There were days I nearly gave up. But you didn't. No. Something about this land gets under your skin makes you stubborn. He glanced at her profile, elegant in the fading light. like someone else I've recently met who walked for three days through the desert.
She laughed softly. That wasn't stubbornness. That was desperation. Call it what you will. Not many would have survived what you did.
A comfortable silence fell between them as the first stars appeared in the darkening sky. In that moment, Yates realized with sudden clarity that he didn't want her to leave. That the thought of her continuing on to San Francisco to marry a man she'd never met filled him with a sense of wrongness he couldn't explain. The revelation unsettled him. He barely knew Bethany Rose had no claim on her and certainly no right to interfere in her plans.
Yet he couldn't deny the connection he felt with her, stronger than anything he'd experienced before. Tomorrow they would ride into town and she would send her telegram. And then what would her fiance send money for her continued journey? Would she disappear from Yates's life as suddenly as she had entered it? The thought left him with an emptiness he wasn't prepared for.
The next morning dawned clear and mild a perfect day for the ride into Cedar Springs. Bethany appeared for breakfast dressed in the blue calico dress that brought out the color of her eyes, her hair neatly arranged in a simple knot at the nape of her neck. "You look well," Yates commented, rising as she entered the dining room. "Thank you. I feel quite recovered."
She accepted the chair he held for her. Is it a long ride to town? About an hour. I've saddled Daisy for you. She's gentle and surefooted.
Martha bustled in with plates of eggs, bacon, and biscuits. Make sure she eats properly before you leave, she instructed Yates. And don't keep her out too long. She's still recovering. I'm sitting right here, Bethany reminded them with amusement.
And I assure you both, I'm perfectly capable of a short ride. After breakfast, they set out, Bethany proving to be a competent, if cautious, rider. The journey passed pleasantly with Yates pointing out landmarks and sharing stories about the early days of his ranching endeavors. "How many cattle do you run?" she asked as they rode side by side. "About 2,000 head now.
Started with just 50 when I bought the place." Her eyebrows rose in appreciation. That's impressive growth. Been lucky with good grazing years and strong markets, he replied modestly. Plus, having reliable hands makes all the difference.
Some of my men have been with me since the beginning. That speaks well of you as an employer. He shrugged, uncomfortable with the praise. Fair pay for fair work, that's all. And I don't tolerate the kind of rowdiness some ranchers allow.