Aundy (Pendleton Petticoats #1)(13)
Author: Shanna Hatfield

“Just be careful, Missy. Some of the men around here aren’t what they seem,” Dent said, finishing his milk and taking another cookie. Aundy had been able to use her arm enough to do a few things, like baking recently, which had endeared her to the hands who hadn’t abandoned her and the farm. Her treats had gone a long way in soothing any ruffled feathers that a woman had taken over the farm. She’d also made an effort to get to know them and liked the men who stayed behind to work for her.

“Dent, what would you think if I decided to sell the cattle? Do you think it’s the best decision?” Aundy asked, looking at her foreman, wanting his opinion on the matter that was weighing so heavily on her mind.

Instead of answering immediately, Dent brushed the crumbs from his cookies off the table into his hand and carried them to the sink. He leaned against it for a moment before answering her question. “As much as I hate to say it, there is no way we’re going to make it with so few hands and so much work to do. If you sold the cattle, it would definitely ease the burden or you could think about renting out one of the sections of ground. Garrett would rent the one that borders their farm. If you did that, we might be able to make things work. A few more hands would sure make a big difference, but if we didn’t have the cattle to look after, we could get along okay.”

“That’s what I thought,” Aundy said, resigned to selling Erik’s Shorthorns. She knew from his letters how proud he was of his herd, but she needed to save the farm and if selling the cattle would accomplish it, then so be it. “I’ll speak with Garrett about finding a buyer. He said he knew someone in Umatilla who might be interested.”

“That’s a sound plan, Missy. Don’t worry about it overmuch. Erik would be proud of how hard you’re trying to keep things going,” Dent said, smiling at her as he put on his hat and walked out the back door.

She certainly hoped what she was planning wouldn’t have Erik turning over in his grave. From the information she’d read and from what J.B. told her, she had more in mind than just selling the cattle.

Due to her gender, she’d gotten the farm into an unexpected bind. Creative thinking might be the only way out of the mess she unknowingly created. They were far behind on the farm work because the hands had been taking care of the cows as they calved. Now that the calving was mostly finished, Dent was splitting the work between the cattle and fields.

Garrett had been good to send over extra help, but he had his own place to run and Aundy gently and kindly told him he had to stop sending over his men because he needed them at Nash’s Folly. He’d argued with her, but she clamped her lips, straightened her spine and refused to discuss the matter further.

She hadn’t talked to Garrett since then and missed his friendly smile and deep voice. Refusing to examine the reasons why his absence made her sad and lonesome, she decided to clear her head.

Going out to the barn, she caught one of the hands coming out the door and asked him to saddle Bell. She’d ridden the horse several times, but Dent was worried she’d fall off and hurt her arm, so he’d only allowed her to ride under close supervision.

Wanting to feel the warm spring breeze on her face and think about what she needed to do, Aundy ignored the voice in her head telling her to be cautious and instead settled her full skirt over the back of Bell and rode off toward one of the pastures. She knew Dent would have a fit if he found out she’d gone off by herself, but Aundy loved riding.

Growing up in the city, she’d never envisioned herself on a horse, let alone riding it astride, but she found it both exhilarating and calming. Bell seemed to like being out in the fresh air as well, shaking her head and taking a few dancing steps.

“It’s a beautiful day, isn’t it, Bell?”

Bell nodded her head and Aundy smiled. She loved the farm, the rolling fields that would soon be bursting with wheat, the green pastures, and the open sky. The animals brought her much joy, except for the chickens. She disliked the chickens and had a deep-seated fear of them flogging her, but she tamped it down and dutifully gathered the eggs every day.

The little rooster, Napoleon, had given her a wide berth since she knocked him senseless with her cast, but she didn’t trust him. Convinced he was plotting his next move, she kept an eye on him the entire time she gathered eggs. As soon as she brought her sister to the farm, Aundy decided gathering eggs would become Ilsa’s responsibility.

Smiling at the thought of her lovely, feminine sister carefully plucking an egg from a nest, Aundy couldn’t stop the laughter that bubbled inside her from spilling over her lips.

