Thankful for the Cowboy

by Mary Connealy

When she ran down, Lauren told them about the water and her decision to get the cattle driven over here today.

  “Can we do it alone?” Lauren looked at Duncan, asking for his opinion. She was struck by how grown up he was and how much she respected his thoughts on most all subjects.

  The same with all her boys.

  “I wouldn’t try it if I hadn’t found that water. I think a small herd might just decide they’d found a perfect place to live.”

  “I know where Niall and Tom are working today and it’s a far piece.” Duncan had taken to calling Tommy Tom now. All of them had save Megan. And from her it carried a fondness.

  “I know they plan to finish it today,” Lauren said.

  “They don’t like to pause when the windmill is halfway built.” Mega had considerable knowledge of windmill construction. “It’s more likely to be damaged by winds or blown over if a storm whips up.”

  “Let’s go get the cattle.” Duncan reined his horse around. “We can manage it without them.”

  “And if we can’t, we’ll do it tomorrow.” Lauren knew better than anyone that a job could get complicated. “But let’s see if we can tackle this ourselves.”

  Chapter Eight

  Lauren leaned close to Duncan. “Megan’s got the makings of a fine cowhand.”

  Duncan gave her one of his broad grins. “Maybe if she practices for another five years.”

  Swatting her son in the belly with the back of her hand, Lauren gathered her reins and rode to head off another escape attempt.

  Two years. Lauren would wager the girl would be a hand in only two years. But she definitely wasn’t one today. She didn’t need help sticking her horse though, and that was a relief. She’d barely ridden a horse when she’d first come. She could handle a team pulling a load, and that was no small skill.

  But riding horseback was very new to her.

  Luckily with Rory sticking close to Megan, they drove the cattle without too much trouble. The fifteen head wanted to go back to their friends, but Lauren and her boys knew all their tricks and goaded them in the way they must go.

  Then they smelled the water. The cattle plunged into the grass. Most of the grass they’d ridden through had turned brown, dried on the stem like hay. But over here the grass, at the base nearest the water, still had a bit of green to it.

  The cattle were soon content. They’d driven over fourteen cows and one young bull. No calves. But the cows would birth their babies in the spring and with a good calf crop, Tom and Megan’s herd would nearly double in no time.

  “Dare we leave them?” Lauren asked Duncan. She’d come to trust her boys’ opinions as well as her own.

  All four of their horses stood abreast as they studied the cattle, acting lazy as they filled their bellies. Lauren didn’t see any sign of them wanting to retrace their steps to the Drummond land.

  The silence stretched as they pondered.

  Finally, Duncan spoke. “Rory, do you mind staying out here for an hour or two?”

  Lauren checked to see if Rory reacted. Duncan should stay, or Lauren, but there was work to be done back at Megan’s cabin and Duncan would be far more help than Rory.

  “I’ll sit on them a while, Ma.” Rory gave his saddle bags a fond slap. “I can eat on horseback and have an easy afternoon of it.”

  He smiled at Lauren. “Don’t fret, Ma. I think someone should stay with them. And it might as well be me. Make Duncan do some heavy work for once.”

  Duncan growled and Rory broke into a wild giggle. A laugh he hated but couldn’t control sometimes.

  “Give them an hour or two, son. If they show no inclination to run for the rest of the herd, come on back to Megan’s house. We’ll put you to work there, then we’ll ride home together.”

  “Tommy and Niall maybe plan to work past dark finishing that windmill,” Megan said. “But there’s no need for us to stay out after dark on a cold night.”

  Rory nodded and reined his horse away from their line to ride a wide circuit around the cattle.

  Lauren rode with Duncan and Megan back to the new soddy. She had considered leaving Megan with Rory but it whispered through her mind the story Tom had told about the powerful Scottish Laird who wanted to claim her. Lauren had known a few of those types of men, most especially the laird of her own clan. They were fierce men. Most used the strength to protect their clan, the women in particular.

  But some weren’t to be trusted. And they hated to be thwarted. They could take vengeance into their hearts and never forget a wrong. Never forgive defiance.

