Chapter Ten
When Anna came out after breakfast and said he was to come with her to look at the cattle in the far field, Travis was surprised.
He hadn’t anticipated being brought along for something that was for a more experienced ranch hand.
He’d seen the cattle at a distance, but he hadn’t been able to get close, Anna telling him they needed people who knew how to handle cows, and he wasn’t there just yet.
But she did say as they were mounting up on their horses that there was always a first time, and it might as well be now.
Did that mean she was beginning to trust him with more things?
Although the way she kept glancing at him suggested otherwise.
Maybe she actually didn’t trust him, and she wanted to keep him close.
Travis didn’t want to be subjected to that; that wasn’t fair.
He could understand, to a point, but it didn’t make him feel any better.
He just had to show that he wasn’t someone she needed to worry about.
If she was concerned about him taking the ranch, he needed to prove that he didn’t want it.
He was more than happy to work it and to call his new home, but he didn’t want to run the place.
Anna had that perfectly sorted. She was more than capable, no matter what Edwin said.
Travis knew he would rather have Anna as an employer than her drunk cousin.
They rode out to the far field, Anna showing her proficiency on horseback, her dark tresses flowing out behind her, seeming to glint in the wind.
She was beautiful, and Travis had to concentrate so he wouldn’t fall off his horse.
Anna was a wonder to behold. It was no surprise that she got men glancing at her. They couldn’t be blamed for that.
They reached the field, where the cows were happily grazing. Anna dismounted and tied the reins to the fence. Travis did the same, squinting as he looked at the herd.
“How many cows do you have?” he asked.
“Across all of our fields, nearly three hundred. And twenty-five bulls.”
“Whoa, that’s a lot.”
Anna grinned.
“We’ve bred most of them, but we do have a select few we sell or give to the butcher and wholesalers.”
“Does it bother you to slaughter the animals? I mean, do you get too attached to them sometimes so it becomes harder when the time comes?”
“No, it doesn’t bother me. It’s part of the process. We need food, and we need money. Part of how we make our money is to sell the animals to slaughterhouses.
Anna shrugged. “You get used to it. We’re animals as well. We need to eat. We just have to make sure we look after the cattle to make sure it’s the best meat possible.”
Travis could understand that. He dismounted and watched the nearest cow with a wary eye.
“They’re not going to get skittish, are they? I’ve heard that being trampled…”
“Just as long as you remain calm and don’t do anything suddenly, that won’t happen. They’ll be calm and placid, for the most part.” Anna began to climb the fence, swinging her legs over before dropping easily on the other side. “Come along. Or are you scared?”
“Not scared. Timid, more like.”
That made her giggle, and her eyes glinted. She looked like she was enjoying herself. Groaning, Travis vaulted the fence and hurried to keep up with her.
“Really, I’m not. I can handle animals, but I’ve not been up this close.”
“You’ll get used to it. They’re quite gentle if you’re sensible about it. You treat them with respect, and it’ll be given back to you. That’s how it works.” She looked like she was enjoying herself. “It’s just a case of getting used to them.”
Travis wasn’t sure he liked where this was going. Was she up to something? He didn’t know what he was supposed to do now.
“Anyway, we’re just going to make sure they’re not in any trouble, such as injuries that need to be taken care of, before we move them tomorrow to a field closer to the ranch.
” Anna’s eyes began to scan over the cows as they walked past, acting as if they weren’t there.
“Some are going to auction, and some are going to be bred for more calves.”
“And some for other things?”
“Pretty much. It’s about that time of year when it happens.” Then she shook her head. “Edwin said he didn’t know how anyone could do that with cows. He hates them with a passion.”
Travis raised his eyebrows. “Really?”
“Pa tried showing him how to look after them several years ago, and Edwin got too cocky. He got knocked over and had his leg trampled. He broke it in two different places.”
Travis winced.
“He hates them now, even though it was his own fault.” Anna rubbed a hand over the flank of a cow, patting it affectionately before moving on. “I think he would rather raise and breed horses, but there is a bigger market for cattle. They bring in more money than the horses.”
