by Danni Roan
“I’m afraid I haven’t seen Mr. Hampton yet today,” Prim said studying Anderson with concern. “Is anything wrong?”
Anderson pulled the hat from his head as he studied the young woman. “No, I’m finally starting to get busy on some building projects around my ranch,” he said turning his eyes on her fully for the first time. “I need to see about lumber and such if I’m going to get the new house up before winter.”
“Oh,” Prim said. “You mean you don’t have a house already?” She couldn’t imagine a man like Mr. Bowlings in anything but a large rambling home.
Anderson chuckled shaking his head. “I have a small cabin, but it seems fitting that I should build something more permanent.”
“Weren’t you sure if you would stay?” Prim asked wondering why the man hadn’t started building earlier. Perhaps this was simply a chance to experience the rough-and-ready west and not a place he wished to put down roots.
Anderson studied Miss Perkins’ face, noting the smooth cheek, and soft jaw line. He hadn’t cared much for his own comfort when he had first arrived in Texas. He had been too relieved at his narrow escape back home to think too much about his own comfort. Instead he had focused on collecting a herd and bringing more stock from the surrounding areas to get the ranch started. The adventure of learning to be a cowboy had overshadowed all else, at least until now.
“I felt it was more prudent to concentrate on the cattle first,” he admitted with a smile. “Now that the ranch is running well, and the herd is growing, I have time to consider life’s niceties.”
Prim nodded understanding the practicality of what the man said. “Would you like something to eat or some coffee while you wait for Mr. Hampton?” she finally asked not sure what else she could say.
“Thank you,” Anderson replied following her to a table. “Perhaps just coffee.”
Prim walked Mr. Bowlings to an empty table then turned to see Mr. Gaines enter the door looking around him as if seeking someone.
“Excuse me,” Prim said hurrying to the other man.
Anderson raised an eyebrow as Miss Perkins hurried to speak with Dan Gaines, feeling his irritation rise as well. He had enjoyed a few moments with the young woman and now to have to share her with his closest competition rankled.
He watched as Miss Perkins chatted with the cowboy for a few moments before leading him toward the kitchen then back out to another empty table on the other side of the room.
“Miss Perkins,” Anderson called as Gaines slipped into his chair. “Could I bother you for that cup of coffee?” he asked politely.
“Of course,” Prim said hurrying to his table. “Have you decided on anything else?”
“No, I think just coffee.”
Prim smiled at the handsome man and turned back toward the kitchen returning a few moments later with a hot cup of coffee and a pitcher of milk.
“That smells wonderful,” Anderson said. “Have you heard if Mr. Hampton might be out soon?”
“I’ll go and check for you,” Prim said happy that she could help the man who had helped her out on that first fateful day.
“Miss Perkins,” Mr. Gaines called from across the room scowling at Anderson as Prim turned back toward the living quarters. “Could I get a cup of coffee?” the cowboy asked with a bright smile. He didn’t like how Anderson had been monopolizing the young woman.
“I’ll be right back,” Prim agreed hurrying to the kitchen for another mug. “Oh Olive, I’m so glad you’re here…”
“Why? Is it that busy?” Olive interrupted slipping an apron over her head.
“No,” Prim said with a giggle. “Mr. Bowlings is looking for Orville. He is looking to order lumber from the mill.”
“Oh,” Olive said nodding. “That’s good to hear. Orville should be out soon, and I’ll send him in to talk to Anderson.”
Prim smiled pouring a fresh cup of coffee and hurrying back out to the dining area to deliver it to Mr. Gaines. She had seen as little of him as she had Mr. Bowlings in the past few days, even though Daliah and Spencer often stopped by for dinner with the Hamptons.
“Thank you,” Dan said smiling at Miss Perkins just as Anderson spoke up once more.
“Miss Perkins,” Anderson said smiling. “I think I would like something to eat after all,” the man spoke his dark eyes flashing across the dining hall at his competition.
“Of course,” Prim said placing the mug before Mr. Gains and hurrying to his table. “What can I get you?”
“Whatever is being offered today would be fine,” Anderson said holding the girl’s attention. He wasn’t even hungry but if he was able to keep the girl away from Gaines by ordering a meal, he would do it. Hadn’t the man sent for the pretty thing then practically ignored her?
“Miss Perkins,” Dan called again. “I believe I’ll order breakfast as well,” he said giving Anderson a hard look. “I’m sorry to be such a bother so early in the morning.”
Prim smiled at Mr. Gaines starting to feel like a child’s rubber ball bouncing back and forth between the two ranchers, but made no comment.
“I need two specials,” Prim called, seconds later, hurrying back into the kitchen. She could tell something was going on between the two men in the dining room, but wasn’t sure what it was. For now, she would focus on providing the food and hopefully staying out of the middle of it. When Orville arrived, he would distract Mr. Bowlings, and she could get back to her normal routine.
