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Yearning Steer (Penner and AR)

RE: Yearning Steer (Penner and AR) Random Western Titles.

Noah's hand lightly touched her waist as she leaned up to kiss his cheek. His fingers lingered as long as they could as she moved away. He sighed heavily, reaching up to touch his aching lip. /Damn/.

But his mare and Luke's still needed to be cared for so he turned to finish that up.

---

Ben shook his head, bemused at the Doc, as usual. The man was something else. He looked over his shoulder at Ms. Williams, and he was still a bit baffled at her clothes. He wondered if she'd wear other clothes if he provided them and he was quite certain he'd need to provide them -- which made him wonder, where were her things?

"Ms. Williams?" He asked, "I should go look for your things. Unless... are they coming on the coach?"

He wasn't sure when the coach was due next. It came once a week, it seemed odd that she'd send her things separate but if she'd just come on a horse it did make some kind of twisted sense.

Still, why the heck had she come on a horse? He'd never known ladies to travel long distances on horseback, they usually took wagons or the coach.
 
RE: Yearning Steer (Penner and AR) Random Western Titles.

It was a brilliant cover up if what happened to her things as she said, "They are suppose to be coming on the coach... Which would be nice because I would certainly like to have my things..." She sighed, "And now, I am relying on the charity of others. Not that I am ungrateful!" Kate paused before correcting herself. "What I mean to say is that I am very grateful for your hospitality, Mr. Wilson."

Nodding a few times, she thought about the horse that never existed. "It is a pity to lose my horse, Betsy..." She said making up a name of a the horse that never existed. "But, I suppose she will turn up..."

Kate wondered if she was sounding convincing but she supposed if she was pretending like it was the truth then it wasn't so bad. Hell, she had to convince herself what she was doing was right one way or another. "And I can help around the house while I am recovering." She offered. "My grandpa had a farm when I was growing up and my parents would send me out there for summer vacation to help around the farm."

That was the truth, "I mean... When school was out in the city." She explained thinking that she was probably talking too much. Kate needed to shut up but she talked when she was nervous.

It was right then that the front door opened and Susan was walking through the threshold of the ranch house. She looked a little startled to see people were there. However, she did go about her work as she usually did.
 
RE: Yearning Steer (Penner and AR) Random Western Titles.

She was talking in her fancy words again. Summer vacation? He had never gone to school, he wasn't familiar with such things. She made him feel... inadequate; he was constantly struggling to understand her. He didn't much like the feeling.

And then the girl was back and he let out a heavy sigh of relief.

"Gir--Susan," He nearly bit his tongue in his haste to remember the girl's name, "Stay with Ms. Williams. I got some work to do. Make sure she's comfortable. Ms. Williams, if you need anything at all the girl here will take care of you. And Susan, prepare Luke's room for our guest."

The kid could bunk up with Noah.

He slipped out of the house quickly.

It hadn't been a lie, he did have work to do. Finishing the fence repairs, riding out to the ravine to see the damage Jesse had done... calming his brothers. But the real reason he darted out is because the woman, Ms. Williams, was making him crazy uncomfortable.

He knew he'd have to face her later in the day, when he couldn't hide out on the farm any longer, but better later than now.

---

The Wilson boys largely stayed out of the house during daylight hours, except to eat or on special occasions like a strange woman showing up injured in their back yard.

Much, much later, once Jesse and Noah were calmed down and riding out with Ben, Luke snuck his way into the house. He couldn't help it. He was curious and the lady was pretty. He knew he was supposed to be doing chores but he'd passed his chores off on the help and now here he was, standing in the middle of the living room, grinning at Ms. Williams.

"Hi," he said, raising a hand in greeting. He remembered a second later to take his hat off.

He wasn't used to strangers, course he saw them sometimes when they went to town but that wasn't common and he never really got an opportunity to talk to any of them. Now that he was, essentially, alone with /this/ stranger he planned to take full advantage.

And she was from the city? What stories she must have! He couldn't wait to drag them all out of her.
 
