Broken Chapter 21
The buggy was still a couple of hundred yards or so away from the hacienda when the younger of its two lady occupants threw her gloved hand high above her head and waved exuberantly in the Lancers' direction. The three men all smiled and waved back, eager to greet those they all knew would prove heart lifting company.
As May Jenkins finally brought the carriage to a halt, Johnny stepped forward to steady the gray mare who had so diligently pulled it, patting the creatures silky neck, as he stared up at the beautiful young woman now alighting with the aid of his father.
Cara hugged the tall rancher affectionately then flashed Johnny a joyous smile before turning her attention to his brother. The dark haired Lancer didn't miss the way her eyes lit up on seeing his sibling.
As Murdoch greeted May, assisting her from the carriage, Johnny's gaze moved swiftly to his brother eager to see just what sort of impact Cara Jenkins would have on him. Scott was smiling up at her, taking her hand as she offered it to him, while leaning in to receive the gentle kiss she subsequently planted on his cheek.
Fascinated by what he knew to be a mutual attraction he listened unabashed to their conversation; something he seemed to being doing on a regular basis lately where his big brother was concerned. Smiling to himself, he knew he was going to seriously have to break this 'new habit', before Scott discovered it. He wouldn't like it one bit; no not one bit.
"Mother said you were leaving with your Grandfather. I just had to come and say goodbye; but we passed your grandfather on the road and he said...well it doesn't matter what he said. I heard about your accident. How are you Scott?"
"I'm very well thank you," Scott answered, using his well ingrained social skills, to project an outward appearance of poise and self-assurance, when he was anything but. "And you?"
"I can see that you are." Cara beamed, she'd been certain the Scott she knew would triumph over adversity, and the calm confident air about him confirmed just that. "And I'm just fine, more than fine. In fact..." Cara paused glancing quickly at Murdoch and then Johnny before letting her gaze once again settle on Scott. "I'm what can only be described as over the moon!"
"Oh?" Scott smiled at the excitement on the young woman's face, wondering what could possibly have put it there.
"I have some wonderful news to share with you...with you all." Cara gushed, her grey eyes sparkling with delight.
"Well how about you tell us inside, over some refreshments?" Murdoch enthused, taking a smiling May by the arm and leading the way indoors.
"What a lovely idea, Murdoch. And Cara, my dear, you need to come back down from the moon for a while, and stop fluttering all over the place." May Jenkins said, as she placed her hand on her daughter's elbow, to gently move her towards the hacienda. Cara flashed the brothers yet another radiant smile before following her mother and host towards the door.
The brothers lingered briefly, staring appreciatively after the willowy figure. As the doctors youngest daughter disappeared from view Scott sighed, unaware of the huge grin plastered across his face.
"Pretty ain't she." Johnny confirmed what his brother was so obviously thinking.
"What?" Scott looked up at his brother; he'd been so distracted he'd not really heard the younger man's words.
"Cara. She sure is pretty."
Scott sobered quickly, not liking the knowing look his brother was giving him. "Yes. I suppose she is." He replied flatly, as he manoeuvred his wheeled chair forward towards the front door.
'Pretty had to be the understatement of the year' Scott thought, Cara Louise Jenkins was beautiful, stunningly beautiful, he had always thought so. And she was everything he found attractive in a woman – intelligent, witty, and vivacious. The young school teacher had blown into his life like some whirlwind when they first met. But as he spent more time with her, he'd also found she had a quieter side too and that she had a most caring and gentle nature.
Unfortunately, just as he had decided to make his move, to hopefully take their blossoming friendship to a courtship, Cara had informed him of the excellent job offer she had received, all of two hundred miles away!
He had encouraged her to take it, believing it to be a wonderful opportunity for her to pursue her teaching career; and all too quickly, she had moved on, leaving him to hear second and third hand, from her parents and his father, as to how she was faring in her new position and new home. It now appeared that something momentous had happened while she was away. Perhaps she had met someone?
If that was the case then he would be happy for her; no matter the sadness he felt inside that it could no longer be him, who would capture the beautiful Cara's heart.
JMLJMLJML
As Scott made his way into the great room and sat in his chair watching the animated Miss Jenkins talking about her past year as a teacher, he quickly realized that despite what he'd silently promised outside, he found himself dreading what he was about to hear. Like his brother he was hanging on every word Cara uttered, but whereas Johnny's smile reflected pure enjoyment as he listened to her relating some of her school children's antics, his own smile was a forced one.
