And into the life of Zane.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
Just like on the first day she’d come to the ranch, Johanna had been the focus of attention throughout the meal. A table had been set up out in the front yard. The whole family and some of the ranch hands had sat at the table, about twenty in all. Grace had been said by Caleb, respectfully observed, and then they’d all helped themselves to the tasty food. Eugenie had fussed with Johanna, making sure she had generous helpings of chicken and vegetables.
The sun had continued to shine down on them during the two hours it took to eat, blessing the meal with warmth and light.
By later in the afternoon, and after Johanna had insisted on helping to clear the table, she helped out in the kitchen, enjoying the chat with Eugenie and the ranch cook Hettie. For her part, Hettie plied Johanna with a whole lot of questions about how she was settling in down in the town. And what she thought about the townsfolk.
Johanna gave Hettie her honest opinion, expressing her delight at her first days in the town. And she was speaking the truth, Johanna told herself, as she helped finish up the cleaning of the dishes. It was a minor miracle to Johanna that, mere days after arriving, she could feel so at home in a new town. And with a family she hadn’t even met until forty-eight hours ago. But she did feel at home, and there was no use pretending otherwise.
As she stood by the sink, Johanna glanced out the window and saw all the Buchanan men out there, standing next to the corral. Zane leaned casually against the wooden fence, while Reese and Micah pretended to box one another, gently jabbing each others’ sides with their fists. Then, Caleb made a remark which Johanna couldn’t make out. Instantly, heads were thrown back and the mens’ raucous laughter echoed across the yard.
Eugenie peered out the window and frowned good-naturedly. “Looks like the boys enjoyed their lunch,” she said.
“Is it like this every Sunday?” Johanna asked as she placed a dry dish on the board.
“If the weather is kind,” Eugenie replied.
“They like their big meals,” Hettie added. “The boys have always had big appetites,” she added with a deep laugh.
“They’ll be wanting to work off some of that, later, I guess,” Johanna said.
“Well, since it’s Sunday, they work a bit lighter than any other day. Although, we don’t strictly have days off,” Eugenie explained. “Can’t do it. Ranch work doesn’t stop. Not even for the Sabbath. But we do try and slow things down a bit.”
“That makes sense,” Johanna observed.
“I heard Zane say he might show you around the ranch,” Eugenie said.
Johanna’s hands paused their wiping of the dish. She glanced out at Zane. He was still laughing out there, almost like he didn’t have a care in the world. “Did he?” was all Johanna could say.
Eugenie started to dry her hands on a towel. “Seems like a good idea to me,” she said. “There’s plenty to see. Sophie told me you already know a bit about farming and the like. Is that true?”
“Only what I’ve read,” Johanna said. She instantly felt bad about not telling the whole truth. But, right now wasn’t the time to be going into that part of her past. Not while they were still thinking she was some kind of fine lady from Eastern society. That still had to be dealt with.
Johanna wanted to wait for the right time before revealing more about herself. She knew she’d have to do that at some point. For now, she had to wait. It seemed like the Buchanans were more interested in getting to know her than in finding out every single detail of her life since she’d been young.
“You might be able to put Zane right on some things,” Eugenie joked. “Sometimes he likes to think he knows everything about ranching. Don’t get me wrong. He knows plenty. He should do after all these years. But, learning never stops,” Eugenie announced turning to Hettie. “Ain’t that right, Hettie?”
“Sure is, Mrs Buchanan,” Hettie agreed, her shoulders shaking good-naturedly.
Thinking about spending time alone with Zane made Johanna feel a strange mixture of unease and anticipation. So, it was with a sense of relief that she heard Eugenie’s next words. “I’ll come with you both, if you like,” she said.
“Really?” Johanna said lifting her brows.
Eugenie smiled. “I want to make sure Zane shows you all the good parts of the ranch,” she explained. She smiled. “Not that we’ve got anything to hide, of course.”
“This is the finest ranch this side of Montana,” Hettie announced proudly.
“And that’s the way it’s going to stay,” Eugenie said. Johanna wondered what Eugenie meant by saying that. She squinted at Eugenie and saw the older woman’s eyes narrow slightly, as if she regretted her words.
Eugenie fussed with some of the dishes and then took off her apron. For a few moments Johanna had the distinct impression that Eugenie was avoiding looking at her.
