"Exactly!  Or Miss Arabella herself."  Emeline laughed.  "Miss Jemima...or, God forbid, Granny Miggins!"  She sipped her tea, then sighed.  "I hate to speak ill of people, but it's all in fun, right?  And you were fortunate enough to find Constance, she's a great young lady.  I think one of our ranch hands is sweet on her."

Of course, that was between Justus and Constance, but Emeline knew him to be a hard-working, honest man, so she didn't mind.  "There's something in town coming up...a show?  I think he asked her to that."

Well, Clara regarded herself as a pretty good judge of character.............or in the case of Ara and Jemima CHARACTERS. But while they had their bad points, she still liked them mostly. Not Granny Miggins though. Even though Jacob's recent show of temper or maybe it was frustration, did make her concede she might have to be nicer to the old woman. It wasn't going to be easy though. But yes, it would be the Christian thing to do.

Emeline added,  "And you were fortunate enough to find Constance, she's a great young lady. I think one of our ranch hands is sweet on her."

Clara nodded, "Yes, I was. She has shown up on time each and every day. She takes instruction well. The customers seem to like her."

"Oh and I think I know which ranch hand that is. Not by name but by face. He seemed like a very decent sort."

"There's something in town coming up...a show? I think he asked her to that," Emeline added.

"The first performance this season at the theatre, yes. I believe he did, alright. In fact she told me she even got a new dress to wear for it," Clara revealed.

"Personally I think a new dress for some mere play is rather extravagant but then that is just me," she shrugged.

"Oh, well, I suppose every young lady needs a nice dress in her wardrobe, and it can be used for other things, such as a Sunday-go-to-meeting dress!"  But Emeline did agree that it could be an extravagant investment.  "Only if she can afford it, of course."

She smiled, rocking slowly.  "Justus seems a good sort, Barnabas is particular about the men he hires.  I heard they picked the young man up somewhere on the trail outside Texas.  He seems the gentleman."

Grinning, she looked over at Clara.  "I'm so happy not to be that teenaged girl, out courting anymore.  Of course, Andrew and I knew each other since we were young.  But there were plenty of awkward dates with other boys before we figured things out."  She laughed again.  "Anyway, I don't envy young people that."

"Justus seems a good sort, Barnabas is particular about the men he hires. I heard they picked the young man up somewhere on the trail outside Texas. He seems the gentleman."

"I'm sure he is. If he was not, then he might be working for Elias Steelgrave," Clara could utter no greater insult to her mind than associate someone with those thugs and bullies.

Grinning, she looked over at Clara. "I'm so happy not to be that teenaged girl, out courting anymore. Of course, Andrew and I knew each other since we were young. But there were plenty of awkward dates with other boys before we figured things out." She laughed again. "Anyway, I don't envy young people that."

"Yes, I am glad to be past all that. But then, to be honest, I never courted. The couple of boys I barely knew did not even like me. Such as our vaunted deputy. I did have a silly fixation on Shade Thornton. I actually thought he might be interested in me, can you imagine? But then I found out he got engaged to that school marm. I was .....well, angry. Felt betrayed. I know, I know, I was being so foolish," Clara revealed.

It was humorous now but it had been misery at the time.

"Oh, I think we all need to go through at least one silly phase!"  Emeline laughed.  "The key is coming out unscathed on the other side.  I suppose it doesn't help that we're expected to be paired up by the time we're eighteen or something is wrong with us."

It wasn't that bad, of course, mostly, and Emeline had never really felt any pressure from her folks to get married.  "I think it's better not to get into a bad relationship for the sake of any relationship.  We're fortunate to have found good men, to have the beginnings of wonderful families.  We've a bright future."

Clara was a good friend and a good business partner, she was smart and determined, and Emeline was glad to have her in her life. 

"I'm glad our children can grow up together, too.  And I've no doubt they will be complete angels and will never get into any trouble!"

Oh, I think we all need to go through at least one silly phase!" Emeline laughed. "The key is coming out unscathed on the other side. I suppose it doesn't help that we're expected to be paired up by the time we're eighteen or something is wrong with us."

