Chapter Five
"Thank you for accompanying me today," Grant said as he and Elizabeth rode toward town in Grant's small buckboard.
"Thank you for inviting me," Elizabeth replied. She had given in to her father's demands that morning and had worn a skirt and a feminine green blouse. She had left her hat at home and had her hair pulled back in a bun and covered by a small white bonnet. Her pa hadn't wanted her to wear her pistol but Elizabeth knew better then to go without it. Anything could happen on these uncivilized trails.
"You look very lovely today. That blouse make your green eyes shine."
Elizabeth wanted to laugh at the compliment but smiled instead, "Thank you."
"That new hand, Brody, how is working out?" Grant asked suddenly and Elizabeth frowned.
"Why do you ask?"
"He just seemed like a man who didn't like taking orders when your father and I brought him to the ranch."
Elizabeth thought back to Brody's arrogance the day before and then to the look of concern he'd given her that evening. He was a puzzle she was afraid to look too closely at for fear the edges would be razor sharp and cut her to pieces.
"Most men don't like having a woman give them orders," she acknowledged in response to Grant's comment. "Sometimes I feel like I have to be ten times meaner and harder than any man would have to be in order to get them to listen. I see the way my father is able to laugh and joke with the hands and I wish I could have that, but the second they start to see me softening, they all start trying to push me around. I have to be a slave driving, ice queen at all times and honestly, it's tiring as hell."
"That will only get worse once your father passes and you are running the ranch yourself," Grant noted, deciding to let the foul language go for now. He could always teach her better than to speak that way once they were married.
"No, it will get better. I can handpick the ranch hands myself. I can hire and fire men at will and everyone will know better than to try to overrule or undermine me."
"Well just so you know, Miss Elizabeth, you never have to be what you are not when you are with me. With me, you can let your guard down and just be Elizabeth," Grant felt like he'd won a victory when the first true smile he'd seen her have toward him, graced her beautiful face. He knew how to get what he wanted.
Elizabeth sighed, "I think that sounds nice." Maybe she hadn't been fair with Grant. It wasn't his fault that she was fighting a constant battle with her father over marriage or that she was a high strung nervous wreck because of her fathers illness. She needed to enjoy her day out with him today and really get to know the man. After all, he hadn't spoken a single word about marriage yet and didn't seem to want to rush her.
"So, you seem to know a lot of things about livestock and horses, tell me, who has better cattle? McCready ranch or the Triple L whose land borders yours to the west?" he asked and Elizabeth could hear a teasing tone in his voice and she sat up straight and raised a brow.
"The McCready ranch of course. Those Triple L cows aren't fit to feed to the coyotes."
Grant laughed, she never needed to know it was a fake laugh, and he shook his head, "You're something else, Miss Elizabeth. Nothing at all what I was expecting." Elizabeth found herself laughing as well, which was a big deal for her since she didn't usually allow herself to relax enough to laugh.
"You are a pleasant surprise as well Mr. Foster."
"Grant, please."
Elizabeth smiled, "Grant."
The two of them shared easy conversation all the way to town and over lunch. Grant was careful to treat her as an equal, (though it killed him to do so), because he could tell that was important to her and necessary if he stood any chance of getting her to marry him.
"Lunch was good," Elizabeth said as she pushed her empty plate away.
"I can tell, you ate it all," Grant teased.
Elizabeth narrowed her eyes, "Of course I did. I was hungry. I ain't one of those women that pick at a head of lettuce and claim they're full."
"I've tasted better food. You should taste some of the food the big restaurants serve back east."
"Compared to what Cookie serves, Fannie's diner is gourmet," Elizabeth replied, smiling at Fannie as she came to them with the bill. Fannie ran her hand over her graying brown hair and smiled, revealing deep crows feet around her good natured eyes and laugh lines around her mouth, "Well thank you, Elizabeth. I'll take that as a compliment," she said patting the young woman on the back. "How is your father doing, dear?"
"Not any better, Fannie, but thanks for asking," Elizabeth replied as sadness filled her eyes. Fannie frowned. She knew how tough Elizabeth always tried to act but she also knew just how scared the poor girl was right now. She had lost her mother as a baby to fever and now her father was dying as his lungs continued to shut down.
