"You gentlemen are a godsend," Emeline commented as she slid the pan of cookies into the oven. "And you can get work as cooks if chasing the southbound end of a northbound cow ever gets old!"
With the first batch of cookies in and Wheeler all freshened up, she declared, "All right, time for another batch. We need sugar and butter to start, we'll cream that." She would let her helpers do the work while she directed them. "That needs about five minutes. Why do you suppose someone would lie to those poor people about Barnabas...Mr. Pike?"
"I suppose you are right." Sighing, Emeline picked up Wheeler and cradled him closely. "I don't know what I'd do if I lost another..." Taking a deep breath, she closed her eyes for a moment, then smiled. "Mr. Pike also has some very good and influential friends because of his past. I'm sorry you gentlemen were dragged into this."
For a moment, she was silent, looking down at their child. "I'm sorry the peace here was disturbed." She'd made the ranch and all the property into an idyllic refuge, and that had been shattered, and she knew the only fix for that was the people who lived here, who made it home, and she had to find a way out of the darkness. Making cookies with 'the boys' was a start.
"So, now," she instructed, her voice a bit shaky, "add four eggs, a bit of vanilla, then mix it all up, not too much, though." She grinned. "The rest, you know!"
Storyteller / Shared NPC
"You gentlemen are a godsend," Emeline commented as she slid the pan of cookies into the oven. "And you can get work as cooks if chasing the southbound end of a northbound cow ever gets old!"
"No Ma'am, we're just here doin' what it is that needs doin', that's all." Pythias said. "Lendin' a hand when we can, where we can. Taday, it's in here. But chssin' them doggies, that's the life. Freedom out there ya cain't find in no other kinda work."
"Drivin' the chuck wagon an' makin' sure them buckaroos get fed the best we got on 'er, wouldn't do nothin' else." Nate said.
"Me too!" Danny piped up,. "But this here ranch is like nothin' we ever had before, ever."
With the first batch of cookies in and Wheeler all freshened up, she declared, "All right, time for another batch. We need sugar and butter to start, we'll cream that." She would let her helpers do the work while she directed them. "That needs about five minutes. Why do you suppose someone would lie to those poor people about Barnabas...Mr. Pike?"
Once more, it was too Pythias to answer her, "Well now, Misses Pike, yer man has a reputation, an' he gots some graveyards behind him. There's men that ain't forgot who he is, nor what he's done, and sooner than later, one of 'em's gonna come lookin' for him. Don't matter good 'er bad things what he's did. There's them wanting ta take down the reputation and own it fer themselves." He explained. Whoever set this girl an' her brother again you and Wheeler, that was to draw out Mister Pike. Leastways, that's my guess."
Storyteller / Shared NPC
"I suppose you are right." Sighing, Emeline picked up Wheeler and cradled him closely. "I don't know what I'd do if I lost another..." Taking a deep breath, she closed her eyes for a moment, then smiled. "Mr. Pike also has some very good and influential friends because of his past. I'm sorry you gentlemen were dragged into this."
The room fell quite for a long moment before Nate 'Cookie' Ambrose spoke up, "Ma'am, ain't nobody been dragged into nuthin'. We ride for the Rockkin' P Ranch, an' that means whatever comes are way well, we just nat'erally step up an' do what needs doin'."
"That'd be the gist of it Ma'am," Pythias added, "A threat ag'in one iks a threat ag'in all'a us. Now don't you fret none 'bout what happened out there. I reckon we'll put an end to it quick enough."
Sorry, I deleted the wrong post and messed this up a bit.
"I've no doubt." Sighing, Emeline smiled. The ranch, all that went with it, was far beyond anything she had ever imagined. Andrew had wanted a farm in Oregon, one they would tackle by themselves, maybe a hand or two later on, and certainly a community to help when it was needed. There was even the possibility that some of their siblings might eventually follow them one day and buy property nearby.
But to have an operation this big, with what was essentially its own community, was a blessing she never could have imagined, but she embraced fully.
"I know the truth," she chuckled as she took the first pan of cookies from the oven, "you just stick around for my cookies!" She laughed, a genuine, free laugh, then added, "After those cool a little you can try them to make sure they are good enough!"