"Well, I beat that deadline for that then. Not that I planned for it and certainly did not expect it. Jacob and I ...well, it all happened so fast. He visited me at the farm, my father was not home. And well.......he laid with me by the pond and it just happened. I wanted it though, he did not force himself upon me. I did not expect to get pregnant though. That speeded our marriage along but I truly believe we would have still married without that, just later. I know it was a sin. But I cannot help it, I do not regret it," Clara was far more serious now but that was her nature anyhow.

Emeline was very upbeat about their future, both couples that is and also their children. Clara nodded, "I like to think so, yes."

"I'm glad our children can grow up together, too. And I've no doubt they will be complete angels and will never get into any trouble!" Emeline declared.

"You are an optimist. I wonder if little Em will be a daddy's girl?" Clara pondered aloud.

"I'm trying to stay optimistic," Emeline commented with a faint smile, "I know what the other side is like, and I pray God doesn't have that in his plan for me again."

She glanced at the crib with the slumbering infants.  "And I don't want to get caught up in worry so much that I miss the fun and joy of watching our children grow up.  It might be hard sometimes, but every mother worries."  Her smile widened and was more cheerful.  "When they climb the ladder to the loft, or want to ride at a full gallop...bareback, or swim in the creek..."

There were so many hazards, but she'd make herself sick if she worried about them all, and worse, would make her children miserable.

"Heck," she laughed, "I survived falling out of a tree, a rope swing that broke over a pond, that bull in Mr. Grey's pasture..."

"I'm trying to stay optimistic," Emeline commented with a faint smile, "I know what the other side is like, and I pray God doesn't have that in his plan for me again."

"No, I am confident this time around, things will go smoother for you," Clara assured the other woman, even though in reality no one could be sure of any such thing. But Clara wanted to be supportive.

Emeline glanced at the crib with the slumbering infants. "And I don't want to get caught up in worry so much that I miss the fun and joy of watching our children grow up. It might be hard sometimes, but every mother worries." Her smile widened and was more cheerful. "When they climb the ladder to the loft, or want to ride at a full gallop...bareback, or swim in the creek..."

"Very true, I am going to try very hard not to be too strict or restrictive of Em. My mother seemed to always know the right balance. I worry I might not have that skill. Oh and then I do not even wish to contemplate when Em gets old enough to notice boys. Oh, dear," sighed Clara.

"Heck," Emeline laughed, "I survived falling out of a tree, a rope swing that broke over a pond, that bull in Mr. Grey's pasture..."

"Oh gosh! A bull....well, I can top that one for certain," Clara now asserted.

"I was chased by a murderous raging grizzly bear. When I was walking with Shade. We were fortunate to survive. That was the bear that Addy finally put down. Good for her!"

"Well, I'm glad you are faster than that bear!"  Emeline chuckled.  "Of course, I think that bear would have been sorry if he'd caught you, you would have put him in his place!"

She had no doubt that Clara could hold her own, of course not against a bear, but the girl was no lightweight, a trait that would serve her well in life.

"I'm glad we're rid of that creature.  Oh, I don't mind wild animals, and I know they belong here, but that beast was...unusual.  I heard that even the natives were afraid of him.  I just hope we don't run into problems here with bears and mountain lions and the sort...I hate to think of something going after the horses."

Emeline would even feel bad if the chickens or rabbits were attacked!

"At least I'm sure that any beasts will stay away from the house.  That's something I didn't need to worry about back home, nor even in town."  She chuckled again.  "Just bank robbers!"

"Well, I'm glad you are faster than that bear!" Emeline chuckled. "Of course, I think that bear would have been sorry if he'd caught you, you would have put him in his place!"

Clara nodded forcefully, "Yes indeed. I would have given him a most harsh scolding about proper behavior in public as he ate me." All said without a hint of a grin, she was good at that sort of sarcasm.

"I'm glad we're rid of that creature. Oh, I don't mind wild animals, and I know they belong here, but that beast was...unusual. I heard that even the natives were afraid of him. I just hope we don't run into problems here with bears and mountain lions and the sort...I hate to think of something going after the horses."

"Oh I can understand that. Why those horses of yours must be quite expensive, they certainly look the part," remarked Clara.

"At least I'm sure that any beasts will stay away from the house. That's something I didn't need to worry about back home, nor even in town." She chuckled again. "Just bank robbers!"

"Well, you do not have to worry yourself on that point either. You do not live in a bank," Clara pointed out.