CHAPTER 28
Raphael sat in the warm kitchen sipping coffee with Toby, Spencer, Liz, and Chet. Monica was finishing making breakfast and delivering plates of food.
“You still have coffee?” She checked the foreman’s cup.
“I am fine. Gracias. I think two loads of hay first. Those teams and horses up there will need more feed than graze. Then two loads of firewood. I will have time to get some grain up there for the animals too. Plus I will have a wagon hauling their hardware and food needs.”
“Can you do that?”
“Robert has plenty of hay and firewood for him. We took lots up there this summer, so he is fine. The lower place has good stacks of firewood in place.”
“Why did you haul Robert hay?” That was strange to Chet.
Raphael shrugged. “I had the men and teams . . . I hauled it from Camp Verde.”
“I have no argument about your men working. Is Victor short on them?”
“He really gets lots of hay put up. Tom even admitted Victor was lots better at farming than he was. My vaqueros don’t mind hauling it. You said it was all one big ranch.”
“All right. We will get snow. Maybe not until later, but we may need to rescue stranded freighters.”
“Can they find that place easy?”
“Yes. Tom will have the road open. You know where that friend of Margaret lives. They will point to where our road is at.”
Toby jumped into the conversation. “Can we get a sign to put up? That says A CHET BYRNES RANCH, EASTERN DIVISION.”
Chet smiled. “And TOBY EVANS, SUPERINTENDENT, under that?”
“I haven’t proved that yet.”
“Yes, I selected you. The sign painter in town can paint that—get it painted and put up.”
“Yes sir.”
“Liz can design it for you.”
“Thank you, sir.”
“When you believe in something you can sure get your back up about it.”
“Is that wrong, Chet?”
“No. You will have lots of times when you have to put your foot down for what you believe. It is how it should be.”
“I don’t need my name up there.”
“If I ride up there and don’t know you, who do I ask for?”
“I understand. Thanks, I’m learning.”
“Good, now let’s talk like friends. You and Talley. What are your plans? Wait. I don’t care if you marry or don’t—but you are going to be a leader and that sets an example. I don’t think I’d be accepted as a leader if I ran around on my wife or we simply lived together.”
“Chet, I talked to Dad. We agreed the two of them never got along. He understands I have built a friendship with her since he was married to her—oh, and he likes the idea of the private room for him and a job. If you think people will believe I am not a Christian or a worthy person, then I will talk to Talley. I guess we have been so occupied with being together we may have not thought about how it looked to others. My plans are for us to be married.”
“Then if you two plan that—announce it.”
“Right now? I don’t have the money to buy her a wedding dress and pay for a wedding.”
“If you two want to marry, Liz will buy her a dress that you couldn’t afford and the ranch will host the cost of the event.”
“You know I almost didn’t take that candy at Ben’s store. I didn’t deserve it.”
“Toby, I paid for Hampt and May’s wedding and everyone since then. You are part of this team.”
“Thank you. Now that you said that, I do feel better about it all.”
“When we meet as leaders, you defend what is right in your mind.”
“I will, sir. Talley and I will talk. You know I haven’t had to make decisions that everyone looked at but me. I am still having trouble believing I need to take charge and to get it right. We’ll be here for supper.”
“Good. Your decision won’t get you fired.”
“Thank you.”
They shook hands.