Read Online A Daring Proposal by Sandra S. Kerns - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Sandra S. Kerns
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Jed’s direction.
“That there’s Jed Sampson, Walker,” one of her older hands told him. “Don’t you remember – nah, that was before your time.”
“Sampson? As in Dale Sampson?”
Dave’s eyes narrowed and Chaney prepared to dress him down. Dave and Dale had almost come to blows a couple of times. Before she could say anything, though, Jed answered.
“Dale is my uncle.” His quiet even tone might not worry anyone else in the room, but Chaney remembered that voice. It was the one Jed used before he started throwing punches when he was young. She’d watched quite a few boys go down in high school after hearing that voice. She prayed his control had matured as much as his body.
“Well, you can just turn your fancy pants around and get off this land. Tell Dale Sampson we don’t need his kind over here.”
This time Chaney took the lead. “This is my ranch, Dave, not yours. As long as that’s the case, I will have whomever I choose to have in my house. Fact is you’d better learn some manners and quick because you’re going to be seeing a lot of Jed around.”
“You sellin’ out to that good for nothin’ uncle of his?” Dave demanded.
“No,” Chaney said staring the man to silence. She slipped her hand under Jed’s coat and around his waist. His arm automatically circled her shoulder. “We got married today.”
Dave’s jaw dropped open. Several chairs scraped across the floor as men stood, hootin’ and hollerin’ their congratulations. Some slapped Chaney on the back as if she was one of the guys and they all shook Jed’s hand firmly. Everyone except Dave.
When the noise died down Chaney turned to him. “Is there a problem?”
Dave stood at the head of the table and glared at Jed. “I won’t work for the likes of him.”
“You won’t be,” Jed told him. “I’m not a rancher.”
“Bull, you married her for the same reason every other single male has been trying. You want the ranch.”
Jed took a step toward the man. “If you knew anything, and that’s obviously a huge if, you would know I am the last man that would want this ranch.” His hand balled into a fist at his side. “I do, however, take exception to your insult to my wife.”
Chaney stepped between them, casting Jed a stiff smile before turning to face Dave. “I think it’s past time for you to get your stuff and leave, Dave. You can give Martha a forwarding address for your check.”
“You can’t fire me,” he yelled indignantly.
“I just did,” Chaney said, not the least bit cowered by his antics. Dave was all bluster.
He threw his chair back. “You’ll regret this. I know things,” he threatened pointing a finger at her as he stomped out the door. “Oh, yeah, you’ll regret this.”
***
Chapter Four
Chaney’s dismissal of the foreman had little effect on the spontaneous party the rest of the hands put together. Unless it livened things up a bit. She knew Dave had been hard to work with, but her father had insisted he did a wonderful job, so she’d kept him on even after her father’s death. His in her face insult had been the last straw in a pile of straws that had been growing for a long time.
If she were honest, firing him had taken a huge weight off her shoulders. Many of the problems with orders and supplies had started when she had hired him. Granted, they had recently stopped, but she still suspected he had something to do with them. She hoped firing him meant they wouldn’t start back up. For the first time in over a year, Chaney felt relaxed and happy as the evening turned into a very festive affair.
Several hours later, the men had all gone down to the bunkhouse and Martha retired to her room. Chaney looked out the screen door as Jed pulled his things from the back of the car.
She had to admit he’d been wonderful with the men, taking a ribbing for not being a rancher without a hint of aggravation. He’d even been sweet to Martha. There had been music and he hadn’t
“That there’s Jed Sampson, Walker,” one of her older hands told him. “Don’t you remember – nah, that was before your time.”
“Sampson? As in Dale Sampson?”
Dave’s eyes narrowed and Chaney prepared to dress him down. Dave and Dale had almost come to blows a couple of times. Before she could say anything, though, Jed answered.
“Dale is my uncle.” His quiet even tone might not worry anyone else in the room, but Chaney remembered that voice. It was the one Jed used before he started throwing punches when he was young. She’d watched quite a few boys go down in high school after hearing that voice. She prayed his control had matured as much as his body.
“Well, you can just turn your fancy pants around and get off this land. Tell Dale Sampson we don’t need his kind over here.”
This time Chaney took the lead. “This is my ranch, Dave, not yours. As long as that’s the case, I will have whomever I choose to have in my house. Fact is you’d better learn some manners and quick because you’re going to be seeing a lot of Jed around.”
“You sellin’ out to that good for nothin’ uncle of his?” Dave demanded.
“No,” Chaney said staring the man to silence. She slipped her hand under Jed’s coat and around his waist. His arm automatically circled her shoulder. “We got married today.”
Dave’s jaw dropped open. Several chairs scraped across the floor as men stood, hootin’ and hollerin’ their congratulations. Some slapped Chaney on the back as if she was one of the guys and they all shook Jed’s hand firmly. Everyone except Dave.
When the noise died down Chaney turned to him. “Is there a problem?”
Dave stood at the head of the table and glared at Jed. “I won’t work for the likes of him.”
“You won’t be,” Jed told him. “I’m not a rancher.”
“Bull, you married her for the same reason every other single male has been trying. You want the ranch.”
Jed took a step toward the man. “If you knew anything, and that’s obviously a huge if, you would know I am the last man that would want this ranch.” His hand balled into a fist at his side. “I do, however, take exception to your insult to my wife.”
Chaney stepped between them, casting Jed a stiff smile before turning to face Dave. “I think it’s past time for you to get your stuff and leave, Dave. You can give Martha a forwarding address for your check.”
“You can’t fire me,” he yelled indignantly.
“I just did,” Chaney said, not the least bit cowered by his antics. Dave was all bluster.
He threw his chair back. “You’ll regret this. I know things,” he threatened pointing a finger at her as he stomped out the door. “Oh, yeah, you’ll regret this.”
***
Chapter Four
Chaney’s dismissal of the foreman had little effect on the spontaneous party the rest of the hands put together. Unless it livened things up a bit. She knew Dave had been hard to work with, but her father had insisted he did a wonderful job, so she’d kept him on even after her father’s death. His in her face insult had been the last straw in a pile of straws that had been growing for a long time.
If she were honest, firing him had taken a huge weight off her shoulders. Many of the problems with orders and supplies had started when she had hired him. Granted, they had recently stopped, but she still suspected he had something to do with them. She hoped firing him meant they wouldn’t start back up. For the first time in over a year, Chaney felt relaxed and happy as the evening turned into a very festive affair.
Several hours later, the men had all gone down to the bunkhouse and Martha retired to her room. Chaney looked out the screen door as Jed pulled his things from the back of the car.
She had to admit he’d been wonderful with the men, taking a ribbing for not being a rancher without a hint of aggravation. He’d even been sweet to Martha. There had been music and he hadn’t
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