'Name's Custis,' Longarm introduced himself.
She nodded and walked her horse a few steps closer. 'Not a very common name.'
'It's the one my mama gave me, back in West-by-God-Virginia.'
'So you hail from West Virginia. I've never been there. But I spent the last two years in a school in Massachusetts.'
Longarm grinned. 'Should I offer you my condolences?'
Unexpectedly, she laughed, a bright, clear sound. 'Might be appropriate,' she said. 'After growing up out here in the West, I like to have stifled back East. The teachers at Miss Hallowell's Academy for Young Ladies taught me a lot of things, but they don't know jack shit about ropin' or brandin'.'
Longarm's grin widened into a laugh of his own. Now that she wasn't so suspicious of him, Molly Kinsman was turning into a downright likable young woman. He said, 'You mind taking me on to the ranch headquarters?'
'Sure. You didn't think I was going to let you wander around our range by yourself, did you? Just because you say you're not a rustler doesn't mean it's necessarily true.'
She had a point there, but at least she wasn't aiming that Winchester at him anymore. He heeled the roan into a walk that carried him alongside her as she sheathed the carbine and turned her own horse around.
'Are you just out for a ride, Miss Kinsman,' he asked, 'or were you looking for strays like me?'
'I like to ride,' she said, not really answering his question but coming close enough. 'And I pick up strays wherever I find them.'
Longarm chuckled. Young Molly had a bold glint in her eye as she looked at him, he thought. Under other circumstances, he might've been tempted to find out just how bold she could be, but right now, he had a job to do.
Still, that didn't stop him from appreciating the way that red hair blew out behind her as she rode, or the intriguing movements of her breasts under her shirt, or the fine curve of her slender hips in a pair of denim trousers. He was willing to bet she was a ring-tailed terror when her Irish was up, but if a man was strong enough to hang on and keep up with her, it would be a hell of a ride.
They had cantered a mile or so up the trail when more riders appeared, trotting on horseback toward them. Molly slowed her horse and muttered something under her breath, but Longarm couldn't make it out. She turned to him and said, 'let me handle this.'
'Yes, ma'am,' Longarm said mildly. 'This is your daddy's ranch, after all, and I expect those are some of his riders.'
'They are.'
Molly brought her horse to a halt, and Longarm followed suit. The cowboys riding toward them actually picked up the pace at the sight of them, so that their horses kicked up a little dust when they brought them to skidding stops about ten feet from Longarm and Molly.
The man in the lead, who looked to be in his early twenties, thumbed back his hat on a thatch of shaggy blond hair and demanded, 'Molly, what the hell are you doin' ridin' around out here by yourself? And who's this long drink of water?'
'I can ride wherever I want, whenever I want, Seth Thomas,' responded Molly, her voice sharp with annoyance. 'And this gentleman is named Custis. He's come here looking for work.'
The young cowboy called Seth snorted. 'Ain't no work around here for saddle tramps. You might as well turn around and go back where you came from, mister.'
'You stay right there, Custis,' snapped Molly. To Seth she said, 'It's not up to you who gets hired around here. That's a decision my father and Joe Traywick make. Last time I looked, Joe was still the foreman of the Diamond K, not you.'
Seth glared at her, and Longarm got the idea that he wasn't particularly happy that someone else was the ranch foreman. Could be Seth had his eye on that job for himself.
He sure had his eye on Molly, Longarm added to himself. Though Seth had been barely civil to her so far, he had that certain look about him. Longarm had seen it before. Given half a chance, Seth would be so moon-eyed over Molly that he could scarcely stand up.
Which was neither here nor there where his assignment was concerned, Longarm reminded himself. He swung his gaze to the other four riders and saw that they were all youngsters too, likely Seth's pards who would follow his lead.
'I'm not looking for any trouble,' said Longarm. 'I'll just talk to Mr. Kinsman, and if he doesn't have any work for me, I'll move on.'
'Damn right you will,' Seth said unpleasantly. 'And if you don't, I'll kick your ass right off this ranch, old man.'
Longarm sighed. Some folks you just couldn't be polite to. He leaned forward in the saddle and said, 'Why don't you get down off that horse?'
Seth's eyes lit up with excitement as he replied, 'You just bet I will!' He began to hurriedly dismount.
'Custis, don't,' Molly said, reaching over to put a hand on his arm. 'Seth's just young and hotheaded. He didn't mean any harm.'
'You hush up, woman!' called Seth. 'This ain't any of your business anymore.'
Longarm smiled faintly. 'Don't worry, Miss Kinsman. I reckon I'm so old and stove-up it won't take long for Seth here to take care of me. Maybe he won't hurt me too bad.'
Seth already had his gunbelt off. He coiled it around his saddlehorn and then hung his hat on top of it. When he turned back toward Longarm, he brought his clenched fists up in a crude imitation of a professional boxer.
