CHAPTER NINE
A few weeks later, Lars and Leif left for college in Chicago. The small establishment in Denver didn't offer the courses they wanted to take and Jorgen had allowed them to choose from Boston, Chicago and San Francisco, all of which had excellent facilities and professors. Lars had always intended to be a lawyer like his father and Leif wished to be a doctor, but no single college offered the best tuition for both careers. The twins considered going to different cities to study for about five minutes and decided compromising their chosen profession was preferable to being separated. Chicago had the best courses in law and also science, so Leif decided to study science instead of medicine, reasoning that he could become a doctor later with some further study if he still wanted to, since the two were fairly closely connected.
Jorgen travelled to Chicago on the train with the two teenagers, leaving Hans behind in the care of Nana who visited for a few days. It was the best few days of Hans' life. During the day he worked on the farm with Billy and in the evening he was spoiled rotten by both Nana and the housekeeper. Hans was very disappointed when his father returned and Nana went home, particularly when he discovered that without Lars and Leif to dote on, Jorgen breathed down his neck much of the time, questioning him about everything. Consequently he found he could get away with less and had to reduce the time he spent with Billy after work.
Lars and Leif returned home for the Christmas holidays, both with glowing reports and 'A' grades for every test they had been given. Jorgen heaped praise on both and virtually ignored Hans for most of the two-week break, except for chastising his rough speaking and scruffy appearance more than once.
Life continued in much the same way as Hans grew into his teens, unable to do a thing right in his father's eyes and feeling that the only people who cared an iota for him were Nana, Miss Lillian and Billy, although shortly after his fourteenth birthday a newcomer to the Hawkins farm threatened the latter.
Mr and Mrs Hawkins had no children of their own, but their fifteen-year-old niece came into their care after her grandmother passed on. Miranda's parents had died when she was too young to remember them and her maternal grandmother had raised her. When the old lady died, the only relatives she had left were her Uncle Jeremy and Aunt Jessica.
Billy and Hans watched from the paddock with interest as Mr Hawkins lifted Miranda down from his wagon and sent her into the farmhouse with his wife. The girl was slender, but already nicely shaped, her blonde hair tied into a thick braid that reached to her waist. Her pretty face was pale and sad and she didn't even notice the boys as she walked slowly to the house. Mr Hawkins followed with her luggage and then came back outside.
"Hans, unharness the horse, please," he instructed.
"Yes, Sir." Hans went to the horse.
"The young girl is my niece, Miranda," Hawkins told the pair. "She's to live here now. You two make sure yer polite to her if ya see her around, but keep yer distance, ya hear me?"
"Yes, Sir," Billy and Hans both replied. Hawkins nodded and left them to their work.
The boys didn't really expect to see much of Miranda, but once the girl recovered from her grief over the loss of her grandmother, she proved to be outgoing and chatty, often wandering into the yard or the paddock to look for company. She apparently took an immediate liking to the sixteen-year-old Billy and hung around him as often as possible, frequently annoying her uncle and aunt. Hawkins spoke to the boys about her once more and both denied encouraging her, but Miranda refused to stay away from them and somehow convinced her surrogate parents to let her spend time with them, particularly Billy.
After that Hans came upon the pair of them cuddling and kissing in the barn or out in the fields on several occasions and for the first time felt jealousy. Miranda was a beautiful and feisty girl and he'd have given anything to be in Billy's place. The pair seemed very keen on each other and Billy talked about her constantly to Hans when the boys were together. Hans clearly had no chance with Miranda himself and accepted that she was Billy's, so he was hugely surprised when she sought his company one Saturday when Hawkins and Billy had gone to the cattle market.
"Hey, Hans," Miranda said, joining him in the barn where he was feeding an orphaned calf.
"Hey." He looked up and grinned at her before turning back to his work. She looked beautiful that morning, with her hair falling loose to her waist and the blue dress she had on emphasising the colour of her eyes.
"Ya don't speak to me much, don't ya like me?" Miranda asked boldly.
"'Course I like ya," Hans said at once, abandoning the calf and getting to his feet. "But yer courtin' Billy, ain't ya?"
"I suppose," Miranda said with a sigh. "Although we never go nowhere 'cause the only times he's here, he's workin'. I'm gettin' kinda bored."
"Well, then, you oughta tell him," Hans said.
"I can't do that. Besides, sometimes he's fun." She took a step closer to Hans. "I like you too. Maybe we could have some fun an' all."
"I ain't gettin' between you and Billy." Hans took a step away from her reluctantly.
"Ya wouldn't be, if he didn't know."
"I guess." Hans stared at her thoughtfully. There was no denying she was a lovely girl and it was the first time anyone had shown an interest in him. While he was thinking about it, Miranda moved closer to him again and slid her hands into his. Any principles he might have had in relation to Billy went straight out of his head and he bent to kiss her.
Other than Harriet, who had turned her face away and struggled, Hans hadn't kissed anyone before and was at once hugely excited when Miranda's lips clung to his. She pulled her hands free and slid her arms up around his neck, bringing her body close to his and in return, he held her tight, his eyes closed, tasting her, sliding his tongue into her mouth when she encouraged him. His heart thumped and his pants began to feel rather too tight as they continued to kiss heatedly and thoughts of lying down in the hay at the back of the barn and taking off Miranda's dress began to fill his head. He could barely breathe and eventually drew his mouth away from hers, gasping, his senses spinning.
