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  Tate rode with his men to move cattle to different grazing. One ornery calf got stuck in the mud and he and Duffy pulled him out. Actually Duffy pulled and Tate pushed.

  He’d never ask the men who worked for him to do anything he wouldn’t be willing to do. They knew it and he thought they respected him for his hard work. Danged if the calf didn’t decide to move on his own and land Tate face down in the mud.

  Duffy slapped the calf on the rear to send it off with the others and rushed over to help him stand. “Tate, your own horse wouldn’t let you ride him smelling like you do. You won’t get that mire off unless you head for the river.”

  He spit mud and swiped his hands down his face. “Danged animals, I swear I think the cows do this sort of thing on purpose. I’m heading to the water.”

  His boots squished as he stomped to the nearby Medina River. He’d probably swallowed some of whatever was in that mud and he was afraid he knew what it was. Mud smelled like cow patties. He spit several more times until he had a chance to rinse out his mouth.

  Never one to miss a chance, Jim yelled, “You’re sure getting a good tan. Might need to stay out of the sun for a while.”

  Grumbling under his breath, Tate threw his hat on the riverbank, waded into the river, and sat on a rock. He washed off all he could then decided he’d never get clean that way. He took off his boots and shook out the muddy water then tossed them onto the bank near his hat.

  After walking to a deeper part, he dived into the water. He dunked himself and swam to the shallow edge. When he climbed out, Hector stood holding Tate’s horse.

  Hector shook his head. “You’re still plenty muddy. Your pretty missus won’t believe this is what ranching is like.”

  “Aw, she grew up on a farm so reckon she’s seen dirt before. Leastwise she’ll learn to expect a hard working rancher to get plenty dirty.”

  He wondered if his wife really knew anything about working on a farm. He didn’t ask her what crops her father grew. Something was odd about Attie but he couldn’t put his finger on just what it was about her that bothered him. It would come to him.

  One thing was for a widow she didn’t seem to know much about coupling. But, that wasn’t what was haunting him at the back of his mind. Last night she shook like she thought he’d beat her. Once he’d calmed her, she acted relieved.

  Made him wonder a lot about the baby’s father. Man must have been rough on her. Since it was such a sore spot with her, he’d try to remember the kid’s name was Wade.

  He’d worked from Can-to-Can’t when they went back to the house. “Sure hope Dorcas has cooked up plenty. I’m so hungry I feel my belly button rubbing against my spine.”

  Grandpa rode alongside him. “You need to sweet talk Attie tonight. You were rude to her this morning.”

  “Me? I wasn’t rude. Hardly said a word to the woman.”

  Duffy was an old friend as well as an employee. “Tate, think about what you didn’t say. She tried to talk to you but you shut her off with a one-word answer every time.”

  “What is this, gang up on Tate day?” He kneed his horse and rode ahead of the others.

  She was a grown woman and she ought to be happy he hadn’t sent her back for surprising him with her kid. Wade. With the kid named Wade.

  Maybe he hadn’t been very attentive. He’d been wondering what it was about her that was bothering him. He could almost pull it up from the shadows.

  After they took care of the horses and went to the house, he left his boots at the door.

  Dorcas stepped in front of him, her arms folded across her ample bosom. “Stop right there, Tate Merritt. You’re tracking wet socks across the floor. You weren’t raised in a barn. Get those socks off.”

  Attie’s eyes grew wide. Like as not she was surprised the help talked like the boss to the boss. “I’ll get you dry socks and your spare boots.” She was off like her dress was on fire.

  She returned with socks and his best pair of boots. “Here you are. I know these are your best boots but I don’t know where any others are.” She scooted a chair for him to sit on while he changed footwear.

  “These are fine. Thank you. I had a little accident with a cow stuck in the mud.”

  Grandpa slapped his leg. “He fell face first in a bog of mud and sh-h… probably other things. Had to jump in the river to get halfway clean.”

  Dorcas looked him over. “Halfway is about right. After supper I’ll fix you a tub of hot water for a bath.”

  “I am not ten and if I want a bath I can fix my own darn tub of water. Are we gonna eat or talk about my shortcomings all evening?”