And when Murdoch returned from the kitchen, bearing a tray laden with iced lemonade and freshly baked fruit loaf, and the conversation turned to the 'news' Miss Jenkins was so eager to share, Scott found that he was holding his breath, praying he would get through the next few moments with dignity and graciousness. So sure was he that her good news would take away the small ray of hope he seemed to still harbour, for a chance at 'happy ever after'.
"Well?" Murdoch asked eyeing his oldest friend's daughter inquisitively. He then turned to May Jenkins, passing her a glass of lemonade.
"Yes please Cara, you have kept all these fine gentlemen in suspense long enough, and as this was a quickly planned visit, we do need to get back to town to prepare dinner for your father." May smiled at Murdoch, both sharing looks only long-time friends who knew each other so well could do. "You know how grumpy he can get, when on the rare occasion he shows for dinner and it is nowhere to be found!"
"Well now May, here I thought that Doc just saved that grumpiness for when he was treating me. Didn't think he'd have any left for any body else." Johnny said as he sat down on the end of the couch, passing on the dreaded fruit loaf, but taking the proffered lemonade, as he gave May Jenkins his full smile; the one that had been known to take a female's breath away.
"No Johnny dear, my husband has perfected his grumpiness over the years, and he has plenty to go around. But you just do as I do, ignore him." She gave Johnny a fellow conspirator's smile as she turned to her daughter. "Now Cara, please do tell everyone what you are so over the moon about!"
"Well...I'm sure you are all aware that they've not yet found someone to take Maisy's place." Cara's smile faded as she remembered her dearest friend, the pain of her loss still quite intense. Taking a deep calming breath, she continued: "So Green River needs a teacher and well... I've been so very homesick...so I've accepted the position."
A deafening whoop of delight escaped his brother's lips accompanied by a more sedate cheer by his father. Scott himself could only smile and nod his approval as the realization of what she said finally hit him; his smile then widening with the realization that despite the commotion now going on around them, Cara's attention was centred solely on him.
JMLJMLJML
All too soon the visit was over, all too soon he had to say goodbye. Still with May engaging both Johnny and Murdoch in conversation, Scott had the opportunity to have a more private exchange with Cara. However, he found that for the first time for which he could ever remember he was ill-at-ease around a member of the fairer sex; his thoughts running every which way at just what to say. He finally reached deep inside to call upon all the endless hours he had been drilled in the social graces one needed to be a gracious host and a gentleman, making sure your guest, particularly beautiful young ladies, felt welcomed and comfortable in your presence.
"Hopefully we'll see a little more of you now that you have decided to return home."
"We?" Cara questioned coyly.
"Actually..." He stumbled over his words, not having been prepared for her reply; he reached deep inside once again. "By that I meant me. I should have said 'I' hope to see a little more of you." Scott found the smile that met his admission just reward for the courage he had had to muster to make it.
"Tomorrow then."
"Tomorrow?" Scott's eyes lit up, once again surprised by Cara's response.
"My father is planning on stopping by, I thought I might..."
"I hope you do." Scott interrupted.
Cara blushed unable to quite believe the turn in events. Earlier that morning she had believed her feelings for Scott Lancer had no hope of ever being reciprocated; now she knew differently and her heart soared.
JMLJMLJML
It was the middle of the afternoon and Scott had reluctantly returned to his room to rest on his bed, after being reminded, and finally directed to do so by Murdoch. Although it wasn't so much to rest now, more to prevent pressure sores and contractures of his lower limbs from developing. It was believed by the medical doctors who were the leading experts in the field of paralysis that by having him lying in a prone position for several hours each afternoon it would prevent such dreaded complications. The young man was beginning to resent the time he spent there but realising this, his father made sure he occupied that time with a good book, or like today by reading through some legal papers concerning the ranches' business affairs.
Johnny had accompanied his brother, making sure he had everything he needed, while discretely making sure the transfer from wheeled chair to bed was done safely, before returning to the great room. When he walked back into the room, he had a grin on his face, "He's whistling!" Johnny informed his father triumphantly.
"I can hear him." Murdoch replied looking up from the ledger he was working on.
"Well you know what that means don't you?" The youngest Lancer heaved himself up to sit on his father's desk.