"God has his plans for all of us, sweetie." Fannie said. "Here take this to your pa, it might make him feel better." Elizabeth took the pie from Fannie, wrapped in a bright red and white checked handkerchief, and smiled.
"Apple?" she asked as she pressed her nose to the pie and breathed in the cinnamon scent.
"Yep." Fannie replied, taking the money from Grant's outstretched hand.
"He'll love this. Your apple pies have always been his favorite," Elizabeth said.
Fannie smiled proudly, "And I always loved watching him take a bite of one. His eyes would roll back and he'd look like he was in heaven." Fannie seemed to be lost in memories for a moment and then she smiled and shook her head. "Well I gotta get back to work. You two have a nice day."
Grant rose and helped Elizabeth from her chair, though she still hated being treated as if she needed his help in and out of chairs. He walked her out to the buckboard and she jumped on before he could offer his assistance. As he climbed up and took the reigns he asked, "Is your father doing as bad as he says?"
"Yes," Elizabeth replied quickly, her throat tightening. "The doctor won't even come out and see him because he says it's a waste of time."
"I'm sorry," Grant replied, though he wasn't sorry at all. He only hoped he had enough time to make the woman fall for him before the old man died, that way the ranch would be his right away. Judging by how Elizabeth had come out of her shell today and the way she had been smiling at him all day, he knew he was getting pretty close to his goal.
***
Brody took the newly broken black mare through her paces and he had to admit that Elizabeth had done a good job breaking her. The mare was docile and compliant and did everything he asked her to.
"What was your problem, girl? You wouldn't listen to me but she spends an hour with you and suddenly you're eating out of hands," he said as he held out a handful of oats and she ate them eagerly.
"That woman is one of the most confusing people I've ever met," Brody continued, "I don't usually worry about folk. I worry about myself and that's it, but there's something about her that has me wanting to know more." He thought about how arrogant and cold she'd been in the barn when she'd pulled her gun on him but then just hours later she'd seemed lost and broken when talking to the doc about her father. Then she'd been laughing and smiling,(both of which had affected him more then he cared to admit), as she had broken the horse.
Outside her father's room the night before Brody had been more then tempted to break the rules and wrap his arms around her, cover her body with his, chase away all those fears on her face and kiss her senseless. His own thoughts had shocked him, given how hard he'd worked since the age of sixteen to never care about anyone. People didn't stay around forever and caring about them only guaranteed that you'd be hurt.
"What are you thinking about so hard, kid?" Braxton asked in his booming voice as he walked over to him.
Brody shook his head to clear his thoughts, "I try not to ever think, Braxton. It makes my head hurt."
"Elizabeth sure put you in your place yesterday didn't she?" Braxton asked with a chuckle. "Clean the heifers poop, she said, and that's just what you did."
"Course I did," Brody replied, irritation creeping into his voice. He really didn't like Braxton. There was something about the man that rubbed him the wrong way. "She's the boss, remember?"
"Thought you said there wasn't no painted up lady going to tell you what to do?" Braxton asked, crossing his arms over his oak tree sized chest. Brody shrugged as he grabbed the mares reigns and led her toward the barn. He could hear Braxton's boots behind him and he felt the familiar urge to pull his gun and kill the man. Since the war Brody had a problem with anyone walking behind him like that... It made him jumpy.
"Clearly she ain't a painted lady. And any woman that could come and break this mare like it was nothing after I worked so hard and couldn't get her, is alright in my book."
Braxton could hear the pride in Brody's voice and that wasn't what he wanted to hear, "Remember what I told you about her. She's a regular old man eater," Braxton warned.
Brody fought the urge to turn and punch the man. Braxton had been here long before him and if he decked him, Brody would definitely be out of a job, "I remember what you said." he replied tightly.
Braxton nodded and then turned and walked out of the barn leaving Brody alone once again with his thoughts. He needed to keep his distance from Elizabeth McCready. Not because he thought she was a regular old man eater, but because he was worried that that arrogant, confident, hot tempered, cowgirl was just the type of woman to make him forget about his plans to stay alone. She riled his temper with just a look, and heated his blood the same way.... Yes she was definitely dangerous.