I always feel I belong where I am.
Hannah stared at the tall, good-looking brother and then grinned, "Another Wentworth!" She laughed and held her hand out toward him, "I know your brother, Matt and I just met your other brother, Mike at the ranch. I was dropping off this month's batch of wanted posters.
Sam smiled, "I'm afraid there's still one more you haven't met yet but I'm guessing you probably will one of these days.
"It's a pleasure to meet you. I am Hannah Cory. As to your question about old Jingo here," she patted the horse's neck gently, "He cast a shoe and seems to have gotten stone-bruised in the process. I appreciate that you stopped. Sadly, I'll just have to take it easy walking Jingo to town.
"You've still got a while to go before you reach town and at the pace you're going you won't make it there until after dark.
Considering that she was a damsel in distress and considering that he was the type to help, he decided to offer it. Being a deputy, she was probably fairly independent so there was a good chance that she would refuse him. However, his conscience wouldn't allow him to let any woman, no matter how brave she thought she was, walk back to town by herself. Besides, there might be more to her than meets the eye and he was curious enough to find out.
"Look, how 'bout me taking you back into town on my horse? I haven't had Finn for long, but I can guarantee that he is strong enough to carry us both."
Hannah looked from the man to his horse and then over at Jingo, who stood with his head hanging. She was small and light enough that Wentworth's horse could easily carry the extra weight. On the other hand, she could not simply abandon her horse either. The splotchy-colored roan had been with her for a long time. Of course, they were still on Lost Lake property, and she could leave Jingo to graze and come back for him. Most folks on the ranch would recognize the horse. She could stash her rig behind that nearby outcropping of rocks. Worst case, one of the hands would find it and take Jingo and the bareback rig back to one of the barns. In fact...Hannah almost kicked herself for not thinking of that!
"I sure don't relish hoofing it for more than five miles," Hannah told Sam with a diffident smile. "Could I impose on you to take Jingo and my rig back to one of the barns on your way back if someone else hasn't by the time you head this way again?"
If Sam Wentworth did not mind seeing to her horse and saddle...such as it was...she would happily accept the lift into town. She offered a smile, "I can throw in a home-cooked meal when we get to town. I'll have to feed Pa when I get home."
I always feel I belong where I am.
Sam smiled, "A home cook meal sounds great. There's only so much a bunk house cook can make so I will welcome having something different."
Looking over at the horse, Sam noted that it wouldn't last much longer especially with the saddle still on. Glancing over at Hannah, he also saw that she was starting to show signs of how hard the walk had been so far. She might have to pretend to be tough in order to carry out her duties as a deputy sheriff but she was still a woman and he knew that they could be fragile creatures at times.
"I think we should unsaddle your horse and leave your gear in a safe place as it doesn't look like he can handle much more. You can leave a note saying that I'll be back later to take of it."
He smiled reassuringly at her, "It's a good thing I was checking fence lines today as it would have been a shame to have a pretty girl like you trudge all the way back to town on your own."
Hannah's lips twitched at the compliment, "You Wentworth men sure know how to flatter a gal," she said. Reaching into her vest pocket, she pulled out a small notepad that she used to take complaint notes on. Using a short stub of a pencil that she also carried for the same reason, Hannah quickly jotted a note stating who the gear and horse belonged to. Hannah then unbuckled and removed the bareback pad and bridle. Pulling a halter from the saddlebags, she slipped it over Jingo's head and then gave him a pat on the rump, sending him limping to a clump of meadow grass. It only took a few more moments to tuck her gear behind a small clump of boulders.
"Guess that about does it," Hannah said and walked back toward Sam Wentworth and his mount. "I'm ready if you are."
Sam looked over where she had stored her gear and was satisfied that she had picked a good spot. "Ready," he answered.
After he had climbed up on his horse, he helped Hannah up to sit behind him. He shifted to make himself more comfortable, "Try and get as close to me as you can and hold on tight."
Hannah scooted up as close to the cantle of the saddle as she could. Moving her lower legs forward to grip the horse's sides rather than its flanks. Leaning forward, she wrapped her arms firmly around Sam's waist, "Ready when you are. Our place is just east of Kalispell, stay straight on Main Street. We're barely outside the town limits."
Sam nudged his horse gently and they began a steady pace towards Kalispell. To help pass some of the time, Sam decided to ask Hannah a question, "Can you please tell me how someone like you got into a such an unlikely line of work?"
"It's only unlikely if you're a woman," Hannah replied lightly. She had been asked that question often enough, but usually in a derisive or derogatory manner. Sam's voice indicated nothing more than genuine curiosity so she answered honestly. "My father was a town marshal for almost my entire life. When my mother passed away, he was determined to raise me and be a good father. I spent alot of hours at the marshal's office or with the deputies and their families when my father couldn't be home or something. It just seemed inevitable that I would go into law enforcement. I started by helping keep the office and jail clean, file and rotate out wanted posters. Then one day I made a citizen's arrest of a man trying to rough up one of the town's painted cats."
Hannah's voice trailed off, "I don't know what's next though. My father has retired and is running for mayor. Not sure I can keep on working as a deputy marshal if he is elected. Might not look right, you know? I mean, right now, I'm considered enough of an oddity but the town's long-time residents are used to me." She shook her head. Hannah had said almost the same things to Sam's older brother.
Turning his head slightly to look back at Hannah as she spoke, he thought about what she was saying. He wondered if her mother had lived where would she be right now. It most likely wouldn't here and in way that him sad. She wouldn't be here now if it weren't for her father and he was the same. "Your father sound likes he's a kind and understanding man. No pressure to become what he wants you to be. Unfortunately, all fathers aren't like that."
