Abraham took the rope from around the cow’s neck and then looked at Clayton for several long minutes. “You sure, boss? I can stay with her.”
“I’m sure. I’ve never helped a cow give birth before, but I’ve read how to do it. I’m just hoping that with a little rest, she’ll be able to deliver without assistance.” Clayton watched the cow settle down inside the shelter with a deep sigh.
“That’s more than I’ve ever done. Gus was always the one who assisted with the birthing, if it needed to be done,” Abraham said. He pulled himself up on his horse and looked down at Clayton. “I’ll eat and get back here real fast.”
Bud had already turned his horse toward the ranch house. He applied his heels to the side of the horse and shot off into the rain.
Abraham shook his head. “Didn’t have to tell him twice, did you?”
Clayton chuckled. “Nope. But since he’s gone I’d like to ask you something.”
Wariness filled the young man’s brown eyes. “Sure, boss.” He pushed his hat back, revealing the tan line on his forehead.
“Maggie and I have been talking and we decided we’d like to offer you the job of ranch foreman. Do you think that you’d be interested in taking the job?” Clayton watched Abraham’s shoulders relax, and he smiled.
“Yes, I would. When do I start?”
“How about tomorrow?” Clayton’s gaze moved to the cow as she stood up again. Then he turned his attention back to Abraham. He quickly outlined the new foreman’s duties and made sure that he wouldn’t change Hal’s or George’s responsibilities.
After Abraham nodded his understanding, Clayton said, “Tonight I’ll tell the other men you are the new foreman.”
Abraham nodded. “Then I’ll keep the information to myself until then.”
“Good. Go on now and grab some grub.”
The young man couldn’t keep his smile from reappearing. He climbed back on his horse. “I’ll be back as quick as possible.”
“Take your time. If it’s still raining when you finish eating, just stay out of the weather. I’ll be up to the house as soon as she has the calf.”
Abraham nodded, then left.
Clayton settled down to wait. The rain pattered on the tin roof, creating a singsong rhythm. An hour ago he was sure the calf was going to be born any minute. Now the cow simply lay on her side and breathed heavily.
His thoughts went to Maggie once more. He could only imagine that her labor had been long and difficult, but she had endured and produced a beautiful baby boy. What would she think being compared to a cow? Clayton grinned at the thought. He was pretty sure no one would appreciate being likened to a cow. Least of all his pretty, young wife.
The cow began to move about as if ready to give birth. Clayton planted his feet firmly on the ground and waited for the calf to be born.
A little over an hour later both Clayton and the mother cow were exhausted but happy. She stood nursing a small bull with the same markings as the one in the left pasture. He was sturdy with big brown eyes.
Clayton led Bones out into the rain and then locked the door on the lean-to. Mother and calf would be fine until the rain let up, and then one of the men could come out and take care of them. He climbed into the wet saddle and pulled his hat down low on his head. A smile touched his lips as he said, “Let’s go, ole boy.”
Bones shot off like a too-tightly strung arrow toward the ranch house. Clayton whooped and laughed. His doctoring skills had come in handy today while delivering the calf. He couldn’t wait to get back to his books tonight and learn more about how to help others.
Within minutes, Clayton was sliding off his horse in front of the barn. He and Bones walked side by side inside the warm, dry interior. Clayton shook the rain from his hat and wiped the water from his horse’s face.
George came in the side door. “I figured you’d stay out of the rain, at least until it lets up a mite,” he said, taking Bones’s reins and leading him to the nearest stall.
“Naw, that ole cow had us a nice little bull and then wanted her privacy so my buddy and I headed for home.” He walked to the bag of oats and filled a feeding bucket with the sweet-smelling grain.
George poured water into the trough from a bucket that he kept handy in the barn. “The boys are all holed up in the bunkhouse waiting out the storm.”
“Good. I’ll mosey over there in a few. I’d like for you to come with me.” Clayton pulled the saddle and blanket off Bones and then began to rub him down.
The horse grunted his thanks and continued eating.
“Can we wait for the rain to let up?” George asked as he walked to the big doors and looked out into the falling sheets of water.
“I don’t see why not.” He really wanted to go inside and see how the kids were reacting to the storm. James was probably sleeping through it, but Dinah might be afraid of the thunder and occasional lightning.
“Good. I kept a bowl of soup hot for you, if you’re hungry.” George turned from the doorway and led him to the small room that, for a few brief days, Clayton had called home.
As they entered the door, Clayton asked, “How are you liking this quieter space?”
George grunted. “It’s nice not to hear all that wheezing and snoring every night.”
Clayton laughed. “I know just what you mean. When my brothers all get to snoring at the same time, it’s like listening to a bunch of hogs at the feeding trough.”
The older gentleman handed Clayton a big bowl of steaming soup. “Speaking of hogs, did Hal tell you that all the pigs got out of the pen yesterday?”
“No, can’t say that he did. Anything I should be worried about?”
George shrugged. “I don’t reckon so. But it isn’t like Hal to leave a gate open. I’m a little worried about him.”
Clayton sampled the soup. It wasn’t Maggie’s cooking, but it wasn’t all bad either. He glanced up to see the older man studying him. “Soup’s good,” he murmured.
