A Western Heart (Choc Lit) Read online

  Mattie nodded. ‘Sure thing.’

  Cora smiled at her. ‘This is the start of making sure we get everything we want. Or rather, everyone we want,’ she added with a giggle, and she stepped outside the cabin.

  A smile on her face, Mattie followed her and closed the door firmly behind them.

  Chapter Nine

  ‘Pass the cornbread, Cora, will you?’ Rose asked. As she turned slightly in her chair, her leg touched Nate’s and she quickly pulled it back. Nate shifted his position. A moment later, he leaned forward to take the plate of cornbread from Cora and offer it to her, and she felt his muscular thigh against her leg again.

  A wave of heat spread through her.

  As she accepted a piece of cornbread, she glanced quickly at his face. Raising his eyebrow slightly, he threw her an amused smile, then he turned to pass the plate to her mother, and she was left staring at the sharp angle of his strong jaw.

  ‘Did you want another piece of cornbread, Mr Hyde?’ she asked, turning her attention to Will’s father, who was sitting on the other side of her.

  ‘Not for me,’ Charles Hyde said. ‘If I eat any more, I’ll break the seat of the wagon the moment I sit on it.’ He put his hands on his stomach, looked around the table and laughed.

  ‘I think I’ll have another piece after all,’ Cora said, leaning across the table to help herself, and smiling at Charles Hyde as she did so. She took a piece for herself and one for Mattie.

  Thomas McKinley looked up from his plate. ‘You’ve a mighty fine appetite today, Cora. And you, too, Mattie. What have you two bin doin’ all morning?’

  ‘Working hard,’ Cora said.

  ‘Doin’ what exactly?’ her mother asked. ‘It certainly wasn’t the hard work that comes with helpin’ with the washing. You were nowhere to be seen.’

  ‘I’ve been helping Cora cut the patterns for the dress she’s gonna make,’ Mattie volunteered. ‘We’ve only just begun cutting them and we’ve got a heap more to do.’

  ‘I’m mighty pleased to see Cora startin’ to take more of an interest in sewing,’ Julia remarked. ‘It’s mending day on Wednesday and there’s a pile of darnin’ to do.’

  Cora laughed. ‘Ma likes funning,’ she said, smiling across the table at Nate. ‘There’d be more holes in the clothes when I finished darning them than when I started.’

  He grinned at her. ‘My ma wasn’t that keen on sewin’, either.’ He turned to look at Rose. ‘What about you, Miss Rose. Is sewing something you like?’ he asked, his thigh pressing hard against hers.

  She put her hand to her cheeks to cool them down.

  ‘I don’t dislike it as much as Cora does. I wouldn’t say I’m much better than she is, though.’ She felt Cora’s eyes on her face, and looked down at her plate.

  ‘Where d’you come from, Mr Galloway?’ Cora asked.

  He took his eyes from Rose and smiled at Cora. ‘From back East originally, but from Rock Springs more recently.’

  ‘Why did you leave the East and come West?’ she asked curiously.

  ‘That’s surely Mr Galloway’s private business, Cora,’ Thomas interrupted. ‘Ignore my daughter, Galloway.’

  ‘It’s fine, sir. I don’t mind answering Miss Cora. At a very young age, I packed my bags and came West to help my brother, Ethan, run his ranch. He was already doin’ well, but with both of us workin’ together, he did even better and we became real wealthy selling beef to the miners in the Rock Springs area. As a result, we were able to build up the cattle operation till we owned more than fifty thousand head of cattle. As we got bigger, I gradually took over more and more of the paperwork, and left Ethan to run the ranch. Before long, we were shipping ten thousand head of cattle annually by rail to the stockyards in Chicago, as well as supplying beef to the miners in all the towns around.’

  Thomas gave a low whistle. ‘That’s a real impressive operation.’

  Nate nodded. ‘Thank you, sir. I’m real proud of what we achieved. But we did have luck on our side. Rock Springs was the right place to be. With all the mines and timber around Rock Springs, immigrants and fortune seekers were flooding into the area, and the coal-mining towns were rapidly swelling in size. The towns needed food, and there we were, able to supply it.’

  ‘Why didn’t you stay there, then?’ Rose asked.