RE: Yearning Steer (Penner and AR) Random Western Titles.

She supposed that he simply did not like her with the way that he would not talk to her, Kate looked a little disappointed that he did not want to talk. Well, some people were not talkers and others were. It seemed that the eldest brother did not care about her. The teacher she guess as she sat in the living room and listened to his instructions to the young girl who nodded.

Once he was gone, Susan smiled. "Are will go prepare Luke's room... He won't be too happy but, he will listen." She said, "Is there anything I can get you. A book or perhaps some knitting?" She asked wondering what the young woman was going to do all by herself alone here.

Kate thought for a moment, is there anything that needs done that I can sit here and do?" She offered as Susan blinked, "Umm... Can you sew?" The teacher nodded. "I can bring the mending to you if you don't mind seeing up shirts and trousers. Always ripping their clothing in the field." She stated

"Yes, I would love to help out!" Kate said thinking it would be a way to kill some time since she could see. It was about ten minutes later that she had a pile of shirts and trousers to mend and Susan was up the stairs setting up Luke's room for their guest. Never had any of those really...

Kate was about a quarter into the mending when she looked up to see a teenage boy before her. "Hello..." She smiled before saying, "Let me guest... You must be Luke?" She asked with a grin.

"Your brother told me about you... How you learnt to read on your own?" She asked with a curious look. "Very impressive... Oh, I'm Ms. Williams." She mentioned, "The new teacher in the town... Your brother wants to make sure that you are enrolled."
 
RE: Yearning Steer (Penner and AR) Random Western Titles.

Luke beamed when she mentioned his reading but his smile faltered at her next words. "No... no I can't go to school. I have to help out here. There's too much, my brothers need me here."

He fiddled nervously with his hat. He hadn't known Ben intended to enroll him in school. He was torn between excitement, frustration and curiosity. He chose to change the subject until he could recover from the shock of her news.

"Do all ladies wear pants in the city?" He blurted, "My mother used to say onl-woah... are those my pants?"

He was pretty sure she was mending clothes.

"You... you should put that away. Ben won't be happy!"
 
RE: Yearning Steer (Penner and AR) Random Western Titles.

She saw the look on his face when she mentioned school and she knew that he did not look happy about it. Oh, was she not suppose to spill the beans? Well, she had so that was for his brother to explain to him. "Well, the offer is always on the table to learn." She shrugged as she looked down at the trousers that she was mending.

Glancing up at him for a moment, "Well, no but it is much more comfortable for traveling then, woman's regular attire." She said to him. "Hmm?" She looked down at the pants and said, "Well, yes... I was sitting here on my own and I was a little bored. I am not use to idle hands, so... I asked Susan if I could help and she said there was a lot of mending."

To hell with him, he never seemed happy. Quiet and she was sure he disliked her. "Oh... but I almost went mad from a head injured and now, I will go mad from being idle. Your brother won't want me to go mad so, he will be fine with it." She was teasing. "And, he will be glad to let me on my way since I am relying on this home's charity."

Shrugging, Kate said. "It will be fine." She was not concerned.
 
RE: Yearning Steer (Penner and AR) Random Western Titles.

The thing was, Ben was crazy about proper hospitality. He'd be crazy upset if he knew a guest had been put to work, especially a lady guest. Luke paced over to the chair near Ms. Williams and settled himself into it. He fiddled with his hat, unsure of what to say next. He had so many questions running through his head.

"You're really pretty," he blurted, "not ... I mean, I uh... sorry."

He flashed her a nervous and yet strangely charming smile, "I'm not much used to ladies in the house. Mostly I talk to cows and my brothers and they're kind of like cows because all they do is bleat and complain and work. Have you heard of chess? Do you know how to play? Ben taught me but he's really, really, really, really bad at it. Do you want to play with me? I bet you're real good! You must be pretty smart if you're a teacher."
 
RE: Yearning Steer (Penner and AR) Random Western Titles.

