Chapter 5

Marnie saw the dust from the hands coming back to the Double-M and rode out to meet them. They were a dirty, nasty looking lot. She smiled because Jacob had always seemed so clean.

"Mrs. Lambert," Jacob said as she reined in beside him. "I'd like for you to meet Ann Rhodes."

Marnie did a double take at the dust-covered girl who was riding to Jacob's right. The rest of the hands had gone past and to the ranch.

"Miss Rhodes," she said while shooting Jacob a glance. "It's nice to meet you."

Ann's face lit up in a smile.

"You, too, Mrs. Lambert," she said. "Jacob, uh, Mr. Dunleavy has told me so much about you."

Marnie couldn't help but smile.

"Did we get a good price?" she asked Jacob.

"Annie, why don't you ride on down to the ranch while Mrs. Lambert and I talk business," he said. The girl complied without a word.

"Who is she?" Marnie asked as soon as she was out of earshot. The girl seemed a little too young for Jacob but she obviously didn't know for sure.

"We got a fair price," Jacob said, answering the initial question first. "We weren't the first ones there but we were early enough to get a little more than what we expected."

Marnie nodded and gestured toward Ann riding down the slope.

"An orphan," Jacob said. "I guess I had the choice of sending her to a brothel or bringing her with us."

"And why was it your choice?" Marnie asked.

Jacob gazed across the Double-M laid out before him.

"I ran into a couple people who recognized me up there," Jacob said. "One I didn't mind but the other I did. Ann's brother was convinced I killed their father."

Marnie sat silently waiting for the rest of the story.

"The boy drew on me and I killed him," Jacob said.

Marnie's hand shot to her mouth. It was an involuntary action but one she regretted instantly.

"Is it safe to have her here?" Marnie asked. "I mean, she's not going to ambush you or anything is she?"

"If she was gonna, she already coulda," Jacob said. "I don't think she's been more than 20 feet from me in three weeks."

"Is she staying?" Marnie wondered.

"That's up to you," Jacob answered. "I didn't know what else to do with her. I mean, she told me she was 16 but I figured out that was a little on the high side."

Marnie's eyes narrowed.

"You figured out?" she asked. She didn't like the jealousy that had crept into her voice.

Jacob shook his head and laughed.

"Well, let's just say I wasn't real clear on what her duty on the trail would entail," he said. "I got a pretty clear indication of her age the first night before I cottoned to the fact that we had the misunderstanding."

"And how far did this misunderstanding go?"

"Too far but not that far," Jacob said. "She undressed and pulled her pants down. That's when I knew she wasn't 16."

Marnie blushed.

"Thirteen," Jacob answered the unasked question. "Or so she says. Maybe 12."

Marnie's face was expressionless.

"She's a good kid," Jacob said. "She's good on a horse and I think she'll do well with the cows. She helped me keep the few horses we brought back with us in line."

A smile graced Marnie's features.

"Let's see, I brought in a stray and now so have you," she said. "We're gonna have to build another bunk house if this keeps up."

She turned her horse and trotted down the slope before Jacob could answer.

There seemed to be a Mexican showdown developing when Jacob caught up to Marnie at the house.

Susan and Ann were standing toe to toe and looked about ready to come to blows. The ranch hands and the men from the trail just stood around and watched. At least until Marnie rode up.

"What in the blazes is going on here?" Marnie yelled. She hopped off her mount and got between the two girls.

Susan stepped back but Ann seemed ready to pursue the confrontation. Jacob saw that her hand was on the butt of his Colt that she still wore.

"She saw me get off the horse and head toward the bunk house to clean up," Ann said. "She grabbed my arm and called me a whore."

"Susan," Marnie said. "Why in the world would you say something like that?"

"Look at her," Susan said with disdain. "It's obvious how she earned her keep on the way back. Believe me, after meeting your brother's new wife, I know a whore when I see one!"

Marnie's hand shot out and slapped her niece hard across the face.

"Ann is here to work," she said. "You'll treat her with respect. Jacob brought her back here to help with the animals and that is all."

Susan's eyes turned toward Jacob.

"I bet he did," she sneered. "What did it cost for her?"

"My brother's life," Ann answered before Jacob could speak. "My brother tied to kill Jacob but was too slow. He could have made me a whore, you know. He could have sold me that day or turned me into one on the trail. But instead he hired me on to work here. I earned my keep, you little bitch, on the back of a horse. How do you earn yours? Or are you just too good to work at all because you're the boss' stepdaughter."

"She's my niece," Marnie answered. "And starting right now she'll earn her keep by cooking and cleaning around this place. Unless you want to learn to work the horses, that is. Now, apologize to Ann."

"Like hell I will," Susan said.

"Her apology ain't worth nothing," Ann said. "It would be a lie so she might as well save it."

Ann turned to head toward the bunkhouse with the ring of hands that surrounded the battling females parting like the Red Sea.

"Just a minute, young lady," Marnie said. "That area is off limits to you. Just as it is to Susan. You'll have a bedroom in the main house. Now go in and get cleaned up while I finish here."

"The rest of you, too," Jacob said to the workers. "This ain't none of your business and it damned sure ain't your entertainment. So find something to do or I'll find you something to do."

As Ann trundled toward the house and the rest headed off to their jobs or the bunkhouse, Marnie put her hand on the reins of Jacob's horse to keep him in place.

"We need to deal with this right now," she said. "I've listened to her whine and gripe for the last 3 months and I'm done with it."

"She's your niece, Mrs. Lambert," Jacob said.

Marnie cocked her head toward Jacob.

"I said we need to deal with it, Jacob," she said. "I know she's my niece but I meant what I said. This is as much your place as it ever was mine. Hell, the only reason I had somewhere to bring her back to was because of you. It's our place, Jacob. Yours and mine."

Jacob guessed it was as close to Marnie as he was likely to get.

"How do you suppose we should handle it then?" he asked.

"You know how to handle it," Marnie asserted. "She needs her hide reddened. I can do it if I have to but I think it would be better coming from you."

"Are you sure?" Jacob asked. "I mean, she ain't my kin. I think maybe you should take care of it."

"If I start I won't stop," Marnie said angrily. "I've put up with her crap now since we left my brother. I've thought about taking a strop to her almost every day since we got back. I'll be there, don't you worry. But, well, I guess you're the man of the house."

Marnie's face turned a shade of pink as she spoke.

Jacob chuckled inwardly. A year ago she hadn't even believed him to be a man.

"Maybe we should just take her back to her beau," Jacob suggested. "It's what she wants. Hell, she ain't gonna stop til she gets what she wants. She's like her aunt that way."

Marnie's face softened a bit at Jacob's joke.

"You know, for once in my life, I plan to get what I want this time," she said as she laced her arm in Jacob's. "I'm sorry it took me so long to decide what that was."