“I suppose we can let you ride sidesaddle,” he smiled. That night after he’d tucked her into bed, Trent prayed that Gracie would be the answer to his prayers.
Chapter Three: Condolences and Confusion
Gracie said goodbye to the caretakers at the orphanage where she’d been helping out since aging out of the system. Most women her age were already married, hoping to have the sense of security they’d never been given growing up. Gracie didn’t mind being different. She’d learned the hard way that being yourself meant friends could become as close as family. Grabbing her bags and standing by the trunk she’d packed, she waited for a buggy to pick her up.
By the time she made it to the train station she was already running behind. She checked her trunk and larger bag, hoping they’d make it to her cabin. Then she hopped on the train for a ride to the Lone Star State. “I can’t believe we’re going to Texas,” her best friend, Claudette said, bouncing excitedly.
“You’re telling me,” she smiled. “I’ve never been far beyond the orphanage and now I’m going to move clear out west. I don’t know whether to think I’m crazy or just eccentric.”
“Both,” Claudette laughed. She fell asleep almost as soon as the train pulled out of the station, neither woman having slept much the week before. Still, Gracie found it hard to rest. Her mind was going a mile a minute, wondering if Trent would like the style of teaching she used for his daughter. She wondered what they looked like, what had happened to his wife, what his home looked like. She wondered what her hotel room would be like. Having shared a room with Claudette since the young woman had come to the orphanage five years before, it wasn’t an unusual thing and so she’d only arranged for one room. Having money left to her or not, it wasn’t a common practice of hers to be anything but frugal with the funds, especially considering she wasn’t sure if she’d be teaching long, or if marriage would settle her down some. She didn’t want to take any chances just in case. Plus, she had Claudette to think of as well.
After visiting the food car for some warm milk and a cookie, Gracie finally curled up in their sleeping cabin and fell asleep. She dreamed of a handsome man and a sweet-faced little girl, all smiles to see her. Floating down to them, she could feel their embrace, the pressure of the man’s lips against her cheek. Then the picture changed to a beautiful ranch that seemed like a place she’d only read about in her romance novels. Bordered by a pretty, brown fencing, the massive acreage had horses and cattle, as well as, a spacious place for crops. She could see corn nearly as tall as she was, waving in the wind.
Finally, Gracie drifted off into oblivion and dreamlessness, only coming to when the train conductor announced their first and only stop before reaching Midland, Texas. “Fort Leavenworth!” he called as he passed through the sleeping cars and moved on toward the food car.
Both Gracie and Claudette took leave of the train to stretch their legs and exploring the fort, where civilians were allowed anyways. When the conductor called for, “All aboard!” the two women made their way back to the train, enjoying a nice lunch before retiring to their cabin to read.
After an hour or so, Claudette asked. “What do you think he’ll be like?”
“Mr. Baxter?”
“No, President Buchanan. Yes, Mr. Baxter.”
“I’m sure I don’t know,” Gracie answered, blushing despite no romantic entanglements with the gentleman. “There’s a part of me that hopes he looks something like George Bancroft, only younger, of course. Then my imagination runs away with me and I start to wonder. I’ve found it’s much easier to ignore my thoughts and just wait.”
“I don’t envy you, my friend.”
“I don’t even envy myself,” Gracie laughed. The following morning the train finally pulled into Midland and Gracie got her first good look at her new home. She hadn’t written or notified Trent Baxter that she was coming. She wanted a chance to see Midland for herself. To see if this new frontier would agree with her disposition. If it didn’t, she’d simply write and tell him things hadn’t worked out as she’d planned.
“It’s not terrible,” Claudette said, stepping over a mud puddle in the street as she carried the other end of their trunk.
“No, but it’s certainly not Massachusetts either.”
“Give it fifty years,” Claudette chuckled. Gracie couldn’t help, but join her friend in the joke. Thankfully they found that their hotel was across the street from the depot and Gracie checked them in. “Room 245, please.”
“Miss Gracie Madden?”
“That’s me,” she smiled. “Is there anyone who might help me with my trunk?”