She smiled a little when he said that she was pretty and then apologized for his comment. She took the compliment, "Thank you." Her eyes on the teenage boy thinking that was a sweet thing to say and it seemed like he meant well. "You don't have to apologize. It's nice to compliment someone." It was actually really nice compared to what she had heard some of her students say before. Not that she saw the younger generations we're doomed in her own time but sometimes, she used it as a teaching tool.

This was alright behavior, "I grew up with two brothers, both were older so... I have some experience." She mentioned to him. "Oh! I love chess! My Dad taught me but he was really good and I didn't beat him until I was eighteen years old and it was one of the proudest days of my life. It's about 50/50 of who wins." She said with a smile. "I would love to play."

She put the finished trousers aside. "Suppose I can finish these tomorrow so your older brother doesn't know." She said indicated to the folded shirts and trousers. The ones that were fixed needed ironing too.
 
RE: Yearning Steer (Penner and AR) Random Western Titles.

Luke bolted from the chair, rushing around the room to secure a small side table his father used to use as a desk and disappearing up the stairs for a moment to find the chess board. They didn't play often. Not since Ben started losing every game and Noah and Jesse wouldn't play at all. They hated having to think much.

He set the board up and dragged his chair over.

"Your brothers were all older too?" He asked as he prepared the board. "Is your dad still alive? Our pa died a few summers back, trying to get the cows out of the ravine... that's where Ben and the others are now. Jess took the cows down this morning, despite Ben's orders and I think they're going to move them back out but depends if Jess can convince Ben otherwi-"

The loud, distant rumble of thunder cut him off. He stiffened, straightening up and trying to see out the front windows. A storm was rolling in. That wasn't good.

But he didn't want to seem scared in front of the teacher lady, so he tried to pretend an incoming storm didn't scare him.

The thing was, if Ben and the others /were/ down in the ravine right now that storm could spell major trouble.

It had been during a rain storm when pa died.

He swallowed hard and forced himself to smile at her.

"Ah, sorry. Guess a storm is rolling in. We've been hoping for rain."

What bad luck if they got rain now, of all times.

"So, uh... why... why'd you decide to come out here anyway? If I were in the city, I'd probably stay."
 
RE: Yearning Steer (Penner and AR) Random Western Titles.

Prairie storms could be the worst as she said hadn't noticed it before but the wind was picking up as she said, "is there anything g that we need to do?" She had the shirts and trousers in a basket beside her, she supposed that she should bring those to where Susan had then before. "I mean, is there any-" she paused to see Susan running out the door to get something. "Thing that we should be doing?" She asked as she looked down at the chessboard.

It turned out that Susan was getting clothing that was drying on the line and some of the other help was tending to a few other parts of the ranch so that it would be set if a big storm did come in. Dangerous items were bolted down. Kate seeing the teenage boy's unease. She said, "I had two older brothers who protected me and tried to scare off any guy who wanted to court me." She said as she thought of using the Civil War as a way of confirming her story.

She had not have a husband but she had been engaged once, so it would not be a lie if she said that Mark had died in the war. Actually, it was would help as the reason why she had come out west. "My father died a few years ago and my brothers in the war... As well as my husband." She shrugged a little. "So, I came out west to be a teacher or a nurse and start a new. City life wasn't suiting me anymore." Kate looked a little sheepish, "There I go... Talking too much again."

However, it was the truth... After the Civil War there was a lot of displaced people and she could be another one of them. It was a common story.
 
RE: Yearning Steer (Penner and AR) Random Western Titles.

When Susan ran out Luke watched. He wanted to run and help but he also wanted to stay here and pretend nothing was happening. He /was/ scared, but he'd never admit it out loud.

Ms. Williams story about her brother pulled him back to the moment and he smiled at that. He had two big brothers who protected him too, but not from guys.

"Oh, I'm sorry, ma'am," he said softly when he heard about her family, and husband. To lose everyone all at once like that? He'd lost his pa and soon after his ma to heartache but she'd literally lost everyone. His heart ached for her.