Storyteller / Shared NPC
"Yes'em, Now I make 'em jest the same as you, but derned if they ever turn out more'n passable. 'course, out on the trail who's ta know. But here? Ever'body knows who's is best." Nate admitted, smiling at Em.
"He's right, ya know," Pythias agreed. "But maybe he's just missin' an ingredient, or maybe it's as simple as the measurin' what he's mistaken on." Now, Nate was an experienced trail cook, known to be one of the very best. Chism had the best, and Goodnight was closing on both of them. But Nate was off the trail now and was putting out food that the boys were more than happy with.
Danny was as mum as a mouse hiding from a cat.
With Dixie returned to his post, Angie sat by Sis to make sure she didn't have any ill effects from the chloroform. She let out a sigh. If they were in the hospital, there would be a nurse to sit with the patient, not that she minded. In fact being out here was a treat, at least for now.
From the window she could see a good part of the range the Pikes controlled, cattle dotting the landscape and riders working them. It was very picturesque for a city girl. The place was nice from what she saw on the way in, but there had been little time to look around. The bright yellow hose stood out from all the green that all but surrounded it. Montana was beautiful!. And this ranch looked like paradise.
The girl had a strange tale to tell that was for sure. Accusing Mister Pike of being her father, based on an outlaw's word. Though the girl was not the brightest, that was for sure. She had been taken advantage of, and it cost her brother his life. Perhaps Mister Pike would attempt to clear the air for her; he seemed nice enough in their brief encounter. She was hopeful that he would try and do so. It would be a hard thing to be accused of fatherhood that he might know nothing of.
Quite a start to her adventures in the 'wild west' as it was called.
"
"Yes'em, Now I make 'em jest the same as you, but derned if they ever turn out more'n passable. 'course, out on the trail who's ta know. But here? Ever'body knows who's is best." Nate admitted, smiling at Em.
"Oh, now, you and Cookie are great at what you do, else none of the men would have stayed around this long." And that was true, even not having worked on a drive or on a ranch, Emeline knew that the food was a major factor in keeping good hands. Men liked good grub, and that, and the fact that many of them in the West were pining for women-folk, had helped Emeline to build her cafe to something that supported her until Barnabas had come along.
"He's right, ya know," Pythias agreed. "But maybe he's just missin' an ingredient, or maybe it's as simple as the measurin' what he's mistaken on."
"We'll just have to compare notes, then," Emeline insisted, "I don't believe in holding out ingredients and techniques, that just risks the recipe being lost forever." She grabbed a cookie and tossed it from hand to hand for a few seconds to cool it, then popped it in her mouth. "Mmm...perfect! Let's get that new batch in!"
Storyteller / Shared NPC
"Comparin' notes now, thet jest might do the trick!" Nate said with a wide grin. "Treats on the trail can sometimes be difficult to make out there, some, like these cookies here, are a might easier to do, 'specalliy when we're given the time to prepare 'em."
"We get some days like that, I mean if a halt is called for one treason 'er another." Danny piped up. "Mostly though, it's beef an' beans, with hard tack, less there's fresh game ta be had."
"You'd be surprized at some of the things this man can come up with out there. Frank, he wouldn't move less he had Cookie here signed on." Pytias stated. "Al'ays said he was the best man out there."
"Yeah he did, but trailin' back to Texas jest wasn't in the cards. 'sides, ain't finished training Danny here ta take over when the time comes."
"Cooking on the trail is hard enough for a small family," Emeline observed, "I can't imagine doing it for a dozen hungry, hard-working cowhands." It was a totally different skill than running a cafe, where she could start before sunrise and stay in one place all day. "And I'm sure Danny will be a fine cook in his time."
She smiled at the young man. "And I hope that doesn't come any time soon, we like having you here." As for goodies for on the trail, Emeline would look into getting small tins that cookies could be carried in with relative expectations of not getting crushed.
"I've heard word of a horse race in town," she commented, "would any of you gentlemen be entering? I should find someone to ride one of my Morgans." Something she would love to de herself, but it wouldn't be proper.