A Horsewoman for Harlan by Barbara Goss (novel books to read .TXT) 📗

she’s going,” Harlan replied.  “She’s part of the family now.”

Chapter Ten

Millie rode close to Elise as they traversed the large meadow behind the house.  “You’re doing great,” Elise said.

“Can I try going faster?”

Elise hesitated.  “How much faster?  I’m afraid you aren’t ready to go too fast yet.”

Millie grimaced.  “But this is getting boring.”

Elise pulled up close to Millie and said, “All right. Click your heels in. If she goes too fast, I’ll grab the reins and stop her.”

Millie did as she was instructed, and Cocoa moved into a fast trot.  Millie giggled.  “This is fun.”

Elise stayed beside her, but Millie seemed to be doing a fantastic job.  “Turn her toward the fence,” she called.  “We’ll trot back to the stables, now.”

“All right,” Millie said with glee.  “When can I ride her out here alone?”

“Not for a while yet,” Elise said. “I want to be sure nothing happens to you.” Elise marveled at what a small thing like trotting did to revive Millie’s mood.

It soon became a daily ride in the meadow, and each day, Millie became more experienced with Cocoa.

During the summer hours, everyone except for Millie and Martha worked until sundown.

Elise led the horse she’d been training back to her stable to meet Harlan on his way out.

He smiled as he unrolled his sleeves, hinting he was done working for the day.  He stopped to open the horse’s stall door for her.  “It’s such a beautiful evening, don’t you think?” he asked.

“Absolutely.  If it hadn’t gotten dark, I’d have kept on working,” she answered.

“It’s going to be warm in the house,” he said casually.  “I’m going to take a walk around the grounds before I go in—would you care to join me?”

Elise closed the stall and said, “Yes.  I’d love to take a walk.”  The offer was casual—they were friends and almost family.  She liked and trusted Harlan, and she felt it would have been rude to refuse such a thoughtful invitation.

As they walked, she said, “It’s almost a sin to have to go inside tonight.”

“Look,” Harlan pointed upward.  “There must be a million stars up there.”

It was dark and difficult to see, but luckily, Harlan wore a light-colored shirt, so Elise just tried to keep in step with him.  Then, suddenly, she was on the ground.

Harlan quickly helped her up.  “Are you all right?”

“Yes. I think I stepped in a gopher hole.”

“That was my fault.  I should have taken your arm while walking in the meadow, but I felt you might think me forward.”

Elise brushed off her elbows and knees.  “I think I shall leave etiquette behind and allow you to take my arm.”

Harlan linked his arm around hers, and they walked the whole length of the meadow, then turned around and headed back.  “There’s nothing quite like a Kansas summer.”

“Pennsylvania summers are lovely, too.” Elise sighed.  “And the mountains are so majestic there.”

“Do you miss home and your folks?”

“I do, but I know they are well taken care of and... well, I don’t think I miss the life I had there before coming here.”

“How’s that?”

“After my parents sold the livery, we owned just a few horses, and they were already trained.  I missed working with them.  I was bored and felt there was no life there for me anymore.  I was excited when I received Martha’s letter.”

“So, you aren’t sorry you came to Kansas?”

“No, I love it here.  I suppose one day, maybe in the wintertime, I’ll go home for a visit, but I feel so at home here.”

Elise felt him tighten his hold on her.  “I’m glad.”

“What about you, Harlan?  You never talk about personal things.”

“Are you saying I’m secretive?” He laughed.

“About some things.  Tell me about the children’s mother—what happened to her, if you don’t mind me asking?”

Elise was shocked to hear Harlan’s deep laugh at her question.  “There wasn’t a mother. Well, of course, there was, but I don’t know who she is.”

She stopped walking and stared up at him.  In the moonlight, she could barely see his face, but she noticed the twinkle in his eyes.  “What?” she gasped.

“I needed help with the stables, so I got the idea of getting a young man from the orphan train when it stopped in Hays.  By the time I got there, Clay was the only young lad left.  I tried to take him with me, but he had an encumbrance.”

“A what?”

Harlan laughed again.  “A four-year-old little girl was clinging to him.  It seems they were the last of their family left after an Indian raid.  I had no choice but to take them both, but I never once regretted it.  She’s the apple of my eye, as my grandmother used to say.”

Elise felt her insides glow with even more respect for Harlan Tanner.

In bed that night, Elise laid there, staring at Millie before turning off the lamp.  She was such a precious child.  Now, she understood why neither child resembled Harlan.  Only a kind-hearted single man would take the child, too.  There was a lot more to Harlan than she realized.

The summer evening walks continued, and Harlan always took Elise’s arm.  They got to know each other better each night.

“What do you mean the kid’s never alone?” T.J.  asked Troy.

“I’ve been sitting on the ground every day, waiting for a chance to grab the kid, but someone is always with her.”

T. J. rubbed his temples.  “Let me think.”

“Tell me how the average Tanner day goes?”

Troy answered quickly,  “It’s the same every day.  The woman trains a horse in the front corral, the men are in the stables, and the little girl doesn’t come outside until after lunch.  The woman takes her in the meadow for riding lessons.  When they’re