“Did I hear Mr. Gaines order?” Rosa asked turning her dark eyes to study Prim.
“Yes,” Prim said. “I would have thought he had eaten at home and Mr. Bowlings as well,” she added looking at Rosa with bewildered eyes. “Daliah says they both have good cooks.”
Rosa shook her head. “There is no telling with men,” she said. “It seems that I am always feeding Raul when he is home,” she finished with a grin.
Prim smiled back at Rosa. They already worked well together, and the petite young woman was fun to be around, though some days Prim could see the sorrow of parting with her husband weighing heavily on her small shoulders.
“Prim, did you say someone was looking for me?” Orville asked walking into the kitchen from the main living quarters and snapping his suspenders into place.
“Yes,” Prim replied smiling at the rumpled looking old man. “Mr. Bowlings said he is starting a building project and wanted to talk to you about lumber or some such a thing.”
“You don’t say,” Orville said grinning. “Well I’ll go out and see him right now. Who knows maybe we’ll be having a barn raisin’ soon. That’d be good for Needful.”
Prim smiled at the old man. She couldn’t have picked a better family to land with when she left Tennessee. At the moment she was under their protection and under their roof. She had a job, a way of providing for herself and the possibility of bringing her sister and mother to Needful, sooner rather than later.
When the morning rush was over she planned on writing to her sister and explaining the situation. Although she had only been in Needful for a few days, she felt as if it were already becoming her new home, and if Peri and Mama could join her life would seem complete.
Harsh voices filled the dining room as Prim hurried back out to make the rounds with the coffee pot in hand.
“Now you boys settle down,” Mr. Hampton was saying. “We can work together to get everything done around here if you’ll just agree to get along.”
“I was here to talk to you first,” Anderson said, his voice petulant. “I intend to build my house first then move on to the barn.”
“Well I need to build a house before winter,” Dan Gaines growled. “I have people to think of, and that bunk house is gettin’ too full.”
“Like who?” Anderson barked back. “You haven’t even given Miss Perkins the time of day, so I know it isn’t that.”
Prim stepped into the dining hall her face going crimson at the man’s words, but tears sprang to her eyes at his next words.
“You’d t
hink if you didn’t want the bride you ordered, you’d let her know so some other man could ask for her.”
Prim gasped horrified at the man’s words, but even as she stood, frozen with shock, her embarrassment turned to anger. She was no commodity to be bartered for. Not to mention that it wasn’t Mr. Gaines fault. The man hadn’t even known she was coming.
“Mr. Bowlings,” Prim’s voice broke the tension in the room. “I am no one’s property and Mr. Gaines has no hold over me. You’re words are terribly insensitive, and as far as I see things, I’m perfectly happy
working for the Hamptons.” With her final words Prim turned on her heel stepping back into the kitchen in a huff.
***
Anderson glared across the room at Gaines, his irritation at the way the man was treating Miss Perkins buzzing in his head like a May fly.
“You’d think if a man went and ordered himself a bride he’d at least treat her with some interest,” the lanky Englishman said standing and glaring at the other rancher.
“I didn’t order a bride,” Dan growled throwing down his napkin and stepping away from his own meal.
“That’s what you say now,” Anderson barked. “Seems to me that you were expecting something different, and now you plan on simply abandoning her to her own devices.”
“I didn’t order a bride!” Dan bellowed. “I don’t know why Miss Perkins thought I did or if someone thought it a good joke, but I’m not interested in marrying anyone. I’ve got too much work to do.”
The men stood in the middle of the dining room glaring at each other on either side of Orville as Mr. Hampton looked between them. It seemed that the rivalry between the two biggest ranches in Needful had just climbed up a notch.
“Now you fellas calm down,” Orville said stepping up to them and laying a hand on each man’s shoulder. “You both got work to do and by the sound of it you’re in a mighty big hurry to get it done. I’ll put in the orders for lumber and once I have it mostly filled, we’ll have a raffle to see who gets to build first.”
Dan shot Orville a hard look but nodded, sniffing at Anderson as he hesitated a moment.
“I’m in,” Anderson finally said glowering back at Dan. “I’ll even shake on it,” he finished thrusting his hand forward.
“Done!” Dan said shaking his opponents hand roughly.
“Good, good,” Orville said with a grin thumping both men on the shoulder. “Now, why don’t you finish your breakfast and then head out to work. You know that thing you do what keeps yourself and others fed.”
Dan huffed turning on his heel and marching for the door his breakfast forgotten. He hadn’t asked for this situation and Anderson’s accusations of abandonment hurt.
“I’m not wasting good food,” Anderson said calming some as he watched his rival step through the door. “Why don’t we discuss that order a little further,” he added gesturing for Orville to follow him to his table. Although Anderson had eaten at his own table earlier, the food Prim had set before him smelled wonderful, and he wanted to see that the young woman wasn’t too putout with his remarks earlier.
