Chapter 10 (Nov 1861)

It was just before three in the afternoon, Teaspoon walked across the street to Polly's old saloon, now named after Amanda. It had been running for just over two weeks and already he could see the changes for the better. The bar was so clean it shined. The tables were in nice rows, the windows had been recently washed. There were even a few paintings on the walls. She had hired a staff of saloon girls who were good at entertaining men, but not that good. Amanda had made it clear from the first day that there was Miss Belle's, a whore house on the other end of the street for that kind of entertainment. Her girls were to be treated like ladies. She also had two barkeeps, Ed and Zeke. They were both older gents with lots of experience.

Teaspoon settled in to wait for Amanda at the bar. He had to squeeze in. The whole town had rejoiced when the saloon reopened. There had been steady business with happy customers from day one. After the first week she had been turning the saloon over to either Ed or Zeke's care around three in the afternoon. At three she'd go up to her new quarters above the bar to turn from Amanda the saloon owner to Amanda the rancher. She'd trade her red and black dress with lace for pants, boots, old shirt and jacket. Her hair went from curly and loose to pulled back in a braid. The woman that went up the stairs was almost unrecognizable to the girl that came down. She approached Teaspoon now, brow furrowed, her eyes darting to the street. Teaspoon answered the unspoken question.

"Janusz said he would meet us over at the school when we swung by for Rachel and Theresa." Teaspoon couldn't help but grin at the look of embarrassment that flashed across her face.

"Is it that obvious? Damn it Teaspoon, he barely speaks to me, when he does, he treats me like a child. Why am I letting him get under my skin like this?"

Teaspoon was amused to no end. Here was his Amanda, one of the most confident and self assured women he had ever met flustered like a school girl with her first crush. For the past two weeks He had been picking up Amanda and they would go out to the ranch with Janusz, Rachel and Theresa to help out for the rest of the evening with Lou, Buck and Jeremiah. Only right now the latter three were out on the trail bringing back the cattle from Kansas. They had gone round and round debating whether or not they were ready and if they knew enough about Longhorns to get home safely. Fortunately the problem resolved itself when Henry Lewis, one of Teaspoon's deputees volunteered to go with them. He was a quiet, middle aged man, but had spent some time in Texas in his younger days on a ranch. He would teach them as they went along. The foursome had been gone nearly a week but were scheduled to return any time now. Teaspoon caught Amanda fiddling with the cuff of her coat nervously, he reached over and patted her shoulder.

"I am certain the man ain't seein you as a child Amanda."

"Well, there's a dozen years between our ages and dressin like this probably isn't helping" She gestured to her outfit.

"If you're so fired up to get his attention, I'm tellin ya, you couldn't be doing more than what you are right now. You're working damn hard to get this ranch goin. His head may not be turned by just another pretty face, but if that pretty face comes with your grit and determination, well he'd be a fool not to notice, and Janusz is many things, but he ain't a fool."

"I'm not going to hold my breath" She grumbled, "Well, lets get going. I'm just going to put all this out of my head."

She said as she stomped out of the saloon. Young people, Teaspoon thought and let out a little snort as he followed her out.

"Here, I carry this one, you follow after with this" Janusz handed Amanda the lantern, and with a grunt threw a hay bale over his shoulder. Amanda grabbed a pitchfork too and followed him up the rickety ladder to the loft in the barn. A few hours of work had gone by and the cool autumn sun was almost down making it especially dark in the barn. They were preparing emergency feed for the animals for the long winter months. There were stacks of hay bales and loose hay too, her reason for the pitchfork. She shoved the hay off to one side with one hand and held the lantern for Janusz with the other. He hefted the hay bale onto a stack of several bales then went down the ladder for more. He repeated this process several more times, Amanda finished her work with the pitchfork and stood there watching him go up and down the ladder. She felt awkward. She didn't need to be there to hold the lantern, she could just set it down and find other work to do, but she was slightly mesmerized watching the quiet man's strength. Finally she snapped out of it.