Johanna took off her own apron and dried her hands. Then she followed Eugenie out into the yard. The sun was still warm, surprisingly so for the time of year, Johanna reflected. The sound of a horse whinnying caught Johanna’s attention. She glanced across at the corral and saw that Zane was inside the corral. He was standing right in front of a light brown quarter horse. She recognized the breed from her time back East, but she wasn’t going to tell anyone that. Not for now.
The horse was about the same height as Zane and, right now, it looked restless, swinging its head from side to side. As she walked toward the corral, Johanna watched as Zane reached out and stroked the horse’s head right down the front. The animal became instantly calmer and Zane turned his head and smiled at his brothers. It was then that he saw Johanna. His brows rose and he quickly moved away from the horse, closing the gate behind him.
“Zane. What did I tell you about that horse?” Eugenie said.
“It’s okay, Ma. I took care of him. He’s just getting used to his new home.”
“You just got the horse?” Johanna asked Zane.
“Don’t tell me you’re an expert on horses, too,” he said lifting a brow at her.
Johanna shifted on her heels. “I didn’t say I was,” she said glancing in the direction of the corral. “Just that he probably needs to see the same person in the corral with him every time he’s being worked on.”
Zane frowned. “How’d you know that?”
Johanna shrugged. “Friend of mine looked after horses.”
“Really. Who?” Zane asked, obviously eager to find out something new about Johanna.
Before she had a chance to reply, Eugenie interrupted. “We’re going out on the spread,” she declared.
Zane squinted at his mother. “You and me, Ma?”
Eugenie tilted her head. “And Johanna.”
Now Zane looked really interested. “You told me you weren’t interested.”
“I said I’d think about it,” Johanna said curtly. “And I have. I think it’s a good idea. I’ve seen around the ranch. I thought maybe I’d like to see more of the spread.”
Even as she said those words, they triggered a curious excitement in her. She was going to ride out on a range and see the workings of a real cowboy ranch.
“You ride?” Zane asked.
“Sure do,” Johanna replied. She looked to Eugenie and saw the woman smile. She seemed to be enjoying this back and forth between her son and Johanna.
“Okay. Let’s get us some mounts,” Zane said and headed off in the direction of the stable. Johanna and Eugenie followed behind.
Inside the stable, Zane prepared the three horses. Of course Eugenie had a regular mount. Zane led his palomino out of the stall and set up the saddle.
He went to another stall and opened it up. He led out a beautiful brown horse, similar to the one in the corral. Only this one looked as if the last thing he’d ever do was throw a rider.
Zane turned to Johanna. “You sure about this?” he asked.
She pouted at him. “Of course I am,” she snapped. “Why wouldn’t I be?”
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p; He shrugged. “Seems like a hasty decision, if you ask me.”
“Zane Buchanan,” Eugenie said sharply. “Cut the chat and get that horse ready for our guest. And make sure you do it right.”
Zane bowed his head. “Sure, Ma,” he murmured.
Johanna had to stifle a laugh. It wasn’t the first time she’d witnessed how the Buchanan mother ruled the roost out on the ranch.
A few minutes later all three were mounted and they emerged from the stable into the late afternoon light.
“Where to?” Zane asked his mother.
“You decide, Zane. You keep on telling me you’re the boss around here,” his mother said.
“There’s only one boss around here,” Zane said. “And it sure ain’t me. Let’s go see the herd.”
He flicked his reins and moved his horse out across the yard and west, away from the ranch house.
CHAPTER TWELVE
Johanna kicked her horse on and followed alongside Eugenie. The sun was in her eyes as the horses made their way across the undulating landscape. Off in the distance she could see the rolling hills and valleys. Further off, there were the mountains, bright and beautiful in the afternoon light. Zane turned in his saddle and looked back at them. He seemed pleased that they were at least keeping up with him.
“You ride well,” Eugenie said to Johanna.
“I learned when I was little,” she replied. At least that part was true. Her father had made sure she could ride. It had been essential as she’d worked the farmstead. Of course, the horses her family had owned weren’t as grand as these three mounts. Just by looking at the horses, Johanna could tell these had been bred for the Montana wilderness. She felt safe on her mount as it moved off the trail and followed Zane out toward the distant hillsides.
“How long will it take to get to the herd?” Johanna asked.
Eugenie called out to Zane. “Where is it, Zane?”
“Micah said he moved it earlier, down by the river,” Zane replied.
Eugenie seemed pleased with that reply. “Maybe we can rest a while there.”
