by Barbara Goss
“Pretty close to that. Every horse is different. I find the males take longer since they are more stubborn.” Elise forced herself to hold back a smile.
Harlan laughed. “Are we still talking about horses?”
Now, Elise did smile. She hoped she wasn’t blushing. “Of course.”
“How about you pick out any horse from either stable to ride while you’re here?” he said.
“I’d love to. Thank you. A brisk early morning ride would make my day more enjoyable.”
Harlan tipped his hat. “I’m sorry for my boorishness. If there is anything I can do for you, just let me know.”
Harlan felt rather foolish after the confrontation with Elise. The tiny woman knew what she was doing. If she continued to train horses that quickly, he’d have a good number to sell at his auction.
He also had to admit she was pretty. He noted how dirty her pants became after a day of working in the dusty corral. Maybe pants were the perfect thing for her job, after all. He’d have to find a way to show his appreciation for her work. Maybe he’d give her a percentage of the sales.
On Sundays, Elise attended church with the family, and she always appeared to be a perfect lady in her pretty feminine outfits. And Millie doted on her, besides. He decided that he liked Elise Ansell, and he was, indeed, pleased with his new horsewoman.
Pedro reappeared a week later. “Hey, boss—where should I start?”
“Pedro!” Harlan greeted. “I didn’t think you’d be back.”
“Sad news, my friend—my mama, she didn’t make it. So after the funeral, I decided to come back to work.”
“I’m sorry about your mama. I’m glad you came back. I’m having an auction at the beginning of September, and I need saddle-trained horses. I’ll need you to work at the male’s stable and use the back corral.”
“Why is that, boss?”
“I have a horse trainer doing the females in front. She’s new and very good.”
“She? You’re joking, of course.”
“No, and I was as shocked as you, my friend, but she’s good. Very good. I hope you’ll make Elise feel welcome.
Pedro shook his head, “Then, that is a good thing. We’ll get more horses done by September.”
Harlan clapped Pedro on the shoulder. “I’ve decided to give you both a percentage of the sales for doing such a great job. Oh, and welcome back.”
Millie sat on the fence at the back corral, watching Pedro train a stallion. She almost fell off the fence when a male voice shouted, “Hey, you!” She turned to see two men on horseback.
“What?” she yelled.
A nicer voice said, “I’m looking for an Elise. She’s a horse trainer, and there’s only one other in Russell, at a smaller place, and she’s not there.”
Millie jumped down from the fence and walked closer to the men on their horses on the other side of the property's fence. She recognized the one with the nicer voice as the man who had been on the stage coach with Elise. She panicked, crossed her fingers behind her back, and prayed for forgiveness ahead of time. “Well, she isn’t here, either.”
“She has to be,” the gruffier-voiced man said.
“Not anymore. She didn’t care for the job and left. She got back on a stagecoach for home,” Millie said.
“Are you sure?” the nicer-voiced man asked.
Millie nodded, turned, and ran through the stables, into the house, and into her bedroom. She got on her knees and prayed: "Dear Heavenly Father, please forgive me for lying. I didn’t like those men, and I have to keep Elise for Papa. I know she’ll come to love him. Please, let them get a chance without those men interfering. Thank you, Lord, and I’ll try not to lie again.”
She’d heard the minister say "Ask and you shall receive" so many times, so she asked, and now she waited to receive.
Millie jumped when Martha called up the stairs: “Elise says she’s ready for you.”
She flew down the stairs and out to the corral.
“Are you ready to ride?” Elise asked.
“I didn’t get my riding outfit yet. They didn’t have a child's size at the general store, so it’s been ordered.”
Elise smiled. “That’s fine. You can ride in a dress, especially if you’re wearing long stockings, which I know you are. Sitting on the saddle often raises your dress, and it isn’t proper for a lady’s legs to show, but you will be fine until the outfit comes in.”
“How do I get on?” Millie asked.
