Much Ado About Mavericks Read Online Free Page A

papers from his briefcase.  “Have a seat.”  He glanced nervously to his left where Jake sat, but didn’t look her in the eye.  Ben wouldn’t have been too surprised if Jake hadn’t scared the hell out of the poor diminutive man.  She was a bit alarming. 
    “You ready, Miss O’Keefe?” Callison asked, a quiver in his tone.
    “I’m here, ain’t I?  and my name’s Jake, you fool.”
    The lawyer cleared his throat.  “Yes, well . . .”  His hands shook so vigorously , Ben wouldn’t have been surprised if he ripped the will in two.
    “Have some coffee, Mr. Callison,” Suzanne offered.  “And Mama makes the best gingersnaps.  They’ll calm your nerves.”
    “Thank you,” he said, taking the cup. 
    As the coffee sloshed, Ben silently praised Suzanne for having the foresight to fill the cup only half full.  “Let’s hear the will, Callison.  I plan to be gone from here a week from today.”
    “Yes, well . . .”
    Jake scowled, and Ben felt like doing the same.  He leaned back and nodded his head toward the nervous little man.  “Read it.”
    Callison picked up the papers again, rattling them as before.  He finally quieted himself and began to read.  “I, Ezra Lawrence, bequeath all my holdings to Benjamin Stoddard Lawrence under the following stipulations and conditions.”
    Stipulations?  Ben leaned forward, alert.  He wouldn’t put any sort of vindictiveness past his father.
    “Ben must work the ranch as a hand for three months, including roundup.  He must rope and brand at least one-fourth of the calves, and participate in all aspects of the ranch operation.”
    “Oh, that’s mean!” Suzanne protested.  “Ben’s lived in the city for the last thirteen years.”
    Ben clenched his jaw to keep from scoffing.  This sort of frivolity would never hold up in any court of law.  “Let the man read the rest of it, Suzanne.  And don’t worry.”
    “Ben must keep Jake O'Keefe on as foreman for at least one full year.”
    Jake jumped up.  “Well, I ain’t staying past March.  Me and Ben done worked that out.”
    “Sit down, Jake,” Ben said quietly.  “Keep going, Callison.”
    “If she doesn’t stay, she’ll not be given clear title to the ranch land she’s been working for the past three years and calls the Circle J.”
    “Aw, that’s bullsh . . .”  She tilted her head toward the ladies and muttered, “Excuse my French.”
    Ben motioned for Jake to sit down, which, thankfully, she did.  “Don’t worry, you’ll get your ranch , one way or another.”  He nodded at Callison, who cleared his throat again.
    “Jake O'Keefe is responsible for seeing that Ben lives up to the terms and conditions of this document.”
    “I ain’t no damned nursery maid,” she muttered.
    “And I’m not a child,” Ben replied, just as quietly, his jaw still clenched.  It was apparent that his father’s final blow was to see to his son’s humiliation by being bested by a woman.  Well, that wouldn’t happen.  He stood.  “So, is that it?”
    Callison glanced up, then back to his papers, his hands shaking again.  “Uh, no.  There’s more.”
    Ben forced himself to sit down again.  “Go on, then.”
    “Suzanne must be married by the end of the year.”
    His sister sprang to her feet and yelled, “And exactly to whom?”  She stared at her mother and back to the attorney.  “The only man around here of interest isn’t here at all—he’s on a trip to Europe and won’t be back until next spring.”
    Callison picked up a gingersnap, but in his nervousness, broke it into pieces in his lap.  “Uh, I didn’t make up the terms and conditions—I only wrote up what Ezra said.”  He whisked the crumbs onto the floor. 
    Ben watched his mother frown at the man’s lack of couth.  She, in fact, had not yet been addressed.  Since Callison didn’t seem to be finished, they might as well learn what good old Pa had in mind for her.  “And Ma—what does it say about