Measure of Grace (17 page)

“Let me carry the box out to the buggy for you, sir,” said Knight.

Hayward grinned. “All right. I’ll just let you do that.”

Annie stepped up and said, “Mr. Hayward, I want to thank you for making it possible for Knight to become owner of the
Sentinel.”

“It is my pleasure, Mrs. Colburn,” said Hayward. “Like I told Gage Pearsall, there isn’t another man in the world that I would want to have it.”

“I know he will do you proud,” she said, glancing up at her son.

“I have no doubt about it, ma’am. I’ll be writing now and then so I can keep up with the progress of the paper. I know the reports will always be good.”

“Erline and I will be right here by Knight’s side, Mr. Hayward,” said Dan Tyler. “We are excited about the future of the paper as Elkton and the other towns around here grow. We have no doubt that with what you have taught him, along with his own talent and initiative, the
Elkton Sentinel
will become well known as a first-rate newspaper all over Idaho and into the territories around us.”

Hayward grinned. “That’s exactly what I’m expecting.” He looked at the newspaper’s new owner. “Well, Knight, I guess I’d better take that box to the hotel so Beatrice and I can have it transported to the depot in Ketcham, along with the other belongings we’re taking with us.”

The next day, Jordan Shaw was doing some minor fence repair with a young ranch hand named Guy Tabor. A few white clouds drifted overhead, kissed by the sun and propelled by the breeze. A flock of geese moved across the sky, heading south, squawking loudly as they followed their leader in V-shaped formation.

Both of their horses stood looking on, whipping their tails at pesky flies.

As Jordan was tamping dirt into a hole around a fence post in order to make it sturdy, Guy was holding the post steady. While Jordan was giving it a few final tamps, movement on the grassy
land caught the corner of his eye. Guy set his gaze on a rider coming their way. “Someone’s coming, Jordan.”

Jordan looked up and focused on the rider. His back stiffened, and an unhappy look captured his eyes. “Oh no. It’s Belinda.”

Surprise showed on Guy’s young features. “What do you mean, ‘Oh no, it’s Belinda’? I know a lot of fellas on the Bar-S who would love to have her come to see them.”

“Well, I wish she would do exactly that.”

“Really?”

“Really.”

“I don’t understand. Don’t you like her? Everybody knows she really likes you.”

Jordan sighed, leaned the tamping bar against the fence post, and said, “Guy, I like her as a person, yes. A friend, you know? She has a nice personality and is reasonably good-looking.”

Guy frowned. “So what’s the problem?”

“She’s got romance and matrimony on her mind, that’s what. And to make it worse, her parents and mine are crowding me like you wouldn’t believe to get serious with her and marry her.”

Guy looked back at her as she was trotting the horse and waving. “I think she’s really quite the gal.”

“Then why don’t you pursue her? It won’t make me mad. I flat do not see her as marriage material.”

Guy shook his head. “Oh no, you don’t. If your parents want you to marry her, I wouldn’t go near her. Your father would fire me. I need this job like a turtle needs his shell.”

Jordan glanced again at the approaching rider with her long red hair flowing in the breeze, and shook his head.

“Tell you what, Jordan,” said the young ranch hand, “since this is the last post, and all that’s left is to drive some staples to hold the barbed wire in place, I’ll get on my horse and go. That way, you and Belinda can be alone.”

Jordan frowned at him. “Deserter.”

“Call me what you want,” said Guy, hurrying to his horse and leaping into the saddle, “but I want to stay on your father’s good side. Maybe if I’m gone, you and Belinda will have a better chance of falling in love.”

Jordan shook his head. “I’m not falling in love with her, do you hear me?”

“Well, far be it from me to stand in your way if there’s any chance at all.”

Belinda drew rein and brought her horse to a halt. Smiling while setting admiring eyes on her prey, she said, “Hello, Jordie. I thought I’d ride out and see you.” Then to his partner, who was about to gouge his horse’s sides: “Hello, Guy. You leaving?”

