Daisy answered. “We were visiting Mama and Papa.” She happily swung their arms. “I got to put flowers on their graves.”
“I see.” Sam shook his head as if he thought they were wasting time.
Over the last few days, Jacob had managed to stay clear of the foreman. Either the man had been busy elsewhere or had been away from the ranch.
“Did you just happen to notice us, Sam, or was there something you needed to see me about?” Lilly asked, grinning down at Daisy.
Jacob watched the tips of Sam’s ears turn red. Was the man embarrassed that she’d asked why he’d sought her out? Or was he angry that she’d talked to him like his boss and not his friend?
“I need to discuss this year’s cattle drive with you.” Sam looked pointedly at Jacob.
Lilly’s gaze slid to him as well, then she returned her attention to Sam. “What about it?”
“Do you think we should be discussing ranch business in front of a Pony Express man?” Sam asked, making it clear he thought Jacob had no business listening to their conversation.
Lilly answered. “I don’t see why not.” She stopped walking. “It’s not like he’s not going to miss the men when they leave.”
Daisy almost lost her grip on Lilly’s hand. She held tightly to Jacob and laughed. “I almost dropped your hand.” Her face shone as she held up their two hands for Lilly to see.
“I’m sorry, Daisy. Why don’t you just hold Jacob’s hand for a few minutes while I talk to Sam?” Lilly said as she released Daisy’s hand.
“All right.” Daisy clung tighter to Jacob, not wanting to lose the game.
Lilly turned back to Sam. She crossed her arms over her chest and waited.
Sam shrugged his shoulders as if he didn’t care any longer if Jacob heard their discussion or not. “I need to hire about six more men.”
She nodded. “When will you be heading out?”
Sam leaned against the saddle horn and looked down on Jacob. “Next week. Soon as I get the men and the cattle rounded up.”
Jacob asked. “How big is the herd?”
Sam glared down at him.
Lilly answered, “Should be about fifteen hundred head this year.”
“Can we go see the kittens now?” Daisy asked.
He didn’t want to leave Lilly with Sam. He couldn’t pinpoint what it was that he didn’t like about the man. Was he starting to care about Lilly? Was he jealous of the other man? No, that couldn’t be possible. They’d only known each other a short while. Besides she was his sister’s sister. There was no way he was going to get romantically involved with her, or any other woman for that matter.
* * *
Lilly answered Daisy. “Wait just a minute, sweetie, I need to finish my business with Sam first.” She didn’t understand Sam’s reluctance to talk in front of Jacob. “Is there anything else?”
A snarl twisted Sam’s thin lips. “We need a horse wrangler to handle the horses. Maybe Jacob would like to come along.” His gaze met Jacob’s.
She heard the insolence in Jacob’s voice as he answered. “Already have a job, Hawkins.”
Lilly watched Sam’s eyes harden. It was obvious Sam didn’t care for Jacob addressing him by his last name. Or perhaps it was Jacob’s tone Sam didn’t appreciate.
Sam turned his horse to leave but then looked back down at Lilly. His voice dripped with sarcasm as he said, “When you have time, Cook wants to talk to you about his supplies for the trip.”
She nodded then watched Sam kick his horse hard. The gelding snorted its pain and leaped forward. Lilly frowned. Sam normally wasn’t so rude to her.
Daisy took Lilly’s hand into her smaller one. “Mr. Sam isn’t very nice, is he?” she asked.
Lilly turned her gaze to the little girl. “He just has a lot on his mind,” she answered. Was that true? Or was he upset to find her and Daisy out with Jacob?
Sam had offered to marry her shortly after her father had died. Lilly remembered assuring him that she’d be fine and that he needn’t offer her marriage. Sam had warned her that if she didn’t marry him, other men would try to marry her to get the ranch in their hands. He’d not asked again but sometimes she felt his gaze upon her and shivered. Sam was her father’s age. She couldn’t see marrying anyone her father’s age.
