She sat with Cindy in the twins’ room after they awoke, chatting while playing with the children. “Your twins are adorable.”
Cindy cuddled Jamie. “Bert said I was efficient to get two at once. For three months before they arrived I was the size of an elephant. The last month I couldn’t see my feet. I couldn’t have managed without Mrs. Brown.”
“Not with this big home to keep. Do you want to have more children?”
“Oh, yes, but not twins again.” She sobered and looked down. “I thought we’d already have another baby by now. We’d like a couple more, maybe even three. Bert tells me not to worry.”
Mina played pat-a-cake with Jessica. “Good advice. I suspect worry helps nothing. Of course I worry about finding a husband so I can’t criticize you. I feel hopeful even though I only arrived today.”
“You might have heard Bert say we’re having a party Friday evening. I’ve invited couples and singles, especially single men. I promised you there were many eligible prospects and I want to prove I told the truth .”
“That’s truly nice of you and Bert.”
“You know I love to give parties. Since we have the room here, I give a lot of them. I believe they’re good for Bert’s business, you know. I want to help him if I can.”
“Your parties were always the best. I’m sure they impress his associates and garner new clients. You have a flair for entertaining. I’m looking forward to Friday. Oh, my, that’s only day after tomorrow.”
“Don’t worry, you can rest tomorrow. On Friday, you can help me decorate. The theme is going to be spring.”
Mina remembered that Cindy’s parties always had a theme and color scheme. From the time they were twelve, Cindy had been giving fun parties. Now that she had such a nice place to host them, they were probably even better.
Later in the room where she’d be staying, Mina wrote a short letter to her sister.
Dear Lily and Will,
I wanted to let you know I arrived safely. The trip was exhausting but incredible. Studying our country in school did nothing to prepare me for seeing the actual landscape! The small town of Palo Pinto is the county seat and it appears to be a nice place to live.
Cindy and Bert’s home is huge and lovely. He inherited when his parents passed and used part of the inheritance to build this home. They have six bedrooms plus one downstairs for the housekeeper. My room here is three times the size of the one at home. I feel like a princess.
I hope you can visit, but not until the train comes through here! The long stage ride is bad enough for adults. The ride would be unbearable if it included travel with small children.
I hope Danny’s tooth came in and he’s back to being his sweet, cheerful self. I miss the children. I miss you, too, of course.
You remember how much Cindy likes giving parties? She has one scheduled Friday to introduce me to people, including some eligible bachelors. I’ll let you know how that turns out. She’s certain I’ll find a husband here. I hope she’s correct. I don’t know where else to go or what I could do.
Tell Darla I don’t think I’ve seen an Indian yet. I’ve been assured they don’t attack whites nowadays. She asked for a report and a description if I saw one.
Kiss the children for me.
Love,
Mina
She deliberated rewriting the letter and leaving out the part about Cindy’s home. The house was amazing but she didn’t want her sister to think she was either crowing about her new situation or criticizing her family home. Shaking her head, she sealed the letter and left it to be posted the following day.
***
Austin rode home in a haze. Bert had told him a couple of times this woman was coming to visit and teased him he’d better get his bid in for her early. If Bert hadn’t mentioned it, Austin might not have been prepared.
She was a pretty woman and appeared good natured. Her blue eyes sparkled when she laughed. She was the perfect size to fit in his arms. He hoped his tongue would cooperate and he could talk to her on Friday at the party.
Did he stand a chance with her? How would she take to life on a ranch after living in town all her life? These and other questions ran circles in his mind.
His cook, Spuds Young, walked out on the back porch as Austin rode up. “I was looking for you. Never knew you to miss a meal. Supper’s ready but I won’t dish it up ‘til you come inside.”
“I’ll put Thunder away and wash up.” He stepped out of the saddle and led his gelding toward the barn.
“Ring the bell as you come this way.” Spuds turned and went back inside.
Austin sometimes wondered who worked for whom. Spuds couldn’t work as a ranch hand any longer and didn’t seem to mind doing the cooking. He had a room off the kitchen.
Austin hurried through his horse’s care and feeding then washed his head and hands under the pump by the horse trough. As requested, he rang the metal triangle they called the dinner bell. It and the metal rod to make it sound hung by the back door.
His other three hands came out of the corral and the back of the barn.
When they were all sitting at the table, Spuds dished up the food. “Did you see her?”
Austin didn’t need to ask who because he’d made the mistake this morning of mentioning that today was when the Kennedy cousin would arrive for a visit. “I did and even met her.”
“She plain or pretty?” Dusty McDonald reached for a biscuit.
“Pretty, tall and graceful with light
