Grand Prairie Ranch by Anysia Eaton (i can read books .TXT) 📕

up to her, “Do you need some help?”
“No, I’m fine” replied Penelope sourly.
Sam just stepped back away from her.
Penelope tried again and tired to move it towards her, it fell straight off the pile and on top of her. Knocking her down. Sam pushed his fork into it from the side and lifted it off her and to where it’s supposed to be.
“I’ll get them down, you can move them to where they need to be” said Sam.
Penelope starred at him with anger in her eyes. She did what he said and within the next hour they had moved all they need to move.
That evening everybody was sat around the fire, going around clockwise it went, Mr Smith, Penelope, Mr Freeth-Cartwright, Sam, and then the other rangers.
“Now, the time of the year is here for us. The herd needs to moved to the shipping yard. There we can sell them probably for more than last year. We are going to need 100 percent effort from everyone if we are going to succeed in this. We leave a week tomorrow. I believe your team is ready Mr Smith” announced Mr Freeth-Cartwright.
“Of course, you and I and the eight blokes.” Replied Mr Smith.
“I thought you said I could join you this year?” asked Sam.
“I am very sorry lad, but not this year, maybe next year. Now we don’t have Miss Elecart we have no one to care for the other horses while we are gone.” Replied Mr Smith.
“What about Miss Penelope?” asked Sam.
“Even though she offered to help out around the place, she is far too new to be the only person here” replied Mr Smith.
“I’m sorry my old boy” said Mr Freeth-Cartwright as he stood up patting Sam on the back and then walked towards the house. Mr Smith also stood up as well as all the rangers apart from Sam. Penelope just sat there looking at the fire. She then slowly got up and headed towards the house. She stopped at the front door and looked back at the camp fire where Sam had stood up and had started kicking the dust on the floor about with frustration.
A week later it was the time for all the rangers to head off. Penelope and Sam were stood with their fathers. Mr Freeth-Cartwright gave his daughter a hug and kissed her on the forehead. He then climbed on his horse as the other rangers did the same. Both Penelope and Sam stepped back as they galloped off leading the herd of cattle. When they were out of sight. Sam turned to Penelope and said, “I know we got off on the wrong foot, but if we are going to be running this ranch we’re going to need to work together not separately. So can we start from fresh.”
“Ok. For the sake of my father’s ranch I will work with you.” Replied Penelope. She turned to go inside when Sam grabbed her arm and shouted “look”
She turned to where he was pointing. On the horizon was another person on a horse.
“That will be Ernest from your uncles ranch, so as you are the only heir to both of the ranch’s you can talk to him” said Sam started to go inside.
“Stay right where you are. I know nothing of another ranch, so I’m going to need your help” replied Penelope.
The person on the horse reached them. He jumped down off his horse. He looked no older than twenty years of age. He had a face that looked like it had been carved by angels and lush black hair. You could see his muscularly stomach through his top. He walked to Penelope and said, “I am here to see Mr Freeth-Cartwright. I am Ernest Carhipe, I am one of the rangers at Grand Dessert ranch.”
“I am afraid Mr Freeth-Cartwright is not here” replied Penelope.
“And may I know the name of the beauty that stands in front of me?” asked Ernest kissing Penelope’s hand.
“I am Penelope Freeth-Cartwright. The one and only daughter of Mr Freeth-Cartwright. And I am very sorry but my father has only just left to deliver the cattle” replied Penelope.
“That is actually what I needed to talk to him about. His brother sends him this letter.” Said Ernest giving Penelope a letter from out of his pocket.
Penelope gave it straight to Sam.
“You will make more sense of it then me” said Penelope to Sam.
“If you are the daughter then why is it that a ranger would know more that yourself?” asked Ernest.
“I only a week and half ago arrived here for the first time from London, England. So I therefore know little of proceedings” replied Penelope.
“Miss Penelope, I think you should read this.” said Sam giving her the letter back.
The letter read-
My dear brother, I have just had news of a terrible accordance in the antipadies. I suggest you take a new route along the side of the canyon. There at this very moment a gang of thugs killing rangers passing there with their cattle, and stealing what cattle survive the terrible attack
“We need to get this letter to them” said Penelope as she rushed to the horses.
Sam looked blankly at her.
“Well, are you coming?” asked Penelope.
Sam rushed over and got out his horse and Penelope got out hers. They both got up on to their horses, and trotted over to Ernest.
“Are you joining us?” asked Penelope to him.
“Of course” replied Ernest jumping back on to his horse smiling at Penelope. Penelope plainly just smiled back. They galloped off into the distance. They galloped for miles and when the sun finally set.
“This is where we will catch them if we keep going through the night” shouted Ernest to the others.
“Are you mad we won’t be able to see where we are going?” asked Penelope.
“You want to help your father do you not?” asked Ernest in response.
