Cat wiped her brow of sweat as she and her horse, Rebel, paused at the top of a high bluff. The scene before her was like no other she had witnessed before. Below was the most beautiful blue lake she'd ever seen. The forests surrounding the lake were thick and lush with giant pines. The rolling grasslands were abundant with new spring growth and were a welcome change to the drier, more barren lands she'd left behind in Arizona. Being early spring, the land was still dotted with clumps of white snow.
Warmth grew in Cat's soul as she looked out over the landscape. It had been so long since she'd felt at home. Maybe she would find a little happiness here. She squeezed her knees slightly and clicked with her tongue. The magnificent grey Spanish stallion she rode obediently started forward and picked his way down along the rough track that led to the dirt road. Her hardy cow pony trotted behind. The road before her led to the largest ranch in the territory, and she hoped to find work there.
The cattle season looked like it might be a promising one. All too often in Arizona, drought and dust storms wrecked the chances of getting a good season's work. She already knew the ranch was the best and biggest in the area. She'd asked around town. A popular and respected family owned it. Getting a job here, however, was not going to be easy. Convincing hardened cattlemen that they should take on a woman to do a wrangler's job was a hard task. Cat never won a job without a fight. And when she did, she usually had to do twice as much as the other hands to prove her worth. It took all her skill and strength to stand up to the challenges that went along with working for men in a tough environment.
Still, she had to do it. She had no other choice. It was the one thing she did very well, and she had a debt to pay off. For almost five years she'd diligently paid back the loan afforded to her by the Bank of Phoenix. Now, finally all her hard work would soon pay off and her debt would be paid. If she got a good job now, she should have enough money to clear the debt by the end of the following summer. Her family's ranch, or what was left of it, would soon be hers again.
As she put Rebel into a trot, a feeling of peace came over her when she passed the lake's edge. The landscape felt so inviting. Yet, she'd never been this far north before. Cat was convinced it was a good omen and felt pleased with her decision to come this far. "Come on, boys, let's show these ranchers how good we are," she said quietly to her attentive companions. Rebel and her hardy Mustang Bobby seemed to understand and broke into a smooth canter.
Ten minutes later, Cat rounded a bend. The main ranch loomed into view. It was a large, sprawling complex of buildings and corrals. The house itself was impressive. Even though it was large and hinted at wealth, it wasn't overdone. The best word to describe it was comfortable. It looked well lived in and maintained. If the reputation of the family that owned it was accurate, then this house was a cherished home, much like hers had once been. Cat quickly put dark memories out of her mind. They were certainly not to be dwelled upon, not when work had to be arranged.
In a few more minutes, she arrived at the main house. There was no one about, but she could hear some activity from one of the corrals behind the ranch house. Dismounting, she dropped Rebel's reins over his head, ground tying him, and walked around to see what was going on.
The scene was a familiar one to her. Spring round up meant that new hands had to be tested and mounts fresh from six months on the range had to be ridden. Usually the two went hand in hand. No better way to test a new employee's fortitude than by giving him a bad tempered pony to tame. It quickly showed up his courage, strength, patience and ability to take orders. It also provided the main source of fun for the experienced hands, and anyone who'd made the grade and wanted to see others suffer.
Two young men who looked barely seventeen perched on the corral fence waiting their turn with the bronc currently under saddle. The tough grulla mustang was showing a lot of white in a mean eye and seemed determined not to be ridden. Three battered cowpokes nursing their bruises at the water trough were eloquent evidence that the horse was winning the day. Cat was glad everyone's gaze was focused on the action in corral so that she could study the setup.
A middle-aged man with salt and pepper hair stood in the middle of the corral. He had a commanding presence and was a large, powerful man. He was obviously Mr Cartwright, senior. She knew he also had sons according to the hotel keeper in Virginia City. Cat had to admit Mr Cartwright looked frustrated and fed up but was still giving a fair go to all involved. Behind him stood a huge, hefty young man who stayed well out of the way, but was ready to step in if needed. He must be one of the sons, Cat figured. He looked too much at home and capable to be a hand. She figured this was a very capable family to be so successful.
Lastly, there was teenager outside the corral, giggling in a childish sort of way. He was a lot smaller than the other wranglers were, but Cat thought him older than he looked. Something set him apart. He'd obviously enjoyed the last failure immensely. Cat guessed he was also one of the family. The boss would not have stood for such behavior otherwise. Cat instantly liked the three of them. They reminded her so much of her father and brothers. She remembered them doing the same things, and having the same commanding presence. But, that had been a long time ago.
