As Duke turned away from Anna, she couldn't help but admire his broad shoulders and purposeful stride. His calloused workman's hands caught her attention, and she found herself wondering what it would be like to have them gently caress her cheek. To look into his green eyes and see them tenderly gaze back at her. She longed for a man who would teach her without patronizing, as she aspired to become a productive ranch hand. She pondered what it would be like to be treated like another ranch hand, rather than being relegated to women's work, as her father had done.
But what must he think of her? She lacked the basics of fence repair and probably sounded like a girl in petticoats rather than an equal in ranching and cattle raising. Oh, how she wished she could retract her timid words to earn his respect...but did she desire his respect as a handyman, or his affection as a woman? She glanced down at her body, young and slim, with curves barely visible under her rough work clothing. It would be mortifying if he saw her as a fragile ornament when she desperately needed someone to guide her in ranch work. What she truly needed was a work partner to help manage the ranch, not a suitor. Definitely not a suitor. In any case, he probably wasn't interested romantically.
What was I thinking! Without my brother here, this place is in complete disarray, far too much for one person to handle. Anna mused as she headed to the stables to saddle Juniper and meet Duke at the fences. Her feelings about him were mixed. On one hand, having help was welcome, but the job was tougher than anticipated. Back at her own farm, where she was barred from ranching, three men did the work she now faced alone.
So, I've bitten off more than I can chew... I can leave as soon as I find my brother. Perhaps I'll join a more established ranch with a knowledgeable hand. That is, after I search for clues about my brother, Walter, going elsewhere.
She could find a farm with better conditions to pursue her dreams. Surely, she didn't need to return home immediately after this quest for independence.
"I came here to find my brother, and now, on my first day, before making any headway in my search, I'm entangled in problems with that man, his broken fence, and cattle issues. What is happening at this ranch?"
Jill and Sally scampered around the corner as she passed the garden, where the girls were diligently weeding between the tomato plants. She smiled at them in passing.
Riding through the stunning countryside, she crested the hill and noticed the mountain behind her for the first time. Perhaps she had been too preoccupied the previous night to see it, but now she marveled at the majestic mountains framing the skyline, their snow-capped peaks reminiscent of her home elsewhere in Oregon. She pondered what her family might be doing and realized she still needed to write to them.
Duke was waiting at his barn, grooming his beautiful chestnut mare, Star, named for the white blaze on her forehead. He tipped his hat as she descended the hill, his eyes twinkling beneath the brim.
Who does he think he is, trying to be charming?
"So, missy, looks like you need some help here."
"Yeah, alright, let's just get this over with."
Duke loaded a rucksack with supplies for the fence repair and stowed it in his horse's saddlebag. A coil of barbed wire, clippers, staples, a hammer, his saddle, rifle, snacks for them, and grain for the horses were all packed. They mounted and rode through the rolling green pastures, interrupted by fence posts. Duke's dog ran alongside them, obedient and well-trained. Buster could learn a thing or two from this dog. Buster is sweet, but I've never seen such an undisciplined dog before.
"So, what brings a fine young lady like you, of marrying age no less, to a new town, doing a man's job on a cattle ranch?" Duke inquired.
"Actually, you're right. I'm not a real ranch hand. I'm just learning, hoping to..." She admitted, her voice tight with emotion. He seemed kind and trustworthy. "You see, I'm here to find my brother. He was supposed to be at Belle's ranch. They corresponded. Do you know anything about Belle?"
"Well, I keep to myself mostly, and she's rather secretive. She's been a widow for years, moved here with her husband, but he died shortly after of a bad fever. That's all I know."
"I'm at a loss about what to do next. He might have had an accident or been attacked by a bear, but I feel like he arrived and then vanished. Their letters suggested he was going to invest in the ranch and maybe become more than partners. Belle says he left when things didn't pan out, but where would he go? I'm not sure if I should involve the sheriff yet. I have no evidence or leads. Thanks for listening," Anna replied, somewhat shyly.
"Of course, and I'm sorry about your brother. Maybe I can help somehow."
As they approached the next hill, it was clear where the cows were – grazing on the wrong side of the broken fence.
"See over there?" Duke pointed. "That's the property line. Thanks for helping with the cattle and the fence... my boss and I appreciate your cooperation. Belle and her team can be difficult."
His lean, tanned face turned toward her, and his green eyes glinted through the shade of his hat.
