Chapter 3 – Surprise, Surprise

"You were awful quiet yesterday, darlin'." The words were whispered while they lay in bed.

"I was just takin' in what it meant to be part of a big family," Maude whispered back as she rolled over and rested her head on his chest.

"You are part of it," Beauregard insisted.

"I know. I come by that claim honestly." She was thinking, of course, of Doralice and the five grandchildren. Marriage had never been a question or an issue between them. Beauregard had made it clear long ago that he would never marry again; his feelings for the long-deceased Isabelle were still too strong.

"You know I love you." It was a sentiment she didn't often hear from Beau, but he always made her feel it.

"I know. I love you too."

"So there's somethin' I've been thinkin' about for a while."

Maude held her breath. What did that mean? Had he grown tired of her, did he want her to leave? He wouldn't ask her to leave with all the relatives here, would he? And if he did, where would she go?

"Maude . . ." Beau sort of sat up and leaned on his elbow. "I know I'm an old goat. I'm tough and persnickety and hard to get along with. And I have no idea how much time I have left on this earth. But there's somethin' I'd like you to do for me before I die."

He had her full attention now. "What's that, you old persnickety goat?"

"Marry me."

"What?"

"Marry me."

"But I thought . . . you said . . . ," she was stumbling; she'd never been so surprised in her whole life.

"It doesn't matter what I said. We're too old to live like this. Marry me."

"When?"

"While everybody's here. I'd like Bentley to be my best man."

"You're sure?"

Beauregard snorted. "You've been hangin' around my sons too long, woman. Of course I'm sure. Would I ask you if I wasn't?"

Neither of them said a word until Beau finally lost his patience. "Are you gonna answer me?"

"Yes."

"Well, what's your answer?"

Maude giggled. "That's it, Beau. My answer is yes."

He wrapped his arms around her and kissed her. "I was serious. I wanna get married while everyone's here. Nothin' big; we can do it right here at the ranch."

"I'm gonna need . . . "

"You got enough women here right now to help you with anything. Put 'em all to work, they'll love it. Doralice should be overjoyed."

They lay in bed for half an hour, content to be holding each other, until a knock on the door interrupted their euphoria. "Grandpa, Grandma, it's Beauregard. Lily says breakfast in twenty minutes. Are you awake?"

Awake they might be, but Grandpa had no intention of leaving bed just yet. "Tell her we'll be there, Beauregard," he called back.

"Yes, sir," his grandson answered, and receding footsteps on the porch could be heard.

"We better get up," Maude insisted gently.

"In a minute," her new fiancé vowed as he began to kiss her in earnest. A few moments later they were once again wrapped in each other's arms, both well aware of the fact that they were going to be late for breakfast. Neither one cared.

XXXXXXXX

"I told them, Momma," Beauregard informed his mother as he came running breathlessly back into the kitchen of his own house.

"Did they hear you?" Doralice questioned her oldest son.

"Yes, ma'am. Grandpa even answered me. Said that he and grandma would be here."

"Belle, go back over to your grandfather's house and tell him no excuses, we expect him and grandma here. Or I'll be forced to come get them."

Belle looked slightly startled, but it wasn't the first time her mother had sent her over as a 'follow-up' to her brother. Not that she doubted Beauregard in the least. It was his grandfather that she didn't trust. If she didn't force the issue, it could be an hour or more before Beauregard and Maude finally showed up.

Belle went out the front door just as Beau and Dani came downstairs. "Good morning, lovely sister-in-law. How are you this morning?"

"I'm good, Beau. Dani, would you like coffee or tea?"

"Good morning, Doralice. Tea would be lovely, thank you. Is there anything I can help with?" The words were no sooner out of Dani's mouth than Lily Mae appeared with tea and coffee.

"Morning, Lily," Beau took the coffee from Lily and kissed her cheek. "Where's Bart?"

"Oh, goodness, he and Bret were up a long time ago tending to the horses. They should be back anytime now. You two sit down and enjoy yourselves. This may be the only time it's quiet all day."

