After wrestling the calf over the front half of Scott’s horse, the muddy trio headed back to the ranch and rode in as quietly as possible to the barn so not to draw Murdoch’s attention. Dismounting, Scott and Johnny lifted the calf down while Kinsey spoke in a hushed voice to sooth the frightened animal.
“Hey. What are you three doing?”
Damn. Jelly.
“Is that a stray? Did you bring back a stray? What happened to you?”
“Jelly. Quiet.”
“You know how Murdoch feels about bringin’ in strays. He is going to explode. You’re covered in mud.”
“Shut up Jelly.”
“Oh no. You’re not putting that calf in the barn!”
Scott pulled his friend aside.
“Jelly, listen. We know how Murdoch feels about bringing home strays and we know how he’s going to react so we need time to figure out a way to gently break the news to him. Can you please help Kinsey get the calf into the barn and out of sight?”
“Well, all right but this isn’t goin’ to go well. Little lady where’s your boot?”
“Well now…”
Damn. Murdoch.
“How did it go this morning? What in the Sam Hill happened to you two? Where’s Kinsey?”
Scott and Johnny looked at each other trying to formulate a response to even one of their father’s questions. Scott, feeling brave, started in.
“Well Sir, everything was going very well until…”
A soft small mooing sound came from the barn.
“What was that?”
Johnny decided to take a different.
“You should see that little lady ride! That chestnut mare you picked out was perfect!”
“Was that a calf? Did you two bring home a stray?”
Scott raised an eyebrow. Actually it was the three of us. “Look, Murdoch…he was stuck in the mud.”
“Kinsey was stuck in the mud.”
“She wasn’t leaving him behind.”
“We got both of them out.”
“She wouldn’t get on her horse.”
Murdoch held up his hand to signal he wanted to hear silence.
“You mean to say that neither one of you could tell that young lady the word “no” and make it stick?”
Scott countered with “Well Sir, if you think it’s so easy then you go do it.”
Stare.
Scott watched his father turn on his heels and stride into the barn. “I just fed Kinsey to the lion.” He felt guilty, however, in Scott’s opinion his little cousin had a lot of growing up to do. Getting reamed out by Murdoch should take care of a small portion of that growing up.
Scott envisioned the scenario. First, Murdoch’s bellowing voice will shake the hay out of the rafters. Kinsey will then foolishly throw out a few defiant statements that will infuriate the old man. Murdoch will then point out she’s not too old to be taken over his knee, which is where she will soon be to continue this discussion. That threat alone should be enough to send Kinsey flying out of the barn, in tears, and up to her room for the rest of the day. Scott folded his arms and waited for the fireworks.
Nothing.
Puzzled, Scott glanced over to Johnny who wore the same expression.
“I think the old man strangled her, Boston. I don’t hear a thing.”
The two brothers entered the barn to first see Jelly looking totally shocked. Dear God. Murdoch did strangle her. They followed Jelly’s gaze over to the corner of the barn where Murdoch and Kinsey stood around the rescued calf. Bits and pieces of their conversation filtered over to where the boys stood.
“Good choice.”
“Wise decision.”
“Absolutely agree.”
“Go inside sweetheart and get cleaned up.”
Even with one boot missing, Kinsey managed to walk with authority pass Scott and Johnny while blessing them with a smug grin.
What happened to telling her “no” and making it stick?
Murdoch approached. “Well, Scott, you never told me Kinsey had a eye for good stock. That little fella is worth the effort. We should be thankful she spotted him and insisted on bringing him back. Good decision. You two need to get cleaned up. Supper will be on the table in a couple hours.”
Scott sat in the tub of hot water a bit longer to let the dirt and pulled muscles of wrestling a calf melt away. As he dried off and put on clean clothes he was still shaking his head at the thought of Kinsey dodging the wrath of Murdoch. How did she do that?
Checking the time, he knew he was running a bit late but since tonight’s meal was more informal he didn’t think Murdoch would mind. Missing lunch altogether Scott realized he was now starving.
The family was engaged in conversation when he pulled up a chair and began filling his plate. And then he noticed the empty seat beside him…
“Where’s Kinsey?”
Suspiciously no one had much to say.
“Is she still getting cleaned up?”
Johnny cleared his throat. “You know how she feels about the calf.”
“She’s out in the barn? You’re telling me she would rather sit with that calf instead of sitting down for supper? You know what? Fine. Let her sit out there and starve. I’m done babysitting.”
The rest the table fell silent, eating their meal and occasionally glancing up at Scott who had yet to take a single bite. Abruptly standing, he took Kinsey’s plate, filled it with food, grabbed his own plate along with a glass of milk and headed out the back door.
Johnny grinned. “Pay up Jelly! One shiny dollar!”
“You too Murdoch!” Teresa held out her hand.
Jelly fumed and grumbled as he produced the coin for the younger Lancer. “I didn’t think he would budge.”
Laughing Murdoch handed over his lost bet to his ward. “Never play against the odds.”
As Scott approached the barn he heard Kinsey singing a tune that sounded familiar but not the words. When he entered she stopped and looked up.
“You here to give me that lecture?”
“No. It’s been postponed due to hunger. Come over here and eat your supper.”
The cousins moved a few bales of hay and a couple of crates to create a makeshift table and chairs.
“Scott I was wondering…”
“No.”
“I haven’t finished my question!”
“You were going to ask if you can sleep out here tonight and the answer is “no”. And this “no” is going to stick so don’t ask again.”
“Scott, I want to thank you for what you did today. I know sometimes…”
Scott smiled. “It’s all right. I didn’t want to leave that little fella behind either.”
“This looks delicious! What is it?”
“Kinsey wait!”
Scott watched Kinsey take a large bite off her plate. Immediately her eyes began to water and her face went red.
“Chew and swallow. Swallow! Now drink the milk! Honey, trust me! Drink the milk!”
Kinsey took in a deep breath.
“What is this?”
“Maria’s Green Chile Enchiladas. You have to take it slow.”
“Whew! Spicy!”
Scott started laughing from relief. “I thought I lost you there for a minute.”
Small talk was made to match the small bites of enchiladas.
“Kinsey what was that song you were singing when I came in?’
“It’s a Gaelic lullaby.”
“Why does the tune sound familiar?”
And finally at the end of the second day of Kinsey’s visit the right question was asked that opened the door to reconnect. The two cousins talked far into the early morning hours filling the blanks and the gaps of their questions with each other’s past memories. Standing outside the barn and halfway through the evening, Murdoch tapped out the last of the tobacco from his pipe smiling. Time to retire.
Johnny, undetected by sitting in the shadows, stayed until the end.