The Texas Rancher

by Jane Corrie

  wav, hence the offer of music lessons.

  Although the name 'Hanway' echoed a faint prick of suspicion that she had heard it before, Josie made no mental attempt to place it, for she

  had been away from her home town for a long time, and Maryanne would no doubt very soon fill in the relevant facts without Josie probing. It also occurred to Josie that Kade had probably come to the same conclusion as she had�that his niece was having a thin time of it, and a little extra attention might not come amiss at this stage. Her school reports had shown that the child was making an effort to catch up on her grade�not, Josie suspected, that it was entirely due to the closer supervision she had been subjected to, but a matter of

  pride, for the boys too had made a promising start,

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  and with a little more effort could well overtake her, but however much Josie wished she could spur them on to make that extra effort, she had to hold her peace and wait for the response to come from the boys themselves. To push them at this stage could be disastrous, and could undo all the slow foundation work she had taken such pains t< achieve.

  A week later Josie's hopes in this direction were fulfilled, and the boys were given the spur they so badly needed by a chance remark of Maryanne's, as usual on a personal subject, and her one and onh topic, her music teacher!

  It occurred after a short altercation with the boys about whose turn it was to collect the iced drinks at the morning break period, and as the boys rightly reminded her, it was hers. Maryanne promptly reminded them of her position�and it was not the first time she had brought this ploy into play, only to be. sharply rebuked by Josie, but this time the name of her music teacher was introduced to add more weight to her argument. 'Miss Han way says you ought to be very grateful for having such a chance of schooling,' she reminded the boys haughtily, 'and she says it must be hard for me having to attend as well. Especially as I've been used to private tuition,' she added grandly, with one eye on Josie to see her reaction. 'When it's vacation. Miss Hanway said, she'll be able to give me more time,' persisted Maryanne staunchly, seeing that her earlier remarks had not had the desired effect on either Josie or the boys. 'So I

  expect I shall only be attending in the mornings.

  This disclosure, however, did have an effect on

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  the boys, but not quite what Maryanne was hoping for. They stared at her, then looked at Josie with an almost pleading expression that was tinged with a little horror. 'We're not working in the vac, are

  we. Miss West?' asked Pedro in a hushed voice.

  Josie's brows rose while she sought for an answer to the question�which incidentally she didn't know! Kade had said nothing about school holi

  days, and Josie hadn't realised they were quite so

  close.

  Unwittingly Maryanne came to her aid with a haughty, 'Of course you are. You want to go to the new school when it opens, don't you?' she asked majestically.

  Pedro's black eyes opened wide and he looked at Juan, then at Billy, and finding no inspiration there, said indignantly, 'That's not for ages yet 1'

  'That's as much as you know,' retorted Maryanne triumphantly. 'It's opening after the vacation. Everyone's going there, the old school's closing down.' At the disbelief shown on the face of each child, not to mention Josie's at the calm disclosure, Maryanne added for good measure, 'I heard my uncle talking about it on the phone the other day. He's paying for the school, so there's going to be no hold-up. They're going right ahead, and,' she tacked on, giving Pedro a gl?re, 'you won't be able to go if you can't spell properly, and that's why vou'rehere!'

  'It is also,' intervened Josie smoothly, feeling that Maryanne had held the floor long enough, although she had been grateful for her co-operation earlier, 'the reason you are here too, Mary

  anne.

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  This brought an indignant, 'I'm going to a school for young ladies,' from Maryanne. 'My mommy said so 1'

  Josie was not sorry to see the end of that day, and as she drove home she thought about Maryanne's disclosure, and wondered why Kade had not mentioned the vacation period before. It did occur to her that perhaps he might have meant to mention it on the Friday, but the ensuing events had pushed it out of his mind. Recalling his fury, Josie shrugged impatiently; she couldn't have it both ways. She had made it clear that theirs was a business relationship, so he was not likely to indulge in social talk with her again. Her brow creased, but it wasn't social chatter�it was fact� and it did affect her. What if she had planned to take a holiday during the vacation? Had he thought of that? she wondered. A few seconds' thought on this produced a certain yes. Of course he had; but she owed him a debt, didn't she, and he would expect her to keep to the arrangement. She also wondered if the boys' parents had made any holiday arrangements, but on second thoughts, knew that Kade would have seen to this too. The men worked for him, and in all probability would have to take time off during the slack periods. Oh yes, she mused bitterly, all would have been taken care of. No doubt he would send her another cryptic note giving her the necessary information when it was time.

  In this she was wrong, for Kade did mention the vacation period that following Friday, bluntly stating that the children would be attending class as usual, just that and nothing more, and a fuming

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  Josie wished fervently that she could insist on taking a couple of weeks off herself, particularly as he seemed to take it for granted that she had not made any plans of her own. Of the new school he made no mention, as if it was none of Josie's busi ness, and this further infuriated her. As the chil- dren's teacher she ought to have been put into the

  picture, but apparently he thought otherwise.

