Chapter Two
A/N Guest: When it comes to why Adam Brighton didn't at least take the book and "Steve" to town and to a sheriff, there IS a reason. Please, just keep reading.
~oOo~
Previously:
Gene grinned from ear to ear. "Sure, he's my eldest brother. Come with me. He should be arriving soon." He then turned and headed towards the café where the stagecoach was supposed to stop.
Steve turned and looked at Lily who was simply looking at him as if to say 'I'll stand by you, but you're crazy," and then began following Gene; his wife was right behind him.
~oOo~
When Jarrod stepped off the stage, he was surprised to see that Gene had brought along company. However, his surprise turned to slight annoyance when he found out where his baby brother had been, what he'd been doing and why Gene had met Steve and Lily in the first place. Though, like Gene, he wondered what a man from the mountains was doing looking for work on a ranch. "We'll discuss that one later." Jarrod gave Gene a stern glare before turning the strangers in front of him. "We can go to my office and talk there." He turned and headed for his office. He would have told Gene to simply go home, but after the long week he'd had in a Sacramento court, Jarrod didn't feel like hearing Gene had gotten into trouble again.
Used to seeing the Barkleys with all walks of people, no one really paid attention as Jarrod and Gene made their way to Jarrod's office with their company following behind them. Soon, Jarrod had the front door to his office open and had let Gene, along with Steve and Lily, inside. "Go ahead and show our friends into my office." Jarrod nodded his head towards his office and told Gene to show their visitors inside. "I just have to put a few papers away; my secretary is off for a few more days."
"I can file those for you." Gene offered, more than willing to do something to keep his mind off the lecture he knew he would get later.
"Fine," Jarrod handed him the papers he'd just taken out of his briefcase and handed them to Gene. "Come with me." He said as he looked at Steve and Lily. The moment they stepped inside the office, Steve let out a low whistle while Lily simply sat down on the couch. She might have reacted differently only, while her father had spent a good portion of his life trapping, he had lived in New Orleans for a few years and he had a few friends in "high" places. She'd visited their places a couple of times when she was younger. In fact, those same friends had tried to get her father to allow them to pay her way to a boarding school. It was an offer he might have taken them up on only they hadn't made the offer until her mother had passed away. By that time, Lily was fifteen and Steve was starting to look at her. That being the case, her father had turned them down saying they were years too late.
"So, you are looking to work for my family?" Jarrod asked as he pulled out the chair behind his desk and sat down.
Steve nodded. "The advertisement says you need temporary help. Since my wife and I aren't sure how long we're staying in the area long, I figured it would be a perfect fit."
Jarrod leaned back in his chair and studied the man before him. The stranger, when standing, had to be around six feet tall. His hair was brown and his eyes had an aurora of honesty in them. Jarrod could feel an air of confidence about the man, though he wondered about the cautious look in the man's wife's eyes. While it wasn't a look that said she was afraid of her husband, Jarrod wondered what it was that was bothering her. "How much experience do you have with horse, cattle and fixing fences?" He asked, in a doubting tone he unintentionally slipped out.
"I have helped mend many fences in my life." Steven smiled, understanding the man's doubt. "I've broken my share of horses and, as far as cows go, I've managed to help a few people with branding the animals and moving them on occasions. I figure it never hurt to have a bit of extra knowledge in one form or another."
Jarrod once again studied the man's face, looked at Mrs. Brighton, and then back at Mr. Brighton. He didn't know if the man would work out or not, but he liked his straight forward answers. One's honesty spoke volumes in Jarrod's book. "I was just finishing up. You two can ride with Gene and me; we will be heading to the ranch soon. It's actually another brother of ours that does the hiring; you'll have to speak to him."
"It's a deal." Steve stood up and, taking a few steps forward, held out his hand and shook hands with Jarrod.
~oOo~
Lily and Steve couldn't help but stare in awe as the Barkley home came into view. It was huge. Gene had, when they asked, rambled on and on how large the ranch was and how everyone in the family was expected to help work it. They might have thought the young man was exaggerating only Jarrod, who was riding on Steven's right side, backed Gene up on everything he said.
While Gene was talking up a storm, and Steve and Lilly were keeping their eyes wide open, Barrett-who had been working with Heath and some of the men to break some horses-tapped Heath on the left shoulder and pointed in the direction Jarrod and Gene was coming from. "It looks like your brothers are dragging home strays again."
Heath turned around and looked. He had been many places and seen a lot of things; he knew a seasoned mountain man when he saw one. "We had Jarrod advertise for some more help, probably one of the men who responded." Heath said, though he found himself with the same thoughts as Jarrod and Gene when it came to Steve. Oh well, if both Gene and Jarrod were bringing him home, Heath figured he could withhold any form of judgment when it came to the man's abilities. "Take over, will you?" He asked McColl before heading to open the gate for his brothers and their guest, a request McColl did not argue with.