The other man laughed. “I’m not concerned about my cooking. I’m concerned about Hal.”
“Oh. Well, we all make mistakes. I’m sure that it was just an accident.”
“You’re probably right,” George agreed. He sat down in the rocker Maggie had sent out to him the day before. “I’ll have to let the missus know how much I like this chair.” He grinned up at Clayton. “You’re welcome to sit on my bunk, if you want to rest a spell.”
Clayton sat and ate the rest of the soup. His mind returned to Maggie and the kids. What were they doing to pass the time while it rained outside? He imagined James would still be sleeping, tucked either into his dresser drawer or in the washtub in the kitchen. Poor kid needed a real bed. His gaze moved to George, who had stopped rocking. His head was thrown back and his eyes closed. Gentle snores rose and fell.
Careful not to wake the old man, Clayton eased off the cot. He set his bowl down on the floor and slipped out of the room, closing the door behind him. His gaze darted about the barn. What would Maggie think if he built James a crib? Thanks to his brother Philip, who loved to make furniture, Clayton was pretty sure he could build a fine crib for the baby.
He walked to the door and looked out into the now-light drizzle. His gaze moved back to the room where George was napping. Should Clayton go and wake him? Or leave him be and tell him later that Abraham was the new foreman? Clayton knew that the old man’s feelings would be hurt if he was left out of this important announcement. He returned to George’s room to find the old man waking. “Rain’s about stopped. Ready to go have a word with the rest of the men?” Clayton asked.
George pushed up from the rocker. “As long as it’s not to announce I’m being fired, sure.” He yawned and stretched. “Rain has always made me sleepy. Resting my eyes seems to help keep me from sleeping in the middle of the day.”
Cl
ayton hid his smile by turning away. “I’ll have to try that sometime.”
“My pappy swore by the resting-of-the-eyes method.”
This time he couldn’t contain his laugh. “I’m sure he did.”
George grunted and followed him out into the light rain.
Clayton hurried to the bunkhouse and knocked quickly before entering without an answer. Hal and Bud sat in front of the checkerboard. Abraham sat beside the stove whittling on a piece of kindling.
“Sorry to barge in on you boys like this, but we had no desire to get any wetter than we already are.” Clayton stepped aside to let George in behind him.
Hal grinned. “You can come in anytime you want to, boss.”
Clayton smiled at the young man. “Thank you, Hal.”
George walked over and sat down beside Abraham. He glanced at the game board. “Looks like Hal is beating you today, Bud.”
“Yeah, guess my mind’s not on the game today.” Bud jumped at the sudden clap of thunder.
“You sure are jumpy today,” Hal said with a frown.
Bud shrugged. “Never cared much for thunder or lightning.”
“Aw, that’s all right. We’re all scared of something,” Hal said, looking down at the game again.
“Didn’t say I was scared. Said I didn’t like them,” Bud growled, as if ready to fight over the simple words.
Clayton cleared his throat. “I didn’t come in here to listen to you bicker.” That seemed to catch everyone’s attention. He looked to Abraham, who continued to whittle on the stick. Clayton couldn’t tell what the young man was thinking so pressed on. “I came in to tell you that I am no longer going to be the foreman of this ranch.”
Bud and Hal turned at his words. Abraham continued flicking curls of wood with his knife. Hal was the one who asked, “Have you hired someone to take your place?”
“I have.” He looked at each of the men in turn. His gaze connected with Abraham’s, and he gave the young man what he hoped was a subtle nod.
George frowned. “Care to tell us who you hired?” He sounded wary.
Abraham stood up and looked at each of them. “He hired me.”
Bud’s mouth opened and closed. Hal grinned as if he were at a church picnic and had just been served a plate of fried chicken. George simply looked relieved.
Clayton nodded. “Yes, I hired Abraham. Maggie and I agreed that he would be best for the job, since he’s been here almost as long as George.”
George stood and thumped Abraham on the back. “Congratulations, son. I’m glad it’s you and not me.”
Hal laughed. “Me, too.” He walked over and shook Abraham’s hand.
Bud slowly pushed his chair back and walked across the room. “Couldn’t ask to work with a better man.” He also shook hands with Abraham.
Clayton watched Abraham’s whiskered cheeks turn a light pink. He looked about the room. “You fellas need to straighten up in here. Abraham and I will be hiring a few new hands and they will need a cleaner place to live. Be sure you are in the bunk you want because whatever is left over will belong to the new men.”
“We’ll do it,” Hal answered.
George walked over to the door. “Well, if this meeting is done, I’m heading back to the barn.” He waited for Clayton’s nod and then left.
Abraham moved to his bunk and began carrying his few things over to Gus’s old bunk. He looked to Clayton. “Is there something more you wanted to talk to me about?” he asked.
“No, I was just thinking about the space in here. At home we built partitions so that each of us could have some privacy. What do you think of building walls and creating each man his own area to live in? You’d still all be under the same roof, but you’d have space to feel like you were alone.”
Bud, who had returned to his and Hal’s board game, answered, “I wouldn’t mind having some alone time from time to time.” He grinned at Hal. “Don’t get me wrong, but there are times when I’d like to read and not feel like everyone is watching me.”
