Page 10 of The Rancher's Bride
“Coffee is already started, and I’ll go get dressed.” She gently placed the milk pail on the kitchen table and covered it with a linen cloth.
“Are you going to take Lucy or Rosie?”
Lucy was Bethany’s buckskin colored horse. She knew the hills and wouldn’t spook as easily as Rosie. “How did you know?”
“You said you were going to go out as soon as the rain let up. You’ll probably want to get going as soon as you can.”
“I thought about it, but I don’t want her getting caught in the mud.”
“I’d feel better if you took Lucy. That way, you can get there and back.”
“I’ll make the biscuits first. I don’t want Ma to worry.”
Pa reached for a burlap bag on a hook. “She’ll worry, anyway.I’ll cut up the bacon for you. You’ll want to make a kit in case you find Tommy.”
“Why would I need to take food if I find him? Didn’t you say he’d be at...” The thought of Tommy being alone in one of the line cabins that ran along the creek to the river sent a chill up her spine. She fled from the kitchen without waiting for Pa to respond.
With practiced efficiency, she slipped into a pair of well-worn buckskin pants and a loose-fitting tunic. The fabric was buttery soft against her skin, like a familiar hug. Looking at herself in the looking glass, she stopped. If she was going to pay a visit to the Kendrick Ranch, she didn’t want to show up looking like a mountain man.
She undressed, tossing the tracking clothes aside, and reached for a simple dark green skirt with a matching blouse. Her fingers trembling as she fastened her sturdy leather boots.
Sweeping her hair back into a neat braid, she secured it with a matching ribbon. A few stray strands escaped and tickled the back of her neck, but she tucked them behind her ears without a second thought.
The familiar scent of wood smoke filled the air as Bethany entered the rustic kitchen. She looked around but didn’t see her pa. Instead, she noticed thick slices of bacon sizzling in a hot skillet on the stove. Determined to make breakfast before she left, she pulled out a large barrel from the pantry and gathered ingredients to make biscuits.
She added flour to a bowl and reached for leftover bacon grease to add flavor and texture to her dough. Mixing in just enough milk to create a pliable consistency, she dumped the mixture onto the wooden table and began kneading it with her hands. After a few minutes, she patted it into a circle and used a jelly jar to cut perfect rounds to put in a greased cast iron oven.
As the biscuits cooked, Bethany poured herself a cup of strong coffee and gulped it down. She hoped Pa was right about Tommy being at the Kendrick ranch, but if he wasn’t, she knew she could make her way to the Chapmans.
Once the food was done, Bethany covered it to keep it warm and grabbed a duster-style coat from the wall. She stuffed several biscuits into a checkered napkin and shoved it into one of the coat pockets before slipping it on and heading outside.
She found Pa saddling Lucy in the barn. Taking the lead line, she petted the horse’s velvet nose. “Breakfast is on the table. No one is up yet.”
“It’s still early. The sun just came up.” Pa checked the cinch on the saddle. “Are you sure you don’t want me to come with you?”
Bethany shook her head. “No. I’m the only one who knows where Tommy sets his trap lines.”
“I don’t like you going out there by yourself. You should at least tell me which way you are going.”
“I’ll head over by rocks and then backtrack along the creek. I should be home by nightfall.” Stepping into the stirrup, she swung herself over the saddle.
“Wouldn’t you be more comfortable in your buckskins?”
She looked down at her skirt. “I would, but I thought...”
“You’re going to find your brother. Not snag a husband.”
“Pa!” Bethany’s cheeks turned red as she felt a rush of warmth.
“Give me a few minutes and I’ll come with you.”
“Honestly, Pa. You were the one that taught us a trapper’s line is something sacred. That you don’t ask where it is or touch it when you find it. You need to honor Tommy’s line.”
Pa rubbed his chin, but finally gave a little nod. Tugging on Lucy’s halter, he led the horse from the barnyard. “Just be safe and come home.”
“I will.” She tapped her heels against Lucy’s flanks and headed towards the far side of the property, towards the streams which raced through the craggy rocks on the other side of the hilly terrain.
Lucy’s hooves created a suctioning noise as they trudged through the muddy trail. The rain had transformed the path into a sludge of mud and slick stones, making it treacherous for the horse to navigate. She urged Lucy on with a gentle nudge and a reassuring pat on her neck.
