Chapter 12
"Hey Jesse," Pierre Beauregard said as he burst through the entrance of Jesse's tent. "Neville Morlock has moved on."
"You don't say." Jesse Bartleby stood. He'd heard the rumors, of course, that the rancher was in some kind of peculiar state that nobody understood. He hadn't gone to see him as he didn't want to appear nosy. Life was difficult enough for the rancher's wife. She didn't need to have a curious cowboy pestering her on top of everything else.
But this was a new development.
"Mina Bartleby is a widow now. And not just that." Pierre looked at Jesse with raised eyebrows. "Rumor has it that she inherited everything the old scoundrel owned. This is one rich widow." He glanced at Jesse sideways. "I saw how she looked at you when she met us on the prairie the other day. If I was you, I'd know what I'd be doing."
"Oh, hush your mouth," Jesse growled at his friend.
"I'd go court her," Pierre said.
"It's way too soon for that, you tactless cowhand. There's a mourning period, don't you know?"
Pierre cracked a smile. "Now you're talking."
"I can't court her," Jesse said. "I'm just a humble cowboy. She's the rich rancher's wife — widow. We're not in the same league."
"Jesse," Pierre said emphatically. "You're not just a cowboy. You're a rancher at heart. You're not meant to eat humble pie forever. You two are meant for one another. I can see it all the way to here."
"What?" Jesse said. "Are you prophetic?"
"No, I just have eyes in my head. If I was you, I'd go get her before some rich smart aleck or some smooth-talkin' city slicker comes by and exploits her emotional state. You can't wait too long. This woman is too precious to be wasted on somebody else. You need to talk to her. The sooner the better."
"Maybe I will," Jesse mumbled.
"I hear you," Pierre said. "Look, boss. You also have to look at things through our eyes. Our lot in life would improve dramatically if you was to marry Mina Morlock. So don't think that I have only your interest on my mind here. I'm thinking of my own just as much. And that of Bill McGuire and his girl and that of young Rudy and of all the other men and their girls. Jesse, we could settle this territory. We could just spread out, become respectable farmers, wheat growers, shopkeepers and was not."
"And for all that to happen I have to marry Mina Morlock?"
"You said it." Pierre Beauregard had a smug grin on his face.
Truth be told, Jesse could hardly believe that this turn of events was for real. He didn't need a lot of encouragement to think about Mina Morlock. Ever since he'd first laid eyes on her, all he could do was keep from daydreaming about her.
Pierre was right.
As soon as the mourning period was over, he'd call on her. He'd send Pierre and a couple of the boys over to test the waters. They could tell her in so and so many words that he was interested in her. He could very easily imagine a future with that beautiful woman.
But would she even want him?