She nudged her horse forward, in line with Saul. “Do you know anything about cattle ranching?”
“Can’t say that I do.” The question brought a twinge of disappointment. He’d never fancied himself living the life of a cowhand—a little too close to farming for his tastes. “The only cows I’ve handled in the past are ones that needed milking.”
Her brow furrowed as she shook her head. “You don’t milk these cows. What we need is some extra help on our ranch. It’s only me, my grandmother and my younger brother. I’ve been doing most of the work myself for the past twenty months.”
She set her hat on the saddle horn and rearranged her hair into a bun. “You could help with branding and looking after the few cattle we have. There are other chores around the ranch that need another set of hands. I can’t pay you a lot—maybe twenty dollars a month.” She stuck her hat back on and finally regarded him again. “I might be able to give you a little more when we sell the cows in the fall.”
Twenty dollars wasn’t much, especially when he’d heard of cowhands making closer to forty dollars in a month. Surely he could find another job—one where he could earn more money in less time.
Caleb fiddled with Saul’s reins, ready to refuse her. But the words grew cold on his tongue. He hadn’t missed the desperate tone behind her offer. Clearly she needed his help. He could work for a lower wage if it wasn’t for long, couldn’t he?
“I might consider working for you,” he answered at last, “except I don’t usually accept jobs from nameless employers.”
A trace of a smile showed on her lips and then disappeared as quickly. “My name is Jennie. Jennie Jones.”
“Miss Jones.” Caleb pulled down the brim of his hat in greeting as if they’d met on the street and not in the middle of the desert—after a shoot-out. “Pleased to meet you. I’m Caleb Johnson.”
“Will you accept the job then, Mr. Johnson?”
As had become his habit since he’d quit bounty hunting, Caleb searched inside himself for some inkling, some impression from God, that this course wasn’t the one for him. None came.
Smiling, he waved her forward. “Lead the way, Miss Jones.”
* * *
Through the blue twilight smearing the western sky, Jennie spotted the familiar outline of the corral fence. Home. “That’s the ranch,” she said, her first words during the long trip. Caleb had been equally as quiet.
She peered sideways at him, wondering why she hadn’t recognized him before. His earlier comment about helping pretty girls had sparked her memory. The man from the general store who’d come to her aid last fall had said something similar and he, too, had deep blue eyes.
After nearly an hour riding beside him, Jennie was certain the two men were one and the same. He didn’t seem to remember her, though, to her relief and slight disappointment. She wasn’t the same woman she’d been that day when he had paid for the candy they’d shared.
What I am doing? she asked herself for the hundredth time. She never should have pressed him into working for her. What if he said something to the family about Bart and his gang? What would he do if he knew this was her third time robbing stage bandits?
“Something wrong?”
Jennie jumped in the saddle, causing her horse Dandy to dance to the side. “No. Why?”
“’Cause you’ve been chewing that thumbnail of yours for the last five miles, and I’m wondering if there’s any of it left.”
Jerking her hand from her lips, Jennie stared at her thumb. All of her nails were worn from constant work, but the one on her thumb resembled the jagged edge of a saw blade. This fingernail always worked its way between her teeth when she was nervous or had a lot on her mind.
“I’m fine,” she said, shrugging off his keen observation. She pretended to focus on the road ahead, though she knew every rut and bump from memory.
Her thoughts soon returned to the man beside her. Surely she could get along without help a little longer—she’d been doing things alone ever since her father had died. And having a stranger around the place might interfere with her plans to save the ranch.
Yanking back on Dandy’s reins, she twisted around to face Caleb. He tweaked an eyebrow at her sudden movement, but he pulled his horse to a stop, as well.
“If you don’t want to take this job, I’ll understand. We can split company right here.” Thankfully she couldn’t see his face very well in the fading light. “I appreciate all you did for me today, but like you said, you don’t know much about cattle ranching.”
“Am I being let go?”
Jennie blinked in surprise. Was he teasing her? Her jaw tightened, and she drew herself up. “I didn’t mean that. But you and I both know there are other better-paying jobs. You can stay the night with us, and then in the morning—”
“I’d like to at least have the job a full day, Miss Jones, before you decide anything.”
She frowned at his amused tone. It was a risk to employ him after what he’d seen on the trail, and yet, she wanted him around. He was the first person in a long time to offer help without ulterior motive—first in the mercantile, then again today.
“All right.” She rubbed the reins between her fingers. “You can try the job for six weeks. I’ll pay you for your work then. If we’re both not satisfied, you’re free to move on.”
“Fair enough.”
They moved their horses forward a few steps before Jennie felt compelled to stop again. “I would appreciate it if you didn’t say anything about the shoot-out with those men. I wouldn’t want to worry my grandmother.” For more reasons than one.
“I’ve found it’s better sometimes to leave well enough alone,” he said, his face turned toward something in the distance. “No need to drag the details into the light.”
“Thank you.” His compassion brought her a twinge of guilt when stacked against the truth, but Jennie easily pushed it aside.
She led him up the road, past the bunkhouse, to the barn where they both dismounted. The doors stood ajar, and through the opening, the soft glow of a lantern spilled out. Will had obviously anticipated her arrival.
With a grateful sigh, she pushed open the barn doors and guided Dandy into his stall. She gave him an affectionate pat on the rump as she closed the pen door. “You can put your horse in that last stall,” she told Caleb.
The other two ranch horses, Chief and Nellie, whinnied at the new company.
“Would you mind unsaddling them both?” Jennie removed the full saddlebag and flung it over her shoulder.
“You don’t waste time putting your hired help to work, do you?”
“I need to take care of something,” she said, ignoring his teasing. “There’s hay in the stalls and the currycombs are over there.” She waved a hand at the crude table littered with brushes. “I’ll meet you back here to take you up to the house and introduce you.”
Caleb tipped his hat. “Will do.”
Jennie left the barn. She headed at an angle toward the house, then doubled back in the direction of the empty bunkhouse. She tried to force thoughts of hiring Caleb from her mind. There was one more task she needed to do, and she’d need all her wits about her. She’d been successful today in getting more money to save the ranch.
Now she had to pay the price.
Chapter Three
Jennie approached the bunkhouse