Breaking the Rules (1st in Breaking Series)

Chapter Four

Elizabeth rolled her eyes as she went about pouring them both a cup of tea. Why did some women let themselves become stuttering piles of nerves around attractive men? There was no way Elizabeth would ever let herself fall apart like that.

"I was not aware that you worked the ranch, Miss Elizabeth."

"I've been working the ranch since I learned to walk, Mr. Foster. I know it inside and out, forward and backward. I'll be working this ranch until the day I die."

Grant nodded but inside he knew she was wrong. Once he was her husband she wouldn't wear these ridiculous clothes anymore and she wouldn't be out getting her hands dirty and sweating with the men. And that gun? That gun would never again touch her hands!

"I'm interested to learn about the workings of a ranch," Grant replied. "I would say you are just the person to teach me."

Elizabeth was thankful that the topic of conversation was on something she was comfortable talking about. The ranch was her life.

***

Brody was just getting ready to ride out into the hills when Ernest McCready rode up beside him, "I'll ride out with you Brody." Brody nodded and the two men started out.

"I take it you took Elizabeth into town this morning?" Ernest asked after a long silence.

Brody nodded again, "That's right sir."

Ernest stared off at the horizon for several moments and Brody could hear the way his lungs were wheezing with every breath the old man took.

"You need to know that my daughter is off limits to the ranch hands." Brody lit a cigarette and took a long draw, "I've heard."

Ernest wondered where he'd heard but didn't ask. Whatever the ranch hands talked about in the privacy of their bunkhouse was their own business.

The men continued on in silence and finally met with the other hands, "How do the cattle seem Braxton?" Ernest asked as they rode up to the giant man.

"Pretty good, sir. We have a few missing but I sent Frank and Thomas out to find them. I'm sure they just wandered away from the main herd."

"Good. Good," Ernest said and then he wandered down toward the herd leaving Braxton and Brody standing there alone.

"He's a sick man," Braxton sighed. Brody nodded but said nothing. "I wouldn't be surprised if he's gone before the month is out. Too bad that daughter of his won't be taking over the ranch."

Brody raised a brow but again said nothing. This wasn't any of his business and quite frankly he wasn't sure he cared much for Braxton anymore. The man seemed to like to talk about things he had no business talking about.

"Her pa won't leave the ranch to her if she unmarried 'cause he's worried someone will come along and take advantage of his little girl. She don't know that of course. That's why he's pushing her so hard to get married to a good man."

Brody noticed that Braxton seemed bitter as he said the last words and suddenly he thought maybe he understood. Braxton wanted to marry Elizabeth. Whether that was because he cared about the woman or just because he wanted the ranch, Brody didn't know and didn't care. That would also explain why had made Elizabeth sound bad in order to keep Brody away from her. Brody didn't have much for a man that would lie about a woman in order to get what he wanted. Brody could tell good enough that Elizabeth wasn't a whore that chewed men up and spit them out the way Braxton had made her seem. Hell she'd basically turned into a block of ice when he'd grabbed her in that barn.