“And I take it they weren’t?” He leaned against the stall door.
Lilly shook her head. “No, they were dirty but not hurt in any way, which I’m grateful for. Normally Daisy sleeps until I wake her after my morning ride. Only this morning, something led me to go check on her before I left.” She sighed and leaned her forehead against her horse’s neck. “I’m so glad I did.” Lilly straightened and looked at him.
They stood staring at each other for several long minutes, both deep in thought. Who would want to hurt her little sister? Lilly didn’t want to suspect any of her men of trying to harm Daisy, but she felt a chill travel down her spine. Suddenly she reconsidered taking her daily ride.
Suspicions gnawed at her. Had someone taken Daisy while she’d been saddling her horse for a ride? Everyone on the ranch knew her routine. Or had they crept in earlier while she’d slept in the next room? Goose bumps formed on her arms at the scary thoughts.
She began to unsaddle the horse. “Sorry ol’ gal, I can’t risk leaving Daisy alone.”
Jacob walked over to her. “I can take her out for you, if you’d like.”
Lilly looked at him. What did she know about him? That Mr. Roberts had said he was coming to be the stock tender and that he’d saved Daisy this morning. “Thank you, but no. Maybe I’ll take her out later today.” She patted the mare’s nose.
He nodded and stepped around her. Jacob pulled the saddle from the little mare’s back and said, “You know, I believe Daisy when she says she didn’t walk out there on her own.”
Lilly nodded. “So do I.” She sighed as she put the saddle blanket away.
He returned to the Pony Express horse and began brushing it down. Lilly walked to the barn door and stepped out into the sunlight. What was she going to do?
Lilly entered the house and checked on Daisy again. After lunch, the morning’s activities had caught up with Daisy, so Lilly had put her down for a nap.
The little girl slept on her side, curled into a ball. Her blond hair spilled over the pillow, her little lips slipped up into a smile as she dreamed. Lilly’s heart went out to the tiny girl. They were all that was left of the Johnson family. Lilly couldn’t lose Daisy, too, and would protect her with all she had. But would it be enough? What did she need to do to ensure the child’s safety?
Lilly walked over to the all-wood window that was partially open to let in fresh air. It might be uncomfortable for Daisy but Lilly shut the opening. She looked around the room for something to stop the window from being opened. Finding nothing she went to the wood box in the kitchen. Judging a piece of kindling to be about the right length, she returned to Daisy’s room and placed the stick between the bottom lip of the window and the top of the window casing. She pushed against the wood and shook it. The piece of kindling held firm. There. That should stop intruders with evil intent.
She chewed her lower lip. Fear threatened her peace. Lilly knew she had to get to the bottom of this or Daisy would never be allowed out of her sight.
The Johnsons had never locked their doors before. But now, well, she couldn’t take the chance that someone would slip in and steal Daisy again. Lilly vowed she would keep Daisy safe at all cost.
Jacob mucked out the stall and leaned on his pitchfork. He didn’t like where his thoughts had been all morning but he couldn’t shake his gut feeling. Daisy and maybe even Lilly were in danger.
His gaze moved to the fifteen-year-old boy who took care of the Johnson horses. Upon his arrival, the young man had shown him where everything was and even his room off to the side of the barn. Jacob called to him now. “Caleb?”
“Yeah.”
“How many men work this ranch?” Jacob continued working as if the question were of no importance.
“Well, let’s see. There’s Sam, he’s the foreman. Then there is Cook, Edward, Asher, Lewis and myself. We’re the regular hands. During the cattle drive, Sam hires others. Usually drifters.” Caleb sat with a saddle in front of him. As he talked he rubbed oil into the leather.
“So six,” Jacob muttered.
“Yep, six.” Caleb shook his head. His black bangs fell into his eyes as he picked up a bridle and began to work oil into the thick leather. “How do you like the tack room?”
Jacob stopped and wiped sweat from his brow. “It’s not as nice as the one we have at home but it’s livable.”
Caleb laughed. “Yep, that’s what ol’ Ike used to say.” He deepened his voice. “It’s livable.”
Jacob thought about the tack room. It was a spacious room and the front part nearest the stalls was used for saddles, bridles and all other manner of things needed to work the farm. His portion of the room had a small woodstove, a bed, an end table and a tall chest of drawers with a cracked mirror and washbasin resting on top. Jacob decided that the next trip to town he’d buy a couple of blankets, some rope and maybe a pillow.
Going through the chest of drawers he noted that the previous stock tender had used the top two drawers for sugar, coffee, salt and several other cooking items. He didn’t look forward to cooking his own meals, especially in a room with little air flow. He felt his stomach protest not having eaten since the night before.
“Cook said to tell you, if you’d like to have meals over at the bunkhouse, he’ll set a plate for you,” Caleb said as if reading his mind, or possibly because his stomach rumbled.
Jacob grinned. “That’s right nice of him.”
Caleb nodded. “Cook is nice enough. Just don’t be getting into his sweet cakes. He doesn’t share those.”
A soft laugh sounded from the doorway. “No, he doesn’t share those,” Lilly said as she entered.
Daisy danced into the room behind her. She wore a light blue dress with what looked like cowboy boots meant for a boy. From the looks of the footwear, she’d not had them long. “Look, Caleb. Lilly let me wear my boots today. We’re going riding,” she said, holding her foot up for Caleb to see.
“That’s wonderful, little Miss Daisy,” Caleb answered. He stood and walked toward the tack room. “I’ll get your saddle for you, Miss Lilly.”
“Thank you, Caleb,” Lilly called after the boy. She pulled her saddle blanket from the wall and walked to her horse’s stall.
Daisy looked shyly at Jacob. “I get to ride with Lilly today.”
Jacob leaned on his pitchfork and smiled at the little girl. Her hair was done in pigtails. “I heard. That’s exciting.”
“It is. We are going to check the fences. That’s important work. Huh, Lilly?”
“Yes, it is,” Lilly answered. She rubbed the horse’s nose.
“Want to come?” Daisy asked Jacob.
He looked
