Diane R. Jewkes (8 page)

What were they up to? If it had anything to do with the ranch, she wanted to know. Suspicions about their reason for investing in the ranch flared. She needed to find out what the devil those two were up to. She was sure it was no good.

Looking at the incredibly handsome man standing with his friend, she decided there probably wasn’t too much difference between him and the devil.

• • •

Consuelo had put Kara and Alicia to work doing an inventory of supplies that morning. Dusting off her skirts as she walked from the cool, dark storeroom into the bright light of day, Kara looked up and saw her father, Austin, his father, and the English … no, Scots — she’d been corrected by Mr. MacCairn the evening before — in the corral.

Beyond the men were a large blood bay and a dapple-gray. Both horses were gorgeous, but the gray caught her eye. Even from where she stood, she could see his enormous size and the beautiful balance of muscle under his gleaming coat. She started to move towards the gathering for a closer look when she saw Lord Stoneham walk up to the horse and the way the animal thrust his muzzle into his master’s chest. She felt an unfamiliar tightening watching the man laugh and give the horse a friendly pat.

“So, which do you find more fascinating,” Alicia teased, looking at the men in the corral. “Mr. Pryce or his horse?”

Kara stopped. “Why, the horse, naturally. Would you have thought otherwise?”

Laughing, Alicia hustled her off to the house where more chores waited.

• • •

Kara made sure to stay out of her father and his partners’ way all the next day. She had yet to decide the best way to handle his lordship without upsetting her father. She managed to be quiet at supper and tried not to be interested in his discussion of improved breeding techniques and ideas he had feeding cattle over the winter. Despite her best intentions, her curiosity got the better of her.

“You think creating new breeds of cattle will be the way to not only improve the health of the animal, but also the amount of meat each one will yield?” she asked.

“It will take several years of careful breeding and record-keeping to be sure, but yes, I truly believe this will be what sustains the cattle-growing industry. The blizzards of the eighties proved that many of the traditional methods of ranching needed changing. I’m trying to expand on those theories.”

“You’re right there, Hawke,” Case leaned forward stabbing the air with his finger. “You read about those days … I lived through them. Thousands of cattle starving to death in vicious snow and ice storms, not only in Texas, Oklahoma, and the states to the north of us, but even here. The cold was bitter. It reminded me of the hard winters back east. Ranchers thought with open range grazing and the hardiness of the longhorn, they would make it through.” Sadness tinted his voice. “But so many were wiped out. A lot of good cattlemen died trying to save their herds those winters.” He caught Kara’s eye. “You listen to him. This young man has the right of it. There is a lot we can learn.”

Mr. Roberts and Austin were nodding their heads in agreement while Hawke leaned back in his chair, basking in Case’s good opinion. The conversation continued amongst the men about methods and other ideas they had read or heard of, and what benefits they might see from them.

Alicia and her mother excused themselves to finish their packing. Alicia leaned over to get Kara’s attention to help them and leave the men to their talk.

She could learn from him
? On one level Kara knew her father was right, but it was like rubbing the fur the wrong way on a cat for her to admit it to that … that man.

Looking up, she knew Hawke could see the consternation on her face and was amused by it. Sputtering, she shoved back her chair and left the table, unaware of the silvery eyes following the graceful sway of her skirts as she left the room.

Kara was up early, dressed once again in her work clothes. She walked into the kitchen, grabbing a roll from the plate on the counter. “Consuelo, could you have some lunch ready for me? I need to get back out to the branding pens today. We’re almost ready to move the cattle up to the summer pasture.”

“Mija, have you told your papa you were going to work today?” Consuelo wiped her hands on a cloth tucked into the waistband of her apron and walked over to Kara with a plate of eggs and tortillas. “I think he wanted you to show Senor Stoneham and Senor MacCairn around the ranch today. Such men, mija, no?” Consuelo smiled. “They are so polite and told me how much they enjoyed my food. Besides, aren’t you going to see the Roberts off?”

She was torn. The work needed to be done, but she really wanted to find out what secret the two men were keeping.

The ranch was more important. She decided to put off her sleuthing plans for a few days.

