there something else?
His face said he would brook no argument. What could she say? She had little savings after supporting her sisters all these years. She needed the job, even though it pained her to have to agree.
“Excuse me. I need to wash for supper.” He barely moved aside to let her pass. Tears blurred her vision, but she refused to give him the satisfaction of seeing how he’d upset her.
She would just have to discover another way to help the Caldwell girls, if her time would be limited by the pageant.
* * *
Oscar waited until Sarah had gone inside before approaching the older man on the porch. If he’d known Allen’s character before he’d agreed to train the man’s colt, he wouldn’t have taken the job. Probably.
He needed the money from this job for his stallion. He needed to remember his purpose here, not get distracted by a pretty face and those little girls. But their situation reminded him strongly of his own childhood, and the hurts his family had caused him.
He wouldn’t go back on his word. He’d train the colt, but he didn’t have to be happy about Allen treating Sarah the way he was.
“Got a minute, Mr. Allen? I’d like to talk to you about the colt.”
It was hard to tell since dusk was falling, but the man’s gaze seemed to be taking Oscar’s measure.
“I noticed you didn’t work with him this afternoon. Where were you?”
Oscar refused to be intimidated. He ignored the presumptive question. “He’s making great progress. Been on the long reins and I’m guessing he’ll be ready for a saddle in the next few days.”
The man nodded, posture easing slightly.
“Listen, I went over to the Caldwell place today. That family needs help.”
Allen’s shoulders tensed and a deep frown took the bottom half of his face. “That’s Caldwell’s problem. I hired you to train my horse and that’s what I expect you to do. Your responsibility is to me.”
He was almost bellowing now, but Oscar didn’t back down. “If I can help that family while I’m in town, I will.”
“You’ll be here, from breakfast to suppertime, working with my horse, or I’ll fire you. And spread the word that you backed out on your commitment to me. I’m sure that story will spread just as fast as your adventures do.”
The threat didn’t even make Oscar blink. The man had given him an opening, though it wasn’t much.
“That’s all I needed to know,” said Oscar steadily, then headed to the mess to find his supper.
Allen’s callous attitude was enough to anger, but it wasn’t the real reason Oscar felt the need to help out. He’d been forced to rely on the charity of his uncle for those few years of his childhood, and the man had never warmed to Oscar, never really cared about him. He refused to see three little girls suffer the same fate, not if he could help it.
Chapter Five
T he next morning, Oscar went to the creek to wash up, like he usually did. He needed to speak to Sarah before she left for the schoolhouse. The answer he’d been looking for had come to him last night as he’d left Allen on the porch, but he needed her help to make it work.
And some part of him wanted her to know she wasn’t alone.
He’d just splashed his face with the bracingly cold water when he saw her. She sat on a plank swing hanging from a tree not far away, blond hair loose down her back, head bent.
The sight of her, the very beauty of the picture she presented caught his breath in his chest. Heat flushed through him, making him acutely aware of the cool drop of water that slid down his throat and beneath the collar of his shirt.
His feet took him toward her before he realized it, and he knocked his hat against his thigh. Nervous as a schoolboy.
She looked up and their eyes met and locked. He nodded a greeting, scratched the back of his neck, uncomfortable as all get out with this new awareness of her. He knew she was pretty, but to see her like this...to know they were on the same side...
“I
His face said he would brook no argument. What could she say? She had little savings after supporting her sisters all these years. She needed the job, even though it pained her to have to agree.
“Excuse me. I need to wash for supper.” He barely moved aside to let her pass. Tears blurred her vision, but she refused to give him the satisfaction of seeing how he’d upset her.
She would just have to discover another way to help the Caldwell girls, if her time would be limited by the pageant.
* * *
Oscar waited until Sarah had gone inside before approaching the older man on the porch. If he’d known Allen’s character before he’d agreed to train the man’s colt, he wouldn’t have taken the job. Probably.
He needed the money from this job for his stallion. He needed to remember his purpose here, not get distracted by a pretty face and those little girls. But their situation reminded him strongly of his own childhood, and the hurts his family had caused him.
He wouldn’t go back on his word. He’d train the colt, but he didn’t have to be happy about Allen treating Sarah the way he was.
“Got a minute, Mr. Allen? I’d like to talk to you about the colt.”
It was hard to tell since dusk was falling, but the man’s gaze seemed to be taking Oscar’s measure.
“I noticed you didn’t work with him this afternoon. Where were you?”
Oscar refused to be intimidated. He ignored the presumptive question. “He’s making great progress. Been on the long reins and I’m guessing he’ll be ready for a saddle in the next few days.”
The man nodded, posture easing slightly.
“Listen, I went over to the Caldwell place today. That family needs help.”
Allen’s shoulders tensed and a deep frown took the bottom half of his face. “That’s Caldwell’s problem. I hired you to train my horse and that’s what I expect you to do. Your responsibility is to me.”
He was almost bellowing now, but Oscar didn’t back down. “If I can help that family while I’m in town, I will.”
“You’ll be here, from breakfast to suppertime, working with my horse, or I’ll fire you. And spread the word that you backed out on your commitment to me. I’m sure that story will spread just as fast as your adventures do.”
The threat didn’t even make Oscar blink. The man had given him an opening, though it wasn’t much.
“That’s all I needed to know,” said Oscar steadily, then headed to the mess to find his supper.
Allen’s callous attitude was enough to anger, but it wasn’t the real reason Oscar felt the need to help out. He’d been forced to rely on the charity of his uncle for those few years of his childhood, and the man had never warmed to Oscar, never really cared about him. He refused to see three little girls suffer the same fate, not if he could help it.
Chapter Five
T he next morning, Oscar went to the creek to wash up, like he usually did. He needed to speak to Sarah before she left for the schoolhouse. The answer he’d been looking for had come to him last night as he’d left Allen on the porch, but he needed her help to make it work.
And some part of him wanted her to know she wasn’t alone.
He’d just splashed his face with the bracingly cold water when he saw her. She sat on a plank swing hanging from a tree not far away, blond hair loose down her back, head bent.
The sight of her, the very beauty of the picture she presented caught his breath in his chest. Heat flushed through him, making him acutely aware of the cool drop of water that slid down his throat and beneath the collar of his shirt.
His feet took him toward her before he realized it, and he knocked his hat against his thigh. Nervous as a schoolboy.
She looked up and their eyes met and locked. He nodded a greeting, scratched the back of his neck, uncomfortable as all get out with this new awareness of her. He knew she was pretty, but to see her like this...to know they were on the same side...
“I
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