They walked hand in hand back to the barn. Lilly couldn’t shake her thoughts of Sam. He’d been right. It seemed every cowboy around had come to the ranch to offer their condolences and marriage. She wasn’t about to give her ranch to any man. Besides it wasn’t hers alone—it was Daisy’s, too.
Jacob grinned across at her. “Are you planning on attending the cattle drive this year?”
“No, that’s Sam’s job. He goes on the drive and acts as the trail boss. Once the cattle are in San Francisco he sees to the sale of the cows and the return of the men and horses,” Lilly answered. “My job is to see that the men get hired and then paid once everyone gets back.”
Jacob nodded. “So you hire the men?”
“Lilly and Mr. Sam do it together. Last year I got to listen to them ask the cowboys questions. It wasn’t very fun,” Daisy answered. She swung their arms.
“I’m sure it wasn’t,” Jacob agreed with a grin.
Daisy looked up at him with big brown eyes. “Nope, but Lilly told Mr. Sam that I needed to learn about ranching.”
“She did?” Jacob asked. His gaze met Lilly’s over the little girl’s head.
Daisy’s ponytail bobbed. “Yep.”
“We’re here,” Lilly said, releasing Daisy’s hand. “You made it all the way to the barn without running and without dropping Jacob’s hand.”
Daisy jumped up and down. “That means we can look at the kittens now.”
Jacob’s rich laugh filled the midmorning air. “Yes, it does.” He untied the Pony Express horse and then followed her into the barn.
“Jacob?”
He turned and looked at her. “I need to go see Cook. Will you keep an eye on her?”
Jacob nodded. “Always.”
“Thanks.” Lilly walked across to the bunkhouse. She realized that she’d enjoyed most of the morning. It hadn’t been fun confronting Jacob about his plans, but after that she’d enjoyed her time in his company.
His relaxed nature and easy smile made her feel safe. Jacob’s awareness of their surroundings had alerted her to Sam’s presence. She’d seen him long before he’d ridden up on his horse. He’d been standing at the edge of the meadow watching them, giving them time alone to visit their family graves before approaching.
She banged on the door to the bunkhouse. Since all the men shared it, except for Jacob, Lilly didn’t want to surprise them by barging in. She called out. “Cook, Sam said you need to see me.”
Cook came to the door. “Come on in, lassie.” He was a big man with a big belly.
“Thanks.” Lilly followed him inside to his small kitchen. He waved her to sit down at the large table. Benches filled both sides and she knew that Cook was offering her the best seat in the house—his chair.
He walked over to a sideboard and picked up a piece of paper and a short pencil. “I made a list of supplies that we’ll need on the drive.” Cook handed it to her. “Sam tells me we’ll have extra men to feed this year so the list might seem a mite longer than past years.”
Lilly read over the simple food staples on the list. “This looks fine to me,” she said as she handed back the paper.
Cook studied the columns he’d written. While he looked it over, she looked at him. He was about her father’s age, with silver at his temples. Green eyes filled his large face. “I’m thinking of adding a few items.” He looked over the paper at her.
She stood. “You know what you need and I trust you to make sure the men don’t go hungry on this trip.” Lilly smiled
at him. She started to leave and then turned back.
He held the end of the pencil between his teeth as he stared down at the paper. “Cook, what do you think of Jacob Young?”
His gaze rose to meet hers. “He seems like a good man. Always willing to help a body out. Why do you ask?” Cook motioned for her to sit back down while he poured her a cup of coffee.
“Sam doesn’t seem to like him much.”
Cook handed her the coffee. “Don’t reckon he does.”
“Any idea why not?” The strong coffee coated her tongue and left a bitter taste in her mouth. Lilly sat the cup down and then looked up to see his amused expression.
He patted her on the shoulder. “I imagine he feels threatened by the younger man.” Cook walked to the woodstove that stood in the corner. A large pot steamed on the top.
What was the big man talking about? As far as Lilly knew the two men didn’t interact. The Pony Express employee had nothing to do with her ranch so shouldn’t have any dealings with Sam Hawkins, either. “Threatened how?”