“No, Consuelo, I’ve said goodbye to the Roberts. As for my father’s partner, I don’t think I will spend time with them today. If my father wants them entertained,” her chin tilted up, “he’ll have to do it himself. Could you have my food ready, please?” She quickly dismissed the men from her mind. “I need to get my hat and I’ll be right back.”

Turning, she went out onto the patio and up the outside staircase to avoid running into her father. As luck would have it, it wasn’t her father she ran into, but a solid wall of flesh in a crisply ironed shirt. She jerked her head up looking into Alec’s smiling face.

“Good morning Miss Jonston,” Alec said, grasping her arms to steady her, setting her back from him. She felt a blush warm her skin as Alecs’ gaze traveled from the ground up followed by a soft whistle. Mumbling an apology she scooted by him and rushed up the stairs.

Kara made it to the barn without running into anyone else. She noticed the big gray stallion in the stall across from her horse.

“You are a beauty,” she said softly, slowly approaching the big horse, “and so big. You’re hands taller than Gally. Here now, I won’t hurt you,” she whispered, seeing the flared nostrils and large head toss up and down nervously. Reaching up, she stroked the velvety muzzle, “I’d sure like to give you a try.” She admired the long, strong legs and deep chest. “Bet it’d be like flying.”

“I’m sure the pleasure would be all his.”

Kara jumped hearing the deep smooth voice coming from behind the big animal.

“Titan would be more than happy to have you on his back.” Hawke smiled, appearing at the rear of the stall. Walking toward her, he slapped the horse affectionately on the neck. She noticed how the big horse turned to nuzzle his master. “I must warn you, though,” he continued as he combed the horses’ mane, “he’s not trained to a lady’s sidesaddle.”

She stopped stroking Titan’s nose.

“It might surprise you, Mr. Stoneham,” she said, her voice tight, “I’m not trained for ladies’ sidesaddles either.”

Seeing an eyebrow raised in question, she added, “Most women out here don’t ride sidesaddle. It’s a blasted nuisance … can’t get any work done and it’s dangerous. No, most women ride astride, ‘just like a man’.”

Hawke approached the stall door and she felt a flutter along her nerves and wondered at the knot in her stomach.

• • •

Kara stepped back as he reached the door and Hawke got his first good look at what she was wearing.

Stopping midstride, he let his eyes roam from her head to her toes. A part of his brain once again noted how delicate she seemed. The rest of his brain and his body, however, focused on the sight of her long legs wrapped in snug denim trousers and the man’s shirt tucked into the waist.

Thankful he was still behind the stall door, so she was unaware of the physical evidence of his reaction to her, he murmured, “You certainly add a new dimension to men’s clothing.”

He fought the desire firing through his veins. “I don’t think I’ll ever look at denim the same.” His eyes traveled up her body and he smiled slowly.

Her face went up in flame.

“You insufferable, arrogant ass! Just who do you think you are, talking to me like I’m some … some — ” The horses began tossing their heads nervously as her voice got louder. “You might talk to people like that back where you come from. But mister,” she continued, almost shouting, her hands gripping the top of the stall door, her knuckles white, “not here — not to me. And to think, I was about to reconsider my opinion of you. Silly me.”

He saw the fury sparking in those incredible blue eyes. She was standing so close he could feel the heat radiating from her body.

She backed up a few steps. “I thought maybe a man whose horse liked him couldn’t be all bad, but you know what?” her voice softened. “I was wrong.”

With a thump, Titan pinned Hawke against the stall, making him gasp out an “oomph.”

“Get off me, you bloody coward.” He pushed against the jittery horse pinning him against the wall. “She likes you, you’ve got no worries, it’s my hide she wants to nail to the barn door.”

Hawke watched Kara stomp into the other stall and begin grooming her horse. The animated brushstrokes reminded him of the first night on the balcony.

Better make amends, laddie.

Leading Titan, Hawke walked quietly to the stall where she was. “Miss Jonston — Kara,” he said softly, holding up his hand to stop any protest, or possible attack. “It appears we’ve gotten off to a bad start, and I’m to blame. I have not behaved in a gentlemanly manner. Please accept my apologies.”

Ignoring him at first, she turned and grabbed her blanket and saddle and set about saddling her horse.