“Yes, ma’am,” the clerk replied. “Billy, would you be so kind, as to help the young lady with her trunk?”
“Sure, boss.”
Gracie turned to see a handsome young man approach and lift her trunk as if it weighed nothing. “Thank you,” she smiled.
“Certainly ma’am,” he replied, leading the way to her room. “If you’ll just follow me, I’ll have you settled in a jiffy.” Grabbing Claudette’s hand, Gracie followed the man with her trunk. He graciously took her key and slid it into the lock on the door, then picked up her trunk and set it at the end of the bed. “Is there anything else I can help you with?”
“No. Thank you, sir.” Gracie took out her change purse and gave the man a tip. After he left, she unpacked her bag and hung up her good dresses. Then she turned to Claudette. “Should we look around Midland, or pay Mr. Baxter a visit?”
“Can’t we do both?” she grinned.
“I suppose so. Perhaps we should let Mr. Baxter know we’ve arrived before heading his way?”
“It would delay your meeting his daughter and getting things set up. I’m sure he’s home as it’s a Sunday afternoon.”
***
Trent sat down at the table with Andrea and her nanny, Felicia. He asked the blessing over the meal and they began to eat, enjoying the light conversation and Andrea’s antics with her chicken strips. “Thank you, Felicia, these are wonderful.”
“You’re welcome,” the older woman smiled, her thick accent flowing out with her speech. “Andrea loves them.”
“Thank goodness. Who knew toddlers were so picky.”
“My son used to only eat enchiladas. Weeks and weeks went by before I could get him to try anything else.”
Just after finishing their meal, Trent saw his foreman coming up the porch steps. “There is a couple of young women here to see you.”
“Do you recognize them?”
“No, sir.”
“Alright,” Trent said, tossing down his napkin. “Thank you, Felicia. Andrea, you be good for Felicia. Daddy has to go take care of some business.”
“Okay, daddy.”
Trent stepped out onto his front porch and squinted into the sun, just as Felix had said, there were two women approaching his ranch. “May I help you?” he said when they stopped at the bottom of his stairs.
“Are you Trent Baxter by chance? We took our directions from the post office clerk as to where your ranch was.”
“I am,” he said, surveying the women. They were both beautiful. One was tall and slender, her dark hair pinned up nicely, although the wind was picking long tendrils of curly hair away as it willed. The other was shorter, but not so much so that it affected her overmuch. She had red hair and a splay of noticeable freckles.
“Thank goodness,” the tall one exclaimed. “Forgive the suddenness of our visit, but we arrived yesterday and were anxious to make your acquaintance.”
“And you are?”
“Oh,” the tall one blushed. “My name is Gracie Madden and this is my best friend Claudette Goins.”
Trent searched his memory and it suddenly came to him. Here stood the young woman he’d asked to come west. The woman he was sorely afraid would require more upkeep than his ranch. “It’s lovely to meet you Miss Madden, Miss Goins.”
“I hope we’re not inconveniencing you, Mr. Baxter. To be honest, I wanted to see what Midland, Texas wa
s like before I committed myself to staying in a place I couldn’t settle in.”
“Please, call me Trent. And what’s your impression so far?”
“It’s a quaint town, to be certain. I like the close knit community that seems to be there, however, living a ways out from it doesn’t deter me either.”
“Did you find your accommodations to your liking?”
“We did,” she smiled. Trent nearly lost his breath when her pretty gray eyes met his. They seemed to sparkle from within and adding her smile left him with the impression that she was worth whatever effort it took to keep her happy.
“Great,” he smiled. “I’ll be that way later, if you’d like to stay here at the ranch and have a tour. I can drop you ladies off when I head into town later.”
“We’d love that,” she said, a frown creasing her brow. “I don’t mean to be forward Mr., Trent, but would it be possible for me to meet Andrea? I’m terribly curious as to the little girl who will for the most part be in my charge.”
Chapter Four: Unforeseen Blessings
“Absolutely,” Trent smiled. Gracie took a step back and grabbed Claudette’s hand when he turned to go inside.