"Janusz, I don't believe you need me here, I'll go into the house, ask Teaspoon what else there is to do." She said as he finished his last step on the ladder. He threw the bale on top of a very high stack like it was nothing and turned to her. He paused to catch his breath and wipe his brow before he looked at her.

"Yes, ok."

She went to move around him when he lightly placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Thank you. For the light."

"Erm, of course"

She was about to turn to ladder when he added.

"Wait. I wanted to ask you... Ah. I do not know how to ask."

"Yes?" Damn her hide, her heart skipped a beat.

"You have new room in saloon, yes?"

"I do, I just moved in upstairs a few days ago"

"I was hoping I could see room."

"You want to see my room?" The pitch of her voice rose as she looked at him with wide eyes.

"Yes. I was hoping, I could put locks on door."

"Wait, what? locks on my door? Whatever for?" She was confused now.

Janusz looked at her nervously, but went ahead.

"When you sleep, there are men downstairs, these men might drink too much, come upstairs and come to your room. I could make iron locks. They will not even be able to shoot with gun to open. The lock, it will be too strong."

Amanda looked at him, mouth slightly agape before she found words to answer him.

"Janusz, do I look like I can't take care of myself? My door does have a lock and I sleep with a gun right by my side, you may not have seen me use one, but believe me, I am a good shot."

Amanda couldn't keep the hurt out of her voice. Locks on her door. Like a protective papa. She already had Teaspoon, she didn't need another "father". She turned to leave but he touched her arm again.

"Ah, no please. I know. You are strong woman. You work hard and are very smart. You can take care. Maybe you shoot better than me. I just think, I can not do much to be help to you, but I can put lock so you do not worry and sleep with gun."

He was looking at her with what only could be described as desperation. Amanda looked into his eyes and felt her guard going down, just a little bit

.
"Oh." Was all she managed to say.

"I worry I not say this right" He ran his fingers through his short sandy brown hair and closed his hazel eyes shut for a second.

"Amanda you are beautiful woman. I worry you be safe, maybe I not have right to worry about you this way. I did not mean to hurt you, say you can not care for yourself."

He looked down at the floor of the loft. Amanda felt her heart begin to race.

"Do you... care for me?"

There was a long pause.

"Tak... Yes"

"Like a brother or father?"

Janusz let out a short laugh at that one.

"No. Not like brother. Not like father."

Amanda gave him a slow smile.

"You could come over tomorrow... for the locks."

He let out his breath and gave her a look of pure relief.

"Good"

She reached for his hand and held it. His large hand dwarfed hers and his warmth sent tingles up her arm. She mentally gave herself a shake to stop grinning like a fool. She cleared her throat.

"I suppose Rachel will have some food for us to eat before we head back to town."

He smiled, let her hand go and motioned for her to go first down the ladder.

They came into the recently reconstructed and completed bunk house a few minutes later. Teaspoon took one look at them and knew Janusz had finally worked up the nerve to have a real conversation with her. And Amanda had been worried. Teaspoon felt pleased as punch. He hadn't even done any scheming to bring about this new bit of potential happiness, but maybe he could find a way to take the credit anyways.

The next day was Saturday. It had rained during the night, but the morning was bright and clear. They couldn't have asked for a better fall day on the prairie and would probably not have many more like this. Teaspoon and Rachel had stayed at the ranch house the previous night to keep Theresa company and to be around when the four got back with the cattle. They should've been back yesterday, but Teaspoon wasn't overly concerned yet. They were greenhorns and cattle could be stubborn critters when they wanted to be. He expected Cody to be around sometime in the morning as he had promised to help put the finishing touches on the second bedroom in the main house on his day off. Amanda and Janusz had said they might come over later. Amanda had blushed and mumbled something about taking care of locks. He had no idea what that was all about, but felt no need to pry. The girl had stars in her eyes and it was nice to see. Janusz wasn't looking all that unhappy about spending time with her either.