“Lord Stoneham … Mr. Pryce … . ” Exasperated she finally looked at him, “Just what am I supposed to call you? This pussyfooting around your last name or your title is wearing. Just what is your name and what do you want me to call you?”

Unfazed by the change of subject, part of him thought wickedly of a number of things he’d like to hear her call him, and the situation he’d like to be in when she did. However, he decided not to goad her temper again this morning. “My full name is Hawke Ian Edward James Pryce, Lord Stoneham, future Earl of Lochay, but I’d be most pleased,” he ventured politely, “if you would call me Hawke, and allow me to address you by Kara.”

“That’s another thing,” she continued, not warming to his courtly manner. “What kind of name is Hawke? I half expect to wake some morning and see you flying from the top of the barn.”

• • •

Deep laughter made her look up. He was amused at her attempted cut.

“Weel, lass,” he purposely accentuated his burr, “I’d have to be agreein’ with you there. ’Tis a silly eno’ name.”

Returning to his normal voice, he said, “Actually, I was unfortunate enough to be named after some ancestor who rode with The Conqueror. It is, in fact, how we received our land and titles. In gratitude the first sons are always named Hawke.”

Kara found herself wanting to ask him more. His world was so different from hers. He lived in the world of her books, a land of long and fascinating history that had always captivated her imagination.

She tried to ignore the soft words. His voice, so deep and smooth, caressed her senses, making her all too aware of him. She’d be damned before she would let him off easily. With his easy smile and those beautiful eyes, she’d be tempted to give in. She wanted to nurture her anger, not be wheedled out of it.

What are you doing?
she chided herself
. You don’t want to know more about this man … you want this man gone. Quit being drawn in by his accent and those eyes the color of a stormy sky and leave.

“Well … Hawke, or whatever.” She tried to act nonchalant, opening the stall door and leading Gally out. “I have too much work to do to spend time chatting about your ancestors. I want you to realize one very important thing while you are here,
Mr. Pryce.
”
She practically spat his name, shielding herself in anger. “You are my father’s partner. Not mine.”

“Look, Kara, I will say again how sorry I am I unintentionally insulted you when we were first introduced. It certainly wasn’t meant that way. As we are going to be working together, I would like to think we could get past our inauspicious beginning.”

“Let me make something perfectly clear. We will not be working together. I don’t have time to teach a greenhorn like you, but I will give you a piece of advice.” Her eyes raked him from head to toe. “Have Joe get you a pair of chaps, or you might ruin those pretty pants and boots working cattle. This is a hard land, Mr. Pryce. It doesn’t suffer fools or dandies.”

Mounting, she touched the reins to the horse’s neck, she spun the horse around and galloped out of the yard.

Leaning over Gally’s neck, she let out a ragged breath. Lord, that man had a way of scrambling her senses every time she looked at him. She knew she was in over her head as she gave him a last long look, taking in the white shirt open at the throat showing tanned skin, a brown coat, tan breeches and highly polished riding boots.

It took all of her will to stop staring, even after she saw the glint of awareness in his eyes. She hadn’t upset him in the least.

Lord, a man’s clothes shouldn’t fit him so well. Her stomach had jumped to her throat and wings beat in her belly seeing how snugly his breeches clung to his well-muscled thighs and hips. If she hadn’t already been sitting on her horse, she might have ended up sitting in the dirt.

“What’s worse, Gally,” she mused aloud, slowing her mount. “He knows what I’m thinking.” He was beyond her experience. Never had a man caused such consternation before. “I’ll just bet he’s left broken hearts all over England.”

Her father rode up on one side and Hawke and Alec on the other, surprising her; she’d been so caught up in her thoughts she hadn’t heard the hoof beats. Seeing Hawke flash a knowing smile at her she groaned, wishing she were anywhere else.

“Why did you take off so fast? I planned on showing Hawke and Alec around the ranch, and I wanted you to come along, too.”

“I don’t think so,” she replied between clenched teeth, trying not to lose her temper again. “I really have too much to do, Papa.”

Forcing a smile she looked at the men, riding easily beside her. “I’m sure Lord Stoneham and Lord Peyton will excuse me from dancing attendance on them.”