Prairie Cowboy

Conor put up mental barriers at Gabe’s reminder of what he missed. “I suppose you count yourself an expert? Don’t see you inviting young Diana to join you.” Gabe had left his intended back in Philadelphia when he came West promising to send for her when he was settled. That was two years ago.

“Figure it’s about time. Soon as I get the barn up and the harvest in.”

Conor scoffed. “Heard that last year.”

“My barn’s still not up.”

“We’ll do that this fall.” He figured mentioning that fact would give Gabe something to think about. Seems he came up with more excuses than necessary for not sending for Diana. Conor kind of figured Gabe wasn’t quite ready to commit to marriage. He guessed the delay wasn’t a bad idea and wanted to warn Gabe that Diana might have unreal expectations about what pioneering meant but didn’t want to turn the conversation back to the one topic he wished to avoid—the risk of expecting a woman to labor at his side. Gabe’s side, he corrected.

“So what was Virnie doing out here? Seems a long way from the schoolhouse.”

“Miss White—” he emphasized the proper title “—seems to think she should visit each of her students’ homes.”

He felt Gabe’s amused grin directed at him but ignored it and tromped toward the field where the last of the sheaves waited to be stoked. “Rae, you look after your chores.”

“Yes, Pa.” She dropped back, disappointed at missing out on the conversation.

Gabe waved to her. “See you later, little gal.” He closed the distance between himself and Conor. “So how many other homes has Virnie visited, do you suppose?”

“I’d guess none.”

“Mighty interesting that she chooses this place first.”

Conor stopped and faced his friend. “I know what you’re doing. But I am not interested in Miss White. You saw her. Does she look the type to embrace frontier life?”

Gabe shrugged. “She came of her own free will, one would assume.”

“And I expect she will leave of her own free will before Christmas.”

“Conor, not every woman is like Irene. Some are even stronger than their men. Why, you only have to look down the road to the Faulks. It’s the old lady who does most of the work while the mister supervises and her son wanders about looking for who knows what. Sure, he says he has a farm somewhere but I have my doubts.”

His example supported Conor’s argument. “When was the last time you had a good look at Mrs. Faulk? She’s built like a small ox. Nothing pretty or soft about her.”

Gabe laughed loudly. “I bet all that padding’s plenty soft.”

“You know what I mean.”

Gabe stopped and faced him, forcing Conor to stop, too, or reveal his dislike of this conversation by ducking around him. He chose to face the man squarely.

“I know what you mean better than you do.” Gabe seemed intent on speaking his mind.

“Humph.”

“Yup, you’re scared you might get hurt again. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. Not all women are like Irene.”

Conor refrained from voicing a warning that Gabe might soon enough discover for himself the true facts of the situation. “Look, are we going to stand around jawing all day or get this crop harvested? Could be you’re delaying so you don’t have to send for Diana.”

“I guess I’ll have to prove you wrong.” He bent his back and worked like this was the last day available.

The next two days Rae teased Gabe into giving her a ride to school and picking her up afterward. It interrupted their workday and made Conor uneasy. Sure, Rae liked Gabe’s attention but was this something else? He began to suspect Miss White had said or done something to make Rae think she must be escorted to school. On the third morning, he decided to test his theory.

“Rae, Gabe’s too busy to take you to school. You’ll have to walk. Same after school.”

“Okay, Pa.” She skipped off down the road.

Conor stared after her. There went that suspicion and with it the argument he’d used to deflect the memory of Miss White standing in this very room.

Gabe, as always honing in on his secret thoughts, punched him on the shoulder. “If you didn’t want me seeing Virnie every morning you only had to say so or take Rae yourself.”

Conor grabbed his hat. “Come on, let’s get to work.”

Several days later they worked on the last of Conor’s crop. He enjoyed the hard work. It kept him from thinking too deeply about anything but the grain, the cows and his plans for the fall. Like Virnie White. It seemed everything he said or did made him think of her.

“I warned Diana how cold Dakota winters can be and she says she will bring lots of warm clothes and make some extra warm quilts.”

If Gabe brought Diana out right after harvest, the two of them would share the cold winter months. Conor straightened and let his gaze rest on the house across the field. His house. His lonely house. When he’d moved West he had envisioned a home full of warmth and welcome. A flash of Virnie’s pretty smiling face flitted across his mind. He blinked and dismissed it. He wasn’t lonely enough for the kind of pain brought by sharing his life with a pretty woman.

Gabe watched him. “Virnie seems like a fine woman. I saw how she handles the kids. A fine woman, indeed. Perhaps you should get to know her better.”

Conor didn’t answer but he tossed bundles to Gabe fast enough to make him pant.

That night they scrounged a meal by opening several cans. They gave three plates a quick wipe and found a place to set them by pushing things off the table.

Conor saw the knowing look in Gabe’s eyes and silently dared him to mention the state of the house and suggest it needed the touch of a woman. “Now my crop is done I’ll make arrangements for Rae then we’ll go to your place.”

After they’d finished their simple meal, he rode over to the Joneses’ where he normally left Rae if he planned to be gone overnight. They lived close enough Rae could run back and forth to look after the cows and the chickens. But Mrs. Jones was down with something and said she couldn’t manage.

He returned home with the awkward news. “Can’t take her with us. She needs to tend to the chores.”

Rae edged forward. “You could get someone to stay here.”

Something about the look on her face warned Conor her suggestion wouldn’t be to his liking. “Maybe. But most everyone has chores at home.”

“I know someone who doesn’t have chores. Miss White.”

“No.” The word exploded from him.

Gabe chuckled. “You sound mighty scared and you won’t even be here.”

Conor did not want to picture her in his house, touching his belongings, filling his kettle, sweeping his floor. “No.”

Gabe laughed hard. “Man, what’s gotten into you? You’re jumpy as a spring colt. Virnie must really have gotten under your collar.”

“You can’t begin to understand. And her name is Miss White.”

“Ain’t what she told me.”

Conor knew an incredible urge to physically remove that teasing grin from Gabe’s face.