"I do?" The Lancer patriarch puzzled over his younger son's comment before stating what he thought was the correct answer. "He's happy!"
"No! More than just happy Murdoch, Scott's in love!"
"He is? You mean Cara?"
"Who else?" Johnny eyed his father like the man had two heads; surely it was obvious that his brother had lost his heart to the flaxen haired beauty.
"That's a bit premature don't you think Son? I mean they only..."
"He's in love and so is she." Johnny insisted. "Did you see the way she looked at him? I'm talking wedding here Murdoch just you wait and see." With that Johnny started to leave the great room, but before he could get out the French doors, he father called him back.
"Johnny, before you go, I thought that now that Scott is staying, we could discuss some changes I think are necessary, at least for a while, in how things are handled around here." Murdoch put down the pen he was using to make ledger entries and came around the front of the desk.
The younger Lancer walked back over to where his father was standing.
"Don't you think we should have Scott in on this conversation?"
"Yes, but first I want to discuss a few things with you, while Scott is lying down."
Johnny shrugged his shoulders, not sure what the old man had in mind, but unless he let him get to it, he would never be able to get to the things he wanted to get started on. So he sat down on the arm of the chair, and waited for Murdoch to begin.
"Until we are able to make the necessary improvements to the grounds that will allow Scott to move around unaided, or at least with more ease, he will not feel comfortable handing out the morning assignments for crews, which he had been doing before the accident. Agreed?" Murdoch looked pointedly at his younger son.
The young man nodded his head, knowing that Scott felt uncomfortable being pushed around the yard – even though the uneven ground prevented him from handling the chair himself. Murdoch, seeing the nod of ascent, went on.
"I want to focus on getting the grounds in shape as quickly as possible, in order for Scott to resume that morning responsibility. I miss him in doing so, as he is such a natural leader, and the men, even the new ones, always responded well to his directives. I want everyone, including your brother, to recognize that he is still a vital part of the ranch operation. To that end I'm going to be working with Cip and Jelly to come up with a system of walkways that will get him comfortably around the yard.
"Working to make the grounds easier, however, will not address the issue of how we fill the gap of the job he did with Cip and you of checking on the crews throughout the day. I know that a lot of the days, you and Scott would see them off, and then go and do a job together, breaking up late afternoon to check with Cip on how work was progressing. In talking with Sam, he and I both feel a small carriage can be rigged to allow your brother to control it using only his hands, which would allow him to move around the ranch." Seeing Johnny about to interrupt, he held up his hand.
"But, I know, I know, it would be too dangerous for him, to allow him to go off on his own. Any number of things could happen, so even when he is stronger and does feel comfortable handling a rig himself, like it or not, a hand will accompany him on horseback. But Scott is still in the beginning stages of developing his independence; his body is not strong enough to handle such a rig. So I think you need to pull back, on doing the physical part of running the ranch, and concentrate on working with Cip to oversee and direct the crews. Some days, that will include actually working with them; other days, we may be sending out crews in many different directions, you will be just directing. Is that agreeable with you?"
"Yeah, I think it make sense. But I still want to work the horses and spend some time with Scott. Maybe not every day, all day long like I have been, but …."
"I know, and I agree, and have a suggestion. Scott will, because of his physical limitations, take on most of the book work, which I know you will not miss at all." Murdoch noted Johnny's small smile at his acknowledgement of his son's distaste for having to do any bookwork.
"What I thought might be good, is for him to learn from you and Jelly how to do work with leather, repairing it and such, so he could use his upper body more by managing some of the tack, and doing repairs. I know that you have worked with some of the younger men such as Miguel, and Manuel, but there is so much of it to do on a ranch this size, we could use the organizing skills of your brother overseeing the tack inventory; decided what needs to be replaced, budgeting for new harnesses and leather goods, overseeing the workers that are assigned full time in this area, and actually working with the tack himself. What do you think?"
Johnny looked at his father, taking a while to mull over what had been said. Finally he slowly nodded his head.
"You know it might not be a bad idea. Come to think about it, I think it's a good idea. It would help Scott a lot in getting stronger, and the stronger he gets, the more he will be able to do on his own, like driving that carriage. And ya know, I bet Jelly can come up with a way to rig it so Scott can sit safely and handle the break and reins. Yeah, this might be a good thing. We gonna talk when he gets up later?"
