"We could ride back over, cows are busy with the grass an' they ain't goin' nowhere anytime soon." Zane said looking at the couple talking with the boss. "My money's on husband and wife, and from the looks of it, the folks that own the herd and them Morgan Horses. If they're staying, it'd jest be fer dinner. They got the look of a couple jest returnin' from somewheres, headed fer home."
"From the looks of that gent, you wouldn't wanna have words with the woman without he interduced her to ya. Might not be a good way ta start off workin' for 'em, I'd say." Zane seemed more practical about it all, if they were just brother and sister, well, there'd be a lot of attention swung her way. If she was his wife, then it would be a lot of respect shown to her, more so than if she was just his sister.
Justus nodded, it was pretty evident that they were a couple, and devoted to each other. "Well, he's one lucky gent, an' if them's our bosses, all th' better!"
They looked decent enough, and practical, not all fancied up and high-and-mighty. Both looked like they didn't mind a hard day's work, and the lady, driving the wagon, so she was of the West.
"She's pretty, looks tough, too, but then, those are her horses, not his." That had been made clear, and while Mr. Pike would likely have some say, they were hers.
"Oh, good lord, what's she doin'?" The woman had wandered out toward the horses, and just hopped onto the back of one, no saddle, no bridle, not even a lead rope! "She's gonna kill herself!"
Justus glanced at Zane, then turned Annie's head and started that way.
"Justus ya danged fool! The woman knows what she's about!" Zane called after him, then spurred his mount to catch up to Gibbs.
"Likely you ain't never seen a, a, body ride with just knees an' mane before!" He exclaimed. Of course those he'd seen were Apaches, some Navajo, and maybe a couple Pimas. They did use rope bridles, but tey could ride without, when on a raid for horses. "Jest ride easy, she's doin' jest fine." Of course, as he had said, she was pretty and this was his excuse for a closer look, which Zane would not mind either.
Justus slowed Annie to a walk as Zane caught up to him, still headed for the woman, just in case she needed help, although she seemed to be doing just fine.
"Just ain't never seen a lady ride bareback," he commented. It wasn't unusual for a lady to be astride, while a sidesaddle was secure, it just wasn't practical out here for more than pleasure, so most ladies used a standard saddle...but a saddle none-the-less! "She sits well," he observed, and then, as they were close, he whispered, "Is she...ya know? Gonna have a baby?"
As the men approached her, Emeline offered a smile and a nod. The mare hadn't gone far, she wasn't so well leg-trained that she was quite sure what to do, and Emeline was just content to let her wander. She'd had no qualms about trying to ride the horse, these were well-bred, and had been raised on a ranch, so they were accustomed to being handled, and, if not completely saddle broke, were at least green-broke.
"Gentlemen." Her smile widened as the mare took a few steps toward the men, and their horses. "I'm Mrs. Pike...Emeline. I appreciate the good care you've taken of my horses."
"Ma'am, Zane Geraghty. They some fine horses, and a pleasure to care for." He said, introducing himself. "Then you're the folks with the ranch we're headin' to with the herd an' yer horses. Be glad to get there." which was, at least for him, and he suspected most of the men, the truth. It had been a long drive, and for him, a longer ride to the lush, green forested country known as Montana, far different than Lordsburg, New Mexico Territory. It would seem that Tyrell had made himself a good choice.
"You'll excuse us Ma'am, fer gawkin'. Ain't usual to see a woman ride bareback, what ain't Indian. But you surely sit the animal well." Zane added. A compliment, true as it was.
"Oh, well, I learned to ride on the old plow horses when I was a girl, back in Illinois," Emeline explained. "I don't do it often now, but I'm afraid I couldn't help myself. The horses are so beautiful."
"She does seem ta like ya," Justus commented,touching the brim of his hat and giving a slight nod, "she's real gentle with ya. I'm Justus Gibbs, Ma'am."
"Oh. well, I'm pleased to meet you gentlemen." She'd have to talk to Barnabas about letting the hands call her by her given name. It wasn't formal, but she suspected these men would respect her regardless of what name they used for her.
