They’d always told the weather by Sully’s aches and pains, and he’d never pointed them wrong.
“All right, then. Let’s get the markers put in, and then I’ll check with Mike and see what needs doin’ with the cows until the men are done at Billy’s. I would lend a hand with the pitch, but you can only have so many men scramblin’ around on a roof before they’re in each other’s way,” Tenny said.
He and Zeke paced off the measurements for the cabin and double-checked their numbers, then drove markers to indicate the corners, the doors, and the spot for the chimney. They didn’t rush this part—if their calculations were off, it would have a severe impact on the stability of the whole cabin.
“There we go,” Zeke said at last, stretching his back. “We’ve left you some room there to expand in the back should you find yourself with more children than you know what to do with, but this is a good size for starters.”
Tenny grinned. “And just how many children would that be?”
“Well, I don’t know! How many do you know what to do with?”
“Right now? None. I’ve never held a baby in my life. I’m sure lookin’ forward to givin’ it a try, though.” Tenny could just imagine a little bundle all wrapped up in Cora’s arms, one with her eyes. He cleared his throat before he let the picture make him too emotional. “I’ll go find Mike. Think maybe two hours?”
Zeke squinted to check on the progress at the other cabin. “To be honest, I don’t think we’ll be able to get started here until mornin’. We didn’t begin our work day until late, thanks to all the weddin’ plannin’, and we’re runnin’ behind.”
Tenny didn’t like having to wait, but he knew Zeke was right. Just like the surveying, it would be foolish to rush any part of the construction, and if the pitch wasn’t spread on the roof evenly, those rare Kansas rainstorms would come leaking right in. “Mornin’ it is, and I’ll do my best to be patient.”
Zeke chuckled. “You? Patient? Says the man who’s been engaged for two days and is already marching toward his wedding.”
“When I know what I want, I don’t see any point in waitin’ around,” Tenny replied. “It’s not like I’m going to love her any better if we wait a month or two—things like that don’t just change on a man.”
“True.” Zeke nodded. “And truth be told, I’m glad you put a burr under us. I think we all wanted to get a move on with the weddings, but none of us knew how.”
“Well, that’s what I’m here for—to put burrs under people.” Tenny chuckled. “See ya later, Zeke. Thanks again.”
Tenny walked toward the stables, planning to saddle up and go riding in search of Mike, but Mike was actually just coming in from the fields, so Tenny waited for him. As Mike reined in his horse and dismounted, Tenny said, “I can’t do anything else on my cabin till mornin’. What still needs to be done for the day?”
“The men actually took care of the lot of it,” Mike replied. “Seems they want to be of use to you while you’re gettin’ ready for this wedding.”
“There’s nothin’ left to do? They milked and everything?”
“They milked and everything. Might as well take the rest of the day off—who knows when you’ll get another one, once you start buildin’ that cabin.”
“Thanks, Mike. I think I will.” Tenny paused. “And I’ll return the favor when it’s your turn.”
“My turn? My turn for what?”
“You know—wedding bells and all that.”
Mike shook his head. “Never going to happen. And besides, I already have a cabin.”
“True, true . . . but you can’t say never. Look at me and Cora—we couldn’t stand each other at first.”
“Well, that’s still a step down from hatred, which is where Fiona and I are at the moment.” Mike shook his head. “Not in my plans, my friend. Enjoy your afternoon off.”
Tenny chuckled. Mike was a stubborn one, and so was Fiona. It would take something pretty miraculous to bring those two together, but he believed in miracles. He’d seen quite a few in his day, one of them named Cora.
Speaking of Cora, he had a few hours free, and he knew exactly what he wanted to do with them. He walked into the stables and saddled Buckeye, then looked around at the horses still available to choose from, the ones not already out in the fields. He chose Clover, the calmest, gentlest one there was.
With both horses now saddled, he walked over to the kitchen, where he knew Cora was likely to be helping prepare supper.
“Miss Fiona,” he began as he entered the room, “I realize that I’ve stolen Cora from you time and again over this last week, but you’ve gotta understand, I’m a man in love.”