"I talk too much too, that's what Ben says anyway," Luke said when she finished, "and the help will batten the house down, you just sit and I"ll keep you company."

He /could/ help but he didn't have to. Everyone here from the ranch hands to the maids knew what was expected of them.

He moved his piece on the board.

"I didn't really teach myself to read," he admitted, "one of the ranch hands taught me. But nobody round here reads, you know, my ma, she wanted us all to learn but we were always so busy helping pa and there weren't any teachers then so we just didn't. Then after she died I figured it's something she'd really want, so I started talking to people and I found out one of the hands reads and, well, he taught me. Ben was so proud when he heard, you know... he just thought I must have done it myself and next thing I knew I wasn't correcting him and now I don't really know how to tell him the truth."

He paused, eyes widening. Why had he told /her/ that?

"You... uh, you won't tell him, will you?"

The door banged open and Jesse stormed in, like a miniature blond version of Ben earlier. He cursed his way to the staircase, pausing just briefly as he spotted Luke and Ms. Williams.

"Jess?" Luke frowned, "What's goin' on? Weren't you going out to the ravine?"

"Got halfway there and saw the storm rolling in," Jess answered with a snap. He bounded up the stairs, two at a time.

"Is it real big?" Luke called after but Jess ignored him and a second later they heard a door slam upstairs.

Outside voices were shouting as everyone rushed to get the ranch ready.

Luke looked at Ms. Williams, "... I should help... maybe. You um... all you need to do is... uh... you're not supposed to like... but... you could maybe help me tie down the shutters?"
 
RE: Yearning Steer (Penner and AR) Random Western Titles.

She wondered why he did not want his older brother to know that someone had taught him to read rather than teaching himself. It seemed so strange to her that he was ashamed that he knew how to read. "No, I won't tell your brother... She said as they were trying to play the game of chess, however it seemed that both of their minds were in a similar state of distraction. She supposed that she had in a way lost all of her family, they were over a century into the future and she was... Here in 1867.

Part of her was excited but then, she was also a little sad but then, she had a hope that she could return. Wouldn't she just have to go running towards the trench and try to jump into it and then she would be back?

It was then that the front door opened and Jesse came storming in like the storm that was going to blow through soon. "Is everyone alright?" She asked looking a bit startled by the cursing from the brother who had said he did not want to go to a stupid school earlier.

"Of course! I can help with the shutters." She supposed that would be another thing that they were not going to be telling his eldest brother. Getting up slowly, she touched the chair that she had been sitting for the last few hours.

Kate was not light headed as she smiled. "I'm alright." She mentioned to Luke waiting for what they were going to do next.
 
RE: Yearning Steer (Penner and AR) Random Western Titles.

Jesse didn't answer her question, he had barely answered his brother before retreating to his room. Luke was used to his brother's moods, but he felt bad because he knew Ms. Williams wouldn't be. As he showed her how to secure the shutters he murmured a quick apology, "Sorry 'bout Jess. Him and Noah have been fightin' today and ... well, I think sometimes he feels a bit picked on. I mean, what he did was stupid but it wasn't his parents who died down there, he doesn't get why Ben keeps us away. He doesn't understand the fear."

He kept a close eye on her, "You gonna' be okay? Sure you should be standing? We have to secure all the shutters on all the windows."

As he spoke Noah rushed in, "Have you seen Susan?" He asked.

"Who?" Luke frowned.

"The maid, you idiot," Noah growled.

"She's outside, I reckon. Getting the clothes or somethin'," Luke shrugged. Why would he keep an eye on the maid?

Noah looked to Ms. Williams, "You all right? Maybe you should sit down and let us handle all this?"
 
RE: Yearning Steer (Penner and AR) Random Western Titles.

"No need to apologize for him, it's not your fault." She said quietly wondering what that was about if it wasn't Jesse who's parents died? She had thought the four were brothers. Were they not? Well, that was a little curious... However this was not the time nor the place to be asking rude questions about things like that...

That's what town gossip was for.

