Lily's Cowboys (3 page)

Gladys had risen when Lily had ordered moving towards the kitchen. She smiled at Maggie as she walked by her, “This one is a keeper. I say hire her if she needs a job. She is just what the boys need.” She whispered.

Maggie had been sitting in the booth watching the young girl as she looked over the menu. She could tell the girl was cold and hungry but probably didn’t have much money if her jacket was any indication. It was hardly appropriate for early October in Wyoming. When Maggie heard her ask Earl about a job she thought she had hit pay dirt. She stood up and walked over to the girl.

Maggie studied her closely for a minute before speaking. “I might know someone who’s looking for a housekeeper. My name’s Maggie Cunnings. Why don’t you sit down with me at the booth over there and we’ll talk for a bit?”

Lily studied the older woman for a moment before nodding. The woman looked to be in her late sixties or early seventies. It was hard to tell really as she had one of those ageless faces. Lily couldn’t believe her luck. She watched wide-eyed as the woman turned and went back to the booth she had been sitting at when Lily had first come into the diner. Lily quickly collected her canvas bag and picked up her water. When she turned to grab her cup of soup Carl had already picked it up and placed it on the table across from Maggie along with a cup of hot tea. Lily started to say she hadn’t ordered hot tea but her protest died when she saw Carl wink at her. Smiling her thanks, Lily turned to study the woman sitting across from her as she slid into the booth. Maggie continued to stare at her for a moment longer. Feeling a little self-conscious, Lily tucked a stray strand of her dark brown hair behind her ear.

“
So, you want to be a housekeeper?” Maggie began.

“
Yes, ma’am. My name is Lily. I have plenty of experience with maintaining a house and I’m an excellent cook. I am also very good with children.” Lily said earnestly. “I’m honest and dependable, too.”

“
Call me Maggie and I’m sure you are, dear. I can tell a lot from the way a person holds themselves if they are telling me the truth. The house you would be working at has three males in it. They are brothers. Ethan is the oldest, followed by Caleb and Allen. They aren’t easy to work for but they are good men. They’ve been through six housekeepers in the last eight months.”

Lily leaned back and stared into Maggie’s eyes thoughtfully. “If you ask me, it sounds like they haven’t found the right person for the job yet. I’m not afraid of hard work and it isn’t easy to drive me off, ma’am. I stay until the job is done. Do you mind me asking if they are married? Do they have any children who need tending?”

Maggie smiled at the old fashion term. “None of them are married and none of them have children, at least none that we know of.” Maggie said humorously. “It hasn’t been easy. All three of those boys need a strong hand to get them into shape. I’ve done the best I can over the past two months but I’m getting too old for this.”

“
Are you their housekeeper? Will they have a problem with you hiring me?” Lily asked curiously.

“
I’m their aunt. I’ve been helping out. Each one of those boys needs something different. They all have very distinctive personalities. Ethan works too hard and never takes time for himself. Caleb bottles everything up and it eats away at him. But the one needing the most help is Allen. He has a lot of anger he needs to work through. They have grown apart over the years and now can’t seem to be around each other for very long without losing their tempers and fighting.” Maggie said watching carefully for Lily’s reaction. She wondered if she was giving Lily too much information; information that would scare her off. Maggie let out a small prayer hoping Lily would be strong enough to accept the challenge. She felt it was only right Lily knew all the facts going into the position.

Lily smiled gently. “It really sounds like they need more than a housekeeper. They need someone who can help them become a family again.”

Maggie grinned with relief at Lily’s insight. “You might be right. Those boys need someone who won’t leave the first time they growl at them. They need to learn there is more to life than work or heartache. And, they need to learn how to be brothers again. They were very close growing up always hanging out with each other and supporting one another through all the scrapes they used to get into. It seems like they have forgotten that.”

Lily nodded. “Ma’am, Maggie, I need a job and it sounds like your boys need an experienced housekeeper who won’t take their growling personal. If you are willing to hire me I won’t disappoint you. I’ll stay as long as they need me.”