“He’s so handsome,” she breathed, a note of obvious excitement in her voice.
Then he stepped through the door with a little girl in his arms and Gracie fell flat on her face in love for the toddler who’d already lost her mother at such a young age.
“Hello,” she cooed softly. “My name is Gracie. Can you tell me yours?”
As she’d expected, the little girl buried her face in her father’s neck. “She’s a mite shy around strangers.”
“Well then,” Gracie said, sitting on the step. “I guess I’ll have to visit often enough that I’m not a stranger. For now, though.” Gracie held out a licorice rope and silently asked Trent for permission before holding it out to Andrea. “I think I could eat a whole meal worth of licorice rope. What do you think, Andrea?”
Tentatively the little girl eyed the sweet treat and finally snatched it. A few minutes later she wiggled from his arms and took a seat next to Gracie.
“Andrea, it’s lovely to meet you,” Gracie smiled. “This is my best friend, Claudette. Do you have a best friend?” When the little girl sadly shook her head, Gracie grinned. “Did you know that big people can have more than one best friend? I can be yours as well, if you’d like.”
Pretty blue eyes stared up at her and a smile split the little girl’s face. “Okay! Do you want to see my pony?”
“Absolutely,” Gracie said, taking the little girl’s hand when she held it out to her. Gracie and Claudette spent the afternoon and early evening at the Baxter ranch, seeing the horses and cattle. She was shocked by how much it looked like the ranch from her dreams. Even down to the corn that would one day wave in the wind.
Trent kindly drove them home, letting Andrea ride along with him. “Thank you for such a wonderful afternoon,” Gracie said when Trent deposited her on the sidewalk in front of the hotel.
“It was absolutely my pleasure, Gracie,” he grinned. Gracie blushed under his stare and cleared her throat. “May we come out tomorrow as well? I’d like to get a better lay of the house and find the most appropriate place to commence with Andrea’s schooling.”
“I don’t want to go to school,” the little girl pouted.
“Knowledge is power, sweet Andrea,” Gracie smiled. “We mustn’t let the men have all of it now shall we?” She gave Trent a wink and smiled when his pretty blue eyes, so much like his daughter’s went wide with surprise. “Goodnight Trent, Andrea. We shall see you tomorrow.”
“Goodnight Gracie, Claudette.” Gracie watched Trent tip his hat before he climbed up in the wagon to drive Andrea back home.
“Oh you’ve got it bad,” Claudette said when they were in the privacy of their room.
“Oh I do not, not yet anyways. You can’t tell me that he isn’t handsome.”
“Well no, but he’s certainly not my type.”
“You have a type?” Gracie chuckled. “Do tell.”
“I like a man that’s tall and broad with a slim waist and dark eyes. Dark hair, dimples are always nice. His smile has to be warm, welcoming. I want to feel as if he truly wants to be in my company.”
Gracie watched her friend and sighed. That was exactly how she’d felt when Trent smiled at her. She’d felt as if he was saying, “What’s mine is yours, welcome home.”
“That’s a lovely sentiment, Claudette.”
“I think I’ve found a man like that too,” she grinned.
“We’ve only been in Texas for one day.”
“The bellboy, the one who carried your trunk up.”
“Seriously?”
“I have an inclination, yes. He hasn’t come right out and said it yet, but I get this feeling about him when he’s near.”
“Maybe you should ask him.”
“I absolutely will not!” Claudette giggled. “It’s not a woman’s place to do the asking.”
“If you say so my friend,”
“You’d really ask Trent how he felt about you?”
“If I was curious enough and he hadn’t made it plain as day by the time I got impatient, then yes.”
“Well good luck with that,” Claudette laughed. “I prefer to wait for the mystery.”
“We shall see, Claudette. We shall see.”
***
Trent couldn’t believe the young woman who’d taken it upon herself to just show up at his home. He had no doubt that she was a spitfire if he’d ever seen one. The realization brought back memories of Rachel, his late wife. She’d been much like Gracie, full of wonder and curiosity. He couldn’t push away how Andrea had taken to her either.
