Texas Tender Read Online Free PDF Page B

see that she and her brother would have a better chance of making a go of it if they weren’t sandwiched in between two larger ranchers who wanted her land and water. Her father had had the good sense to homestead both sides of the creek, but her water rights made her a target. Idalou wasn’t in a position to compete with McGloughlin or Sonnenberg.
    As much as he sympathized with her, Will knew better than to get involved in a local dispute. Despite what the men had told him, he really didn’t know the facts behind the situation. And he wasn’t going to be around long enough to handle any repercussions. It wasn’t right to come in, disturb the balance of things, then disappear, leaving Idalou vulnerable and possibly unable to defend herself.
    Besides, he wasn’t the kind of guy to go looking for trouble. He’d had more than his share of it when his parents died and he and Matt were thrown out of the orphanage and left to fend for themselves. If Isabelle hadn’t come along, he didn’t know what might have happened to them.
    Drops of sweat rolled down his back between his shoulder blades. How did people stand this country? Why did Idalou want to save her miserable little ranch when she would have enough money to buy land someplace that hadn’t been cursed by the devil?
    Because she was a stubborn female in the same mold as Isabelle. Though he adored Isabelle and would have fought any man who disparaged her, she was something of a tyrant. Idalou had all the makings of a second Isabelle—beauty, intelligence, and iron determination. Jake seemed to like being led a merry dance, but Will was just as happy to observe from the sidelines. There were ways to solve life’sproblems without butting heads. Life was too short to spend it perpetually in a lather.
    Still, guilt nibbled at the sensitive edges of his conscience. He couldn’t keep from thinking he ought to have found a way to help Idalou. He
had
considered offering to help her find the bull. That wouldn’t have looked like he was interfering and taking sides. But Idalou wanted him to ride over to McGloughlin’s place to confront him. That would definitely have put a coyote in the chicken house. Though Isabelle would take him to task for not helping any woman in need, no one would thank him for stirring up trouble.
    His musings were interrupted when he saw a rider heading toward him. He didn’t know the boy, but it was polite to stop and greet a stranger. “I’m Will Haskins,” he said by way of introduction.
    â€œCarl Ellsworth,” the boy replied. “My sister and I own the Double-L ranch.”
    Will could see a strong resemblance between the brother and sister. Both had rich brown hair and luminous big, brown eyes. Carl kept his hair cut short, while Idalou had tied her luxuriant tresses up in a ponytail. Carl was tall with a body that had yet to fill out the promise of his broad chest and wide shoulders. Idalou was slim, but her body had reached its full glory of womanhood. Both had the same smooth skin, but Carl’s was deeply tanned from being in the sun. Though Idalou’s eyes could bore a hole through you, Carl’s gaze was curious and inviting.
    â€œI’ve just come from there,” Will said. “I gather you still haven’t found the bull.”
    Carl knitted his brow. “I expect he’ll turn up in a day or two. I’ve tried to make Idalou understand that bulls don’t stay in one place unless you put them in apen, but she’s determined he’ll impregnate every cow possible before you take him away.”
    Will hesitated a minute before telling Carl that Idalou had asked him to help her find the bull.
    â€œIdalou thinks Jordan is behind everything that happens to us. The bull’s just wandered away looking for more cows.”
    It was obvious that Carl was trying to keep his emotions in check. Will suspected he was angry his sister had asked