The next tenderfoot's turn came. Cat eased up on to the fence. No one seemed to notice her there. A steady line of hopefuls had probably been in and out of the ranch all week, and everyone would have grown tired of new faces.
The boy's expression was tense. He'd watched the others and was all the more nervous for it. The horse could smell his fear. It was already wild before the hefty man let him free of his bonds. The boy was on its back for a mere two seconds. He landed in an untidy heap and quickly high-tailed it out of the corral, much to the younger son's ongoing amusement.
"Joseph, stop that laughing right now and get in here! This horse will have to be broken and you've just earned your big brother the job." Ben Cartwright's booming voice rang loudly through the air. Cat was not surprised to notice everyone spring nervously to attention when he spoke. The young man managed to get a grip on his mirth and approached the yard.
"But Pa, there's still a couple more to try out," said the hefty young man.
"I've had enough for one day. There's not a decent hand among them. We'll never get any work done at this rate." He was desperate and frustrated. This was the time for Cat to step in.
"Oh, Pa, but I've got- "
"-No excuses, Hoss. Get on this animal now!"
Cat recognized her chance. "Let me try him, Mr Cartwright. I'll have him gentled for you in no time."
All eight men in the corral area turned to see where the voice came from. A feminine voice at that. Ben turned and what he saw puzzled him. Before him stood a woman of about twenty-five years of age. She was dressed as they all were, in a long riding overcoat, work shirt and britches with a dusty hat tilted in her gloved hand. She was tall at about 5'9, with an underlying strength hidden behind a feminine body.
Her skin was slightly tanned from the sun, and a mass of dark-red hair was restrained in a French braid that ran half way down her back. A confident and friendly smile played on her lips. But her eyes were her most interesting feature. They were a rich green, almost emerald in color. They sparkled in the late afternoon sun and exuded confidence. She seemed cool and unflustered.
Ben Cartwright could only stare. The fact that anybody had freely volunteered to ride this beast was amazing, let alone a strange woman who seemed to have appeared out of nowhere. He was stunned by the request, but dutifully bowed his head. "Be my guest."
Cat didn't waste the moment. She eased herself smoothly through the corral rails and approached the horse. The men gaped openly as they came to terms with this strange sight. Cat stopped several feet from the horse and clicked quietly. The animal was still highly stressed and he jerked his head at the small noise. Ben backed out of the yard. He was not about to be trampled.
The woman in the corral seemed to do doing nothing at first. She just stood there and allowed the horse to run loose around her. Ben, Joe and Hoss watched in interest. Ben regretted letting her in there. This could be a disaster if she couldn't handle herself. But there was something about her that said she could. As he looked on, the horse stopped flitting around and faced the girl straight on.
Cat clicked again and began to back up slowly. The horse watched, then after a few seconds, walked towards her. She'd learned when she was small, that horses didn't like to be chased. That provoked a natural instinct inside them to run, as they were essentially animals who fled from predators. When not threatened, however, horses were naturally curious and social animals. The horse walked right up to Cat to seek out any tit-bit she might have on offer. After producing sugar, talking to him softly and rubbing his neck with a quiet calm firmness, she slipped quickly on to his back and subdued his half-hearted effort to buck her off. Cat reined him in and walked him back to the corral fence.
She knew all eyes were on her as she tied up the animal. Eventually, Mr Cartwright approached. He had a look of admiration in his eyes. Cat crossed her fingers.
"I must say, that was quite an impressive display, young lady."
"Thank you," she relied graciously.
"Let's see what you can do with a fresh animal."
"Sure." Cat sighed to herself. It was always the same. They never quite believed her ability the first time. At least she was getting a chance though. A lot of ranch bosses didn't even allow her that much. One look at her and they'd send her on her way.
"Joe, bring out the bay." The deep robust voice oozed command and the boys jumped to attention. Cat steadied herself for the ride.
This horse was fresh and dangerous. No gentle coaxing would work here, only hard riding. She'd be up the task though; she always was. The horse was steadied in the gate and she mounted from above. The gate swung open and she was atop the angriest of wild beasts. Cat had learned to ride before she could walk and plenty of falls to become as good as her older brothers ensured she rarely slipped up. Again to the awe of her audience, she stayed on the bucking bronco and brought him around to submission.