He's attractive, but I can't afford distractions. I need to find Walter and learn ranching, not get caught up in a one-sided attraction with a man who's likely indifferent. His conversation was friendly but strictly business.
They stopped at the first gap. Duke dismounted, unpacked the bags, and began organizing the tools.
"So, Duke Henson, how long have you been ranching cattle?"
"I grew up around cows, so about eight years, since my late teens. I'm in my mid-twenties now."
"Do you have family in town?" Anna asked, worried she might be prying.
"No, I'm not local. I keep to myself."
"And yet here you are, in a town alone. What's the story?"
Duke worked silently for a while before responding.
"Well, miss, let's just say married life turned out to be more trouble than I anticipated."
"You were married?" "I was." "What happened? You're still so young." "Nothing I ever did was enough for her. She loved luxury, and I just couldn't keep up," Duke said, shrugging with a hint of regret. "Where is she now?" "She ran off years ago with a wealthier man, a better provider than a rancher. After that, I moved out here, keeping a low profile. Here, take this." He handed her a staple and a hammer.
Anna felt a pang of sympathy for him. He seemed like a decent man.
"Hey Duke, can I ask you a favor for tomorrow?" "What's that?" "I was hoping to have some time to look around the farmstead, maybe convince the maid to let me into the main house." "Tell her you'll help her clean," Duke chuckled. "That's not a bad idea. Actually, I'm here to find my brother, who disappeared after meeting Belle. I'm hoping to find some evidence in there, like her correspondence, maybe something more. I could get to know Lucy and Belle's daughters; they might know something."
"One thing, though. If I help you with this, and trust me, I'd like to, I need a promise from you." "Sure...what is it?" Anna waited, anticipating a catch. "If you truly want to learn, to avoid the marriage path your family wants for you, you need to respect the work and do it properly. I don't want to waste time on someone who isn't committed."
"I came here to find my brother, but I also want to do this job well. Before he disappeared, I hoped to work with him on his ranch, to escape from my parents and delay marriage. I never saw myself as a house lady like my mother," Anna explained. "That's good to hear. Let me show you how to handle the cattle. As long as you're here, it'd be great to have a competent ranch hand. It'll prevent future issues between the ranches. You'll need help; ranching isn't straightforward. You could get hurt, damage fences, spook the cattle, or wear yourself out. I just want things to go smoothly. Also, you'll need a well-trained dog – I can help with Buster," Duke offered with a friendly smile. "That would be fantastic! I already owe Buster a lot!" "He helped you land this job?" "He did," Anna laughed, sharing her stories, from her first chaotic day to the chicken fiasco the night before. "My, you've certainly stirred things up already," Duke remarked.
He taught her how to replace the broken barbed wire, securing it with a special twist and tacking it firmly. "See, that's the difference between a proper ranch hand and an amateur. If you twist the wire ends, double-tack them, and trim them neatly, the repair will last. I hate shoddy work. Now, let's admire our handiwork."
He retrieved a canteen of water and two apples from the rucksack. "It's hard work fixing fences. Have a drink, if you don't mind sharing."
They shared the canteen and apples, quietly appreciating the repaired fence. Duke wiped sweat from his forehead; it was already hot in the midday sun of April. Anna sought the cool shade of a tree, reluctant to return to Belle's and her worries about Walter.
"You're good at fence repair, but I bet I can climb a tree faster than you," she challenged, eager to demonstrate her abilities.
Without waiting for a response, she climbed a lower branch, thankful her work clothes made it easy and disregarding any need to appear ladylike. She scaled the tree with agility, widening her lead over Duke.
"Hey, that's not fair! You had a head start!" Duke protested, following her up the tree. But Anna was swift, reaching a comfortable branch with a breathtaking view of the mountains. The leaves framed the scene and offered shade.
"Here's your apple," Duke said, climbing up beside her, close but not touching. They ate in silence, enjoying the moment.
Anna leaned forward to see the distant ranch paddocks, and Duke steadied her by the waist, though she didn't really need it. She felt an urge to lean into him but checked herself, thinking it too forward.
"If I beat you down, you have to train Buster," she said playfully, descending to the next limb. Duke watched her closely, and she turned away, quickly making her way down. He landed just after she did, laughing at her triumphant expression. He seemed unusually slow – had he let her win?
"Maybe I need to teach you tree climbing. See you tomorrow for dog training," she said, winking at him as she mounted her horse.