“
Well then, consider yourself hired! I need you to start as soon as possible. Are you staying in town? Can you start tonight?” Maggie couldn’t contain her joy at the prospect of Lily being at the ranch. Somehow, she knew Lily was the right one. If she didn’t know any better she would have thought she had been heaven sent as she fit her earlier prayer for an angel to help get those boys back in shape.

“
Actually, I just got off the bus and I haven’t found a place to stay or anything yet. All I have is what’s in my bag.” Lily nodded to the large canvas bag at her feet. Lily didn’t want to admit she didn’t have any money to stay anywhere and the thought of a nice warm bed was a welcome relief.

Maggie frowned looking at Lily’s jacket. “We need to get you a few things. Your jacket isn’t going to help keep you warm. We’ll head over to Pete’s Trader Stop before heading out to the ranch. They’ll have everything you’ll need.”

Lily shook her head, determination making her lips form a straight line. She never took anything without being able to pay for it. Her parents had raised her it just wasn’t right. “I’ll get it when I get my first paycheck. I have enough to keep me warm until then. I don’t want to take anything until I’ve earned it.”

Maggie studied the girl sitting across from her. She seemed so young but her eyes told a different story. “Child, how old are you? Do your parents know where you are?”

Lily smiled sadly. “I’m older than I look. My parents passed away a few years ago and I don’t have any other family. I’ve been on my own for a while now.”

Maggie’s eyes shone with compassion, “Well, let’s get you out to the ranch. I can show you the house tonight and if you don’t mind I’ll head out back to town tonight so I can get an early start in the morning. I miss my Albert something fierce, not to mention the warm, sunny weather of south Florida. Albert and I met there ten years ago when I moved there to get away from the cold Wyoming winters. I have to admit, I don’t miss them at all.”

Lily suddenly had a terrible thought. “Maggie, what if the men don’t like me? What if they fire me before I even have a chance to prove myself?”

“
Now, don’t you mind those boys. I’m the one hiring you so they can’t fire you unless I tell them they can. In fact, I will guarantee you the first three months salary plus living accommodations just for taking the job. How does that sound?”

Lily couldn’t help the relieved smile that curved her lips. “Like a plan. You won’t regret it, Maggie, I promise.”

“
Gladys, Carl, Earl, I’ve found a new housekeeper for the boys. I’m going to take her out to the ranch and get her settled in. If you don’t mind can I stay at your place tonight so I can head out early tomorrow morning for the airport? It will save me at least an hour’s drive.” Maggie asked as she gathered her things together.

Gladys smiled warmly at Lily before replying, “Any time, Maggie. You know that. The guest room has your name on it.” Maggie gave Gladys a quick kiss on the cheek and flushed when both Earl and Carl came up and gave her a kiss on the lips. Shaking her head at the two men she turned and grinned at Lily, a nice pink glow on her cheeks.

Lily gathered her bag and waited as Maggie put on her coat and gloves. Following the older woman out the door Lily turned at the last minute to look at Gladys, Carl, and Earl, “Thank you. The soup and hot tea were very good.”

Gladys leaned back into Earl’s arms and smiled up at both men, “I think those Cunnings’ men aren’t going to know what hit them.”

Carl leaned down and gave Gladys a kiss, “I think you’re right, dear. I think you’re right.”

Earl tightened his hold on Gladys and smiled, “I think they have finally met their match. I just hope they are smart enough not to throw her away.”