  ‘In a way I have as I’ve retained an interest in the ranch. But I’m still young and I couldn’t see myself workin’ with my brother for the rest of my life. I’ve too much ambition for that. And also, I reckon there’s gonna be big trouble in the Rock Springs area before too long. There are already a large number of Chinamen settled there, and there are more of them comin’ in all the time. The mine owners pay the Chinamen less than they pay the whites, so the Chinese miners are gettin’ the work. Not surprisingly, the white miners are gettin’ pretty mad.’

  ‘That sounds like a real dangerous situation,’ Julia McKinley said.

  Nate nodded. ‘There’ll be riots there one day, I’ll wager.’

  ‘So how did you get from live cows to dead’uns and meatpacking?’ Thomas asked.

  ‘About the time I was startin’ to think seriously about gettin’ out of the place, I was introduced to some men of business who were interested in seeing a meatpackin’ house in Wyoming, and here I am.’ He smiled round the table and sat back.

  ‘All this travelling around, I take it you’re not wed then, Galloway,’ Charles Hyde remarked, leaning slightly in front of Rose to address Nate.

  ‘I’ve yet to meet the woman who can tame me, sir,’ he said with a smile.

  Charles and Thomas laughed.

  ‘Well, we’re real pleased you decided to bring your ideas to these parts,’ Charles told him. ‘You’ve given us plenty to think about. I know I’ve been givin’ it a lotta thought since I met you on Sunday. And I’ve listened to you this morning and I’ll be listenin’ real carefully to what you have to say and to the views expressed at the meetin’ in town tomorrow.’

  ‘I’m mighty grateful to you, sir.’

  ‘I don’t mind tellin’ you, the way I’m thinkin’ at the moment, I wouldn’t wanna see Omaha get any benefits that could’ve come to Wyoming. After all, we’ve got the future of our kids to think about.’ He smiled warmly at Rose and settled back in his chair.

  ‘I’m inclined to feel in the same way as Charles,’ Thomas said. ‘But like Charles, I obviously wanna hear what the other ranchers have to say – not just tomorrow, but on Thursday, when they’ve had time to think about your proposal.’

  Nate nodded. ‘As you should.’ He paused. ‘I found it hard to get a inklin’ of the way Silas Poole was thinkin’ this mornin’, and with him bein’ so keen to get back to his ranch that he missed a real good lunch, I’m obviously not gonna know for a while longer. For all he doesn’t say much, I’m guessin’ he’s a strong character and could take some of the ranchers with him. Hopefully, he’ll take them in my direction,’ he added with a smile that took in both Thomas and Charles.

  Cora and Mattie exchanged quick glances and then looked down at their plates.

  Thomas nodded. ‘He’s a sharp one, is Silas, but he can be mean with it. And you’re correct about his influence in the area. If he decides to support a meatpackin’ house here in Wyoming, he’ll bring others with him. But you’re right that you won’t know the way he’s thinkin’ till Thursday – he always keeps his cards close to his chest. He’ll look at the benefit to himself and that’ll decide him. Like he said, he’ll be at the meeting tomorrow, but I doubt you’ll hear him speak. And he’ll be at the ranchers’ meeting on Wednesday afternoon, but again I doubt he’ll speak. Yup, I’m guessin’ it’ll be Thursday before you hear his thoughts.’

  ‘I guess I’ll just have to be patient,’ Nate said.

  Charles put his hands flat on the table and started to stand up. ‘If you don’t think me rude to be leavin’ so soon after such a fine meal, Mattie and I will be gettin’ off home now. It’ll have been a busy day at Hyde Ranch, and a real
excitin’ one.’

  ‘It’ll have been that all right,’ Thomas said, smiling at him.

  ‘If we go now, we’ll be home before the end of the afternoon, and we might just be in time to catch the horses’ arrival. If they haven’t already come, that is.’ He glanced down at Rose. ‘I’m guessin’ it won’t be long before we see you at Hyde Ranch again, Rose. Will’s gonna want to show you the new horses, and I expect you two have got some important plans to make.’ He beamed down at her.

  She gave him a weak smile and glanced across the table at Cora. Cora raised her eyebrows in a gesture of sympathy.

  ‘I don’t know about Rose, but I sure am looking forward to seein’ Big Circle horses in action,’ Thomas said, standing up. ‘I’ll try and come over early next week.’

  Cora turned quickly to Mattie, who was getting up. ‘I won’t cut any more patterns till you’re there to help me, Mattie,’ she said. ‘You’ll come over tomorrow morning, won’t you?’

