Page 111 of The Honorable Texan
She pictured hitting him across the jaw with the biggest frying pan she had.It was very satisfying.Pity she couldn’t do it for real.
She went to the cupboard and drew out the ingredients for an instant reduced fat pudding.She had some low-fat whipped cream in the freezer that she could top it with.Meanwhile, Rey would finish his meal and stop using fruits and vegetables to torment her with.She could have kicked him.
Behind her, Rey was talking comfortably to Leo about some new equipment they were ordering, and about routine chores that had to be completed before Thanksgiving this month and the Christmasholidays next month.Most of the ranch hands would have Thanksgiving, the day after, and that weekend free.Next month, they’d have Christmas Eve and Christmas Day free, along with four days before or after, depending on the schedule.Some of the men had families in far-flung locations and they had to travel a distance for the holidays.The Harts made a practice of giving the men time off to go home during the holiday season by staggering work schedules, so that there was an adequate crew here to work when days off were assigned.
Then they moved on, naturally, to a discussion about Thanksgiving dinner.
“You’re going to stay until after Thanksgiving, aren’t you?”Rey asked Meredith.
She had her back to them.“Yes, I’d like to,” she said, because she’d already been planning special menus and light, noncaloric desserts for it.“Unless you’re planning to go away for it,” she added quickly.
“The family has a Christmas party, when we all get together.We sort of save Thanksgiving for just us, so the others can have the day with their wives and kids,” Leo told her.“It’s been sort of hit and miss since Mrs.Lewis has been plagued with arthritis.As you know, we got her to come back to work just briefly, but her hands won’t hold out to make bread and do any scrubbing with them, despite medicine.She has her children up from Corpus Christi for the holidays and cooks for them.We sort of got leftovers.”
She grimaced.“Well, I’ll make sure you have a big Thanksgiving dinner this year,” she said gently.“With all the trimmings.Including biscuits,” she added when they both looked her way.
She finished whipping the pudding, and put it inbowls in the refrigerator to chill before she sat back down.“That will make us a nice dessert tonight,” she commented.“I don’t suppose you want it any sooner?”
They shook their heads.“I’ve got a meeting with our marketing staff in half an hour,” Rey said, checking his multifunction watch.
“And I’ve got to go over the new equipment list with our mechanic and see if we’ve got everything ready to order,” Leo added.
“How about a nice Greek salad for supper?”Meredith asked.“I make it with feta cheese and black olives and eggs.I bought the ingredients yesterday at the store.Except for the eggs, of course.I’ll get those out of the henhouse.”
“Sounds nice,” Leo said with a grin.
“Watch where you put your hands,” Rey murmured without looking right at her.“I haven’t seen my pet snake in the barn lately.”
She gave him a cold look.“If I see him, I’ll get him on a stick and put him right back in the barn,” she said with pure bravado.
Rey glanced at her with dancing dark eyes.“I’d pay real money to see you do that,” he chided.
So would I, she thought, but she didn’t say it.She just smiled smugly.
The brothers finished their last swallows of coffee and went out the door still talking business.
Later, Meredith went out to the henhouse to gather the eggs, with her straw basket on her arm.Rey had unnerved her with his comment about the damned snake.Now she was sure it was in there, waiting for a gullible victim to frighten.
She took a deep breath and walked carefully into thedim confines of the henhouse.She bit her lower lip and approached the nest slowly.She stopped dead.There was actually a snake in there.He was wrapped around the eggs.He was licking his snaky lips.
She shivered with fear, but she wasn’t going to let the stupid thing make her a laughingstock twice.
She saw a long, thick stick on the straw-covered floor.She put her basket down, still watching the snake, and picked up the stick.
“It’s okay, old fellow,” she said to the snake.“It’s okay.I’m just going to ease you out of the nest.Don’t get mad, now.I won’t hurt you.It’s okay.”
While she was talking, softly, she eased the stick under its coils and very carefully lifted it.It was very still, not moving its head except to hiss.So far, so good.She had it up on the stick.It was heavy.
As she pulled it out of the nest, she noticed that it was really quite long.It really didn’t look much like that black and white one Rey had put in the barn.This one had a pretty brown pattern on its back and had a white underbelly.But, then, it wasn’t striking at her or anything, so she wasn’t worried.
She held it far out in front of her and stepped carefully out of the henhouse into the bright light.As she did, the snake hung from the stick, looking rather bored by the whole thing.
She carried it through the yard and out toward the barn.One of the men was standing by a truck, watching her progress.His jaw fell.She wondered what was wrong with him.Maybe he’d never seen a woman carry a snake around before.
“Nice day,” she called to him.
He didn’t answer.She shrugged and kept walking.
The barn was empty, except for the bales of hay that were stacked neatly on the bottom and the loft of the huge structure.Over against one wall there was a corn crib with stacks and stacks of dried corn, and a machine that shelled them.
