Ryder (Prairie Grooms, Book Two) (12 page)

Ryder and Constance both laughed and took in the disgruntled look on
Cutty’s face. “Let’s make this poor man some flapjacks before he up and busts a gut!” said Ryder “Harrison’s gonna be here any time now.”

Constance wiped her eyes, smi
led at her husband, and reached for the frying pan.

Nine

The flapjack lesson went better than expected, and Constance was feeling quite proud of her achievement when Harrison and Sadie arrived.  She even surprised herself by running out of the house to greet them. Though it had only been two days since she’d seen Sadie, it felt like months.  The thought of being isolated for days, even weeks on end, still unnerved her.

“Hello!” She happily called up to Sadie as Harrison brought the wagon to a stop. 

He had not one, but two mares tied to the back of it, which sent Ryder’s face into a huge grin. “Well ain’t this a surprise?” he said. “I didn’t know you had a bay mare.”

“I don’t.” Harrison told him as he climbed down. “This is Mr. Turner’s new mare. He heard I was coming out here today and asked if I’d bring her. I told him I didn’t think you’d mind, and he sent along the stud fee.
”

Ryder walked to the back to inspect the horses as Harrison reached up and took Honoria from Sadie. He turned and handed her to Constance who took the baby with delight. “
Hellooooo” she cooed. Honoria took one look at her and passed wind. “Oh, well if you’re going to be that way about it, I shan’t hold you any longer.”

“Oh, you might as well get used to it,” Sadie told her as her feet touched the ground. “They all do that.” She watched as Harrison went to join Ryder, then leaned toward Constance and spoke in a low voice. “In fact, I think we’re going to have another addition to the family soon.”

Constance raised her brow at the disclosure. “Who?”

“Belle!” Sadie whispered in delight. “But for Heaven’s sake! Don’t say anything to the men! Especially Harrison!”

“But he’s not the father. Colin …”

“I know, but Harrison gets all out of sorts when it comes to babies. He was horrible with me!  I can’t imagine but he’ll drive Colin crazy with horror stories and how to do this, and how to do that. Belle is waiting to make sure before she tells Colin.”

“How wonderful!” Constance said as Honoria let go a belch to rival any man’s. “Oh, perhaps you’d like her back?”

Sadie shook her head. “Like I said, you might as well get used to it.”

“I could better get used to the idea of motherhood if the process would only start.”

Sadie gave her a quizzical look. “What do you mean?”

Constance pressed her lips together and shook her head.

“You mean the two of you haven’t … are you serious? What’s going on? I know it’s only been a couple of days but …”

“He’s worried I’ll be with child right away, and doesn’t want to have a baby in …” she indicated the cabin with a toss of her head. “… that.”

“OH!” Sadie excla
imed. Her mouth dropped open and she put a hand to her stomach as if suddenly sick.

“Wait until you see the
inside,” Constance commented dryly.

“Oh, Constance!” Sadie breathed. “If I had known he was so ill prepared, I never would have allowed …”

“It’s not your fault, it’s mine, and his I suppose. We both wanted to get married and didn’t think enough about the details of living.”

“No, this is not your fault. It’s mine, and Ryder’s. I’m terribly sorry for this. No wonder he … well never
mind. Let’s go inside.”

Constance sighed, adjusted Honoria on her hip, and led Sadie into her humble abode, complete with
a finger-licking Cutty who was finishing up his flapjacks.

“Oh my goodness!” Sadie said as she saw him. “I wasn’
t expecting anyone else to be here. Hello.”

He turned but an inch or two in her direction, grunted a greeting,
then bent his head to the table.

“
Cutty, this is Sadie Cooke, Harrison’s wife,” Constance announced. “She came to pay me a visit, isn’t that nice?”

“Uh-huh,” he mumbled. He reached for his hat and pulled it onto his head, almost as if he didn’t want Sadie to see him. Why be embarrassed about his appearance now? He did
n’t when he was around herself or Ryder. Not even when he was in town.  Maybe, Constance thought, she was rubbing off on him.

Cutty got up from the table and hurried past them. He looked at Constance who stood just behind Sadie. “I’m gonna go help Ryder,” he said, his voice gruff.

“Fine,” she remarked as she stared after him. He shut the door and was gone. “My,
but he’s grumpy all of a sudden. I wonder what could be wrong?”

“He’s an odd one. I heard August telling Harrison about him last week. He’s put-offish anyway isn’t he?”

“Actually, he’s been friendly, though I’ll have to agree he is a little odd.”

Sadie
nodded her agreement as she glanced around the room. “Oh my …”

“Indeed,” Constance sighed. “But Ryde
r told me just this morning he plans to build me a proper house. I believe when it’s done, he’ll feel more comfortable about starting a family.”

There was a sadness in her voice, and Sadie caught it. “I know it sounds bad, your husband waiting to build a house before you have children, but he’s trying to be practical.  He wants to provide for you and your children properly, and you can’t fault him for that.”

“I know, it’s just that it makes me feel a though I’m not capable of taking care of a child in what’s afforded us now.  A part of me feels like he doesn’t trust me.”

“I think he’s just afraid, that’s all. Men are like that when it comes to taking care of their families.  They want the best for them, and if it means waiting a little longer to make sure that happens, then they’re willing to do it.”

“I’m being silly then.”

Sadie laughed. “No, you’re being a woman who married a man she’s only just met.  Every mail order bride probably feels the uncertainty you’re feeling right now. I’m sure Penelope felt the same way to some extent. As you and your sisters are from England, all the more so.”

Constance held Honoria close and kissed the top of her head. “I do
so want children, but if Ryder wants to wait until he’s sure he can afford to build us another house, then I guess I can wait too.”