  If he had wanted to annoy her he couldn't have found a better way of doing it, and for the first time since their initial acquaintance Josie was made to feel a rank outsider, and it hurt her more than she had bargained for. She had not expected any favours, indeed she had made certain of this b bringing up the matter of the cheque, but she had not expected to find herself snubbed either, for that was how she felt about the school episode. It wouldn't have hurt him to mention the school�or the reason why the children would be working

  through vacation.

  In an effort to push these miserable thoughts out of her mind, Josie concentrated on the new school that according to Maryanne would be ready after the vacation, and wondered if there was any chance of her grandfather's hope that she would obtain a post there being fulfilled. Considering

  that it was only four months before the opening, it was hardly feasible that they would obtain adequate staff in the allotted time, and that, she

  thought with a lift of her spirits, might very well

  turn out in her favour. There was no harm in

  applying anyway, and this she decided to do with

  out delay.

  She was half-way home when the thought struck

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  her that she had no idea whom to apply to�in

  fact, apart from the news imparted by Maryanne, she knew absolutely nothing, and her cheerfulness, brought on by hope, vanished in a flash, leaving her feeling even more miserable than before.

  At supper that evening a subdued Josie tried to take an interest in her grandfather's enthusiastic comments on the doings of the town social committee. While she listened, her eyes rested on his grev head, and a touch of sadness swept over her, mingled with a feeling of thankfulness that she was back with him, and could now look after him as he had once looked after her. Against this fact everything else paled into insignificance, and Josie scolded herself for her earlier despondency. Something would turn up for her, she was sure.

  At this point her grandfather broke into her thoughts with an abrupt, 'Heard about the school?'

  Josie started. She had forgotten her grandfather's trick of picking up her trend of thinking, and it struck her that
Lucy had not been so far off the mark when she had said Kade was like her grandfather. She swallowed quickly; she didn't want to think about Kade. 'Yes, I heard,' she said quietly, adding carefully, 'Seems it's going to be ready much sooner than anybody thought.'

  Her grandfather nodded sagely. 'Boston's doing, of course. Might have been a bit hasty where that man's concerned,' he ruminated slowly. 'Done the town a power of good. If he hadn't stepped in and provided the funds, that school would have been hanging fire for months.' He gave Josie a searching stare. 'You'll be all right there, girl. Got the right

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  person to recommend you, he's not the type to forget a favour.' His eyes wrinkled in thought ' 'Sides, he's seen what you can do, and Dan was telling me the other day that Nat and Lucy ain't

  the only ones who are mighty grateful for your help.'

  Josie smiled at this accolade, but the smile didn't reach her eyes, and she wished she could explain just how things were between her and Kade Boston, and the real reason why she was teaching at Blue Mount. As for his recommending her, she just couldn't see that likelihood at all�for one thing, he hadn't mentioned the school to her and for another, Josie was hardly in a position to ask a favour of him, and her pride would not allow her to even make the attempt�no matter how much she wanted a job at the new school, she would have to do without Kade Boston's help. For a moment or so she was tempted to ask her grand father if he knew the authority she ought to appb to in order to obtain the job she required, but she only just stopped herself in time. Such a request would sound extremely odd in the light of what he had previously said, and he knew her a little too well for her to risk making up a plausible excuse to cover the request. She sighed inwardly; she would have enough explaining to do when and if she

  didn't get a post at the school.

  To her delight, Lucy turned up later that even

  ing, having'begged a lift from her father-in-law on

  his weekly visit to Carella for the chess game with her grandfather, and soon the two girls were settling down for a chat in the homely kitchen, so as

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  not to distract the men from their mental exertions.

  As she listened to Lucy's animated talk, that covered the happenings at the store and small snippets of local gossip, Josie's depression vanished, and she realised how much she had missed Lucy's garrulous but cheerful presence, and almost wished she was back at the store.

  When all the news had been given, Lucy sat back and gave Josie a bright expectant look. 'Now it's your turn,' she said happily. 'How's the big romance progressing?'

  Josie stared back at her, and for one awful moment she thought that Lucy had got hold of some gossip about Kade and herself, but her next words soon dispelled this fear. 'For goodness' sake I You must have heard something!' pleaded an exasperated Lucy.

  'About what?' answered Josie, plainly showing her puzzlement at the question.

  Lucy tut-tutted impatiently. 'Josie West, it's a good job you don't work for the papers! As a newshound you'd be a dead loss. Jessica Hanway and Kade Boston, of course!'

  Josie's eyebrows raised and she stared at Lucy. So that was why the name Hanway had sounded a bell! 'Wasn't that the girl you were telling me about?' she asked a sad-looking Lucy, whose hopes of collecting a scoop had been so rudely shattered.

  Lucy nodded. 'Told you she was a trier, didn't I? she said gloomily. 'Anyone else I wouldn't mind, I've not forgotten what she did to Mirabelle.' Her brow furrowed. 'Doesn't make sense to

  ^ me at all, not after that set-down Kade gave her at

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  that do I was telling you ab6ut. Still, it seems she's wormed her way into Blue Mount now. Quite a regular visitor she is, and sees that everybody knows it, too. The town's full of speculation about it, and half waiting for the news of a wedding.' She gave Josie a gloomy look 'And you didn't know,' she accused her.

