by Karen Noland
He chewed on one corner of his lower lip as if chewing over her offer. Looking at Rio, he seemed to make up his mind. “That old cow pony of mine isn’t getting any younger, you’re right. I reckon he could use a break now and again. Tell you what, I’ll stay on through the fall, you give me a good horse, and hundred dollars. If you want, you can pay me only half of each month’s wages at the end of a month, then the balance at the end of the fall.”
Something inside her seemed to scream at her to turn and run, this man was dangerous. Closing her eyes, she prayed, Dear, Lord, what do I do? I need the help he’s offering, but I’m afraid. What am I afraid of? As she opened her eyes, Matt Johnson appeared from around the corner of the building.
“There you are, Kate. Will you come? There are some matters I’d like to discuss with you.”
“I’m rather busy right now. Can it wait?”
Taking her arm in a possessive grasp, Matt continued, “Oh, but I really think....”
“The lady said she’s busy.” Luke’s voice was low pitched, just shy of threatening.
Wresting her arm from his grip, Kate turned to face him. “Mr. Johnson, when I’ve finished my business here, I’ll gladly meet you at the Mercantile in twenty minutes.” Her voice was steady, belying the fear that welled within.
Casting a dark glance in Luke’s direction, Matt paused for an instant before replying curtly, “Twenty minutes. Don’t keep me waiting, Kate.”
Shaken and distraught, Kate sank onto the bench near the front of the livery. Martha grasped her hand, and held her friend. Regaining her composure, she raised her eyes toward heaven, then with a wry grin, she turned to Luke, “If you still want the job, you’re hired.”
Chapter six
While Martha took Luke to meet the Insleys, Kate and Lars headed to the Mercantile. The cold fear returned to plague her. As they approached the boardwalk in front of the store, Matt Johnson rose from where he was seated on one of the benches against the front of the building. Lars placed a comforting hand on the small of her back, giving her strength in the knowledge of his presence.
“Mr. Jansen, I believe I can take it from here,” Matt drawled, clearly dismissing the man.
Lars looked at Kate as though seeking her will in the matter.
She nodded slightly, “but don’t go far, please,” she whispered.
Tipping his hat, Lars entered the mercantile taking up a post just inside the door.
“What can I do for you, Mr. Johnson?”
“Please, Kate, won’t you call me Matt?”
She remained silent, waiting for him to continue.
“Let’s sit down, shall we.”
Hesitating for a moment, Kate sighed, then took the offered seat.
Sitting beside her, Matt began, “Kate, I’m a businessman. You know that. I work hard, and when I see something I want, I go after it. I’ve even been accused of not playing ‘fair’ sometimes.” He smiled at her. His deep hazel eyes softening for the first time. “You’ve been alone now for - what? - nearly a year?”
“Nine months,” Kate whispered, fighting back tears.
“Nine months. You’ve done a remarkable job out there, keeping everything running, but aren’t you growing tired?”
His concern was beginning to disarm her. The fear abated slowly to be replaced by a growing wonder about this man she thought was the enemy. Did he really care? Were her fears unfounded? As he reached out to take her hand, gently encasing it in both of his, she did not pull away.
“I’ve made no secret over the years about how much I’d like to have your place - Providence, isn’t that what you call it? A beautiful name for a very special piece of land.”
Kate nodded, but it was more than a piece of land, it was her home.
Still holding her hand firmly between his, he spoke more passionately, “Kate, there’s more than that. I’m a man. I have feelings. There are times that I have found myself growing lonely. You’re an incredible woman, Kate Shaughnessey, but you need someone in your life. Will you consider marrying me?”
A rush of conflicting emotions collided in a burst so intense that it felt like an explosion going off in her very soul. She could do no more than stare at the man before her. Her throat constricted, so that no words could escape as she fought to regain control.
Taking her silence as encouragement, he continued, “You have three more months of mourning before you can respectably marry again. So for now, please, think about my offer.”
“Matt, I...” her voice was hollow; she felt like she was drowning. Lord, help me, she pleaded silently.
