Read Online Love Finds You in Sundance, Wyoming by Miralee Ferrell - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Miralee Ferrell
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Arizona. Now that one would talk her ear off if given half a chance, and no doubt propose within a week if encouraged. She’d have to watch herself and not spend any time alone with the man.
Angel twisted in her saddle. She slowed Bella to a walk and pointed at a butte rising in the distance. “Is that peak on your land?”
Travis nodded. “Yes, and it’s an excellent lookout. We keep part of the herd near the base, as there’s a good spring and rich grass. That’s where we’re headed.” He gathered his reins. “We’ve got a lot of ground to cover today. Let’s pick up the pace.” He grazed his gelding with a spur and the horse broke into a ground-eating canter.
A rush of warmth poured over Angel as she urged Bella to catch up. How wonderful to be in the saddle again, doing what she loved best. If only her parents or Uncle José could be here, life would be complete. That’s what she missed the most—a sense of family. Since leaving José, she had no one to call her own. There’d been little interaction with any of the family members on the other ranches where she’d worked. Staying in Travis’s home and sitting at the table had stirred a loneliness she’d thought buried. Angel pushed down the emotions, not wanting to dig too deep.
The cool wind nudged the rim of her sombrero, and the pounding of hoof beats filled the air. The sun-warmed needles on nearby pine trees emitted a fragrant odor and she inhaled deeply, thankful to be alive. No longer did she fear Bart Hinson finding her. Three years was more than enough; by now the man would have turned his attention elsewhere. She could relax, knowing the secret of her past would never be exposed.
The towering rock butte grew more distinct against the azure sky, and a long line of cattle spread along the base, contentedly grazing the knee-deep grass. Travis held up his hand and slowed his horse to a trot. Angel drew up alongside, letting Bella match her pace to the gelding. “Nice spot. How many cattle are you running in this location?”
Travis grinned, and the result surprised her. His normally somber expression relaxed, and smile lines creased the corners of his mouth. “About five hundred. This is one of my favorite places. Wait till you see the spring.” He pointed toward a decidedly green patch near the foot of the butte. “Come on, I’ll show you.”
In another few minutes they reached the wide grassy patch where cattle grazed and calves dozed in the sun. There must be over three hundred head, and the herd extended out of sight around the far edge of the rock outcropping. The butte towered above them and encompassed an area of at least ten acres. Angel had noticed while still at a distance that the top was somewhat level and fell off sheer on the three sides visible.
Cows lumbered to their feet as the horses passed, and calves bucked and jumped across the grassy area. Water gushed nearby, but Travis said it was a spring, not a running stream. Most springs she’d encountered were pools, originating at a seep or trickle of water. Her eyes widened as they arrived at the source and swung down from their mounts.
The rock face split about two feet up from its base with bushes growing on each side. Water boiled from the narrow fissure as though anxious to reach its destination. The entire crack gushed with tumbling water that spilled into a basin below. The resulting pool measured as wide as a grown man could toss a rock, and two sides were ringed with boulders that must have tumbled down over the centuries. Grass grew on the shore, and one area that appeared shallow was trampled and churned by the hooves of thirsty cattle.
Angel walked around the edge, noting the imprints of elk and possibly deer. No wolf tracks that she could discern, but that wasn’t surprising. She turned to Travis. “Amazing.” She breathed the word reverently. “I’ve not seen the like of this anywhere in Wyoming— or on south to Texas, for that matter.”
Travis’s
Angel twisted in her saddle. She slowed Bella to a walk and pointed at a butte rising in the distance. “Is that peak on your land?”
Travis nodded. “Yes, and it’s an excellent lookout. We keep part of the herd near the base, as there’s a good spring and rich grass. That’s where we’re headed.” He gathered his reins. “We’ve got a lot of ground to cover today. Let’s pick up the pace.” He grazed his gelding with a spur and the horse broke into a ground-eating canter.
A rush of warmth poured over Angel as she urged Bella to catch up. How wonderful to be in the saddle again, doing what she loved best. If only her parents or Uncle José could be here, life would be complete. That’s what she missed the most—a sense of family. Since leaving José, she had no one to call her own. There’d been little interaction with any of the family members on the other ranches where she’d worked. Staying in Travis’s home and sitting at the table had stirred a loneliness she’d thought buried. Angel pushed down the emotions, not wanting to dig too deep.
The cool wind nudged the rim of her sombrero, and the pounding of hoof beats filled the air. The sun-warmed needles on nearby pine trees emitted a fragrant odor and she inhaled deeply, thankful to be alive. No longer did she fear Bart Hinson finding her. Three years was more than enough; by now the man would have turned his attention elsewhere. She could relax, knowing the secret of her past would never be exposed.
The towering rock butte grew more distinct against the azure sky, and a long line of cattle spread along the base, contentedly grazing the knee-deep grass. Travis held up his hand and slowed his horse to a trot. Angel drew up alongside, letting Bella match her pace to the gelding. “Nice spot. How many cattle are you running in this location?”
Travis grinned, and the result surprised her. His normally somber expression relaxed, and smile lines creased the corners of his mouth. “About five hundred. This is one of my favorite places. Wait till you see the spring.” He pointed toward a decidedly green patch near the foot of the butte. “Come on, I’ll show you.”
In another few minutes they reached the wide grassy patch where cattle grazed and calves dozed in the sun. There must be over three hundred head, and the herd extended out of sight around the far edge of the rock outcropping. The butte towered above them and encompassed an area of at least ten acres. Angel had noticed while still at a distance that the top was somewhat level and fell off sheer on the three sides visible.
Cows lumbered to their feet as the horses passed, and calves bucked and jumped across the grassy area. Water gushed nearby, but Travis said it was a spring, not a running stream. Most springs she’d encountered were pools, originating at a seep or trickle of water. Her eyes widened as they arrived at the source and swung down from their mounts.
The rock face split about two feet up from its base with bushes growing on each side. Water boiled from the narrow fissure as though anxious to reach its destination. The entire crack gushed with tumbling water that spilled into a basin below. The resulting pool measured as wide as a grown man could toss a rock, and two sides were ringed with boulders that must have tumbled down over the centuries. Grass grew on the shore, and one area that appeared shallow was trampled and churned by the hooves of thirsty cattle.
Angel walked around the edge, noting the imprints of elk and possibly deer. No wolf tracks that she could discern, but that wasn’t surprising. She turned to Travis. “Amazing.” She breathed the word reverently. “I’ve not seen the like of this anywhere in Wyoming— or on south to Texas, for that matter.”
Travis’s
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