Thomas opened his eyes in protest. Squinting, he tried to figure out what had awakened him. The walls were flickering, an orange and yellow inconsistent dance.
Grabbing his trousers, he jerked them on and stumbled from the house to face a small fire. For a moment, he stared in disbelief at the proof of a town that did not welcome him. Obviously the desire had been to frighten and not to harm. There’d be no saving the shed; and so it wouldn’t spread to the dry grasses and weeds, Thomas headed for the well and shouted for Tien-Lu.
It took a moment as the small tent almost took on personality as Tien-Lu struggled from his bed. A lump to the left, a poke to the right, and one peg came loose before a pale face poked from the opening.
Thomas barked, “Get out here and help!”
Tien-Lu joined his boss and nodded. Anna and her mother soon crawled from the tent.
“I hear no noise,” Tien-Lu muttered, stomping on burning embers. Together they put out the fire as Trieu put a fist in her mouth, biting back tears.
That didn’t surprise Thomas. For the past week, Tien-Lu, Trieu, and Anna had worked tirelessly on the shed, turning it into what looked like a miniature cottage. Just that afternoon, Scotty and Bertie had shown up. They’d dismantled the old roof and started work on an arched contraption that Bertie insisted would prevent not only rain deposits but also allow better light. They were a team, that old cowboy and the young girl. Thomas had put off important work just to enjoy listening to Scotty fill Bertie, Anna, and Tien-Lu in on Lickwind’s history. The man knew everybody and everything. He could find something good to say about just about everybody, including Josiah Temple.
The concept of five or six families founding Lickwind seemed to fascinate Bertie. Actually, there had been fewer. The Collingswoods were brothers. Amos Smit and Josiah were brothers-in-law. That left only the Webbers and Kincaids as stand-alone settlers.
Lickwind had certainly grown, and every day brought something new to be grateful for. Lost in thought, it took Thomas a moment to realize that a mass of snorting cattle stretched across the landscape.
“Impeccable timing,” Thomas said.
“Thanks for the beacon.” Mikey didn’t dismount. The cattle, spooked by the fire, swerved in a direction opposite from the intentions of the cowboys.
Thomas, grateful to be diverted from the smoking remains of Tien-Lu’s home, moved forward to offer guidance. “Rex on point?”
“Yup.”
“Who’s riding drag?”
“New guy called Jack.”
For the next hour, while Tien-Lu diligently patrolled the area for errant sparks, Thomas, Mikey, Rex, and four new hands put the cattle to bed. “Lose many?” Thomas asked.
Mikey bounced a coiled rope against his leg, exhaustion so tangible, it roiled off him like dust. “We lost some two-year-old heifers. They got spooked when the buffalo came too close.”
Thomas nodded. “Any other trouble?”
“Buffalo made the grass a bit scarce. We sure were glad when we came close to Lickwind and saw the grazing land.”
Anna started school the next week. For the first time, Bertie looked forward to lessons. Anna, who’d never been to school before, was too excited to sit still. Bertie so enjoyed helping Anna that she forgot to pretend she didn’t understand her own lessons. It took four days for Bess to catch on.
“I’m giving you the eighth-grade final examination next week,” Bess declared.
Bertie had been playing at school way too long anyway. Ellis had kept her from attending, Bess had been determined that Bertie would finish, and Bertie had been content to drift along.
Bertie finished her math problems, hurried through her duties at the restaurant, neglected her household chores, and finally escaped out the front door. She was more than ready to move, and she knew exactly how she wanted to spend her afternoon. Not in the restaurant either. She wanted to be at the Two Horse, and just maybe Jones would be making a delivery. After all, Bess always said, “We’re supposed to be neighborly.”
But Jones only chuckled when Bertie skidded to a stop in front of his store. Pointing toward something behind her, he resumed sweeping the dirt from his front door. In front of The Back Porch, Gideon finished loading one of the restaurant’s tables in the back of his wagon.
“You going somewhere?” Bertie asked, already guessing their destination.
“Thought we’d go visit Thomas Hardin and see what you and Scotty find so enticing.” Gideon didn’t look at her as he said the words.
Guilt painted red splotches across Bertie’s cheeks. She’d never been able to keep things from Bess.
Gideon helped Bertie into the wagon and gave Bess one of those married looks that Bertie never could read.
“Gee up!” he shouted after settling in beside his wife.
Bess hugged Bertie, and because it felt right, Bertie didn’t shrug away.
They were working on the main house now. Tien-Lu, Trieu, Anna, Bertie, and Scotty. Poor Thomas, Bertie thought. For a man who didn’t want women on his ranch, every time he turned around, a new one appeared. Susan, the young wife of Jack, one of Thomas’s newly hired cowboys, arrived by train just yesterday. She and Jack had taken a meal at the Back Porch. She was just Bertie’s age, and she wore the contentment and awe of the newly married like a shawl around her shoulders. She never took it off, and it was a stunning example of joy, commitment, and love.
And now even more women would gather on the Two Horse soil. Bertie had no doubt but the Collingswoods were en route to this surprise picnic.
“I didn’t realize Clyde left such a small house,” Bess observed.
Bertie nodded, glad to leave her confusing thoughts for another time. “I’ll bet Thomas lets Jack and Susan live in it.”
“Bertie, you need to call him Mr. Hardin,” Bess advised.
“I’ll try to remember,” Bertie promised.
