Gritty Times in Wyoming Pt. 03

"I am into my fourth year as an American citizen darling so I no longer speak English. We require a payment of $50,000 from you as a contribution towards the administration of your grotesquely huge fan club."

"Sorry Amelia I'd rather use that money on legal fees to cancel my contract with you."

"Oh in that case sweetie why don't I drop that stupid contribution idea? Are we agreed this ends this matter?"

"Yes."

"Thank you Skye. You are such a lady. Have a nice day. Bye."

Later that day Skye received a call about at problem at the other end of the spectrum. It was from her bank.

"Miss Brock, Harold Radcliff, director of personal banking at your branch of Wells Fargo Bank. We have a very big problem with your account but a problem of the best kind."

"Oh."

"Yes it has too much money in it, placing us in breach of regulations."

"Oh."

"May I send an investment representative around to discuss this problem with you?"

"Well okay but I'm living on a ranch in remote Wyoming right now."

"Oh."

"Look Harry, who don't you slap the overflow into an investment accounts at a decent interest rate for me. Can I trust you to do that for me?"

"Miss Brock."

"Yes Harry?"

"Oh never mind. I really don't believe you understand the size of this problem. Could you please repeat that request now that I am recording this message? Please identify yourself giving your account number and the date and time and your location."

"You have all that stuff Harry and at present I don't know what the date is let alone the time. Please just invest the overflow from my principal account into investment accounts at your best rates. Thank you. Oh by the way, what is the amount required to be diverted from my principal account?"

"Here it is, $1,632,300."

"Oh really? Give me your email address Harry and I'll confirm my instruction. Then you advise what has been done. I really must hire an accountant to manage my affairs. This stuff is becoming such a distraction. I'm an author, not a businessperson but thanks Harry for your kind intervention. Have a nice day."

Now utterly distracted, Skye thought she had no right to posses so much money because she really had no idea about money. She just knew how to spend it but only a few hundred dollars at a time. And then she remembered something, the partial collapse of the 15-year-old pole hay barn out by the Curtis Creek cabin that had occurred during a windstorm while she'd been in Chicago recently.

She asked Glenys if it were okay if she saddled a horse and rode over to see how Les and Myra were getting on rather than just phoning them.

"Yes go to it. I suggest you take Baron. He's in need of a good run."

Twenty minutes later Glenys smiled when she saw Skye haring down the track, bent low and Baron at full stretch.

Myra came running out and kissed Skye and took the reins.

"You came up our track like grease lightening. I didn't know you could ride."

"Yeah a bit. When it thaws Glenys is taking me on some of the tracks on the foothills and then in summer up the mountain camping. You should come with us."

"Oooh yes please. Go in a chat to Len. He comes out of that shoulder harness tomorrow so is champing at the bit. I'll walk the gelding to cool it off."

The conversation was about hay barn replacements. And when Myra came in and learned about that she hunted out the plans and specifications.

* * *

On Friday morning at 8:30 just as Fergie was about to go out and check on the boys clearing out some main drains with the big backhoe, Ryan had been out with some pals and had not yet arrived home, the rancher said, "What the hell?"

He went to the window and squinted. "Three trucks are coming up the track. One with poles, one with timber bracing, the third with more poles and what looks like roofing. Stupid jerks, they've got the wrong ranch."

"Don't abuse them and tell them the best place to turn around to return down the track."

"I know what to do Glenys. You attend to breakfast."

The lead driver leaned out his open window and said, "Good morning to you Fergie."

"Bruce you old skunk. You must have known you were coming on to the wrong property."

"Oh yeah. Were you drinking too much last night? You asked for delivery by 8:30 Friday morning."

"Oh yeah?"

"Yeah. Here's the consignment docket. One Atlas F26B pole barn kit delivered to the site on your property next to the partially collapsed old barn near the Curtis Creek cabin. The F26B is half as big again as the one it's replacing."

"Someone is pulling your tit."