  ‘If Ma lets me, I will. You mustn’t touch the material till I’m with you – you’d be sure to make a mistake.’

  ‘It’s very good of you to help Cora, Mattie,’ Julia remarked, a trace of amusement in her voice. ‘It must be a real upset to you that by doin’ so much sewin’, you’re missin’ all your chores this week.’

  Mattie and Cora exchanged glances.

  ‘But fortunately, Cora, since you won’t be able to do any more pattern-cutting today with Mattie gone,’ Julia went on, ‘you’ll be free to help with the last of the washing. And likely you’ll be gettin’ back early enough to help your ma, too, Mattie.’ She stood up. ‘Maybe you could clear the table, Rose. Cora, you’ll join Maria and me by the wash tub when you’ve seen Mattie off.’

  Lengthening purple shadows rolled down the grass-covered slopes as the sun slowly sank behind the darkening hills.

  Sitting on one of the sawn-off tree trunks a little way back from the horses’ barn, Mattie watched Will as he rubbed down his horse, struggling to conceal her impatience for him to finish the job and move off so she could go into the barn and talk to Sam. She’d seen Sam enter the barn a while before, and as far as she knew, he was still in there.

  Having steadily circled the curry brush up from the jaw of his horse, between its eyes, down its neck and shoulders and over its body, Will worked on the inner and outer parts of its legs; then he picked up the stiff brush he’d dropped at his feet and began to brush away the hair and dirt he’d loosened. After that, he carefully combed a tangle of knots out of the horse’s mane before giving the horse a brisk rub down with a damp rag.

  Mattie felt ready to explode with frustration.

  ‘That’s you done, Boy. There’s not a single piece of dust left on your coat,’ Mattie heard him say at last. ‘Now let’s give you something to drink and then grain you.’

  He straightened up, lightly scratched Boy’s nose for a moment or two and then led the horse into the barn. The sound of voices drifted out from inside, and a moment later, Will came out carrying his jacket. Reaching up behind him with his free hand as he walked, he pulled his sweat-darkened shirt away from his damp skin. Catching sight of Mattie sitting there, he dropped his arm and stopped short.

  ‘Hi, Mattie! What are you doin’ here?’ he asked, going over to her and sitting on the tree stump next to hers.

  ‘I’ve bin at McKinley Ranch, talking with Cora this morning. We had lunch there and then came home. Then I helped Ma with the washing.’

  ‘Now that’s unusual, you helpin’ Ma. Usually, you manage to get out of your chores,’ he said with a grin. ‘So what did you talk about with Cora?’

  She shrugged her shoulders. ‘Nothing much.’ She indicated the barn with her head. ‘Are you gonna ride Boy to the meeting in town tomorrow? I thought you said you’d be driving in with Pa.’

  ‘That was the plan, but I changed my mind and decided to ride there. I’m pretty sure Pa will wanna stay on in town after the meeting and talk to the neighbours, and I know I’ll be keen to get back to check on the horses, so I’ve decided to go in on Boy.’ He paused, leaned forward and smiled at her. ‘Okay, Mattie, what’s this really about? It’s not like you to take any interest in what I’m doing. As far as I can tell, you haven’t even been out to see the Big Circle horses yet.’

  ‘It’s not about anything,’ she said quickly. ‘Cora told me this morning that she enjoyed talking to you at the picnic. I saw you here with Boy and I came across to tell you that.’

  ‘And I sure enjoyed talking to her, too.’ He shook his head. ‘But why don’t I believe that’s the real reason you’re here. I guess I must be a mighty suspicious brother, but I kinda get the feeling you’ve come across to the horses’ barn, hoping to see Sam, and not me. Now why would I think a thing like that?’

  ‘I dunno. Why would I wanna see Sam?’

  ‘I reckon you know why,’ he said with a smile. He stood up. ‘It’s time to wash before dinner. Since you came across to give me a message and you’ve given it to me now, there’s no reason for you to hang around here any longer. I’ll walk with you back to the house.’

  ‘Actually,’ she said, standing up, ‘although I didn’t come across to see Sam, I might as well have a quick word with him now that I’m here. You go ahead – I won’t be a minute.’

  ‘Okay, but I’ll wait on the veranda for you. And you’ll talk to Sam out here where I can see you.’

