To Love and to Cherish (8 page)

“It's human nature,” Sibyl said. “You're a beautiful woman, and Jared Smith is a mature, virile man. Two such people shouldn't be alone all day.”

“We won't be alone. He has a fifteen-year-old nephew who'll stay with me so he can drive me back and forth.”

“That's something else I don't like. Do you think it's safe?” Naomi asked.

“He's fifteen. He's only a boy.”

“A boy who's only a few years away from being a man,” Sibyl pointed out.

“He's still a boy. The only other solution was to have me move out to the ranch.”

Laurie was glad she said that. Her cousins were so horrified over that possibility that they objected less to Steve staying in her house. She was tired of trying to convince her cousins to approve of something she knew they never would. She knew they were worried about her, but she didn't intend to let that hold her back. The moment she put her signature on that agreement, a great weight had been lifted from her. She no longer had to worry that someone would find the money and force her to tell where she got it. She didn't have to worry what Norman did or didn't do. She would finally have something of her own that neither Norman nor her father could take from her. There would be purpose in her days, new people in her life, new things to learn.

She would finally feel like a person instead of a possession.

“You're determined to do this, aren't you?” Naomi asked.

“Yes.”

“And nothing we say is going to change your mind?” Sibyl asked.

“Nothing.”

The two cousins looked at each other and sighed. “I don't know that I can defend you,” Naomi said, “but I'll try.”

“I can't in good conscience,” Sibyl said, “but I know what it's like to live under Norman's thumb. If you can do this without a scandal, I'll stand by you. You still have to face your parents and Norman,” she warned.

“I know, but I want to hold off until I've worked a few days so I can show them there's nothing they have to worry about. So you can't tell anybody yet.”

“I won't lie to Colby,” Naomi said.

“Then it's good he's away on a trip. Besides, I know he'd support me.”

“Not until he'd been out to that ranch and met every man who works there.”

“I hope he will,” Laurie said. “His assurances would do more to convince people than anything I can say.”

“Nothing is going to make people understand why you're doing this or how it should earn you a partnership in that ranch, no matter how small it is.”

“Then I guess they'll just not understand.”

Laurie's arguments hadn't swayed her cousins, but she could count on their support. It would be more difficult to explain the partnership. She couldn't tell anybody about the money. It had been a long time, but if the army found out, they might arrest her. And if they arrested her, they'd have to arrest Norman, her father, and probably several other men. And what about Naomi killing that soldier? Once they found out about the stolen payroll, no one would believe she'd done it in self-defense.

“I'm coming over here after your first day of work,” Naomi informed her, “and I expect to hear every detail of what happened.”

“I'll be here, too,” Sibyl said.

“How will you get away from Norman?”

“You let me worry about that.”

Laurie had always been jealous that Norman gave Sibyl more freedom than Noah had given her. “Okay. Just promise you won't tell anyone until I'm ready.”

“As long as I think you're safe,” was as far as Naomi would go.

That was all Laurie needed. Now she just had to make sure everything worked out the way she planned.

***

This was the third time Laurie had driven up to Jared's ranch, but today was different. On one hand, she was doing something that would draw the disapproval of everyone she knew. On the other, she was taking the first step toward establishing her independence. Yet it was more than that. She was going to be in a close relationship with a man she found attractive, and who found her attractive. She didn't intend for it to stray beyond professional boundaries, but just having the freedom to form such an association was a heady experience. For the first time in four years, she felt like a beautiful woman.

By everyone's standards except Norman's, she was not dressed provocatively. At the moment she was covered from head to toe in a thick coat to protect her from the cold, and a grossly unattractive hat to keep her head warm and her hair on top of her head. Underneath she wore a simple gray skirt and a wool blouse with long sleeves and a high collar. It might be warm in the kitchen, but she expected the rest of the house to be cold.

She wasn't surprised when Jared came out to meet her. She'd expected to see Steve, too, but Jared was alone. He looked at the box in the boot of the buggy.

“What have you got there?”

“Things to clean with, some seasoning for cooking, and few things for the kitchen.”

“We should have everything you need.”

He held out his hand to help her down from the buggy. She'd been aware of his strength before, but today she was aware of more than strength. A kind of nervous excitement traveled through his hand into hers, instantly communicating with the rest of her body. The shock caused her to stumble. Jared caught her.

“Are you all right?”

Of course she wasn't. She was practically in the embrace of a man she barely knew. “I guess I'm stiff from the cold. It's a long ride.”

“Are you okay now? Let's get you inside.”

“You can release me. There's nothing wrong. I just stumbled.”

Jared practically jumped back from her. “I'll carry the box.”

Laurie hoped this awkward beginning wasn't a harbinger of the rest of the day. She followed Jared into the house. He put the box down inside the door.

“Where you do want to begin?” He looked as uncomfortable as she felt.

“Why don't you show me the house?” They stood in a wide hallway that ran from the front to the back of the house.

“There's not much to see. It's a small place. You've seen the parlor. We rarely have visitors, so I use it as my office. Across the hall is the kitchen. I'll save that for last. The two bedrooms are in the back.” He opened the door to a large and neat room. “This is my room. Steve's is across the hall.”

Seeing Jared's bedroom had a strange effect on her. The room was plainly furnished with a large wardrobe, a chest of drawers, a chair, and a table with a shaving stand.

“That bed was left by the previous owner. I'd never have hauled anything that size from Texas.”

A huge bed covered by a handmade quilt dominated the room. The thought of Jared asleep in the bed—did he wear long underwear or did he sleep naked?—caused her stomach to clench. Appalled at the direction of her thoughts, she turned her attention to the windows. “You need curtains and some pictures on the wall.”

