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“No, not even a little.”
I move to the next window, debating whether to ask more. My curiosity wins out.
“Why does Buddy buy you horses then?”
“Oh, you know how men are.” The swish swash of the broom in the bedroom where she sweeps fills the space in her thoughts. “He gives what he loves. I think he figures one of these days he’ll bring home one that I’ll love too. Then I’ll be out in a saddle at his side.”
“You don’t like horses?”
“I know that seems silly, considering the wagon I hitched my ride to, but I fell in love with the man, not the lifestyle.” She scoops the pile of dust into a pan. “I rode a horse when I was young. Without warning, it took off running. I was only six and I thought I was going to die. I’ve never gotten on a horse again. No matter how many times Buddy begs me to try.”
“That’s a rough way to be introduced to horses.” I think about my first experiences, Dad always next to me, holding me steady while I learned. “Has anyone ever offered to teach you how? A few lessons would at least give you some control.”
Clara frowns deeply. “Would I have to get on to take those lessons?”
I try not to laugh, but a smile escapes. “It’s the preferred method, but the theory of riding could help I guess.”
She seems to ponder that line of thinking for a few minutes, finally she asks, “Which horse would I ride?”
I know her horses better than she does, maybe that’s why she’s asking. “Cricket is my favorite. Not a mean bone in her body. She’s getting older, but she’s a great horse.”
“I’ll think about it.” She folds her arms across her chest like she’s trying to look tough. “But don’t get your hopes up.
“I promise.” I finish with the wall of windows and take a moment to bask in the clean light filtering in. From the kitchen sink, I can see all the way to the line of cypress that line the path to the cove. Through the spaces in the trunks, it’s not hard to see the ocean. With the door open, the rumble of the waves is a constant soundtrack for our work. It’s a great little cabin, especially cleaned up a bit.
“What sparked the idea for this project, Clara?” I set to work cleaning the sink, knowing under the years of neglect lies forgotten beauty.
“Oh, I’ve been wanting to do this for quite some time. These cabins are such an eyesore. Tomorrow, I’ve got Buck and Houston taking apart the one in the front. I’m sure you saw how the roof caved in. But that still leaves us with three cabins.”
“Are you planning to rent them out?” I wouldn’t admit it, but ever since Rhett told me about the issues with cattle and needing another source of revenue, I’ve been trying to think of ideas that would help him. “It seems like a little place like this would be such a nice vacation spot.”
Clara scoffs. “Exactly what I told Buddy. I mean, we are steps away from the ocean, but he won’t hear of it. No strangers sleeping on his land, and that’s final.”
I laugh to myself. “Present company excluded, I’m sure.”
She joins in my laughter. “Right, because he’s been so great about that.”
She’s not wrong, but it’s not polite to point it out. “So, if not rentals, what are you thinking?”
Clara turns around, holding her rag between her hands. “As you know, I don’t love the idea of you being out there with all those men. I know Everett says they’ve been well behaved, but call me old-fashioned, I don’t like it.”
My heart drops a bit. Is she kicking me out? Was this a chance to get me on my own so she could let me down without Rhett knowing?
“I thought,” Clara motions to the room, “if we could fix this up a bit, you could stay here.”
“What?” I must have heard her wrong. “Me?”
“You.” Her eyes radiate the warmth of her character. “You’ve been with us long enough that you’re one of us. You deserve a place of your own.” She weighs the thought. “I’m only a bit hopeful that if you leave the bunkhouse, Everett will come home. It doesn’t feel right without him around in the evenings.”
I’m nearly speechless. “I don’t know how to thank you. You don’t have to do this. I had brothers, and nothing the—”
“I had brothers too,” Clara stops me short with a smile, “a lady needs her space.”
“Thank you.” I look around the cabin with new eyes. It’s more space than I need. I could easily have a roommate… The last piece of the puzzle falls into place. I know how to make the ranch more money. ‘
“Clara?”
She looks up from where she’s stacking wood by the fireplace. “Yes?”