"Yes, the sooner the better. In fact after I finish up here I'll go check on him, and then see if I can find Cip and Jelly to get started on making the path to the barns the first improvement we make. I know it's too late for you to join the crews today, and Cip has Frank and Isidro overseeing the two larger ones anyway, so what are your plans for the rest of the day?"
The young man looked at his father, not sure he wanted to reveal just yet what he was going to start working on. He had discussed it the other day with Sam, as sort of an idea, if Scott stayed. Now that he knew for sure his brother wasn't gonna go back to Boston, he was anxious to get started. Jelly had promised to help, as had Cip, but he wanted it all to be a surprise, even to his father.
"I wanted to go check on the new stock that the men rounded up the other day, and start planning which horses to break in first. We need to get going on this to meet the promise dates we put in that contract with the Calvary. There is a new hand, that is kinda good at breaking em, but needs some work, so I thought I could maybe start working with him too. Then some tack work, and then…."
Murdoch stood from leaning on the desk. "I get the picture, John. How about you are back here in about two hours, which is when I'll get Scott up and the three of us can talk this through. Then we'll plan on bringing Cip and Jelly in to tell them of the changes."
Johnny also stood, and retraced his earlier steps toward the French doors. "Yep, it's fine with me, so I'll see ya later, Murdoch."
As he was moving out the door, Murdoch heard his younger son begin to whistle, and it reminded him of the earlier statement Johnny had made about Scott and Cara. It had stunned him at the time, coming as it did so out of the blue. But it was typical of Johnny to pick up on something not blindingly obvious to everyone else, the boy didn't miss anything and especially not where his brother was concerned. For his eldest son's sake he hoped the boy was right, but right now it worried him. If truth be told it worried him a great deal. Love, when it came, didn't always work out. He had been lucky once, not so twice.
Scott was in a wheeled chair, and that would not change for him. He needed help daily in her personal needs, and that too would not change. Could love overcome his son's physical limitations? He hoped so, he hoped with all his heart. But still………
JMLJMLJML
Whistling, he had been whistling and he hadn't even realized that he was. When was the last time he had ever done that! Well his heart had been racing when Cara and he had their brief talk. Was he imagining the look on her face? Did she actually blush? Could she actually want him?
Yesterday he would have told anyone who had suggested that he could marry, that they were just playing a joke on him, a cruel one at that. But now, today, after Cara's visit, he was thinking……..
Well damn it what the hell was he thinking! He was imagining it, that's what he was doing. After all Cara was possibly the most beautiful woman he had ever seen, even more beautiful than the socialites of Boston, that spent their entire day, every day, trying to improve their looks. She was even more beautiful than Julie. So why in the world would she possibly want him?
"Get a grip on your imagination, boy" he said to himself. "She can't possibly want…well certainly she could have any...but then she blushed. She blushed. Didn't she?"
Perhaps he was overtired and had just imagined the whole thing? After all the morning had been eventful to say the least. There had been the acrimonious exchange with his grandfather, and then the icy farewell.
A chapter of his life had come to a close and he was on the threshold of something quite scary. Perhaps then he had been looking for some comfort, some warmth and it had arrived in the shape of Miss Cara Jenkins. Had he gone on to misread the signals he was getting? Cara cared about him like a good friend would but surely it would be ridiculous to expect more from her than that!
Yet Cara had promised to call on him tomorrow, surely she wouldn't be so eager to see him if...what was he doing? Just what was he trying to convince himself of here? Was it that love and everything that went hand in hand with that wonderful emotion was still possible for a broken man such as he?
How could it possibly be?
He was suddenly so very weary, tired to the point of being miserable, well he hadn't slept well the night before so that was to be expected he supposed. Setting the documents he was meant to be reading through down on his nightstand, he rested his head on his pillow. Closing his eyes he told himself he wouldn't think about Cara any more, that doing so only served to tie his insides up in knots.
A few minutes later, Murdoch's gentle knock on the door went unanswered. Pushing his son's partially closed door open; he leaned in and took in the sleeping form. Smiling to himself, he backed out of the room wondering if he would be able to refrain from saying he told-you-so, when he returned to wake Scott in a few hours. Stubborn, the boy was so stubborn; but he was glad for it, knowing that the dose of stubborn would see him through the hard days to come, as he learned to live life to its fullest from the confines of his wheeled chair.
TBC
Con and Molly