Johanna could tell that Eugenie wasn’t fooled. The herd was of no interest to Johanna, and Eugenie knew it. This was all about spending time with Zane. And about seeing him out in the place he called home. The place where he was really in his element.
They rode a while longer, maybe fifteen minutes. Johanna began to wonder just how big the Buchanan spread was. It seemed to stretch for miles on all sides of the big house.
Finally, Johanna heard a lowing sound coming from far off in the distance. They peaked a ridge and Zane drew to a halt. Johanna and Eugenie pulled up alongside him.
Zane pointed down into the valley. “There you go,” Zane said, his voice clearly filled with pride.
Down there, in the flat expanse of a long valley, by the side of a sparkling river, Johanna saw the herd. Johanna stifled a gasp. There had to be hundreds of cattle down there, she told herself.
She’d had no idea the herd was so large. She could see horseback ranch hands riding on the edges of the herd, keeping them in line. Some of the cattle were taking water down by the river. The gathered cattle stretched from one end of the valley on the right all the way to a narrower pass off to her left where the hills narrowed and the river cut through.
Johanna saw Zane glance at her. “Good, huh?” was all he said.
Johanna nodded. “That looks like a big herd,” she said.
“It isn’t the biggest in Montana,” Eugenie said. “But, it’s big enough for us.”
“You want to see it up close?” Zane asked leaning on his pommel.
“Sure,” Johanna replied.
They rode down into the valley, slowing as they reached the valley floor. Eugenie explained that they didn’t want to disturb the herd, especially at the edges. Otherwise they’d start a stampede. If that happened they’d be no rest for anyone until they’d gotten control back. And that might take a while.
The three of them rode slowly up to one of the ranch hands. Zane spoke with him a while, but Johanna was too busy trying to take in the sheer scale of the herd to pay any heed to what Zane was saying.
There was something hypnotic about the slow movements of the animals. As she rode around the herd, Johanna couldn’t disguise her fascination with the animals. She was starkly reminded of her time back East, on the farmstead.
That also brought back other memories. Family ones and those of her younger years. A childhood spent outdoors, farming and looking after cows. Milking cows and tending to chickens and working the land, breaking her back with a plough.
Nothing like this, she reflected. This was on a whole different scale.
Johanna saw Zane and his mother exchanging some looks. Could they tell how much this sight was affecting her? Try as she could, Johanna couldn’t hide her reaction.
After a few minutes, Zane came up to Johanna and his mother. “I’m going over to the river.”
Eugenie glanced over at one of the ranch hands. “I want to have a word with Ray,” she said and rode off.
Zane started off toward the river and Johanna followed him. They reached the slow-flowing river and dismounted. The grass beneath her feet felt soft, and there was a pleasing freshness to the air by the river. They tied the horses to a tree. Zane strode over to the riverside. Johanna followed him.
The sound of the shifting water mingled with the deep, vibrant lowing of the cattle. Out here, in this vast emptiness, the sound had a magical quality to it, Johanna told herself. She gazed off toward the distant mountains. They shimmered blue and their peaks were white. She suddenly felt very small. Out here, she felt humbled by the sheer beauty and the overwhelming scale of the place. This truly was a land where she could feel the presence of God.
She suddenly could understand the appeal of this life. The reason why someone would choose to spend their life out in this place. But she wasn’t completely naive. Having experienced the reality of working the land when she’d been younger, she could guess what it would take to tame this landscape. To bring order to it. It would be hard, but so rewarding.
She was suddenly aware that Zane was watching her. He was smiling, as if he could read her mind. “I know,” he said. “It is.”
She narrowed her eyes at him. “What?”
Zane ran his gaze in a wide circle. “Beautiful.”
She sucked in a deep breath and sighed, feeling every one of her worries ease out of her. “It’s more than that, Zane. It’s awe-inspiring.”
He quirked a brow. “Fancy word for wonderful, I guess,” he said and smiled at her.
She smiled. “You could say.”
They walked on a while, not talking. Johanna let the sounds of the river and the fresh, clean air fill her senses. She glanced at Zane and saw a satisfied expression on his features. He looked so much more at home here, compared to how he’d looked down in the town.
Suddenly, as if the place had awakened something inside her, Johanna was seized by the need to tell him about where she had come from. Where she had really grown up. Now that she felt she knew him better, she figured it might be better to clear the air. Sweep away some of the doubts.
“Zane,” she said.
He looked at her and his brows rose. “Yes?”
The Rancher’s Bride Arrangement (Brides 0f Inspiration Book 1) Page 10