“Of course” replied Penelope.
“Then this is what we have to do, even if we are only trotting they would have stopped for the night” said Ernest.
“As soon as the visibility has gone we trot” shouted Sam.
They did exactly that. When the dark fell they started trotting. Through the night they found no one. When the sun rose, each one of them was extremely tired.
“We need to keep going” shouted Ernest.
“It is going to kill us but ok.” Replied Penelope.
At noon, Penelope spotted a group of cattle.
“Look there is some cattle, that might be them” shouted Penelope.
As they got closer they could see a group of people obviously stopped to have dinner. Among them she could see her father.
They sat pretty much in a circle, they were talking.
“So what do you think of my daughter?” asked Mr Freeth-Cartwright.
“A beautiful young lady just like you had said, Mr Freeth-Cartwright. A charmer.” Replied Mr Smith.
“I hope she can cope out here, she is the only heir to both me and my brother so she will end up the owner of both ranches, when both of us kick the bucket.” Commented Mr Freeth-Cartwright.
One of the other ranchers spotted Penelope, Sam and Ernest on the horizon. He stood up and said, “Is that you daughter with Sam over there?”
Mr Freeth-Cartwright looked over and saw Penelope, Sam and Ernest heading over. He and Mr Smith rushed over.
“You are supposed to looking after the ranch.” Said Mr Freeth-Cartwright as Penelope, Sam and Ernest all jumped off their horses. Penelope walked up to him and said, “You received a message from your brother, father. We thought it was important that you received it.”
She got out the letter and handed it to him. He read the letter and passed it on to Mr Smith.
“Sir, what shall we do? If we don’t go this way we won’t get the cattle there in time” commented Mr Smith.
“We have to continue, if we don’t we’ll lose everything” replied Mr Freeth-Cartwright.
“But, father, what if it is true and they are camped there and still are there. They could kill you.” Said Penelope.
“It may be a chance we have to take, Penelope, if we don’t get these cattle to the boat in time we won’t have anything to live for anyway” replied Mr Freeth-Cartwright.
“Then I’m coming with you” said Penelope.
“No, the last thing I want to see is you getting hurt. You and Sam are to go back to the ranch immediately” replied Mr Freeth-Cartwright.
“But...” started Penelope when Mr Freeth-Cartwright interrupted “Penelope, no. Go back to the ranch immediately. We will join you back at the ranch when we have delivered the cattle. Now go”
“Father...” started Penelope again when he shouted back, “Go”
“No. You have never been around for the whole of my life. Every year I would have to listen to all my friends brag about what they did with their fathers while I had to say, I only saw mine at Christmas, and that was only for two days. Mother always had to say, he’s doing what he needs to do to feed us. When I came here I hoped we could make up for all of that time, but no, instead you going to leave me and go on a trail that could kill you” Shouted Penelope.
“Penelope, stop it.” Shouted Mr Freeth-Cartwright slapping her around the face.
Tears came up in Penelope’s eyes as she placed the palm of her hand on her bright red cheek. She turned around and slowly walked to her horse.
“Penelope” said Mr Freeth-Cartwright not believing he’d just hit her. She just ignored him and got on to her horse.
“Sam, are you coming?” asked Penelope nearly crying.
Sam walked to his horse and climbed on it.
“Penelope. Be careful on your way back” said Mr Freeth-Cartwright.
Ernest walked over and said, “I will escort her back to the ranch, sir and see she gets there safely.”
“Penelope, please say something” begged Mr Freeth-Cartwright walking to Penelope.
Penelope just looked away from him practically crying and then started her horse going. Sam slowly followed just to be followed by Ernest.
“Penelope” repeated Mr Freeth-Cartwright.
Mr Smith came over to him, and said “She’ll come round”
Mr Freeth-Cartwright didn’t reply.
The next day, Penelope, Ernest and Sam arrived back at the ranch. They put their horses away, and feed all the horses remaining at the ranch. They did all of it in silence. Once they had done Sam started “Miss Penelope, I’m sure your father...” started Sam when Penelope interrupted “I do not want to talk about it”
“Penelope, would you feel better if I were to catch up with your father and protect him at all costs?” asked Ernest.
“A little” replied Penelope quietly.
“Then for you, I will go and catch up with your father, and risk life and limb to make sure he gets back to the ranch safely” mentioned Ernest as he took Penelope’s hands.
“Thank you” thanked Penelope kissing him on the cheek. Straight away he kissed her on the lips.
“You’re welcome” replied Ernest as he walked to his horse.
Penelope and Sam watched as he galloped off. Both of them stood there even after they could no longer see Ernest.
“Miss Penelope...” started Sam when Penelope interrupted “I’ll see you in the morning Sam, and you can just call me Penelope”
Penelope headed inside, followed a few minutes later by Sam.
(Continued...)