“It’s called mounting. I’ll help you. First of all, you’ll need what’s called a mounting block. After, when you are a pro, you won’t need one to jump on Cocoa anymore. I’ll get you one.”
While Elise was getting the block, Millie talked to Cocoa: “I hope you will let me ride you.” She petted her mane. “I will be kind to you always.” Millie wasn’t surprised to see her papa watching her from the stable.
Elise came back with the block. “Here, let me show you.” Elise helped Millie onto the mounting block. “Now, lift your left leg into the stirrup, and I’ll help you swing over the saddle.” Elise went to the other side of the horse to secure Millie’s boot in the other stirrup, and adjusted both stirrups to Millie’s size.
She went back to the left side of the horse and handed Millie the reins. "We won’t make any turns today. We’ll just ride the circle of the corral. Cocoa knows the route. You just sit and hold on for today. Squeeze her sides with your feet gently and make a clicking sound. I trained her to move forward that way.
"That’s it... gently… there you go!”
Millie felt scared at first, but then she felt excited.
Cocoa moved in a slow trot, and Millie bounced up and down a bit, but it felt exhilarating.
Elise stood in the middle of the corral, watching them carefully. After four rotations, she stopped Millie. “You are a natural rider.”
“Really?”
“Yes. You did wonderfully for your first time. Tomorrow, we’ll learn how to turn the horse in all the directions. Then, we’ll go out on the trail.”
“Um, Elise... how do I get down?”
“Oh, let me get the mounting block.”
With the block in place, Elise showed her the proper way to dismount. “Good girl!” She hugged Millie. “I’m so proud of you, my first student.”
Millie left the corral, thinking what a great start. Elise liked her, and she liked Elise. Millie wanted her to be her mama so badly. It just had to happen. She went into the barn where her papa was just turning back to work.
“Did you see me, Papa?”
“Do you think I wouldn’t watch my baby girl ride her first horse? I’m so proud of you.”
Millie smiled, and her Papa picked her up for a big hug. “So very proud.”
“Elise is wonderful, Papa. She taught me everything. Isn’t she brilliant, Papa?”
“I think she is doing a wonderful job.” He kissed her and set her down. “I got a wire today that said your riding suit has come in. I’ll pick it up tomorrow when I go for the mail. Now, run in and wash up for supper.”
Chapter Seven
After breakfast, Harlan stood and announced, “I’m going to town to pick up Millie’s riding habit and to check our mail. Can I get you anything, Elise or Martha?”
“I need a sack of flour,” Martha said.
Elise stood and addressed Harlan: “Would it be possible to register my name at the post office so I can correspond with my parents? They will be worried by now. I have a letter all written if you wouldn’t mind posting it for me.”
“No problem at all, ladies. It’s my pleasure.”
Harlan addressed Elise: “I’ll be hitching up the hay wagon—you can bring your letter out to me. And don’t forget: you may ride into town anytime on that new horse of yours. Did you name her yet?”
“I did. I named her Sadie.”
“That’s an excellent name for her. Any special reason?” he asked.
“Yes, I had a dog named Sadie when I was small, but sh
e was run over by a hay wagon. She was the same color.”
“A fitting memory. She’s a beautiful horse.”
Elise turned to Millie who was finishing her oatmeal. “Your next riding lesson will be at noon. By then you’ll have your new outfit.”
Millie smiled. “I can hardly wait... for both.”
When Millie joined Elise in the corral, Elise complimented her riding outfit. “And besides being stylish, it looks good on you. I’m sure Cocoa will love the blue color that matches your eyes.”
Millie blushed. “Can I ride Cocoa now?”
“Yes. I’ll get her and the mounting block.”
After Millie rode around the corral for a few times, Elise taught her how to steer the horse gently in the direction she wanted her to go. Millie did wonderfully, and Elise praised her with a big hug. “I’m so proud. You learned so fast.”
Millie backed away and put her head down sullenly. “You wouldn’t be proud of me if you found out I told a lie, would you?”
