Journey of the Heart by Marjorie Farrell Read Free Book Online Page A

able to discourage quite well, thank you. And the antelope she’d seen in Kansas and the awful smell of Dodge City. “I am glad we raise sheep, Da,” she said with a laugh.
    “I prefer the woolly buggers meself, Cait.”
    The sophisticated eighteen-year-old didn’t completely disappear, however, thought Elizabeth as she listened to her daughter chatter on. Cait had matured and was clearly able to act the young lady, but her eyes were sparkling as she recognized familiar landmarks on the road and pointed out any changes she noticed. She was still their Caitlin and Elizabeth breathed a prayer of thanks that she was home.
    They drove through town on their way to the ranch. There was a group of cowboys standing around in front of the bank.
    “Who are those men, Da? They don’t look familiar to me.”
    “Those are Nelson Mackie’s hands,” Michael replied shortly.
    “Nelson Mackie?”
    “He’s been here a little over a year, Cait,” said her mother. “He bought land west of us and runs over five thousand head of cattle.”
    “Five thousand head! That’s a lot of cattle for around here, Da.”
    “It is, Cait, and he’d be happy to push off any small ranchers he could to make his spread bigger.”
    Cait heard the anger in her father’s voice. Just as she was going to ask him another question, she saw Mr. Turner, the banker, open the door for a short, stocky man in a well-cut gray suit. Mr. Turner shook his hand enthusiastically and Mackie, for that’s who she assumed it was, walked over to where his horse was tied. When he saw the Burke family going by he lifted his hat and waving it, started walking over to them.
    “Damn the man,” muttered Michael. “Can’t he be leavin’ me alone on a day like today?” He reluctantly pulled the horses up.
    “Hello there, Burke. This beautiful young woman must be your daughter just home from school. Mrs. Burke. Miss Burke.” He greeted them in a friendly enough manner, thought Caitlin.
    “Good afternoon, Mr. Mackie,” Elizabeth said politely.
    “Nelson Mackie, me daughter, Caitlin Burke.”
    Caitlin extended her hand and Mackie shook it. “It is a pleasure to meet you, Miss Burke,” he said. “I am sure your parents are glad to have you home from…?”
    “Philadelphia, Mr. Mackie.”
    “Ah, yes, Philadelphia. Well, lovely young women are scarce around here, Miss Burke. I am sure you will have no shortage of admirers.”
    “Thank you, Mr. Mackie,” said Cait, with a blush of embarrassment.
    “We’d better not keep the horses standing, Michael,” said Elizabeth, sensing the anger that was building in her husband. “Good day, Mr. Mackie.”
    Mackie tipped his hat to them and Michael slapped the reins on his horses’ backs.
    “He seems like a nice enough man, Da.”
    “Ay, he seems so, Cait. But let’s not be spoilin’ this beautiful day with talk of the likes of Mackie.”
    When Cait had arrived in the East, she had felt it to be almost another country. Now, although the train ride had given her another chance to absorb the change in scenery, home seemed the different country. How could one nation hold such extremes? she wondered. And how could she hold on to the memory of Philadelphia as she was claimed by the high desert that held all her memories?
    “Look, Da, there’s the rock I used to climb with Jimmy Murdoch. And there’s the road down to the Begay hogan.”
    “And here’s the turnoff for the ranch,” said Michael, “in case ye’ve forgotten it!”
    “Oh, no, I could never forget it. Not after riding out for the mail every week.”
    When they passed the far pasture, Finn whinnied at the passing wagon and trotted over to investigate.
    “Are you busy training the yearlings, Da? And where’s Heathcliff? He must be ready to be saddle broke by now.”
    As Michael hesitated, not wanting to tell her about the black on her first day back, Cait looked over at him and back at her mother and smiled. “It is a rather silly name for a horse,