  Dorcas stood with hands on her hips. “That depends on how you act, Mister Merritt. I’m not your slave to be kowtowing.”

  She pointed at him. “You were out of sorts this morning at breakfast but you can get your manners back right now. You speak respectful or everyone but you gets supper.”

  He tugged at his earlobe. If everyone thought he was a grump, maybe he was. “I’m sorry, Dorcas. I apologize to you, too, Attie. Guess my head is on other things today.”

  Attie smiled such a sweet smile it made him feel lower than a skunk. He vowed to make a special effort to be nicer to her from now on. Getting smiles like this one would make it worthwhile.

  He stood and held her chair for her to be seated. She sat like a queen at court. Everyone else took their places except Dorcas. She carried a ham to the table.

  While Grandpa carved off slices, she added a pile of baked yams, more green beans, corn, pickled beets, bread and butter pickles, biscuits, butter, and sorghum syrup. After she poured everyone a cup of coffee, she took her place. She’d added a glass of milk at Attie’s place.

  After the blessing, which he figured they were going to have every meal now, Attie sent Dorcas one of those magic smiles. “Thank you for remembering milk for me, Dorcas. That was real thoughtful.”

  Dorcas acted like she’d never had a compliment before. He tried to think of when he’d last paid her one. He was certain he had… sometime… surely he had… he just couldn’t think of it right now.

  He took another biscuit. “Biscuits turned out light as always, Dorcas.”

  She blinked at him. “Thank you, Tate.”

  Every man at the table stared at him. He couldn’t figure what was wrong with them.

  “Grandpa, I’d like another slice of that ham if you don’t mind.”

  Jim still stared at him and nudged Hector.

  Dadburnit, he wasn’t saying another word during this meal. He didn’t appreciate being the sideshow for dinner entertainment.

  After dinner the hands sat talking for about half an hour then went to the bunkhouse. If he weren’t married, he’d probably go to bed. He figured suggesting that would start her shaking again.

  Grandpa stood. “Excuse me but I’m reading one of the books you got in New Braunfels and I’d like to see how it ends. I’ll read in bed until I fall asleep. Hope the book doesn’t hit me when I do.”

  Attie rose and kissed Grandpa’s cheek. “Goodnight, Grandpa. Sweet dreams.”

  He sent her a wide smile. “I’m sure to after a kiss from an angel like you.”

  Tate wanted to make a gagging noise at his grandfather but he figured he’d be pushing his luck. Instead, he touched Attie’s sleeve. “Would you like for me to bring the… Wade down to the parlor?”

  “That would be real nice, Tate. I’ll come with you to get him but I’ll appreciate you carrying the basket. Dorcas won’t let me help her with the dishes. I feel like I’m being lazy.”

  “I’ve known her since I was about five and she won’t let anyone mess with her kitchen.”

  She took the kid out of the bed. “You have to support his head like this until he’s older.”

  “That’s quite a bed you brought him in. Looks like half a peanut.” He lifted the basket, being careful not to bump anything as he walked.

  She laughed. “I thought the very same thing. It’s called a Moses basket. I guess some
one thought it looked like the one Moses might have been in among the rushes. Oh, except there’s no pitch on the bottom.”

  “If you wanted to, we could move that cradle to the parlor for the times you’re downstairs. He has the baby bed upstairs.”

  “That’s a good idea. I have yarn and would like to knit in the evenings. I’d enjoy us all four being together like a real family.”

  That sent him for a loop. “I-I guess we are a real family, aren’t we?”

  She appeared to mull it over for a few seconds. “If you’re over being mad at me for bringing a baby and plan to keep me we are.”

  Uh oh, he must be guilty as accused by Grandpa and Duffy. “I might have been surprised but I have nothing against you having a… Wade. Good he’s getting some use out of the nursery.”

  He set the cradle on the floor by the chair he figured she’d use. “Grandma always sat here when she did handwork in the evening. It’s cushioned and she said the light was good enough to sew or knit or crochet.”

