Chapter 13

This office I'd found was going to be great. Keeping it locked would give me a place for hiding certain things I didn't want others knowing about. My computer setup was only the first thing that came to mind. I'd just have to figure out how to get some electric service in here without making it obvious.

I locked the office behind me when I left, after making sure that one of the keys on the ring would open it again. Leaving the library, I went through the kitchen and discovered a door that led back to the servant's quarters.

These were large on their own, and I found four separate bedrooms and a small common room too. I'd have no trouble finding a place for my new cook to sleep, if I could talk her into the job.

Back near the front entrance, Jethro was knocking. He had the Clancy's wagon out front. I told him to just leave it for now and see about hitching the big wagon for a trip to town later.

The women, twins, and Jimmy came back downstairs, apparently explored out for now. When I told them about the wagon, everyone but Carolyn went out to start unloading.

"Be sure to leave the heavy stuff for the men, they'll be here in plenty of time for that," I told them, as they left.

Soon enough they started back in with clothes and some food items, along with odds and ends of cookware and the like. I had them leave kitchen items on the table or the counters since I was sure when we got a cook she would want to arrange things to suit herself.

Carolyn looked like she wanted to get up and help when some of her things made an appearance but I vetoed that.

"Lilly and Lilah can do for that now. You can change anything you want when you're better. Besides, someone needs to stay here and flirt with me."

Luckily I went out just then to check the progress. Mary and Sarah were double-teaming a large sack of flour. It had been a hundred pounds worth but a little had been used.

"Leave that alone! When the men get here they can handle it. I don't want to have to come out there and spank someone," I said.

Sarah looked defiant for a moment but Mary said something to her that I couldn't hear. It did the trick, whatever it was, and they unhanded the flour sack.

Just then the colonel and probably a dozen men came riding in through the gate. I pointed to them as if to say I told you so to Mary and Sarah. The colonel rode right up to the big porch.

"Am I ever glad to see you and those men. I've had a hard time keeping Mary and Sarah from starting on the heavy stuff," I said.

"Sarah can be headstrong sometimes and I'm sure she was the ringleader. It looks like you're making good progress though," he said.

"Only because I didn't let them bring anything but the Clancy's wagon so far. Once we have it empty we can take it and my big wagon to town and really get started."

"That sounds like an excellent plan. This is quite a large place here, I hope you've thought about hiring at least a few men," he said.

"Oh, I have. I was able to talk Frank Johnston into being my foreman, by promising he wouldn't have to do any cattle drives, and he's out now hiring any good men he can find," I said.

"Damnation. I don't know why I didn't think of that myself, hiring Frank that it. I have a good foreman, but I could have used Frank as a fulltime blacksmith. Oh well, I'll just have to see about finding one and moving him in," The Colonel said.

"I can't speak for Frank on his blacksmith workings, but if you need something in that line I'll be glad to spare the time if you can get Frank to do the work."

"Thanks for that, and I'll try not to abuse the privilege," he said.

"Don't worry about that. My first goal is to be the best neighbor you've ever had since you're already the best one I've ever had," I said, and then the two of us tried to get a handle on our love fest, if not on our bullshitting.

The Colonel's hands must have taken nearly ten minutes to unload the wagon, and I'm sure most of the delay was because there were too many of them to crowd around it all at once. At any rate we were ready to head back to town for another load.

When they asked, I let Carolyn, Lilly, and Lilah stay to start putting their things away. Well, Lilly and Lilah were going to do the work and I made Carolyn promise not to do anything except supervise.

One of the Colonel's men drove the carriage this time and Jed and Jethro took care of my wagon and Carolyn's, I got my first ride inside the carriage on this trip.

Back in town Jethro drove the big wagon to Marjorie's house and a couple of men went with him to help Jimmy and Marjorie with the loading. Carolyn's wagon stopped at Silas' store for the things she and the twins had moved into the bunkhouse during their short stay, and also for all the items the twins had picked out.

Mary and Sarah took over the packing with the help of more of the Colonel's men, but when I tried to help, Sarah directed me to sit at the table in the store, have a drink, and try to look important.

"Yes, Dear. I can see I'm already being trained," I said.

It made her blush, and it made the Colonel, who was just coming in the front door, roar with laughter. He joined me at the table and I poured us both a drink.

"What the hell," I said, "Both of us might as well try to look important.

"Take it from me, it helps sometimes," the Colonel said, and laughed again.

"I'll be damned, I knew I was forgetting something," I said.

"What?" the Colonel asked.

"I hired a cook for the bunkhouse and the hands I plan to hire, but I forgot to go see if I could hire one for the house. Mary told me about Maybel Jamison and I've been meaning to go see if she'd like the job, but time just got away from me," I said.

"Why don't we ride out to her son's house right now? Surely we can look important enough while trying to hire a cook," the Colonel said, and laughed again. I was beginning to think he was having too good a time for my good.

"At least we wouldn't be in here underfoot. I'll go saddle Boots if you'll tell the bosses where we're headed."

"You mean if I'll ask permission, don't you? Go ahead, I'll do my best and meet you out front," he said.

Dammit, getting a household started required a lot more running around than I liked. It had to be done though. At least Boots was glad to see me this morning and he didn't even mention one thing I needed to do.

The Colonel was mounted when I rode Boots over and he led the way to Rick Jamison's place. I don't know where Rick worked and didn't ask. When we got to the house and dismounted I walked toward the door but it opened and a young woman asked what she could do for us. I think it surprised her when I asked to talk to Maybel.

Maybel looked to be in her late forties and she had been well fed for most of those years. She had a pleasant face and disposition though and she was thrilled with the offer of a job, but there was a snag.

"I'd love to have the job Mr Jefferson, but I don't have a way to get back and forth every day," she said.

"I know it would be extra trouble for you Mrs Jamison, but I was hoping you could live at our place. There are some pretty nice quarters for you and your helpers to move into," I said.

"My helpers? I don't have any helpers," she said, and looked confused.

"I'm sure we can find some to hire sooner or later, and there will be room for them to live there too," I said.

"If you have a room I can stay in it will be even better Mr Jefferson. I'll be happy to have the job," she said, and never asked what it paid.

"I'm glad you can help me out this way. If it is all right, I'll send a carriage for you later and a wagon to bring your things."

"That will be wonderful, Mr Jefferson. I'll get packed and be waiting," she said.

"Well that went well enough," I said, as the colonel and I rode back to town.

"I can tell Maybel is happy to have the job, and she'll probably be good at it."

"Yeh, but I'm still in sad shape for today. I've got you and everyone else helping me move and won't be able to feed anyone unless Bob Jakes can get out there and get moving fast," I said.

"Don't worry about Bob, he can have something going pretty quickly after he gets out there. Since I know you don't have any cattle yet, I'll send one of the boys back to my place for some beef. We slaughtered two steers yesterday. I'll have them bring one over and we can just do a couple more tomorrow," the Colonel said.

That was a load off my mind, for a day or two at least, and when we got back to town both wagons and the carriage were about to head back to the house. The Colonel and I just followed them.

Sarah Johnson turned out to be a dream come true in this moving crap. She knew all the men of course and she wasn't a bit shy about telling them what went where and how fast they needed to be moving it.