****Hello friends! Ever since I ended my Butterflies series, I've wanted to write Leah and Rachel Carlin's stories. The two of them intrigued me. Leah, being a tomboy and Rachel's adoption. So, here is what I've come up with. P.S. Don't worry, even though they aren't the main focus, Jack and Elizabeth make appearances in this story. Leah and Rachel are their grandchildren after all. ****
1950, Hope Valley
Leah Carlin sighed as she put Daisy's saddle back in its spot, satisfied with the day's work.
She walked out to the fence and propped her foot up on the bottom rung, looking out into the pasture. It was early summer and the weather was perfect. She, her father Nate, and her Uncle Will Thornton had returned from their annual cattle drive about two weeks before having made a good profit.
She heard the breezes in the trees, but more than that, she heard the pigs in their pen, grunting. She heard a nicker or two from Daisy and the other horses. Chickens were clucking and Dawn the milk cow mooed.
"Hey, sis," her sixteen year old brother Lucas said as he walked past with two milk buckets to ease Dawn's discomfort.
"Hey, Luke."
"Ma said dinner will be ready in about twenty minutes."
"Thanks." She took a few more deep, contented breaths, loving her family's land with all of her heart. Thankful for everything God had provided.
Then she headed to the faucet on the side of the house to wash up before heading in to change clothes for dinner.
About twenty minutes later…
"Got the back fence repaired, Dad," Leah told Nate. "I'm still not sure how we didn't lose any cattle."
"Thanks. Tomorrow Will and I are headed to Buxton to see about a tractor. So you're in charge. Luke you've got pig and milking duty and Genna, you'll feed the chickens."
"Yes, Dad," all three of them said.
Maddie stood up, her six, almost seven, month pregnant belly very evident beneath her apron. "Anyone need more stew? Or biscuits?"
"I do," Leah and Luke said.
Rachel walked in as they were finishing. She worked as a cook at Clara's café in town five days a week. "Ma, we got a letter from Danny," she said, holding it out.
"Go ahead and read it Rach. I'm curious."
"Dear family,
I'm settled here in Deer Falls, grateful for my first official veterinarian job so soon after graduation. I can't wait to deliver my first calf or diagnose something. Not that I hope for a sick or injured animal…just restless I guess.
Anyway, I will write again and I'll see you at Christmas.
Love you,
Danny
….
The next day
Will and Nate left at sun up for Buxton as planned. Leah tied her hair back in a bun and put her cowboy hat on top and then changed into her blue jeans and long sleeve shirt. She didn't care that she resembled a man. The animals didn't mind.
When she rode back in at lunch time, she saw a man walking toward the ranch. He looked relatively young but he had a noticeable limp and a cane in one hand and a bag in his other hand.
As he got closer, she noticed his brown hair and beard that both needed a trim.
She turned and got down off her horse, tying her to the fence post.
"Excuse me, sir?" the man said.
She removed her hat. "Actually, I'm Leah Carlin."
"Oh! I beg your pardon, Mrs. Carlin."
"Um, Miss Carlin, actually. What can I help you with?"
He would have answered but he was now close enough to see how beautiful Miss Leah Carlin was and he suddenly didn't know how to form words.
"Sir?"
"Uh, sorry. I would like to speak with someone in charge."
"Today that's me."
"You own the ranch?"
"I will one day. I'm foreman and my father and uncle are out of town."
"When will they return?"
"About a week."
"I'll come back then." He readjusted his weight, causing him to wince. "Pleasure meeting you, Miss Carlin."
"Are you hungry? Its lunchtime." He looked as if he had been traveling awhile, or maybe he always looked that way.
"No thank you." He turned to go but she stopped him again.
"I didn't catch your name."
"Chris Kennedy, miss." He tipped his nonexistent hat and walked away.
….
As Chris walked away, he felt the familiar disappointment that came every time he didn't get a job. True, the beautiful Miss Carlin didn't know he needed one, so he wasn't technically turned down, but he still had to wait a week before he could even inquire.
Now, with fifty cents to his name, he headed back to the meadow where his campsite was, thankful he had shelter, even if a tent, and a fishing pole which meant he had the possibility of food. He could last a week.
When he got to his campsite, he grabbed his pole and can of worms and headed to the pond nearby.
He stopped a few times to rest his leg and then continued.
Five years after the end of the war and his injuries still plagued him. At least he could walk. He had both legs and feet and he had his life. That was something.
He also had periodic nightmares, cold sweats, and sometimes sleeping in a tent on the hard ground was very difficult, but he managed.
The plan was to wait a week to head back to the Carlin's ranch but he went the next day instead. If Leah was the foreman, she could make decisions. That meant she could probably hire him.
He didn't see anyone around the barn when he arrived so he knocked on the door of the house.
A pretty little girl opened the door, staring up at him with big blue eyes. "Hi."
"Hello. Is Leah around?"
"She's out in the pasture with the cows. Who are you?" she asked, tilting her head at him.
"I'm Chris. Shouldn't you be in school?"
"Nope. Its summer."
"Genna, who's at the door?" An older version of Leah, he assumed their mother, walked up to the door.
"Its Chris, Ma."
"How can I help you?"