"Would you be so kind as to lead us to my husband? I'm afraid the girl here will tolerate me, but doesn't quite understand what I want of her, but I'm sure she'll follow you." Patting the horse's neck, she grabbed a hunk of mane, using it as a guide, and the horse turned to follow the others.
"Yes, Ma'am," Justus agreed with a nod, glancing at Zane. There was no question from this close that the woman was bearing a child, and he felt a pang of fear for her, lest the horse do something silly. He pulled Annie in close, so he could intervene if he needed to.
Emeline was aware of this, and that made her appreciate these cowboys all the more. "Thank you. So, are you gentlemen planning on staying once we get to the ranch?"
"I am, Ma'am," Justus replied, "lookin' forward to it!"
Geraghty smiled, nodded to the woman as he touched the brim of his hat. She was a pleasant enough person and it seemed she was aware that the hands would be staying on once they reached their ranch. He had no idea about what he would do, first off he needed to find Tyrell, lest he had already moved on for one reason or another.
If that was the case, there was no sense in traipsing after him, he had joined in with these men and made friends with most all of them along the way. To his way of thinking, there was no reason to up and pull his freight to chase after a man bent on wandering. No, he would stay on with the Pikes, Teal, Pythias, and the boys. Time to meet his new employer.
There was a conversation developed between Pike and Teal about the usual, range conditions, weather, the coming winter, and the desire to have more cattle.
Pike stood where he could see Em, since she sat that horse bareback, and not knowing the animal or what it might do had him a bit edgy, but a couple of Teal's riders eased over to her, he relaxed a bit as they started toward the Chuckwagon.
"Well Pike, there's enough of us what said they'd be stayin' on to handle just about any size herd. Then suddenly, "Hey Pythias, 'mere!" He called out. To which Modene trotted his horse to the recently strung picket line, stepped down and tied it off then walked over to the two, "This here's Pronto Pike, be our new boss."
"Mister Pike, Pythias Modene, pleasure to meet you. That be your wife aboard that Mogan?" He asked after introducing himself.
"Mister Pike was my father, name's Pronto, an' yessiree, that's my Em." The two shook hands as they watched her ride up. "Em, these two gents are Frank Teal, an' Pythias Modene. They'll be ramroddin' the outfit for us."
"It's a pleasure to meet you, gentlemen." Emeline smiled and nodded, finding that the shift from the fantasy of the honeymoon to the reality of the ranch, and a home with her husband, and children, of course! "Aren't the horses amazing?" she gushed, sliding to the ground and turning the mare's head back toward herd and giving her a light smack on the rump. The horse ambled back to her friends as Emeline moved to Barnabas' side.
"This is Zane Geraghty and Justus Gibbs," she introduced the cowboys who had accompanied her, "Mr. Gibbs, at least, is planning to stay on. Gentlemen, Mr. Barnabas Pike, the greatest rancher and dish washer you ever will find!"
"Well, glad to meet you boys." Pike said as he shook hands with the two riders. By then most of the men had gathered around waiting on the noon meal and finding that their new boss and his wife were there, also on their way to this ranch of theirs. "Well, guess you all know I offered to have you stay on, was that what you wanted, an' that offer still stands."
"Now, having been a waddy, same as you, I'd understand if ya wanted to look about an' see what the was what, I would, an' you'd be welcomed back if you didn't find what you were lookin' for. I'll not sugar coat nothin', there's a couple spreads at each other, and have been for some time, just ain't boiled over as yet." He was explaining, "And there's been some rustlin' time ta time. It's organized we know that. I'm deputy to Town Marshal Speed Guyer, but we got some jurisdiction ouside'a the town limits. We don't have the men to posse up fer such things, which got nothin' ta do with you men. You got an offer to ride for the Rockin' P Ranch, an' I want you ta know the lay of the land."
"Come an' get it affore I throw it out!" Cookie bellowed. "Ma'am, you and Mister Pike here just step to the front of the line. I'd be pleased to stay on as you've offered, an the boy here too."
