down around here, I’ll start showing you how he kept the books.”
“That’ll be good. We’ve got a ranch to run.”
“Yes, we do.”
“I’ll see you in the morning.” She started from the room.
“Good night.”
Josh watched as she picked up her father’s gun and left the study, closing the door behind her. He gave a shake of his head and pushed the image of her with her robe unfastened from his mind as he turned back to the books. It had been a very interesting day—and he wondered if Hank had known what he was doing when he’d insisted Emmie had to live at the ranch to gain her inheritance. Working together wasn’t going to be easy.
Emmie was more than a little embarrassed as she went back to bed. She’d thought she was being brave when she’d grabbed the gun to confront the intruder.She’d thought she was protecting the ranch, but all she’d done was make a fool of herself. And then to have her robe fall open…She was so embarrassed. Closing her eyes, she sought sleep. If today was any example of what her life was going to be like on the Rocking R, she was going to need all the rest she could get.
Millie was up early, eagerly looking forward to the day to come. Emmie’s promise to take her for a ride and teach her how to shoot excited her. She knew her parents would frown on such unladylike behavior, but she had no intention of telling them.
Adventurous spirit that she was, Millie couldn’t wait to ride out and get a real look at the ranch. The carriage ride from town had given her an idea of just how big the Rocking R really was, but actually covering the miles on horse back would be even more exciting.
Last night had given her a whole new perspective on learning how to use a gun, too. When Emmie had first offered, she’d found the thought of learning to shoot entertaining, but after seeing Emmie in the study with a gun in her hand, she had changed her opinion. Her friend had thought someone was robbing them, and she had done what she’d needed to do to protect her home. That wasn’t entertainment; that was survival.
Millie wondered if Emmie was up yet. She was just about to dress and go knock on her friend’s bedroom door when a knock came at her own door.
“Who is it?”
“It’s me,” Emmie announced. “I’ve got something for you.”
“What?” Millie hurried to open the door and found her friend standing there with an armload of clothes and a pair of riding boots.
“Here—see what fits and meet me downstairs. We’ll have breakfast and go for our ride before it gets too hot.”
“I’ll be right down.”
Millie took the clothes from her and quickly set about sorting through them. She found a pair of pants just like the ones Emmie had on and decided to wear them, along with one of the simple shirts. It didn’t take her long to change, and after pulling on the boots, she turned to study herself in the mirror over the dresser.
Millie had to smile as she stared at her own reflection. She’d always considered herself a bit of a tomboy, and today she was going to be really adventurous. She grinned mischievously and grabbed a ribbon to tie her blond hair back out of the way before hurrying down to find Emmie.
“Don’t you look like you belong here,” Emmie teased when Millie entered the dining room.
“Do you really think so?” she asked, joining her friend at the table.
“Absolutely. How do you like wearing pants?”
“It’s rather liberating, don’t you think?”
“Very.”
They grinned at each other, knowing how thegirls back East would talk if they ever saw them dressed this way.
“Well, eat your breakfast. We’ve got a lot to do today” Emmie told her.
Millie was surprised by the amount of food Kate had made for them. There were eggs and biscuits and bacon. “Is breakfast like this every day?”
“No, sometimes she makes hotcakes, and they’re wonderful!”
“If she feeds us this way all the time, we’re going to need bigger pants.” Millie
“That’ll be good. We’ve got a ranch to run.”
“Yes, we do.”
“I’ll see you in the morning.” She started from the room.
“Good night.”
Josh watched as she picked up her father’s gun and left the study, closing the door behind her. He gave a shake of his head and pushed the image of her with her robe unfastened from his mind as he turned back to the books. It had been a very interesting day—and he wondered if Hank had known what he was doing when he’d insisted Emmie had to live at the ranch to gain her inheritance. Working together wasn’t going to be easy.
Emmie was more than a little embarrassed as she went back to bed. She’d thought she was being brave when she’d grabbed the gun to confront the intruder.She’d thought she was protecting the ranch, but all she’d done was make a fool of herself. And then to have her robe fall open…She was so embarrassed. Closing her eyes, she sought sleep. If today was any example of what her life was going to be like on the Rocking R, she was going to need all the rest she could get.
Millie was up early, eagerly looking forward to the day to come. Emmie’s promise to take her for a ride and teach her how to shoot excited her. She knew her parents would frown on such unladylike behavior, but she had no intention of telling them.
Adventurous spirit that she was, Millie couldn’t wait to ride out and get a real look at the ranch. The carriage ride from town had given her an idea of just how big the Rocking R really was, but actually covering the miles on horse back would be even more exciting.
Last night had given her a whole new perspective on learning how to use a gun, too. When Emmie had first offered, she’d found the thought of learning to shoot entertaining, but after seeing Emmie in the study with a gun in her hand, she had changed her opinion. Her friend had thought someone was robbing them, and she had done what she’d needed to do to protect her home. That wasn’t entertainment; that was survival.
Millie wondered if Emmie was up yet. She was just about to dress and go knock on her friend’s bedroom door when a knock came at her own door.
“Who is it?”
“It’s me,” Emmie announced. “I’ve got something for you.”
“What?” Millie hurried to open the door and found her friend standing there with an armload of clothes and a pair of riding boots.
“Here—see what fits and meet me downstairs. We’ll have breakfast and go for our ride before it gets too hot.”
“I’ll be right down.”
Millie took the clothes from her and quickly set about sorting through them. She found a pair of pants just like the ones Emmie had on and decided to wear them, along with one of the simple shirts. It didn’t take her long to change, and after pulling on the boots, she turned to study herself in the mirror over the dresser.
Millie had to smile as she stared at her own reflection. She’d always considered herself a bit of a tomboy, and today she was going to be really adventurous. She grinned mischievously and grabbed a ribbon to tie her blond hair back out of the way before hurrying down to find Emmie.
“Don’t you look like you belong here,” Emmie teased when Millie entered the dining room.
“Do you really think so?” she asked, joining her friend at the table.
“Absolutely. How do you like wearing pants?”
“It’s rather liberating, don’t you think?”
“Very.”
They grinned at each other, knowing how thegirls back East would talk if they ever saw them dressed this way.
“Well, eat your breakfast. We’ve got a lot to do today” Emmie told her.
Millie was surprised by the amount of food Kate had made for them. There were eggs and biscuits and bacon. “Is breakfast like this every day?”
“No, sometimes she makes hotcakes, and they’re wonderful!”
“If she feeds us this way all the time, we’re going to need bigger pants.” Millie
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