"Well that's odd. That person pulling our tit paid the $47,320 including delivery and including 9-yards of concrete and steel mesh delivered on site to extend the present concrete pad."

"What who the hell worked out the quantities?"

"Len Williams and he applied for the permit, copy attached, and here's the receipt for the person who fronted up with the cash."

By this time Glenys and Ryan, who had just arrived home, were listening.

Bewildered and punchy because something was going on he didn't know about, Fergie grabbed the documentation from Bruce and read who the receipt was made out to.

"Skye!" he bellowed.

"Skye rode out almost an hour ago, saying she was riding up to the Curtis Creek cabin," Glenys said.

"I'll fucking wring her neck," yelled Fergie. "Wait for me Bruce. I'll grab my hat and jacket and put on my boots."

"We're coming too," cried Glenys and Ryan.

"You go in the other trucks," Fergie ordered. "Christ this has completely upset my Saturday."

"Actually it's Friday but why?" Glenys asked. "Generous Skye has given us a big hay storage kitset."

"I don't know why I'm upset," Fergie growled. "Perhaps I'll know when I cool down. This ranch is not a fucking target for charity."

"Ferguson, you behave yourself. I'm ordering you to stay cool and listen to what that darling girl has to say for herself."

"Better listen to the wife Fergie."

"Bruce pull your head in. What is this, get Fergie day?"

Skye had taken Kismet with Glenys' permission to get out to the cabin on the fastest horse. Kismet could walk-run-walk all day. She was an absolutely amazing horse, the best the Skye had ever ridden. Glenys had purchased Kismet as a yearling, using some of the money Fergie's late father had left to her and before he died he'd told Glenys where to go in Colorado to buy a decent horse for a lady who liked to ride over rough terrain fast and would outlast any Quarter Horse.

She was sitting talking to Kismet when she heard the trucks coming on the roughly formed track. She smiled and anticipated that Fergie would be out to kick her butt.

CHAPTER 5

Some sixty neighbors plus Skye's parents were gathered in the new hay barn for lunch one Sunday and as the drinks began to flow Skye said to Glenys, "Where are the Len and Myra."

"They're coming, just a little late obviously," Glenys said. "Oh darling could you help Eva cut the ham."

"Only one person can cut ham at a time."

"Just relieve her please darling."

That got Skye into the deep of the 80 foot high building with its clearance of 17 feet to allow the mechanical stacker to lift and stow the big round 1200 lb bales of hay three high.

Outside, Ryan indicated to Len Williams to drive his pickup pulling a horse float into the reserved gap alongside the wall behind which Skye was slicing ham off the bone.

When everyone had a drink in his or her hand, the district's 'elder statesman' Billy Johnston tapped his walking stick on a trestle table and called, "Hush you lot. I have been asked to speak."

"I welcome you all here today on behalf of the Hobbs' family. And why do I include Skye in that family? Because she has been adopted by the family, giving them no option, and Saturday night next week Skye and Ryan Hobbs will hold their engagement party in the hay barn by the house rather than way out here."

Everyone applauded although the news was no secret because Glenys had been on the phone to everyone days ago.

"We especially welcome city slickers from Chicago, Skye's parents Dr Ralph Brock and his beautiful academic wife Heather, who was raised on an Illinois grain farm, to be our special guests today for the opening of the Skye Brock Hay Barn. I'm 82 and have never know a hay barn to be named after any person but then I'm not old enough to know everything yet."

"Skye financed this hay barn to make her contribution to this particular patch of land she has come to love. She told me she and Ryan had sex for the first time over there in that cabin, although I'm quite sure I'm not supposed to make that public knowledge," said Billy as the laughter erupted.

"Well that's me done and now Grizzly, oops I mean Fergie, will say a few words. In my view Fergie, as was his late father, both grew up to become two of Wyoming's finest sons."

"Thanks you old rooster," Fergie said. "What a great occasion this is, an act of immense generosity is behind this replacement barn and Skye even worked her butt off helping me and the boys get it up, ready for the summer's crop of new hay. Our best hay fields are out here under creek irrigation and having the extra square footage is a real bonus for us and we'll get 500 tons in here. What a great gain."

