Chapter 26: The Circle 4

~In three words I can sum up everything I’ve learned about life: It goes on.~—Robert Frost

A month had gone by, and there had been no word from Jake.

“Aren’t you just an expert on disappearing!” Dannie muttered as she slammed her book shut, causing an echo to ring out across the church. She glanced up at the empty altar.

“I didn’t mean to be disrespectful,” she apologized to the holy place. “But that man could make even the most pious saints discover their inner demons. Vanished into thin air as though he’d never been. And to think he was so friendly and protective, I was ready to believe we were chums for life. Apparently, I thought wrong.”

She let out a deep sigh and rose from her seat. The students had gone off an hour or so ago. She had remained to prepare for tomorrow’s lesson.

If only there was some speedy way to get pencils, papers, and textbooks. Dannie gave another sigh. Supplies took so long to get to Hopewing.

Maybe she could write to Mrs. Callaway and ask if she could put in an order at one of the big cities. Mrs. Callaway could have it brought to Colebrook on the train, then send it on to Hopewing on the mail coach.

Her mind drifted back to Collingham, where it was just a quick train ride to Leeds to purchase any supplies that were not available in the village.

Her train of thought was broken when the church door opened, and Sophie walked in.

“Ah, Dannie, here you are,” she said cheerily. “I went over to the reverend’s home, and they said you were most likely still at the church. I’ve come to tell ya that we’ll be taking you to the Circle 4 for the weekend.”

Dannie frowned. “Have you asked me if I wish to go?”

“Stayin’ here is not an option, Miss Preston. You’ve been in Hopewing for an entire month and haven’t come to visit us even once. Our ranch is perhaps the closest one to the town, and we’re yer family.

Sophie paused for breath, then went on in a rush. “Momma told me and Caleb that we can’t return without ya. Let’s go and pack yer things. It will do you good to spend some time out in the open. I’ll show you our cattle, and we can go horseback riding.”

So saying, Sophie grabbed Dannie and pulled her outside. Dannie kept the frown on her face but followed her cousin.

She was curious to know what ranches were like. From what she had been able to glean in the town, the Circle 4 was the largest and the richest ranch in the area. Mr. Martin owned more cattle than anyone, and hired a lot of men to help him out.

At the reverend’s house, they met Caleb Martin. He sat in the parlor with a book in his hand. Becky Sullen sat not far from him, looking at him and saying nothing. The sight made Dannie feel rather awkward.

“Caleb,” Sophie called, “we’ll just pack some things for Dannie and be on our way.”

He nodded absently, his nose still in the book.

“Becky Sullen is quite open about her attraction to Caleb,” Dannie noted as she put her things into a bag. Sophie laughed and shrugged.

“I know. I think Caleb pretends not to notice. She’s really not his type, and anyway, he’s not interested in courting at the moment.”

“What about you? You said women are scarce here, but you don’t have any suitors that I’ve seen or heard about.”

“Huh!” Sophie tossed her head and rolled her eyes. “Don’t think it’s for lack offers. There ain’t a single man in this here town who hasn’t made me an offer. But I don’t care to git married. I don’t want to be bogged down cookin’ and cleanin’ for some man while he is off chasin’ cattle. I hate getting left behind.

“If I had my way, I’d be ridin’ out there with the rest of the cowboys. But Daddy says it ain’t safe for a girl like me to be out there alone with them. Like any of them would dare get close to me!”

Sophie pointed to the holster that was strapped to her waist. “I’ve got my six-shooter with me at all times, not to mention I carry daggers in my boots. Most of our hired hands are scared stiff of me. Many men are. I’m pretty sure you heard enough gossip going around this town about ~Wild Miss Sophie~.”

Dannie shut the bag, her face red. She had heard a lot of rumors about Miss Martin, but didn’t care to believe many of them. Having spent her entire life in a village, she knew how untrustworthy small town gossip was. Listening to Sophie now, however, she felt there might be some truth to all the stories flying about on the wings of little birds.

“Let’s go!” Sophie grabbed the bag and marched out of the room, and Dannie followed her. They collected Caleb, climbed into the wagon, and rode out of town. Sophie talked nonstop the entire ride. Caleb never spoke a word.

“Are you always this quiet?” Dannie dared to ask at last. Sophie laughed and answered for him.

“He just hates coming to town and is angry that I forced him to come with me. You’ll see, tomorrow he’ll have a completely different personality. Don’t mind him, Dannie, you won’t get him to talk even if you threaten to shoot him in the head. He’s annoyed, so he’s practicing the golden rule of ~if you can’t say somethin’ nice, don’t say nothin’ at all~.”

“Anything.”