Elise bent down to look the child in the eyes. “I’d be proud of your riding, but lying isn’t something to be proud of. It’s a sin, Millie, but that’s for God to judge, not me. I’d be disappointed with you, but it wouldn’t affect our relationship one bit. Everyone tells a little lie sometime in their lives, and God forgives because he knows we’re human.”
“Even if... if it was about you?”
“What are you saying, Millie? Why would you lie about me?”
Millie sighed loudly. “Two nasty-looking men came around to the back corral and asked if you were here, and I told them you weren’t.”
“Why, Millie?”
“Because they looked nasty and mean. They scared me.”
Elise smiled and wiped away the tears that fell from Millie’s face. “If they were mean and they scared you, then your lie protected me from danger. I’m sure God will forgive you that.”
Millie smile back. “I love you, Elise.”
“I love you as well, Millie. Now, run along and change. The outfit is for riding only.”
After Millie had left, Elise wondered why two nasty-looking men would be looking for her. No one knew she was there except... T.J. Andrews! He’d said he might stop by. She remembered telling him she’d be working as a horse trainer. Oh, dear. She wouldn’t mind seeing her new friend, and she wondered if he’d try to see her again. It definitely wasn’t a romantic thing—T.J. was a nice man, but she wasn’t interested in anything but horses right now. He was good-looking in a rough-looking way, so maybe he had scared Millie. Elise was young, and she had a lot of time before settling down with a man. T.J. had just been a nice way to pass some time on the trip.
Elise shrugged, and she returned Cocoa to the stables. Whether T.J. returned or not, it really didn’t matter—she had horses to train
Harlan sat on the front porch, reading after a wonderful church service and a light supper. Millie was helping Martha in the kitchen, Clay and Pedro had gone to the bunk house behind the stables, and Elise had gone for a walk around the grounds.
Things were going great. Elise did a wonderful job, and having Pedro back was a bonus, yet something bothered him. It was Elise. For some reason, he felt off-balance around her. She was a cute little thing, always smiling and laughing. She’d brought so much joy into the home, but what he feared the most was happening: he was attracted to her. How had he let down his guard? Even if she ever reciprocated, which he doubted, he didn't want to marry after the marriage his parents had. They must have been in love at one time, but all he recalled of them was constant screaming and name-calling. His father had finally left, and he still didn’t know if he were alive or dead. His mother had come from an affluent family and when she'd died, he'd inherited enough money to move to Russell from Wichita and build the horse ranch.
A horse galloping down the lane from the main road jerked Harlan from his deep thoughts. He squinted to try to recognize the caller, but then he realized it was a stranger. On a Sunday? How odd.
He stood, walked to the porch steps, and waited for the man to stop and dismount.
“Can I help you?” Harlan asked the tall man.
“I sure hope you can,” T.J. Andrews said. “I’m looking for Miss Ansell.”
Harlan felt tongue-tied for a moment. He wasn’t sure what to ask next. “Why?” he blurted. Then, he realized it was a dumb question. “I mean, are you acquainted with Miss Ansell?”
“Yes. We traveled all the way from Cleveland together. I’m living just outside of Hunter’s Grove. I inherited my grandfather’s ranch, and I promised to look her up once I got settled.”
Harlan felt he had no choice but to welcome the man, so he put his hand out. “I’m Harlan Tanner.”
“T.J. Andrews.”
“Miss Ansell is out walking, but I don’t expect her to be gone long. Won’t you have a seat on the porch? Can I get you a refreshment?” Harlan’s welcome sounded sincere, but it wasn’t. What did this man want with Elise?
T.J. took a seat. “No, I’m good.” He gazed around. “This is some setup you’ve got here, Harlan. Two stables and corrals—you must have a lot of horses.”
Harlan’s sense of caution kicked in at his remarks, and he simply nodded.
He was saved from the conversation when Elise came around the corner.
She started up the steps and froze. “T.J.!”
