Teer hesitated for a moment. He wasn’t sure what Ohlman would want to talk to him about. On the other hand, he wasn’t necessarily going to turn down free alcohol.
“All right,” he said.
Ohlman filled the cups with a heavy hand before sliding one over to Teer. There was a lot more of the spirit in the cup than Teer would normally drink in an evening, let alone in one sitting, and he sipped carefully at it.
“Hardin says you’re a good hand. Good rider, good shot, good man with the cattle,” he said slowly. “I watched you bring the cows in today. Four hands for a hundred eighty head. How many do you think you could handle on your own?”
“Depends on the riders with me,” Teer said slowly, not sure where this was going. He took a gulp of the spirit, letting it burn its way down his throat as he considered. “On my own? Maybe twenty, thirty? The more hands you have, the more you can handle per rider.”
“I’m picking up five hundred cattle here, from three ranches in total,” Ohlman told him. “That’s an eighth of this drive. We’re already driving twelve hundred we picked up, and we’ll pick up another two thousand-plus before we reach the end of the trail and head back for the stockyards at Shiaray.
“I’ve twenty outriders and four camp staff to handle three thousand head. That’s two hundred or more cattle per rider. Think you could handle it?”
Teer was confused. He didn’t think he’d drunk enough of the spirit to be this confused.
“Your riders are good,” he admitted. “I figure it’s different enough it’d take a tenday or so to really learn the tricks for handling that many cows.”
“Smart man,” Ohlman told him. “Look, one of my outriders, Pond, is getting wed at the end of this drive. He’s one of the clever ones, saved up most of his pay and bonuses. Five turnings and he’s got enough to buy himself a decent small ranch on the edge of the Territories and start up on his own.
“So, I’ve a gap…and Hardin wanted me to offer you the job.”
Teer’s fingers twitched around the metal cup. That made no sense.
“I’m grateful for the offer,” he said slowly. “I’m happy on the ranch, but I can see the value.”
“My men make good money, Teer,” Ohlman told him. “It’s how Hardin got his start, back when we rode together for my father. Before the war.”
Teer clenched his cup harder and took a deeper swallow. Before the war. During the war, too. Hardin had been out there, herding cattle, when Teer’s father had been drafted to carry a rifle for the Spehari.
“I don’t know why Hardin would want you to offer me the job,” he said plaintively, realizing he probably shouldn’t be speaking, even as the words spilled out of his mouth. “I figured I was doing good work.”
He shut himself up with another swallow of cactus spirit. That was probably a bad plan, but he didn’t have another one in his confusion.
Olhman looked uncomfortable and took a long drink of his own spirit.
“I’m not supposed to be the one explaining this to you,” he admitted. “Don’t know what happened, that was on Hardin, but it ain’t fair to leave it hanging.”
There was a long silence as both of them swallowed more alcohol.
“All three of us know that Alstair will get the ranch when Hardin goes,” the older man said slowly. “He’s healthy as that godawful bull of his, but this ain’t a safe life for any soul. But if he kicks it in ten turnings or twenty, it’s the same problem: the hands look to you for orders, but you won’t own the farm.
“Ten turnings at least before Alstair can rope a steer or help out. Ten turnings where Hardin’s men get used to looking to you for answers, not the boy. He don’t think it’s fair to either of you, and he ain’t wrong.
“Alstair will have his authority questioned, and you, regardless of how loyal you are or how much you love your brother, will question why he gets the wealth and the ranch and you just get a job.”
Teer stared down into the empty cup for a long moment. Ohlman gestured for him to slide it back, filling it with more spirit before returning it.
“Hardin wants to see you both succeed,” the Zeeanan said softly. “You ain’t his blood, Teer, but he’s raised you since you were all of nine turnings. That means something to a man like Hardin. Means something to a man like me.
“If he tells me you can ride for me, I’ll have you ride for me,” Ohlman concluded. “If he tells me this will help everyone win, I’m even more for it. It’s your choice, Teer. I don’t think Hardin’s going to kick you to the street with just a horse and a gun anytime soon, but he’s looking out for his blood first.
“He’s looking out for you too, but he’s got to think of Alstair first.”
Teer downed the entire cup of spirit in one go, then rose shakily to his feet.
“I understand,” he slurred. “I don’t thin…I can’t think I can make a decision right now. Let me…go. Think.”
“We’re in town for two more days,” Ohlman told him gently. “If you want to go back to the ranch, talk to Hardin and your ma, I get it. Offer’s open until the end of the season, really, if you were to change your mind and catch up later, even.
“Take your time, Teer. This wasn’t supposed to be this kind of shock.”
Teer nodded his understanding, not trusting his mouth to say anything reasonable, and then painstakingly turned and left the room.
He was supposed to meet his people at the bar. That sounded surprisingly appealing at this particular moment.
2
Teer led his horse through the streets of Alvid, using the reins as much to keep himself from stumbling as to guide the animal. Confusion tore through
