father’s plan to marry her to Throckmorton.
Chapter 11: The Morning After
In the kitchen…
As are most ranchers, Josiah was up and at his chores before daylight. He was trying to be quiet, but Anna was awake. “Do you get up this early every day,” she asked.
“I do, and sometimes even earlier. There are chores to be done and I like to be out there with the hands. They seem to appreciate that I am willing to work along side.”
“How many, you called them hands, do you have?” she asked.
“We,” he said pointedly, “have six, including Jud, the foreman. We have a cook for the hands, a housekeeper, and Beulah, who pretty much runs the house. I call them ‘hands’ which is short for ranch hands. I said six, I forgot, Jud hired another yesterday. Grandpa started the spread with a homestead and added onto it, and now we’re around 12,000 acres. It’s one of the largest ones in Wyoming. I’ll introduce you to everyone later today.” He leaned over and gave a modest peck on the cheek. “Gotta go now, I’ll be back in for breakfast later. Beulah knows my schedule.” Dressed in jeans and a work shirt and boots, he put on a worn, sweat stained Stetson and was out the door.
Anna rose and got dressed. She removed the sheets, one of which had a blood stain and took them to the kitchen, where she found Beulah at work preparing breakfast. “Good morning, Beulah,” she said. “Does everyone get up early around here?”
“Land sakes, child. This ain’t early. On a ranch, the livestock has to be fed and turned out in the pasture. The men have to go out and check on the herds. Lots to be done on a ranch.
How are you this morning? I’ll have your breakfast in a bit unless you want to wait until Mr Josiah comes in for his.”
“I’ll wait,” she said. “In the meantime, where can I wash these sheets? They’re stained..”
“Bless your heart, you don’t do the washing. Maybelle, the housekeeper takes care of that, and makes the bed too,” Beulah said.
“Beulah, these are stained. I don’t want to just sit around doing nothing,” she said.
“Miss Anna, you can maybe help Mr Josiah with the books, but I do all of the cooking and Maybell does the cleaning.”
“I don’t know how to cook. I don’t think I could even boil water,” she laughed. “Do you think you could teach me? You’ve earned some rest and I want to help. It’s important to me. I intend to take care of Rebecca, and when she’s a bit older, teach her to read and write. If we had a piano, I could teach her that too. I’ve taken piano lessons for years.”
“Miss Anna, could you teach me letters and reading,” she asked.
“Yes, I can, and I would love to do that,” Anna replied. “Would it be all right if I just looked around?”
“Miss Anna, you the lady of the house. You can do anything you want to do. You just tell me if you want something done and I’ll take care of it.”
“What time does Rebecca usually get up?” asked Anna.
“I get her up in time for breakfast. Mr Josiah likes to eat with her,” Beulah said.
“That’s something I can do. Her clothes are in her room?” asked Anna.
“Yessm, they in the closet and the big chest of drawers.”
Anna went down the hall to Rebecca’s room. She smiled when she saw the little girl asleep with Susie and Mary in her arms. She went to the bed and sat on the side, and laid her hand on the sleeping girl’s cheek. “Rebecca,” she said softly. “Rebecca?”
Rebecca opened her eyes and saw who had called her name. “Hello,” she said sleepily.
“Would you let me help you get dressed for breakfast?” asked Anna.
“Uh huh,” Rebecca said.
“Okay, let me get a wash cloth and I’ll wipe the sleep out of your eyes,” she said. There was a pitcher of water and a wash basin, so Anna wet the cloth and gently washed Rebecca’s face. “Would you like to help me
Chapter 11: The Morning After
In the kitchen…
As are most ranchers, Josiah was up and at his chores before daylight. He was trying to be quiet, but Anna was awake. “Do you get up this early every day,” she asked.
“I do, and sometimes even earlier. There are chores to be done and I like to be out there with the hands. They seem to appreciate that I am willing to work along side.”
“How many, you called them hands, do you have?” she asked.
“We,” he said pointedly, “have six, including Jud, the foreman. We have a cook for the hands, a housekeeper, and Beulah, who pretty much runs the house. I call them ‘hands’ which is short for ranch hands. I said six, I forgot, Jud hired another yesterday. Grandpa started the spread with a homestead and added onto it, and now we’re around 12,000 acres. It’s one of the largest ones in Wyoming. I’ll introduce you to everyone later today.” He leaned over and gave a modest peck on the cheek. “Gotta go now, I’ll be back in for breakfast later. Beulah knows my schedule.” Dressed in jeans and a work shirt and boots, he put on a worn, sweat stained Stetson and was out the door.
Anna rose and got dressed. She removed the sheets, one of which had a blood stain and took them to the kitchen, where she found Beulah at work preparing breakfast. “Good morning, Beulah,” she said. “Does everyone get up early around here?”
“Land sakes, child. This ain’t early. On a ranch, the livestock has to be fed and turned out in the pasture. The men have to go out and check on the herds. Lots to be done on a ranch.
How are you this morning? I’ll have your breakfast in a bit unless you want to wait until Mr Josiah comes in for his.”
“I’ll wait,” she said. “In the meantime, where can I wash these sheets? They’re stained..”
“Bless your heart, you don’t do the washing. Maybelle, the housekeeper takes care of that, and makes the bed too,” Beulah said.
“Beulah, these are stained. I don’t want to just sit around doing nothing,” she said.
“Miss Anna, you can maybe help Mr Josiah with the books, but I do all of the cooking and Maybell does the cleaning.”
“I don’t know how to cook. I don’t think I could even boil water,” she laughed. “Do you think you could teach me? You’ve earned some rest and I want to help. It’s important to me. I intend to take care of Rebecca, and when she’s a bit older, teach her to read and write. If we had a piano, I could teach her that too. I’ve taken piano lessons for years.”
“Miss Anna, could you teach me letters and reading,” she asked.
“Yes, I can, and I would love to do that,” Anna replied. “Would it be all right if I just looked around?”
“Miss Anna, you the lady of the house. You can do anything you want to do. You just tell me if you want something done and I’ll take care of it.”
“What time does Rebecca usually get up?” asked Anna.
“I get her up in time for breakfast. Mr Josiah likes to eat with her,” Beulah said.
“That’s something I can do. Her clothes are in her room?” asked Anna.
“Yessm, they in the closet and the big chest of drawers.”
Anna went down the hall to Rebecca’s room. She smiled when she saw the little girl asleep with Susie and Mary in her arms. She went to the bed and sat on the side, and laid her hand on the sleeping girl’s cheek. “Rebecca,” she said softly. “Rebecca?”
Rebecca opened her eyes and saw who had called her name. “Hello,” she said sleepily.
“Would you let me help you get dressed for breakfast?” asked Anna.
“Uh huh,” Rebecca said.
“Okay, let me get a wash cloth and I’ll wipe the sleep out of your eyes,” she said. There was a pitcher of water and a wash basin, so Anna wet the cloth and gently washed Rebecca’s face. “Would you like to help me
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