Chapter Fourteen
Dressed in the leathers she always wore for horse breaking, Spring hitched Lady to the wagon and trailered her stallion and Paint to the bed. Sunrise didn’t like crowds, so Spring left her in her stall with enough food and water to last until she returned home. Once all the gear was loaded and she and Garrett took their seats on the leather bench, they got underway. It was a glorious late-afternoon day. The blue sky was dotted with a few puffy clouds, the spring vegetation was in full bloom, and the mountains stood strong and bright in the sunlight. She glanced Garrett’s way. He smiled and she replied in kind.
“So how do you tame wild horses?” he asked.
“Depends on the horse and who’s taming it.I try and determine who the animal is inside. Being ridden is not their natural state. Ed and I respect that and hope the horse will allow us that privilege. Easier said than done most times though. After being separated from their herd and penned in, many are angry and scared. People would be, too, in that situation, don’t you think?”
“When you put it that way, yes.”
“We want them tamed, but not necessarily broken in spirit, so we use various ways to earn their trust—providing water, food, bedding down with them at night. Some of the feistier ones may have to be taken to the river and forced to swim until they accept a rider. Others we just let buck us off until they give up, which can sometimes take days. I used to enjoy going head to head with a strong-willed horse, but the older I get the less I like having sore limbs or broken bones.”
His eyes shot through with concern.
“I’ve had a broken collarbone, broken ribs. Had my right arm broken twice. Left only once though.”
His shock made her grin. “Pick up your jaw, McCray.”
“But—”
Still amused, she cut him off. “I invited youalong to watch, not to fuss at me about getting hurt. Odell and my brother think that’s their job. More than likely they’ll be at Ed’s, too.”
“Glad someone will be on duty.”
She laughed. “I’ll be fine, don’t worry.”
“Too late for that,” he grumbled. “But I’ll keep it to myself.”
Turning her attention back to the road, she found his concern endearing. Only a handful of people cared about her well-being. Now she’d add her nosy newspaper fella to the list. That caring had been shown last night when she returned home and crawled into bed beside him. She’d never sought solace from anyone since going to work for the Ketchums, but in her heart, she knew she’d find it with Garrett. Having him silently pull her close, then place that tender kiss on her brow, put unshed tears in her eyes. And this morning, while she tried to explain the hurt she kept hidden inside, he’d listened without judging. He was a man who did many things well, but most of all he was kind, and again she wondered if this was love. She decided to believe it was.
When they reached Ed’s property, Spring wasn’t surprised by the wagons and buggies lining the road or the savory scent of roasting pork and beef.
Garrett was, however. “Why are all these people here?”
“It’s a small town, and when the main source of entertainment is seeing what’s new at Miller’s store, horse breaking is exciting.”
“Ah,” he responded.
Heading towards the outbuildings, she skirted Ed’s beautiful home, and past the people milling about, many of whom waved and called out greetings.
Eyeing the fairlike atmosphere, he asked, “How often do you bring horses in?”
“Two, sometimes three times over the course of the spring and summer. Depends on how many orders we receive. Some years it’s a few, others more. The army contracts for the most, or at least they did. Now that the tribes are on reservations, they aren’t replacing mounts as often.”
Finally reaching their destination, she parked and they both climbed down. She undid the lead on Cheyenne and led him to the large fenced-in pasture holding Ed’s main herd. Inside were horses of all ages and sizes. Cheyenne immediately let out a bellowing challenge, causing the ears of the others to perk up and people nearby to stop and take notice.
Spring sighed. “Everyone knows you’re here,Cheyenne. Behave yourself. No picking fights with the other boys and no mounting the ladies. You hear me? They’re Snow’s mares, not yours.”
Garrett laughed. Cheyenne ignored her and walked into the pen as if he owned each blade of grass.
She had other words for Paint. “Don’t eat Ed’s fence, and play nice.”
He raced into the pen like a child let out of school.
Smiling, she took a moment to scan the area for Ed and spotted his tall, lean presence over by one of the three corrals reserved for the breakings. Upon seeing her, Ed walked over.
“You made it,” he said and nodded to Garrett standing at her side.
“We did. How are things going?”