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.I been here since I was eleven, and he s the best foreman we ever had.No one can workcattle or ride and break horses like he does.It s like he has some magic power over em. Heshuffled his feet. You shouldn t judge him by how he acts sometimes, ma am.He ain t as meanas he looks. She tilted her head, considering his words as if they were important. And Jedediah? she said. Are he and Holden good friends? It was a mighty strange question to ask, he thought, specially since she was Jed s wife andshould know things like that. Jed never trusted nobody like he trusts Holden. He rubbed atthe fringe of hair above his upper lip. You didn t know much about Dog Creek before youcame, did you, ma am? Only from Mr.McCarrick s description.He and I married in Ohio. Guess this is quite a change for you, ma am. She shifted around, tight as rawhide drying in the sun. Have you been to Ohio, Joey? Me? No, ma am.I like it here just fine. He searched her eyes. Hope you like it here, too, Mrs.McCarrick. My name is Rachel, Joey. Rachel.It was about the prettiest name Joey had ever heard. You must be tuckered, ma am.Rachel, he said. I m goin to talk to Maurice, but I ll be around case you need anything.Justwhistle. She smiled, and Joey thought that smile changed her face completely. I ll do that, Joey.Thankyou. His feet hardly touched the floorboards as he left the house.Now that he d seen her, he didn tunderstand why Holden didn t like her.She was a right proper lady, and he could see she likedthe baby, even if she d never seen it before today.Maybe she d like him, too.Joey nearly ran to the bunkhouse.Holden was wrong about Rachel.She was going to make DogCreek a better place.As soon as Jed was home, everything was going to be just fine. Bride of the Wolf 19th Century Werewolf 06 Page 38 of 236Chapter Four MERCI, MAURICE. The big Frenchman beamed, his round face reddened from the sun and his eyes twinkling witheffusive good humor.Rachel had liked the cook, who turned out to also be the blacksmith andlaunderer, from the moment he d entered the house with offerings from his own stores in theranch cookhouse.Like Joey, he seemed delighted to meet her and eager to see her well settled. It is nothing, madame, he said. I am honored to assist the wife of Monsieur McCarrick. She returned his smile. I hope I will be able to lighten your load at Dog Creek, she said. I cancertainly assume the washing duties. Mais non, madame.It is not necessary. I came here expecting to work hard, and that is what I intend to do.I may, however, requireyour advice as to what my husband prefers to eat. Ah, the talent of cooking is wasted here, madame, he said with an exaggerated shrug. Beef,beans and biscuits.Biscuits, beans and beef. She laughed. Then it shall not be so difficult, n est-ce pas? With a great sigh, Maurice shook his head, bowed and left the house.Rachel s heart was almost light as she laid the loaf of bread on the table and took up the knifeMaurice had brought.Between him and Joey and perhaps Jedediah s nephew, whom shewanted very much to trust she was beginning to feel she might have friends at Dog Creek.Joey had been perfectly charming.He was every bit the boy trying to be a man, earnest andserious.But he hadn t been able to conceal his fascination with the baby.Or his naturalfriendliness and willingness to help.In that respect he was very little like the man he so obviously admired.Rachel s smile faded as she cut a slice of smoked salt pork.It felt strange to be alone in thishouse now that the sun had set.The first night noises had brought her to an uneasy alert:coyotes howling, ominous scratchings from behind the walls, the keening of the wind.She wasjust frightened enough to be angry.Angry that Renshaw hadn t come back to visit the baby.That his brief show of solicitude before he had left had been worth so little.But of course he had no concern for her at all.Checking the lantern to make sure it was still burning well, she listened for the baby in thebedroom.He was still asleep, oblivious to the loneliness that lay so unexpectedly heavy on her Bride of the Wolf 19th Century Werewolf 06 Page 39 of 236own shoulders.She had thought she was accustomed to such loneliness; she d had so fewpeople to rely upon during her years of struggle.It was ridiculous that she should feel bereftwhen she was soon to have companionship and a true purpose.The bitter thought she could never quite conquer rose to mock her hope.What would theythink if they knew my shame? If they guessed how thoroughly I have deceived them?Even Jedediah knew nothing of it.How much more would Holden Renshaw despise her if hewas aware of her deepest secret?Why was his opinion of any concern to her at all?He will never know.No one here will ever know.Someone rapped on the door.Her heart fluttered treacherously.Had Holden Renshaw finallyreturned?But it was not the foreman.Sean McCarrick tipped his hat and smiled in that same verycharming way when they d first met. Mrs.McCarrick, he said. I hope I m not disturbing you. Not at all. She stepped back to let him enter. Would you be seated? He glanced at the table and her plate. I see that Renshaw actually considered the possibilitythat you might be hungry. I am sorry I haven t much to offer you, Mr.McCarrick. He took one of the chairs and removed his hat. I don t expect anything, ma am.I just wantedto be sure that you and the baby are safe and well. He is sleeping, thank you. He s all right, then? I admit I was surprised when I saw Renshaw with him.He s the last man I dexpect to care about an abandoned child, let alone bring one home with him. Though she had entertained the very same thought, Rachel found herself bristling at Sean scomment. Yet he did so, she said tartly.He regarded her with obvious curiosity. Has he won your good opinion, Mrs.McCarrick?Offered some defense of his attempt to send you away, perhaps? I did not ask him about it. I completely understand. He smoothed his fine woolen trousers. It wouldn t be wise toconfront him, under the circumstances.You ll have ample opportunity when Jed returns. Bride of the Wolf 19th Century Werewolf 06 Page 40 of 236Rachel could not feel at ease, though there was no reason why she should not.They sat quietlyfor a few moments.Finally Sean cleared his throat [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
