| |
The herd veered left at speed. Mack cursed under his breath, and wheeled his horse around to try and corral them into the pen before they stampeded through the yard and straight through his house. He hated to admit it, but he really needed to get some help now the numbers of cattle had grown so large. It wouldn’t take much for him to be the unsuspecting victim of a panicked charge. He vowed to see if there were any cowboys hanging around the saloon the next time he was in Sun River. If he had some help then he could leave these dawn starts to them, he certainly wouldn’t miss them one bit. “Whoah there girls and boys,” he hollered as he managed to outflank them and shoo the bolting steers and cows back towards the holding pen.
As he dismounted and fixed the gate he looked up at the sky. A grey cloud had been looming, and he was pretty sure that the heavens would open long before he had them sorted. He needed to separate out the pregnant cows from the herd to make sure they were healthy and everything was progressing as it should for them and to mark up any expecting twins. They would need extra care, and he would keep them in the paddocks close to the farm so he could bring them into the barn easily when their time to calve came. The steers would need to go back up into the foothills to fatten up before the thankfully short drive across country to Great Falls and then on by train to every State in the Union.
“Mack, Mack, where are you?” his sister called loudly. He could hear a note of panic in her voice. “Mack, you have to get to Great Falls!”
“Penny, you aren’t making any sense. I’ve nothing to do but sort out this mangy lot,” he said as he ruffled the soft brown head of one of his pregnant cows who was nosily poking her head over the gate, his stomach growling the need for breakfast.
“There’s a letter. It’s from her. I’m sorry, I opened it by mistake, but she is coming. She will be on the train today!” She thrust the envelope at him and he took it and looked from it and then back to her.
“But, if she is coming why didn’t she let me know before? I thought she wasn’t coming,” he repeated foolishly. Penelope laid a soothing hand on his arm, hearing the way his voice had cracked. He truly had given up hope of hearing from her. He had convinced himself that he must have come on too strongly, or expected more of her than she was able to give and so she had simply decided to end their correspondence. It had felt strange to him. Even though they had only shared a few letters he felt he knew her, and she didn’t seem to be the kind of person who would do that. But it had been easier to bear that way, because he had already begun to anticipate when another letter would come. He had been downcast when nothing had arrived day after day.
He took out the letter and read the few short lines Annie had penned, clearly in haste.
Dear Mackenzie (I hope you do not think me too forward using your Christian name, I rather like it. It is a little raffish and mysterious!)
I am on my way to Montana. I am so very sorry I did not write sooner – but I wasn’t going to come. I thought I would lose my position if I asked to for the time needed to travel for an extended stay (and I was right, I have managed exactly that!). I wasn’t sure I was ready to take the chance on so short an acquaintance. I was scared I would give up everything only to arrive in Sun River and to have you dislike me. You said you want a true helpmeet, a lover and not just a wife. I wasn’t sure I could deliver that. You sounded so very full of life, and courage. I have none. I have done nothing in my life and am so terribly dull. But I found that I have a devilish little imp inside me that has awakened. She wants to take some risks, and so I am coming. I shall be with you very soon. I can only pray you will not be disappointed in me.
Yours in all hopefulness
Annie Cahill
“I’d better get to town!” Mack gasped as his heart soared. She was coming, and she had risked everything to do so – for him. He knew it was too soon to know, but he prayed that she would find him amiable, that she would be the gentle calming soul her letters seemed to convey to him. But he was also more than pleased to find that she too had a reckless side, and could take risks when she felt it right. She trusted herself, as he trusted himself and he could only hope they would learn to trust one another.
“I think she must like you too,” Penelope said sagely. “No woman would take such a chance on a complete stranger if she didn’t. Be careful, don’t you hurt her.”
“I see you already care more for her than you do me – what if she hurts me? You didn’t think of that possibility did you?” His sister merely smiled at him, turned and walked away without comment. “Penny, please can you ride over to Carlton’s place and tell him he’s got a visitor on the way?”
“Why should I?”
“For Annie, not me. It will be strange enough just coming out here and she will be exhausted from the journey. It wasn’t so long ago that we came out here, remember how tough it was? The least we can do on her first night in Montana is to ensure there is a friendly face that she recognizes watching over her.”