Shaking her head, she said. "No... I want to be of some help whileI am here and closing shutters is not a hard task. She mentioned as she was standing on her own. "Plus, I am not so light headed anymore." She explained as she went over to shut and lock the shutters and Windows.

It was then that Susan came in with a pile of bedding as she dropped it on a chair, she had another few sheets to come in from the line as the storm was blowing in. "I pray there's not a tornado." She said more to herself as she noticed Noah but she had to get the rest of the laundry as she smiled before rushing back out.

Kate was too busy closing the windows and shutters before the storm was due to come in.
 
RE: Yearning Steer (Penner and AR) Random Western Titles.

Noah went after Susan, tipping his hat to Ms. Williams real quick as he ran. "Let me help," He said as he ran to the clothing lines and started pulling clothes down.

"If there is a tornado, we've got storm shelters, so it's good. And you know, a storm is a perfect excuse to snuggle up real close." He grinned at her.

Luke moved quickly, and with Ms. Williams help the house was shuttered in less time than it would have been if he'd been alone. He smiled at her when they finished.

"Hopefully it's not a bad one. We really do need rain. We've been in a drought for weeks. You must have noticed how dusty it is out there?" He peered at her closely, "Are you okay? Maybe you should sit back down now. May as well settle in. The others were handle whatever else is left to get done."
 
RE: Yearning Steer (Penner and AR) Random Western Titles.

Susan was pulling down the clothes and sheets as she looked at Noah and smiled. "Are you trying to get us caught?" She asked as she was teasing him. "As much as I would like to snuggle up close to you, well... My work is on the line and your eldest brother would be upset with you." She asked a serious expression before pulling the last sheet and bundling them up in her arms. That was the last of them. Only thing that had to worry about was the chairs on the front porch being blown around.

"Come on, Noah!" She called feeling the rain on her skin and making her hair damp as she started towards the steps to the porch so she could go through the front door to the ranch house.

The windows and shutters were closed as Kate looked quite proud that she had done it after having suffered that fall. "Probably best not to tell your brother about this..." She said to Luke, not liking the idea of lying but as she had found on in the past. Sometimes, it's just best that some people don't know exactly what happened. Just made it easier for everyone.

"Are you sure, I can help a bit more..." It was then that Susan came in with another heap of laundry. It was probably damp as the young woman was panting from her mad rush of getting the laundry in. Susan looked at the door and said, "The chairs outside.." She went back out to get the few porch chairs so they were not being blown around and tied them to the railings.
 
RE: Yearning Steer (Penner and AR) Random Western Titles.

Noah laughed at the rain, turning his head up with a huge grin. It was about time! He chased after Susan, and it was all he could do to resist touching her. It was too dangerous to touch her here, but he really wanted to. He wanted to kiss her in the rain... among other things.

"What's left?" He asked as he hopped up onto the porch. A quick glance confirmed that all the clothes were in and on this side everything looked battened down and ready to go. He spotted the chairs and while Susan went inside he worked to tie them down.

Hopefully the storm wouldn't be too bad. They needed rain but if the storm brought lightning they could end up with fire instead.

"No, I think it's okay," Luke said, "everything should be done-"

The door banged open and the last Wilson brother entered. He was a mess, covered in dirt and sweat. He kicked the door closed behind him. The help had their own places to stay, and would only join them if this storm developed into something worse.

Luke's expression faltered just a moment. Going from sweet and open to slightly guarded at the sight of his eldest brother. He was worried. Judging by Jesse's behavior earlier and Ben's expression now things hadn't gone well out there.

"Benji," Luke said quietly, "we're all shuttered up and ready for the storm. Do you need my help outside?"

Ben pulled off his hat. His hair was a mess on top of his head, deformed by the hat and sweat.

"Everythin's done," Ben said with a shake of his head, "Ms. Williams, hope you don't mind storms, cause there's a big one rollin' in."

"How big?" Luke asked.

"Got the shelters ready, if we need em. We'll wait it out inside for now."