“In the meantime, I can pay you court, and I’ll have time to prepare our home in Guthrie to suit a woman and her daughter.” He smiled broadly, kissing her hand tenderly. “Now if you’ll excuse me, I have some other business to attend, my dear Kate. I’m sure Lars will see you safely back to your wagon.” He rose, settling his hat squarely on his black hair, and strode off down the street.
Kate sat in stunned silence on the bench outside the store. She felt as though a cannonball had just landed on her chest, and she was dying, unable to breathe beneath the weight of it.
***
Matt smiled to himself as he walked away from the woman sitting on the bench. He wanted that land, and if marrying her was the only way to get it, well, so be it. There were worse things he could think of than a pretty wife. Besides, once they were married and the land was safely transferred to his name, he could leave her and her brat at the house in Guthrie and continue on with his life just the way it was.
As he passed by the Livery, two of his men joined him.
“Any news, boys?” he asked cheerfully.
“Maybe sumthin you ain’t gonna like,” one of them said darkly.
Matt stopped, waiting.
“New man drifted in, went to work for that Shaughnessey woman.”
“Did he now?” Matt’s face darkened. “We’ll have to see what we can do about that.”
***
“There she is! Momma’s here. Momma’s here!” Jo shrieked excitedly, bouncing in the saddle as the grey horse stood patiently, never flinching at the little girl’s energetic flailing.
“Hello, baby. I see you’ve met Mr. Josey.” Kate said quietly. Luke and the Insleys were standing with Martha, Luke holding the reins, while they chatted amiably.
“Oh, yes, momma. He’s ever so nice; he even let me ride his horse. His name is Rio, that means river. Isn’t that a funny name for a horse?” She sat up proudly, patting the gelding’s neck. “And isn’t he handsome?” she added in a conspiratorial whisper.
“Rio or Mr. Josey?” Kate asked with a smile.
“Oh, momma! Of course I meant Mr. Josey.” Jo giggled.
Kate reached up for her laughing daughter. Lifting her down, she held her close, taking comfort in the small warm body. She breathed deeply of Jo’s fresh scent, burying her face in the soft red curls. As though knowing instinctively what her mother needed, Jo relaxed against her, laying her head on Kate’s shoulder, and patting her back reassuringly.
“So? What did our friend want?” Martha asked.
Kate gazed at Martha woefully, unable to speak.
“Well, don’t worry about him. That will take care of itself. You have Luke now.” Martha stated with confidence.
“Oh, Martha.” If you only knew, Kate thought. She wanted to confide in this dear woman, but for now it was still too raw. Her emotions flooded, threatening to spill over in a rush of tears. She bit her lip. Setting Jo down in the bed of the wagon, she hugged her friend. When Lars walked over and took Martha’s hand, Kate felt a fleeting stab of jealousy, wishing that Will was standing beside her, holding her hand that way.
“The wagon’s loaded. We’re ‘bout ready to move out.” Jake said brightly. “Hand up?”
“Thank you, Jake,” Kate said taking his hand and stepping up to the high front seat.
“Good bye! When will you be back to town?”
“I don’t know, Martha, s
oon though, I have some shopping to do.”
Luke swung into the saddle, and turned Rio to follow the buckboard. Jake climbed up beside her, took the reins and the wagon lurched forward, heading home to Providence.
***
The first mile passed in silence. Nana and the children slept soundly on a pile of blankets in the bed of the wagon, rocked by the gentle swaying. Luke Josey rode beside them, sometimes talking to Jake about the land, the crops, or the cattle. Kate rode stiffly, staring straight ahead, trying not to think.
As Luke and Rio drifted off to ride alone for a while, Jake looked at Kate from the corner of his eye. “Wanna talk?”
“Not really.”
“Can’t keep it bottled up inside forever.”
“Why not?”
“Ain’t good for ya. You might bust.”
Throwing her head back and laughing, she let the tears stream down the sides of her face. “Jake Insley, whatever am I going to do with you? Can’t even let a girl brood in peace.”
“Never did much good.”
