set off to one side past the corrals. A narrow river ran through the valley off to the east. She saw some men in one of the corrals. They were dealing with an ornery-looking horse. The ranch had everything she'd read about in the books back in Kansas City. But seeing it for real made Prudence's heart skip a beat with excitement.

  Cal tipped his Stetson up and smiled at Prudence. "What do you think?"

  Prudence nodded. "It's big."

  "It sure is," Cal said, with a hint of pride in his voice.

  Prudence glanced at Hope and Grace. They both looked shocked. Maybe they hadn't realized just what they'd inherited. Well, it belonged to them all now. Each of them was an equal share owner of this ranch. This was where they would all be living. This was to be their home.

  Prudence offered up a quiet prayer. Lord. I thank You for bringing me to this beautiful land. And to this wonderful ranch. May I prove worthy of Your gracious gift. I ask that you grant me wisdom and strength in the coming days and weeks. Amen.

  Prudence gazed down at the ranch. Her heart was pounding with excitement. She felt Cal's body press softly against hers. Glancing up at him, she saw he was gazing at her with obvious curiosity. Prudence felt her throat tighten as Cal held his gaze steadily upon her.

  A thought drifted into her mind. Cal Logan was handsome. Dark eyes matched his dark hair; angular features were pleasing to the eye; an evenly-proportioned chin and high cheekbones created a perfect symmetry. His broad-shouldered body, so close to her, felt powerful. She schooled her features, even as she felt her cheeks flush with heat.

  She told herself Cal must be wondering what was going to happen, now that he had three women to deal with. Three bosses, who'd be able to give him orders. Seeing the ranch for real now, reminded Prudence that she, Hope and Grace had plenty to learn about ranch life. Well, it looked like they'd come to the right place. And, if she was right about Cal Logan, he might just be the best man to show them how to run a ranch. From the first moment she'd met Cal, Prudence had gotten the impression that the handsome ranch foreman knew plenty about ranching.

  "Let's go see your new home," Cal said and flicked the reins.

  As the buckboard lurched forward, Prudence smiled at Hope and Grace and wondered what the future held for all three of them.

  One thing was for sure. It would be nothing like living in Kansas City.

  CHAPTER THREE

  The sounds of the three women's delight echoed through the inside of the ranch house. Cal stood by the window in the parlor and listened to the enthusiastic gasps from all three newcomers as they made their way from one room to another. Lucia, the ranch's housekeeper was doing her best to give Prudence, Hope and Grace a tour of their new home. Cal had figured it wasn't his place to do such a thing, in spite of the entreaties by Prudence.

  "I think they like their new home," Lyle said from behind Cal.

  Cal turned and went to sit at one end of the long table. To his right, Lyle was busy laying out some papers on the table. "Look here, Lyle. This doesn't make sense. Why would Silas leave a ranch to three women who know nothing about how to run the place?"

  Lyle looked over the top of his glasses at Cal. "It was Silas's wish. It's all legal. There's nothing that can be done about it." Lyle lifted a brow. "I presume you're not suggesting we disregard Silas's wishes."

  Cal sat back in the chair and shook his head. "Of course not. I wouldn't do a thing like that." He sighed heavily and peered across at Lyle. "But you know this isn't a place for women to be working. They're not going to be able to run this place."

  A loud whoop of delight came from upstairs. It seemed like the new arrivals were being shown their bedrooms, Cal reflected.

  Lyle smiled patiently. "If I was you, I'd be careful saying anything like that around those three. Each of them has a strong personality. And I don't think they'd take too kindly to you doubting them, or their abilities."

  Cal groaned with frustration. "They don't know what it takes to run a ranch."

  "That's where you come in, Cal. You are the foreman here, aren't you?"

  Cal sighed. "I'm not going to become a babysitter."

  Lyle's eyes widened. "Again, I'd counsel you to be careful with that kind of language. When I met these ladies in Kansas City last month to tell them about their inheritance, they all struck me as women who won't take any nonsense."

  "I'm not planning on giving any of them a hard time, Lyle."

  "I trust you, Cal. I know how much Silas meant to you. And how highly he thought of you."

  Cal thought back to when Silas had hired him. The newcomer to Texas had been looking for a ramrod to handle his newly acquired spread. It seemed he'd interviewed some men, and found that all of them lacked what Silas thought was needed to run a ranch. Cal never did find out why Silas had taken a liking to him. All he did know was that Silas had hired him and given him full responsibility for the running of the Circle T.

  Cal had been honored by Silas's faith in him and had done everything he could to justify that trust. Now there were three new owners of the Circle T. If this was what Silas had wanted, then Cal reckoned it was his duty to find a way to make sure it came to pass.

