Dusty Britches (13 page)

“
Feller! Really?
”
Becca squealed.

“
I was eight, Miss Becca. Had myself thinkin
’
that I
’
d stir up the
town by hollerin’ like ol’ Paul,”
Feller explained.

“
Yep! You stirred up the town all right!
”
Hank laughed. He sighed heavily as his chuckling subsided.
“
Them were some fun days, weren
’
t they, Feller?
”

Feller nodded
,
and gradually the conversation turned to matters of running
the
ranch. Dusty helped Becca clean up as the men finished. For the remainder of the meal, she
’
d kept her
gaze away from Ryder—
though her thoughts lingered on him constantly. Every
time she heard his voice, her skin tingled
,
and her mind whispered,
It must be a dream! He can
’
t really be here
!

Her undoing came as she stood at the sink, working the pump to fill the washtub with water. Ryder rose from the table and brought his plate to her. His arm brushed hers, causing goose bumps to break out over her arms and legs like yeast brewing in warm milk.

“
Thank you, ladies! It was a fine meal,
”
he sighed, putting a hand to his stomach in satisfaction.

“
You
’
re welcome, Ryder!
”
Becca said
,
smiling.

When Dusty did not respond or acknowledge him in any way, he reached out. Taking her chin firmly in one hand and turning he
r face to his
, he asked,
“
Did you dump all your manners in the slop bucket too?
”
Surprised, Dusty could only stare at him indignantly.
“
I said thank you,
”
he repeated.

“You’re welcome,”
she growled through clenched teeth.

He smiled sarcastically and whispered,
“
Now, that
’s the way your mama taught you.” Releasing her face and
taking his hat from the hook near the door, he left.

Dusty looked over to her father for support. Surely he wouldn
’
t let any man, any
ranch
hand
or cowboy
, even Ryder Maddox, treat her so rudely! Her father only raised his eyebrows and shrugged his shoulders, signaling
his
agreement with Ryder
’
s actions.

“
Daddy?
”
Dusty whined.

“
Boy
’
s right, darlin
’
,
”
her father mumbled. Rising from his place at the table, he walked to her and kissed her warmly on the forehead.
“
Ain
’
t many excuses for bad manners,
”
and he left too.

Shaking
her head in disbelief,
Dusty
watched her father walk across the yard toward the barn. Was the whole world going to turn against her in favor of Ryder?
Ryder Maddox has always been too big for his britches!
she thought angrily. Plunging the plate he
’
d handed her into the water, she tried to think angry thoughts about him. Some men were too goo
d-looking for their own good—thought t
hey
could
boss othe
rs around just because they had
charisma!

“
Remember how Ryder used to stay and help Mama and us do the dishes after supper sometimes, Dusty?
”
Becca asked quietly.

“
Ryder was always tryin
’
to be Mama
’
s favorite,
”
Dusty grumbled.

“
Ryder didn
’
t have to try,
”
Becca reminded her.
“
He helped Mama
’
cause he felt she deserved it after cookin
’
for that big bunch of men.
”
Dusty scrubbed furiously at the plate, trying to ignore Becca as she continued to list the virtues of Ryder Maddox.
“
Remember how he used to help us with our arithmetic? Even aft
er the other hands were asleep,
him and Feller would be up helpin
’
Daddy finish up chores or helpin
’
us with our schoolwork.
”

“
Some friend he is to Feller, anyhow!
”
Dusty interrupted.
“
Gettin
’
Daddy to tell that old tale on Feller!
”

“
Feller needs to have the attention, Dusty. It helps everyone else respect him more and understand him better if they
know
he
’
s human!
”
The scolding strength in Becca
’
s voice was so unfamiliar that Dusty turned to look at her.
“
The hands always liked Ryder
’
cause he made them feel important! He respected and admired Mama and treated Daddy like he was the greatest rancher in the world!
”
Becca threw the dishtowel onto the table.
“
And he
’
s scarin
’
you! You still love him, Dusty, and
—”

“
You don
’
t know me, Becca! Don
’
t tell me what I feel and what I don
’
t!
”
Dusty argued angrily.

