"See, now, we're going to need those pigeons after all!" Emeline laughed. "I would appreciate reports from town, I do miss being right there, sometimes, and running the cafe, seeing all the people. But there's enough going on here to keep me busy, and enough with the hands to keep me company. In fact, I've decided to take on some help in the house. Pythias helps me with the cooking and such, but I can hardly ask a ranch hand to do laundry and dust!"
She chuckled, then shook her head. "Part of me is reluctant to ask for help, I can take care of my household! But then, I'd not have the time to spend with the horses, nor as much as I'd like with Wheeler..."
It certainly is not like you should be strapped with everything and no time for those magnificent horses of yours. Seriously, getting a woman in to help would do you a world of good. And I might add, do the woman and her family a lot of good. The fact is, there are more than one young mother in and around town who have made a mistake and now have the results to raise. Maybe something to consider."
Alice was serious about that part of it. She had known a couple of unfortunate young women who became pregnant with no husband, and the shame attached.
"As to the pigeons? We need to get that ball rolling. I will see what I can find out about that and maybe a place for this library we're talking about." She said.
"That's a great idea," Emeline agreed, "so far as Barnabas is all right with it." While she was certain he would be, it was still something she'd have to clear with him. "It would give someone a chance...the alternatives are not really acceptable."
Before meeting Clara, Emeline had been pretty prudish about such things, but she could hardly condemn the girl, and if she gave Clara lee-way, then she needed to extend it to all women in that situation. Besides, everyone made their mistakes, and it was enough to have to live with just that.
"And you can be our initial detective on pigeon planning. If we had a library, you could...well, honestly, I think the chances of finding a book on pigeon training would be slim to none!"
"Well," She began, "I just know that there are those girls in need, while most of the ladies in town have turned their backs on them, some of us are trying to help out where and when we can." Something she did not understand. "Now we have Matry Anderson giving what they can afford from the mercantile, which is helpful. There are not really that many girls in trouble, as the ladies like to put it."
"And you can count on me to find out everything about the winged communication plan of ours. It will be great, and an early warning system as well. It can be very useful, especially to the outlying ranches, farms, and the mines." Alice added
"Well, one of these days you'll be married and spending more time at the mine," Emeline observed, "so it will be nice if we could have a way to communicate."
Then she had a thought, and stood. "You haven't see the horses yet! Let's go see them, you can carry Wheeler, or I can take him."
A fine, well-trained Morgan would make a lovely wedding gift, and maybe she could get an idea of what Alice might fancy.
"Oh, your Morgans, yes, let's, but perhaps you should carry Wheeler, I admit, I'm a bit out of practice, but they were cousins, and I was younger when I carried them around. Of course, so were they." Alice confessed as both women stood up. "I realize that Speed and I will have children one day, likely sooner than later, but then, they would be mine to cart around." She laughed as she handed Wheeler to his mother.
"As far as being up to the mine, I'm not sure how that will work out. What I mean is, there's the business in town, and Miss Fetterman is his assistant, and then there's the ranch Pa and I bought when we got here, so really, I don't know how things will go."
"Oh, well, a little mystery keeps you curious, right?" Emeline chuckled as she took Wheeler, cradling him securely, then heading for the door. "I love how quiet it is out here, but then, sometimes I miss the convenience of being in town."
Mostly, though, as long as visitors came along now and then, she really was happy being out here in the woods, with the waterfall nearby.
It was a short walk across the yard to the big barn, and as they stepped inside, Emeline commented, "Barnabas went all-out when he had this built, it will make a good shelter for the horses in the winter, and there are even some larger stalls for the birthing mares."
He'd thought of just about everything, and she was excited for the chance to use it.
Out the back doors was the pasture where the horses were grazing, six Morgan mares along with her own saddle horse, Noel, and a big bay stud. Stopping at the fence, she let out a low whistle and several of the horses trotted toward them.
"They're beautiful, aren't they?"
"Oh glory be! Beautifully is hardly the word to describe these horses! So graceful. The sheen of their coats, like black velvet." Alice said admiringly and reached out to stroke the animal's neck.
"You are so fortunate. Just gorgeous!" She gushed, "And the barn? It's huge! The bunk house is close to the house and the barn, great idea, we'll need to copy that idea, though I'm not sure if Speed wants to run cattle, he hasn't said anything about that, one way or the other. Maybe horses, I guess the cavalry out at the fort can be mighty hard on the stock they have and are always buying."
"He has talked about building onto the house out at the ranch, I really want to know his plans for the place, which are just in theory right now. He has said a thing or two about the additions, building out and up. That would eat up a summer, especially if it's just the three of us swinging the hammers."
"Yes, it would be helpful to know what to plan for." Emeline agreed, watching closely as a couple of the mares curiously sniffed Wheeler. "Are there accommodations for the men at the mine? That might be something to think about. I like having the men here, it's safer, and they aren't intrusive." She chuckled. "They're like family, mostly, but so polite and formal. I suppose that's necessary, and I do know they know we're friends."
She understood the need for some of the formality, the separation of employer and friend, and she felt that they'd struck a good balance.
"Certainly you'll have help building whatever Speed decides on?" Surely he could afford a few workers? "Barnabas and I would help...Speed is well-respected in town, I'm sure a good old house-raising would fix you up in no time!"
A dozen or so folks from town, a little coordination, and the house would be up in a day or two.
"The rumors I've heard and my brief experience with your men bear that out. Polite to a fault, but then that's cowboys for you. Or should I say 'Waddies' as they are called." Alice agreed. "Truth be told, good men are not that hard to find. Men who ride for the band, not for payday. The kind that sticks with you np matter what." Alice said, while admiring the Morgan Horses.
Speed has a plan for our place, and yes, there are accommodations for the men out at the mine. Our man Ty and young Rip have seen to the place and made it ready to operate, except for the shaft and tunnels. That sounds bigger than it is, well, maybe I should say as I remember it. It's operating and they are pulling ore out. It's so exciting as it is going to start paying dividends."