Chapter Eleven
The next morning Runa was excited and eager to go to town. She was used to not leaving the house very much, seeing the same people day after day even in the middle of a city, but it didn’t mean that she didn’t welcome the idea of going out and about a bit. Not too much, because crowds made her anxious, but just going to the mercantile would be outing enough for her. And she would get to spend some time with her husband during the drive there and back. That was what she was looking forward to the most; time spent solely with him, no one else around to change the conversation or interrupt or join in. Runa felt a little frustrated that she didn’t get any time alone with her husband, but he had made it clear in his letter that Bucky was important. She supposed her time in bed with Steve could be counted as time alone, but almost as soon as he slipped between the sheets he was rolling over so his back was to her, and falling into slumber.
Even though she was nervous about what went on in the marital bed, and even though she had only been there four nights, it stung a little to be snubbed like that. Yes, they had agreed to wait a few days so she could rest, but it had been a few days and she was more used to the hours they kept on the ranch.
Maybe tonight, she thought to herself as she checked her reflection in the cracked mirror hanging in their bedroom that must have been left by the previous owner. Breakfast was over, and she had gone to the room to prepare, Steve telling her they didn’t need to leave for a few hours yet. She had already started a large pot of stew for everyone’s dinner, putting it on to simmer and cook until it was time to eat. She had then prepared a lunch of simple salt pork sandwiches, boiled eggs, and fruit for her and Steve to share on the way back from town. Satisfied that her hair was well in place, she stepped out of the bedroom and walked to the sitting room where Steve was hopefully waiting for her.
He wasn’t in the sitting room, and she managed to stifle a disappointed sigh and head to the kitchen to see if there was any coffee left in the pot and start a new one if there wasn’t. She honestly preferred tea, but there wasn’t any to be found in the house so she was trying to cultivate a taste for coffee. It wasn’t working, but she had learned to always keep a pot on for everyone else.
She stepped into the kitchen, and was pleasantly surprised to find Steve there, pouring himself a cup of coffee from the large copper coffee pot. He set the pot back on the stove and looked over when he heard the sound of her shoes on the stone floor. He smiled slightly at her. “Coffee?”
“Please?”
Steve offered her his cup, before reaching for another one of the battered tin mugs kept on the shelf with the rest of the dishes and pouring himself another cup of coffee.
“Do I need to make another pot?”
“No, this one is still about half full.” He set the pot back down, “Happy Sam or Falsworth will make sure it’s full again by dinnertime.”
For a few minutes they stood, sipping the hot black brew in silence. She would have preferred sugar and cream, but was learning not to be too picky. Everyone else took their coffee black, so she would do the same.
“I like your hair like that.” He said after a few minutes, to break the silence. She smiled slightly at the compliment, “That’s how you wore it for the wedding, isn’t it?”
“Yes. I watched Pepper when she pinned it up for me. I liked the style, but it seems a bit fancy for every day.”
“It suits you.” There was another silence between them, “I’m sorry, I… I’m not good with conversation. Especially not with ladies.”
She flushed slightly at that. “Well, a part of me wants to say I’m not exactly a lady, I’m your wife, but the rest of me likes to think I’m some sort of a lady.”
“You are.” He assured her. “I was thinking of going to the cabinetmaker while we were in town. The chair you’re using in the sitting room is… Well. I was thinking maybe we could get a rocker or something for you to use.”
“You don’t need to go to any trouble-”
“Yes, I do.” He interrupted. “I should have put the order in before you even got here, but I wasn’t thinking.”
“You did enough, getting the kitchen and pantry ready for my arrival.” She pointed out.
“I should have done more. I should have seen if I could hire someone to come in and clean the house up before you arrived, or at least wash the bedding.” He sounded frustrated. “I didn’t… I didn’t plan for your arrival the way I should have. I guess I didn’t think much beyond just getting you here.”
She stepped forward and placed the hand not holding her coffee cup on his arm. “Steve. It’s all right. I would have appreciated it, but it wasn’t necessary.” She gave him a grin, “I would have just cleaned it all over again.”
“Really?” He appeared surprised by that.
“Really. Cleaning up the house and fixing things the way I want them is… Sort of putting my mark on the place. Claiming it as my home.” She explained. “There are very few things I would have changed about anything that has happened since my arrival.”
“What sort of things would you change?” Steve asked quietly, his voice soft, concerned. But also something else. Something new.