They arrived at the ranch, and Caleb drove them over to the large, two-story house. Dannie had to admit, it was an impressive home.

“If you came and lived with us, you could have a room to yerself and not have to share with Annie,” Sophie said as they climbed out.

“But what would I do here? Having your own room is meaningless if there is nothing to occupy you. In the town, I have work that keeps me busy and gives my life meaning. Besides, I don’t mind sharing. I didn’t have a sister growing up, and Annie…”

“I could be yer sister!” Sophie snapped. “I didn’t have no sisters growing up either.”

“Any sisters.”

The front door of the ranch opened, and Mrs. Martin stepped out. “Sophie, mind that temper of yers!” she barked at her daughter. “Dannie dear, come in. I’ve gotten some snacks prepared. You must be tired after an entire week with a class of rowdy students. Are they very unruly?”

Dannie followed Mrs. Martin and Sophie into the house. She glanced around. The place was furnished with taste. It had a certain rustic feel to it, but there was also a touch of elegance, with paintings on the wall and lace curtains on the windows.

“It’s not so bad,” Dannie answered Mrs. Martin’s question as they walked over to the kitchen. “I was the village school teacher in Collingham from the age of sixteen, so I have plenty of experience in dealing with naughty children. Your house is very nice, Mrs. Martin.”

“Thank you, my dear,” she gave a gracious smile at the compliment. Another lady came into the kitchen. She was tall, and her skin was a light shade of brown. Her face was proud and her bearing elegant.

“Ah, Dannie,” Mrs. Martin said. “This is Carolina. She used to be Caleb and Sophie’s nanny. Now, they are in need of a nanny no longer, but she stays with us on the ranch as we are ever short of female companionship. Apart from the three of us here at the main house, there is only Mrs. Rellware, the wife of our foreman.”

“How are you, Carolina?” Dannie greeted the lady with a slight nod. Carolina flashed a bright smile back and shook Dannie’s hand so heartily that Dannie felt her whole body shake, along with the hand.

“Bienvenida, Senorita Dannie, I am so glad to meet you. Mia Sophia has been talking about you ever since she met you. Says you are a refined woman of talent and fashion. I see now that she was right.”

The color rushed to Dannie’s face at this praise. “I wouldn’t call myself a woman of fashion at all,” she hastened to correct. “I grew up in a village. I am only well-educated because my mother used to be a governess for wealthy families, and my father was a vicar. City folk don’t think much of me.”

Her thoughts flashed back to Paul, and how he had chosen a rich, fashionable city girl over her.

“Well, compared to many of the inhabitants of Hopewing, you are very much refined and fashionable,” Mrs. Martin comforted. “My husband is out with the herd currently, but we will see him at dinner time.”

“Momma, I want to ride out with Dannie to show her the herd,” Sophie said.

“Why would she care to see a host of cows doing nothin’ but grazin’ out in the pasture?” Mrs. Martin replied with a scowl.

“It would be interesting,” Dannie said. “In the past month, I’ve heard a lot about cattle-raising and how it is becoming popular in Arizona Territory, but I’ve yet to actually see the famous herds of cattle.”

“Then of course you may go,” Carolina stated. “Mia Sophia always wished to be born a boy so she could ride out with those dirty cowboys.”

“I never wished to be a boy,” Sophie argued. “What I wish is that it would be considered normal and acceptable for girls to ride out with the herds, just the same as men do. That’s all. Anyway, hurry up and eat so we can set out. You can ride, can you not?”

“Yes.”

“Great.”

Propriety dictated that Dannie take her time with the meal and make small talk with Mrs. Martin and Carolina. She asked about life on the ranch and answered their questions on what was happening in the town.

Sophie had little patience with propriety. She dropped hints about the need to hurry and cleared her throat multiple times. To no avail, though. Dannie was blind and deaf to her. She did her duty to the two elders until at last Mrs. Martin gave a satisfied smile.

“I think Sophie will go mad if we keep you here any longer, Dannie. The two of you head out. Take Caleb with you. Those men haven’t seen a young, unmarried woman in a long time. I think, between those two twins of mine, we’ll keep you safe.”

“Caleb can come, of course, but Momma, those cowboys won’t touch a hair on Dannie’s head so long as I am around.”

“Si,” Carolina agreed with a nod, “they are terrified of your daughter.”

Mrs. Martin shook her head. “It’s a good thing, but then, not always. Look at you, Sophie, twenty-four…”

“Off we go!” Sophie was on her feet before you could say Jack Robinson. She rushed over, grabbed Dannie’s hand, and dragged her up with a force Dannie couldn’t resist. She practically ran out of the house, tugging Dannie behind her.