Anna didn’t dare speak, but her heart pinched at the mare’s pain. The poor creature looked miserable. After pawing the ground and circling several more times, the horse finally laid down, an effort that sounded a bit like a tree falling. The mare lay propped on her side, breathing hard. Then with a whoosh, a flood of water escaped from under her tail.
Jacob touched Anna’s elbow, keeping his voice low. “It shouldn’t be long now. I’m gonna get the foaling bucket and blankets.”
Anna could only nod, eyes focused on the horse so she didn’t miss anything. The mare seemed to be resting for a moment, though. She became aware of another presence at her side. It was Manuel, the ranch’s wrangler who usually cared for the horses. Relief washed over her. The man had a vast amount of knowledge when it came to the animals. If anything went wrong, he would know what to do.
The mare began breathing hard again. She lay flat on her side, tail raised, muscles rippling along her sides.
“There’s the first hoof.” Manuel pointed toward the mare’s tail where Anna glimpsed a little white bubble barely visible. He slipped into the stall to crouch in the corner, but Anna’s attention stayed focused on that little bubble. When the mare gave another push, the bubble became bigger and a dark color appeared underneath the semi-translucent film.
With each push, the mare would groan and more of the bubble appeared, until it took on the shape of a miniature head. Manuel stepped forward and broke the end of the bubble, pulling it away from the little face. Anna sucked in her breath at the tiny, delicate features.
As the mare continued to strain, the head with cute floppy ears and part of a neck, along with the two front legs surfaced. The baby still kept its eyes closed, and only the barely flaring nostrils announced it to be alive.
“Manuel, it’s not moving,” Anna whispered. Was the foal not strong enough?
“He’s doing fine. They don’t usually open their eyes until everything’s out of the Mama. If it moved now, he might kick her insides and do some damage. As long as he’s breathing, everything’s going along just right.”
Anna released the breath she’d been holding and watched in rapt attention as the mare’s next push brought out the foal’s shoulders and most of the torso. That left only the rear feet still inside. The foal’s eyes opened then, and it raised its delicate little head to look around in bewilderment.
The mare lay still for a few moments then gave a final grunt and rose to her feet. The motion caused the baby to pull free, and it lay quietly on the stall floor until its mama came to nuzzle its neck. She licked the foal’s body free of the white film that still covered in spots. The mare worked her tongue back toward the little head, finally finding the baby’s muzzle. Mama and baby touched noses, and the mother gave a soft little nicker. The action was so sweet, Anna felt like she was intruding on a private moment.
She took a step back from the rail and hit a solid form behind her. Spinning around, Anna stared into Jacob’s blue eyes, the shadows from the lantern making them appear darker than usual. He caught her shoulders then lightly ran his fingers down the back of her arms, sending shivers coursing through her body.
“Cold?” he asked in a husky whisper. The intensity in his gaze made it hard to breathe, let alone speak, but she couldn’t tear her eyes away. Instead, she shook her head slightly.
“Pretty neat, isn’t it?” The twinkle appeared in his eyes and the corners of his lips rose to reveal slight dimples. My goodness, but he’s handsome.
Jacob quirked a brow. He was expecting an answer. She blinked, remembering the miracle of the birth she’d just witnessed, the joy of new life. “It’s amazing.”
CHAPTER TWENTY
As March rolled into April, the spring rains came in a steady torrent. For two weeks straight, the deluge fell for at least a part of every day. The mud made things harder and messier for the cowpunchers, and each night the men would drag themselves into the dining hall, covered in the brown gunk. At least the temperature had warmed, so the rain produced rich green grass across the pastures.
When May arrived and the downpours became less frequent, the countryside opened up in a vast array of color. The woods were full of greenery, with pink cherry blossoms and white dogwood flowers mixed throughout. The pastures were covered in yellow, pink, and white wildflowers, and Anna took every possible opportunity for a ride on Bandita. The mare seemed to enjoy the outings as much as Anna and would toss her head continually until Anna loosened the reins and allowed the horse to stretch out for a run.