Something in Sam's voice got Hannah's attention. She shook her head slightly, "No, not all fathers are like Scott Cory. I've been lucky. What about you? I'm guessing your father doesn't live in Kalispell?" She wanted to allow him to tell her a bit about himself. Other than the other deputies, Hannah did not have many friends. She hoped that, in time, she would be able to count the Wentworth brothers in that category.
"Thankfully, my father doesn't live in Kalispell. He lives in Washington," Sam replied, "That's one thing all four of us are glad of. You'll probably get to meet him sometime during the spring as we expect he'll be paying us a visit. Charlie was his last chance and he's not going to take it lightly."
"I'm sorry," was Hannah's immediate response, not pity, but compassion laced her voice. "A friend of mine had issues with his father growing up. It eventually drove him away. He's back now and you work for him," she informed Sam. True, her pride still smarted over Shade Thornton leaving her at the alter, even if it was only at a planned rendezvous so they could elope, but despite that, they would always be friends.
By now, they had made it through town and Hannah directed Sam around the town square on the east end. After another mile, she pointed off to the right at a gate and just beyond it, a modest, but nice single story farmhouse, "That's our place," she told him. "If you don't want to try to make it back to Lost Lake after dinner, we have a small bunkhouse you can stay over in, head back at first light." Hannah slipped from the horse's back, "It's a long ride back, even just to the ranch's main operations area."
Sam got off his horse and quickly checked him. "You know I think that may be a good idea to stay for the night. Finn could probably do with the rest considering that we've been out for most of the day." He smiled, "Besides, I can't think of anything more better than having dinner with a beautiful woman...and of course, her father."
Hannah blushed slightly, "Thank you although with the trail dust and six-gun, I am probably less than beautiful right now. If you want to put Finn in the barn, I'll let Papa know we have a guest and get cleaned up. Come on in when ready."
Sam smiled, "Yes, ma'am."
After she had left, he took Finn to the barn and unsaddled him. He made sure that the horse had plenty of feed before taking his stuff over to the bunkhouse. For the next few minutes he got himself clean and tidy. He didn't have any extra clothes with him as he hadn't expected something like this to happen, so he just settled for taking off his shirt and shaking it out before putting back on. When he was ready, he made his way to the house.
Hannah had made quick work of washing up and changing out of her work clothes into one of her nicer dresses. Little could be done with her wild mane, so she settled for pulling it back at the nape of her neck. She found her father in his study and let him know what had happened and that they would be having a guest for dinner. In the kitchen, she found that her father had already started dinner. A thick beef stew simmered on the stove, ready to be ladled into a skillet and baked into a crust. She donned a clean apron and prepared to start work. "Shepherd's Pie it is then," Hannah murmured. A knock at the front door sent her off to open it and welcome Sam inside.
I always feel I belong where I am.
Sam stepped inside and as he took off his hat, he could smell the food cooking. It smelled mighty good to him and definitely better than Dan was capable of doing in the bunkhouse. He turned to look at Hannah to say something and that's when he noticed that she was wearing a dress. It confirmed what he already said earlier about her being beautiful. Now that she was looking more like a woman, he was beginning to have other thoughts.
Mentally he shook his head. Now was not the time to go down that track, especially when her father was probably nearby, so he decided to go back to his first thought. "I haven't smelled cooking like this in ages. My compliments to the chef," he remarked as he gave her a wide smile.
"You will have to pass the compliment on at dinner. Papa started the stew. I'm just putting it all together in a shepherd's pie," Hannah replied with a lighthearted note in her voice. "Since he retired from the Marshal's office, he's become quite a cook. Could all change if he wins the election." She sighed softly, "Lots of things will change then, I guess."
"Maybe a change is a good thing. It might give you time to do other things like travel or think about what you would really like to do. If I had stayed on the course originally planned for me, I wouldn't be here right now," Sam smiled, "Sometimes you make the changes and sometimes they just happen. Just see it as an opportunity and you'll be fine."
"Opportunities...I like the sound of that," Hannah replied, "Come on back to the kitchen while I finish up. I can get you a cold drink...tea or lemonade. Papa will be out in a few minutes." She led the way back to the kitchen so that she could finish up and put the meal into the oven for the crust to brown.
"A lemonade will be fine," Sam replied. Sitting down in one of the chairs, Sam took a quick look around the room and then returned his gaze to Hannah. "I'm guessing that your Pa finds plenty of time to cook now that he's retired. It must be hard a man who's been in a busy job like a town marshal to slow down and take things easy."
"Very difficult after almost a lifetime in law enforcement. He's ready for the next thing though. Running for mayor and taking an interest in building this place up a bit. In fact, he's finishing up some work on his campaign speech and will be in soon," Hannah set a glass of lemonade on the table for Sam. After putting the shepherd's pie into the oven so the crust could brown, she poured herself a glass of tea and sat down also. "Right now, I feel like I am trying to ride two horses...future mayor's daughter and deputy marshal." Hannah shook her head and smiled, "I'm enjoying the challenges."
Sam took a sip of the lemonade and smiled, "Personally, I think I would rather you be a future mayor's daughter. It would have less complications."
"Complications?" Hannah asked and raised her eyebrows in question, unsure of what he was referring to.
Smiling, Sam leaned forward, "It would be far easier to court you if you were a future mayor's daughter and not the deputy marshal of Kalispell. But since you are deputy marshal, I guess I will just have to find a way to overcome them."