"I'm looking for work. I spoke with Miss Carlin yesterday and mentioned I'd be back in a week but I decided to take a chance."
"Well, come in, Chris. Leah should be in shortly for lunch and you can speak with her then."
"Thank you, ma'am. I appreciate it." He sat at the table, his leg cramping almost immediately. He started rubbing it but then just decided to stand instead.
"May I ask where you're from, Chris?"
"Originally, Toronto. Then when I was old enough I enlisted."
"Is that how you were injured?" she asked, handing him a glass of cold lemonade from the refrigerator.
"Thank you," he told her. "Yes, ma'am."
Genna had come back in the room. "You have a cane like Papa's. Except he has names on his."
"Names?"
"Yup. Mama, can I have a cookie, please?"
"One. Then we need to make sandwiches for lunch." She sat at the table and rubbed her belly. "My father has a cane with mine and my siblings names carved in it. All twelve of us."
"You have eleven siblings?"
"Yes I do. My brother Will runs this ranch with my husband and Leah. You'll meet him when they return."
"Is Leah really the foreman?"
"Yes, I am," Leah said, walking in the kitchen. "I earned my position here. I'm worked with my father and uncle since I was able to feed chickens and milk a cow. I ride well, I fix fences, I can shoot a pistol as well as my Great-Grandma Charlotte could, and I've birthed horses and cattle. Anything else you want to know?" She stared at him, her hands on her hips, waiting.
He fought the urge to smile at how adorable she looked standing like that and instead sipped his lemonade. "No ma'am. I didn't mean to offend you." Actually, he wanted to know everything.
"I'm a woman doing a man's job, I know that. But there are no rules written that say I'm not allowed, are there?"
"No, ma'am."
"Alright then, now that that is settled, to what do we owe the pleasure of your visit, Mr. Kennedy?"
He wasn't sure if he should mention a job now that he had offended his potential boss. "Well, you see…"
"Can you ride, Mr. Kennedy?"
"A horse?"
"Well, yes, unless you make it a habit of riding a cow."
Maddie nudged her daughter and gave her a look.
"I apologize. Yes, a horse."
"I used to. My leg does not allow me that pleasure, ma'am."
"Can you drive a tractor?"
"I can learn. I can clean stalls, groom horses."
"Where do you live, Mr. Kennedy?"
"Currently in the meadow."
"We have a room in our barn where you can bunk. It has a bed anyway and three hot meals a day."
"Are you offering me a job, ma'am?"
"Only if you stop calling me ma'am," she said, a smile gracing her lovely face.
"Yes, Miss Carlin."
…..
That evening…
"We don't have a bed in the barn, Leah," Maddie reminded her.
"I know, Ma, but we can go get one, right?"
"Yes. Luke?"
"I'll go in the morning," he agreed.
"Thank you."
"How much will you be paying him?" Maddie wondered.
"I don't know. I wish Dad was here." This was when she second guessed herself. Decisions when it came to animals were simple. Humans, not so much.
"You're the foreman, sweetheart. He would leave it up to you anyway. Think about how much you make and the duties you perform and then what he will be doing. You'll figure it out."
She did figure it out and she made the decision and the next afternoon, Chris agreed to the terms.
The room in the barn was definitely a step up from a tent in the meadow. "Thank you, ma'am."
"Mr. Kennedy, may I ask how old you are?"
"Why does that matter? You're my boss, Miss Carlin. I was trying to show respect."
"My guess is I'm considerably younger than you which makes you calling me ma'am feel strange and unnecessary."
"I'll try to break the habit, Miss Carlin. Thank you for this job and the accommodations."
"You're most welcome. When you're settled, find me in the pasture and we can check fences." She turned to leave and then thought better of it. "On second thought, I'll be just outside."
"Very well."
When he met her outside, she showed him the grounds. After she had thoroughly introduced him to all the animals, they hooked up the wagon and she drove him to the back pasture to check fences.
He watched her closely, admiring the hard work she did. She worked as hard as most men he knew and she was strong.
As they took a break, they drank some water and sat on the wagon bed. "How old are you, Miss Carlin?"
"I'm not sure that's relevant."
"Just curious."
"You first, Mr. Kennedy."
"Twenty eight."
"How did you get injured?"
"In the war. If you don't mind, I don't speak of it often."
She saw him stiffen, as if uncomfortable with her looking at him. "I'm sorry."
"No apology necessary. So, how old are you?"
"Twenty one."
"Why do you run the ranch instead of…" he hesitated, not wanting to offend her again.
"Instead of what?"
"Well, most young ladies want to get married and have families so they spend their time preparing for that."
"I don't plan on marrying, Mr. Kennedy, or having a family. Never have. I'd rather be out here, with the animals." She stood up and walked back to the fence.
He followed her slowly, his leg bothering him a bit. "May I ask why?"
"You may have noticed…I'm stubborn and opinionated and….I just like animals better. I don't see any man liking that type of woman." She pounded in a nail and turned to him. "What about you? No marriage prospects? Most men your age are already married."
"Nah. It's not for me. Plus, I don't see many women wanting a cripple for a husband."
"Seems to me we have something in common. Should make it easy to work together, I suppose."
"I suppose you're right, Miss Carlin."