Teaspoon got a nice hug from a sleepy Theresa as she padded by him in her pink pajamas, she sat down across from Rachel at the table for biscuits, bacon and eggs.

"When is Cody sposed to be here?" Rachel asked as she handed Teaspoon his coffee. He let the mug warm his hands for a moment then placed a quick kiss on Rachel's offered cheek as he sat down next to her.

"Surprised he ain't already here. Boy's got a nose like a bloodhound when it comes to vittles."

As if on cue, Cody bound through the front door.

"Mornin folks! I hope I'm not too late! Mmm bacon! Ah, there is no finer smell."

He shrugged off his outer coat and fluffed Theresa's hair before sitting next to her. She wrinkled her nose.

"You're always doin that Cody, messin up my hair"

"That's cause your hair always needs messin." Cody smiled at the little girl.

"Does not!" She frowned.

"Does so" Cody's grin grew wider.

Teaspoon held up his hand before Cody teased the girl any further.

"Ah leave her be Cody, she just woke up, everyone's entitled to their own grumpiness first thing in the mornin."

"Sorry Theresa" He winked at her. Theresa tried to keep her frown, but couldn't and grinned at Cody in forgiveness. Yep, Teaspoon thought, that's Cody in a nutshell, you want to be irritated with him but he won't let you.

"How's soldiering been this week?" Rachel asked from across the table as she watched Cody fill his plate. Cody took a bite, chewed slowly and then set down his fork, wiping his hands on his napkin.

"I've had better." He said with a half smile, but the usual light in his blue eyes was missing.

"There trouble in them hills I should know about?" Teaspoon leaned forward and appraised the boy.

"Naw, the trouble ain't in the hills, it's in the camp. I'm hopin it will blow over. You know how I mentioned some men I ride with are more savage than any Indian? Well they have names. The ringleaders are Steele and Ford. I'm sposed to be trackin for bushwackers, but every day they get a little louder bout how they didn't sign up to chase down some wussy Rebs. They're on me to find some "savage" for them to kill. It's gettin on my nerves."

Cody said with a sigh. He hated admitting that Teaspoon had been right in some aspects about joining. Teaspoon just leaned back and rested his hands on his suspenders.

"Well, I know your Captain to be a reasonable man, why ain't he done nothing with these two?"

Cody let out a snort.

"That's just it, these two are damn near untouchable, that's why they're getting even more brazen. Seems they're family friends of some General in Washington. That's why the Captain ain't doing nothin. Unless they do something like rob a bank or kill someone? His hands are tied."

Teaspoon's frowned deepened, he knew the type and had about as little respect as you could possibly have for those who used connections to get ahead or stay above the law.

"Well Cody, I appreciate the warning. I'll keep my eye out for them in town."

Cody glanced at Teaspoon and nodded, his attention abruptly returning to Theresa, currently playing with her food.

"Well we don't need to talk bout them bad apples anymore, ain't that right Theresa. Not very interestin talk for a young lady such as yourself."

Theresa nodded her head and smiled. Cody shook off his mood as you would a chill and picked up his fork, returning to his breakfast with renewed appetite.

Teaspoon followed Cody's lead and let the matter drop, for now.

"So are you ready to get to work, ? Them boards ain't going to nail themselves."

"Soon as I finish this breakfast here so's I have the strength" Cody grinned, looking around for extra biscuits.

"They're over here" Rachel passed him the bowl. She and Teaspoon exchanged a look and poured themselves some more coffee. It would be a bit.

A/N: This is actually the first half of a "Rock Creek" section of the story. The chapter got so long, I had to split it in two. Tomorrow, the other half will be about the miserable cattle drive. Yeah, they have a good time. On a side note, can I have Cody over for Thankgiving? He's be an awesome dinner guest. I would make him chocolate cake.