  She scowled at him. ‘I’m not a baby, Will, any more than Cora is.’

  ‘And that’s the reason why you’ll talk to him out here,’ he said firmly, ‘and it’s why I’ll wait where I can see you. I’ll go and get him for you.’ He went a little way back towards the barn and called for the ranch hand.

  Sam appeared at the entrance to the barn. ‘Yeah, boss.’

  ‘If you can stop for a moment, my sister wants a word with you.’ Will turned back to Mattie. ‘A minute, I think you said.’ He came towards her, hesitated as he reached her, as if about to say something, then he walked past her and continued across the yard to the ranch house.

  Glancing over her shoulder, she watched him sit down on one of the wooden benches in front of the house, settle comfortably into his seat, and pull his cowboy hat low over his eyes. Despite his face being hidden by the brim of his hat, she could feel his gaze on her as he lounged on the bench, staring in her direction.

  Turning back to Sam, she gave him a wide smile. ‘There’s something I wanna ask you to do for me, Sam,’ she said.

  Chapter Ten

  Rose pushed open the front door and stepped out into the cool evening air. Wrapping her crocheted shawl more tightly around her shoulders, she went across to the veranda railing and stared ahead of her at the hills, which stood proud against the night sky – stark black silhouettes on a luminous deep blue expanse that was streaked with gold.

  ‘When night starts to roll over the range, it sure moves quickly in these parts,’ a voice behind her murmured.

  Startled, she jumped and looked round.

  Nate was sitting in a chair to the left of her, his face in shadow, his long legs stretched out in front of him.

  ‘You made me jump,’ she said, and she put her hand to her throat. ‘I didn’t know anyone else was out here. I often come out after dinner and there’s never anyone here. I thought everyone had gone up to bed.’

  ‘Well, I guess there are at least two of us who haven’t,’ he said, taking off his hat and rising to his feet. He dropped his Stetson on to the chair and moved to her side, leaning against the railing next to her. ‘At night, I used to stand on the veranda of our house in Rock Springs,’ he said, staring ahead into the thickening darkness. ‘And there were some nights I’d still be there in the morning. The world feels a mighty big place when you stand alone beneath the stars, but it fills you with a sense of power and you know there’s nothing you can’t do if you put your mind to it.’

  ‘There aren’t any stars tonight,’ she said with a nervous laugh. ‘And you can sit down again, if you want.�
� She indicated the chairs behind them.

  ‘I’m real grateful, but I don’t want, Miss Rose. And you’re wrong about there not being any stars,’ he said quietly. Turning to her, he stared deep into her eyes. ‘From where I’m standing, I’m almost blinded by stars. The gold of the sky is shinin’ out of your eyes, and it’s lightin’ up the night.’

  She laughed self-consciously. ‘Oh, my, Mr Galloway. That doesn’t sound like much of a light. I’d better bring out a lamp.’

  He shook his head. ‘Your eyes are all the light I need.’

  ‘For what?’ she asked, her voice strange to her ears, coming as if it was from somewhere far away.

  ‘Why, for what I’ve wanted to do since the day I met you,’ he drawled. ‘And for what you’ve wanted to do since the day you met me.’

  ‘You sure think a lot of yourself,’ she retorted lightly. ‘But you mustn’t talk like that,’ she added, pulling her shawl tighter around her. ‘It’s not proper.’

  ‘Why, Miss Rose,’ he said, exaggerated shock in his voice. ‘You don’t know what I’ve wanted to do since the day we met. You know only what you’ve wanted to do. Surely you can’t be telling me that what you wanna do with me is improper!’

  She burst out laughing. ‘Since I can’t match you for clever words, Mr Galloway,’ she said, starting to turn away, ‘I’m gonna go inside right now.’

  He put his hand lightly on her arm. ‘Don’t go, Rose,’ he said quickly. ‘There’s no need.’

  She looked up into his face, into eyes that were pools of black, and she felt a tremor run through her. ‘I think there is, Mr Galloway,’ she said, her voice shaking. ‘Ma and Pa would be real angry to find me out here alone with you. It’s not respectable for a lady to be alone like this with a man she don’t know.’

  ‘I seem to remember giving you the story of my life at lunch,’ he said with a dry smile. ‘So I guess we could say you do know me.’

  He raised his hand towards her.