It took almost an hour to get to the ranch house. Lily looked out the window of the truck studying the white landscape dotted with evergreens. She loved the winter as much as she loved the other seasons. Each one had something special about it. In the spring the earth just seemed to come alive with new growth and new life. The summer was a time of sunshine and warmth, while the fall had all the colors of the earth mixed together. The winter though, it was special in its own right. The snow glistened like millions of diamonds scattered about and swirled with hidden colors only the sun could bring out. It was a time of warm fires, hot chocolate, and families being together. Sighing she turned when Maggie started telling her about the ranch. Lily listened carefully as Maggie explained how the ranch had been in the family for the past five generations with the first Cunnings coming out to settle the west by wagon train. They had stopped in Wyoming and settled. Since then, the ranch had grown and prospered over the years to encompass over a hundred thousand acres of wood, pasture, and cattle land. The ranch had passed to the boys when their parents had passed away in a plane crash ten years before. Ethan had only been twenty-three but he took over the reins of both the ranch and his younger brothers. Maggie was their aunt on their fathers’ side and had never married. A few years after she had moved to Florida and the warmer climate she had met a widower named Albert who she ‘dated’.

“
Now, child, tell me a little about you.” Maggie asked.

“
There’s really not much to tell. My parents died a few years back and I have moved around working as a housekeeper. I never leave until I’m no longer needed, so you don’t have to worry. One family I worked for just needed help until the mother had recovered from an illness. Another needed help with their young child. My last family needed help dealing with the death of one of the parents. Once the father remarried, I was no longer needed.”

“
How could they say you were no longer needed? Didn’t they care about you? What about what you needed?” Maggie asked curiously.

“
It’s alright. I knew I wouldn’t be in any of the homes for very long. A few months to a year is usually all it takes to get things back on track. I guess you can say I just stay until the family has healed. It’s for the best. I like meeting new people and this gives me the opportunity to travel and explore the world.” Lily replied calmly. She didn’t need Maggie to know how much it hurt to leave the children she had grown attached to or to see the love develop between the couples she had help to find their way. No, she accepted her time with each family as a precious gift. For just a little while, she would be a part of a family again. That was enough.

“
Well, we’re here. Now, don’t mind Allen. He has a surly mouth on him but he’s all bark. You remember that.” Maggie said as she pulled in front of the large two-story house.

Lily’s breath caught in her throat as she stared at the beautiful home. It had a huge wrap-around porch and a double door leading into the home. On the porch were several rocking chairs and small tables. The front of the house had a large window overlooking the drive. There was a large, red barn over to the far left. Following Maggie as she got out of the truck, Lily grabbed her canvas bag and held it to her chest. Her eyes were wide with wonder as she followed Maggie up the steps and into the house. Pausing in the doorway, she looked around the foyer. The house was an open design with a staircase curving up to the second floor. There was a balcony leading along the second floor that looked down into the spacious living room. On one wall was a huge fireplace but no fire in it. The back wall was nothing but windows looking out over the mountains.

Maggie removed her coat and gloves, hanging it on the jacket rack inside the door. “Upstairs are the main bedrooms. There are four upstairs and two downstairs. Ethan and Caleb each have a room upstairs. Allen’s was upstairs but since he came back he has been using the downstairs guest room. There is also the master bedroom but no one uses it yet. The other bedroom is off the kitchen and is for the housekeeper. That will be your room. I’ve been using it while I was here since I can’t get up those stairs the way I used too. I’ll throw the sheets in the washer before I go. There are more in the linen closet off the bathroom. There is a third floor but it is just an open attic used for storage. The house has seven bathrooms. Guess they figured with all the boys they needed a bathroom for each one and plus extras for any guests. Each room has its own bathroom so be prepared. I never did like cleaning the damn things. Downstairs there is the main living room, a family room off the kitchen on the east end of the house and the bedroom and office on the west side. There is also a den-slash-library. The basement access is through the kitchen, which also has a servant’s entrance for upstairs. You’ll find the washing machine and dryer down there as well as a sauna. Don’t worry about having to lug everything up and down those stairs; luckily they have a laundry chute and dumb waiter to haul stuff up and down. The boys were forever getting in trouble when they were younger. Once Allen and Caleb got mad at Ethan for bossing them around and put him down the laundry chute. They had locked the end though and he couldn't get out. His mama found him an hour later. Thought she was gonna rip the hide off those two younger boys. Next day, Ethan stuffed both boys in the dumb waiter and wouldn’t let them out.”