“
You do! You do love him!
”
It was obvious Becca would not be bullied this time.
“
I seen it in your eyes
ever
since he got back yesterday
.
But he won
’
t love you back, Dusty
—n
ot when you
’
re so hateful and selfish!
”

Dusty couldn
’
t say anything to her sister that wouldn
’
t
be angry and cruel
. So, whirling around, she fled from the house. Her eyes fell upon none other than Ryder watering his horse at the windmill trough before riding out to check stock. It was too perfect! He was bent over
,
leaning on the edge of the trough looking down into the water as his horse drank. Motivated by anger and humiliation, Dusty walked up behind him. Lifting her skirts and placing her foot squarely into the seat of his pants, with one good shove, she sent Ryder tumbling over into the trough with a splash.

“
I am not a child anymore, Ryder!
”
she shouted at him.
“
What gives you the right to stand in there and correct me like I was a
—”

“
What
’
s wrong with you?
”
he shouted as he stood up, brushing the water from his face.
“
I got work to do! I don
’
t have time to be foolin
’
around with your tantrums!
”

Ryder
’
s face was tight with irritation. He reached out
,
taking hold of Dusty
’
s arm
. T
ucking his hand into the waist of her skirt, he pulled her into the trough with him.

“
Ain
’
t nothin
’
gonna get done on this ranch with them two goin
’
at it all the time,
”
Hank mumbled under his breath to Feller. The smile on his face told the top hand
that
the boss favored his daughter getting a talking
-
to from somebody other than her father for once.

“
Ryder won
’
t put up with her poutin
’
the way the rest of us do,
”
Feller told him.
“
Wisest investment you ever made was payin
’
that boy to cowboy for you again.
”
Mounting up, they rode away to leave Dusty to fend for herself in her battle with Ryder.

Dusty stood up, coughing and sputtering. Wiping at the water in her eyes, she met Ryder
’
s angry glare with one of her own.
“
You!
”
was all she could exclaim.

“
Now, listen here, sugar,
”
Ryder began, pointing an index finger
in her face
.
“
I know I
’
ve been gone a long time and that you want my attention
—”

“
What?
”
Dusty shouted, completely in awe at his conceited remark.

“
But your daddy
’
s payin
’
me good money to work for him
,
and you know that when I take a man
’
s money, I work hard! There
’
s plenty of time for your horsin
’
around when the day
’
s through. You wanna play with me, Dusty? Then yo
u wait ’til my workday is done—j
ust like it used to be.
”
Dusty could only stand panting with fury and indignation.
“
I
’
m glad we agree,
”
he muttered, nodding triumphantly.

Dusty
’
s vexation was at an explosive level. She raised her hand to slap him for teasing her
, b
ut he caught her hand and grabbed the other. Holding them at her back, he pulled her body to his. Instantly, Dusty felt the anger draining from her to be replaced by a thrill she hadn
’
t experienced since…

“
Don
’
t you raise your hand to me, girl,
”
he exclaimed. She saw a hint of mischief flash in hi
s eyes as he attempted to frown—but
an amused grin spread across his face.
“
I can take you on anytime.
”
He gently pushed her backward. Losing her balance, she sunk into the water once more.
“
Now, you sit there and cool off. Your temp
er’s even worse than I remember.”
Stepping out of the trough, he took his horse by the bit and sloshed off toward the bunkhouse.

“
Never turn your back on a woman, boy,
”
he chuckled as he left Dusty sitting in the trough.

Looking around to see if anyone witnessed her impetuous and now humiliating act of vengeance toward Ryder, Dusty rose from the trough, lifted her heavy skirts, and climbed out. She continued wringing the water out of her skirts and petticoats and tried to ignore Becca casually walking toward her on her way to the chicken house.

“
And to think,
”
Becca muttered as she passed her sister,
“
he ain
’
t even been here one whole day!
”

Dusty was furious. She was also
delighted. No! She was furious!
Reaching down and unlacing her boots, she tossed them aside and stripped off her stockings as well. She was so determined to remain angry
s
he didn
’
t care who saw her strip off her stockings. Reaching up and pulling the pin from her hair, she gave it reprieve from
the
tightly
wound
knot
. Running her fingers through her hair, she relished the feel of the morning
breeze as she fairly ran away from the house and toward the waterfall
feeding
the creek some distance off.

She hadn
’
t been to the pond and falls for ages. It was about time she took a moment for herself. Angrily, she plodded along, trying to think of every unlikable character flaw possessed by Ryder Maddox. To think she
’
d cried tender tears over him the night before! She growled to herself as she let her skirt and petticoats drop to the ground near the falls. After all, she reminded herself, she was already soaked and wet. What did it matter if she went wading now?