"Ralph and Heather we apologize for stealing your daughter but her heart is now here in Wyoming although she'd go to Chicago to visit you and you guys will always be welcome here. Well that's me done and enjoy our hospitality folk. I call Len Williams."

"Hi folk, you all know the story of how by her cool-headedness and amazing true grit, Skye saved me from becoming a one-arm rancher. My family and I have thanked Skye verbally for her heroic actions and now has come the time to really thank Skye. Come up here with me Skye. Okay Myra, bring her in and tell us what you are handing over to Skye who has become a very close friend of our family."

Myra came around the corner of the barn leading a magnificent chestnut horse.

The crowd went "Ooooh."

She was young, alert and held her head well.

"Skye meet your horse Maysun."

"Omigod," Skye yelled moving to meet Myra and horse.

Maysun pricked her ears forward and Skye stopped. As Maysun advanced she lowered her head to smell Skye and whinnied.

Skye cried, "Oh you beautiful darling and reached up and placed her arms around Maysun who stood quietly.

Myra continued. "Maysun is four and is ready to be ridden. Her name in Arabic means has a beautiful face. She was halter trained at two and saddle trained at three and the breeder's 11-year daughter has been the only rider and then only in recent months and only for short walks as part of conditioning for harder riding as Maysun matures."

"Now for the good bit," Myra said. "Maysun, spelt M-a-y-s-u-n is a half sister to Glenys fabulous Kismet. Their sire is the same stallion, a registered Arabian, but their dams were different registered Quarter Horses. Len and I had a hard job convincing the breeder to let us have Maysun but when we said she would be going to the same ranch as Kismet de la Sierra, the breeder burst into tears and she said "Take her" but despite that joy she still took our check. It's now been a big wrench for me to hand on Maysun because she's such a darling but she couldn't be going to a more wonderful owner."

That evening during dinner with Myra and Len Williams and their youngest daughter Ada as guests, Skye said, "Glenys this is only something Myra has floated so don't get upset. She wonders if it would look better if I stay over with her rather than here until the wedding, notwithstanding I've lived in the same house as Ryan periodically for seven months. Myra says I can have Coral's former room."

Glenys said carefully, "What did you tell Myra?"

"I thanked her for the suggestion, saying it was very generous but that my first loyalty was to you and I wanted to know what you thought. I must say Myra is not pushing this."

Glenys frowned and said, "My heart says no but my head says yes that it's a very sensible idea."

Skye said, "Then at least sleep on it."

"No let's decide now. Fergie?"

"It's in your decision Glenys. I'll support your decision."

"Ryan?"

"Skye and I discussed it. We agreed that many people around here and in town are conservative and with Skye coming into contact with more and more people we agreed it would be a better look if she were not known to be living here especially when the media arrive here for interviews on publication of her Wyoming book."

Glenys nodded. "Well yes exactly. It's a matter of perception from now in and I agree people beyond us here are establishing community relationships with Skye would see it as an issue of propriety Therefore Skye I suggest you accept Myra and Len's wonderful offer and the transfer if it does occur it has my complete support."

"Then it's done," Skye said. "Thank you Myra and Len and I also thank my dear Hobbs family for the manner in which you have always supported me since my oddball arrival seven months ago."

A minute later Myra said, "You and I have always been close Glenys and soon we'll even be closer in the physical sense."

The guys were talking and missed that comment but Skye heard it and she had no idea what it meant. Ryan arriving unasked to top up the water glasses diverted her. She missed the alarmed look that passed between Myra and Glenys.

"I'll shift over in the morning Glenys and Myra if that's okay. And I'll still come over to go riding Glenys because you and I have really bonded through are regular riding and so too will our horses. I can only give Maysun light work initially and she will probably follow us if I unclip her halter lead and call her. You said the breeder said she was used to doing that, right Len?"

"Yeah right and that horse is super intelligent from what I've seen."

TO BE CONTINUED...