Chapter 14
Prim was so annoyed when she stepped back into the kitchen she slammed the coffee pot onto the stove with a heavy rattle. “Men,” she spluttered. “Honestly, do they even have a brain in their heads?”
Rosa chuckled as she turned the bacon sizzling in a pan. “Men can make you very angry,” she agreed, “but also very happy.”
Prim sighed shaking her head. “Yes, I suppose that is true of anyone. I just can’t understand why Mr. Gaines and Mr. Bowlings were making such a fuss.”
“Those two they are like the wild bulls, stomping and snorting at each other. In the end they will go their own way, but they must make a scene first.”
Prim laughed imagining both men pawing the earth with a booted foot. “Are they always like this?”
“No, but they are getting worse,” Rosa said. “You see, Mr. Gaines he has the land first and has swung a wide loop.” She said circling her spoon above her head like a lariat. “He has collected many cows and is working to improvement his place. Mr. Bowlings comes later and feels he needs to catch up.”
“So they’re competitors?” Prim asked.
“Yes, always they compete,” Rosa agreed. “They are good men, but pride is a difficult thing. Sometimes it is good that they push each other to be better, but not if it goes too far.”
Prim lifted the coffee pot from the stove once more filling it from the urn of cold water by the stove. “Well they don’t need to compete over me,” she said absently. “I’m perfectly happy working here at the Hampton House. I’m even going to write to my sister and have her bring Mother.”
“Your mother, she is not well?”
“No, she got kicked in the head by a cow and later had a fit of some kind that left her unable to speak or do much of anything. In some ways she’s rather like a small child, but I think she understands what is going on around her.”
“I am sorry,” Rosa said kindly. “It is difficult for your sister to care for her?”
Prim thought for a moment. It hadn’t seemed too difficult to do the things they did for their mother. The girls had taken over the care and cleaning of the house and the cooking. Now that Peri was with Aunt Betsy it must have been easier.
“I don’t think it is too difficult,” she admitted. “They are staying with my aunt in Rockington for now, but we don’t want to be a burden. Here, Peri could work at the Hampton House, and we could look after Ma together.”
“Then you should write,” Rosa said. “Family is very important. I miss my family often even though Raul brings news every time he returns across the border.
Prim smiled at Rosa. “I will,” she agreed. “I’ll talk it over with Olive and see what we can do to bring Peri and Mama here.”
“What are we talking over now?” Mrs. Hampton walked into the kitchen with Christina in her arms. “This one is ready for her breakfast,” the older woman added looking at the little girl who was rubbing sleepy eyes.
“I was telling Rosa that I thought I’d like to bring my sister and mother to Needful,” Prim admitted taking over Rosa’s job at the stove. “I think Peri would like it here. She always enjoys meeting new people.”
“Your sister?” Olive asked, her dark eyes shining. “The more the merrier is what I always say. Now why don’t you go take some of that fresh coffee out to Mr. Bowlings and Orville while I do some cookin’ for a change,” Olive insisted taking the spatula from Prim. “Rosa can look after our favorite little girl?”
Prim nodded adjusting the coffee pot on the stove one more time and making sure it was hot enough as the percolator bubbled. Grabbing the hot pot with a towel she headed back into the recent stomping grounds.
***
“Miss Perkins,” Anderson stood as she approached the table. “I’m sorry for what I said earlier.”
Prim looked at the man seeing the sincerity in his eyes and understanding that things often were said in the heat of the moment that were regretted later.
“Thank you,” she said softly. “I hope your business is going well.”
“All but done,” Orville Hampton piped in. “We’ve got a big order for Mr. Bowlings and for Mr. Gaines. Now we’ll just see who gets to start first.”
Anderson placed the payment for his meal on the table and stood watching Miss Perkins chatting with Orville. He had to admit the old man’s answer to his and Gaines conflict had been genius, and he still felt like a heel for the way he had spoken about the pretty, young woman who was making the best of her current situation.
“Miss Perkins,” he said as he placed his hat back on his head. “I hope I’ll see you again soon, and I’m sorry for my words earlier.”
Prim looked Anderson up and down but instead of a haughty look, or rude comment she relaxed. “I understand,” she said. “I don’t approve, but there are moments when we all say things we regret.”
Anderson smiled pleased at the you
ng woman’s attitude. In England he would have surely received a severe cut from any of the cloying women he had known. Miss Perkins’ attitude was refreshing. So much was different here in Texas, and he suddenly realized that he was just as needful of kindness and understanding as the town itself.
“Perhaps I’ll see you when I win out over Gaines on the building contract. Until then have a good day.”
Prim smiled at Mr. Bowlings. He seemed so determined to get his buildings finished before Mr. Gaines. She hoped that the rivalry between the two men would only benefit the town and not create a rift that would leave hard feelings. But deep down, she also hoped that Anderson would get his house first.
