For the umpteenth time Emeline had to remind herself to loosen her grip on the ribbons, but it was becoming increasingly more difficult to stay relaxed the closer they got to the ranch. While it was only a few miles outside town, the journey to this point had been long for both her and Barnabas, starting at different points for both of them, then crossing and converging, and even then, it had been quite the journey getting here.
But here they were, on the verge of seeing their new home, the barn and bunkhouse, their future.
"I don't know if I want to look," she muttered, glancing at Barnabas. "So far, this has been amazing, and to think it's going to get so much better..." Well, excepting what had happened to Speed. "You know, if you want to ride out to see Speed, I'd wager we can get Addy Chappel to bring the herd in, if she's available?"
At least then, Barnabas could put his mind at ease about that, and it might put her at ease, too, about Barnabas continuing as deputy...
"Now, I know I said a lot about this here place I had built, an' I'm sure yer thinkin' she's gonna be grand, but seriously, it a bit more'n a lean-to. Didn't have all this money then." He fibbed. "We could always stay at the hotel if the place ain't what you thought it might be."
"It's a mite late to ride out there, maybe tomorrow. I want to see him, find out what's what so far as him getting back on the job 'er not." He added, "Now I'll say this, he quits, I quit. I've no mind ta be Town Marshall, and none to work with him gone from it." It was then that they topped out on the much wider road leading up to where the place stood waiting for them.
"Now, I know I said a lot about this here place I had built, an' I'm sure yer thinkin' she's gonna be grand, but seriously, it a bit more'n a lean-to. Didn't have all this money then." He fibbed. "We could always stay at the hotel if the place ain't what you thought it might be."
"Ah, yes, so destitute!" Grinning, Emeline glanced at him. Of course, she knew he'd had at least a good bit of money when they married, although she'd had no clue how much, and she'd seen the frame of it, so she had a basic idea, and it was far more than a shack!
"I'd hate to have to go back to town this late, though," she added, looking toward the men with them, "we can always stay in the barn if we have to, that can't be any worse than sleeping under the wagon!"
"It's a mite late to ride out there, maybe tomorrow. I want to see him, find out what's what so far as him getting back on the job 'er not." He added, "Now I'll say this, he quits, I quit. I've no mind ta be Town Marshall, and none to work with him gone from it."
"I understand." She nodded soberly, not really having a counter to that. It was nerve-wracking enough to have Barnabas working as deputy, but without the support and experience that Speed brought to the team. That said, she knew it was in the best interest for Kalispell to have Barnabas and Speed on the job.
But then they topped the rise, and the view instantly quelled any darkness in the conversation. "Oh, Barnabas, it's amazing!" As she pulled the team to a stop, Emeline felt tears welling in her eyes. There was still some work to be done, but the house was beautiful, maybe a bit big for the two of them, but in a few years, it would be teeming with life and love.
And the rest of the expansive yard -- bunkhouse, barn, paddocks and pastures -- amid the trees, it was beyond anything she could have imagined. But looking at it now, she could easily imagine it teeming with friends and family.
"Well, lets go see the inside!" Laughing with joy, she snapped the lines and urged the team into an easy lope.
He was smiling, ear to ear, as she snapped the reins and the big horses leaned into their harnesses and moved toward their house. The foliage had been disturbed as little as possible during construction, which was evident. There would be no kidding around about the place now as they reached the building where she reined in and set the brake. He stepped down and then helped her down. They stood for a moment,
"Well, it's big and it's yellow, and it's all yours Missus Pike. Your new home." He said as they gazed up at the place. "Well? Shall we?" He offered his arm, excited to see what had been done on the inside with the hope that whatever furnishings, wallpapers, and paint they used, pleased her.
"Now, I did leave instructions, and Missus Anderson, she helped out a whole lot with what's been done on the inside, knowing we'll probably be making some changes, but the yella was my idea."
Emeline hooked her arm through Barnabas', but just stood for a moment, taking in the house, and the porch where the rocking chairs would be one day. "It's perfect," she finally murmured, then started up the stairs, their new mutt dog trotting beside them. "We just need those rocking chairs, but there's time for that!"
Laughing, she noted the large triangle that hung near the door, a call to meals, and an alarm that could be heard throughout the immediate grounds. And then she saw the brand, seared into the wood beside the door, and her smile widened as she ran her fingertips though the narrow engraving.
"There it is, gentlemen!" she addressed the cowhands still sitting on their horses, watching with bemused grins. "You'll be our first guests!"
