by Diane Darcy
Oh, this could only get worse. He thought about lying but, of course, couldn’t. She’d find out eventually. “A month.”
Horror tightened her face. “We’ll be paupers!” She whispered the words.
“It’s not that bad.”
“Richard, couldn’t you have found something better?”
His gaze dropped to the ground as her words pierced him painfully and what little joy was left leaked out of the situation. Chest tight, he swallowed a sudden lump in his throat. She always seemed to be disappointed in him. Her criticism especially hurt after the way she’d smiled.
Again, he was reminded of her easy acceptance toward the idea of a divorce. Could he ever make her happy again? Odds seemed against it lately. He quickly stifled the thought. He’d been known to buck the odds before and win. He’d better start talking. He took a deep breath. “Melissa, what you haven’t realized is that things are dirt cheap in this century.”
He searched for something to say, something that would make the whole situation better for her. “Anyway, things don’t matter. We matter. Our family matters. As long as we’re together, we’ll be okay.”
Melissa shot him a killer look. “On thirty dollars a month?”
He tried a smile, one he knew used to charm her. “It does seem a pitiful sum, but things cost much less now.” He glanced up to see the three men watching them. “Sully, how much for a pound of flour?” Immediately he realized that wouldn’t mean a thing to her. “No, how much for a yard of cloth?”
“Dress fabric? About seven cents a yard, maybe eight.” He eyed Melissa. “Unless you want the fancy stuff; then you’ll have to pay as much as twenty cents. Robbery and foolishness if you ask me.”
Melissa laughed.
Granted it seemed a bit hysterical, but Richard laughed with her. “See?” The pressure eased in his chest. “It’ll be fine.”
She looked anything but convinced, but there was resignation in her expression. “Well, can we at least leave now?”
He shook his head, regretful that he couldn’t grant her request. “It’s getting dark, and they’re not expecting us until morning. We’ll stay the night, then walk there tomorrow.”
Melissa simply turned and walked toward the cabin, murmuring something about vermin.
Richard blew out a breath and moved forward to meet the men. Sully eyed him. “So ya got the job?”
Richard grinned. “Yeah. I just mentioned your name, and it was mine.”
Sully nodded. “Thought so. Couldn’t help but overhear. You’re going to be flush with money soon. You a gambling man?”
Melissa stopped in the doorway, and Richard took in her rigid shoulders and could practically read her thoughts. If he tried to gamble away their pitiful sum, his life wouldn’t be worth living. He turned back to Sully with a grin. “Only in love, gentlemen, only in love.”
The three men roared with laughter, and he couldn’t be sure, but he got a glimpse of Melissa’s cheek when she ducked in the door and it looked like she might be smiling.
His heart lightened and he tried to shrug off his sadness. Everything would work out; he’d make sure of it.
* * *
How much farther could it be? Melissa trudged slowly through a patch of soft, powdery dirt before the road once again smoothed into hard-packed terra firma.
A while back, they’d passed beneath a wooden structure with a hanging sign proclaiming them on the MacPherson ranch. But they’d walked on this dirt road forever, and still, there was no ranch in sight.
And what was she doing walking down a road she wouldn’t drive her Lexus on anyway? Her life was becoming a series of new lows.
She sighed loudly, and not for the first time. They needed to reach their destination soon. Her back hurt. Her feet hurt. The chunky lace-top boots Sully had given her pinched her toes. For fashion, Melissa could endure pinched toes, but found it galled her to endure pain while wearing shoes she wouldn’t put on an ugly mannequin.
The muscles in her right arm burned, so she shifted the feed sack full of hand-me-downs Sully had foisted off on her: another hideous dress, a ridiculous apron, handkerchiefs, and a cape. They were his dead wife’s possessions and she felt like a desperate graverobber with extremely poor taste.
She staggered as a wave of dizziness engulfed her. Was she about to pass out from hunger? Maybe that wouldn’t be such a bad thing. She could escape this horrible situation for a while.
