Dozer slapped Teddy on the shoulder, ushering them into the large room on the side of the house where they took their meals. “I reckon you’ll be on barn duty for the week,” the older man chuckled. “Just be glad nothing important was injured.”
Chapter 3
Teddy pushed the broom over the outer porch of the big ranch house. He’d been put on barn duty and was now helping Rosa with chores and maintenance around the house, anything that didn’t require him to sit.
“Don’t see why I couldn’t keep her,” the young man grumbled to the empty sky. “Didn’t she come here to get married?” The sting in his backside from nearly being killed by an angry bull rankled far less than the fact that he’d barely had a minute to talk to pretty Amanda.
“You talkin’ to yourself again?” Cookie trundled out of the house, taking a seat on one of the rocking chairs there. “Seem’s that old bull didn’t help your disposition none,” the old man chortled.
“It ain’t that ol’ bull that has me piqued.”
“Only thing can work a man up like this is a woman.” Cookie looked up from his chair, his eyes twinkling.
“Women,” Teddy spat. “They all seem to want to keep me in the dark forever. Just ‘cause I’m the youngest fella here don’t mean I shouldn’t be allowed to find a wife. I ordered a bride from Olive ages ago, and the minute I get a chance to meet one of these young women, they call me every kind of a fool.”
“Well, maybe you need to stop actin’ like a fool and start to courtin’ that girl proper like?”
Teddy turned, squinting at the old man. “What are you on about, Cookie?” he asked. “Spill the beans.”
Cookie leaned forward, meeting the young man’s eyes. “You need to get slicked up and go to town. Bring a passel of posies, maybe buy somethin’ pretty and go see that girl.”
Teddy’s hand edged toward his damaged derriere. “I still can’t sit a horse,” he growled. “Probably some other fella already scooped up that pretty Amanda.”
Cookie leaned back with a grin, setting his rocker in motion once more. “Seems to me I need to get to town,” the old man sighed. “I reckon, what with my rheumatism someone else best hitch the team and ride along with me.”
A slow smile crept across Teddy’s face as he eyed the old ranch cook. “A nice quiet ride to town would be a nice change from things round here,” he drawled. “I’ll hitch the team.”
***
“Where’s the new girl?” Periwinkle Cassidy strode into the boarding house, gazing around her for any glimpse of a new face.
“Perwe,” her mother’s slurred words trailed her and she cringed.
“Sorry, Mama,” Peri sighed. “I just want to meet her and find out what all the gossip is about.”
“Mrs. Perkins, would you like some tea?” Jacks Verone asked, escorting the older woman to a chair, his kind eyes keen.
“’ess,” Mercy Perkins hissed, offering a crooked smile to her escort.
Jacks had generously offered to bring Mercy and her daughter to town when Peri’s husband Bear, Bartholomew, had been roped into helping her other son-in-law, Anderson, with some work on his prosperous cattle ranch.
“Mama, I’m going to find Olive,” Peri smiled as Jacks helped her mother to a chair. “I’ll be out to join you shortly.”
“You go on, Peri,” Jacks offered. “I’ll keep your mother company.”
“Seems you been doing that a lot,” Peri mumbled under her breath, ducking through the door that separated the family living quarters from the boardinghouse proper.
“Excuse me?” Jacks asked.
“Oh, nothing!” Peri piped, hurrying out of sight. “Olive, are you here?”
“Peri, is that you?” Olive hurried into the hall with a smile for her young friend. Peri’s blue eyes sparkled as she pulled off her bonnet, revealing dark blonde hair. “What are you doing here?”
“I came to meet the new bride,” Peri replied simply. “I hear she had a bit of an adventure and thought we might want to find out a little about her to determine who she might be suited to.”
Olive rolled her eyes, giving a shake of her head. “I can’t believe that Teddy took her back to his place,” she sighed. “What got into that man’s head, I don’t know. You’d think he would have a little patience and understand that we’ll match him with the right woman at the right time.”
Peri chuckled, following Olive toward the main living quarters. “I know that’s how it’s supposed to work,” she grinned, “but so far every time a new bride arrives and we have it all figured out with who to match her with, she ends up with someone else.”
Olive shot a knowing look back at Peri. “I’m afraid that’s true. Why I was sure your sister, Primrose, was perfect for Dan Gaines, but that didn’t go to plan at all.”
“Nor with Beth, or Ruth, either. Who would have thought that Mayor Dan carried a torch for Rosa?” Peri giggled.
“I sure didn’t see it. Have a seat,” Olive added headed for the tea kettle on the hob. “Did you come into town on your own today?”
“No, Jacks brought Mother and me.” Peri’s eyes twinkled at the mention of the two older people who seemed to have bonded over her mother’s ill health.
“How is your mother?” Olive continued getting a teapot from a shelf. “She was much improved the last time I saw her in church.”
“Mother’s doing well,” Peri admitted. “I thought she’d never get better after her stroke, but being here in Texas seems to agree with her.”
Olive scooped loose tea into the pot then poured the hot water over them, replacing the lid, as she turned to retrieve cups. “Is she still speaking?”
“It’s a struggle, but she gets her point across. She still hums a good deal, and Prim says she loves the rocking chair Bear made her. She sits, rocks, and hums.”
“I’ll go