“Uh … yeah. I’m leaving. Jordan’s about to finish up there with the fence, so I figured I’d get on back and see if there’s some work to do around the barn.” He grinned at Jordan. “See you later.”

With that, Guy Tabor put his mount to a gallop and headed over the rolling hills.

Dismounting, Belinda moved up close to Jordan with a sweet smile. “I dropped by the house to see you, and your mother told me where you and Guy were mending fence. She’s such a nice lady.”

Jordan nodded. “That she is.”

“She always makes me feel so welcome. Just like your father does, Jordie. They’re both such nice people.”

“Real nice,” he agreed, his stomach doing flip-flops.

“And Lorene and Mark. They both treat me so nice. They’re really happy in their marriage, aren’t they?”

“Uh … yeah. Real happy.”

“That’s what I’ve always envisioned for myself,” Belinda said, moving even closer. “A happy marriage with just the right man.”

“Mm-hmm. Well, I hope you find him. I’ve really got to get the rest of this repair job done, Belinda. Thanks for riding out to see me. It was nice of you.”

With that, he bent over and picked up the hammer and a handful of staples that lay on the ground.

The redhead moved closer yet. “Jordie …”

He paused, looked her in the eye. “Uh-huh?”

She came very close, lifting her face toward his. “You’re such a nice person. We need to do as your parents have so often suggested—spend more time together. I … I really like you.” She raised her lips a little higher. “You like me, don’t you?”

Jordan cleared his throat nervously. “Belinda, you are a nice girl, and I like you as a friend. But I have to be honest with you—I’m not ready to get serious with a girl.”

“But most men your age are already married, and have been for at least two or three years.”

“I’m not most men, Belinda. Like I said, I’m just not ready to get serious.”

Feeling keen disappointment, Belinda Ashworth did not show it. Her mind was made up that she would eventually win Jordan to herself.

“Well,” she said, “can’t blame a girl for trying. I … guess I’ll head on back home.”

“See you later,” he said, feeling relief. “Thanks for coming out to see me. You’re a real friend.”

Belinda moved toward her horse, telling herself that with patience, she would win Jordan over and would one day become Mrs. Jordan Shaw.

Suddenly she stopped as she saw William Shaw galloping toward the spot. Jordan saw him at the same time.

Belinda stopped, wheeled, and walked back toward Jordan. “Jordie, your father’s coming. See him?”

“Yes. I see him.”

Jordan hoped his father would not think he was interested in Belinda simply because they were there together.

A
S
W
ILLIAM
S
HAW DREW UP
and pulled rein, he smiled. “Hello, Belinda! Nice to see you.” There was a pleased look on his face. Jordan knew that was because he found the two of them together.

Running his gaze between them, William said, “Am I interrupting anything?”

“Of course not,” said Jordan. “Belinda and I were just chatting. She was about to leave.”

Swinging from the saddle, William looked around. “Didn’t Guy come out here with you, son?”

“Yes, sir, but when we got down to just the barbed wire needing to be stapled to this post, he headed on back, saying he would see if there was some work needed to be done around the barn. I’m surprised you didn’t run into him.”

“I wasn’t at the house. I came here from over at the Circle D Ranch.”

“Oh.”

“I just wanted to see how the fence repair was coming along.”

“Well, gentlemen,” said Belinda, “I’ll excuse myself and be on my way. See you later, Jordie.”

Feeling the pressure of his duty to be extra polite to Belinda in front of his father, Jordan took her arm and walked her to where her horse stood beside his. The two of them were contentedly munching on the grass.

William felt satisfied as he watched them together.

Steadying her as she stepped into the stirrup and swung into the saddle, Jordan said, “It was nice of you to come out and see me.”

Belinda looked down at him, and smiled crookedly as she thought to herself,
My mind is made up. I am going to become Mrs. Jordan Shaw. You might as well prepare yourself for it, Jordie
.

Not knowing what to make of the strange smile that captured her lips, Jordan thought,
I wonder what that’s about
.

William said, “Belinda, you’re always welcome to visit Jordan here on the ranch anytime you wish.”