Matty and Corrie were already pulling baskets and blankets and such from their wagons while their husbands carried chairs. Tien-Lu and Anna were busy spreading blankets on the ground. Thomas scowled from the doorway of the house.
Matty, jiggling baby Matthew, called, “Come help, Bertie. We’ve brought a feast.”
Bertie had no choice but to pitch in. After a few moments, she asked softly, “Everyone knew that Scotty and I were coming out here?”
“Scotty’s had Jim’s permission since the beginning. At first, I was a bit concerned, but Scotty said this Thomas Hardin is a good man. Bertie, I’ve really been looking forward to today. I’ve been wanting to see this man that you’ve taken such a shine to. I’ve never seen you take such pains with your appearance.” Matty reached over to push a stray piece of hair away from Bertie’s eyes. “Except for Papa’s hat.” Matty’s eyes softened as she gazed at the worn, brown felt hat on her sister’s head. Matty said, “It might be time to put it away, Bertie.”
Looking down, Bertie tried to figure how her sister noticed any difference. She mentally kicked herself. Certainly, she wanted Thomas to notice. How could she have been so dense as not to realize others—especially her sisters—might notice first!
“Oh, Grandmother’s bloomers,” Bertie muttered. Her sisters were joining forces. Any one of the sisters could have put a stop to Bertie’s visits to the Two Horse, but all the sisters had had a hand in Bertie’s upbringing. They wanted to see just what Bertie was up to. They wanted to see this Thomas Hardin who so had Bertie’s head a-spinning.
Fried chicken, potatoes, corn bread, greens, and lemonade were soon unloaded; and the rumor of a meal brought forth the ranch hands hours before their usual suppertime.
Within minutes, a banquet was spread out and the prayer said. Bertie watched as Tien-Lu wrinkled his nose at the American fare. Anna hid behind her mother in a game of hide-and-seek with Bess. Susan and Matty discussed an upcoming baby.
Susan was in the family way? Bertie swallowed. Susan was two months younger than Bertie yet years more mature in actions and appearance. Unconsciously, Bertie touched the brim of her hat. Lately she’d been thinking more about her family and the loss of their dairy farm back in Rhode Island. All her girlish dreams, her memories of happiness, centered around dairy farms. Ever since arriving in Lickwind, she’d wanted one of the sisters to start a dairy farm. Her only hope had been Bess. But maybe instead of happiness being a place, maybe it was a person?
Where was Thomas anyway? She knew he hated a crowd, but he’d lost his scowl earlier after accepting a piece of Corrie’s apple pie. Bertie headed for the remnants of the burnt shed. No doubt, Thomas was explaining his theory of the fire to some willing ear.
The ear turned out to be Corrie’s husband, who deftly changed the subject from heat lightning to … “We hope Bertie’s not bothering you.”
“No, not a bit. She’s been quite a help. I never figured I’d let loose a female architect on my land, but she’s doing a great job. She and Scotty make quite a team.”
Can a smile spread so big as to reach the ears? Bertie wondered. Thomas liked having her around!
“She’s good with her hands,” Luke agreed. “We, the family, are a bit concerned with her coming out here—”
“With someone of my reputation,” Thomas finished. “There is that,” Luke agreed.
“Well, she never leaves Scotty’s side. Trieu loves her. And little Anna’s favorite saying is ‘Grandmother’s bloomers!’ ” Thomas laughed. “She’s good for Anna.”
The feeling of pleasure disappeared as the men laughed at her expense. Bertie almost backed away, torn by the guilt of eavesdropping and the pall of what she was hearing.
I’m good for Anna?
The baby, always treated like the baby.
“Sorry to hear you had a fire,” Luke said. “Albert Smit was talking about it over at Jones’s store. Guess you were lucky to only lose a shed.”
“More than lucky,” Thomas agreed. “You think that fire started by accident?” Luke asked. “Not sure.”
The men were silent for a few moments; then Thomas spoke. “We do appreciate the chance of education for Anna. You sure your sister-in-law is ready for the backlash taking a Chinese into the schoolroom will bring?”
“You don’t know Bess very well,” Luke observed.
“Ah, but I know Bertie, and I guess if Bess is anything like Bertie, I’ll be more than pleased with the outcome. That right, Bertie?”
It took a moment for Bertie to realize he was addressing her. Crouched behind the house, she’d been sure the men were unaware of her.
“Yes,” she squeaked.
Luke had the audacity to pat her shoulder as he walked by in search of his wife. Thomas ambled by next. “Need something, Bertie?”
“Not exactly.”
“What do you mean, ‘Not exactly’?”
Bertie shook her head. “You think I come here because of Anna?”
“Mostly.”
“I come here because it’s where I feel at home.”
“Where you feel at home?” Thomas echoed. “Here?”
“Yes, here.”
He didn’t know about dairy farms and security. He didn’t know what she was trying to tell him because she wasn’t exactly sure herself. “How do you equate here with home?”
Bertie shrugged. She didn’t quite understand her motives for wanting to spend so much time here at the Two Horse Ranch. For true, she felt needed, included; she felt as if these people somehow belonged to her. But even more, every time she caught a glimpse of Thomas, her whole body grew warm, and she suddenly had trouble breathing.
“Well, squirt, we like having you around.” With a careless sweep of his hand, Thomas nudged her hat so it covered her eyes.
He walked away not noticing the scowl on Bertie’s face. He liked having her around. She took off her hat and banged it against her leg.
Squirt?
She didn’t want to be his squirt.