  Lauren had heard of Laird Murdo MacKinnon and he was known to enjoy his cruelties. And something else she knew that Tom and Megan might not, Lauren’s clan, the Drummonds, had banded together with their allies with plans to put an end to the savage MacKinnon clan. Laird MacKinnon might now be dead, or he might have been driven from his land.

  And if he was, he could well have taken to the seas and headed for America.

  Only someone driven by the worst kind of hate would follow a young girl and her brother across an ocean and half a vast country. But that described a Scottish Laird pretty well. Add in Murdo’s viciousness and it was possible…if he had nowhere else to go, no home to return to, he might have come. So many other Scots had done it that they’d blazed quite a trail.

  And if even a hint of someone from the MacKinnon clan reached the laird’s ears, he might well decide, for lack of anything else holding him, to come after Megan.

  Lauren wondered if she should have left her son out alone. It was a mighty peaceable land these days. But thinking of a vengeful Scot made her question her decision.

  She wanted to talk to Megan. Give the girl a chance to share her fears, as well as all she knew of her laird. But it wasn’t a talk a young woman wanted to have in front of a young man.

  Lauren would leave it for now. She suppressed a quick smile to think of how she’d never again had a moment alone with Tom. And now she was trying to find a chance to get Megan alone.

  It was probably best to just give up on that right now.

  She looked at the rifle in the boot of her saddle. She usually carried it when she had a long ride, mindful of lobo cattle, like the one who’d killed Dougal, and rattlesnakes.

  Well, there were more snakes in this world than the ones that crawled along on their bellies.

  She’d be ready for two-legged snakes, too.

  Chapter Nine

  “We’re done.” Tom came into the cabin smiling to dim the moonlight. “All three windmills are finished.”

  He shed his coat and gloves, as Niall pushed into the room behind him and they were all there, together.

  “Did you see the new foal?” Lauren set her sewing aside.

  Tom and Niall both froze in the act of hanging up their things.

  They turned to look. “Which horse?” Tom asked.

  “Our buckskin mare had a baby.” Megan sat on the floor with her back resting on the wall beside the fireplace.

  “We found it this morning. She’s in the corral.” Lauren told him of their discovery. The rest of them added details.

  “A new horse. I didn’t know the buckskin was even expecting.” Tom grinned. “I’m not sure when that happened. None of my horses are stallions.”

  “The baby is a little colt,” Duncan said. “You have a stallion now, unless you want to geld him.”

  “Once he dried off,” Lauren said, rising from her chair before the fire, “we could see he was red, a dark red. And he’s big and long-legged. I don’t think he’s a mustang. He’ll be a beautiful stallion.”

  Nodding, Tom said to Megan, “Remember we built that windmill near Des Moines last fall, the man we built it for let us turn our horses loose with his. He had a big old red stallion. A quarter horse. The man we worked for talked about racing him when he was a youngster but he’d been put out to pasture. He did nothing but stand on three legs and sleep all day.”

  Niall snickered. “I’d say he woke up a few times.”


  Tom laughed and the rest joined in. “He was a grand old critter.”

  Then they told about the pond and creek they’d found and about finishing the soddy and moving the herd.

  “You’ve got everything done.” Tom rubbed his cold hands together and stepped near the fireplace. “And I won’t need to dig another windmill. I talked to one man on my way out that was interested in me digging a well for him. If things are in order tomorrow, I’ll go see him and if he’s interested in hiring me, I’ll earn some cash money before winter sets in.”

  “You’ve got material for a windmill to spare, remember. And if you don’t build yourself one, you’ve got material for two,” Lauren pointed out. “See if he wants two or if another neighbor wants one.”

  Nodding, Tom said, “I might be gone a week, but no matter what, Megan and I will be back before Thanksgiving. I won’t work through the holiday.”

  “Oh, you want me to come along?” Megan seemed caught by the idea. Surprised as if it had never occurred to her.

  “Um, well, I’ll need to drive both wagons and you’ve always driven one.”

