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The dun gelding Ballard rode provided a steadying influence for the colt Just the same Jessy had her hands full when she first rode the buckskin out of the pen They were halfway to the river before he stopped his dancing and sidestepping and settled into a brisk walk
With the gelding leading the way, they crossed the river at its shallow point, clirass expanse beyond it at an easy lope The sun arm on Jessy’s face, and the south breeze had a hint of wildness in it
A half-mile from the ranch headquarters, Ballard reined his horse down to a walk Jessy followed suit, and the young colt raised no objections to the slower pace
“He’s settled down in fine shape,” Ballard observed, noting the young horse’s quietness
“He has,” Jessy agreed absently while her gaze took in the broad expanse of plains before the into forever
For a long ti more The stretch of silence was unlike hiab not to notice its absence
Just about the time it started to become unco about Tara buying Wolf Meadow”
“Mo before that
 
; “Helicopters have been seen flying in and out of there a half-dozen ti”
“I’ve heard that, too”
There was a pressed tightness about his oing to bring trouble—just like before,” he muttered thickly “If Ty had a lick of sense, he would have shown her the door and given her a shove out of it But not him He let her become a fixture around here” He cocked his head at Jessy, a curious but sober glint in his eye “Of course, the question is—what is he going to do about her now?”
“You’ll knohen everybody else does,” Jessy retorted “And don’t be bad- Ty to me”
“You’re married to him so you have to stand up for hi nod of his head “But you’ve gotta understand that I’ what everybody else is”
“Maybe so, but I don’t want to hear it”