West Winds of Wyoming (25 page)

Hannah let go a hearty laugh as if that were the funniest thing she’d ever heard. “I can just picture that in my mind. I’m sure you’re killing him with kindness and he doesn’t know how to respond.”

“Well, I don’t know about that.”

Hannah’s eyes hooded. “I hope you don’t mind that I got you into this mess in the first place, with the school council, I mean. I feel totally responsible.”

“You didn’t know
this
would happen, Hannah. And I’m grateful for all the doors the school council position has opened up for me. Most of all, I’m appreciative the children are getting a dose of how to be civically minded. And see that hard work and perseverance do pay off. Elbow grease and determination go a long way—even without much money to back it.”

“Amen to that, Brenna. You’ve done a fine job raising your family alone.”

“Well, I do try. Hannah, I have a favor to ask of you.”

“Anything.”

She hurried to her desk and opened the top drawer, withdrawing a folded piece of paper. “On your way to the restaurant this morning, can you stop into the mercantile and give this to Maude for me, please? She’ll know what to do. It’s really important so please don’t forget.”

Hannah looked at the note curiously. “I’d be happy to.”

There was a long pause, and Brenna knew she’d have to tell Hannah about her oversight or else hurt her feelings. “When I first tried to place the order for the math books, the publisher replied that they were out of stock and to contact them in a couple of months. But I completely forgot until the day of the picnic. Mr. Hutton doesn’t know. And I don’t really want him to. I don’t want him to know how stupid I can be.”

“Brenna. Stop that. We all make mistakes.”

“I hope Maude will consider sending a telegram and asking the publisher to send the books as quickly as possible. Perhaps, since Mr. Hutton is sick, the books will arrive before he recovers and returns to class.” She smiled just thinking about it. “Then he’ll never even know.”

Hannah took the note and tucked it away in the deep pocket of her skirt. “Don’t worry about a thing. I’ll take care of it.”

The door opened again and Jessie Logan came in holding Shane with one arm and Sarah’s hand in the other. Both Brenna and Hannah hurried over to greet them.

“Good morning, Sarah.” This was the child’s first day of school and Brenna knew she had been anticipating it for a whole year. “Good morning, Shane,” she added, and patted the tot on the head. “Sarah, are you excited?”

Sarah’s little head nodded up and down enthusiastically, making her pigtails wobble. “Yes, ma’am.”

Brenna gave Jessie a quick wink before addressing Sarah again. “Well, I just have to say you’re as pretty as a little primrose in your purple dress.”

“I got to wear it since we came in the buggy,” Sarah chirped, and she twirled around to show off the dress. “But most days I’ll ride Cricket, my mommy’s horse. Then I’ll have to wear my old split skirt.”

All three ladies laughed.

Shane strained to get out of Jessie’s arms, but she held him fast. His gaze darted here and there, taking in the schoolroom. “I wan down, Ma,” he cried.

Sarah’s faced squished up. “No, Shane. Babies can’t come to school. You’ll wreck everything.”

“Sh now, sweetie.” Jessie cupped Sarah’s cheek. “He doesn’t understand why he can’t stay with you and the children.” She bounced him a few times. “Shane, remember we’re going to bake cookies when we get home.”

At that, his bottom lip pulled in and he managed a smile. “Cookies.”

Jessie rubbed the top of his head but winked at Brenna. “I just heard the news about Mr. Hutton last night, Brenna. How’s he feeling?”

“Still running a fever and is tomato red from all his spots when he’s not covered with calamine lotion. Dr. Thorn said from the timing of the outbreak, he must have come in contact with the disease in his travels before reaching Logan Meadows.”

Hannah tipped her head. “Maybe on the train.”

Concern flitted across Jessie’s face. “Are you sure you’ll be able to handle the children?” She bounced Shane harder. “I’d stay and help but with this little cowboy around, not much learning would get done.”

“Of course I’ll be fine,” Brenna assured her. “Don’t forget I have Penny and even Jane. They’ll be a big help.”