Harlan’s insides twitched. He couldn’t sit and watch the happy reunion. “I’ll let you two catch up.” He stood and walked into the house.
Elise sat in the chair Harlan had vacated. “How are you?”
“I’m doing just fine. I stopped here a week or so ago with my friend, and some little girl said you’d left, but the post office said you were still here, so here I am.”
Elise blushed. “She’s very young and was most likely afraid of two strangers. I’m glad you came back. It’s good to see you.”
“I promised I would.”
Elise brush the lint from her red skirt. “You did. How is your ranch coming?”
“Well, it’s going to need a lot of work, so my friend and I will be busy for quite a while.”
“I’ve been busy, too. I have quite a few horses to saddle train. I love working with them, and these are the best quality horses I’ve ever seen.”
“Is that right? Are both stables full?”
“Yes. We’re planning a horse auction in September, if you’re in the market for some superior horses,” she said.
“I’m always looking for a few good horses. Do you mind taking me on a tour?”
“I’d love to, T.J., but I believe they’re all locked up for the night. Mr. Tanner doesn’t like the horses disturbed after the end of the day.”
“He locks them up? Way out here in the country? Has there been trouble in the area?” T.J. asked.
“Oh, I don’t think so. It’s just the way he does things. He’s very particular about his stables and horses, but he has a right to be—he’s put a lot of money and work into them.”
“What if I came in the daytime—could you give me a tour then?” he asked.
“I guess I could if it didn’t take long. I do have to train as many horses as possible before the auction, but I suppose a quick tour wouldn’t hurt.”
“I’ll stop by some afternoon, then.” T.J. patted her hand. “It’s so good to see you.”
Elise smiled. “It’s always good to see a friend.”
She watched him mount his horse and wave before galloping down the lane.
Elise was wondering what Harlan had thought about T.J. when he came out and sat in a chair.
“This man… T.J. , was it? He traveled with you?” he asked.
“Yes. All the way from Cleveland. We spent days together, chatting to pass the time.”
“I see. I hope you don’t mind me asking you questions about him, for I like to know who’s on my property.”
“I understand. He wants to return for a tour of the place.”
Elise was surprised to see Ha
rlan frown. “He does? Well, then, make sure I’m here—I don’t like strangers around my stock.”
“I’m sorry. I didn’t realize. I offered to give him a tour.”
“Just make sure I go along with you is all.”
Elise was somewhat confused, but she nodded.
“Do you have any idea what our stock is worth?” Harlan asked.
“You have the finest horses I’ve ever seen.”
“Have you noticed the padlocks on the stables and all of my fences? I need to protect my property. T.J. might be an acquaintance of yours, but to me he’s a stranger.”
Chapter Eight
Elise was finishing her lesson with Millie a few days later when she saw T.J. riding up the lane. She whispered to Millie, “Go and get your Papa.”
Millie scampered into the stables.
Elise watched T.J. tie his horse to the hitching post and walk over to where she was standing. She watched his eyes widen as he saw her trousers.
“I love the riding outfit,” he said, eying her up and down.
Elise felt uncomfortable, and she was glad Harlan would be accompanying them.
“I’m here for my tour,” he said clapping his hands.
Feeling friendly but also uncomfortable, Elise opened the corral and let him walk inside. “Mr. Tanner will accompany us. He knows more about the stock than I do.”
T.J. nodded as Harlan walked out of the stables.
Harlan returned his nod. “Mr. Andrews.”
“I’m anxious to see your stock,” T.J. said. “Since I’ve just inherited a ranch near Hunter’s Grove, and I’ll be looking for a few good horses.”
“Will you be breeding or riding?” Harlan asked.
“For now, riding. Presently, we’re a cattle ranch. My crew just left for Topeka with a herd.”
“Working horses or pleasure riding?”
T.J. answered, “I could use both, actually.”
“We don’t have working horses here. They are all top quality riding and racing horses.”