Noah ushered Susan back into the house. It was pouring now, the rain falling so fast and hard it stung the skin.

"Susan can stay here?" Noah asked, "It's raining too hard for her to go to the servants quarters now."

Ben shrugged. It didn't matter to him. He didn't like the idea of the help getting too familiar but he wasn't cruel either.
 
RE: Yearning Steer (Penner and AR) Random Western Titles.

She had seen a Prairie storm or two before in her days after all... Although, she was pretending like she was from the East... She was from Tulsa. That's why she was a teacher in the school district, it had been the same one that she had gone to. Now, she did go to a university in Richmond, Virginia so... She had some experience in that part of the US and so... They was little white lies that could be justified.

"I have seen a storm in my day... We get hurricanes in the East sometimes." She mentioned as she went back to sit. She did see that Susan was panting and would need to fold up the damp sheets to put somewhere or they could be dried in the kitchen by the stove like what was done in winter.

Kate also noticed something else, she saw how Noah was looking at Susan when he thought no one was watching him and Susan was taking sneak glances at him. She was a teacher and there was one thing that teacher's knew... When their students had crushes on one another.

Were the two of them having a little affair? Well, it was not her business. It was interesting like a juicy piece of gossip that she could not share with anyone because she doubted the other brothers knew.

"I do have some chores that have not been done yet..." She said, "Um supper is ready. I can plate them for everyone while everyone is waiting out the storm." She offered so that she was working while she was in the ranch house and waiting out the storm.

Susan went and did as she had said as she scurried out of the room like a mouse so she could go and get the first part of her work. Luke's room was set up for Ms. Kate since she would be sleeping there.
 
RE: Yearning Steer (Penner and AR) Random Western Titles.

Noah made a face as Susan rushed off, but he couldn't think of an adequate excuse to follow so he rested his hands on his hips and shrugged, "So..."

"We have books!" Luke said, "Maybe Ms. Williams could read to us?"

"She's not readin'," Ben said with a shake of his head, "Get a blanket, it's going to get cold real quick. Noah, go wash up, use as little water as you can."

They kept a basin in the kitchen for cleaning up. Normally they would refill it between brothers but this time around they'd have to find a way to make it work for all four. Storm or not, they would behave like civilized people, especially in front of this city lady.

"But-"

"Get her a blanket," Ben repeated.

Luke sighed and hurried up the stairs to find a dry blanket for their company. Noah, meanwhile, retreated into the kitchen to clean up.

Benjamin wasn't a father, but he did know how to keep these particular boys in line.

He looked to Ms. Williams and realized a little too late that he'd basically just emptied the room and was alone with her and he had no idea what to say.

He really wasn't very good at this 'chatting' thing. Not with women anyway.

It had been a long, hard day and he wanted nothing more than to put his feet up and listen to Luke's silly stories. Of course that wasn't going to happen now. Not with the storm and not with company.

"How are you feeling, Ms. Williams?" He asked. That seemed a safe enough topic.
 
RE: Yearning Steer (Penner and AR) Random Western Titles.

And as suddenly as people had come in, they were gone to go do something that they were told to do as she was sitting in the chair trying not to look like she had been rushing around closing all the windows in the ranch house. And now, she was with the tall handsome quiet one who seemed like he hated her being around. Sitting there in the chair, she said to him. "I am feeling a lot better, actually." She smiled pleasantly. "I..." She knew she could not tell him about too much. "Did a bit of light reading and played a bit of chess with Luke but then the storm came in." She explained, the chess board was still out and untouched.

"I can do some reading out aloud, I don't mind if we are waiting out the storm." She explained having seen out excited Luke had been. "I also don't mind helping out... I'm not use to being so idle... It might make me go mad." She was continuing to ramble on and on before she said, "Listen, if you don't want to talk to me. It's fine... Don't feel obliged to listen if you don't want to." She said honestly. "I won't be offended." Kate went quiet.