She reached for the knob and pushed the door open, but didn't go in just yet...her eyes were clouded with tears.
"Hold on now Missus Pike. Got this here tradition to do." And with that, he whisked her off her feet, up in his arms, and carried her across the threshold. Then gently set her down. "There, now it's official, we're home, our first home, and who knows, maybe our last, but she finished and ready for us, so let's have us a look around the place, see what you think of it."
This was far better than he had thought it might be, and it seemed bigger than the drawings of it he had okayed. It was grand to say the very least, and it suited her just fine! She would, of course, make it her own, and he was fine with that. Maybe some of the things that were here would go, then again, maybe not. There would be things from above the cafe she would most likely want to have there too, and he could not blame her for that.
But they were home.
Meanwhile, outside, Pythis and the boys with him took a riding tour of the place. Up to the falls where they sat for a bit, then down around the house to where the barns, bunkhouse, corrals, and even a hen house and a rabbit hutch stood waiting for them and the horses and cattle to arrive.
"This here's some spread!" Lorado said as they paused at the bunkhouse.
"Wait'll Frank sees this place. He'll think he died an' went on ta heaven! This Pike fella means business on this place he does!" Pythias acknowledged.
Dallas sat his horse still taking it all in, "Big." He said, "Never in all my born days ever figgered I'd have me a chance to be hired on to a place like this. Not never."
"You boys want, we can bunk out for the night and head out at first light. I mean it's here, may as well pick us out a bunk and put 'er to use." Pythias suggested. "Light's fadin' fairly fast, them summer days is behind us, and I hear this place gets downright cold come winter!"
They dismounted and stepped inside the long room that might well have been built for them, they would be gone in time to catch breakfast with the herd, and sing the praises of the Rockin' P Ranch!
Emeline let out a startled, "EEP!" as Barnabas scooped her up, and she threw her arms around his neck, laughing as he carried her properly over the threshold, then set her on her feet in the entryway.
"This is..." Well, there were too many adjectives she could use, and none of them were adequate to express what she was feeling. It was beautiful and perfect and amazing. Sure, there were some things she didn't particularly care for, and some things she'd move around, but all in all, she couldn't have asked for more.
"You did a great job with this," she declared, turning to hug Barnabas, "I suppose I could handle living here." At that, she stood on her toes and kissed him, slowly, passionately, sweetly, the first of many kisses in their new home. "So, now, Mr. Pike, is our window in? And where is the kitchen?"
"Mostly it was the Andersons that put the place together. Didn't know what you'd want from the Lickskillet upstairs, and the Lutz's was usin' it so this was either what they had or what they ordered for the place." He explained.
"The way you were talking about kids the place is much bigger than originally planned, but I like what was built and what was done, though I figure there's things you'll want different and I'll take no offense. It was the best that could be done at the time." He added, proud of what had been done, even the yellow paint which might not have been his first choice.
"Your kitchen is right this way," He said leading her out of the living room, through the formal dining room into the kitchen where a table stood in the middle of the room, the table where they would take their day to day meals for years to come. It was a bit long for two people, but there were plenty of chairs and they could sit together, across from one another, or one of the corners.
"You said lots of kids, I heard that."
"Ah, so you do listen to me!" With a sweet smile, she patted his cheek. "Wise man!" Then she turned to look over the kitchen more closely. While the formal dining was beautiful, it was, well, formal, and Emeline was pleased that Barnabas had known that she'd want something more home-like, and that he was of the same mind.
As for the practical workings of the kitchen, the stove was shiny and new, suitable for cooking for the family, or for a large party, and there seemed to be most everything she could need, including a large sink with a water pump.
"Oh, now I don't have any excuses not to cook!" Then she noticed a contraption across from the stove and looked at Barnabas as she crossed over to it. "Is this an..." Opening the doors, she gasped, then smiled brightly. "An icebox! I've always wanted one of these! It's perfect!"
"Listen to you? A' course I listen to you," He replied with the same grin still plastered on his face. "I ain't no fool, that's for certain! I like things just the way they are."
"Oh, now I don't have any excuses not to cook!" Then she noticed a contraption across from the stove and looked at Barnabas as she crossed over to it. "Is this an..." Opening the doors, she gasped, then smiled brightly. "An icebox! I've always wanted one of these! It's perfect!"
"It is, I told the Andersons that I wanted the latest and it appears they did deliver. Now all we gotta do is bring in it or have it delivered from the ice house, won't be no problem a tall!" Of that he was certain, the ice house did deliver and he had a wagon to fetch it if necessary.