At the thought, her spine stiffened. She hated whiners almost as much as she hated quitters, and had no intention of letting this untenable situation turn her into either.
Richard started to whistle an upbeat tune, no doubt something they played on that stupid country music station he listened to.
She turned to glare at him. He was also carrying a sack of odds-and-ends Sully had pawned off. The geezer was probably just trying to dejunk his cabin, and destitute as they were, they’d been suckered into hauling away his garbage.
Richard ditched the whistling in favor of humming.
His happy attitude turned hers even darker. What did he have to be happy about? She glanced at the kids, walking through a pile of dirt about ten feet in front of her, laughing and joking. What did any of them have to be happy about?
When Richard started whistling again, she gave him a sweet smile. “Anxious to earn your daily dollar?”
Richard chuckled and gave her a half-grin, his good humor undiminished. “Actually, I am.” He said it almost apologetically, but she wasn’t fooled. He was looking forward to their life here.
“If you think that--”
Jessica turned around and started walking backwards. “Mother, don’t start. We were enjoying the peace and quiet.” She jerked back around.
Melissa’s lips tightened. She really ought to give Jessica a verbal blasting, but didn’t want to expend the energy. She was too tired after passing half the night waiting in the moonlight for something to happen, and the other half on the hard floor of the loft. She’d simply ignore them all.
She searched what she could see of their surroundings. Trees, green grass, and the big hill that continued to block the view. Surely they’d reach their destination soon?
Thinking about their new place of residence didn’t exactly fill her with excitement. She wasn’t expecting much. But after staying with Sully, anything would be a step up and at least they’d have their own housing.
She shuddered. She never wanted to stay with Sully again. She never wanted to meet him or his loud, uncouth friends again. Her back hurt from sleeping in the loft and her head hurt from being kept awake all night by their raucous laughter.
When she and her family returned home, she was definitely razing the cabin. No more revering the ancestors. She’d met one of Richard’s ancestors and he wasn’t exactly someone she’d build a shrine to.
They finally came to the bend in the road and Jeremy was first around the corner. “Would you look at that!”
“Horses!” Jessica sounded equally enthralled.
Melissa hurried forward to see what looked like a little community. There was a big ranch house with a wrap-around porch surrounded by huge trees, one of which contained a swing. Several barns and structures that could be cabins or store-houses sat off to the left, and stables and horse corrals lined the edges. To the rear of the buildings sat three of the dreaded outhouses and in the distance she could make out a snaking river as well as cattle; a lot of cattle.
Her heart sank. It looked like a Hallmark movie set. She glanced at the kids and at Richard. Much to her disgust, they were obviously excited, eyes shining, grinning like fools. Irritated, she had the urge to deflate some of the enthusiasm. “Richard, might I remind you that you’re no cowboy?”
Richard turned his smile on her. “Aw shucks, honey, just give me a few days.”
She rolled her eyes and he chuckled as they started walking again. Soon they reached the outskirts of the little community, passed a huge garden, a well, a horse corral, and continued to the big house.
People stared at them. A couple of young cowhands, both wearing rough pants, high boots and wide hats, stood working by one of the corrals. They respectfully lifted their hats to Melissa. She ignored them while Richard exchanged a greeting.
A pretty woman came out of one of the cabins and smiled. Embarrassment flooded Melissa. They must look like somebody’s poor relations come to stay. She kept her gaze trained straight forward, careful to make no eye contact.
Richard, of course, had to wave at everyone as they walked by, calling out greetings as he passed.
As they neared the house, he slung his free arm around her shoulders and pulled her close. “Melissa,” he whispered in her ear. “Be nice. And when we get to the house, don’t say a word. Let me do all the talking.”
“Gladly.” She jerked away. What did he think she was going to do? Start making demands? Negotiate a pay raise? You needed leverage to do that, and they had nothing to offer.