  "You're right, Lyle. I owe a lot to Silas. And I love the Circle T more than anything." Cal heard footsteps pounding down the staircase. The women were coming to the parlor. Cal's jaw tightened with frustration. "I'll do what I have to."

  "I know you will, Cal," Lyle said quietly and then went back to shuffling papers.

  Prudence, Grace and Hope all came into the parlor. Behind them followed Lucia. The young, dark-haired woman's eyes were bright with delight. She'd clearly enjoyed showing her new employers their home. Lucia lived with her husband Pedro, and their five-year-old son Ramon, in a small cabin to the rear of the main ranch house. She and Pedro had been on the Circle T since Silas had bought the place. They took care of just about everything domestic around the big house.

  "I take it from all the noise I've been hearing that you like your rooms," Cal said, tr
ying to sound friendly.

  Grace smiled. "This house is so large."

  "Plenty of room for everyone," Cal agreed.

  Lyle stood and gestured to the seats around the table. "Please. Take your seats, ladies. I have some final papers I'd like you to sign." Lyle asked Lucia to bring some coffee for everyone.

  The three newcomers came and sat at the table. Prudence took her place at the head of the table with Grace to her left and Hope to her right. Cal sensed that Prudence seemed to have assumed a natural authority over the other two women. All three seemed to be around the same age. Cal figured they were each in their mid-twenties.

  Lyle started to speak, but Prudence interrupted him. "May I ask everyone to join me in a short prayer?" Prudence asked.

  Grace and Hope nodded. Lyle rested his hands on the papers and smiled patiently. Prudence looked along the length of the table at Cal. Despite his faith not being what it had been while he'd been growing up, Cal nodded. "Sure."

  Prudence reached out a hand to Grace and Hope. Cal noticed that Grace took Prudence's hand willingly, whereas Hope seemed momentarily to be reluctant.

  When Prudence lowered her head, Cal did the same. As she started to speak, Prudence's voice was even and strong and filled with warmth.

  "Lord. We thank You for this precious gift. For this new life which You have brought to us. And we thank you for bringing these new friends into our lives. These people who will help us to do Your will and honor the memory of Your servant Silas Rowen. We pray for his soul, Lord and hope that You have granted him a home in heaven. Grant us the strength and wisdom to do Your will, Lord. Amen."

  Cal felt something shift inside him as Prudence spoke her words. He felt mightily moved by what she'd just said. He lifted his head and gazed at Prudence. Her eyes were filled with a steadiness and an obvious joy. She squeezed the hands of the other two women. Grace and Hope smiled at Prudence. Lyle was right, Cal reflected. These women were strong. And they seemed to have already united with a common purpose in mind.

  Making a new life at the Circle T.

  When Silas had passed, Cal had felt unsure about his future at the ranch. But he'd never expected anything like this.

  Suddenly, Cal felt out of place. He stood and looked at everyone. "Maybe I should be on my way."

  Prudence shook her head. "Not at all, Cal. We would like you to be here to listen to what Lyle has to say." Prudence looked at Lyle. "Isn't that right?"

  Lyle nodded. "I have a few details to go over." He glanced at Cal. "Maybe we could use some of your expert opinion. Seeing as how you know everything there is to know about running this place."

  Cal felt flattered by the sudden compliment, but he also knew it put extra responsibility on his shoulders. Right now, he wasn't sure he was ready to take all of that on. He folded his arms and settled back in his chair, listening as Lyle went over some of the outstanding issues.

  It seemed each of the women had been left an equal one third share in the ranch. And, because of that, all decisions had to be unanimous. Cal had already seen evidence that the women would probably agree on everything. But, in the back of Cal's mind there already lurked some suspicions that there might be some testing times ahead. For him and for the three newcomers.

  From time to time Cal chimed in whenever he was asked about some details of the daily running of the ranch. He just about managed to avoid getting drawn into a long discussion. There would be plenty of time for that later, he told himself.

  At one point, Prudence reached down to a small bag by the side of the table and lifted out a red notebook. As Lyle spoke, Prudence jotted things down occasionally with a small pencil. Prudence was the organized type, Cal told himself.

  Finally Lyle got each of the women to sign some papers. The Circle T had finally changed hands, he reflected. He had three employers to deal with now, instead of one. And not one of them knew the slightest thing about running a ranch. Cal tried not think about what kinds of trouble that could lead to.

  This was what Silas had wanted. And that was good enough for Cal.

  When the meeting ended, Cal followed Lyle out to the yard in front of the ranch house. "Is that it, Lyle?" Cal asked.

  Lyle turned as he untied his horse from the hitching rail in front of the porch. "I don't need anything else, Cal." He patted his saddle bag. "I have all the paperwork here. From now on, its up to those ladies in there what they do with this place."