In the distance the sound of the wagon returning could be heard and Miranda pulled out of his arms quickly, lowering her eyes and smiling coyly at him.
"I better get to the house, sounds like Uncle's comin' back," she said, then turned on her heel and flounced out of the barn.
"Damnit," muttered Hans under his breath and kicked at the wall of the barn. He was extremely hot under the collar and irritated by the interruption, but worse, he was filled with guilt. Billy was his best friend; his only friend and he'd betrayed him. He hardly knew what to say to Billy when he joined Hans in finishing off the chores before it was time to leave the farm. Luckily Billy had plenty to say about the cattle auction and Hans found he didn't have to say much other than nod and grunt every so often.
Hans was relieved that the next day was Sunday so he didn't have to see either Billy or Miranda, but he knew he would have to face them sooner or later. He spent the whole day cursing himself and wishing he'd walked away from Miranda. There were plenty of girls in town; he certainly didn't need Billy's.
On Monday there was no sign of Miranda in the morning and both boys were hard at work until twelve o'clock when they took their lunch break. Miranda immediately came out of the house and went over to Billy where he was washing up at the pump. Hans watched from a distance as they talked, unable to hear what was being said, but guessing from Billy's body language that he was less than happy. He waited anxiously until Billy strode over to him a few minutes later, a scowl on his face and his fists clenched.
"Y'alright?" Hans asked, his mouth dry. He just knew Miranda had said something. He wouldn't be surprised if Billy punched him.
"Not really, she don't wanna spend time with me no more," Billy muttered.
"Oh…"
"Wanna know why?" He glowered at Hans and waited for a reply.
"Why?"
"'Cause she wants you instead."
"What?" Hans felt the colour draining out of his face. What had she to go and say that for?
"Yeah, seems like you kiss better."
Hans opened his mouth to reply and couldn't think of a single thing to say. Whatever he said, he couldn't take it back. If Billy hit him, it would serve him right.
"Ain't ya gonna say nothin'?" growled Billy.
"I'm sorry," Hans said at once. "It was her. I mean, she came to me."
"Yeah, and I bet ya told her ya weren't interested."
"I…" Hans took a deep breath. "I ain't gonna lie about it. She said she didn't see why she couldn't have fun with both of us. I told her I wasn't gonna get in between you and her. Then suddenly we was kissin'. Soon as we stopped I felt like hell."
Billy ground his teeth together and clenched his fists harder.
"Ya gonna hit me?" Hans asked miserably. "Ya might as well."
Billy eyed him sceptically for a moment. "What ya gonna do about Miranda?" he asked.
"Nothin'!" Hans exclaimed. "She's nice an' all, but it ain't worth it. Seems like she gets bored pretty quick. Ain't worth losin' a friend for, if ya still are my friend."
"I gotta think about it," Billy said, relaxing his fists.
"Sure." Hans nodded and watched as the older boy walked away towards the paddock. He stayed where he was, no longer having an appetite for lunch and simply waiting until it was time to get back to work.
On Tuesday, Miranda caught Hans on his own while he was brushing down one of the horses. He had the gelding tied to the paddock fence and was combing its dull coat to a gleam.
"Hey, Hans," Miranda said, appearing suddenly beside him.
"Hey." He carried on with what he was doing and didn't look at her.
"Ya know, I'm free now, I told Billy," she said.
"Right." He straightened up and moved around the other side of the horse. Miranda followed and before he could begin work again, stepped between him and the animal.
"Ain't ya pleased?" she asked, leaning closer.
"No, I ain't." Hans stepped back. "Billy's my friend. Like I said, I ain't gettin' between ya."
"Ain't no me and Billy to get in between," Miranda said, pursing her lips up into a pout.
"Well, that was your choice," said Hans.
"Ya weren't complainin' when we was kissin'," she pointed out.
"Well, ya surprised me. Look, I got work to do, ya best leave me alone."
"Are ya tellin' me I got rid of Billy for nothin'?" Miranda cried, stepping towards him again.
"Not for nothin', no. I think ya probably did him a favour." Hans grinned at her furious face and turned back to the horse. Miranda stormed back to the house and moments later the door slammed behind her.
"Hey."
Hans looked up minutes later at Billy's voice.
"I guess yer right," Billy added.
"Whaddya mean?"
"That she did me a favour. I heard ya talkin'. I don't wanna be with a girl like that, the minute I'm outta sight she'll be after some other fella, whether it's you or whoever. I might as well go to the saloon and pay for it."
Hans snorted. "Sorry," he said.
Billy grinned now. "Think I'll do that when I get my pay."
"Do what?"
"Go to the saloon."
Hans' eyes widened. "Ya done that before?"
"Yeah, once."
"What about yer ma?"
"She figures I'm old enough."
Hans stared at him in admiration and wished he was older than fourteen. He couldn't wait for the next couple of years to pass so that he could get away with a visit to the saloon too.