Page 307 of Conveniently Wed
“For being so kind and encouraging,” Aundy said, releasing a sigh. “Most people would have told me to sell the farm, get on a train, and return to the city life I know. Your family hasn’t offered any opinions on what I should do and have been supportive of my decisions. Not everyone would encourage a woman from Chicago to stick it out and learn about farming.”
“We’re not everyone,” Garrett said with a smile that made her stomach flutter. “Everyone should have the opportunity to learn and grow regardless of their age, color, or gender. If you want to learn about farming, who are we to tell you no? You should know, though, that learning from Pops means you’ll be learning from one of the best.”
“I assumed as much.” Aundy watched Garrett as he stopped the buggy and hurried around to offer her his hand. “It’s easy to see you’ve got a prosperous well-run ranch and that doesn’t happen by chance. I do know enough to realize that only happens because of skill and hard work.”
Garrett grinned, pleased at Aundy’s compliment. He walked her up the steps to the front door and tipped his hat. “After you finish your lesson with Pops, I can give you a shooting lesson. You should be able to get in some practice one-handed with a revolver until that arm of yours heals.”
“Thank you.” Aundy opened the door and stepped inside before turning to smile at Garrett. His silvery gaze collided with hers and he offered her another broad grin.
Garrett backed up and almost fell off the porch step with his attention centered on the intriguing golden-haired woman instead of where he was going.
He thought he heard her giggle, but when he looked up, all he saw was a closing door.
5
Aundy swung open the kitchen door as the sun began to chase away the early morning darkness and walked toward the chicken coop with a determined step.
After her tour around the farm with Dent the previous afternoon, she was confident she could at least feed the chickens and gather eggs. She located the bucket filled with feed Dent said she should give the chickens and carefully opened the door to the enclosed pen then shut it behind her. The chickens were still inside the coop, sitting on their nests.
Aundy used her good hand to shake the bucket, making a racket she hoped rousted the chickens. Quickly switching the bucket to her other hand, she held it against her waist and tossed out handfuls of the feed, calling to the chickens. “Here chick, chick. Here chick.”
Soon, chickens were all around her, pecking at the feed. Aundy emptied the bucket then entered the coop, sticking her hand in the nests like Dent showed her. As she gathered the eggs, she felt a growing satisfaction in having accomplished something worthwhile. Although a little frightened by the chickens, she decided they were only harmless birds, after all.
As she reached the last nest, a sharp stinging on her leg drew her gaze down. A little rooster pecked at her. He stared up at her with angry eyes. Aundy started backing toward the door. The sound he emitted made Aundy’s eyes widen with fear and she hurried out of the coop and through the chickens as they ate their feed. Frantic, she worked to lift the latch on the gate. The rooster flew up with his spurs set to dig into her.
Anticipating the attack, Aundy raised her arm and the rooster’s head connected with her cast, thumping loudly. He fell to the ground and she escaped the pen, closing the gate behind her. A quick glance into the bucket revealed she hadn’t broken a single egg in her haste to get away from the rooster.
When she turned away from the coop, she discovered several sets of eyes looked her direction. Dent and the hands all stared at her, most with smirks on their faces.
“I see you met Napoleon,” Dent said, trying not to laugh. He and the boys heard a commotion in the coop and hurried over in time to see the little rooster chase Aundy to the gate. It was hard to keep from breaking out in chuckles when she held up her cast and knocked the bird senseless.
“What a fitting name.” Aundy stared at the rooster that had yet to move. “I didn’t kill him, did I?”
“Probably just stunned him is all.” Dent watched as the bird shook his head and staggered to his feet.
Aundy decided she and Napoleon needed to reach a compromise or one of them was going to have to leave the farm, and it wouldn’t be her. “Too bad. I’ll have to try harder next time. Chicken stew would have tasted good for supper.”
The hands broke out in laughter and watched as Aundy walked up the steps to the kitchen door, disappearing inside.
“Chores won’t do themselves,” Dent said, pointing toward the barn when the men continued to stare at the house. He didn’t get a chance to talk to them about Aundy keeping the farm theprevious evening, but if he were a betting man, he’d wager after breakfast they’d be short a few more hands. He supposed he ought to get it over with and quit putting off the inevitable.
He removed his hat, ran his hand through his hair, and released a sigh. “You might as well all know, I spoke with Mrs. Erikson yesterday and she intends to not only keep the farm but be in control of it.”
“You mean that citified woman thinks she’s gonna run this place?” one of the men asked, glaring at Dent in disgust.
“That’s what the lady said.” Dent glared back at the hand, daring him to say anything more.
“Then I quit.” The man stalked off toward the bunkhouse.
“Any of the rest of you agree with Harry?” Dent asked, looking at each face and anticipating a few more would follow. At the nod of three more heads, Dent shook his and pointed toward the bunkhouse.
“Pack your gear and I’ll get your wages ready for you. You can light out after breakfast.” Dent was disappointed but not surprised. With the four men leaving, that left him with just four other bodies besides his own to do all the work. Aundy was going to have to hire more men if they hoped to make it through spring calving and farm work.
He hated to start the day with bad news, but he needed to let her know what was going on as well as discuss paying the men. Erik always took care of paying wages and the men received theirs at the end of each month.
“Come in,” Aundy called as Dent raised a hand to knock on the door. He didn’t know how she knew he was out there, but he opened the door, took off his hat, and stepped inside. She smiled at him over her shoulder. “If nothing else, I guess I’m good for providing the morning entertainment.”
Dent grinned in spite of himself. “You did just fine for your first time in the chicken coop. That lil’ rooster is full of attitude, but I have a feeling he’ll leave you alone for now.”