Cook stirred the contents of the pot and then laid the wooden spoon down on the rim. He turned with a sigh. “Didn’t Sam propose marriage to you a while back?”
Lilly tucked a wayward strand of hair behind her ear. “Yes, but that was years ago.”
He wiped his big hands on the flour-sack apron around his waist. “Makes no never mind. I’ve seen him fire men just for looking in your direction.” Cook chuckled. “It’s hard to fire someone who isn’t in your employ.”
Sam had fired men because of her? Surely Cook was mistaken. Sam’s feelings for her were no more than that of an old friend. Yes, he’d offered her marriage but that had been years ago and he’d been trying to protect her for her father’s sake. Lilly decided Cook was reading more in to Sam’s feelings for her than was really there. She stood. “Thanks for the coffee. I better get back to Daisy.”
He waved her thanks aside. “Don’t go letting the man upset you. Sam will get used to Jacob soon enough. The boy’s got a good heart.” Cook returned to his pot, leaving Lilly to show herself out.
She walked toward the barn with several thoughts on her mind. Did Sam really care for her romantically? If so, she’d have to discourage him. Her thoughts went to Cook’s words—the boy’s got a good heart. Had he been speaking of Jacob or Sam? Neither were boys. Cook being at least twenty years older than her father, she supposed to Cook they may seem like boys.
Lilly stopped in the shade of the barn to think and consider her conversation with Cook. She found herself comparing Sam and Jacob.
Sam was close to her father’s age and had been on the ranch for years. He’d been foreman of the ranch since her father’s death and was always ready to offer advice, whether she needed it or not. Cook had insinuated that Sam had feelings for her that were of a romantic nature. She had no intentions of marrying anyone, so she dismissed those thoughts as ridiculous.
She considered what she knew of Jacob. He seemed closer to her age. Cook had called him a hard worker and said he minded his own business. Jacob smiled often, but she knew his mother’s desertion had hurt him deeply, even if he pretended otherwise. She’d learned he was Daisy’s half brother and that he’d protect her no matter the cost to himself. Lilly shook her head. He’d never said that, so why did she feel so strongly that it was true? In reality she only knew what he’d told her.
Lilly’s gaze moved to the bunkhouse. Cook seemed to believe Jacob was a good man. She’d have to believe it, too, at least until he proved differently.
Chapter Eight
Jacob watched Daisy play with the newborn kittens. The old mother cat kept a close eye on the little girl as she cleaned the other two babies. He was surprised she hadn’t moved her kits. Maybe the mama cat realized Daisy wouldn’t hurt the babies.
While she cuddled the kitten, Jacob rubbed oil into a bridle. His thoughts went to the cattle drive. Would Sam take Caleb on the drive? If so, he’d miss the boy’s company. He’d gotten used to Caleb’s chatter and good-natured teasing of everyone around him. There was an innocence about him that reminded him of his brothers back home. They were a tough lot but only in brawn. They’d never gone up against a conniving or dishonest man—those were the kind of things that could harden a boy into a man, but not in a good way. He wished he could protect Caleb, but on a cattle drive there was no way.
Lilly entered the barn. She stood in the doorway for a moment then advanced toward them. “Did you need to talk to me about something else, Jacob?”
Jacob nodded. “I wanted to see if you could spare a little pasture space for the Pony Express horses.”
“How much and where did you have in mind?” Lilly looked over the stall, down at Daisy and the cats.
He hung up the bridle. “Enough for six horses to run and graze on.”
“And I’m thinking they’ll need a good source of water, too.” She turned her pretty blue eyes on him and smiled.
“That would be right nice. I kind of hoped you’d let me use the east pasture. It’s quiet and has a small pond in the center of it.” Jacob wondered if she would tell him to check with Sam.
“I don’t see why not. Sam should be giving me his weekly report this evening and I’ll let him know I’ve given you permission to use that pasture. Is there anything else?”