  “I can drive,” Niall spoke up. “I’ve enjoyed learning to erect a windmill. I’d enjoy being an apprentice to you.”

  Tom rubbed one of his big, work roughened hands over his mouth. Finally, he said, “I don’t like being separated so long from Megan. And…”

  Tom looked from Megan to Lauren and back. “I know you’re a fine shot, Lauren, as are Duncan and Rory. When it’s just for a day, I’ve never worried, or not much anyway, about leaving Megan in your care, but—”

  “You’re thinking of Laird MacKinnon.” Megan’s mouth turned down in a deep frown. “I guess I’d decided we’d come far enough.”

  “I’m sure we have. I’m being foolish.” The boys clamored to know who Laird MacKinnon was.

  When the whole story came out, they all seemed determined to protect Megan down to their last breath.

  Niall said, “Let’s take Megan along with us, Tom. You and I can protect her. And my family will be safe enough if neither you nor Megan is here, if this tyrant would show up.”

  Lauren saw something in Niall’s gaze that worried her just a bit. The Viking in him. As if he hoped the laird would show up and make a fight of it.

  “The man I’m going to see agreed to give us a place to sleep and meals while we worked. I’m sure he’ll be agreeable to there being three of us for just a few days. And if not, we’ll take the time to do some hunting and make our own meals.”

  They discussed it, and Megan agreed to go along to build the next windmill. If they built just one, they’d be finished and back in time for Thanksgiving. If the man wanted two, they’d leave off their building, unhitch their wagons and ride home to feast with the rest of the family, then get back to work.

  “I made a good stew for supper,” Lauren moved to the fireplace. “We kept it warm. I know you took food along, but—”

  “A warm meal would be welcome, Lauren. And the jerky and biscuits is but a dim memory from hours ago. Thank you for keeping it for us.”

  As Lauren and Megan set plates full of steaming food on the table. Rory talked about his concerns about leaving Tom’s small herd untended. The cattle all seemed to be happy enough, but he warned they might well wake up in the morning to find they needed to do a new cattle drive.

  Not even Rory’s worries though, could dim the bright spirits from all that had been accomplished that day.

  Chapter Ten

  Lauren didn’t quite realize what she’d agreed to until Tom, Niall and Megan rode away after breakfast the next morning.

  The house was so empty it echoed. The boys seemed inclined to handle all the chores and left her inside to cook, but cooking for three people was an easy task.

  They spent a quiet week, doing everything they could think of to get ready for the freezing cold winter.

  Two days before Thanksgiving, all three of them went hunting for a turkey. Then, at home, she prepared everything she could.

  She’d never had a daughter to join up with her in the kitchen so her boys had to learn to cook. They helped her roll out pie crust and bake bread.

  Thanksgiving morning, she’d rise before dawn and get the turkey on to roast.

  While she was at it, she’d teach the boys how to prepare the bird.

  Lauren found herself worrying. Thoughts of Conall ate at her.

  Was he safe, healthy, warm, well-fed?

  Was he outside, sitting cold and alone by a campfire?

  Had he found a job and people who would let him come share their meal?

  It was only when Rory rested one hand on her shoulder, that she realized she’d quit working. She had a pumpkin mostly peeled and needed to finish so she could chop it, cook it down to stew, then sweeten and spice it for the pie filling.

  “I’m thinking of all of them, Ma. But I think for you, it’s mostly Conall.”

  Lauren managed a weak smile. “I’m ashamed of myself. The Bible says clear as day not to worry. Yet here I stand letting my fears get the best of me.”

  Duncan sat at the table drinking coffee. It was a drink for adults, but all her boys had started drinking it young. It was warm and soothing. And Dougal had enjoyed it enough he’d run to a distant town to get more, and pick up other supplies while he was at it. Back then it was a far distant ride. Not like now with Fort Niobrara only forty miles away.

  She enjoyed watching her sons pour a cup and sit at the table to talk of the day like grown men.