  Managing to bite back a smile at Lucy's obvious disappointment, Josie said mildly, 'Well, I did know a Miss Hanway was visiting twice a week to give Maryanne music lessons, but I'm afraid I didn't connect the name with the girl you told me about.'

  She would have gone on, but Lucy intervened with a swift, 'Did you say music lessons?' and with out giving Josie a chance to answer she went on 'So that's how she did it! Well, well! Of all the sly hussies�and not a word to anyone about the lessons!' She gave Josie's hand a squeeze. 'I take it all back, dear, you're an ace reporter,' she told her

  happily, for she had got her scoop after all. Josie smiled at her. 'According to Maryanne, she's very good,' she commented, although she doubted if Lucy had heard her, she was too busy digesting the news Josie had given her.

  Lucy started and stared at Josie as if trying to

  recall just what she had said, then she had it, and

  answered grudgingly, 'Oh, she is; I don't know

  how many diplomas she's got. Gives the odd private

  lesson now and again, but won't tie herself down.

  Too afraid of missing the chance of landing herself

  a rich husband.' She scowled as a thought struck

  her. 'They say she's pretty expensive and charges

  the earth for her tees, but I wouldn't mind betting

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  she's giving lessons free up at Blue Mount. That

  way she can kid herself she's a friend of the

  family�and to hear her talk you'd think she was.'

  The conversation then passed on to more mun

  dane matters, and Lucy made a supreme effort to

  put the previous subject aside for future rumina

  tion, but it was plain to see she hadn't quite succeeded, as every now and again she would utter a low.'Well, well...' It wasn't until the subject of the new school was brought up that Josie had her full attention, par

  ticularly after she had shown doubts on the score of her obtaining employment there, for Lucy, like her grandfather, assumed it was just a matter of course. "I don't see why you should think it's unlikely.' said Lucy after Josie had explained her thoughts on the matter. 'I've told you before, Kade Boston isn't a man to hold a grudge. If you're right for the work�and you are�did I tell you how pleased Miss Plumstead was with Billy?' she demanded, breaking off in the middle of her theme. 'Well then, you've proved what you can do, and whatever else you think of Kade, he's a fair man. If he's any say in the matter, then I'm sure you'll be offered a job.'

  Before sleep claimed her that night, Josie lay thinking of what Lucy had said about Kade being a fair man, and she had to admit the truth of this, where Nat and Lucy and probably everyone else was concerned, but things were different with her. He might have tried to forget the things that were said about her when she first came back home�the very story that she herself had instigated, and insisted should become common knowledge�not re

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  alising then how it would affect her future, or indeed happiness. She turned restlessly over on to her side; no matter; she would do it again given the same circumstances. She didn't regret that part of it one bit�just the resulting bitter echoes. For the sake of gaining Carella, Kade had made an effort to gain her confidence, and now that that had failed she was no longer of any interest to him.

  Lucy's words still stayed with her, though, and no matter how hard Josie tried to convince herself that Kade wouldn't lift a finger to help her obtain a post at the school, she simply refused to believe it. Deep down, she felt she couldn't bear it if such a thing happened. He knew full well that she needed a job, and but for him would still be at the score�not earning a vast wage, it was true�but earning at least something. She didn't want to believe that he would be petty enough to hold the rumours that were going round the town against her. Not even when she remembered the way he had looked at her when she had approached him that day in an effort to prevent him from worrying her grandfather with the cost of the fencing�or

 
the hidden insinuations behind his words when he

  spoke of the unlikelihood of her obtaining employ

  ment at the new school.

  With these thoughts in mind, Josie fell asleep,

  and not surprisingly dreamed of a tall sunburned

  man with grey eyes that laughed at her, and whose

  smile pierced her very being.

  CHAPTER EIGHT

  ANOTHER fortnight passed and Josie, still clinging to the slender hope that Kade, in spite of the almost frigid atmosphere between them during the end-of-the-week sessions, would recommend her to a post at the new school, found herself looking for signs of a return to their earlier association.

  There was now only a week to go before the official school vacation period started, and when Kade gave his now customary curt nod after her report on the week's progress and made no passing comment apart from a stiff, 'You've done well, Miss West,' Josie wanted to scream at him that he needn't be so condescending about it. Not that this would have helped the situation one little bit�if anything, it might have started something Josie least wanted, a head-on collision with him.

  It was the news of the party that finally and irrevocably demolished Josie's hopes. Maryanne. always ready to score a glancing blow at her unsympathetic teacher, was her informant on this occasion.

  There had, according to the smug Maryanne. been a social gathering the previous evening at Blue Mount, and she innocently inquired why Josie had not been present. Miss Hanway had been there, so had Miss Plumstead, and a few other of the town's dignitaries. 'Miss Plumstead asked after you,' she said, darting a sly glance at Josie to see

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  her reaction. 'She wanted to know why you weren't there. I know, because I heard her ask my uncle.' 'There was no reason why I should have been present,' answered Josie calmly, totally unprepared for Maryanne's next broadside.

  'Oh, but you should have been,' rejoined Maryanne gleefully, 'they were discussing the new school, and Miss Hanway's been asked to form a committee. I suppose you don't want to go to the new school, and that's why you weren't asked to the party,' she