A Love of Her Own (20 page)

“So why are you planning on teaching Jane to ride?” She bristled. “I thought you were a horse trainer who liked nothing more than to dump women into water troughs.”

So she was still angry with him for that! “Look, April, I’m sorry about the way I handled you at the ranch. I didn’t mean any harm. Will you accept my apology?” He stopped on the sidewalk next to her.

His words hung in the air, and finally she answered. “Apology accepted. But don’t go laying your hands on me again, you hear?”

“I promise. Not unless you ask me to.” Wes locked eyes with her, and he could tell she meant exactly what she said.

“Not to worry . . .
that
will never happen.”

She resumed walking and he fell in step with her. Wes decided that he’d better not comment back. Time would tell.

“What is your plan with Jane?”

“I had an idea that riding a horse could help her attitude and maybe stimulate her legs. The doctor can’t find a medical reason that keeps her from walking since the accident.”

Wes stopped again, excited about his idea, and looked straight into April’s eyes. “My grandpa lived to be eighty-five, but there wasn’t a day that he didn’t get up and go ride his horse. He’d wake up stiff in the morning, but after a ride, his hips and legs moved more freely. So I figured if it was good enough for an old man, it might just help Jane. Being outside will help too, before our cold weather sets in.”

April thought about that a moment. “Believe it or not, I had a similar idea when I talked to Mark a few days ago, but I had no basis for it. I just know that after I’ve had a vigorous ride, I feel better. I guess I feel sorry for her. I’ve never known anyone in a wheelchair before. That has to be so hard.”

This close to her, he noticed that her face was a golden hue, probably from all the riding. He decided that he liked it. The color gave her a healthy glow.
Concentrate on what she’s saying to
you!
Wes mentally shook his head and said, “So . . . you’ll come out to the ranch while she’s there?” They continued walking like friends would on a normal day after shopping, with Wes carrying most of her packages.

April shifted the parcels to the crook of her arm. “I’ll do even better than that. I’ll borrow Miss Margaret’s wagon and bring her myself.
If
Cynthia agrees. She doesn’t really know me.”

“Just ask her yourself. Cynthia works at the boardinghouse for Miss Margaret, so I know she’d really appreciate it, April.”

“I’d forgotten she worked there.” April pursed her lips together. “Hmm . . . I haven’t seen her around, but I’m not an early riser. I’ll see what I can do.”

“Let’s plan on day after tomorrow right after lunch. That’ll give us the whole afternoon.” They reached the mercantile, and Wes unwound the reins of Dakota, who patiently waited and snorted a greeting at his master with a toss of his mane. Wes reached for a carrot in his hip pocket to give Dakota and patted him lovingly on the neck. “Thanks for waiting, my friend,” he whispered as he leaned close. He turned to April and asked, “By the way, how do you like your horse?”

“Sassy is wonderful! I intend to go for a ride this afternoon. Miss Margaret said I could board her in their barn, lucky for me. She is so good to me. I told Billy that he can ride her too. I’ve seen him ride and I trust him.”

“Everyone loves Miss Margaret, though sometimes she really speaks her mind.” Wes climbed onto his horse, moving aside the cloth bag that held his coffee. “See you soon,” he said, looking down at the sun bouncing off her golden head. “And just for the record . . . my mother’s dress looks mighty fine on you with your blue eyes.”

Before she had a chance to respond, Wes gave a nudge to Dakota and they cantered down the dusty streets of Lewistown, kicking up the dust.

15

On Wednesday, it was all April could do to pass the time until the afternoon rolled around. She noticed that Louise was a very detailed person in everything she did, and April was itching to do something, so she helped Louise fold sheets and offered to help with the dusting. After April nearly dropped one of a pair of oriental dogs, Louise teased that April was better off grooming her horse than helping around the house. Luckily April managed to catch the figurine before it hit the hardwood floor. They’d both laughed in relief.