Relief passed over Jessie’s face, and she nodded. “Of course. With those two you won’t have any trouble at all.”

Even without the ringing of the bell, children started to file into the room between bursts of laughter and bits of conversation. Shane stretched up in Jessie’s arms to get a good view. Eager students set their lunch pails along the wall underneath the coat rack and milled about.

“Your names are on your desks,” Brenna called to them.

“I’d stay and help if I didn’t have to go to the restaurant today,” Hannah said, looking guilty. “Monday is usually my day off, but Mother woke up with a headache and needs to stay home. She’s watching Markus, so I’m taking her place.”

Sarah gave a little squeal of excitement when she spotted Maddie sitting, hands folded, on the desk adjacent to the teacher’s. Quiet and compliant as usual, the sweet child hadn’t drawn anyone’s attention until now. “Look, Mommy. Maddie’s here. Just like we prayed.”

At the mention of her name, Maddie turned to the group and smiled.

Brenna reached out and caressed the top of Sarah’s head. “She sure is, Sarah. At least for now, because I don’t have any place to leave her.”
And I have no idea what Mr. Hutton will say when he finds out I disobeyed his wishes.

“It’s time,” Hannah announced. “I need to be going. Should I ring the bell on my way out the door?”

The room was filling up right before Brenna’s eyes. Penny came in, followed by Jane, Prichard, and several other children. Stevie was nowhere to be seen. Ringing the bell wasn’t going to be necessary, but it was a town tradition that on the first day of school, when the first bell of the school term was rung, everyone who heard the pealing came outside and clapped.

Jessie shook her head and started for the door. “The teacher should be the one to ring the bell, Hannah,” she said, and she gestured for Brenna to come along outside. “I’m so proud of you, Brenna. What an accomplishment.”

“You’re right, Jessie,” Hannah said, nodding approvingly. “I couldn’t agree more.”

The three women walked to the door and then out onto the porch stoop. As Brenna reached for the rope hanging down from the bell tower, Shane lurched up in Jessie’s arms and grasped the thickness in his hands, pulling down with gusto.

The bell rang out loudly, announcing the term had begun for another year. The sound of cheering and clapping from Main Street made the women laugh. Brenna couldn’t resist Shane’s proud expression and leaned over and kissed him on the cheek. “Thank you, Shane Logan. You’re a handful for your mama already. I can’t wait to see you in a few years.”

“And that’s an understatement,” Jessie said, shifting Shane to her other hip. “I’ll see you when school lets out.”

Brenna took a deep breath, turned, and walked to the front of the class. Her heart tripped seeing all the faces waiting patiently for her to say something. Anything. Brenna reached deep inside, remembering the tiny, tattered memory of her mother. “There’s not a single thing in this world you can’t accomplish, sweetness, with hard work, fortitude, and love. Just set your mind to it and march ahead. Never let anyone rob you of your dreams.”

Brenna swallowed nervously and rubbed her moist palms together. “Good morning, class. I want to welcome you to another school year.”

CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT

C
harlie hauled down on the wrench until the bolt he was tightening wouldn’t go any farther. He looked up through the crisscrossed boards of the windmill, through the slowly turning metal blades, to the sky, dotted with clouds and a V-formation of geese flying south. The sight brought a smile to his face. He’d been tinkering on the wind-power device for a good hour, musing the time away thinking about Maddie, Brenna, and, of course, Nell and the mess he’d made of the situation last night.

He’d already cleared the leaves from the crystal-clear water in the holding tank. The land in the aftermath of the storm was fresh. The scent invigorating. Moist earth gave easily beneath his boots, but the patch of grass under the windmill kept the ground from being muddy. The cool breeze felt good and he took a long draw, filling his lungs. He picked up the can of grease and took hold of the boards, climbing up. He set the small container in the crook of two boards.

