Pioneering by K'Anne Meinel

Author:K'Anne Meinel [Meinel, K'Anne]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Shadoe Publishing, LLC
Published: 2018-08-09T16:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

Their day wasn’t over. Returning to the ranch, Erin and Molly waved off their visitors and hitched their team to the wagon again. This time, the children went to town with them. Leaving the dogs on guard, Erin chirruped to the horses and they were on their way back to Sweetwater. The children had a million questions about what those men had wanted.

“You made a bet?”

“Isn’t betting a sin?”

“You won!”

Erin explained about Billy. They already knew most of the story About how she’d raised him, and he followed her around like a puppy. She’d trained him and loved him as much as King or Queenie. She glossed over the betting part or how much she had won, but she stressed that she didn’t approve of betting.

As they approached Sweetwater, they saw another wagon parked in front of Laydin’s store. It was the Roberts. Pleased to see their neighbors and friends, they gladly went in to greet them. Roberts was friendly, amiable, and delighted to see them. Alex equally so. But Rebecca was strangely quiet, nodding coldly when she was greeted and ignoring them and their questions about how they were doing.

“I’m so grateful for you lending that plow. If I can make a decent crop this year, I think we’ll get on our feet,” Roberts enthused.

“There you go,” Erin encouraged him, looking at the odd expression on Rebecca’s face. It was almost…vacant, as if she wasn’t totally there with them. As they waited for Laydin and his sons to fill their order, Erin told Roberts about Billy and the bet. Laydin heard and contributed his own viewpoint, thrilled with the unexpected bonus of five dollars he had gotten for his participation. To him, Herriot’s bet was a godsend and a bonus. He had gossip he could share for a long time. “All for holding the money,” he exclaimed. “You find that boneyard yet?” he asked, feeling as though he and Herriot were the best of friends now. At Erin’s quick shake of her head, he returned to finish filling customers’ orders, a genuine smile on his face from his windfall that day.

Molly quickly ordered what they needed, wanting to complete their day as they had intended. Two trips to Sweetwater were one too many in her opinion. It was late, and those many miles had made her tired. Rebecca was unnerving her and the children, and she distracted the children with questions about merchandise they might be interested in. Laydin had laid in a little more in his remote store as customers requested things he hadn’t carried before.

“Whew, glad to have that done,” she said as they all got in the wagon.

“Yes, it’s been a full day,” Erin agreed, looking back at Rebecca and feeling as though the prairie was maddening the woman…maybe it already had. She felt sorry for Roberts. He was a nice man and had raised a fine boy.

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