Chapter 9
Friday turned out to be another lesson in humility. Harrison was up bright and early. He was determined to get the last of the horses he'd been assigned calmed down and decent before noon.
He missed his deadline by several hours, but by late afternoon, and at least ten bruises later, the speckled mustang was finally obeying.
Douglas was impressed with Harrison 's patience and endurance. He shouted to Cole to come over and see for himself what a fine job their houseguest had done.
'Look how sweet and docile Speckle is now,' he remarked to his brother. ' Harrison calmed him down all right.'
Douglas had his arms draped over the top of the fence. He motioned for Harrison to ride Speckle over so he could give him a word of praise.
'You've done a remarkable job,' he praised.
'I used patience and understanding,' Harrison replied. He stared at Cole during his boast. 'You would do well to learn a little of both.'
Cole scoffed. 'Patience and understanding? Hell, Harrison, you talked and talked until that poor animal would have done anything to get you to shut up.'
Harrison refused to be goaded into an argument. He had better things to think about than Mary Rose's stubborn, never-give-an-inch brother.
He dismounted and removed both the saddle and blanket. Speckle followed him over to the fence. Harrison draped the equipment over the top, then took hold of the bridle and led the animal over to the largest of the corrals, where the other mustangs were being kept.
Going inside the fenced area with Speckle turned out to be a mistake. It took him a long, long time to get the bridle off the horse, for the other mustangs were crowding around Harrison and nipping each other in their attempt to get his undivided attention. Each horse apparently craved a little notice, and Harrison couldn't leave until he had patted and praised every one of them.
He took the long way around the corral so he wouldn't have to get into another discussion with Cole, picked up the blanket and saddle on his way, and continued on across the yard and into the barn.
Douglas and Cole both stared at the horses.
'Did you notice?' Douglas whispered to his brother.
Cole smiled. 'I noticed all right.' Then he shook his head. The mustangs were so besotted with Harrison they had circled the inside of the fence in a cluster and kept pace with their master as he walked around the outside.
'I've never seen animals act like that before,' Douglas said. 'Are you willing to admit Harrison 's talking might have worked a little magic?'
Cole shrugged. 'I'll admit it, but not in front of Harrison. I wonder if he'll try to sweet-talk the steers into following him home.'
'Probably will,' Douglas replied. 'Have you seen Travis?' he asked then.
'He's hiding in the barn.'
Douglas didn't have to ask why their youngest brother had taken shelter inside the barn. The reason was sitting on the front porch.
Eleanor Border was rocking back and forth in Adam's favorite chair, while she fanned herself with Mary Rose's treasured, only-used-on-special-occasions fan.
Douglas and Cole both turned to frown at their unwanted guest just as their sister came hurrying outside with a fresh glass of juice for Eleanor.
'That woman sure is running Mary Rose ragged,' Cole commented.
Douglas agreed with a nod. 'Do you think she'll ever let our sister leave for the ridge?'
'I doubt it,' Cole replied. 'At least not today. Mary Rose has been trying to leave since early morning and it's going on three now.'
'It's her own fault, letting the time get away from her,' Douglas remarked. 'She's going along with Eleanor's bossing. Mary Rose carried up two trays to her this morning. Eleanor didn't like the first breakfast cook prepared, so our sister fixed her another one.' Cole shook his head. 'She never lets us boss her around,' he said. 'Besides, she shouldn't have fixed her anything. Eleanor wouldn't be acting like a persnickety princess if she wasn't being treated like one.'
'I think we should talk to Adam tonight,' Douglas suggested. 'He's being unreasonable about Eleanor staying here. You and Travis and I could gang up on him. We'll vote to give Eleanor the boot. Mary Rose and Adam will vote to let her stay, of course, but it won't matter. Majority rules.'
Cole's conscience got in the way of his agreement. He couldn't block the memory of seeing Eleanor in such an anguished state. The poor woman had sounded plumb pitiful as she wept against Adam's chest. Even though Cole hated to admit it, the memory gave him a heartache.
'Let's not jump the gun, Douglas. I say we wait a couple of days before we put it to a vote. Adam must have had some sound reasons for letting the woman stay with us.'
'Why hasn't he told us his reasons?'
'I guess he isn't ready to,' Cole replied. 'Maybe Eleanor will quit complaining in a day or so. She's about covered every topic around.'
'She'll just start over,' Douglas predicted. 'She sure likes to hear herself whine, doesn't she?'
Cole smiled. He stared at the woman under discussion and couldn't help but notice how pretty she might be if she ever tried to smile. 'It's the red in her hair,' he told his brother. 'Makes her temperamental.'
'Travis has red in his hair, and he isn't temperamental.'
'He's hiding in the barn, isn't he? That sounds a might temperamental to me.'
Harrison walked over to join the two men. Douglas turned to him. 'Can you believe it? Cole's defending Eleanor.'
'I only said we should give her a couple of days before we take a vote to toss her out,' Cole countered. 'I think she's scared and that's why she acts bossy.'
Harrison nodded agreement. 'I believe she's frightened too. Being difficult must give her some sense of control over her current situation.'
Douglas shook his head. 'I think you both have turned into milk toast. I'm going with Travis over to Hammond to barter and sell a couple of my horses. Are either of you interested in tagging along?'
'Will you be stopping by Pauline's place?' Cole asked.
'Who is Pauline?' Harrison asked.
'She runs a house outside of the town,' Douglas said. 'Just past Sneeze Junction.'
'She's…' Harrison began.
'Friendly,' Cole supplied.
Harrison declined the invitation. Cole, Travis, and Douglas left for the junction a short while later. The brothers had made the assumption that because of the lateness in the day, their sister wouldn't still want to go up to the ridge to take Crazy Corrie supplies.
They were mistaken in their assumption. The duty of escorting Mary Rose would fall on Adam's or Harrison's shoulders.
Adam let Harrison decide. He called him into the kitchen and explained the situation. 'One of us has to stay here and keep Eleanor company. The other one has to go up to the ridge with Mary Rose.'
'I thought you never left the ranch,' Harrison remarked.
'Where did you hear that?'
'In town. Dooley or Ghost mentioned it.'
'I only avoid going into town, Harrison. The mountains are my home. I often hunt with Cole, and fishing is my favorite pastime,' he added with a nod.
'I would rather go with Mary Rose,' Harrison said.
'Can you use a gun or did you exaggerate? I don't mean to insult you, but I need to know you can protect my sister if the need arises.'