“And the other animals?”
“We like to be self-sufficient. And we’re the place to get prime cuts of meat for the local restaurant, so we do well out of that.”
They had reached the top of the slope, and Travis turned to look back.
They were at least a couple of miles away from the house.
He turned to look, noticing it in the distance.
The town was right there as well, spread over the landscape.
Anna’s ranch and the land holdings had to be double the size of Vernon. It was remarkable.
“And all of this is yours?” he breathed.
“It is.” Anna brushed her hair out of her eyes. “I love it. This has been the only home I’ve ever known. I’ve explored every inch as a child, and now I get to carry it on as Pa would’ve wanted.”
“Do you think Edwin might’ve done the same?”
“No, he wouldn’t. He would have an employee walkout if he tried.
He’d attempted to order people around before, and they either ignored him, lost their temper, or just left.
Edwin isn’t very good at being in charge, especially when he’s puffing his chest out, acting like he’s a general or something along those lines. ”
“I know what you mean.” Travis took off his Stetson and wiped his forehead with his sleeve. “Didn’t you say that his own father had a ranch before he died? What happened to that?”
“Edwin was still a child, and he wanted to inherit, but couldn’t. The ranch had to be sold, and so he came to live with us permanently.”
“So, he thought he might get a second chance?” Travis asked.
Anna shrugged. “I suppose. But while Pa was fond of him, he knew that Edwin wouldn’t have what it took to take charge. He could see it in the way Edwin acted as he grew up.”
Travis regarded her thoughtfully, weighing up what she’d just said. “Do you think he’s resentful that he has to defer to you, even though you were a child compared to him?”
Anna looked pensive, pressing her lips together as she tilted her head to one side. There was something so expressive about her, and it was lovely to watch.
Why was he gawking at her so much?
He needed to stop doing that, or Anna was going to start thinking he was strange. Travis didn’t want that, although he couldn’t stop staring at her. Anna was a hardworking, talented young woman. Nothing like Clara.
That caught him by surprise. He hadn’t thought about Clara for the last couple of days.
She’d been on the edge of his memories, and now she was barely there.
Had he not loved her enough that she was easy to put aside and forget?
Had it been true love? It couldn’t have been if he was distracted by someone else so soon.
Then again, given the betrayal and heartache he still felt, it was probably his mind trying to tell him that he needed to forget, needed a distraction. And Anna was that. His wife was looking over her cattle with a slight smile, still lost in thought.
“I suppose he might be. But it’s a bit silly to be in my shadow when he’s a grown man, and I’m much younger than him.” Anna shook her head. “That hardly seems fair.”
“To him or to you?”
“Both of us. Comparing us when we’re at completely different points in our lives is not right. We should be seen as separate entities.”
“And Edwin should be respectful toward you instead of treating you like you owe him,” Travis pointed out. “He’s still angry that you got married and he lost his inheritance.”
“I know. There’s not much I can do about that, though.
The ranch was supposed to be mine, and he knows it.
” She rubbed her hands over her face. “I just don’t understand why we have to fight.
He’s been like this since we were younger.
He would be mean to me, even though I hadn’t done anything.
He would try to get me into trouble, but he wasn’t very good at it.
Pa saw right through it. But now, he’s going to keep trying to get me in trouble and take what he thinks is his. ”
“And he can’t,” Travis mused.
“I sound like I’m talking in circles, don’t I?”
“A little bit.” He smiled. “But you don’t need to worry about him. He’s a pain, and he’s a drunk, but he’ll calm down and leave you alone. If you’re lucky, he might move on and bother someone else.”
“I hope so,” Anna murmured. “Because I don’t want the tension around much longer.”
Then she caught sight of something down the slope, and her whole body tensed. Travis sensed the change and was about to ask what was wrong before Anna hurried away, rushing down the slope.
“Anna!” Travis took off after her. “What’s wrong?”