When the horse was ridden enough to satisfy her critics, Cat jumped off and approached Mr Cartwright again. This was the time for her to talk him into taking her on. He needed experienced hands, and she had to convince him she was one. "Mr Cartwright, I'm very accomplished in all facets of ranch work. I have references and I need a good job for the summer. I would be grateful if you would put me on trial for a week, so I can prove myself to you. You won't be sorry."
"What's your name?" His intimidating tone almost made Cat falter.
"Catherine De'Maine. Folks call me Cat. I come from just north of Tucson. How do you do." She held out her gloved hand and he shook it. That was a good sign.
"Well, Cat De'Maine, if this is an indication of how you can work, you have yourself a job. I need results. Put your gear in the bunk house over the way. We start at five in the morning." With that, he strode away, leaving a wake of stunned male faces staring after him.
"A woman ranch hand? I never heard of somethin' so dumb," grumbled one of the adolescents.
"Boy, I thought Cartwright was smart."
"He is." Cat replied to the remark. The youngest son called Joseph walked toward her and smiled a wide boyish smile. "Anyone who rides a bronc like that deserves a medal, girl or no girl. Come on, I'll show you to the bunk house." With that, the deal was done. Cat got her wish. She was now a working hand on the Ponderosa.
The next morning dawned clear and crisp. Cat was up early. Nothing like getting the essential chores finished before breakfast. Not that she particularly liked mucking out stables and cleaning tack, she just knew it would be expected of a new hand. Especially a female hand. So, it was with a positive attitude that she attacked the work. She had it all done by the time the morning breakfast bell sounded.
After she'd eaten with the other new hands, Ben Cartwright came out of the main house to address them all. There were about half a dozen others. All kept a stony silence around Cat. She was use to it and preferred it to smart remarks and jibs at her gender. There had been enough spare bunks for her to stay well away from the others, so there was no conflict. All was fine while they treated her with no regard. Mr Cartwright briefed them on the day's work. There was a lot of branding to be done. She observed him as he dished out the orders and rules. She could tell why he was a respected man.
As far as the work went, it appeared some men were already camped at the main branding area. They were waiting for the extra help to arrive. When the meeting broke up, everyone went in different directions to get ready for the day. As Cat was going to her bunk, Ben stopped her.
"May I have a word with you, Cat?"
"Of course," she answered with some apprehension. Hopefully, he hadn't changed his mind about employing her.
"I notice someone did all the barn chores this morning. Funny, I can't get one of these lazy hands to do that kind of work." He raised an eyebrow and waited for her comments.
" I believe in getting chores out of the way."
"I'm grateful and I'm sure my son Hoss will be delighted as they were his chores this morning." He started to smile in a kind fatherly way. "But you know, you really don't have to do things like that. It is very heavy work."
Before he could finish, Cat felt the blood inside her boiling up. She answered him in a controlled, but firm voice.
"Mr Cartwright, I'm a hand on this ranch and you'll find that I can do as much, if not more than these men. If you care to watch me work today at the branding, you'll see how you've got your money's worth. The last thing I want you to do is treat me like a helpless female. You'll soon find out I don't fit into that category at all!"
She surprised Ben. She had spirit, this one. The way she spoke her mind, with that calm exterior but obviously seething interior, reminded him so much of his eldest son, Adam. Maybe she did have what it took. It was certainly going to liven things up for a couple of days. At least until she was beaten by the heavy work and admitted defeat. He admired her courage and wondered what a young, obviously well educated woman like her was doing going ranch to ranch working as a hand. She should be out enjoying life, attending parties, courting young men.
"All right, I take your point. I'll look forward to seeing you work."
"Thank you, sir. You won't be sorry."
Cat turned and strode off to the barn to ready her horses, leaving Ben pondering behind her. This was going to be interesting. She obviously had a very strong will. By the look of the huge horse she rode and the hardy working pony she led, she had a strong back as well.
Again, he thought of Adam. 'A strong will'. Come to think of it, Adam was running the branding operation. Just wait until he got a look at his newest hand. He wouldn't be very happy. Women, according to Ben's eldest son, were just fine as far as serenading, poetry and dances were concerned. But he wouldn't agree with letting one loose on the ranch as hired help.