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.I been here since I was eleven, and he s the best foreman we ever had.No one can workcattle or ride and break horses like he does.It s like he has some magic power over em. Heshuffled his feet. You shouldn t judge him by how he acts sometimes, ma am.He ain t as meanas he looks. She tilted her head, considering his words as if they were important. And Jedediah? she said. Are he and Holden good friends? It was a mighty strange question to ask, he thought, specially since she was Jed s wife andshould know things like that. Jed never trusted nobody like he trusts Holden. He rubbed atthe fringe of hair above his upper lip. You didn t know much about Dog Creek before youcame, did you, ma am? Only from Mr.McCarrick s description.He and I married in Ohio. Guess this is quite a change for you, ma am. She shifted around, tight as rawhide drying in the sun. Have you been to Ohio, Joey? Me? No, ma am.I like it here just fine. He searched her eyes. Hope you like it here, too, Mrs.McCarrick. My name is Rachel, Joey. Rachel.It was about the prettiest name Joey had ever heard. You must be tuckered, ma am.Rachel, he said. I m goin to talk to Maurice, but I ll be around case you need anything.Justwhistle. She smiled, and Joey thought that smile changed her face completely. I ll do that, Joey.Thankyou. His feet hardly touched the floorboards as he left the house.Now that he d seen her, he didn tunderstand why Holden didn t like her.She was a right proper lady, and he could see she likedthe baby, even if she d never seen it before today.Maybe she d like him, too.Joey nearly ran to the bunkhouse.Holden was wrong about Rachel.She was going to make DogCreek a better place.As soon as Jed was home, everything was going to be just fine. Bride of the Wolf 19th Century Werewolf 06 Page 38 of 236Chapter Four MERCI, MAURICE. The big Frenchman beamed, his round face reddened from the sun and his eyes twinkling witheffusive good humor.Rachel had liked the cook, who turned out to also be the blacksmith andlaunderer, from the moment he d entered the house with offerings from his own stores in theranch cookhouse.Like Joey, he seemed delighted to meet her and eager to see her well settled. It is nothing, madame, he said. I am honored to assist the wife of Monsieur McCarrick. She returned his smile. I hope I will be able to lighten your load at Dog Creek, she said. I cancertainly assume the washing duties. Mais non, madame.It is not necessary. I came here expecting to work hard, and that is what I intend to do.I may, however, requireyour advice as to what my husband prefers to eat. Ah, the talent of cooking is wasted here, madame, he said with an exaggerated shrug. Beef,beans and biscuits.Biscuits, beans and beef. She laughed. Then it shall not be so difficult, n est-ce pas? With a great sigh, Maurice shook his head, bowed and left the house.Rachel s heart was almost light as she laid the loaf of bread on the table and took up the knifeMaurice had brought.Between him and Joey and perhaps Jedediah s nephew, whom shewanted very much to trust she was beginning to feel she might have friends at Dog Creek.Joey had been perfectly charming.He was every bit the boy trying to be a man, earnest andserious.But he hadn t been able to conceal his fascination with the baby.Or his naturalfriendliness and willingness to help.In that respect he was very little like the man he so obviously admired.Rachel s smile faded as she cut a slice of smoked salt pork.It felt strange to be alone in thishouse now that the sun had set.The first night noises had brought her to an uneasy alert:coyotes howling, ominous scratchings from behind the walls, the keening of the wind.She wasjust frightened enough to be angry.Angry that Renshaw hadn t come back to visit the baby.That his brief show of solicitude before he had left had been worth so little.But of course he had no concern for her at all.Checking the lantern to make sure it was still burning well, she listened for the baby in thebedroom.He was still asleep, oblivious to the loneliness that lay so unexpectedly heavy on her Bride of the Wolf 19th Century Werewolf 06 Page 39 of 236own shoulders.She had thought she was accustomed to such loneliness; she d had so fewpeople to rely upon during her years of struggle.It was ridiculous that she should feel bereftwhen she was soon to have companionship and a true purpose.The bitter thought she could never quite conquer rose to mock her hope.What would theythink if they knew my shame? If they guessed how thoroughly I have deceived them?Even Jedediah knew nothing of it.How much more would Holden Renshaw despise her if hewas aware of her deepest secret?Why was his opinion of any concern to her at all?He will never know.No one here will ever know.Someone rapped on the door.Her heart fluttered treacherously.Had Holden Renshaw finallyreturned?But it was not the foreman.Sean McCarrick tipped his hat and smiled in that same verycharming way when they d first met. Mrs.McCarrick, he said. I hope I m not disturbing you. Not at all. She stepped back to let him enter. Would you be seated? He glanced at the table and her plate. I see that Renshaw actually considered the possibilitythat you might be hungry. I am sorry I haven t much to offer you, Mr.McCarrick. He took one of the chairs and removed his hat. I don t expect anything, ma am.I just wantedto be sure that you and the baby are safe and well. He is sleeping, thank you. He s all right, then? I admit I was surprised when I saw Renshaw with him.He s the last man I dexpect to care about an abandoned child, let alone bring one home with him. Though she had entertained the very same thought, Rachel found herself bristling at Sean scomment. Yet he did so, she said tartly.He regarded her with obvious curiosity. Has he won your good opinion, Mrs.McCarrick?Offered some defense of his attempt to send you away, perhaps? I did not ask him about it. I completely understand. He smoothed his fine woolen trousers. It wouldn t be wise toconfront him, under the circumstances.You ll have ample opportunity when Jed returns. Bride of the Wolf 19th Century Werewolf 06 Page 40 of 236Rachel could not feel at ease, though there was no reason why she should not.They sat quietlyfor a few moments.Finally Sean cleared his throat [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]