"Smoke ain't so bad." Justus shrugged as he grabbed his pants and shirt. "Better sometimes than a bunkhouse full'a cowboys that've been workin' on brandin' all day."
Chuckling, he pulled on his britches, then his shirt. "'Course, I reckon if it's so bad we could just wash off in th' creek now," he suggested, appearing serious, "get that smell all out."
"Well, I assure you, I have no desire whatsoever to spend even one night...or day in a ranch bunkhouse," Constance grinned as she started the dressing process.
Chuckling, he pulled on his britches, then his shirt. "'Course, I reckon if it's so bad we could just wash off in th' creek now," he suggested, appearing serious, "get that smell all out."
"What? We just got all of these things dry...well, mostly dry. Are you ....what do they say out here? Oh loco?" she gave him a look.
He had to be kidding, right? Hard to tell with him at times. He was a strange one in some ways.
"Oh, right, right...we'd just hafta dry 'em again, an' then we'd hafta dry, an' then they'd smell like smoke again, an' then..." Justus gave her a cheeky grin, then shrugged. "Reckon we'll just hafta take care of it when we get home. An' there really ain't no worry 'bout goin' in th' bunkhouse, mostly ladies aren't much expected, 'cept Mrs. Pike on occasion." He shrugged. "But she's different, bein' th' boss' wife an' all."
He brushed stray dirt off his pants, then squatted to help gather the dishes. "So, ya just wanna go back ta town an' wash out yer clothes, or...dunno, there's a real pretty view of th' mountains." He wasn't sure about Constance, but he wasn't quite ready to be done yet.
He beat a hasty verbal retreat with that let's jump in the water to wash the smoke out of the clothes. Yes, he had been kidding all along. Probably? Anyhow regardless it was time to pack up, they'd finished their lunch and she drank the last dregs from the wine bottle, no point taking that home.
He brushed stray dirt off his pants, then squatted to help gather the dishes. "So, ya just wanna go back ta town an' wash out yer clothes, or...dunno, there's a real pretty view of th' mountains."
"I certainly am not going to wash them out when I get home, I don't do laundry every day. I will throw it in with the rest of my needed laundry and do it my laundry day.....Sunday as the diner is never open that day. Now, I know, I know, Sunday is the Lord's day but it's also the day in my week I have the most free time. So if the good Lord gets upset about it, I'm sorry," she answered.
However he mentioned mountains. Yes, there were mountains, you could see them from where they were. Hard to miss mountains...
"So you mean ride up one of those mountains over there?" she looked at the closest with a bit of trepidation. She was not a very good rider.
"No, not them mountains, would take a few hours ta get up there," Justus explained. "There's a...well, kinda overlook, a ways ahead off th' trail, it's a bit rocky, a little hill ta go up..."
It wasn't the worst trail he could think of, but it wasn't like a wide open, established road. "We can give it a try, an' if it ain't ta yer likin' we can turn back."
"No, not them mountains, would take a few hours ta get up there," Justus explained. "There's a...well, kinda overlook, a ways ahead off th' trail, it's a bit rocky, a little hill ta go up..."
"Oh, I understand now," Constance nodded, pondering how feasible an inexperienced rider like her was on a horse going up a rocky trail so she hesitated answering.
"We can give it a try, an' if it ain't ta yer likin' we can turn back," he added.
"Sure, just remember one of the two of us is rather new at this horseback riding,"she pointed out, "I will let you guess which one."
"Ah, well, I have every confidence yer not gonna let me fall off!" Justus chuckled as he tightened Mule's cinch, secured the remains of the picnic, then helped Constance into the saddle. "Here, now, you can steer, I'll tell ya where ta go."
He then swung on behind her, his hands resting easily on his thighs. "Just tell 'im 'giddy-up' an' we'll be there in no time!" He had no qualms about Mule going faster than a plod!
"Ah, well, I have every confidence yer not gonna let me fall off!" Justus chuckled as he tightened Mule's cinch, secured the remains of the picnic.
"Ha ha," she smiled as she waited for him to help her up onto the horse.
Justus then helped Constance into the saddle. "Here, now, you can steer, I'll tell ya where ta go."
Once settled up there, she took the reins as she declared, "Sounds like a typical man. We do all the work while the men tell us what to do."
It was meant as a quip but one never knew with him, he might take her literally. She would soon find out.
He then swung on behind her, his hands resting easily on his thighs. "Just tell 'im 'giddy-up' an' we'll be there in no time!"
Constance swallowed, "Oh god, he is not going to gallop is he?"
Taking a deep breath she leaned toward one ear of the animal and said, "Umm, giddy up?"
"Oh, don't worry none, Mule ain't got it much in 'im ta go much more'n a walk." And true to form, the horse started out at an easy amble. "Only time he moves his tail is when we're on th' trail an' he knows if he takes his time, we'll end up ridin' drag, an' eatin' dust all day!"
Well, truth was, the horse could move when it was called for, he just wasn't the sort, like Annie, that was chomping at the bit to go full out with every step. Those sorts of horses were tiring, both physically and mentally, since they could be unpredictable.
"So, he's movin' now, an' yer in control. He might not listen to ya, though, since he's a boy." Justus chuckled.
Fortunately Justus was right, the horse moved at a steady but slow gait, exactly what Constance had hoped for. Even then after all this riding she wondered if on the morrow she would have a sore behind, while never have experienced such a thing she'd heard about that sort of thing.
"So, he's movin' now, an' yer in control. He might not listen to ya, though, since he's a boy." Justus chuckled.
"Oh you got that right, I'm quite used to men not listening to me or taking into account my wishes," she turned to him and grinned.
"Least it is good practice for the day I get married..........well, assuming I do even get married," she added.
For now she let Mule just go straight, letting the horse amble on. She had no real idea where they were going anyways.