  Cal frowned. "What are you saying?"

  Lyle shrugged. "Since they have legal title to the ranch, they can do whatever they want now."

  "Even sell it?" Cal asked.

  Lyle nodded. "I guess they could. But, judging by their excitement, I don't think they're going to be doing that. Not right away, at least."

  Cal hadn't considered the possibility the women might just sell the place. He thought about the trials they faced in the coming months. The hard days of work. The winters. The many difficult decisions they'd have to make. And one other thing. Something which hadn't been mentioned.

  The night raiders. Cattle thieves.

  Cal wasn't going to tell the newcomers about the rustlers. Not until he had to. Lyle knew about them. And Cal had noticed Lyle hadn't made any mention of them during the meeting. Maybe he was leaving that to Cal.

  Lyle got up on his horse and smiled down at Cal. "Best of luck," Lyle said. There was a mischievous glint in the lawyers eye. He rode off before Cal had a chance to reply.

  As he watched Lyle riding beneath the high, broad wooden post with the Circle T name painted on it, Cal tried not to think too much about what the coming days and weeks held.

  One thing was for sure. The Circle T was making a fresh start.

  CHAPTER FOUR

  "Can you believe this place?" Hope asked as she helped Prudence unpack her trunk in her room. Cal and one of the ranch hands had brought the trunk upstairs after Lyle had left. They'd also deposited the other two trunks in each of Hope and Grace's rooms. There were three bedrooms on the upper floor of the ranch house.

  "It is wonderful, isn't it, Hope," Prudence agreed. She sighed sadly. "It was so gracious of Silas to leave all of this to us. I had no idea he intended to do such a thing."

  "But you know he asked us to give him that promise before he left for Texas."

  Prudence nodded. "I didn't know he'd done that with all of us until you and Grace told me."

  Hope shook her head in amazement as she lifted one of Prudence's gown from the trunk and hung it in the wardrobe.

  It was true. Their coming to Texas had been spurred by more than just accepting an amazing legacy from a kindly gentleman.

  There had also been the promise.

  At the time, Prudence had given it no special thought. The last time she'd seen Silas, after he'd made a full recovery from his illness, he'd gazed into her eyes and asked her to give him her word. To promise that, if he wished to reward her for her help and assistance at some future date, that she would honor and accept what he decided to give to her. She'd been embarrassed, but she'd promised Silas she wouldn't refuse his kindness.

  And that had been the last she'd thought about the promise she'd made. It seemed Silas had extracted the same promise from Hope and Grace. And they had been similarly unaware of what could be the consequence of giving Silas their word.

  Now they were owners of a ranch. And it was because each of them wanted to respect the promise they'd given Silas. During their feverish conversations on the long trip to Texas, they'd all agreed it was the only thing they could do if they were to going to honor Silas's memory.

  They'd been brought together by the help they'd given to one kindly and very wealthy bachelor. Silas had died, leaving no surviving family. And he'd left everything he owned to three women who'd shown him kindness before coming out to the Texas Hill Country.

  Prudence and Hope continued to unpack the trunk. Each of the women's bedroom had the same dimensions and contents. A single bed, a dresser, a wardrobe, a table and two chairs. It was very ba
sic. Silas had obviously furnished the rooms with the bare minimum needed. He had told Prudence he had hoped to find a wife. Perhaps have a family of his own. But that hadn't been what the Lord had intended for Silas, Prudence reflected.

  There was a balcony which stretched across the entire front of the ranch house. Access to it was by a door at the end of the hallway. Having finished the unpacking, Prudence and Hope made their way outside onto the balcony. They found Grace out on the balcony.

  Grace turned and smiled at Hope and Prudence. She pointed out toward the beautiful vista. "I can hardly believe we're here," Grace announced.

  Prudence, Grace and Hope leaned against the white-painted balustrade. Prudence gazed out across the stunning landscape. Beyond the ranch buildings the land stretched out into the distance. Her gaze followed the rolling hills covered in grass leading to the distant peaks of low hills. There were wildflowers everywhere she looked. Off to the left she saw groves of cedar and oak trees.

  Gazing up at the sky she was awed by its beauty, by the sheer scale of it. Living most of her life in the city, she'd forgotten how grand nature could be. This was God's country. The sublime loveliness of the landscape made her feel humble. She squinted her eyes, taking in the endless blue of the sky.

  The air was fresh and the sun was hot. Summer in Texas was going to be warmer than what she was used to in Kansas City, Prudence reflected.

  A movement over by the stable caught Prudence's eye. She saw Cal leading a horse out from inside the stable. Seeing he was being observed, Cal smiled and waved up at the balcony. Prudence felt a secret delight at the rancher's simple gesture.