Before Runa could even begin to think how to answer that rather loaded question, Happy Sam hurried into the kitchen from the front of the house. He winced when he saw the two of them together, Runa with her hand still on Steve’s arm. She drew back, and they both turned to look at the ranch hand.
“Sorry for interrupting, but Gingersnap is foaling, and Falsworth says she’s having a hard time of it. He thought you would want to be with her, Steve.”
Steve pulled away from Runa and set his partially drunk coffee on the countertop. “If Gingersnap is in trouble, we might have to put off our trip to town.” He warned her.
“Go. We can worry about town later.” Runa said, despite her disappointment. The ranch was more important than a trip to town, even to get supplies.
Steve nodded once, before hurrying from the house. Happy Sam looked to her, “Gingersnap is his favorite horse.” He explained, “Steve-Mister Rogers-is fond of her. Raised her up from a foal himself. This is her first time foaling, and he’s been worried about her. We all have. She’s been acting anxious and ornery, even for a first time mama.”
“And she’s in trouble?” Happy Sam hesitated at her question. “Sam. Please. I’m not ignorant or some… Delicate flower. I want to know what is going on around my home.”
Happy Sam sighed. “Falsworth knows his horses, says he thinks the colt hasn’t turned. That it’s going to be a breech birth.”
“Oh no.”
“They’re going to do everything they can to make sure Gingersnap and her foal come through this.” He assured.
“I know they will.” She assured. “How long until we know?”
“Might be a few hours.” Sam sighed. “I’ve got to get back to helping. You need anything, Missus Rogers, you let me know.”
She smiled slightly. “Will do, Sam.”
Several hours passed. Dinner time came and went, and while almost everyone filed in for stew, fresh biscuits, and cookies (which again started the biscuit versus scone discussion) Steve and Falsworth remained in the stables. Runa asked Bucky to take them the cold dinner she had originally packed for herself and Steve, before cleaning up the kitchen once again. There was a tense air over the ranch, until an hour after dinnertime, when Happy Sam hurried into the house, grinning broadly.
“Missus Rogers, it’s come out all right. Steve-Mister Rogers-” He stumbled over the correction, and Runa couldn’t help but smile, “-He wants you in the barn. To come see Gingersnap and her foal.”
“I’ll be right out.” She promised, “And Sam? I know he lets everyone call him Steve. I don’t mind if that’s how you talk about him to me.”
Happy Sam’s grin widened. “I’ll try to remember that, ma’am.”
Runa hurried out to the stables, and made her way to a stall partway down, smiling at what she saw. Steve and Falsworth both with their shirtsleeves rolled up to the elbows, taking turns washing up in a bucket while the other watched the goings on inside the stall.
Steve looked over at Runa as she neared, and he smiled. “Don’t touch me, I’m filthy.” He warned, before motioning to the inside of the stall. “Come look.” He urged, and Runa approached, smiling when she saw the buckskin mare standing inside looking placid but weary, a little buckskin colt nursing, tail twirling as it did.
“They’re beautiful.” She murmured, smiling so broadly at the tender scene she thought her cheeks would crack.
“A fine bouncing baby boy.” Falsworth said as he washed up, “None the worse the wear for his ordeal.”
“I want to give him to you.” Steve said quietly. “Have you help to train him up when he’s older. Train him to be a good saddle horse.”
“I don’t even know how to ride yet.” Runa protested, startled, “And I don’t know the first thing about training a horse.”
“Living here, you’ll learn.” Falsworth assured her.
“And we’re going to be teaching you to ride.” Steve reminded her. “Besides. Both of you came to the ranch within a week of each other. It’s fate.”
She laughed softly at that, shaking her head. “All right. But you’ll need to teach me… Everything.”
“I will.” He assured her. “But now you get to name him.”
She looked at the foal, watching the little tail flicking happily as he nursed from his mother. “I’ll have to think on it. Naming something is a big responsibility. You’re giving them something that they’ll be known by for the rest of their life.”
“Then we’ll take some time so you can get to know him.” Steve promised. “I’m sorry about town. We’ll go tomorrow.”
“It’s fine.” She assured him. “Once you two are cleaned up and finished in here, I made cookies.” She grinned. “Gingersnaps, in honor of the new mother.”
Steve grinned at that. “We’ll be in shortly.” He promised.