  “That’s good to know. I want to knit a few things. I notice you need more socks for one thing.” She laid the kid in the cradle.

  In his mind he could still see his grandmother sitting there knitting. “Grandma used to give them to me at Christmas. She said they were hard to make. I wear some from the store in Westlich now.”

  She gestured turning a curve. “Getting the heel turned just right is important so the person wearing them doesn’t get blisters. I learned how from Ma before she died.”

  “I thought she died when you were small.”

  “Not small. Ma was sickly as long as I could remember. I think she was just worn out from dealing with Pa. I was ten and did a lot of things older children do. I cooked and helped around the farm and in the house.”

  “At ten? What crops did your father raise?”

  “Pa planted cotton. We had a small garden but he wouldn’t spare the land for a bigger one. All we raised in our garden was beans, onions, potatoes, and cabbage. He wasn’t a good farmer so we never made much more than the seed cost. At least if we did, Wade and I never saw any proof. Pa drank what little profit he made.”

  “How did you live? What did you eat?”

  “Mostly just what little we grew. Once in a while, we’d get a few dollars from Pa’s pocket while he was sleeping off a drunk. Then we could buy groceries like flour and cornmeal and occasionally a slab of bacon. He never knew we’d taken any. We were careful not to take all he had. When I was older, I’d do mending or something for others for a little money.”

  “Attie, I don’t mean to be disrespectful, but I don’t think I’d like your father.”

  She laughed. “No one does, Tate. He drinks with the same fellas every time but they just tolerate him. Maybe he buys them a drink once in a while.”

  “You said your brother is nice.”

  Her expression softened. “There’s no one nicer in Georgia. He’s kind and gentle and hard working. I wish he’d leave the farm but he feels responsible for Pa’s welfare. Truly, I don’t know how Pa would get by all alone.”

  “Maybe your father would find a wife.”

  She shook her head with a sad expression on her face. “I sure hope not. He is a mean, hateful man, Tate. I mean hateful as in filled with hate and bitterness. He wanted me to give Wade to an orphanage but I wouldn’t. My brother Wade and I had to watch Pa every minute or he would have killed little Wade.”

  He wasn’t sure he could believe her. Maybe she was just trying to get his sympathy. “I can’t understand how a man could kill a baby, especially his own grandson. He must be crazy.”

  “I suppose he is. He didn’t want a baby around crying and making noise and later getting into things. Mostly he said he didn’t want a baby taking up the time I was supposed to do chores. You can understand why I had to leave there.”

  “I do for a fact. But you said he gave you money same as your brother.”

  “Um… no… I said I had money from Pa and that my brother gave me all he had. There’s a big difference.”

  “Word games. What money did you have from your pa? You mean you stole it like you did for groceries when he was passed out?”

  Her blue eyes sparked with indignation. “No, I did not. I saved money from doing things for people. I told you I’d mend things but I also baked pies or anything like that to earn a few cents. My pies weren’t near as good as those Dorcas makes but people paid money for them. I kept money hidden in a tin box in the kitchen but Pa found it.”

  “Did he let you keep it?”

  “Only because I had a knife in my hand and threatened to stab him if he tried to get my money. We had a big argument and I’m not proud of the way I talked to him or acted. I was not respectful like the Bible says to honor your parent. It doesn’t say if they deserve it, so I figured it meant even rotten ones like Pa. That night Wade tried to reason with Pa but he was too mad. I must have scared him because Pa went off to town to drink with his friends and stayed out all night. That was the day before I left home.”

  She caressed the baby’s back. “My brother and I knew I had to get the baby away as soon as possible. Wade had helped a neighbor get his cotton in after ours was harvested. He’d hidden his money in a tin can in the garden. He dug it up and gave me all he had. I wouldn’t have taken it except to protect my baby.”

  “But you got to Atlanta with Wade and came to Texas.”

  Her smile returned. “Grandpa included enough money to get the basket and some other things I needed. He was real generous. Then, Mrs. McCormick and her maid Della bought some other things and snuck them in the trunk.”

  “The matchmaker? Why would she do that?”