Jordan saw the strange smile disappear from her lips as it was replaced by a normal one. “Thank you, Mr. Shaw.” She looked at Jordan one more time, then put the horse to a trot.

While watching her ride away, Jordan told himself he might as well settle the Belinda matter with his father right now. He turned back, stepped up close, and was about to speak when William said, “Son, I’m glad to see things developing so favorably between you and Belinda. Let me tell you what I’ve got in mind.”

“Father, I—”

“Let me tell you—” he raised a palm as if to keep Jordan from talking while he was informing him of his plan. “The day you and Belinda get engaged, I’ll put the men to building the two of you a real nice log house here on the ranch, wherever you want it.”

“But, Father—”

“Let me finish, boy. After you and Belinda have been married a couple of years, I’ll buy you that big spread somewhere in the area that we’ve talked about, and you’ll be on your own in the cattle business. How does that sound?”

Jordan’s nerves stretched tight. “Father, I—”

“You know how much your mother and I think of Belinda, don’t you? We both know she’ll make you a wonderful wife.” He chuckled. “I can’t tell you how pleased I was to find the two of you together here.”

William was taking a breath. Jordan plunged into the opening and said, “Father, I don’t want to upset you or Mother … but there’s something you have to understand.”

Shaw raised his eyebrows. “And what is that?”

“I am not interested in Belinda for a wife.”

William’s eyebrows dropped and formed into a scowl. “What
are you talking about? She’s perfect for you. She comes from good stock. She’s on your social level. She’s—”

“I like her as a friend,” Jordan said levelly, “but I’m not interested in her romantically.”

“Give it a little time,” William said quickly. “Once you really get to know Belinda, you’ll fall in love with her.”

Jordan knew in his heart he would never fall in love with Belinda Ashworth. But he decided not to voice it to his father at that moment.

“Your mother and I have talked to Belinda’s parents several times lately,” said William. “They are quite anxious to see the two of you fall in love and marry. They really like you, son.”

Jordan strongly disliked the pressure he was getting from both sets of parents but said nothing.

“Well! Let’s get this fence job finished!”

Belinda Ashworth trotted her horse up to the rear of the Bar-S ranch house, dismounted, stepped up on the porch, and knocked on the back door. When the door came open, she put a big smile on her lips and said, “Hello again, Mrs. Shaw. I just wanted to thank you for directing me to the spot where Jordie was repairing fence.”

“My pleasure, honey,” said Sylvia. “Did you two have a nice time?”

“Oh, yes. Guy Tabor left shortly after I arrived out there, and left Jordie and me alone. He’s so … so special. You have certainly raised a wonderful son, Mrs. Shaw.”

“Why, thank you, dear. William and I have done our best. Won’t you come in and visit for a while?”

“I have to be going, thank you. But I’ll take you up on it soon.”

“All right,” said Sylvia. “You’re welcome anytime.”

Sylvia watched while Belinda mounted and rode away, then smiled to herself and closed the door.

Belinda was guiding her horse up the lane toward the road when she saw a wagon coming along the road from the direction of town. She recognized the Faulkner sisters, Althea and Bernadine,
who were approximately her age. The Faulkner ranch was adjacent to the Ashworth Ranch on its far side, so she had gotten to know Althea and Bernadine quite well.

Belinda reached the road at the same time the Faulkner wagon was drawing near the Bar-S gate, and Althea drew rein.

Belinda halted her horse and smiled at the sisters. “Hello, Althea, Bernadine.”

Bernadine grinned impishly. “Visiting somebody on the Bar-S, dearie?”

Belinda blushed and dipped her head slightly. “Yes.”

Althea giggled. “We … ah … have heard little rumors that you and Jordan are getting serious about each other.”

Bernadine playfully elbowed her sister in the ribs. “Althea, maybe they’re not rumors.”

Wanting to impress them, and having set her mind to become Mrs. Jordan Shaw, Belinda said, “They are definitely not rumors, girls. What you’ve heard is a fact. Jordie and I are getting very, very close. We just spent a couple of hours together, and found each other’s company to be quite pleasant and satisfying.”