Last Chance Cowboys: The Drifter Read Online Free Page B

Maria heard the murmur of men’s voices. As much as she wanted to pursue Amanda’s last comment, she chose instead to shush her sister and hurry back to the window. Eduardo and the drifter—Chet—were standing outside the barn. By their posture, Maria was sure they also had heard something amiss.
    And then there was no more need to guess what that might be. The distant thunder of thousands of hooves told Maria exactly what had happened. Something or someone had spooked the cattle, and they were stampeding. Although the closest grazing fields were still some distance from the complex, there was no mistaking that sound. She could hear the night riders firing shots in the air to try to contain the herd. At the same time, the rest of the men came running from the bunkhouse. Their loyalty touched her, especially in light of the fact that they had not been paid in weeks and most of them had just come in off the trail and would need to be back out there in just a few hours. But she was even more impressed when she saw that the drifter did not hesitate to saddle his horse and take off after the others, his dog racing to keep up.
    â€œNow what?” Amanda demanded. She seemed very close to tears. “Roger Turnbull is gone, and there’s no one to take charge and Papa…” She burst into sobs.
    Maria sat on her sister’s bed and held her. “The men know what to do. It will be all right. Shhh.”
    â€œBut this ranch was everything to Papa and now…”
    â€œIt’s a stampede. We’ve been through them before, and this one is no different. Now pull yourself together, and go check on Mama and Trey while I get dressed.” She was already reaching for her riding pants and pulling them on, stuffing her nightgown into them like an oversized shirt. “Toss me my boots,” she said as Amanda headed for the hallway where Trey was just emerging from his room, a puzzled smile on his face.
    â€œWhat’s going on?”
    â€œIt’s a stampede, dummy,” Amanda barked as she flung Maria’s boots across the room and hurried down the hall. “Put down that book for once and make yourself useful.”
    Maria shook her head as, from long-standing habit, she shook out each boot before tugging it on just in case a scorpion or some other critter had decided to take a nap. Amanda had always treated Trey as if he were the healthiest member of the family and more of a laggard than someone who had been seriously ill for much of his young life. Certain that Amanda would watch over Trey and their mother, she ran to the kitchen.
    â€œAnd just where do you think you’re going, young lady?” Juanita demanded, already at the stove preparing the coffee the men would need once they had things under control.
    â€œTo do what I can to help. Where’s my blasted hat?”
    â€œDo not use that language in my kitchen, Maria Porterfield. You may think you’re one of the hired hands, but you are not. Do you understand me?”
    â€œYes, ma’am. Where is my hat?”
    â€œI hid it.” Her words were delivered with infuriating nonchalance.
    â€œWhy would you do that?”
    â€œBecause I had to think fast, and it was the only way I thought I might be able to stop you from going off half-cocked and getting yourself trampled to death.” Juanita handed her a cold biscuit and a cup for the tea already steeping in a pot on the kitchen table. “There are experienced hands out there, so you just need to sit yourself down. We’ll wait together for our boys to return. It’ll be daylight soon enough.”
    Reluctantly seeing the wisdom in Juanita’s words even if she was itching to get out there to help, Maria sat. And waited.
    A few hours later, they heard the creaking wheels of the chuck wagon outside the kitchen door. Eduardo entered the kitchen, and both women straightened. “Well?” Juanita demanded.
    â€œThey got the herd