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“It’s such a surprise to see you both,” Lucille said, hugging Emma and then Rosie. “What brings you to the ranch to brighten my day?”

“We’ve come for my mother’s recipe box. We attended the Methodist church ladies’ meeting yesterday and talked about the bake sale for the Firemen’s Tournament.

Rosie has it in mind to make as many different kinds of cookies as is humanly possible.

” Emma chuckled. “I can’t even begin to imagine what we’ll come up with, but I’ve already put Gary to work setting up an outdoor kitchen. ”

“What a marvelous idea. It’s much too hot to be doing all that baking indoors.

I plan to make a few things myself. Of course, we’re already pretty busy, and I’ll start cooking for roundup next week.

I hope to get ahead of things. We’re starting in on the twenty-fourth and will have over fifty men to feed.

If you and Rosie are free, I could sure use the help. ”

“We could come for a couple of days. Of course, we’ve pledged a great many baked goods to the sale, so we’ll have to have time to take care of that.”

“We plan to be finished up by the twenty-eighth. It might be wishful thinking since we’ve added so many animals this year, but that’s why we hired extra men. We’re combining everything with Charlotte and Micah’s animals, as well as ours.”

“I think it will be a lot of fun, Emma. I’ve never been to a roundup,” Rosie declared.

Emma smiled. “Then we’ll be here on the twenty-fourth.”

“I’ll put fresh bedding in your room and Clara’s so that you and Rosie can stay here and not have to go back and forth.”

“Oh, this will be so much fun!” Rosie’s excitement was contagious.

“I hope you still feel that way after we’re done,” Emma said, knowing roundup would be like nothing Rosie had ever experienced. “For now, however, we’ve come so that I can take a look through Mama’s recipe box. I told Rosie there were a lot of cookie recipes we could use in there.”

“I know just where the box is. We put it on the top shelf in one of the kitchen cupboards. That way it would be easily available.” Lucille headed for the kitchen, and Emma and Rosie followed. “You ought to take it home with you. After all, your mother would want you to have it.”

“I had thought about that. Clara copied down the recipes that she wanted in a journal, and when she wants to make something, she gets the book out and finds what she needs. Of course, after all this time, she’s got most of them memorized.”

Lucille grabbed a stool and placed it in front of the cabinet. She opened the door and pointed to the small tin box. “I’ll let you get them.”

Emma did just that and went to the kitchen table with the box in hand.

She and Rosie sat down and immediately began to go through the recipes.

A flood of memories came back to Emma. She could see her mother in the kitchen laboring over her creations.

There were recipes here that had been given by her mother’s mother and grandmother.

A legacy passed down from mother to daughter for multiple generations.

It made Emma feel a much-needed connection with her mother.

“Oh, look here. Do you remember this gingersnap recipe my mother used to make?” Emma handed it up to Lucille.

The older woman glanced at it a moment. “I do. I remember her gingerbread as well. It was so moist and flavorful. We used to get together and bake. Do you remember that?”

Emma nodded. “I do. I remember hearing you and Mama laughing and talking. I didn’t appreciate it and wanted to escape as fast as possible. Clara was always happy to be involved, but not me.” She looked at Rosie and shook her head. “I lost a great deal in not seeing value in my mother’s teachings.”

“I wish I could have known my mother,” Rosie replied. “Colton said she didn’t cook because she always had servants, but I would have liked to have talked to her and heard her stories. I’d give anything if I could do that now.”

Emma easily recalled the camaraderie of ranch wives that took place in this kitchen. “I would too.”

They continued to pore over the recipes, and when it was time for lunch, Lucille never said a word but instead readied the meal on her own.

Emma was so absorbed in reading recipes to Rosie and telling her any story or thoughts that came to mind regarding them that when Lucille called them to come to the dining room, Emma wasn’t sure why she wanted them there.

Seeing the table set with a variety of things to eat, Emma gave a glance at the large grandfather clock. “Goodness, I didn’t realize it was lunchtime already.”

“You girls were having such a good time. I loved hearing the stories you told, Emma. It brought back so many memories.”

“I was surprised to remember so much.” Emma took a seat at the table beside Rosie.

“Smells mighty good in here,” Emma’s father declared as he bounded in from the kitchen. “I see someone’s been going over recipes.”