“I'm never in this room except to sleep. You really don't have to clean it. I can take care of it myself.”

“I said I'd clean the house, and that's what I'll do. Your job is to make sure the Herefords prove to be a good investment.”

He smiled. “I can see you're going to be a demanding business partner. I'm going to sell off the longhorns while I build the Hereford herd. There won't be much profit right away, but we won't starve.”

“What will I live on?”

“You're a full partner. You'll get a share of everything I sell starting today.”

“But I haven't given you the money.”

“Because I don't need it yet. The partnership started the minute you signed the contract. Of course, either of us can back out until I get the money and buy the Herefords.”

That's how it worked in the mercantile, but she hadn't known if ranches were the same.

“Steve's room is a mess. I'll have him straighten it up for you.”

“I'll do that. I never had any brothers or sisters. It'll give me a chance to see what I missed.”

Jared opened the door to a room that was smaller than Jared's bedroom and as disorderly as his was organized. “Is this something you regret missing?”

Laurie laughed. “It's not so terrible. It's not like there's a half a dozen of him.”

Jared shivered. “I love my nephew, but I cringe at the thought of even one more like him.”

“Don't you hope to marry and have children?” The question was ordinary enough, but under the circumstances it felt too personal. Fortunately Jared didn't appear to mind.

“I've been in the army for the last seven years so I haven't had a chance to do anything about it, but I do hope to have a family. However, I will not spoil my children as badly as Steve's mother spoiled him. He was an only child.”

Laurie had washed, folded, and put away Noah's clothes, but doing that didn't have the same impact as the thought of handling the clothes of a teenage boy who was as sexually vibrant as Noah had been quiescent. “Maybe you could ask him to pick up his clothes.”

“I have. You see the results.”

She supposed she'd have to get used to it. There were bound to be times when she would have to handle Jared's clothes, too. She hadn't expected this response. She hoped it wasn't going to be a problem.

“I can't tell you much about the kitchen,” Jared said as they left Steve's room and headed back up the hall. “Odell does all the cooking. We eat in there as well.”

He opened the door to a room that was the same size as the parlor. A stove stood against the far wall, but most of the room was occupied by a large table furnished with benches. A counter with cabinets beneath ran alongside the wall that separated the kitchen from Steve's bedroom. A single window opened onto the front porch.

Jared pointed to a door at the end of the counter. “That door leads to a storage room. All I know about it is that's where Odell keeps the coffee grinder.”

“According to my cousin's husband, coffee is more necessary to western men than food.”

“I like my food, but coffee is essential to get the day started.”

“My husband drank tea. His mother hated coffee, but I'm partial to it myself.”

“Good. I'm not sure the boys would trust your cooking if they thought you didn't like coffee.”

“How many men work for you?”

“Four, counting Odell. They're all ex-soldiers, so they're used to taking care of themselves.”

“Where do they stay?”

“In the bunkhouse, but they got used to tents in the army. They sleep out except when it's cold.”

“So I have to cook enough for six men.”

“And one woman,” Jared reminded her.

“I haven't forgotten. Do you know if Odell has anything planned for supper?”

“Fix anything you find in the larder. We eat mostly ham and beef, chicken if we can keep the coyotes from getting them first, and fish if Steve can catch any. There's canned and dried fruits and vegetables. Odell made a hill for the potatoes, but I'm told it rarely gets cold enough to freeze, so they might be in the pantry.”

“Where do you keep milk, butter, and eggs?”

“Right now it's cold enough to keep everything in the pantry. I don't know what he does when it gets hot. What else do you need to know?”

“I think that's enough for now. You can go back to whatever you were doing before I arrived and leave me to get acquainted with everything.”

“I have to ride out in about an hour. We're getting a shipment of longhorns ready to take to the fort.”

“I'll be okay. I'm used to being in a house by myself.” Not that she'd ever been alone very often. Noah had been so jealous, he'd forced her to work in the mercantile so he could keep an eye on her. She'd had to go to the store with him in the morning and stay there until he left in the evening.

“If you do need anything, ring the gong. Someone is bound to hear it.”

“What time do you expect supper?”

“How about six? We like to get to bed early so we can make an early start.”

“I'll expect all of you then.”

Jared lingered, like there was something he wanted to say.

“Did you forget something?”

“I just wanted to say we're glad to have you here. I mean for more than the money. It'll be nice to have a woman's touch to the place.”

“I didn't come here to change anything.”

“We could use a little change. We get in a rut when it's all men.”

“Well, I won't change anything for a while yet…except the food so Steve won't starve.”

They both laughed, but neither sounded quite natural.

“I'll leave so you can settle in. Where do you want your box?”

“Bring it in here.”

Jared was back in moments with the box, which he placed on the end of the counter. “If you find you need anything we don't have, make a list. In a few days we can go into town and pick up everything.”

He stood there for a long moment, as though he was waiting for her to say something. When she didn't, he nodded and left the room.

Laurie let out a big breath and felt her whole body relax. Her first day as Noah's wife had been more stressful, but at least she had known him all her life. She just disliked him. She was certain she would like Jared and Steve, but she knew nothing about them or the four men that worked for them. They might be uncomfortable or resent having a woman in the house.

She
was uncomfortable. She had only agreed because she doubted she'd ever have a better chance to establish her independence. She'd certainly never have a better chance to use the money without anyone demanding to know where it came from. She
had
to make this work.

But something else unsettled her. Jared was attracted to her, and
she
was
attracted
to
him
.