Read Online Randall Honor by Judy Christenberry - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Judy Christenberry
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bag. “Okay?” he asked.
She checked out his footwear. He obviously didn’t have cowboy boots, but he was wearing hiking boots. “Do you have a hat?” she asked.
“I’ve got a baseball cap. That’s all.”
“Get it. I might be able to find you a hat, but I’m not sure.”
He unlocked his door and went in.
“I’m going on down,” she called, but he was out of his apartment and locking the door as she finished.
“Right.” He hurried down the stairs behind her. “Should we take my SUV?”
“No. My car is familiar to the family. They won’t think anything about me being there. I want to get away before they investigate.”
“Won’t they notice the horses missing?”
“Yes, but hopefully not until tonight when they find my note. We’re going to get to the ranch about the time they ride out. Once they’re off to work, we’ll be able to mount up without drawing any attention.”
He frowned. “Look, Tori, I don’t know if I can saddle a horse.”
“Don’t worry. I can.”
After turning into the driveway a few minutes later, Tori parked the car on the crest of the hill that looked out over the Randall spread.
“Wow, this is a big place,” Jon said, taking it all in.
“Yes, it’s home to a lot of Randalls.”
“How many still live here?” he asked.
“The four brothers, their wives, Red and Mildred, and all the kids except Rich and Sam. They live with Rich’s grandmother because he manages the ranch for her. Russ and Abby had their own house. I don’t know what will happen now.” She paused and swallowed. “And then me and Caroline.”
“Caroline?”
“My cousin. She’s in med school in Chicago.”
“Randall? Caroline Randall? And does she have the typical russet hair, like your sister?”
“Yes.”
“I think I’ve met her.”
Instead of answering, Tori eased her car down the driveway, going very slowly. “The men just rode out.” She pulled to a halt by the second barn. “Don’t slam your door.”
After she chose the horses, it was Jon who placed the saddles on the horses’ backs. And Tori who dealt with the buckles and the bridles. Then she chose a packhorse and belted a contraption that allowed her to load their needs onto its back. She added two bedrolls from a cabinet and covered everything with a waterproof tarp.
“You keep the bedrolls in the barn?” he asked in surprise.
“This is the indoor arena. We keep a lot of things in here. Wait here.” She slipped away through another door and Jon stood there, holding the reins forthe three animals. What he’d do if someone caught him, he didn’t know.
When she came back, she was holding a hat. “Here, put this on.”
“But it’s not mine. I can’t—”
“It’s Dad’s. Put it on.” She glared at him. “Remember, I’m in charge.”
He put it on.
She pulled a piece of paper out of her pocket and a pushpin. Then she tacked the paper to the last stall. “Now they won’t worry when they come in tonight.”
She took the reins from his hands and led the animals outside. “Mount up,” she ordered, handing him the reins to the larger of the three animals. “He’s well trained.”
Jon swung into the saddle, not with the grace of her uncles or cousins, but he managed a credible mount.
With ease she mounted and wrapped the reins of the packhorse around her pommel. “We’re going to go slow for a few minutes, until we get some distance from the house, like we’re on a casual ride. Then we’ll pick up speed until we get to rough country.”
After that, she didn’t have to worry about making conversation. She kept checking to be sure he was managing, but he was an acceptable rider, at least on level ground.
T HREE HOURS LATER , Tori called a halt. They were starting to climb and she thought it was a good timefor a break. Jon hadn’t slowed her down, which had surprised her.
“What’s wrong?” he asked as he pulled up beside her.
“Nothing. We’re taking a break.”
“I can go
She checked out his footwear. He obviously didn’t have cowboy boots, but he was wearing hiking boots. “Do you have a hat?” she asked.
“I’ve got a baseball cap. That’s all.”
“Get it. I might be able to find you a hat, but I’m not sure.”
He unlocked his door and went in.
“I’m going on down,” she called, but he was out of his apartment and locking the door as she finished.
“Right.” He hurried down the stairs behind her. “Should we take my SUV?”
“No. My car is familiar to the family. They won’t think anything about me being there. I want to get away before they investigate.”
“Won’t they notice the horses missing?”
“Yes, but hopefully not until tonight when they find my note. We’re going to get to the ranch about the time they ride out. Once they’re off to work, we’ll be able to mount up without drawing any attention.”
He frowned. “Look, Tori, I don’t know if I can saddle a horse.”
“Don’t worry. I can.”
After turning into the driveway a few minutes later, Tori parked the car on the crest of the hill that looked out over the Randall spread.
“Wow, this is a big place,” Jon said, taking it all in.
“Yes, it’s home to a lot of Randalls.”
“How many still live here?” he asked.
“The four brothers, their wives, Red and Mildred, and all the kids except Rich and Sam. They live with Rich’s grandmother because he manages the ranch for her. Russ and Abby had their own house. I don’t know what will happen now.” She paused and swallowed. “And then me and Caroline.”
“Caroline?”
“My cousin. She’s in med school in Chicago.”
“Randall? Caroline Randall? And does she have the typical russet hair, like your sister?”
“Yes.”
“I think I’ve met her.”
Instead of answering, Tori eased her car down the driveway, going very slowly. “The men just rode out.” She pulled to a halt by the second barn. “Don’t slam your door.”
After she chose the horses, it was Jon who placed the saddles on the horses’ backs. And Tori who dealt with the buckles and the bridles. Then she chose a packhorse and belted a contraption that allowed her to load their needs onto its back. She added two bedrolls from a cabinet and covered everything with a waterproof tarp.
“You keep the bedrolls in the barn?” he asked in surprise.
“This is the indoor arena. We keep a lot of things in here. Wait here.” She slipped away through another door and Jon stood there, holding the reins forthe three animals. What he’d do if someone caught him, he didn’t know.
When she came back, she was holding a hat. “Here, put this on.”
“But it’s not mine. I can’t—”
“It’s Dad’s. Put it on.” She glared at him. “Remember, I’m in charge.”
He put it on.
She pulled a piece of paper out of her pocket and a pushpin. Then she tacked the paper to the last stall. “Now they won’t worry when they come in tonight.”
She took the reins from his hands and led the animals outside. “Mount up,” she ordered, handing him the reins to the larger of the three animals. “He’s well trained.”
Jon swung into the saddle, not with the grace of her uncles or cousins, but he managed a credible mount.
With ease she mounted and wrapped the reins of the packhorse around her pommel. “We’re going to go slow for a few minutes, until we get some distance from the house, like we’re on a casual ride. Then we’ll pick up speed until we get to rough country.”
After that, she didn’t have to worry about making conversation. She kept checking to be sure he was managing, but he was an acceptable rider, at least on level ground.
T HREE HOURS LATER , Tori called a halt. They were starting to climb and she thought it was a good timefor a break. Jon hadn’t slowed her down, which had surprised her.
“What’s wrong?” he asked as he pulled up beside her.
“Nothing. We’re taking a break.”
“I can go
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