And then they were there, the house looming large before them. She had a sudden foreboding as a dark helpless feeling engulfed her. What if they could never get back? What if they were stuck here forever? What if this were her life now? Living at the mercy of others. Having no control. She’d been in that place before and had sworn never to return; yet here she was. Her chest tightened painfully at the thought and she took a deep steadying breath. Three months, she reminded herself. This was only for three short months.
They climbed the steps and stood on the porch that ran the length of the front of the house. She gripped the rough-hewn railing that had weathered to the color of muslin and noticed a single potted geranium that sat on a table between two chairs.
Richard knocked on the impressively carved front door, then turned to grin at her. “Here we go.”
Again, Melissa felt embarrassed about the way they were arriving. She knew better than anyone how important first impressions were.
She glanced around quickly. People still stared. The cowhands had stopped working and leaned against the fence, and another woman joined the gawkers. The horrid orange dress and clunky shoes made her feel a fool. She straightened her shoulders just as the door opened.
A tall woman, mid-fifties or so, stood before them. She wore a navy dress, not very different in style from Melissa’s, but the material was obviously rich and not so worn. Her light blue eyes seemed to take them all in, every detail. She didn’t smile. “Hello. We’ve been expecting you.”
Her voice was low, smooth and cultured. The woman had wonderful bone structure: sharp cheekbones, and a prominent jaw line. She was probably very photogenic and Melissa realized the woman must have been extremely pretty once; runway-model pretty before age and the sun had tanned her face and wrinkled the skin around her large, perfectly-spaced eyes.
Richard nodded. “We’re excited to be here.” He turned toward Melissa. “Mrs. MacPherson, this is my wife Melissa, and my children Jessica and Jeremy.” He gestured toward the lady. “Melissa, Mrs. MacPherson, my new employer.”
Melissa nodded. If anyone was expecting a curtsy, they were out of luck. “How do you do?”
The lady stared for a long moment at Melissa’s dress and an uncomfortable silence sprang up and hovered in the air. Finally, the woman met Melissa’s gaze, her eyes arctic. Surprised and stung, Melissa returned the cold look, wishing she weren’t dressed in a dead woman’s ugly clothes. What had she done to deserve instant ire? Usually it took Melissa at least five minutes to offend someone to this level.
The widow nodded at Melissa, then turned to Richard once more. “Just so you understand, I would never have hired you if not for Sully.”
Richard laughed sheepishly, his good-looking face all charm. “Well, however I got the job, I thank you for it.”
The widow’s expression didn’t soften, and the old witch’s whole attitude irritated Melissa. And did Richard have to be so subservient?
The widow raised a hand to the door frame. “I’m not sure I made myself clear yesterday. You are here on trial only. If you don’t work out, I’ll have to let you go.”
Melissa’s mouth parted as shock coursed through her. What did the witch mean, trial only? Her stomach twisted, and dizzy again, she met Richard’s gaze. He was clearly just as surprised as she was by this development.
Now what were they supposed to do? Richard certainly wasn’t a cowboy, and he’d be fired immediately; probably today. Then what? Live in a bush? Go back to Sully’s? That just wasn’t going to happen.
She wasn’t putting up with this treatment. Richard had a verbal agreement with the snooty crone, and Melissa would hold her to it.
She understood nuances. Apparently Sully had something on the harpy or Richard wouldn’t have been offered the job in the first place.
Richard looked worried. “Ma’am, I didn’t realize--”
Melissa took a step forward. “Perhaps Sully wouldn’t like it if you fired Richard.”
“Melissa, don’t!” Richard’s tone was agonized.
She shot him a glare, and he widened his eyes at her, obviously trying to convey his displeasure.
Well, what was she supposed to do? He should stick up for himself if he didn’t want her to step in. She turned back to the old woman. Their gazes locked. The widow’s eyes were glacier cold and Melissa returned her stare without so much as a flinch.
“I’m sorry, my wife--”
The widow didn’t take her gaze from Melissa. “Are you threatening me?”
