Free Land of Enchantment by Janet Dailey Page B

live in.
    She wouldn't let the distances daunt her, not even when Lije turned off the main road on to a dirt one and several miles later turned off of it on to a two-rutted track that led off into the mountains.
    'This is the ranch,' he announced. His grey eyes left the land around them to look at his wife. There was so much pride and contentment in his gaze that Diana had to smile.
    'It's like something out of a Western movie.'
    There was not a cloud in the azure blue sky or a telltale mark of civilization to blot its horizon. Snowcapped mountain peaks sloped away to plateaux, mesas and rolling plains where patches of snow melted slowly in the shadowed areas of grass. The rutted track stretched endlessly into these hills without a sign of any buildings. The emptiness, isolation, the immense space all struck Diana simultaneously. Gone was the security of tall skyscrapers and crowds of people that had constituted her life. Lije had told her that his ranch was miles from anywhere, but the force of his statement didn't sink in until now.
    At last they topped a rise and the buildings of the ranch were ahead of them. As they drew closer, Diana could see a weathered one-storey house standing away from the outbuildings. The fact that it had more windows than the others was the only difference between them. All the buildings were a dirty white, their paint chipped and peeling.
    'The first trip into town I'll buy some paint,' Lije said grimly. 'I assure you the framework is sound and sturdy.'
    'Don't do it for my sake,' Diana said quickly, glancing up to meet the masked expression on his face, wondering if her disappointment had shown on her face. 'If you need the money for something else, don't worry about making an impression on me.'
    'The money will stretch to cover paint. Just because the ranch isn't as prosperous as it could be it's no sign that it can't look that way.' Lije smiled down at her, removing his arm from around her and gradually slowing the pick-up down to a halt near the first of the buildings. 'I'll put Buck away, then we'll go up to the house together.'
    Diana slid out of the pick-up after Lije, following him to the rear where the horse trailer was hitched. This was a homecoming for her husband. She could tell it by the light glowing in his eyes when he looked at the corral and the horses inside. They were his. Everything on the place belonged to him and the pride of ownership was in his face. But Diana felt out of place, a stowaway who had no business here at all. She touched her gold wedding band to reassure herself. Lije had enough to worry about without bringing up her insecure feelings. She had always been able to adjust to anything. And now, as his wife, she had even more reason.
    The breeze was cool, carrying the sting of biting cold from the mountain tops. Diana drew her blue corduroy parka closer around her neck as she followed Lije to the corral. While he was engaged in caring for the horse, she took the opportunityto study the ranchyard, determined to become familiar with everything. A movement was detected out of the corner of her eye and she turned to look. A man was walking out of a near building. He had jet black hair that hung over his forehead and his cheekbones were wide and prominent, setting off the deep-sunk dark eyes. He, too, had on a heavy parka jacket over faded blue levis. At first she thought he was of Mexican descent, but as he came closer Diana could tell he was an Indian.
    'Lije?' Her voice raised with a trace of questioning fear. She glanced at her husband.
    Lije was just shutting the corral gate when she called to him. Following the direction of her gaze that she had returned to the Indian still walking closer, his firm stride quickly carried him past Diana towards the man. She braced herself, expecting to see Lije order the man off the property, then stared in stunned disbelief as he clasped the Indian's hand in both of his and shook it warmly. Lije's broad back blocked out the