Wiping away the tears with the back of her hand, Kate sighed. “Matt Johnson asked me to marry him,” she stated after a moment.
She could see a muscle tighten at his jaw line, but he remained silent. The horses plodded along; birds sang in the distance. Kate looked down and toyed with a fold in her skirt. “Well, aren’t you going to say anything?”
Jake turned slowly until he was facing her. His face was sorrowful, the lines more deeply etched than Kate could ever recall. “That’s a decision that only you can make.” His voice was low and steady but tightly controlled. It pierced her heart. This man had been like a father to her, and now he seemed to be drawing away, leaving her. She felt so alone, so utterly alone.
***
Luke studied the man and woman riding side by side on the high front seat of the buckboard. He liked Jake. The older man was open and honest, refreshingly so. Kate Shaughnessey was another story. She was beautiful, but distant. Something was eating at her, that much was obvious, and Luke had the feeling that she wasn’t too happy about his presence in their lives right now. Well he needed a job, and this one would be as good as any. He’d do his best by them for the next five or six months, then he could be on his way.
Thinking of the future inevitably brought thoughts of Annie. She would be about to deliver his child in six months. No, he wouldn’t think of that. Annie was safe in another world. She and the child deserved a better life. He needed to simply shut that part of his life out for good. He would never be the right man for any decent woman. The shame he felt created an empty void inside. Better to stop feeling all together, than to live with that kind of loneliness and pain.
The buckboard slowed and was turning on to a smaller road. Glancing about, Luke liked the looks of the land. Grass was deep, nearly belly high on his horse, a mixture of native bluestem, bermuda and buffalo grasses that were rich and nourishing. Red Indian paintbrush, purple phlox and pink clover dotted the hillsides, adding vivid splashes of color among the verdant greens. Trees grew along the creeks and shaded the ponds. In the distance, he saw a small herd of predominantly black cows with calves cavorting in the fading golden sunshine. Riding up alongside Jake, he asked, “Some of yours?”
“Those’re some of Mrs. Shaughnessey’s Angus, yep,” he replied proudly. “You can see the fence line just comin’ up.”
As Luke looked in the direction indicated, he saw the road narrow considerably, until it was no more than a cart track, where it passed between two rough oak pillars, spanned by a graceful carved sign. Luke saw Kate’s mouth curve in the hint of a wistful smile, her eyes deep pools of liquid amber, as she watched the entrance come into view. She must really love this place. What must it feel like to be a part of something so real, he wondered.
Another quarter of a mile down the rough track and around the side of a rise brought them in sight of the homestead. His heart constricted at the simple beauty of it. The setting sun cast purple shadows across the land. The last golden rays gilding the plain white home, and casting a golden glow around the trees, fences and barns gave an ethereal presence to the place. He felt a peace settle over his heart that he hadn’t known in years. Was there some magic here? Was this an enchanted haven?
***
They pulled up at the kitchen porch of the house, and three sleepy passengers piled out from the back of the wagon. Jonathan scrambled up to the front seat as Kate jumped down.
“Jake, will you show Mr. Josey to the bunkhouse? I’ll get some fresh bedding out there as soon as I get Jo in bed.”
“Yes.” The answer was curt and withdrawn. Kate withered inside.
Nana looked from Kate to Jake and back again, clearly puzzled. Jake said nothing more, clucked to the team, and drove to the barn.
“Mrs. Insley, can you help me get these things in, and Jo to bed, please.”
“I can. And we’ll get breakfast set for tomorrow as well.”
“Oh, I don’t think so, you’re tired, and so am I. We’ll get it in the morning.”
“Humph!”
Kate shook her head, picked up her sleepy daughter and followed Nana in the house.
The two women worked quickly putting away the odds and ends. Kate tucked Jo in with kisses and prayers and promises of tomorrow. When she went back to the kitchen, Nana already had a fire glowing in the fireplace, and stack of linens and towels on the table. “There’s a good mattress ticking there that just needs to be stuffed with hay, couple of sheets, one wool blanket, a towel and some spare wash rags.” Nana ticked off the items as though it were an inventory.