Just then, she stopped running. A bull was nearby, clearly agitated, prancing around and jumping away from something. Travis joined Anna and watched in confusion. What was going on? Why was the bull so frightened?
Then he saw why. A snake was crawling through the grass, its head reared up and waving in front of the bull. It was poised to attack. The bull was scared, stamping its feet as if it couldn’t decide whether to run or to attack.
Anna had gone completely still. Travis could barely hear her breathe. He looked at her and saw how white she’d gone. She looked as if she was going to faint. He looked back at the snake, which was beginning to turn toward them.
Travis reacted quickly. He rushed over to the nearby tree and snatched up a large broken branch.
Then he ran back, jabbing at the snake with the branch.
It hissed and tried to get away, pouncing and wrapping itself around the branch.
As soon as he was sure it had taken firm hold, Travis ran with the branch to the nearby river.
The snake was dangling from the branch, trying to hold on and slither up, but Travis didn’t let it get that far.
He flung the branch as far as he could into the river.
The snake and branch landed in the water, and the branch began to float away.
He watched as the snake slithered through the water to the far side of the river, before disappearing into the grass.
It was only then that he felt like he could breathe properly. His heart hammered hard in his chest, and he had to gulp in air to breathe. He went back to Anna, who was still where he left her, her arms wrapped around her middle as she shivered.
“Anna?”
“I hate snakes,” she whispered, her eyes still fixed on the ground. She looked scared, her body shaking. “They scare me. I… I freeze up when I see them.”
“I noticed.” Travis put his arms around her, cradling her against his chest. “You don’t have to be scared anymore. The snake is gone. You’re safe.”
If she heard him, Travis couldn’t tell. She simply leaned into him, her head resting on his shoulder. He could hear her breathing deeply as he rubbed her back. She was trembling a little bit, but it eased off as he held her.
This was the first time he’d taken her in his arms, and it felt like they fitted together really well. Travis rested his chin on the top of her head and soaked up the moment. It felt nice, it felt right.
He couldn’t believe she let him hug her. He wanted to linger as long as possible. She nestled in a little closer. Was she enjoying this as much as he was?
Suddenly, there was a loud mooing, and he saw the bull prancing around, kicking out with its back legs. It was getting too close.
“Look out!”
Anna reacted quicker than he, pushing him away and out of the way of the bull. Travis tripped and fell backward, landing on the ground with Anna on top of him. It knocked the air out of him, and Travis wheezed.
“Travis!” Anna scrambled off of him. “Are you all right?”
“I… I think so.” Travis rubbed his chest. “What happened? Why did it react that way?”
Anna’s mouth twitched.
“That particular bull is very… temperamental. He’s probably the equivalent of a fifteen-year-old boy.”
“Charming.” Travis winced as he sat up. “Did he really need to do that?”
“Only because he didn’t get to deal with the snake himself. Although he was probably more scared than I was.” Her mouth moved into a bigger smile. “It’s just one of those things, really. You have to be careful when you’re around them.”
“I’ll remember that,” he managed.
They were sitting very close to each other, Anna’s hand still on his chest. Travis could feel the heat of her through his shirt, and it made his heart skitter again.
Her face was close to his, and her breath tickled his cheek.
Up close, her eyes were shining, and it was difficult not to be drawn into them.
Suddenly, Anna pulled away and stood up, stumbling a little as she dusted herself off.
“At least you’re not too badly hurt,” she said briskly. “It would be a shame if you got yourself injured so soon into your time here.”
“I…no.” Travis got to his feet. “I’m not that breakable.”
Her smile was strained, her cheeks flushed. She looked more alive than he’d seen her. Then she nodded abruptly and stepped around him.
“Come on, then,” she said, almost tripping over her words. “We can’t check on the cows if we’re lying in the grass. We’ve got things to do.”
Travis watched her go, wondering what she had been feeling right then.
And if it was the same as him when he looked into her eyes and almost got lost in them.
Being around Anna was a heady experience, but she was determined to keep him at arm’s length.
Given the circumstances, he couldn’t blame her for that.
But he wished she would let him in.