"I know he works very well. He causes notrouble and we get along fine. And…. Probably more than I knowabout you."
The fact that he was telling her Wes wasn'tgood enough irritated her. He hinted the same about Dickens too andif he kept it up, she might give him an earful.
"I guess that's true, but we can remedy thatquickly. I want to tell you all about me. Because I see a futurefor us down the line. I've lived here in this valley all my life.My father bought the land I now own and raised cattle here all hislife until his death three years ago. He brought his bride fromMissouri to live here, my mother. They were married thirty-fiveyears when she died. I've been a rancher ever since I wasseventeen. Before that I went to some of the finest schools inBoston."
"Oh really, that's a long way away." Shesaid.
"I suppose so, but they wanted me to attendsome of the better schools. And I learned a lot, then came home totake over the business for my aging father. And you?"
She felt she was reading him right out of abook.
"My mother died early in my life. My fatherdied a few years later. I was on my own for a little over fiveyears when I married Jim."
"And this husband, what did he do?"
"My husband's name was Jim. He wasn't thishusband to me." She inserted quickly.
His brow rose a bit. "Of course, I didn'tknow his name."
"He was a very good farmer. His place was ashowcase. He worked hard to make it so, almost totally byhimself."
"Really. You said you lived alone for fiveyears?"
"That's right, on my family's property."
"Who looked after you, an Aunt, orsomething."
"No, I lived alone. I had no relativesabout. Most of them were from Kentucky I'm told."
"My God, how terrible."
"It really wasn't that bad, it was lonely.Jim looked after me for those five years. He knew my folks, andafter they died, he took it upon himself to look after me. Hebought my groceries out to me once a week from town for me. He madesure nothing was amiss. I felt a bit indebted to him and when heasked me to marry, I agreed."
"You didn't love him?"
"No," she turned away, feeling that guiltclimb all over her. She turned to face him once more. "I can'thonestly say I loved him, like some blushing bride " she saidsimply. "But I had a lot of respect for the man. He was a tirelessworker."
"Well, that explains a lot."
"What do you mean?" she asked feeling a bitof anger stir. The man was quite presumptuous.
"A young woman on her own so long. And olderman comes along. It's natural you might have been infatuated withhis protectiveness. I can understand that. How much older washe?"
"Ten years… " she began to be cut off byhim.
"Look, I like you. Your strong andindependent and a certain amount of it is desirable. But all womenneed a man, to protect, and care for them. Look I'm only suggestingthis but, you've got a few things to learn, and I could easilyteach you. I can tell this Jim was a mistake, and you've not lostmuch in his death, I'd say."
She turned bright red. So much so, she couldactually feel her face heating up. He'd somehow put everyone sheknew down in only a matter of minutes. "Excuse me! He saw after mefor five years. No one asked him to. He did it on his own. If notfor him no telling what might have happened to me. He taught me alot too. How to use a rifle. How to watch out for con men. And whatpray tell do you want to teach me?"
She began walking toward the building oncemore, tired of his arrogance.
She knew her voice had taken on a gruffnesshe hadn't expected.
"Well, I guess any man would want to teachyou things, so you can get by easier. Like when I served you coffeeyou took the cup and left the saucer on the table. A lady knows sheshould hold the saucer and put the cup on it after drinking. Youheld it all wrong, your pinky finger should always be extended. Youtucked your napkin into your dress, and that isn't done. Littlethings. But so important. Things I learned a long time ago inBoston."
Why did it matter how she held her cup? Whatkind of man was he?
She stared, "And I can't dance well,either."
"All can be taught."
"And who would teach me?"
"I could easily." He answered taking herhand and kissing it.
She stared at her hand. Was that a kiss?Well she couldn’t compare that. "Aren't you a rancher?" She wasclose to the door now, and ready to go inside.
"I own a ranch, and my men do the work. Ioversee it. To make sure it's done right. I could take the time toteach you a little something, once a week, if you'd come over.Would you?"
"I don't know. I'm a widow and it would beunseemly as you already know for me to come see you every week.People would talk. I don't think that would be proper either. No,I'm afraid not, sir."
"You're right. Maybe you can get your hiredhand or Dickens to bring you over."
"I don't know about that. Shall we go backto the dance?"
"Of course, it would only give me an excuseto be closer to you." He told her close to her ear.
She went inside, the music eased her nervessome as he came up right behind her.
He thought so much of himself, she wanted toslap his face. What he was suggesting was unseemly.
"Pardon me, but I barely know you. And I'mnot sure I want to be schooled by another man. Jim taught me aboutlife in general. Wes Dolan taught me how to dance, and face lifehead on. Now, you want to teach me how to be a lady. At what pointam I done with my schooling. You see, I got an education myself. Iread all the time I'm not