Kate smiled, “Why don’t you go home and get some rest? It’s been a long day.”
“I’ll be going when I’ve finished here.”
“All right,” Kate acquiesced. “I’m going to take these things to the bunkhouse.”
She gathered up the pile of goods and stepped out into the cool evening air. Walking towards the barn she tried not to think of the events of the day, but the nagging fear would not go away. She knew she needed to pray, turn it over to God. She vowed to spend time in the Bible tonight no matter how tired she was. It was the only thing that helped in these trying times.
The men were still in the barn, the wagon was set back in its place and the team of mares had been turned out in the paddock. A fresh mound of hay had been pitched into the manger, and they stood contentedly munching away. Kate smiled.
Horses were such a blessing in her life. Working with them, breeding, gentling, and riding, was the one thing she knew she could do well. When they had arrived in the Oklahoma Territory, she knew how to ride, but had never done anything more than pleasure riding on one of her father’s horses. They had had grooms and stable hands to tend to the horses then.
Once established on their ranch, she had taken an active interest in the role of the cow ponies in everyday working life. Through observation and personal use she began to see which ones had the stamina and conformation to excel at their work. When Will had brought home a small, smoothly muscled black stud colt, she had seen the potential he possessed and convinced Will not to geld him. She named him Raven. The decision proved a fruitful one. They used him as a two year old to work cattle, a job he relished. He was catty and quick. He could cut a cow from the herd, and hold it for as long as you asked him. When a calf was roped from his back, he would stand firm and keep the rope as taught as a wire until told to release it. As a three year old they began crossing him on the best mares they could afford. The foals they produced were some of the most sought after horses in the territory.
As Kate entered the barn, Raven nickered softly to her from his stall. She reached out to rub his velvety nose, breathing in the rich scent of horse.
The men had lit a few lanterns to cast a light over the dim barn, and were gathered near the tack room, talking and laughing quietly. They stopped as she entered. “I’ve brought a mattress and linens for the bunk. Jon, will you stuff the ticking for Mr. Josey?”
&nbs
p; “Yes, ma’am.” He grabbed the ticking and dashed off to the straw pile.
“Make sure it’s good sweet straw, Jon, I don’t want any dusty stuff!” Luke laughed.
“Oh, yes, sir, I’ll get the best,” Jon replied earnestly. The two men laughed as the boy ran off. Jon was clearly in awe of Luke.
“Have you seen the bunk house yet, Mr. Josey?”
“Nope, but I expect it’s time to mosey that way.” he said with a twinkle in his eye.
“It’s right through that door.” Kate said, shifting the linens to pick up a lantern. Armed with a light against the dark, she started past them.
As she reached for the handle, a large hand fell on hers. “Allow me, ma’am.” Luke opened the door and stood aside for her to enter. Kate paused an instant, a tentative smile acknowledging the manners so often lacking in many of the cow hands.
Jake watched the interaction, then turned to finish the evening chores.
Entering the large room, she wrinkled her nose at the dust, realizing for the first time how long it had been since it had been used. “I’ll come out in the morning and give the room a good cleaning, Mr. Josey. I apologize for the state it’s in, but then I didn’t know you’d be here tonight.”
“I think I’ll survive the dirt. It’s still better than some I’ve seen,” he grinned. “And by the way, my name is Luke.”
“Luke, then.” She looked around the room. There were three frame and rope bedsteads, a small trunk at the foot of each. A washstand stood beneath a cracked mirror, with a white pitcher and basin. The one window was large, and surrounded by sack cloth curtains. It was frugal but serviceable. Luke should be comfortable enough here.
“Jake is usually here just after first light for morning chores, and breakfast is generally at seven. You can come up to the house through the kitchen door. It’s the one we use most often.” She paused, “and most everyone calls me Kate.”
He smiled a shy engaging smile. “It suits you. Kate.”
She found herself smiling back at this man in spite of all that happened that day. Swallowing hard, she excused herself, and hurried back to the house.