The two were becoming fast friends. Finally April decided to take a chance on asking her about Mark. “Louise, I got the feeling at supper the other night that you may have feelings for Mark Barnum. I saw how you reacted when he was here attending to Willard.”

Louise’s face showed complete surprise. “What do you mean?” She continued with dusting the windowsill without looking up. “I wonder if you like him more than just a friend.”

A small sigh escaped Louise’s lips. “And what if I do? It’s apparent that he can see only Cynthia, and I have to work with her every afternoon.”

April chose her words carefully. “It could be that he’s not even aware that you care for him. You might need to give him a hint.”

Louise stopped with her dusting and said, “Ha! He doesn’t know that I exist!”

“That’s my point. When you’re around him, you never even make eye contact with him or even stop. You’re always fretting about your next chore. You wouldn’t even know if he was looking at you because you’re too preoccupied with running things perfectly around here.”

Louise put both hands on her hips and remarked, “Are you trying to tell me that he has actually appeared to be interested in me?”

“Well . . . maybe. I have seen him watching you from a distance. It could be that he thinks you don’t want a relationship with
any
man.” April laid her dusting cloth down and reached for Louise, turning her to look her squarely in the eyes. “I do know this. You need to relax a bit and give men a chance to approach you. And”—April hesitated, then forged ahead—“you could soften your look a bit.”

“What?” Louise straightened her shoulders.

April chewed her bottom lip. “You dress like a matron or a spinster who couldn’t care less one way or the other. Try wearing something more suitable for your age and perhaps do your hair in a different way. Let go a little bit and have fun. You aren’t doomed, you know.”

Louise reached up and patted her tight chignon and fingered her hair. “I . . . I don’t know what to say.”

“I’m not trying to hurt your feelings, Louise. I only want to help you.” April gave her new friend a quick hug.

Louise’s eyes glittered with unshed tears. “I’ve always felt such a responsibility after my father died to take care of my mother and maintain the boardinghouse. There’s never been much time for me.”

“And you’ve done a great job. I know how proud your mother is of you and Natalie, but you
can
make time to care about yourself, or no one else will.” April sighed. “I should know because I’ve cared more about my own wants than I should,” she admitted.

“Will you help me? I’m afraid I don’t know where to begin,” Louise said.

“I’d love to! How about after supper? I’ll come to your room and see what can be done.”

Louise giggled. “You almost say that like I’m a lost cause.”

April laughed, picking up her dusting rag again. “Not at all. Underneath that severe appearance lies a soul of passion and ideas. I’m sure of it. You just have to be yourself.” Her answers seemed to appease Louise, and they zipped through the rest of the chores in record time.

April hitched Sassy to the wagon right after lunch and hurried down the street to Cynthia’s. Billy had volunteered to meet her there to help lift Jane and her wheelchair into the wagon. She was glad for that since it would be hard for her to do it alone. Cynthia would leave when they did in order to get back to her job. The arrangement for her to work at the boardinghouse in the afternoons until supper was working out perfectly with her schedule for her daughter.

Pulling up to the gate, April set the brake and climbed down. Billy was already on the porch chatting with Jane. It appeared that they were getting along quite well. April had never seen Jane so animated. It seemed having someone close to Jane’s age was good medicine for her, and she was lapping up Billy’s chattering like the hummingbird sucking up nectar from the flowers near the front porch. Well, good for her! This might turn out to be a fabulous day.

Cynthia hurried up the pathway to meet April. “Good afternoon, April,” she said. “I can’t thank you enough for doing this. Jane has been rather cantankerous with me this morning. She’s in one of her moods.”

April took her hand and said, “Now don’t go worrying, Cynthia, Wes and I will get her right out of that mood, you’ll see. This is going to be so good for her.” She smiled, nodding toward the porch. “It looks like she has a new friend too.”

Cynthia turned in time to see her daughter give a wide smile to Billy. “Hmm, you’re right . . . but we don’t know much about him, do we?”

