“Nor have I changed mine.”
He straightened and studied her.
Ha. Let him digest that for a minute. Eddie, firmly in hand, she marched into the barn. “Hello?”
A slightly stooped man with a graying beard that sported bits of hay stepped into the light. “Ma’am?”
“I need to rent a wagon. And if you’d be so kind as to give me directions to Chet’s ranch.” Let him hear her conviction. She needed a home, and one waited at the ranch.
The liveryman looked past her. “Jace here can show ya. I ’spect he’s on his way there now.”
“Pops, I’m not going there.”
Goodness, the man had a way of speaking that made Dianne want to duck. But she didn’t flinch and didn’t turn his way. Stubborn must be his middle name because he hadn’t relented an inch.
“Pops?” Was that the liveryman’s name?
“That’s what theys all calls me.” The man stroked his beard and rocked back and forth. Then, as if realizing what Jace had said, he glanced past Dianne. “Not going there? Why not?” His brows arched. “Hear the men went on a drunk. Seems someone should be there to straighten them out and get them back to work.”
For answer, Jace tied his horse to the back of the wagon. “Not me.” He climbed to the wagon seat and picked up the reins.
Eddie broke free and ran to the wagon. “You gots cows and chickens. And Skip. I wants to see them.” He sat down on the ground and wailed.
Dianne hurried to her son. “We’ll see them soon.” She glanced back at Pops. “Could you have a wagon ready for us?”
Pops’s beard stroking sent a shower of hayseeds to the ground. “Ain’t got anything at the moment.”
“Nothing?” How was that possible? Or was he refusing because she was a woman? She tried to make out the dim interior. The nearest pens didn’t seem large enough to house a wagon. Perhaps they were in the back.
Eddie continued to wail, making conversation difficult and thinking even more so.
“Eddie, stop now. We’ll figure out something.” She confronted Jace. “We need a wagon.”
“Uh-uh. This isn’t mine to lend you. I need to return it.”
“You said it was in storage. I’m guessing it’s not needed urgently.” This was perhaps the answer to her prayer. If he took her to the ranch, he’d be reminded of Chet’s love and drawn back to the place. “You could take us.”
Eddie’s sobs choked off. He scrubbed tears from his eyes. “You come with us?”
Pops moseyed forward. “Maybe you should. Someone needs to be in charge.”
The man’s words added weight to Dianne’s arguments. “I couldn’t agree more.”
Jace shook his head.
Here comes his stubbornness. Yup. She knew what he’d say even before he opened his mouth.
“Mrs. White can be in charge. I already told her so.”
“Seems like a man is needed. No offense, ma’am.”
“None taken.” She agreed. Turning to Jace, she added, “I told you I don’t know how to order men around. Besides, they wouldn’t listen to me.”
Pops brushed hay off his shirt. “Why isn’t you takin’ over the ranch, Jace? It’s what Chet wanted. You’re the closest thing he ever had to a son.”
Jace stared in the direction of escape, but Pops had moved closer and stood in the way.
“You gonna leave the little lady out there to manage on her own? You’re gonna let Chet’s place—his pride and joy—fall into ruin?” He shook his head and tsked. “You ain’t the man he taught you to be. Why Chet’s never shirked from anything hard. Ridin’ away is a mighty poor way of repayin’ all that man done for you.”