Sadie smiled in answer, then put her hands on her hips and studied the room.  “I can sew you some curtains if you like.”

“I would love it.”

“And a table cloth would be in order as well …” she began to
walk around and look at everything. “Lace doilies, a proper clothesline outside, a new quilt for  …” she stopped and stared at the cot. “… better make that a new bed.”

Co
nstance laughed. “We’ll get along until the new house is built.”

“Yes, we can help you fix the place up and you’ll be nice and cozy until that time comes.  And who knows? Maybe you and Ryder will be right behind Belle and Colin
when it comes to starting a family.”

“Or Penelope and August.” Constance sat at the table. “I think it would be wonderful for all of us to be together
during Christmas and birthdays, our babies growing up together…”

“And the annual Clear Creek picnic,” Sadie added.

“Picnic?”

“Yes, we started it several years ago, just before Colin and Belle got married, the summer of 58.  Lot’s of
things changed that year. The Mulligan’s lost their saloon, Belle met Colin, Mr. and Mrs. Dunnigan’s mercantile burned down, Duncan found out he was a duke and had to get married to procure the title.
That
was a fiasco.”

“So I’ve heard.”

“You have?”

“Yes, from Duncan himself.”

“Of course, you were in England with him before we ever met you. Anyway, it’s a lovely picnic involving the whole town. You’ll love it.”

“I can’t wait.”

They were both silent for a time, each gazing around the cabin, imagining what it could be, when Ryder burst through the door. “Hey there, Sugar! Look what I got!” He held up a handful of cash, reached her in two strides, and kissed her on the cheek. “Gotta put this somewhere safe.” He went to the cot, reached underneath and began to feel around. “Dagnabbit, I know I put … ah ha! Here it is!” He pulled out a worn leather pouch, stuffed the money inside, and tossed it back under the bed. “You be sure to keep an eye on that. There’s enough money there to buy you a new stove. Somethin’ a lot bigger than this ol thing.” He kicked their stove for emphasis, kissed her again, and ran out the door.

“My, is he always this exuberant?” asked Sadie.

“Yes, he is.”

“No wonder you’d like a bigger house. I can’t imagine being in this cabin all winter with him. If it were Harri
son and me, I’d probably kill him.”

Constance gave her a weak smile. “Trust me, even though I’ve only been married a few days, I’ve already imagined that very same circumstance.”

They looked at each other, grimaced, then burst into giggles.

* * *

Constance breathed a si
gh of relief when they went to the wagon to retrieve the rest of her belongings.  Sadie had brought her small trunk, and inside were two day dresses, suitable for work on the ranch, and her Sunday dress.  Her hairbrush, comb, and small hand mirror were also there, along with a bracelet her mother had given to each of them before Constance and her sisters left England. “I never thought I’d miss something so quickly,” she remarked as she held up the hairbrush.

“You don’t miss them until you don’t have them. Trust me I know.  I had a lot when I was living under my father’s roof.”

“Don’t think me impertinent, but you have a lot now,” Constance replied.

“Yes, because of my father. I admire Ryder and yourself starting out like this, everything new and fresh, working together to make something out of nothing.” Constance could only stare. Was she joking?  This was going to be hard work!  But apparently she wasn’t, as Sadie continued. “Harrison and his brothers, we had it all handed to us by my father as a wedding gift. He built the ranch house and gave us a thousand head of prime stock to get us going. It might not seem like much …”

“Not seem like much? The Triple C is beautiful!”

“Let me say it another way. It’s different when you build it yourself. You  … own it then. I still feel as if my father owns it.”

“Oh, I see,” said Constance. She looked at the cabin, the barn, the rolling prairie. This was now her land, her home, her world.  She and Ryder could paint whatever sort of picture they wanted here for their lives. Sadie, Harrison and the rest of the Cookes had it painted for them.  So did Duncan and Cozette for that matter.  When she thought on it, she and her sisters had much more to work with. It was a though Sadie was telling her they were cattle ranchers whether they had wanted to be or not.  As she recalled, Harrison and his brothers were nothing more than poor pig farmers before Sadie came along and everything changed.

“I have a lot
then …” Constance thought aloud.

“You have more than you know. The best part being, that man over
by the corral.”

Constance gazed at Ryder as he conversed with Harrison.  Both men talked with their hands, so the conversation was quite animated. At one point Ryder looked at her, winked, then went back to whatever he was telling Sadie’s husband.  Her stomach flipped at the small gesture, and she blushed despite herself.

“He’s a handsome one, that Ryder. Good thing there are no other single women in town,” Sadie commented.

Constance smiled as she gazed upon her husband with admiration. “He is not unpleasant to look upon.”

Sadie slapped her on the arm. “Stop that, you know he’s wonderful.”

“Yes,” she managed as she blushed again, this time a deep red.

“Don’t worry, you’ll be having babies in no time.”

Constance
held Honoria a little tighter and rested her cheek on the baby’s head. She’d not put her down since Sadie’s arrival. She closed her eyes and inhaled the child’s scent. “I’m sure we will.”

“But first,” Sadie said with a giggle. “You’ll have to get a new bed.”

Constance laughed at that, not embarrassed in the least. Of course they would need a new bed. The two of them barely fit on Ryder’s silly cot. Speaking of which …

“You ladies done visitin’”? I do believe Harrison is ready to leave,” Ryder said as he sauntered over from the corral.

“So soon?” Constance asked, her voice heavy with disappointment.

“Afraid so, darlin’. But you can visit the next time we go to town.”

“Of course, the ladies sewing circle. I have to help with Eloise’s dress.”

Sadie’s face screwed up. “We
all
have to help with Eloise’s dress. Of the two of you, I’d say you’re the better seamstress.”