Chapter Fourteen
Mirabelle woke early the next morning to prepare the ranch hands' breakfast and their lunches. She started well before first light, for breakfast needed to be ready by the time the men were up. Sausages and eggs sizzled on the stove as their aroma filled the kitchen. Buttered toast and coffee would finish the meal.
As breakfast began to materialize on the table, Mirabelle could hear the ranch hands awakening and getting ready for the day. As she set the table and filled the cups with coffee, one by one the men appeared in the kitchen.
The first to enter was Joseph, who greeted Mirabelle then sat down at the table.
She returned his salutations as the others entered the kitchen. They greeted each other accordingly. Last to breakfast was Michael who came walking down the stairs from his bedroom.
"Morning, everyone," he said to them.
"Good morning, Michael," they replied.
As the ranch hands and Michael ate, Mirabelle made their lunches. When the ranch hands finished eating, Mirabelle handed them their lunches and watched them make their way to the barn and their horses. Michael continued to sit at the table.
"Mirabelle," he said to her, "after you've eaten and cleaned up, I'll show you around the ranch."
"Okay, Mr. Muller," she said to him.
"Michael," he said, correcting her.
"Michael," she said, nodding.
Michael then went outside. Mirabelle cleared the table and sat down to eat her breakfast. After she finished eating, she washed the dishes and then stepped outside to find Michael.
Wandering around the house, she found him in the garden weeding the fields.
"All done?" he asked her.
"Yes," she replied.
"Good," he said as he leaned on the hoe he had been using. "Well, this is the garden," he said to her as he spread his arms to his sides as though to embrace the plot. "My wife planted it back in the spring. It'll need some tending, which I expect you to do." Mirabelle nodded.
"You've seen the well on the other side of the house?" he asked her.
"Yes," she said.
"Good," he said as he put down his hoe, "The house has running water but the well can be used if the pump breaks down." He looked around him then said, "I guess it's off to the barn, then."
They walked to the barn. It was painted red with white trim, and was large and tall. It's black roof sloped up steeply. Mirabelle could see two large doors opening on each of its two stories. They walked inside. On the right were several stalls for the horses, two large bins, various equipment, tools, and tack, and a side opening into the silo. On the left was a large pen for the cattle; and above Mirabelle and Michael, on the second story, was a hay loft that had bales of hay scattered about. On the far end of the barn was a hay baler. Through the open far doors, Mirabelle could see a large flatbed truck.
"Can you ride?" asked Michael as they walked to three quarter-horses that rested in their stalls.
"A little," she told him, then continued, "I haven't for years, actually."
"We'll go slow," he told her as they headed for the riding equipment.
Carrying the blankets, saddles, and bridles, they returned to the horses and readied them. They then led them out through the barn's far doors and mounted them outside. Mirabelle and Michael slowly rode around the ranch as Michael pointed out the surrounding landforms, the property's boundaries, the stream on the north side, a foot trail, and two horse trails that led from the property into the hills. They then returned to the barn, led the horses to their stalls, undressed them and put back the equipment.
"These horses need to be fed at noon," Michael told Mirabelle as he placed hay in their racks. "Usually, I'll do it," he said to her, "but if I have to go to town or have something else to do, you'll have to do it." She nodded. "They also have to be given water," he continued, "There's a pump outside of the barn, close to the silo." She nodded again. They then walked back to the house and Mirabelle started to make them lunch.
"After lunch, you can get started on the laundry," he said to her as they sat down to eat, "There's a clothesline outside and in winter they can be hung downstairs." She nodded again. "And, if you have time before preparing dinner, you can tidy up the rooms."
"I can go into the ranch hands' rooms?" she asked Michael.
"Yes. They shouldn't mind," he said, "It'll be nice to see them neat and tidy again." Mirabelle nodded. She was in for a lot of work.
Michael continued, "Basically, we get Sundays off. Once whatever needs to be done gets done, we have the day free to ourselves. The cows stay on the ranch by the stream that day."
Mirabelle nodded. "At least we get a little rest," she noted.
"You can go to town or off the ranch with someone; or you can do a little riding, if that's what you'd like," he finished.
"Yes," Mirabelle answered, "I'd like that."
"Good," Michael said, "Well, I'm going to go put away that hoe and then go
check on the boys. See you at dinner." He walked off, waving goodbye.
"Bye," replied Mirabelle as she waved back and then put her plate in the sink. After searching the main floor, she found the laundry and headed down the stairs. As she started washing, she was already imagining what she'd do on Sunday.