Hal chuckled. “I like watching your lips move.”
“See what I mean? I’d be willing to help build some walls.”
Abraham nodded. “Sounds like a project we can do now, since winter keeps us inside much of the time anyway.”
“Good. I’m glad you are all in agreement.” Thunder boomed, causing Clayton to jump. “Let’s all take the rest of the day off.” He looked at Abraham. “I left the cow and new bull in the lean-to. Someone will need to go out in the morning and move her.”
Abraham nodded as he stripped the cot of its sheets and then proceeded to take them to the other side of the room. He answered, “I’ll see to it.”
Clayton opened the door and looked out into the falling rain. His gaze moved to the house, where he knew Maggie had a warm fire going and his medical books awaited him. He longed to see the baby and Dinah. Clayton admitted to himself that he missed them.
His thoughts turned warmly to Maggie, and he had to admit that he had missed her today. Admitting it didn’t make him feel very good. Was he falling in love with his bride? No, it was a simple longing to be with a friend. Nothing more. He made a wild dash for the house and the warmth it offered all the while ignoring the swift beating of his heart at the thought of being with his new family once more.
Chapter Eleven
Maggie saw Clayton splashing across the yard and opened the door. She laughed as he slid across the porch. “Wipe your feet good before traipsing into the house.”
“How about I just pull my boots off out here on the porch?”
“Even better.” She walked back into the sitting room.
Dinah sat on the couch holding her doll tightly. She offered a weak smile to Clayton as he entered the house in his stocking feet. “Hi, Clayton. Will you sit by me? I’m scared.”
Maggie watched as he walked to the little girl. Clayton sat down beside her and gathered Dinah close to his side. “You don’t feel scared,” he teased.
“I am. The rain is loud.” She pressed against his side.
Maggie felt his gaze upon her but had no advice for him. As long as she could remember, Dinah had feared storms. And nothing she’d ever said seemed to take the fears away.
“You know what we need, Dinah?” Clayton asked.
She pressed her face deeper into his side and shook her head.
“We need to read a story from the Bible. Maybe Sissy could get us the Bible.”
Maggie hurried to get the Bible. Clayton’s soothing voice and calm behavior had her wondering what he was going to read that could possibly help her little sister overcome her fear of storms. She’d taken the Bible up to her room earlier in the day, so she hurried up the stairs to retrieve it. A large clap of thunder had her racing back to the sitting room, where Clayton and Dinah waited.
Clayton pulled Dinah up into his lap and then took the Bible from Maggie. “Maggie, why don’t you get baby James so he can hear our story, too?”
She didn’t know why but Maggie found herself doing as Clayton requested. James had been lying in the washtub. His eyes were big as he listened to the thunder and falling rain on the tin roof of the house. Maggie picked him up and cuddled him close.
“Our story is from the book of Mark, chapter four, verses thirty-five through forty-one.” Dinah sucked her thumb as she watched him find the story and then begin to read: “And the same day, when the even was come, he saith unto them, Let us pass over unto the other side. And when they had sent away the multitude, they took him even as he was in the ship. And there were also with him other little ships. And there arose a great storm of wind, and the waves beat into the ship, so that it was now full. And he was in the hinder part of the ship, asleep on a pillow: and they awake him, and say unto him, Master, carest thou not that we perish? And he arose, and rebuked
the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. And he said unto them, Why are ye so fearful? how is it that ye have no faith?
“And they feared exceedingly, and said one to another, What manner of man is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?” Clayton stopped reading and looked down at Dinah. “Do you understand the story?”
She pulled her thumb from between her lips and answered, “A little.”
Clayton set her up straighter and pointed to each verse as he told the story in a way she could understand. “Well, it was like this. It was about this time of day when Jesus told his disciples to take him over to the other side of the sea in their boats. And they all got in the boats and Jesus went to sleep.” He pulled his finger away and asked Dinah, “Do you know what happened next?”
Dinah nodded. “It rained and made loud noise.”
“That’s right.” He put his finger back on the page and ran it along the words, and continued telling the story in his own words. “And like you the disciples were afraid so they woke up Jesus. Well, Jesus stood up and told that wind and rain to stop. And it did.”
Dinah continued to stare at his finger and the words on the page. Maggie knew that her sister couldn’t read, but she seemed to have calmed down as Clayton read to her. She tilted her head back and looked at Clayton. “He made it stop?”
“He sure did.”
She looked back at the page and touched the Scriptures. “And were the disciples still scared?” Dinah asked in a small voice.
Clayton hugged her close. “They weren’t afraid of the wind and water anymore. Jesus was watching out for them.”
A smile tugged at Dinah’s lips. “Jesus watches out for us, too, huh, Clayton?”
“He sure does, half-pint.”
“And if Jesus tells it to stop, it will stop?”
“It sure will.”
Dinah scrambled off his lap. She walked over to Maggie and baby James. Touching his small hand, Dinah said, “Did you hear that, baby? We don’t have to be scared of the rain and noise. Jesus is taking care of us and when he says stop, it stops.”
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