Courtship of the Recluse

In the next month, her schedule became routine. Once the floors had been waxed and the furniture polished, the house sparkled - in an empty kind of way. The work was rewarding, though, as the house began to take on a homey atmosphere. If only there were some curtains on the windows and rugs on the floors.

The house wasn't the only thing changing, though. Both occupants were gaining a healthy glow...and gaining was the operative word. Cade had put on enough weight to take the hollows out of his cheeks, making him look a good ten years younger. As for Cynthia, her cheeks weren't the only things filling out. All her dresses now fit snugly across the bust, and even her skinny legs were beginning to have some attractive curves. Some of the money she had saved would have to go into new clothing - and soon.

Cade was slowly emerging from his shell, but the cat was still as wild as ever. Scraps from the table coaxed him out even during the daylight hours - but only when she stepped back into the house. She watched from the family room window as he wolfed the food - a habit that had prompted Cade to dub him Scruffy. It was another indication of that underlying humor. If only he would smile with something besides his eyes.

The weather grew intermittently warmer and on one of those sunny warm days, Cade invited her to pack a lunch and join him in a ride on the ranch. The idea was especially welcome, as she had become so organized that cleaning took no more than half the day.

Cade selected a bay mare for her and then reluctantly surrendered the duty of saddling. When Cynthia finished tightening the cinch and lowered the stirrup, she turned to find him watching her. His eyes expressed approval and the thin lips twitched in what she had grown to accept as a smile - fleeting as it was. She wrinkled her nose at him.

"I know. I'm slow."

"The job is done - and done correctly."

That was as close to praise as she was likely to get from him and she smiled her appreciation. Tucking a toe in the stirrup, she swung up into the saddle. Cade mounted a gray gelding and they headed out across the treeless hills.

After nearly an hour of riding, they descended the steep walls of a draw and followed it to a small valley. Protected from the harsh winter storms, the valley was already lush and green. The valley was speckled with healthy Angus cattle. Here and there, calves frolicked with each other, kicking their heels in the air and bellowing their delight at the balmy weather. The adults ignored them, grazing contentedly on the deep grass.