Ginny came out of the kitchen with a plate of sweet rolls and a cup of coffee that she set in front of her sister-in-law. "Sit down and have some coffee, Doralice, I'll help Lily."

The three adults talked quietly about the ranch for a few minutes before Benny and Abby came tumbling downstairs. Benny grabbed a sweet roll and hastened to the front door, where he found Maudie sitting on the front porch. "Bout time you got up," she teased him. "I thought you were gonna sleep all day."

"Why, what time is it?" he asked his newest friend.

"Almost seven o'clock."

"That's not late, Maudie."

The girl let out a little laugh. "It is on a ranch, Benny. Sorry we didn't get to go ridin' yesterday. We can try after breakfast if you wanna."

He nodded his head vigorously. "I'd like to. We may have to bring Abby with us if she can tear herself away from your . . . " He stopped abruptly.

"Tear herself away from what?" Maudie couldn't imagine what would be so fascinating for her cousin.

"Didn't you see her practically collapse when she met your father? She's got a crush on him."

"On poppy? Why on earth?"

"She thinks he's the most beautiful man she's ever seen."

Maudie giggled. "My poppy? But Uncle Bret's just as pretty. And so is your pa, for that matter. Does she love them, too?"

Benny shrugged his shoulders. "I don't know. I just know she practically swooned over your father when she met him, and she's been talking about him ever since."

"That's so . . . weird. Maybe she won't want to come with us. Maybe she can stay and do somethin' with Belle."

"Let's hope."

Maudie looked up just in time to see her father and her uncle striding across the yard between the breeding barn and the house. She took a good look at her two favorite men in the world and realized for the first time how extraordinarily good looking they both were. Maybe Abby's crush wasn't so weird after all. In a moment she was on her feet and met her father at the top of the stairs, where she wrapped her arms around him and hugged him tightly. "What's all this?" he asked.

"Just wanted to say I love you, poppy." She quickly transferred the hug to her uncle. "You too, Uncle Bret."

"Well, good mornin', sunshine. Yes, you can both go out ridin' after breakfast. Abby and Belle, too, if they wanna go. How are you this mornin', Benny?" Bret took the hand the boy offered and shook it vigorously, waiting to see what Benny had to say.

"Uncle Bret, Uncle Bart. I don't think Abby will want to, but we haven't spoken to Belle yet."

As if she'd heard her name, Belle came running out on the porch to join the group. "Buttercup, you want to go ridin' with your sister and cousin after breakfast?"

Belle planted a firm kiss on first her father's cheek, then her uncle's. "No, poppy, I'm gonna stay here with Abby and show her all the new foals. If that's alright with you."

"Of course it is, baby. Are you gonna take Beauregard with you?"

Belle started to make a face and then stopped herself. "If he behaves and doesn't try to tell us where to go next."

"Belle, honey, he's only eight years old. He thinks everybody should listen to him." Just then the dinner bell rang and the children scurried inside. "You have that problem?" he asked his brother.

"Not yet," Bret explained. "The boys just kind of follow Gracie around like little chickens. I have the feeling their big sister'll always be the leader."

The brothers turned to head inside but were stopped by a voice they'd heard all their lives. "Breton, Bartley, wait for us." Pappy and Maude were making their way slowly across the yard. "Lily Mae'll skin us alive if we're late."

Bart laughed and shook his head. "No, Pa, she won't. She'll wait until our visitors are gone, and then she'll skin you alive."

"Maybe not," Maude laughed. She had a twinkle in her eye that Bart hadn't seen there for a long time.

"What are you two up to?"

"Nothin'," Pappy protested. "Nothin' at all."

"Let's get inside before the food's all gone," Bret suggested. "I remember how Beau used to eat."

"Don't look like he eats that way anymore," Pappy affirmed, having noticed how slim and trim his nephew was looking.

The brothers stepped aside and let Pappy and Maude enter first. This was going to be an unusual morning.