She Was Being Sold for Wearing Pants, the Cowboy Said, “She Can Wear What She Wants With Me”

Chapter 2

They sat across the small fire, tin plates balanced on their knees, and the crackle of mesquite was the only sound for a long while. Clara ate slowly, watching the way the flames painted his face in orange and shadow. Up close he was younger than she’d first judged — maybe thirty, with sun-darkened skin and a faint scar near his temple that caught the firelight.

“Where are you headed?” he asked.

“My ranch. About two days’ ride north of here. The Flying R — Rhodes land for three generations now. My parents passed on, and after Adeline…” He trailed off, poked at the fire. “What about you? What brings a woman alone to this territory, dressed like a man?”

Clara stared into the flames. “I came west from Boston after my father died. He left debts but no inheritance — everything went to my cousin Edmund.” She grimaced. “He offered to take care of me if I married him. I declined his generous offer.”

“So you came west to start fresh.”

“I have an uncle in San Francisco who offered me a place. I’m making my way there, taking odd jobs along the way.” She gestured at her trousers. “These are practical. Can’t ride a horse properly in skirts, and a sidesaddle on these trails is asking for a broken neck.”

“Makes sense to me.”

“Not to the rest of the world, apparently.”

“The world’s slow to change.” He poured her more coffee. “What kind of odd jobs?”

“I’m good with numbers. Bookkeeping in St. Louis for a month. Cataloging a private library in Santa Fe.” She hesitated. “I’m also not bad with this.” She patted the rifle beside her.

“Your father teach you?”