---

Susan was at the oven as she checked on the chili... It would be good with a bit of butter and bread as she went to set up the supper table for the brothers and their rare guest. She would also have leftovers as well as some for the servants since she cooked for all. She looked up and saw when Noah was coming in.
 
RE: Yearning Steer (Penner and AR) Random Western Titles.

"No, that's not necessary-" Ben started to protest but then she continued and he immediately felt like a real idiot.

He sighed heavily and moved to sit near her. He was towering again. That's what mother used to call it when he'd stand while she was sitting. 'Benji, you're towering. Sit down while you talk to me, sweetheart.'

He could still hear her voice, but strange as it was he was starting to forget what she looked like.

"I ... I'm not used to talkin' much," He said, "It's not that I don't want to, just ain't used to it. Or at least, not used to talkin' to civilized folk. It's been just me and my brothers a long while and with them I'm mostly keepin' them in line, not conversing, so to speak."

Plus, he was intimidated by her.

He ran a hand through his hair, sighing, "I'm sorry if I made you feel like I didn't much want to talk. I don't mind listenin', but I ain't so good at talkin'."

His 'accent' was thick at the moment. He knew how to speak properly, that was something his mother had drilled into him, but when he was tired he spoke the way his ranch hands did. The way the men he spent the majority of his time with did.

---

Noah grinned at Susan, "Ben wants me to clean up. Wanna help?"

He was relentless. He knew they couldn't get up to anything, especially now, but he liked teasing her. He loved the little bit of pink that would blossom in her cheeks when he said outrageous things.

He moved to the basin, grabbed a small bowl nearby and used it to portion out some of the water for himself. It wouldn't be easy to 'clean up' in these circumstances but he reckoned he could, at the very least, wash the dirt off his hands and face.
 
RE: Yearning Steer (Penner and AR) Random Western Titles.

"I'm not that civilized..." Kate said as she had been looking away from him since she did not want him to feel obligated to sit with her. Well, at least he was sitting down rather than the uncomfortable hovering. "I was only trying to give you the option of you did not want to talk to me and were doing so to be polite."

Kate glanced back and listened, "Well... You make it sound like I'm some high flying roller with a lot of money from a big city. My grandparents were farmers and my Mom and Dad worked normal jobs in the city." Her mother had been a bank teller who rose to be a manager and her father had been a bylaw enforcer officer. It was public service and certainly not special.

"I'm pretty ordinary actually, at least... My story is. I'm just another person from the East who doesn't want to live there because of the war and so, I travelled out here to be a teacher and start new." She the laughed. "Suppose it's a bit of a rough start..."

---

Susan's mouth was open like a bewildered deer when he said that as she moved a little close. "Perhaps later..." There was no way that they would be given time alone. Usually, they had privacy when he snuck out to her private little cabin that was so small but it was perfect for what they wanted.

However, she was the most paranoid if any of the brothers found out that was not the oldest. If Ben found out it would be that she would be taken out of a job and probably would have to move. If one of the others found out... Would they keep the secret or tell or worse?

She walked over towards him and said, "If the storm does out... Should I expect a vistor?" She looked like she was busy doing something before walking to plate the chili for the night.
 
RE: Yearning Steer (Penner and AR) Random Western Titles.

Sometimes she still slipped into ways of speaking that weren't familiar or comfortable to him, but he focused real hard to follow her. 'Farm?' 'Ordinary'. Just something about the way she swung words together was fascinating. But he was getting used to it, he hoped.

His lips tilted in the barest smile at her last words. Bit of a rough start? Falling in his back yard, hitting her head and having to stay here for a few days? Yeah, that could probably be considered a rough start. Not that the Yearning Steer was a bad place to be, but he knew he and his brothers weren't the best company. Luke, maybe, but only if people didn't find his enthusiasm annoying.

"Hard to believe the war is over," Ben said quietly. It had ended just in time. Jesse had been threatening to join up when the news came through and it had been a welcome relief.

Luke ran down the stairs, so quick and reckless he stumbled on the last step. He recovered easily enough and strutted over. He held a blanket in his hands which he held out to Ms. Williams.

