To Honor and Cherish (5 page)

Chapter
Eight

Meg went to her room to freshen up and to ask Jax if he wanted to come out to see her father. While she finished washing her face and pinching her cheeks, her father had gone in to Jax and offered him a shoulder to walk around on. Meg finished her task and followed her father and Jax’s slow pace to the sitting room across the house. They sat down to talk business.

“Meg,” her mother said as sweet as honey, “so nice of you to see us in and glad you could join us for conversation about
your
ranch.” She shifted her weight and flattened her skirts with an air of being too important to even be seen in that room.

“Thank you, Mother.” Meg bit the inside of her lip to keep from saying what she wanted to. “I was just taking care of a few things when you drove up. I wanted to finish them quickly so I could enjoy your company.” A fake smile appeared on her face, almost a grimace. “Father, you are here early. I thought you were going to wait a few more days? Pete is only just putting the stove in today.”

“We needed to get out of the house for a trip.” Gus changed the subject. “Jax, it’s good to see you sitting up. Meg must be taking very good care of you. I told you she would.”

“Oh, did you teach her that too, dear? To take care of men outside of marriage? Seems like something you would do.” Charlotte snipped and turned her face away, Meg reddened at the insult.

Gus didn’t take the bait. “Have you been able to see much of the ranch yet, what do you think?”

“Sir, I did a little riding around the perimeter of a few of the pastures before going in to town to find the men Meghan requested.” He smiled at her and nodded her direction when he said her name. “I was a little too preoccupied finding good help and some old trouble found me first. I never did thank you for helping me. I am much obliged, sir.”

Ah, you don’t have to call me sir unless Meg decides she doesn’t want this place anymore. Then I would be your boss and you’d have to address me properly, but until then, call me Gus.”

“All right, Gus. I do hope Meghan gives it a shot. She seems to have a good head on her shoulders. I look forward to hearing her plans for the ranch. I see they are starting on the barn today, which is good news.”

“Yes, yes. If you were feeling better we could all go out and look at it.”

Meg turned pallid. She saw Jax look at her with concern and she shook her head so no one else could see. He kept the conversation going and Meg breathed a sigh of relief. She wasn’t sure when he’d learned how to read her, but she was so glad he had. She wasn’t ready to have the conversation about the change forthcoming at the ranch. The barn, or stable as it were, would give it away.

Jax told Gus about the men he’d hired and when they were coming out. Meg paid extra attention, because she wanted to hear about them, too.

“I left my gun at the boarding house and I don’t see getting it back. I don’t have the funds right now to get another.”

“Son, you can’t be out here without one. Chase wouldn’t let Meg carry one like I did and like I asked him to. He didn’t let her ride the ranch like I did, preferring she stay up by the house. I think going back to the old way is better and safer for everyone, and it allows Meg her freedom back.”

Jax smiled at Meg more with his eyes, only moving his mouth subtly. She felt as if it were for her alone. Taking his 6 shooter out of his belt, Gus turned the beautiful ivory-covered handle toward Jax and handed it to him. It was handsome, with nickel plating and engraving. An expensive and extravagant piece.

“Will this work?” Gus asked, with a smile. “I have a pair and I can only use one at a time.”

“Are you sure? I’ll never be able to pay you back if something happens to it.”

He shrugged one shoulder. “Then don’t let anything happen to it. Keep yourself, my daughter, and my ranch safe.”

“Meghan, in a day or two, you should show me the full perimeter. I’d like to know the scope of the land,” Jax asked, bringing her back into the conversation. She would rather sit and listen to Jax. Opening her mouth to give her opinion, Charlotte interrupted.

“Why do you keep calling her that? No one calls her Meghan. She’s just plain Meg. My mother was Meghan and she’ll never be half the lady my mother was.” Charlotte’s face was red and Meg wanted to defend Jax, but again her father beat her to it.

“Charlotte, sit down and shut your mouth. What do you care what he calls Meg?” Gus growled. Charlotte shrank back into her seat, but Meg knew that defiant look on her face. Her father would pay for his gruffness, most likely through his wallet.

They continued to talk about various other things until Charlotte looked so bored she got up, right in the middle of the conversation, and left. Meg was always amazed at how she could call out rude behavior in everyone else, but her own seemed to escape her notice.

“I have a headache. I’m going to lie down.” She marched regally from the room, as if she expected people to fawn over her.

Rose called from the kitchen loud enough for the group to hear and enough to annoy Charlotte if she truly had a headache, “I’ll go bring her some tea so you can finish your conversation.”

“Thank you, Rose.” Meg smiled at Rose’s comment, but continued to look at Jax.

“I’m pretty tired. I was just starting a nap when Gus came in. I think I’ll use this break to head back to my room and leave you to your family, boss-lady.” The personal comment made her father’s presence disappear.

“Are you sure you have to go?” Meg got up to help him, wishing all the while that he could stay, as selfish as it was, so she could listen to him speak further about her ranch. She could almost picture him as the head of the entire operation. He did look pale all of a sudden, though. Wanting him to avoid falling, she offered her shoulder to help him. His recovery time would be long enough without making it worse.

“I’m worn out.” He attempted to stand and made it half way up before he fell back into his seat. He sucked in his breath at the pain in his ribcage.