Fiona looked up from the potatoes she was chopping. “I do understand that. What I also understand is that you men like eating your supper on time, and if I don’t have enough help, I might be late getting that meal on the table.”
Tenny scratched his chin. “And I definitely understand that. All things bein’ equal, though, what if I promised that once I’ve got a ring on that gal’s finger, I’ll stop stealin’ her away? I’ll get to see her all I want during the other hours, and I can leave your kitchen hours alone.”
Cora was watching the exchange with interest, and Tenny noticed that she was trying not to smile.
Fiona exhaled. “There’s no point in arguing, Tenny—I know how this is going to turn out no matter how I might object. Go ahead and take her, but don’t make her milk any more cows! She’s been practically useless to me today—useless, I’m telling you.”
“I’m sorry to hear that, but thank you for lettin’ her go.”
“She’s not actually mine to control, you know. She’s got a mind of her own, and if she’d rather go gallivanting off with you than to stay here and rinse beans, I suppose I’ll have to endure it.” Fiona waved her knife. “Off with you.”
Cora removed her apron, grabbed her hat, and went back outside with Tenny, where she finally allowed herself to giggle. “I’ve never seen Fiona wave so many knives as she has the last few days,” she said. “She’s becoming rather frightening.”
“Well, as long as she uses those knives on our dinner, I’m not too worried.” Tenny took one of Cora’s hands and examined it. “Sore from the milking?”
“Oh, my, yes. You made it look so effortless, but it’s really hard to get the milk out.”
He raised her hand to his lips and kissed it. “I’ve been doin’ it for years, so I don’t even think about it anymore. I should have realized it would be difficult for you.”
“I’m glad to have given it a try, but I can’t say that I’m eager to do it again.”
“Miss Fiona’s right—your milking days are done. However . . .”
Cora turned to him, suspicion on her face. “Just what are you about to spring on me now, Tenny Lawless?”
He grinned. “Seems to me that you asked for some horseback riding lessons.”
She gasped. “Today? Now?”
“That’s right. I can’t start on our cabin until the morning, so now’s as good a time as any.”
She looked so pretty when she was flustered. “But . . . I haven’t had time to think about it or prepare myself . . .”
“Sometimes the best thing to do is just leap in,” he told her, taking her by the elbow and guiding her toward the stables. “I’ve saddled Clover for you. She’s sweet and gentle, and I think you’ll get along well.”
“You think I’ll get along well with a horse? Gracious, Tenny—you do realize how scared I am, don’t you?”
Tenny wrapped his arm around her shoulders. “I do realize, and I’ll be there every second.”
“You’d better be.” She pulled in a deep breath. “All right, introduce me to this horrifying animal.”
***
Cora swallowed several times, trying to hold back the fear. Tenny was explaining how to mount the horse and hold the reins, but she couldn’t concentrate on the lesson—all she could do was think about the size of the beast next to her. She’d read tha
t a horse weighs around thirteen hundred pounds, and that fact had stuck in her head ever since. Thirteen hundred pounds . . . that was more than ten times Cora’s weight. It could crush her without even trying.
Tenny rested his hand on Cora’s shoulder. “Sweetheart, I promise, I’ll keep you safe,” he said, studying her eyes. She blinked, trying to listen. “Clover here doesn’t want to hurt you—in fact, she’ll work with you once you learn to communicate with her.”
Cora pulled in a breath. “You want me to communicate with her?”
“It’s somethin’ that’ll happen naturally as you get to know her. Kind of like you and me. We didn’t get off to such a great start, but now look at us.” He waggled his eyebrows. “I’m not sayin’ I want you to marry this horse, but you’ll get to know her, and you’ll come to appreciate her . . . if you give her a chance.”
Cora nodded. She wanted to do this. She wanted to overcome her fear, and she wanted to be able to ride around the ranch without needing a wagon to take her everywhere. “All right, I’ll give her a chance. Could you just remind me what to do, please?”