  “That worried me but she said I reminded them of themselves years ago. Mrs. McCormick is a widow in a big, fancy house but she was poor once. So was her maid, although now Della is married to the chauffer, Harold. I don’t know their last name. They included a note in my trunk.”

  “I’ll be doggone. Never heard of a matchmaker acting like that. Did she do the same for your friend who married Reg?”

  “No, but Hannah had a lot more things. When I left, I could only take one carpetbag because I had to carry Wade. I had to bring enough diapers for him.”

  “Yes, I see. Do you want to ask your brother to send your things here?”

  Her eyes widened. “I don’t want Pa to know where I am. I’ve written a letter to my brother in care of a neighbor telling him all about you and Grandpa and the ranch and Hannah. It’s a long letter I’d like to mail it the first time we go to town. I also wrote Mrs. McCormick to thank her and let her know what a nice situation I found.”

  “Situation? That’s an odd way to phrase a marriage.”

  She laughed. “It’s an odd marriage, isn’t it?”

  He smiled at her. “I guess it is. You can mail your letters tomorrow. We usually go to town on Saturday to get supplies or just to get away from the ranch for a few hours. Tomorrow we have to go to Bandera because of the wheelwright there. A wheel on one of the hay wagons has to be repaired.”

  “I guess we’ll go in the other wagon?”

  “Grandpa and I plan to strap the wheel on the back of the buggy. On Sunday, we’ll go to Westlich for church. This week there’s a social after the service so you’ll have a chance to meet people.”

  “That’s nice. I have a new dress to wear, thanks to Grandpa’s generosity.”

  Chapter Ten

  Tate figured there was no better time to ask. “Are you good with your sums?”

  “I did real well in school and so did my brother. We each graduated first in our class.”

  She grinned and her blue eyes sparkled. “You have to keep in mind it was a small school and there were only eleven other people in my graduating class.”

  “Top out of twelve is still top. Would you be willing to help me with the record keeping for the ranch?”

  She looked pleased to be asked. “I’d be honored. You’d have to train me how you want things done. Wade ke
pt the records for the farm. He showed me how in case he was ever sick or… well, Pa used to beat him and we were never sure Pa wouldn’t kill one or both of us.”

  What a life she’d led, but lucky for him she was willing to take over this chore he hated. “I’ll be happy to show you. In fact, we can go to the office now and I can give you a tour. Monday, I’ll show you how in detail.”

  She glanced at Wade.

  Tate picked up the cradle with Wade still asleep. “I’ll bring the cradle. I’ll bet he won’t even wake up.”

  “Dorcas showed me how to make pulverized rice and oatmeal and milk cereal for him for supper. She thinks he’ll sleep through the night now that he’s eaten that.”

  He set the cradle down in the office and pulled up one of the chairs near it for her. Sleeping through the night was good news.

  She rewarded him with a real sweet smile. “I saw this was your office but I didn’t come in until you said I could.”

  Tate was confounded by her attitude. “Attie, this is your home. You can go anywhere. Well, no one ever goes to Dorcas’ rooms. Reckon Grandma did but no one else. She likes you and might invite you.”

  She smoothed her hands over her skirt. “I’ve seen them. Really needs sprucing up but she wouldn’t ask. Tate, I hope you don’t mind. I told her we’re going to go shopping one day when you say we can and get fabric for new curtains and bed coverlet and to recover her chair.”

  “I just told you this is your home. We can’t go wild but we have sufficient money to keep this place in good shape. Is Dorcas coming tomorrow?”

  She shook her head. “She wants to stay here and get ready for the social at church. I know she doesn’t want my help because I asked. She told me she appreciated the offer but she has her own way of doing things and likes to work alone.”

  “Not surprised.” They should get on with his tutoring. “Okay, here’s what we do. I keep records on the cattle we buy and sell. We have mustangs we round up and train. Some we keep for our use but a few we sell. I keep separate ledgers for horses and cattle.” He showed her the two ledgers.

  He reached for the largest of the ledgers. “Then, we have the cattle breeding program and we keep real detailed records in here. We can’t inbreed or it weakens the line.”