The highlight of Anna’s day was still the early mornings when Jacob stopped in for coffee after milking the cow and gathering eggs. He would bring her up to speed on the happenings with the herd, and he was quickly becoming a master storyteller as he recounted the episodes the cowboys experienced on the range.
This particular morning was no different as Anna wielded the round biscuit-cutter in the floury sourdough mixture on the worktable. Jacob had just finished telling of Edward’s growing skill with the lariat, when he stopped to take the last gulp of his second cup of coffee. He set the empty mug on the table and leaned back in the chair, but Anna didn’t move to refill it. He held himself to a two cup maximum before breakfast.
“Well,” Jacob spoke as if contemplating his words, “branding starts next week.”
Anna quirked a brow. “What does that mean?”
“We always do our own branding on the ranch the week before the community round-up. Most of the other ranchers don’t have enough hands to keep their cattle from roaming like we do, so every spring all the ranchers round-up the cattle in one spot, brand the calves, and drive the steers to Kansas. Since we keep the Double Rocking B cattle on our land, we brand the new calves before the main round-up. We still participate in the town event, though, just in case some of our cattle have strayed. It helps us stay in good standing with the community, too.”
Anna worked in silence for a moment, processing the information. At last she looked up. “Does that mean our boys will be going on the cattle drive, too?”
He shook his head. “Not yet. We don’t do a spring drive like most of the other ranchers. Since they already have their cattle rounded up, they go ahead and drive them to market. I like to wait until the fall, though, when the young ones are stronger and they’ve had a chance to gain weight over the summer.”
Anna was once again amazed at the wisdom of this man. “So you’ll start the branding on Monday?”
“Yep.” He leaned forward in his chair. “Hopin’ to get it done by Wednesday. Everyone’ll have a job for the branding. Aunt Lola usually comes out with the wagon to handle the food and medicine. She’s gettin’ up in years to be sleepin’ on the hard ground.” His eyes roamed down to stare at his hands. “I was hoping maybe you could take her spot this year?” He looked up at Anna with a bit of pleading on his face, almost like a boy begging for a second piece of dessert.
A surge ran through her chest. “I’d love to. What will I be doing?”
His shoulders relaxed. “We work from sun up to sun down and sleep out with the herd to keep the finished cows separated from those we haven’t touched yet. You’ll be cookin’ and makin’ sure the boys have the supplies they need, as well as doctoring any scrapes they come up with.”
Anna took a deep breath. “I probably need to get more supplies then.”
He nodded. “I was plannin’ to go to town on Saturday to get a few things we’ll need. You and Aunt Lola can come too, if you’d like. She can show you what she takes.”
* * *
The branding was different than anything Anna had imagined. The men set up camp on the northern end of the property and quickly developed a system: The calf was roped and brought first to the man in charge of the branding iron, then another cowboy would step forward with a knife to mark the cow’s ear, another method of determining ownership on the range. After the calves were marked, the male calves were castrated. A final cowboy was stationed nearby with a bucket of foul-smelling medicine t
o dab any open wounds the cattle might have.
The process was a loud, miserable event with the painful bleating of the calves almost as awful as the aroma of singed hide that filled the air. At least the cowboys weren’t rough with the animals, just matter-of-fact in their handling. Monty said each of these tasks had to be done to properly identify and care for the cattle, but they were still painful to witness and probably even harder to perform. The cowboys rotated jobs frequently.
Anna’s role was much less miserable, cooking meals and bringing the men fresh water, rags, and medicine. The cowboys ate in shifts, and she did her best to make the food as appetizing as possible. She relied heavily on the canned goods she’d bought in town, as well as those she and Aunt Lola had put up in the fall. Of course, she made sure to provide something extra tasty for dessert like peach cobbler in the Dutch oven or apple tarts in the frying pan. She was a little bit limited without her stove, but after the first time she burned the flapjacks, she started to get the hang of how to improvise over the open fire.