  “It’s just your imagination getting the best of you, Ma.” Rory took a long drink of the rich, hot brew. “You know Niall is in good company with Tom and Megan, but we all feel the absence of them. That makes it easier to fret over Conall who’s out there alone. I catch myself wishing he’d come riding in and tell us he got over the itch to leave, got it out of his system, and he’d be staying here from now on. It’s not that we’re really worried about him. He’s got a strong back and a good mind. He’ll be all right. We just wonder where he is right now. The three of us aren’t so busy we don’t have time to think of him.”

  “It’ll be better when everyone gets back.” Lauren knew it was true. “We’ll have plenty to talk of and my mind won’t wander as much.”

  Tom stretched his back, it ached after a long hard week of digging and building. He was elated to be done and the rancher wanted a second windmill and was willing to pay well for it.

  Tom left Niall and Megan to unhitch the teams. They wouldn’t haul the wagons home with them. The rancher had been willing to let the wagons sit parked at his house for the time they’d be gone. And he had good-hearted reaction to the news Tom, Niall and Megan would be gone to spend Thanksgiving with their families.

  They could get home in a single long day on horseback. Pulling the wagons, it would be at least three, closer to four.

  Tom went to tell Niall and Megan that they’d leave in the morning and be back home well before Thanksgiving.

  The kids would be so excited. They’d been chattering up a storm about the fine meal that awaited them. In fact, several times he’d come upon them talking, their heads close together. They’d smile at each other and laugh. He saw them whispering a few times. It was so nice that his sister had found friends out here. All of Lauren’s boys had grown close to Megan, almost like brothers.

  Tom had worried about taking her to such a remote place.

  The American west was a good place to leave a troubled past behind, no doubt. But he feared it would be lonely. That was one of the reasons he’d listened closely when he’d met Conall.

  The boy had a powerful lot of experience living in the Sandhills, so Tom took careful note of all he said. But the part where Conall had assured Tom his ma and brothers would be glad to help him learn the ways of running cattle, and just generally surviving out here, were a big part of why he’d homesteaded near the Drummonds.

  Tom hurried his step to find the barn empty. Frowning, he wondered where they’d gotten too, then he h
eard a quiet voice from behind the barn. He circled the building, a real wooden building, this rancher was prosperous.

  He found Megan wrapped in Niall’s arms, kissing him.

  “Megan!” The tone of his voice made them leap apart.

  The tone shocked him, too. He’d never heard that tone come from his mouth before. But then he was mighty shocked, so why not?

  Megan almost dragged Niall off his feet, what with her arms wrapped tight around his neck as they were.

  “Tommy,” a huge smile bloomed on her face. “Niall and I are getting married.”

  She laughed aloud, pure glee.

  Tom tried to respond but all he could do was open and close his mouth like a landed salmon.

  Niall, the Viking, had a sheepish look on his face, but he couldn’t hide the smile. And his arm didn’t come away from where he held Megan around her waist.

  “B-but…but are you…when did you…”

  “I love Megan, Tom.” Niall was calmer and making a lot more sense than Tom was. “I’m already older than my pa when he was married and had his first child. Megan,” he gave her a friendly…too friendly…squeeze, “well, she’s twenty-one.”

  They both laughed. Megan blushed and slid her own arm around Niall’s waist.

  “Niall, Megan,” Tom’s eyes whipped from one smiling face to the other. They were embarrassed to be caught kissing but not one bit worried about making such a big decision.

  “You…you don’t…you haven’t known each other long enough to make such a decision.” Tom thought of how long he’d known Lauren. The exact same amount of time.

  “We know what we want, Tom.” Niall slid his arm off Lauren’s waist and took her hand so their fingers entwined. A grip that was as intimate as a kiss. Well, almost. “There’s a small town north of here and we’re riding to it right now to be married. We can be there before nightfall, get married, and tomorrow morning ride for home. We’ll still get home in time for Thanksgiving. We need a witness. Come along with us.”

  “But your ma will want…” Inspiration struck. And why was it he felt he needed inspiration? But he had to stop this. Oh, maybe they were suited to each other. But not this fast. “Your ma will want to see you married. You can’t do this without even telling her.”