Melissa smiled, a well-practiced, not nice, smile. “Certainly not. Simply reminding you of your agreement with my husband.”
“I see.”
Melissa certainly hoped so.
The widow studied Melissa a long moment, then turned. “Hannah?”
A stout, red-faced woman of indeterminate age came to the door. She looked nervous, and had probably heard every word. “Yes?”
“Take the Kendals to their cabin and help them settle in.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
“My housekeeper has stocked the place for your arrival.”
Richard nodded. “Thank you. You won’t be sorry you hired me.”
“I already am.” The widow once again met Melissa’s gaze, and just like that, officially declared war.
Melissa lifted her chin and with an inward smile, and a feeling of elation, she realized that a small piece of her world had just returned to normal. Yippie-ki-ay.
Chapter Six
Anger didn’t even begin to describe the emotion coursing through Richard. Heat burned his face and flared through his body as his fists clenched and unclenched. Taking a deep breath, he deliberately tried to calm down. Losing his temper in front of their new neighbors would not be a good idea.
He took up the rear as his family followed the housekeeper across the grass and dirt yard and past an apple orchard. He carefully avoided looking at Melissa. There was nothing he could do right now about what she’d said to his new boss, except prove himself.
He’d get his family settled in as fast as possible, then get to work. He’d quickly show Mrs. MacPherson she didn’t need to regret hiring him.
Why couldn’t Melissa just believe in him for once? Trust him to take care of their family for once? Keep her stupid mouth shut for once? Did she have to try and emasculate him by making it look as if he were hiding behind her skirts?
They passed a cabin and a chubby young woman waved and called out a greeting from the doorway. Melissa ignored her.
Richard’s teeth clenched so tightly it was a wonder he didn’t crack a tooth. He forced a smile, lifted his hand in greeting and had to swallow in order to choke out, “Howdy.”
Both his kids waved at the woman.
Richard lengthened his stride and closed the distance to Melissa. He didn’t look at
her. He couldn’t, if he wanted to keep control of his temper. “Do you realize that if you screw this up for us, we might not have a place to sleep tonight?” His voice shook slightly.
Melissa stared at him. “What on earth are you talking about? I’m not screwing anything up.”
The fact that she really had no idea upped his temper a notch if that were possible.
Hannah stopped in front of the fifth cabin, the furthest from the ranch house. “This is it. Follow me, please.” Melissa made a sound of disdain.
Richard sucked in a deep breath. He would not lose his temper. He could almost feel curious eyes watching them.
Instead he concentrated on their new, hopefully permanent home. His restorations hat firmly in place, he studied the structure to give himself time to calm down. Rectangular, and about twelve by eighteen feet, the cabin had a stone foundation and a shake shingle roof.
It was a little bigger than Sully’s, and a heck of a lot more presentable in terms of style. Rather than square joints, the cabin had double dove-tail joints for a tidier look and more stability. Fresh plaster filled any cracks, and the side window was wide and would let a lot of sunlight in. That was unusual for the time period, especially since the cabin looked to be at least ten years old, but very nice for them.
Hannah went up the stairs, opened the door and went inside, the kids close behind her.
“Can you believe this place?” Melissa’s condescending tone had his temper flaring once more.
The minute the kids disappeared inside, he grabbed hold of Melissa’s elbow and stopped her.
“Shape up, Melissa,” he growled the words between clenched teeth.
Her expression was incredulous. “What are you talking about?”
Richard lowered his head and kept his voice low. “I’m talking about the rude way you treated my new boss and almost got us kicked off this ranch. I’m talking about the impolite way you’ve ignored every person who’s tried to be friendly toward you, and I’m talking about the look on your face that says you’re too good for this place!”
He made an impatient sound in his throat. “It’s one thing for you to do your prima donna act when it’s just me. Sometimes your imperial princess routine is even funny. But when you start doing it around others, when you hurt people’s feelings, when you almost get me fired from a job I haven’t even started yet, it’s not that funny anymore.”