Tenny walked through the process of mounting again, and Cora was able to listen this time. Her whole body was trembling, though, and she didn’t know if she’d actually have the strength to do what he was asking.
“So remember, you always mount on the left,” he said. “That’s how the horses have been trained and it’s what they expect. Put your left foot in the stirrup, grasp the reins and a hunk of mane in your left hand, and grab the cantle with your right hand.”
“What’s the cantle?”
“That’s the back part of the seat here.”
She nodded. “And why am I grabbing the mane? That doesn’t sound very nice.”
He smirked. “So, you don’t like horses, but you don’t want to be unkind to them?”
“Well, I don’t know how to explain it!”
He kissed her forehead. “You’re just a naturally caring person, but see, grabbing the mane is actually doing the horse a kindness. If you only grabbed the reins, you’d be putting a lot of pressure on the bit, which is hard on the horse’s mouth. When you grab some of the mane, you’re dividing up that pressure, and it’s less painful.”
“Oh.” Cora nodded. “All right, so I pull the horse’s hair . . .”
“And you grab the back of the seat,” Tenny continued. “Then you give a little hop, throw your weight onto your left leg, and swing your right leg over the horse. You pull yourself up with your arms, see, using the mane and the cantle as your handholds.”
“And then my skirt goes flying into the air, and I have no chance whatsoever of salvaging my dignity,” Cora concluded.
“Hmm.” Tenny pursed his lips. “You know, I hadn’t rightly given that much thought. Seein’ as how I’ve never worn a skirt, that problem didn’t enter my mind.”
“Well, I’m very glad to hear that you’ve never worn a skirt. I’d be rather scandalized to find out anything different,” Cora teased, glad for a moment of humor to break up the long stretch of nervousness.
“The men would never let me hear the end of it, either,” Tenny replied. “Miss Margaret rides sometimes, and she just tucks her skirts under herself somehow—I’ve never paid close attention, but I know she manages it.”
“I’m willing to give that a try, but you must promise me to look away if things get a little too revealing,” Cora said. “We may be engaged, but we’re not married yet, and I won’t be embarrassing myself in front of you until next week.”
He chuckled. “All right, I promise.”
“I’m just glad that Alice pointed me to wearing fewer petticoats,” Cora went on. “I can’t imagine trying this with the layers I had on before.”
“That should make a difference,” Tenny agreed. “Now, because you’re such a little thing, I’ve brought over this stool for you to get started on. If you were taller, you could mount from the ground, but I think you need a boost.”
“We did discuss putting a ladder in the wagon,” she reminded him. “You might set one up out here, too.”
“Could, but let’s see how the stool works first.” He grinned. “Are you ready?”
“No, not in the slightest, but we’d better try it or I’ll stay on the ground forever.” She closed her eyes and said a quick, terrified prayer, then used Tenny’s shoulder for balance as she stepped onto the stool. Then she put her left foot in the stirrup, grasped the reins and the mane in her left hand, grabbed the cantle with her right, threw her weight, and swung her leg over—all as she’d been directed.
“How did I do?” she asked Tenny, who was standing there with his mouth open.
“Are you sure you’ve never ridden a horse?”
“I’m absolutely sure.” Clover took a slight step, and Cora grabbed on to the saddle. “Why is she moving? Make her stop moving!”
Tenny took hold of the bridle. “She’s just settlin’ herself with you on her back,” he explained. “What I can’t understand is, you just did that like you’ve been climbin’ on horses your whole life. You’re a natural whether you want to believe it or not.”
“I was just following your instructions,” she said, pleased that he thought she’d done well, but also still jittery—she was now seated far above the ground, and the horse kept shifting. She tucked her skirt around her legs a little more securely, hoping Tenny hadn’t seen her bloomers when she climbed up.
“You followed them mighty well. Now comes the fun part—the actual riding. Hold on to the horn there in front of you.” Tenny made a clicking sound while tugging on the bridle, and Clover took a few steps. Cora grasped the horn tightly, only barely noticing the soreness left in her hands from milking. She was on a moving horse . . . she was actually doing it.
