Free The Rancher by Kelli Ann Morgan Page B

above the murmur of the quickly growing crowd and the hoots and hollering from the tussle happening next door. “If you’ll just listen for a moment.”
    “What ya doin’, Abby?” a voice called out from somewhere in the crowd.
    “Why, it’s not proper to have a young lady act like—“
    “What young lady?” Someone else yelled out before the woman could finish.
    “Why ya wearin’ that getup, Abby?

    Ain’t never seen ya in a dress before.”
    Abby blushed.
    Laughter exploded through the crowdand the sudden roar of conversation made
    it nearly impossible for Abby to continue.
    She couldn’t tell which comment came from where and she realized she wouldn’t
    accomplish her task if she didn’t focus crowd’s attention.   She pulled out the small pistol she’d hidden in the folds of her dress and aimed it directly above her. When she fired, the crowd fell silent.
    “Now, that’s better.”  Abby tucked the gun back into her skirt.  She tried to think of how Lily would act in this situation.  She looked around for her friend, but she’d disappeared.   Abby placed her hands together in front of her and pushed her shoulders forward, tilting her head

    slightly to one side as she’d seen Lily do
    before.
    “Gentlemen,” Abby began again, “well, except for those two of course,” smiling sheepishly, she pointed to the two Spencer boys now being held at their necks by a different newcomer.  The crowd laughed as the boys kicked and squirmed in the man’s grasp.  Silver Falls didn’t get many strangers and she guessed these two had come together.
    “The SilverHawk is a large spread with plenty of work to be done.  Some of the finest horses in the territory have been bred out of our ranch and many more will come.”  She dared a glance at the stranger standing just a few heads back, and took heart at the intrigue dancing about his features.   Her throat, suddenly dry,

    struggled with the words she must force
    out.
    “I need a good Christian man who will take a more...,” she paused glancing over the men in the crowd trying to anticipate their reaction, “...active role on my ranch.”
    A low, long whistle came from the
    crowd.
    “What exactly are ya talking about, Miss Abby?” an older man wearing a faded   plaid   shirt   under   dull   red suspenders called up to her.  She smiled at him with what she hoped was an endearing curve of her lips.
    “I’m gettin’ to that Matthew,” she stopped, took a deep breath, and exhaled slowly.  Returning a smile to her face, she pulled her shoulders back and straightened

    her spine, focusing on the few she thought acceptable choices. “I need a man with some experience breeding horses and running a ranch.” She swallowed.
    “I thought   you   was the one that did all them things at SilverHawk,” Benjamin Spencer called out, still in the clutches of the second stranger.   Laughter erupted from the group and he plastered a satisfied grin across his face.
    Abby gulped back her nervous giggle when the second stranger kneed Ben in his hind end.   His face scrunched up with mock indignation.
    “What I mean to say, is that I am offering to share my stakes in the SilverHawk ranch with the man who’ll be...my husband,” she breathed out the last with resignation of her dignity.

    “When did you get yerself hitched, Abby?”
    Abby grunted in frustration.  “It’s the husband part that I still need, Marcus. Today.”  She was sure her racing heart indicated she was dying.
    A loud guffaw came from the front
    row.   Abby blinked when she saw Jeremiah Carson actually laughing at her.  “You just couldn’t leave well enough alone could ya, Abby? No man’s gonna marry a girl like you.  Not until you decide to be what a wife should.”
    “And just what is that, Mr. Carson?”
    “A woman.  Hell, Abby, you can’t even wear a dress without coverin’ it up with