They’d been nearly inseparable for the remainder of the afternoon and Andrea had talked about little else on the way home. He’d tried to reassure her that Gracie and Claudette would be back the next day, but she’d still refused to settle down right away come bedtime. He’d had to get firm with her and the thought ate at him. He hated having to be strict with her at times, but he had little other choice. How often had he felt useless since Rachel passed away? He’d lost count by now, feeling everything from angry denial to complete and utter helplessness.
Gracie’s appearance in his life, along with finding help for his ranch, and Felicia’s involvement were the only times when he’d had any sort of hope at all. He took his pipe and tobacco out to the porch and having packed his pipe, set a match to it, inhaling the soft cherry flavor. He let out a stream of smoke and contemplated the young woman he couldn’t seem to shove aside. He’d done well to control his thoughts of her since responding to her letter. Since that afternoon, however, he’d been much less inclined to do so.
She was stunning without a doubt. Her hair, while easily tamed, was no match for the wind that had plucked it from her pins. He liked that it was long and wavy. He’d forgotten how it felt to run his fingers through a woman’s hair. He knew she was young, but there was a confident bearing that she held, as if life had taught her to rely on herself and little else.
It made his heart hurt to think that a woman so young had grown up under such circumstances. Finishing his pipe, he retired to bed. That week flew by as Trent became accustomed to Gracie’s presence. She came every day after breakfast and stayed through supper, always grateful for Felicia’s meals.
“This is fantastic,” she smiled one night after Felicia had served beef, bean, and cheese burritos.
“Gracias,” Felicia said with a smile. “It is my mother’s recipe.” Trent noticed a sadness pass over Gracie’s face.
“Would you be agreeable to staying until after I put Andrea down for bed?” he asked.
“I will tuck her in Mr. Trent,” Felicia smiled. “Miss Madden needs to get home to rest and you two need time to talk. Take the time now.” Looking at Gracie whose gray eyes seemed so vulnerable, he smiled and offered her his hand.
“Shall we?”
“Alright,�
� she agreed.
“How is Claudette?”
“She’s doing lovely. It seems she’s fallen in love with the bellboy who helped us at the hotel our first day here. They’re having dinner at his parent’s home tonight.”
“I’m glad to hear that she doesn’t feel like a third wheel where you and I are concerned. I hope that my asking this question doesn’t cause you undo pain.”
“You’d like to know about my parents, how I became an orphan.”
“If you’d care to share,” Trent prompted gently.
Chapter Five: Unburdened
“I was six when they passed away,” she said, her voice carrying a far off tone. As if she was back to the little girl who’d probably never grieved for her loss. “I was staying at a friend’s house for a sleepover. It was her birthday and I was finally allowed to be away from them for the night. It wasn’t something I was comfortable with before. Early in the morning, before the sun had risen, a constable came to my friend’s door and asked if I was there. When they woke me up, he sat down with my friend’s parents and myself and told us that my parents had been in a terrible accident. My father was driving a steam powered contraption that he’d been wanting to show my mother for weeks. I was so young that I only really remember what was told to me. Anyway, he was driving and missed a danger sign that warned of impending danger that lay ahead. By the time he reached that point it was too late. Whatever my parents were riding in was struck by an oncoming train. I wasn’t allowed to see the wreckage, or even photos of it. “
“I’m sorry for your loss,” Trent said, giving her hand a gentle squeeze.”
“It seems we have some things in common,” she replied. “Although I’m not sure that exactly what two people should start a courtship on.”
“It might not be the best basis to begin with, but I’m sure there are other things, as well. Our mutual love of horses for instance.”
“There’s that,” Gracie giggled. “There’s Andrea, who couldn’t be turned away by anyone with a heart.”
It warmed him to hear her talk so fondly of his daughter. He’d prayed for years now for a woman who would love his little girl as her own. The fact that Gracie seemed to was another step in the right direction. “I lost Rachel, Andrea’s mother, when she had Andrea. The doctors couldn’t stop the bleeding after Andrea had been delivered. Rachel passed away the following morning.”
[2015] Cowboy for Christmas Page 30