Why hadn’t Sam waited until their evening meeting to talk to her about the cattle drive? Why had he hunted for her earlier? He realized she was waiting patiently for his answer. “Oh, yes, I have one more thing. Would you mind if we stepped outside?”
She tilted her head to the side and studied his face. “All right.” Lilly glanced down at Daisy. “Daisy, as soon as I’m done talking to Jacob we need to go to the house, so give all the kittens love so that they’ll all be tame, not just your favorite.”
Daisy smiled up at her. “Yes, Lilly. I will.”
Lilly led the way to the barn door. When they stepped out into the sunshine she said, “I’m guessing you wanted to talk about Daisy.”
Jacob nodded. “I would like to teach her how to ride by herself. And, if it’s all right with you, I’ll give her a horse of her own for her birthday.”
She pulled her braid around her shoulder and began fiddling with the clasp at the end. “I don’t know, Jacob. She’ll only be five years old. Isn’t that kind of young to give a child a horse?”
He studied her features. Was she worried he planned on spending more time with Daisy? Or was it that she feared the little girl would get hurt? “How old were you when your father gave you your first horse?” He asked because he was sure that she’d been young. Lilly rode her own mount as if she’d been in the saddle from day one.
Lilly sighed. “Five, but...” Her gaze shot to the barn.
Jacob grinned. He realized then that Lilly feared Daisy might get hurt. “I’ll tell you what. You think about it and if you change your mind, let me know. And, if you want to, you can attend her lessons with her or use that time to have a few minutes of peace and quiet.”
The worry left her face and she returned his smile. “Peace and quiet? Huh?”
“An hour a day. If you still have doubts about her owning her own horse, then I’ll get her something else and she’ll be none the wiser.” Jacob wanted—no, he needed—the hour to get to know his sister.
“You can teach her but don’t promise her a horse. I’m not sure if she’s ready for the responsibility of caring for one yet. If she’s going to own a horse, she’ll also need to learn how to take care of it.” Lilly looked at him as if expecting him to change his mind.
“Then she’ll learn from the best. Not only have I taught my brothers how to ride, I also taught them how to care for their horses.” Jacob grinned as he remembered when his stepfather, Seth Armstrong, had first come to the Young farm. He’d thought the boys unable to ride but they’d qui
ckly shown him they knew how, even if they didn’t all own a horse at the time. He chuckled at the memory.
“What’s so funny?” Lilly asked.
Jacob looked at her. “I remember the look on Seth’s face when he discovered that the Young men not only knew how to ride, but also how to care for their horses.”
“Seth is your stepfather, right?” Lilly crossed her arms over her chest.
He nodded. “He’s a good man.”
“I’m sure he is.”
A look he couldn’t quite decipher crossed her face. As quickly as it appeared, it vanished. Had it been loneliness? Was she missing her own father? After all, they’d been to the man’s grave site only a little while ago.
A flush filled her cheeks. “Well, if there is nothing else.” She waited but not quite long enough for him to answer and then continued, “I’ll get Daisy and head to the house. We’ve baking to do.”
“No, that was all I wanted to ask you.” He walked with her back to the barn. “Do you want me to wait until tomorrow to move the horses out to the pasture?”
Lilly entered the barn. “Yes, I don’t see any reason why you can’t have that pasture, but I want to make sure before we start moving livestock. Sam will know if there are any weeds that can harm the horses out there.”
Jacob had already walked every inch of the pasture and knew it was safe but held his thoughts. If she needed to talk to her foreman before making a decision, that was fine by him.
“Daisy, time to go,” Lilly called.
He expected their sister to whine but instead the little girl came around the stall. She brushed hay from her hair and dress.
Daisy held one hand to her tummy and said, “I’m ready.”
“Come along then.” Lilly turned to leave the barn.
Jacob continued to watch Daisy. Did her tummy hurt? Was that the reason she had her hand over it? The little girl took small steps toward the door. She kept her right palm clasped over her belly. Maybe she was sick. He was about to ask when the mother cat let out a yowl.
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