Aunt Lola had warned Anna she would also be in charge of the camp medicine box, doctoring any wounds the men received from the long sharp horns of the cantankerous cattle. She’d often cared for Edward’s scrapes growing up and the times Papa had burned himself in the candle shop. But should she be doctoring grown men not in her family? That was a bit unnerving. Before the War, such a thing would have been unheard of, but now most people thought it acceptable. Women had doctored men in war hospitals all over the country, and the harsh realities of the Texas plains often loosened society’s strictures by sheer force of necessity.
During the first day of branding, the wounds were few and fairly mild. Donato had sliced the top layers of skin on his arm while trying to mark the ear of a feisty overgrown calf. Paco had been kicked by another calf during the castration process when the frightened animal managed to get a hind leg loose from the tie string. But these casualties served to heighten Anna’s awareness of the dangers inherent in ranching. She kept a watchful eye on Edward throughout the day but was thankful he stayed safely in the saddle as a roper.
By the second day, Anna was getting used to the sights and sounds of the branding camp. After finishing the breakfast dishes, she grabbed her Bible from the tent the men had rigged for her and sank down on the back side of the wagon to read, propping herself against the large metal wheel.
From this vantage point, she could see the cattle grazing peacefully in the herd that had not yet been branded. She couldn’t help but feel sorry for the innocent calves playing around the edge of the group. They had no idea what trials they were about to experience. Funny how people were often like those calves, going along about their own business, never knowing what calamity was about to befall them until it changed their lives.
As she sat in the sunshine, unopened Bible still in hand, Monty appeared on horseback in the distance, riding toward the edge of the herd with his rope coiled and loop ready to throw. His arm was quick and his aim true as he landed the noose around a calf. He guided his horse back out of sight toward the branding station, calf begrudgingly in tow. The little guy had been so busy exploring new patches of grass, it never saw the rope coming and didn’t have any choice in the matter.
Anna’s life had unfolded much like the roping of that little calf. So many times she had been hit, out of the blue, by a life-changing event. By now, she was so gun-shy and always seemed to be fearing the worst. Always worrying about the next catastrophe.
She flipped open her Bible, hoping to find encouragement in the Psalms. She skimmed a well-worn page, not sure what she was looking for. Her eyes settled on a verse the Pastor had used in his sermon a few weeks ago. I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help. My help cometh from the Lord, which made Heaven and Earth.
The words hit her like a ton of bricks. Father, I’m so sorry for not trusting in You for help. I know You know the future and want the best for us. Please help me to place it in Your hands.
Anna sat with her eyes closed, warm spring sunshine washing down on her face as an even more comforting peace soothed her soul. “Thank you, Father,” she whispered. At last, she opened her eyes to continue reading in Psalms chapter one hundred twenty-one.
A commotion sounded from the direction of the men working on the other side of the wagons. The fierce bellow of a cow pierced the air followed by shouts from the cowboys. Anna jumped to her feet and peered over the top of the wagon. A calf scrambled to its mama, lariat still looped around its neck. The men gathered around something on the ground. Dread crept into Anna’s stomach as she placed her Bible on the tail of the wagon and hiked her skirts, preparing to hurry to where the men were standing. Edward split off from the group and ran in her direction.
“Get the medicine kit!” he called over the distance.
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
The knot in Anna’s stomach tightened as she pulled the crate out of the back of the wagon. She skimmed the contents and threw clean rags into the box to replace those she’d used yesterday, then picked up the container and moved as fast as her thick skirts would allow. Edward met her and took the crate, allowing them both to move more quickly.
“What happened?” Her breath came in gasps.
“It’s Miguel. A cow charged his horse. The horse threw him and the cow got him good in the side. He’s bleedin’ somethin’ fierce.”
The men parted like the Red Sea to allow Anna access to the man writhing on the ground. Poor Miguel lay with his hands covering his side but not stopping the blood that oozed over his fingers and onto the dirt. For a second, bile rose in Anna’s throat. She forced it down with a swallow, then knelt next to the man and reached for a rag from her medicine chest.
