“You go ahead,” Crockett said. “I’ll put Ben’s saddle away.”
“Thank you.” She headed for the back barn door. Pa was arguing with Ben, who was still trying to keep him from going out into the yard. The music had stopped, and people were moving about beyond the open front door. She decided to duck out on the altercation and went back out the rear of the barn. Crockett was sliding the saddle off Star’s back.
“Beware,” she said. “Pa’s still fussing.”
Crockett grinned. “I’ll see if I can distract him. Go on, now.”
Jane hurried to the fence and ducked through the rails. The refreshment table was nearly bare. As she approached, Mrs. Allen saw her.
“Oh, good, there you are, Jane. I’m leaving the last of my fried chicken and some cake for you folks. It’s right here, in this basket.”
“That’s very kind of you,” Jane said. “I’ll make sure and get the basket back to you.”
“No hurry. This was a very nice gathering, dear. You should come into town more often.”
“Yes, ma’am.” As if she had time to leave the ranch, or money to spend in town.
“Drop by the mercantile when you do,” Mrs. Mortenson said. “If it’s not too busy, we’ll sneak upstairs for a cup of tea.”
Jane smiled sincerely. “I’d like that very much.”
Coralee Hart, Houston’s new wife, came toward them. “Jane! I’ve got some cookies in here for y’all.”
“Oh, thank you.” Jane accepted a bundle made up of a napkin wrapped and tied around something lumpy.
Coralee bent close and kissed her cheek. “Don’t be a stranger at the ranch, now, will you?”
“I…” Jane had no idea how to respond to that, but Coralee didn’t seem to notice.
“We’re heading home now. Emma’s tired.”
“Oh, it was so nice of her to come,” Jane cried. “I need to thank her.”
“Best hurry, then. Hays is putting her in the buggy now.”
“Excuse me, won’t you?” Jane said to Mrs. Mortenson.
“Of course. See you soon.”
Jane dropped Coralee’s cookie bundle into the basket and hurried beside her to where Hays was settling his wife on the buggy seat. Houston was bridling the horse that pulled the buggy.
“Emma, Hays, thank you so much for coming,” Jane said.
“We had a grand time,” Emma replied, reaching for her hand.
“I’m glad. But I hope you didn’t wear yourself out.”
Emma shook her head. “I enjoyed it. But I’ll probably sleep all day tomorrow.”
Jane stepped back so Coralee could climb up. Houston stepped forward and gave his wife his hand, calling over his shoulder, “Got your fiddle, Hays?”
“It’s in the boot.”
“Thank you for playing,” Jane said.
“You’re very welcome.” Hays threw her a dazzling smile. “Seems like I saw you getting in a dance or two, Jane.”
She pulled in a deep breath. There was no need to be shy around the big, loud Hart boys. They were friendly, and after all, Hays was an old classmate of hers.
“Well, I did,” she said. “A couple of your brothers were kind enough to ask me.”
“Next time, if I’m not fiddling, I’ll get a turn,” Hays said. He climbed into the buggy last and tipped his hat as Houston flicked the reins. “Night, now.”
Crockett rode over to the new house Monday morning, after the Hart family had eaten breakfast and cleared their plans with his father. The 7 Heart had plenty of cowpunchers to take care of the routine business at home, so Houston and Bowie joined Crockett for a day of roofing.
When they got to Haymakers’, Ben and Jane were in the yard, tidying up from their breakfast. Boyd was nowhere in sight.
“All right to turn our horses out in the corral?” Crockett asked as he dismounted.
“Sure,” Jane said. “Ben’s ready to help you.”
Bowie drove up with several bundles of shingles in the ranch wagon. His long hair fell down by his face, partly hiding the scars on his left cheek, but nothing hid the black eye patch he wore. He’d helped work yesterday but had slipped away before the dancing began. Crockett was a bit surprised and very pleased that he had agreed to come help Ben again today. He pulled the wagon up as close to the new house as he could.
“Morning, Bowie,” Jane called. He looked her way and lifted a hand in silent greeting.
Crockett began working the cinch free on his saddle. “How’s your pa doing?” he asked Jane.
“He’s still asleep, yonder in the barn. Ben finally got him to lie down in the straw, and he stayed there all night. He was snoring away when I looked in a while ago.”
“I hope our hammering doesn’t wake him,” Houston said.
“Won’t matter if it does,” Jane replied. “I thought I’d take my horse up to the cave and start moving stuff down here to the house while y’all are working on the roof.”
“Sure,” Crockett said. “You can move right in. Do you care which part we do first?”