"Ms. Williams," He said, "it'll keep you warm."

---

Noah scrubbed his face with a cloth and a bit of water before turning to grin at her. She was trying to pretend she wasn't totally aware of him but he knew she was. "Might be wise to prepare for that, at least."

Of course it wasn't going to be easy sneaking out with company in the house... but he'd definitely try. If the storm let up that is.
 
RE: Yearning Steer (Penner and AR) Random Western Titles.

Kate spoke like she usually did and it could be a little fast at things but she still had a bit of an accent. She did talk a little more and he was smiling at her. Well, he was a good listener according to him.

When he mentioned about the war, she felt horrible for lying but it was all that she could do. "I know... It was a rough few years and... Everything changed." She looked down before a moment thinking that he was old enough to have served. "Did you fight?" She asked bluntly. "Uh..." She was so curious about him because of the historical aspect of this. This man was one of the original members of the Wilson family. Now, she did not know all the names... Well, she did now but before she had arrived in the past.

Before he could give her an answer, Luke was back down the stairs with a blanket for her as she looked up and smiled. "Thank you. I truly appreciate all your hospitality in this house. She was not use to people fussing about her but she was quite happy to allow it. Taking the blanket, she spread it out a little and put it on her legs so she was a little warmer. She was thinking about her clothing and what she would have to do about that. Well, luckily... She could see and had made a few pieces of clothing before but she did not have the time for that anymore... So that had been a few years ago.

Well, whatever was going to happen... She would figure it out.

---

"Well, if the storm does not let up then I will have to stay in the house for the night." She was not going to stay in his room however... She could not be caught with him and if she was. "Hopefully, the storm lets up because I can stay in your room." She whispered with a blush as she went around. "And you should try to forget my name in front of your brothers... All of them do." She had a concerned look on her face as she went about with her busy work. She was being too risky with him and we was becoming paranoid.
 
RE: Yearning Steer (Penner and AR) Random Western Titles.

Ben nodded at her question. /Did you fight?/ Oh, he had. Against his father's wishes, against his mother's wishes... he'd had a stupid idea in his head that he wanted to help. They had help on the ranch but his father never took slaves and it was a noble idea to fight in the war. And it was his leaving that galvanized Jesse. If Ben hadn't been injured, if he hadn't spent the last year of the war here, recovering, who knows what would have happened. To the ranch, to his family, and he carried a lot of guilt for that.

Joining the war was one of the few selfish things he'd done in his life and it was the only time he ever disobeyed his family. He wouldn't leave again, not for anything or anyone. He would stay and protect the Yearning Steer, because it was all he had left of the parents who'd loved and raised him.

His brothers, he suspected, would leave as soon as they got it into their heads that they wanted to. Jesse first, probably.

Outside thunder crashed, the rain was pounding so heavily on the roof they would all have to raise their voices to hear each other.

Luke pulled a chair back up to the forgotten chess board and made a gesture that meant; Want to play again?

Ben left them to it, wandering into the kitchen for his turn to clean up.

He caught the maid blushing while she busily worked and he immediately presumed Noah had been flirting again. The kid was incorrigible.

Noah grinned at his brother, forgetting the day's fighting and tension in the face of his crush. But his grin soon faded a bit, "Your turn, big brother."

Ben nodded, "Listen, if Jesse comes down you better keep your mouth shut. We have company, try and pretend you're somewhat civilized."

Noah snorted, "C'mon Ben. Us? Civilized?"

"Just ... remember she's a lady."

"She's not the only lady around," Noah said with a shrug, "I won't give her any reason to be huffy."

Ben sighed, "Good."

He dumped out the dirty water Noah had just used and dished himself out a small share so he could quickly wash his hands, face and even his hair. He didn't usually care about his appearance but absurdly he felt a strong urge to look somewhat presentable for their pretty-no, not pretty. /Don't think of her as pretty, Ben./ He closed his eyes a moment to chase the thought out.
 
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