The smallest frown flickered across her forehead. “You talk as if you know her.”
“Perhaps it’s because I do. Almost from the day she was born, as a matter of fact.” Satisfaction gleamed in his eyes at the surprise Tara couldn’t completely conceal. “Her late father and I were partners in a few business ventures.”
Recognition dawned. “She’s that Davis,” Tara murmured. “You were named her guardian, weren’t you?”
“I was,” Max confirmed. “And, yes, the Calders are aware of it. I take it they haven’t mentioned it to you.”
Tara managed an elegant shrug of indifference. “Why should they? It’s hardly important.”
“I agree.” Max nodded. “Sloan deserves her happiness. Although I was troubled to hear they’re having marital problems. The first year of marriage always requires many adjustments, though.”
“It’s probably nothing more than that foolishness about her work,” Tara guessed at once. “Once Sloan fully understands the obligations that will fall to her as Trey’s wife, she’ll put aside all this nonsense about a career in photography.”
“Trey objects to it, does he?” His idle tone masked his keen interest in her answer.
“Really, Max. What husband would be in favor of his wife being absent from home for long periods of time?” Tara chided.
“You’re right. I hadn’t thought of it that way.”
“Tara,” A feminine voice called an instant before a slightly tipsy blonde descended on her. “What are you doing here? I thought you were supposed to be Switzerland.”
“I leave tomorrow,” Tara informed her.
“Excuse me, ladies.” Max reached for the controls on the wheelchair’s armrest.
“Now, be generous with your check, Max,” Tara called after him as he rolled away. “It’s for a worthy cause.
“And a worthy night,” he murmured to himself.
A strong Chinook wind swept over the rough-and-tumble roll of the Montana plains. Its warmth was a welcome relief from the freezing temperatures that had gripped the land for much of February. With calving season in full swing, its arrival couldn’t have been more opportune.
As he made his final tug to tighten the saddle’s cinch strap, Trey let his gaze skip beyond the corral fence to the section of range beyond it. These first hours of morning were the time when the cattle were up and about, seeking water and graze. A cow heavy with calf never strayed too far from either. Armed with that knowledge, the stock tank and hay bales at the South Branch camp were both located close to the calving sheds, making a check of the herd easier for those ranch hands unlucky enough to pull calving duty.
Thanks to a flu epidemic that had sidelined a good number of the Triple C riders, Trey was among those assigned to the chore. Behind him, saddle leather creaked as Laredo swung aboard his horse.
“Are you about ready?” Laredo kept a still hand on the reins.
“Yup.” Trey unhooked the stirrup from the saddle horn and scooped up the trailing rein, then swung himself onto the seat, toeing his boots into the stirrups.
First to reach the fence gate, Laredo reached down and unlatched it, then pushed it open as he maneuvered his horse through the gap.
“I noticed the thermometer was tickling the forty-degree mark this morning,” Laredo held the gate for Trey. “It’s going to feel downright balmy today.”
“True.”
The abruptness in his answer had Laredo running a speculating eye over him. But Trey’s young, rugged features had that closed-up look, typical of a Calder determined to keep his thoughts to himself. For Laredo, that was telling in itself.
“As warm as it is, I thought Sloan might come along to get a look at the calving sheds.” Laredo gave the gate a push, swinging it shut after Trey rode through.
“She wanted to, but I talked her out of it. Too many have the flu bug here at South Branch, and she’s too close to term to risk getting sick now.” Trey pointed his horse at a large, round bale some distance away where a half dozen cows were gathered, their sides ballooned by their advanced pregnancies.
“Sounds like you had to do some talking to convince her,” Laredo guessed as they approached the cows, keeping their horses at an unhurried walk, the strike of their hooves on the still-frozen ground making a dull clop.
A heavy breath spilled from Trey. “You got that right. She was upset with me anyway. She has a doctor’s appointment at the end of the week. She wanted me to take her. Needless to say, she wasn’t happy when I told her that I couldn’t, not at calving time. I?
??ll be damned glad when this baby’s born. Maybe she’ll stop being so testy then.”
“Been hard to live with lately, has she?” Laredo surmised.