Wyoming Tough - Diana Palmer [47]
“You okay?” Darby asked, worried.
“Sure, just winded.”
“Hey, Bates, come over here and help us!” he called to a young cowboy who’d just entered the barn.
“Sure thing,” he called. “Just let me put away this horse. Ms. Bruner went riding and I showed her some of the good paths.” He flushed, remembering how sweet that ride had been. “She’s a real nice lady.”
Darby and Morie gaped at him. He didn’t notice. He was still floating. Gelly had kissed him and whispered that she would do anything he liked if he would just do one little thing for her. All he had to do was place a priceless jeweled egg she’d taken from the Kirks’ living room in Morie’s rucksack. Such a small favor. She wasn’t going to get the girl in trouble; it had been Cane’s idea. It was a practical joke, nothing more…would he help? Of course he would!
He chatted to Morie as he helped them with the reluctant bull. Boy, was Miss Morie in for a surprise, he thought merrily. She was a good sport. He didn’t know why Cane wanted to play a trick on her, but then, he didn’t understand rich people and their senses of humor in the first place.
“Thanks, Bates,” Darby told him when they were finished. “You’re a good man.”
“No problem,” he replied. “I love ranch work, even the dirty bits.”
“Me, too,” Morie agreed, laughing. “It’s nice to be out in the open and not to work a nine-to-five job shut up in an office somewhere.”
“That’s why I like it here so much.” Bates nodded. “Good land, fine cattle, nice people.”
“Lots of nice people,” Morie agreed, and smiled at Darby.
He returned her smile. “Okay, back to work. We’d better leave before Old Stomper here finds a way to corner us and kick us. Had that happen before. He sure hates being touched.”
“Old Stomper?” Morie questioned when Bates had gone back to the horses.
“He likes to step on cowboys,” he explained. “Broke a man’s foot during roundup.” He shook his head. “He’s one bad customer. But he’s the best breeding bull we’ve got, so he gets pampered.”
“That’s Kirk’s Ransom 428, isn’t he?” she wondered aloud.
His eyes almost popped. “Yes, how did you know?”
“I, uh, look at sales papers.” She faltered. “I recognized him from his conformation.”
Darby was speechless.
“I’ve been around cattlemen all my life,” she said after a minute. “Certainly long enough to know a prize bull when I see one. I just didn’t recognize him while I was trying to keep from being shoved to death,” she added ruefully.
He gave a short laugh and gave up his suspicions. “Sure. I can understand that.”
“I guess I’d better get back out to the line cabin…”
“Miss Brannt!”
She and Darby turned at the cold and belligerent address.
“Yes, sir, boss?” she asked.
His eyes were as cold as his face was hard. “Come to the bunkhouse, please.” He turned and walked out.
“The bunkhouse?” she wondered aloud. She went out with Darby and noticed that Bates was smothering a grin.
Darby went with her. He knew the boss’s moods. That look was dangerous. He’d seen it be fore, when the cook, Vanessa, had been fired. He had a bad feeling and he looked at Morie with concern.
They walked into the bunkhouse. Mallory was there, with Ms. Bruner and Cane and Tank. None of them were smiling.
“Open your rucksack, please,” Mallory asked curtly.
She lifted both eyebrows. “Sure. But why?” she asked as she retrieved it from her room and handed it to the boss.
“Open it, please,” he repeated.
She shrugged, put it down on the table near the door and opened it. She pulled out clothing, books and…
Her expression was genuinely shocked. That was a replica of one of the famous Romanov Easter eggs that had originally been made for the czar of Russia and his wife. It was made of pure gold, which was going for over a thousand dollars a gram at current market prices, and studded with diamonds and sapphires, rubies and emeralds. It was worth a king’s ransom. She held it in her hand and gaped at it. She’d last seen it in the Kirks’ living room in a locked case. How…?
She turned and looked at them. Ms. Bruner wasn’t smiling, but there was a look