This was hardy land, good land, land that could heal anything that ailed you, even a broken heart. Especially a broken heart. He thought of dancing with Nell and at the same time he thought of Annie. What would she expect of him? What did he expect of himself? Things had gotten muddled in his mind and the reason didn’t have anything to do with the bottle of wine they’d consumed. His thoughts came back around to Nell, and who might have been on that ridge. He had his suspicions but couldn’t be sure. That rider could’ve been anyone.

Too many unknowns to know anything. Last night when he’d heard the noise in the kitchen, he’d been sure Galante, or one of his men, had found him. Truth be told, he’d been sick with worry for Nell. The advice the Wilsonville sheriff had given him popped into his mind.
“If I were you, son, I wouldn’t wait around for Galante to make good on his promise. He’s mean and he’s driven. I know you have every right to stay in Wilsonville, but for your little girl’s sake, maybe you should clear out.”

Although the sound turned out to be made by a raccoon, the incident reminded him to get to town and deposit his money in the bank, where his life savings couldn’t be stolen. Everything he’d worked for was in those saddlebags. The means to get Maddie settled and hire a tutor. A saddlebag under his cot was not secure.

Just as Charlie reached up to tighten the last bolt within his reach, Nell came out the kitchen door.

If he hadn’t known she’d been in a world of hurt just hours before, he’d never be able to tell as she crossed the yard toward the barn. Her face was alight in thought. Her hair was pulled behind in a ponytail and her hat hung down her back. The skirt she’d worn last night was replaced with her usual denims and leather chaps, and a leather vest he’d never seen before hugged her upper body in a fascinating way. A lead rope, gathered in neat loops, hung over one shoulder. The memory of her standing in his arms distracted him and his hand slipped, causing his knuckles to grate across a metal joint painfully.

He bit back a curse, then pressed the tops of his fingers against his pants. Angrily, he shoved the agitating memories of Nell out of his mind. If he daydreamed about a woman, it should be Brenna, not Nell.

Nell was just about to pass by the windmill when he called out to her.

She stopped abruptly. Searched around. When she found him perched in the legs of the windmill, she smiled brightly. “Morning,” she called up.

He was in more trouble than he realized.

Looking up through the blades again, he gauged the sun’s straight-up position in the sky. It must be about noon. “I’d say you just made it.” He returned her smile, tired of all the pondering he’d been doing on his problems. All he wanted now was a nice, uncomplicated day.

“What the heck are you doing up there?” She placed a hand on her hip.

“What do you think? Ranching chores.”

She laughed and the sound made his breath catch. “You sure? Looks like you’re hiding from somebody.”

“Not the last time I checked. How’re you feeling?”

She shrugged. “Better. Now it’s time to get moving on those sassy-pants colts.” She gazed at the one he’d roped earlier and moved to the round pen. “You want to start with Cochise?” Her brows rose. “He’s one of the greenest of the bunch. Why him?”

The leggy chestnut gelding with the small, white star still wore the rope halter with its three-foot length of rope attached, which was meant to make catching him somewhat easy. The short tether was frayed and dirty. The horse had his head down, uneasily sniffing the dirt and manure scattered about.

“Because he’s the one my loop happened to land on. Didn’t think you’d mind.” He’d been aiming for a smaller, calm-looking colt, but this was what he’d gotten.

“I don’t mind at all, but I think you might.” She glanced around. “Seth ever come home?”

“He did. Around seven this morning. He got a bite to eat and now he’s ridden out to check the cattle.”

“Did he say where he’d spent the night? The Logans’? How’s his cough?”

Charlie laughed. “That’s a lot of questions, boss. You
must
be feeling better. I didn’t ask where he spent the night because men don’t do that—and he didn’t offer.” He gave her a long look. “Anything else you’d like to know?”

“Did you tell him what you told me about the horses?”

That’s why Nell was in such a good mood. She’d been thinking about the horses and how it could help the ranch if they were able to round them up and get them back. It was a good idea, though a difficult job to accomplish. “I did.”

“What did he say?”

“He’s interested. Wants to head out tomorrow or the next day.”