Ben knew Adam would be annoyed when he found out. Chuckling to himself, he walked slowly back to the house. He'd been going to take the day off to do some book work, but on second thoughts, he considered taking a ride out to the camp instead. He was curious about Cat's ability. He had the feeling she was going to show up all the men, his son included. Adam would not be pleased, but he was sensible. If she got the job done, Adam would have to accept her. They were short handed enough as it was without turning help away. Besides, there was nothing like a healthy bit of rivalry to liven up a grueling spring round up.
Cat rode towards the rear of the group going out to the camp. They passed through lush paddocks, some of which were still hidden by huge drifts of snow. The landscape was foreign to her. The spring melt had made plenty of mud bogs. Apart from branding, Cat deduced there'd be a lot of cattle hauling as well, as the animals got stuck in fresh bogs during round up. Even though she hailed from Arizona, a much more arid climate, she'd done her fair share of river and mud rescues. Although flash flooding in the summer usually caused it, not snow melt. This climate and terrain were a welcomed change.
She enjoyed the ride, and soon she had company in the form of Hoss and Little Joe as he was called by most of the others. The two Cartwright brothers were very friendly toward her. She was used to being scorned by fellow wranglers, not treated as an equal, so it was a pleasant change.
Hoss was particularly friendly, as she'd done all his morning chores. The more they rode, the more she liked them. They were so much like her brothers. The more she talked to them, the more she relaxed. This should be a good family to work for.
As they approached the camp, the riders paused on a bluff to look over the vast herd of cattle before them. The winter had been mild and the animals looked in good shape. There were hundreds of calves to be branded. Cat took a deep breath and looked forward to the day. For all that had happened to her in the past, she still loved the ranch life. As they made their way down to the camp, she became curious about the order of things.
"Hoss, are you the boss out here, or will Mr Cartwright be arriving shortly?"
Hoss replied with a short, sharp chuckle. "No, ma'am, neither of us. Our big brother Adam is in charge out here."
"Adam? I didn't know you had another brother."
"We sure do, ma'am. He ain't too soft a boss, neither. You best keep outa his way today. He sure is gonna be mad when he sees you."
Cat frowned. She'd become comfortable with the three Cartwrights she'd met and had started to relax. Hoss's words filled her with trepidation. This Adam sounded like a lot of her former employers - biased and hard-bitten men unwilling to give her a decent chance. Frustration and tension rose inside her at the sudden knowledge that she might be thrown into a lion's den again.
"You'd betta hide to start with, Miss Cat." Little Joe offered his advice with glee. "We all came to see the show."
"Show?" Cat looked at the boy with a rising anger. "What show? I'm here to work the same as the others."
"Sure ma'am " Little Joe backed off with a fading smile.
" Don't call me ma'am. Cat will do just fine!"
"You tell her, Hoss."
"It's like this, ma'am, er, I mean Miss Cat." Hoss looked suddenly pale, as if he was about to relay bad news. "Our brother Adam, he don't take too kindly to women folk doing ranchin'."
"Oh, doesn't he? I've been employed by your father, isn't that right?" Both of them nodded in unison. "This Adam of yours may not know what has hit him when I get started. Did you ever think of that?" Her green eyes seemed to change color. They became darker, more menacing. Her body rose tall and proud in the saddle. Hoss looked at Little Joe. Joe swallowed nervously and looked back at Cat.
"All we're saying is, it might be a good idea to blend in. Don't be too noticeable to start with."
Cat was at the end of her tether. Five long years of putting up with these prejudices. She was ready to snap.
"That brother of yours better stay out of my way. I can cut and rope with the best of them, and I intend to prove it. Where is he?" She stared down the two of them until Joe pointed in the general direction.
"He's over there on the tall chestnut. Black Hat. Can't miss him"
Cat looked to where Joe pointed. "Fine. You might think I can't cut it, all you men might," she said to include those around them that were eavesdropping. "But you don't know anything about me. You don't know how hard I've worked or can work to prove myself. You might just be in for a shock." The commanding voice she projected set the boys back on their heels. "I can be pretty stubborn myself too, YA!"
With that decisive last word, she kicked Rebel into life and raced toward Adam. Hoss, Joe and the others were left to follow behind in amazement. This girl had some gall and some courage. She had Adam's stubbornness and temper. Almost in unison, they looked at each other and spoke out loud. "She's like a female Adam! This gonna be good!" They kicked their horses too, yelled a battle cry and sped towards the fray.