If her mother could see her now, she’d never believe it.
Chapter Eleven
Cora entered the ladies’ cabin on wobbly knees and threw herself into the nearest chair, trying to catch her breath.
“Cora? What’s the matter?” Wynonna asked.
“I just rode a horse,” Cora replied. “Well, it was more like . . . sitting on it while Tenny guided it, but I mounted, stayed on, and dismounted.”
“That’s incredible,” Helen told her as she brought over a glass of water. “Honestly, I’m so proud of you. I know that wasn’t easy.”
“Thank you. I was terrified, but I kept talking myself through it, and Tenny says I’m a natural.” Cora took several sips of water, grateful for the cool sensation on her throat. “Abel just got back—we saw him in the stables. He says all the telegrams have been sent, and Pastor Osbourne has agreed to come out for the wedding. He also said the pastor wishes we could all go into town and be married at the church, but he understands that everyone from the ranch wants to be there, and that we can’t leave the entire ranch unmanned for an entire day.”
“I’ve always imagined myself getting married in a church, but it’s true that we can’t abandon the ranch like that,” Helen replied. “I suppose there are any number of things that will be different now that we live on a ranch instead of in town. And there are things that already are different, of course.”
Rowena poked her head out of her bedroom. “All right, girls, come see what Fiona and I have been up to.”
The four dresses had been laid out on Rowena’s bed, and spools of thread in matching colors had been found and placed next to them. Rowena would be wearing the same sapphire blue dress she’d worn to the party the week before, but she’d pinned some lace around the neckline, and it was a nice addition. “I thought I’d put my great-aunt’s brooch here,” she said, indicating the center of the bodice.
“Oh, I like that,” Cora replied. “Billy won’t be able to take his eyes off you.”
“That’s definitely my intention,” Rowena said with a smirk.
Wynonna had chosen a rose pink dress none of the girls had seen yet, and they gathered around to examine the details. “Oh, this is beautiful,” Helen told her.
<
br /> “I’m just glad I packed two party dresses,” Wynonna said. “When I thought I was going to nursing school, I didn’t think I’d have any need for them, but I packed them anyway just on a whim. And now here we are, living in the middle of nowhere, and we’ve had two occasions to dress up. The irony makes me chuckle.”
“I have some pink ribbon nearly this color that you could put in your hair,” Cora said. “Would you like that?”
“Yes, please,” Wynonna replied. “That would be very nice.”
“I’m glad this is coming together so well,” Fiona commented from the foot of the bed. “If you were all nervous and squabbling, I’d have to dunk you in the water trough, and that wouldn’t be pleasant.”
“And yet you said that with a certain amount of gusto,” Wynonna replied. “I think you’d enjoy dunking us.”
“I would, but only if you deserved it.” Fiona grinned. “Now Cora, don’t be upset with me, but I took a few liberties . . .”
Cora raised an eyebrow. “You want to throw me in the trough, but I shouldn’t be upset with you?”
“Well, in the first place, I wanted to throw all of you in the trough, not just you in particular.”
“Thank you. That does take out some of the sting.”
“I thought it might. And secondly, this has nothing to do with that.” Fiona grinned. “I went pawing through your clothes. The dress you laid out earlier just wasn’t quite right.”
“But it’s my nicest,” Cora protested.
“It’s your nicest as far as the quality of the fabric and the style, but I just didn’t feel that the color suited you like it should on your wedding day. And since you were out with Tenny—again—I couldn’t ask your permission, so I just snooped.”
“And what did you come up with?” Cora said. She didn’t ordinarily like having people riffle through her things, but she couldn’t stay mad at Fiona—not only did she have good intentions, but she’d threatened the girls with a trough dunking, so Cora was willing to let the invasion of privacy go.
“This.” Fiona lifted up the dress that had been placed at the far end of the bed. It was Cora’s sage green Sunday dress, but Fiona had taken a sheer white fabric to overlay the skirt, giving it an entirely different look. Cora hadn’t even recognized it until Fiona pointed out that it was hers.
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