“Let me help you, Jax.” Gus gave his daughter a look that told her to get out of the way. Meg obliged out of respect and wondered what her father thought of Jax and the whole situation.

~~~

Gus came out of Jax’s room and he sat at the kitchen table with Meg and Lizzy. No one seemed willing to talk about anything. It made no sense to continue talking about the ranch without Jax. Both Meg and Gus knew Lizzy would share every word with her mother and they were loath to disclose anything.

“I think I’m going to move out here next week,” Lizzy said, to no one in particular.

Meg dropped her fork, Gus spilled his coffee, and Rose snorted. It was such an unladylike noise it made her and everyone else laugh.

“I beg your pardon. What did you just say?” Gus splotched his spilled coffee with a towel.

“Since it’s almost certain I’ll be the one to get the ranch. I want to learn how it works. I’ve just as much right to be here as Meg. Especially now that the dirt farmer’s under his first love.” She giggled and the room seemed to shrink in around Meg.

Her eyes flashed in anger. Lizzy had a point about the ranch, but oh, how she hated the idea of having her here. She bit her tongue to keep from saying something hurtful back. So much for peace and quiet and mourning the way she needed to. Now, one of the most judgmental and conniving women from town would be living right under the same roof. This week just kept getting better.

“Wonderful, I’m so glad you’ve finally taken an interest.” Gus smiled, looking excited for the first time that day. Ignoring the sisterly jab. “You were scheduled to leave for England with your mother next week, are you sure you want miss that?”

“Europe will still be there after I own the ranch. I’ll need a few days to say goodbye to my friends. They’ll miss me while I’m out here. I should be ready in a week, or less.” She smiled.

Meg attempted a shot across the bow, “Don’t you have a suitor in town who’ll be sad if you come all the way out here? This could be the year you find someone in Europe, you’ll just never know if you don’t go.”

Lizzy put on her most snide look and replied, “I have quite a few suitors and every one of them would drive all the way out here to see me. I’m worth the drive. And as to Europe, you wouldn’t know. You’ve never gotten to go.” She sniffed and notched her nose into the air.

“I guess that settles it. I’ll bring Lizzy out in a week. Be sure to have her room ready, Meg.” He looked like the cat that got the mouse. Wonderful for him, more work for her.

~~~

Rose asked to bring Jax his lunch but Meg insisted she go home to Pete. She would manage just fine. Jax walked short distances on his own already. He merely had to stay close to his bed. He had mended quicker than Meg expected.

She put together his meal and placed it on a tray for him. He could feed himself now, but she stayed to talk to him because she assumed it must be lonely sitting there most of the day. Maybe she was needing company herself. His voice soothed her and she needed to sit and listen to him. She placed the tray over his lap, unable to hold back the smile that crept across her lips. She went over to the wall and leaned against it, wrapping her arms around herself because she wasn’t quite sure what to do with her hands.

“What did you think of my family?” She looked at her boots and rubbed the floor with the tip of one. Nervous about his thoughts on Lizzy and her mother.

“I think your father’s a great man and he must’ve been a good model to grow up with.” He inspected the food in front of him.

“Yes, he is that. But what did you think of the rest of my family?” She glanced at him, back at the floor, then across the room.

“That question’s as loaded as the gun in your room, and you know it, boss-lady.” He chuckled lifting half of his mouth.

“Lizzy is moving out here next week.” She threw the comment out into the room.

“What?” His head flew up.

“That’s what I said. I guess she wants to learn about running a ranch, which means she’ll be pestering you constantly. At least until I send you on your trip to Texas.”

“We’ll come back to the trip south in a minute. What do you mean she’ll pester me?”

Meg turned red to her roots. She couldn’t answer this question without saying a few things you didn’t tell a man, or, to be more accurate, she didn’t want to admit she’d noticed about this particular man.

Meg sucked in her breath, preparing for the worst. “She won’t ask me to help her learn because the point of this charade isn’t to learn the ranch, although she loves the income it makes. The point is to find a husband. I suspect she’s deemed you worthy of being her husband.”

Jax laughed so hard he wheezed and groaned. Meg grimaced. “Husband? She doesn’t even know me!”

“That isn’t the point. She knows I’m not allowed to have a relationship with any man during the next one year plus one day according to some rules of mourning that are taught to all good little girls. It isn’t about caring for or even knowing the man she catches. It’s about catching the only man I have a legitimate reason to see on a daily basis. One who she might reasonably see as potential for me—.” She held her breath, no stopping this now. “—and stealing him away.” Meg blushed so red she looked ill.

“So, I have potential, huh?” He winked at her.

“Oh, you know what I mean.” She shifted her position and wrapped her arms around her waist tighter than before.

“Well, there is the matter of you traipsing around in your bed clothes.” Jax must have realized, perhaps a bit belatedly, the dangerous water he’d entered into. He coughed and looked at his feet. “Thank you for the warning about your sister. I’ll keep in mind that I’m not a catch, but only a means to get what she wants.” He grinned at her. “But, I also promise to remember that I have potential.” Before she could interrupt him, he continued, “So, tell me a bit about this drive to Texas.” His brows raised, effectively changing the subject on her.

Meg looked at him and pursed her lips. She’d wanted to retort but he’d changed the subject, cutting her off. Instead, she glowered at him. “I need you to drive the cattle about 400 miles due south to the Texas stockyards. We’ll get the best price for the cattle there.”

“I disagree. When was the last time you even heard of someone doing a drive?”

Her hackles rose, “My father used to drive the cattle every year.”

“Exactly, used to. When was the last time you remember him doing it?”

Now that was a good question. It hadn’t occurred to her when he’d done it last. She wanted all those cattle gone so quickly, a drive had been her sole concern. “I guess, about fifteen years ago…”

“Exactly. Cattlemen don’t do drives anymore, and I don’t remember them ever driving them south. You take them to the nearest large railway, in our case Wichita, Abilene, or Dodge City. They have stock yards right there to sell your cattle for a decent price and they ship them out from there.”

“Ship them where?” She wouldn’t have the railway stealing her profit. To start over, she needed the best price. Her plan wouldn’t make money for the first few years.

“All over, but a lot go west, to California and no, boss-lady, I’m not driving the herd all the way to California across the mountains. Don’t ask me. I’ll pack my things now.”