Mail-order Bridegroom Part 19

Lean frowned.

"Hunter isn't ruining her garden; Bull Jones took care of that already.

Hunter's just finishing the job."

Rose appeared in the doorway, carrying a tray with a pitcher of iced tea and

gla.s.ses.

"If we're going to stand around and watch all my hard work being ground into mulch, we might as well be comfortable."

Lean hastened to take the tray, setting it on a low wrought-iron table.

"There wasn't much left to mulch," she rea.s.sured, pouring drinks and handing them around.

"Our neighboring foreman made sure of that."

With a noisy humph. Rose sat in a rocker.

"If Hunter thinks I'm starting over again, he's got another think coming.

That garden can grow rocks and weeds for all I care." She took a sip of tea."What's he doing over there? What's in those bags?"'& abono, siT Inez suggested."Fertilizer, huh?" Rose slowly rocked in her chair."Yes, sir.

That'll give him a fine crop of weeds. A truly fine crop. " She craned her neck.

"Where's he going now?"

Leah shrugged, frowning as Hunter walked toward the

rear of the house."I don't know. Maybe he's through for the day."Through! " Rose rocked a little faster."With everything such a mess?He'd better not leave my garden like that, or I'll have a thing or two to say about it. See if I don't. "Leah jumped to her feet and leaned over the rail."False alarm. Here he comes. He was just pulling the pickup around." He climbed out of the cab and crossed to the back of the truck. Lowering the

tailgate, he removed an a.s.sortment of bedding plants. She glanced over her

shoulder at Rose.

"He bought jasmine for the trellis. I adore jasmine."

Inez joined her at the railing, beaming in delight.

"Y miraV Slowly Rose stood.

"Well, I'll be. He bought some roses."

Leah began to laugh.

"How appropriate. They're peace roses."

Hunter lined the plants around the perimeter of the house, then approached, carrying a shovel. He stood at the bottom of the porch steps and looked directly at Rose. "Well? You going to play lady of the manor, or do you want to get your hands dirty and help?"

Rose lifted her chin.

"Whose garden is it?" she demanded.

Hunter shrugged.

"I'm no gardener. Just thought I'd get it started."

"In that case, I'll fetch my gloves," she agreed. At the door she paused, and with a crotchety glare demanded, "Don't you break ground without me.

Hear?"

Leah waited until Rose was out of earshot before approaching Hunter, offering him a gla.s.s of iced tea.

"This is very thoughtful of you.

When Bull destroyed her last flowerbed she gave in to the inevitable and didn't try again. "

He drank the tea and handed her the empty gla.s.s.

"He won't destroy another."

She didn't doubt it for a minute.

"Peace roses?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.

He tipped his hat to the back of his head with a gloved finger, and in that

moment, Lean didn't think she'd ever seen him look more attractive."Yeah, well. I figured it was past time we came to terms.We'll stick in a few rose bushes and talk. Before we're done we'll have worked out our differences. "

Leah smiled.

"I'm sure you will," she said softly.

"It's just difficult for her to adjust to all the changes."

"I'm not done making them, you know," he warned.

She nodded.

"I know."

He'd never promised not to make changes. But they were for the better. And

more and more she realized how important he'd become--to her employees, to the ranch. even to her grandmother, loath as Rose might be to admit it.

But most of all, he'd become important to her, perhaps even vital.

And before much longer she'd have to deal with that knowledge. Leah watched in concern the next morning as Hunter and his men drove one ofthe ranch bulls into a pen in preparation for transporting him to his new owner. She'd nicknamed the animal "Red' because of his tendency to charge anything or anyone foolish enough towear that color. After nearly being gored by the bull. Hunter had decided to sell the animal.

He'd also flatly refused to allow her to help move Red to the pen, saying itwas 'much too dangerous'. She'd heard that phrase used more than once andhad rapidly grown to hate it. But she didn't dare argue, especially in front of the employees and especially when--in this particular case-- he was right. The bull was very dangerous.

She climbed to the top rail of the corral fence and looked on from a safe distance. With Red secure and peaceful in the holding-pen, the men only awaited the arrival of the truck to move the bull to his new home.

"Senora Leah!" came a childish shout from behind her. "Silkie! Get Silkie."

She turned in time to see all six Arroya children chasing after their new sheepdog puppy. The tiny animal, yapping for all she was worth, streaked beneath the rail of the corral, barreling straight toward the holding-pen.

and the bull. And around her neck, bouncing in the dust, hung a huge, red floppy bow.

"Stay there!" she called over her shoulder, hopping off the rail.

"Don't you dare come into the corral. You understand?"

The children obediently skidded to a halt and nodded as one. Six pairs of huge dark eyes stared at her, wide with mingled fear and hope. Wincing at their trusting expressions, Leah hot footed it after the wayward puppy.

Across the corral the dog ran, and Leah realized that she'd have only one chance to catch the animal before it was too late. At the last possible second, just as they reached the holding-pen, she flung herself at Silkie.

Belly- flopping to a dusty halt, inches from the bottom rail, her hand closed around the furry, struggling puppy. For a brief second she held the animal safely in her grasp. Then, with a frantic wiggle, Silkie scrambled free and scooted beneath the rail.

"Silkie, no!" she yelled.

Set on a course of total annihilation, the puppy darted toward the bull.

Taking a deep breath and whispering a fervent prayer, Leah ducked beneath the rail, hoping she could snag the animal and escape unscathed. A hard, relentless hand landed on her arm and jerked her back, spinning her around.

She stared up into Hunter's furious face.

"Are you nuts?" he practically roared.

"The puppy!" she cried, fighting his hold.

"I've got to save the puppy!"

He glanced from Leah to the Arroya children.

"Open the gates!" he shouted to his men.

"Get the bull out of there!"

Yelling and whistling, the wranglers unlatched the gate between the holding-pen and the pasture. But the bull didn't notice. Focused entirely on Silkie, he lowered his head, pawing at the ground and bellowing in fury.

He scored the ground with his horns, just missing the dog.

Swearing beneath his breath. Hunter tossed his hat to the ground and rippedoff his shirt. Before anyone could stop him, he climbed beneath the rail andentered the holding- pen.

"Hunter, don't do it!" Leah started to follow, but the look on his facestopped her. If she moved another step, she'd divert his attention and thebull would kill him. It was that simple. She clasped her trembling handstogether, hardly daring to breathe. With a fervor bordering on hysteria, she j began to pray.

Waving his shirt in the air, Hunter caught the bull's attention.

Distracted by this new, more accessible target, the huge animal instantlycharged. At the last possible second Hunter threw his shirt at the bull'shead and, diving to one side, rolled clear of the vicious hooves and horns.Red pounded by and Hunter leapt to his feet. Snagging the puppy by thescruff of her neck, he vaulted over the fence to safety.

Blinded, Red crashed into the fence between the holding- pen and the corral, the rails splintering beneath the impact. Keeping Silkie tucked safely under his arm, Hunter grabbed Leah by the wrist and ran flat out for the far side of the corral. The bull stood close to the splintered rails, blowing hard.

With several shakes of his head he reduced the shirt covering him to rags.