They started for the porch. “You don’t need to worry. I know him, and now he is working for Morgan Kincaid at the stage depot. Do you know Mr. Kincaid?”

“Indeed I do.”

“Then that settles it. You have nothing to fear if you trust Mr. Kincaid’s instincts.”

Cynthia regarded her with a pensive look. “I suppose you’re right on that point. Let’s get Jane in the wagon so I won’t be late for work.”

When Cynthia picked up her daughter to carry her to the wagon, the blanket fell away, exposing April’s specially made boots on Jane’s feet and her belt firmly holding her jeans in place. April drew in a quick breath.

“Is something wrong?” Jane asked.

April recovered. “No, no . . . I just got a stitch in my side, that’s all,” she lied. Why didn’t Wes tell her that he was giving the leather goods to Jane instead of letting her think he had a lady friend? Was it to make her jealous?

April put on her best smile. There was no need to take it out on the little girl. It wasn’t her fault that she owned them now.

Once Jane was settled in the wagon with a blanket around her legs, she waved to her mother and Billy, who promised to come back some night and play a board game. April urged Sassy forward in a trot down the road toward the Rusty Spur. She was glad to have something to do outside, especially since it involved horses.

April kept her eyes on the road ahead, carefully guiding Sassy, who was a bit frisky. “Jane, are you excited about horseback riding?

” Jane turned in her seat to look up at April with her large, piercing eyes and beautiful bouncy blonde ringlets framing her small face. “I
have
ridden before, you know,” she snapped. “It’s just been since this accident, I’ve not had an opportunity, and then no one would care if I wanted to or not.” Her face twisted into a frown.

“I’m sorry about that. But someone cares now,” April said, and she turned her head in time to see Jane’s face soften.

“It will be nice to do something besides sit around the house. The only time I get out is to go to church.”

April could hear the pain in Jane’s voice. “Maybe today will change that. Wes said his grandfather had terrible pain in his joints, but when he’d go riding, his joints moved easier. There may be something to that. Maybe it will help you to move your legs and help you to walk again.”

Jane shifted on the seat, crossed her arms in her lap, and became quiet. April tried to draw her into conversation, but she only muttered one- or two-word answers until they neared Wes’s ranch. April figured that it was because she didn’t know her very well. She wondered how Juliana had been able to break through that exterior. At least Billy had brought out a few smiles today.

Wes stood with his arm propped up on the fence post next to the corral in anticipation of their arrival. “Howdy! Nice afternoon, isn’t it, ladies?”

If she didn’t know better, April could have sworn his hair beneath his hat was combed and he wore clean britches. His normally scruffy jaw was clean-shaven. She wasn’t sure why, but April was pleased with his overall appearance and couldn’t help but notice the twinkle in his eye when he winked at her. “Good afternoon,” she said with a half smile.

Jane murmured hello. Wes lifted her wheelchair out of the back of the wagon while April climbed down and stood nearby, ready to assist.

“April, why don’t you turn Sassy loose in the pasture while we have our riding time with Jane?”

“Good idea.” April began unhitching her horse, and once Wes placed Jane in her chair, he came to assist her. Sassy seemed to know that she was home again and raced to the pasture. To April’s surprise, Jane laughed.

“I think she wants to be free, Miss April.”

“Could be you’re right, Jane.” April watched her horse romp with several other horses in utter abandon. “But this isn’t her home anymore.”

“Well, let’s get started.” Wes pushed the wheelchair over to the corral. “I see you wore those nice leather boots. Do they fit all right?”

“They’re only a tiny bit long,” Jane answered, looking down at her feet. “But they are so nice. I’m wearing the belt too.”

Wes chuckled. “Then I’ll be sure and tell the lady who donated them how pleased you are.” He turned his gaze to April and winked again. Thankfully, Jane couldn’t see him wink since he was behind her. He stopped her wheelchair and knelt down in front of her. “Before I get a horse for you, have you ridden before?”