Working quickly, she peeled away the bloody shirt, exposing a hole about the size of a silver dollar. She placed a clean rag over the opening, but the moment she touched it, Miguel cried out in an agonized tone. Anna wanted to cry with him but kept herself focused on her work. Glancing around, she motioned for Jacob to kneel on the other side of the man.
“Place your hand over this rag and hold pressure on the wound. Not too hard but steady. I need to get carbolic acid ready to clean the area.”
Jacob’s face was grim, but he did as she asked. Anna found the glass bottle and poured some of the strong-smelling liquid onto another cloth. A neighbor who had worked in the war hospital explained how important it was to get the wounds clean. The woman had told stories about men losing legs or arms from infections, and the doctors suspected dirt as being one of the main causes for the infections.
After saturating the clean rag with carbolic acid, Anna eased the bloody cloth from Miguel’s side and gently wiped the wound, squeezing a bit of the liquid into the hole. The man groaned, his hands clasping a stick, knuckles white.
“Get a clean rag to apply pressure again.” She spoke the order to Jacob while glancing at Miguel’s face. His normally brown skin was white, and he labored when he breathed. Was his lack of color from the pain or from losing so much blood? At least the horn had punctured his right side, so it wasn’t too close to the heart.
While Jacob held a clean rag to the wound, Anna sifted through the contents of her box, finally finding the roll of white bandages Aunt Lola had recommended she bring. Ya never know what you might need out with all those crazy cows. The woman had spoken with a knowing look.
Anna eyed the man lying on the ground. “We need to wrap this bandage around him to keep the gauze on his wound.” Leaning closer, she looked into the white face. “Miguel, do you think you can sit up?” He nodded once, but didn’t look very convincing. Some of his ribs must be broken. One of Edward’s boyhood friends had cracked two ribs when he fell from a tree and experienced much pain while they healed.
With Jacob on one side and Monty on the other, they helped Miguel sit up, while Anna wrapped the bandage around his abdomen several times. She wasn’t sure how tight to make it. The flow of blood seemed to increase when they sat him up, an
d they needed to stop the bleeding. She certainly didn’t want to restrict his breathing, though. He seemed to be having enough trouble as it was. She tied it as tight as she dared then instructed the men to lay him back down.
Anna sat back on her heels and looked the man over. What else should she do? “He needs to stay still for a while until that bleeding stops.” They couldn’t very well leave him lying out in the middle of the pasture with cows grazing all around. She turned to Jacob. “We need to get him back to the wagon where he can rest and be more protected. Do you think the men could carry him on a blanket?”
He nodded. “We’ll take care of it.” After calling a few commands to the boys standing around, he helped Anna to her feet and picked up the crate of medical supplies. “You’d best go get a place ready for him.”
Anna glimpsed Miguel again, who was lying quietly now, although still very pale. “Just be careful when you move him. He’s in a lot of pain and I think he might have some broken ribs. We wouldn’t want them to puncture his lungs.”
Jacob tugged her arm. “We’ll be careful.”
Over the course of the afternoon, Miguel dozed fitfully, but he was able to keep down water and a little bit of potato broth. When Anna recommended one of the men ride to town for the doctor, Miguel spoke up for the first time, ardently refusing to allow the man to check him.
Monty shook his head. “He’s too hard-headed to do anything good for him. He’s awake and breathing, so I reckon he’ll be all right. You fixed him up as good as anyone could.”
Anna wasn’t so sure, but she held her tongue. If Miguel took a turn for the worse, she would make Jacob send for help. For now, the bleeding had stopped and a little bit of color was showing in the man’s face.
By the next day, Miguel was begging to get up and move around, but Anna wouldn’t hear of it. She put a fresh bandage on the wound, which started a little bit of bleeding again. The wound needed much more time to heal before the cowpuncher was active again.
The Rancher Takes a Cook Page 13
