Chp 7

Morning came too early for the weary occupants of the house. But ranch life could be unforgiving and many chores could not be ignored while much needed rest was obtained.

After his visit to see Cayden Graham, Matt had told Bud and Kitty what had happened and what he suspected about the man. Despite that, however, they decided it was best to let things lie for a while to see what, if anything, Graham did after that. In the meantime, there was still a ranch to run.

Kitty, who was not a morning person, by any stretch of the imagination, was never the less up and in the kitchen by the time the sun was pulling itself up higher into the sky.

Even so, Matt had beaten her in rising and was already outside working on the wreckage of the barn, trying to see if there was anything salvageable. It was only sheer luck that their saddles and rigging hadn't been in the barn that night. Matt had left them out side to air and had planned on cleaning them.

Kitty supposed she had gotten perhaps a couple of hours, at most, of sleep but it couldn't be helped. With Ann gone and ten people needing to be fed breakfast, she figured she was the one to do it. She had no idea if Martha or Jane could cook at all and really didn't want to test it just yet.

"Good morning, Miss Kitty." Martha greeted her as she sleepily walked into the kitchen.

"Good morning, Martha." Kitty returned as she finished stuffing the stove with wood and set it alight. "I'll have something fixed to eat here before too long."

"Oh, you don't have to do that," the girl protested half-heartedly. She hated to cook and wasn't much good at it but Miss Kitty and the Marshal were guests after all.

"I don't mind, Martha." Kitty told her. "Besides, I figure while I'm fixing breakfast you and Jane could be getting the little ones up and dressed. By the time you all get back down here I'll have some food on the table."

Martha gave her savior a quick hug and happily returned to the upstairs to accomplish, what was to her, the lesser of two evils.

Kitty shook her head with a grin and went back to her work. Though she wasn't used to cooking for large groups of people at once, she bent to her task determinedly and soon had three pans of biscuits in the oven, a pot of coffee and a pan of ham as well as another of eggs cooking merrily on the top of the stove.

"That sure smells good, Miss Kitty." Bud said as he came in carrying more firewood. Me and Martha and Jane's been taking turns cooking but we're not too good at it. Ma had just really started to teaching Martha before…well… before…" Saying his ma was dead was still a difficult thing for the young man.

"Well as long as I'm here, why don't you all let me tend to the cooking and I'll see what I can do about teaching Martha and Jane a little more while I'm at it." She smiled.

"That's sounds awful good to me, Ma'am." His relief was evident in the expression on his face.

Matt came in just then, sporting almost as much blackened soot on his clothes as he had the night the barn burned. "Looks like your wearing more soot than that burned out barn?" Kitty chuckled.

Matt looked down at his clothes and made an attempt to knock some of the grime off but only succeeded in rubbing it in. "I guess so," he answered ruefully.

Kitty's chuckle grew into a full blown laugh. "Well go on upstairs and get cleaned up, Cowboy," She told him. "You got just enough time before breakfast is ready."

"Yes, Ma'am." He smiled as he turned and left the kitchen.

After Kitty pulled the biscuits out of the oven and the eggs off the top she put on another large cast iron skillet and began to make gravy. As she was about ready to put the food on the table, the kids came in and silently went about the task of setting the table, pouring the milk and pulling out a jar of preserves their mother had made that summer.

Being the youngest, little was required of Georgie, so he made his way to Kitty's side and held tightly to her skirt, restricting her movements. But Kitty didn't complain or scold the little boy. Instead she bent down and picked him up. Cradling him on her left hip, she went back to placing food on the table.

"Georgie," Martha scolded. "Miss Kitty shouldn't have to carry you around all the time."

Georgie's only response was to tighten his grip on Kitty. Though it had been two years since the child had last seen her, he remembered her and in the absence of his mother, he chose her to cling to, in his present turmoil.

Kitty sensed the child's need of a stabilizing force in his life and knew right then, she was the best one to give it to him. "It's alright, Martha." She replied. "He's fine."

Martha shook her head at her brother's behavior but said nothing more, knowing it would do no good. Besides, he was much calmer as long as he was with her.

After Matt made it back down stairs and everyone was seated at the table, Matt made to reach for the large plate of ham but stopped when he noticed the children sitting silently and expectantly. "Something wrong?"

"Pa always said grace before a meal, Marshal." Bud explained. "I've been doing it since but…." He took a deep breath. "Well, would you say grace for us, Marshal?"

Matt, stunned at the request, looked over at Kitty.

Arching a brow, she waited for his response. Self consciously, he bowed his head and raised his voice in prayer. "We thank you, Lord," he intoned, "for your grace and mercy. Bless this food to the nourishment of our bodies and bless the hands that prepared it and that provided it. Keep us safe and watch us each one this day. Amen."

Raising his head he saw a smile of gratitude and love on Kitty's face. "Amen," she repeated softly.

TBC