“Hello, Papa,” Emma said as he came to give her a hug. “Rosie and I are going to be baking for the church sale, and I wanted to get some of Mama’s old recipes.”

“Well, I just got back from helping bring in some of the herd. I suppose Lucille told you we’re going to start branding on the twenty-fourth?

We’ve been riding over half the state bringing in our cattle.

Thankfully, Lucille thought to fence off big pastures last year.

We can gradually work the cattle down and separate them out to get our counts and see what’s what. ”

“We’re going to come help,” Rosie piped up. “And stay here at the ranch.”

A big smile spread across the man’s face. “Well, that’s just fine. I’m happy to have you both. We’ll get Rosie ropin’, and Emma can brand.”

Emma laughed. “I’ve done it before. I remember you making me do it a few years in a row. You said I needed to know every aspect of ranching as I might one day need to help my husband.”

Her father nodded. “It didn’t hurt you any, did it?”

“No. I didn’t like the smell of burnt hair and flesh, but I could do it again if I had to.”

“I don’t want to learn to brand,” Rosie said in a most serious tone. “I don’t want to hurt the babies.”

“Then you don’t have to, Rosie girl.” Emma’s father tucked a napkin into the neck of his shirt. “It’ll be nice just to have a few pretty gals here. Makes the fellas work harder when they know the ladies are watching.”

Colton knocked at Emma’s front door and waited for her to answer. When no one came after several minutes, he knocked again. Still nothing.

He heard noises coming from the backyard and made his way around the house. The chickens were contentedly pecking the ground in their pen, and Gary Price was busy putting something together not far from the backside of the house.

“Mr. Price, how are you, sir?” Colton asked as the man noticed him and straightened.

“Mr. Benton. I’m doing good. Busy as a beaver, but good.”

“I knocked on the front door, but no one came.”

“Emma and Rosie went to the ranch, and Mrs. Olson is shopping. What can I do for you?”

“Emma and Rosie went alone? There wasn’t a man to drive them or keep watch?”

Gary chuckled. “Emma can manage for herself. She has a brand-new rifle and knows how to use it. If anyone or thing causes her grief, she’ll be able to fend for herself and Rosie. Besides, the soldiers are out that way on some sort of maneuvers. It was in the newspaper.”

Colton didn’t like the idea of them being miles from the city on their own. There were still occasional conflicts with Indians. If he and Emma were on speaking terms, he might have explained his feelings on the matter.

Gary started sawing a piece of lumber. He clearly wasn’t concerned about the ladies, and Colton did his best to let go of his fears.

“Looks like you’re busy building again.” Colton couldn’t help but wonder about the situation.

“Putting together a summer kitchen. The gals plan to do a lot of baking for the church sale, and Emma didn’t want to heat up the house. I’m building them a place to take care of business out here.”

“If I weren’t heading to a meeting, I’d offer to help. Maybe if you’re still at it this afternoon, I can lend you a hand.”

“I’ll still be at it. You come on back, and I’ll put you to work.” Gary finished sawing and straightened. “If you’ll pardon me for now, though, I’ve got to get back to it.”

Colton nodded. “I’ll see you later.”

He started walking toward the depot, where he was scheduled to meet with men from the Union Pacific.

They were presenting their final offer to purchase the Bentons’ railroad.

Colton knew they would accept the offer.

They had already been negotiating the cash and stock options, and he felt certain they could get no better deal. His brothers agreed.

He hoped, prayed even, that Emma would agree to the terms and conditions.

He wasn’t all that sure his prayers were heard.

He was so new at all this faith and Bible stuff that he couldn’t help but feel rather adrift.

Was he praying the right way? He remembered his mother would pray as if talking to God like a friend.

She would bow her head, close her eyes, and just pour out her heart regarding her needs, desires, and concerns.

She was always thanking God for one thing or another, and thinking of that now made Colton smile.

His mother had always stressed being thankful.

“We have it so much easier than others,” she had told him more than once. “We should always take time to thank God for His generosity to us.”

As a new Christian, Colton could understand the sense of that. Having known a life of abundance, he was grateful. Here in Cheyenne and back in Dallas, he had observed poverty. He’d seen many in need and had even donated to some of the causes to aid the poor. His brothers had thought it ridiculous.