“What
kind of business?”
“Well,
they informed me that you were here and had deposited a large amount of money
in the bank.”
“I
worked and saved that money as you well know,” Brett glared at his father,
daring him to deny it.
“I
know you did. The point is that you ran
out on me without a word, a note, or even a telegram as to where you
disappeared. I was worried about you.”
Brett
took a sip of coffee and a bite of pie before answering. He’d learned from an early age that you
never yelled or swore in front of your father and remained respectable at all
times. Rage or anger had no place in
the work place or in his father’s home. “I was tired of sitting behind a desk day after day from before daylight
until after dark. I don’t want to live
that way.”
“We’ve
had this discussion several times over the past few years. When are you going to come back home?”
Brett
groaned and leaned back. Mindy stood
behind him and he reached for her hand and held it on his chest. He could feel her pulse beating rapidly and
knew she was upset at his father’s words. “I’m never coming back, father. I love my wife, I love it here, and here is where I am going to
stay. You may as well get used to it.”
“That’s
your final answer?”
“It
is.”
“How
is the ranch doing? I heard in town
that it was really run down when you arrived. It looks in good shape from what I can see.”
“I’ve
put a lot of hard work into it. Mindy’s
pa died and she had trouble with the ranch hands doing their job. I put a stop to that when I arrived.”
“Do
tell. So, those visits to Brace really
did toughen you up?”
“They
did and being at his place was the only time I’ve been happy since I was a
young boy until I married Mindy.”
Brentley
sat back in his chair and looked at Mindy as she stood behind his son. He saw the worried look in her eyes. He’d seen it on many people’s faces during
his banking years when payments were due and people didn’t have it. When he had to foreclose on properties. He’d seen it all. “Mindy, if you can change his mind and move to our house in
Boston, you will want for nothing and have the finest of everything. Clothes, furs, maids, anything your heart
desires.”
Brett
was going to say somethin but he felt Mindy stiffen. She left go of Brett’s hand and sat down opposite his
father. The look in her eyes told him
his father was in danger of being kicked out of the house.
“Father,”
she said, clearing her throat a little before continuing. “You are welcome here anytime to visit or
stay as long as you want. I’d love to
get to know you better, but let me make myself very clear. The only way to get me off this ranch is to
kill me. I’ll never leave. As far as all that frippery you are trying
to entice me with, I’m not interested.”
Brentley
grinned. “Looks like you picked a good
wife, son. She knows what she wants and
she’s bound and determined to keep her ranch.”
“It’s
our ranch and our home,” Mindy said, raising her chin determinedly.
Brentley
turned to look at his son. “I taught
you well. You came here, stood on your
own two feet, made a run down ranch prosperous, and picked a fine wife. I’m proud of you.”
Brett’s
heart thumped heavily in his chest. This was the first time in his life that his father ever complimented
him. “Thank you, father. Those words mean a lot to me.”
Brentley
stood. “I must be
kind of business?”
“Well,
they informed me that you were here and had deposited a large amount of money
in the bank.”
“I
worked and saved that money as you well know,” Brett glared at his father,
daring him to deny it.
“I
know you did. The point is that you ran
out on me without a word, a note, or even a telegram as to where you
disappeared. I was worried about you.”
Brett
took a sip of coffee and a bite of pie before answering. He’d learned from an early age that you
never yelled or swore in front of your father and remained respectable at all
times. Rage or anger had no place in
the work place or in his father’s home. “I was tired of sitting behind a desk day after day from before daylight
until after dark. I don’t want to live
that way.”
“We’ve
had this discussion several times over the past few years. When are you going to come back home?”
Brett
groaned and leaned back. Mindy stood
behind him and he reached for her hand and held it on his chest. He could feel her pulse beating rapidly and
knew she was upset at his father’s words. “I’m never coming back, father. I love my wife, I love it here, and here is where I am going to
stay. You may as well get used to it.”
“That’s
your final answer?”
“It
is.”
“How
is the ranch doing? I heard in town
that it was really run down when you arrived. It looks in good shape from what I can see.”
“I’ve
put a lot of hard work into it. Mindy’s
pa died and she had trouble with the ranch hands doing their job. I put a stop to that when I arrived.”
“Do
tell. So, those visits to Brace really
did toughen you up?”
“They
did and being at his place was the only time I’ve been happy since I was a
young boy until I married Mindy.”
Brentley
sat back in his chair and looked at Mindy as she stood behind his son. He saw the worried look in her eyes. He’d seen it on many people’s faces during
his banking years when payments were due and people didn’t have it. When he had to foreclose on properties. He’d seen it all. “Mindy, if you can change his mind and move to our house in
Boston, you will want for nothing and have the finest of everything. Clothes, furs, maids, anything your heart
desires.”
Brett
was going to say somethin but he felt Mindy stiffen. She left go of Brett’s hand and sat down opposite his
father. The look in her eyes told him
his father was in danger of being kicked out of the house.
“Father,”
she said, clearing her throat a little before continuing. “You are welcome here anytime to visit or
stay as long as you want. I’d love to
get to know you better, but let me make myself very clear. The only way to get me off this ranch is to
kill me. I’ll never leave. As far as all that frippery you are trying
to entice me with, I’m not interested.”
Brentley
grinned. “Looks like you picked a good
wife, son. She knows what she wants and
she’s bound and determined to keep her ranch.”
“It’s
our ranch and our home,” Mindy said, raising her chin determinedly.
Brentley
turned to look at his son. “I taught
you well. You came here, stood on your
own two feet, made a run down ranch prosperous, and picked a fine wife. I’m proud of you.”
Brett’s
heart thumped heavily in his chest. This was the first time in his life that his father ever complimented
him. “Thank you, father. Those words mean a lot to me.”
Brentley
stood. “I must be
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