Page 22 of Her Gentle Protector
“I heard you can sell rabbit pelts, and minks. Maybe even beavers.”
“True, but you have to have permission from the landowner to trap along their creek.”
“You think I can trap along your creek, Mr. Hartman?”
Baxter shifted on the bench to turn and look at Petunia. She lay in the back of the wagon with her legs draped over the backboard. “Why would you want to do that?”
Curling her legs to the side, she sat up and looked at him. “I thought if I could catch those rabbits, and such, I could sell them in town and then those old coots wouldn’t turn Midge away.”
“What do you mean, turn Midge away?”
“She went to town to see if that shopkeeper would sell her some stuff. She only had seventeen cents. Do you know how much you can buy for seventeen cents?”
“Not much, I imagine.”
“She got a bag of beans and some flour. Maybe a bit of cornmeal. That was it. The old coot wouldn’t even extend her credit because Pa apparently skipped out on his tab.”
“I wouldn’t call Mr. Arden an old coot, Petunia.”
“Just imagine. If I could sell furs, then we wouldn’t have to take charity. Neither a borrower nor a lender be.”
“Charity begins at home, Pet.” Turning back around, he thought of the courage it must have taken for Midge to go to town to buy supplies. He made a mental note to add that to the list of things he needed to speak to Whit about.
They rode in silence until the small house and barn came into view. Petunia let out a low whistle. “Is that your house?”
“Yeah. I grew up there with my brothers.”
“How many you got?”
“Four... I mean three brothers. Two sisters.”
“You said four.”
“Frank died. Rattler strike.”
Petunia became very silent for a moment. “I’m sorry.”
“You weren’t there. What do you have to be sorry about?”
“I can say sorry if I want to. Boy, you’re a grump.”
“We all have our shortcomings. I’m grumpy. You, well,” he glanced over his shoulder, “...stink.”
“Who’s that?” she asked, pointing to the house.
He looked and spied several people standing near the house. “Which one?”
“All of ‘em?”
“The woman is my sister, Annamae, and my brother is standing next to her. The rest are ranch hands. Just keep your distance from the house. It isn’t safe.”
“Why’s that?”
Baxter tossed his hat on the seat next to him and he let out a deep, rumbling growl. “Do you always ask so many questions?”
“Midge says I’m in-in-quis... I don’t remember now.”
“Inquisitive.”