“What’s so funny?”

Aundy gasped and spun around in the saddle, yanking Bell to a stop. Bell sidestepped and jerked her head, but obeyed Aundy’s command. She looked across the fence to see Garrett watching her, a smile on his handsome face as he leaned on the saddle horn, his hat tipped back and his eyes glowing like liquid metal.

“You startled me,” Aundy said, wondering why Erik’s closest neighbor had to be one of the most attractive men she’d ever seen, with an easy-going personality and engaging smile. It would be so much easier to deal with one who was short, homely and cranky, like Marvin Tooley.

“Sorry, Aundy,” Garrett said, rubbing his hand along Jester’s neck. He’d been out riding, checking the fence line, and was surprised to see Aundy on Bell. He knew Dent was teaching her to ride, but didn’t realize she’d taken to it so quickly. When he saw the smile on her sweet lips break into a laugh, the sound penetrated his heart so deeply, he felt the need to rub his hand across his chest to release the ache. “Something must have made you laugh.”

“It did,” she said, turning Bell around so she was heading the same direction as Garrett. They rode side by side on either side of the fence. “I’m not particularly fond of gathering the eggs and one little rooster has declared me a sworn enemy. What made me laugh was picturing my sister gathering the eggs.”

“She doesn’t like chickens?”

“She’s never seen a chicken. At least before it was ready to be fried or baked,” Aundy said, thinking whoever married Ilsa would have to be wealthy enough to hire a cook. While Ilsa received the same training from their mother that Aundy did, she abhorred cooking, especially anything that had once been alive. The girl much preferred to sit and sew than anything else. With her dislike of noise, dust and smells, life on the farm was going to be an even bigger adjustment for her than it was for Aundy. “My sister is not fond of the outdoors.”

“Really? I assumed sisters would be alike. Is she tall like you?” Garrett asked, picturing a younger version of Aundy, a tall girl with freckles on her nose and blond hair in braids.

“Goodness, no,” Aundy said, laughing again. “My sister looks like a girl should. Petite, ladylike, delicate. She’s perfect.”

“She can’t be perfect,” Garrett said with a teasing smile. “You just said she isn’t like you.”

“Mr. Nash,” Aundy said, her cheeks turning pink at his words.

“What people view as perfect back in the big city might not be as perfect out here on a farm. Someone not afraid to learn something new, to get their hands dirty, to do what needs done without complaint, I call that close to perfect,” Garrett said, admiring again his spirited neighbor.

She’d never once complained about anything and had made great strides the last few weeks learning about farming. His dad thought she was smart and clever. He tried to block what else his father said from his mind because the comments about “hanging on to a gal like that” echoed his own sentiments on the subject.

There was very little about Aundy he didn’t admire. Except maybe the way she could clamp her lips together, set her jaw and be so stubborn even he backed down, like she forced him to do when she told him to quit sending over his hands. He knew Dent and the men were struggling, but he wouldn’t go behind her back and send some of his men over after she’d asked him to refrain. It was hard not to get involved, but he was trying to mind his own business.

Deciding he would see her home, Garrett stopped Jester and opened a gate in the fence, leading the horse through before closing the gate and mounting the horse.

“I’ll ride home with you,” Garrett said, trying to think of some excuse to escort her home. “I’ve been meaning to ask Dent something, so if you don’t mind, I’ll do it now before I forget.”

Pleased to be riding alongside Garrett, Aundy nodded her head as they continued toward the house.

“I’m ready to sell the cattle,” Aundy said, taking Garrett by surprise.

He turned in the saddle to look at her, make sure he heard her correctly. “Are you certain?”

“Yes,” Aundy said, releasing a soft sigh Garrett would have missed if he hadn’t been watching her face so attentively. “Dent and I discussed it earlier this afternoon and we agree it’s what needs done if we’re going to keep the farm. Apparently, working for a woman is something akin to selling your soul to Beelzebub, so we’re just going to have to figure out how to run this place with a smaller crew.”

Garrett couldn’t help the chuckle that escaped at her comment, causing her to look at him with a raised brow, although she smiled. “I’d sign on to work for you without thinking twice.”