“You didn’t need to beg! I’m on my way right now,” she said infuriatingly and marched back towards him and untethered Blackie from the fence. In moments she was up on his back and racing across the fields to the Green farm. He couldn’t deny it; she truly was an incredible horsewoman. He should have gotten her out with the herds rather than letting her keep house for him – she could outride and out jump him any day of the week.
Mack rushed across the yard, and lowered the bucket down into the well. He didn’t have the time to have a real bath, he would already be late, most likely, but he was determined that he wouldn’t smell too badly of horse and cattle when he met her. He wanted to make a good impression, not have her racing to get straight back on the train. He made his way over to the stable and pulled out the gig. It was covered in dust, it so rarely got used. He quickly ran an old cloth over it, removing the worst of the filth but it still looked terrible. He had no choice though, it was this or nothing. Carefully he pulled out the harness from the back seat, and prayed it would last the journey. It was worn in too many places, but Penny’s old mare, Mildred, was docile enough and wouldn’t strain between the shafts too much so they should be fine.
In just ten minutes he was on the road, and on his way into Great Falls. As he drove he kept on thinking about Annie and what she had given up to be here, to be with him. To think he might have not known, and that she could have been stranded in a place where she knew no-one. He shook his head, and clicked to Mildred to go just a little faster. He didn’t want to push her too hard, the roads were a little rutted after the heavy rains and then baking sunshine they had seen recently. But the old girl took it well and they made good time, reaching Great Falls just after lunchtime.
The train was due at twenty five minutes past two o’clock. He glanced up at the big station clock and saw he still had twenty minutes. He rushed to the bakery on the main street and bought himself a meat pie and some dainty pastries for them both for the journey home. He devoured his pie whilst walking back to the station at pace. He wanted to be there waiting for her. He certainly didn’t want her to think that he didn’t care for her enough to be there to meet her. He paced up and down nervously, now wishing he hadn’t bolted his repast so quickly – it had only given the butterflies in his belly fuel and they were making the most of it.
Finally he saw the clouds of smoke and steam coming around the bend and heard the whistle of the train. He watched avidly as the great iron beast pulled up. He was fascinated by the lumbering great machines. Their huge power and their ability to take you almost anywhere you wanted to go appealed to him greatly. He wondered if he would ever get the chance to go in search of adventure ever again. The ranch needed him now, but maybe one day he would be able to go in search of new experiences. He wondered if Annie would be keen to join him, or if her one experience of travel would be enough for her.
He suddenly realized that he knew nothing of what Annie looked like. How would he ever recognize her? Was she petite, blonde, a redhead? He had no clue, and as the smoke billowed around him he wondered if he would ever be able to find her anyway. He could barely see his own hand in front of his face. But as the smoke finally cleared he saw a small woman standing nervously a few yards ahead of him, biting her lip and clasping and re-clasping her hands. She had delicate features, a smattering of freckles across the bridge of her tiny, tilted nose, and a figure with curves any man would be glad to explore. She wore a smart blue hat that matched her coat exactly and clean white gloves on her small hands.
Mack was rarely lost for words, but seeing her standing there and looking so lost and vulnerable he was speechless. He felt his breath catch in his chest as he moved towards her, and he longed to hold her and reassure her that everything would be fine, that he would take care of her, that she had nothing to fear. Yet the words would not come, he stood gaping at her, sure his mouth was wide open like a cod fish.
“Mr Mackenzie Stott?” she asked him after some time had passed. He jolted.
“Sorry, yes, yes. Annie Cahill I presume?” he said trying desperately to cover up his embarrassment at being stuck for words at the very sight of her. “How was your journey? I only received your letter this morning – I very nearly wasn’t here to greet you!”
“I am so very sorry, it was such a spur of the moment decision. I so very nearly didn’t come. I was so fearful of what I would lose; I simply couldn’t focus on the things I might gain.” Mack was aware how quickly they were both speaking, how breathless they both were and laughed. “I’m sorry,” Annie asked with a quizzical look, “did I say something funny?”
“No, I was struck by how we are both so very nervous that we are speaking so rapidly to cover it up,” he said. Her expression softened a little. “I am sorry, this isn’t going the way I planned it. Can we maybe start again?”