“Thank you, Garrett. I appreciate that,” Aundy said, looking over the farm from their vantage point on top of the hill behind the barn. She loved this land with a possessive fierceness she’d never imagined she could feel. “However, since you’re in charge of Nash’s Folly and a very busy man, I’ll have to make the best of things. I do have a favor to ask, though.”

“Anything,” he said, meaning it. He’d do anything for the golden-haired woman riding beside him. Although he’d known her for only a short while, he felt like she’d been part of his life for a long time, like a close friend.

“Would you contact the man you said might be interested in buying the herd? It would make me feel better to keep them together. I know it’s silly, but… I…”

“I’ll get in touch with him as soon as possible,” Garrett said, reaching out a hand and placing it on Aundy’s arm. She could feel the heat of his fingers searing her skin even through his glove and her sleeve. “And it isn’t silly. I’m fairly certain he’ll want them all. If not, I’ll see if I can find another buyer.”

“I appreciate your help with the matter. Perhaps you or your father could advise me as to a fair asking price,” Aundy said, realizing she had no idea what three hundred head of cattle would be worth, along with their newborn calves.

Garrett stated a number that made Aundy shoot him a wide-eyed look indicating her shock at the amount.

“I think I mentioned cattle are bringing a good price right now in the local market, so it really is a good time to take advantage of it,” Garrett said. “Don’t worry about the negotiations. I’d be happy to make the arrangements.”

“Would the buyer object to working with a woman?” Aundy asked, thinking she had to jump in and learn at some point. She couldn’t always depend on the Nash family, particularly Garrett, to come to her rescue.

“I don’t know, but I guess we’ll find out, won’t we?” Garrett said, grinning at Aundy.

“I guess we will.”

“Thank you, Mrs. Erickson. We’ll be out tomorrow to move the cattle,” Hiram Anderson said as he shook Aundy’s hand and walked out of the bank.

After Garrett contacted Hiram about buying Aundy’s cattle, the man agreed to meet with her over lunch to discuss the purchase.

Trusting Hiram, Garrett still felt the need to escort her to not only make the introductions, but also ensure the deal was fair for Aundy.

As he introduced Hiram to his neighbor, he watched the man size her up and could see he gave his approval. Sticking out a beefy hand in greeting, Garrett was pleased Hiram conducted business with Aundy as he would have any man, minus his usual questionable language and a trip to the saloon to seal the deal.

Aundy seemed to like Hiram as well, offering him a genuine smile and speaking to him confidently. When they agreed upon a price and terms, Garrett suggested they run by the attorney’s office to have paperwork completed then to the bank where Hiram left half the payment for the herd and would pay the remainder after he took possession the following day.

Watching Hiram shake Aundy’s hand, Garrett felt a foreign warmth invading his heart. He was so proud of the woman who had come so far from the mud-covered girl standing on his mother’s front porch.

“I’ll look forward to seeing you at the farm tomorrow, Mr. Anderson. Thank you, again,” Aundy said, turning to see Garrett staring at her. She put a hand up to her hat but it felt like it was on straight, so she glanced nervously at her shirtwaist and didn’t see anything amiss. Smoothing her skirt and tugging the hem of her jacket, she turned her gaze down the street and began walking in the direction of the doctor’s office.

“Before we leave town, do you mind if we stop by Doc’s office?” Aundy asked as Garrett fell into step beside her. He tried to ignore the admiring glances men shot Aundy’s direction. If he paid too close attention to them, he might give in to the temptation to punch someone in the nose.

Garrett was the last person who would lose his temper or pick a fight, but something about Aundy made him feel protective and slightly unreasonable. “That’s fine. Are you not feeling well?” Checking her over from head to toe, he noted her face wasn’t flushed. Pink roses blossomed on each cheek and she looked like a picture of health with her freckled nose, bright eyes, and rosy lips tipped up in a grin.

“I’m just fine,” she said, turning to gaze at him with a smile that said she was keeping secrets. “I just wanted to ask Doc a question.”