Rawnie turned a page in the book, trying to find interest in the story. She had been at the station for more than three weeks now. Emma was inside, boiling jam or something, and the riders were trying to break in a horse. Rawnie, as usual, did nothing. She watched, seemingly uninterested, how Buck slowly led the horse around to calm it down. There was something about Buck that puzzled her, although she couldn’t put a finger on what it was. She let her eyes follow him, when Teaspoon walked up to her.

“Hello, there,” he said friendly. “Do you find that interesting?”

“The horse breaking? Guess it’s all right,” she said.

Worried, Teaspoon looked at her. He didn’t know much about girls, or what interested them and her disinterest was something he didn’t know how to handle.

“Well,” he said hesitantly, “I’m going to go inside and talk to Emma.” He nodded and left.

Rawnie continued with what she had been doing the last hour – nothing – when the words from Emma and Teaspoon floated through the door Teaspoon forgot to close.

“Don’t you think it’s time the girl starts doing something useful around here?” Emma asked.

“I don’t want to pressure her, Emma. She’s been through a lot, and she needs some time.”

“You’re overprotecting her, Mr. Spoon. I think she would be better off if she lend a hand around the house.”

“I’m not so sure Emma. You have to remember she came here looking for her father and she just found out he was dead. Besides, I’ve been asking around and there might be a family in Boulder who can take her in. Now, Boulder is a real town with, you know, coffee shops and such things. More appropriate for a young lady…”

Rawnie decided she didn’t want to hear any more and quickly rose. She had known she would have to leave so why was it so hard to breathe suddenly? Without looking back, she rushed down from the porch and ignoring the riders rounding the bunkhouse. Therefore she never heard Emma’s last sentence.

“Have you asked what she wants to do, Mr. Spoon, instead of planning her life?”

***

*What’s the matter with her?* Ike signed as he watched Rawnie walk away.

“Miss Fancy probably had enough of the horse smell,” Jimmy muttered. “Come on now, Cody, I’ve got two bucks which says you can’t stay on for more than two minutes.”

Cody watched after the girl. “I dunno,” he said. “It looks like there’s a young lady that might need a strong shoulder to lean her head on…”

Jimmy moaned. “Come on, Cody. If she needed comfort, which I doubt, your shoulders aren’t broad enough for a chicken to rest his head on – now git up on that horse!”

“Shut up, Jimmy,” Kid said. “She did look a bit upset. Maybe somebody should talk to her?”

“Why don’t you do it then, if you’re so eager?”

Kid hesitated and Jimmy saw it. “Oh, I forgot,” he said teasingly. “Lou might be back any minute now, won’t she?”

*I’ll go,* Ike signed and pushed past the others, following Rawnie.

He found her standing behind the bunkhouse staring out over the plains. He slowly walked up to her and placed a hand on her arm. When she swung round, he smiled at her.

*Are you OK?* he signed as his face reflected the question.

“I’m fine, if that’s what you’re asking,” she replied.

Ike’s face turned sad.

*There’s no need to be angry,* he signed and shook his head.

“That’s none of your business,” she said angrily, not even bothering to explain she didn’t understand the sign. “I never asked for you to care about me. Why don’t you go back to taming that horse, or whatever you were doing.”

*I just want to help,* Ike tried.

“I don’t need your help,” Rawnie spat back with all the disdain she could muster. She wanted to take back the words as she saw the hurt in Ike’s face, but it was too late.

Ike swallowed the pain her words caused and shrugged before turning away. If she didn’t want any help, then it was her decision. He frowned as he walked away. She reminded him of somebody, especially when she was grumpy, but he didn’t know whom. ‘Probably Teaspoon,’ he pondered. After all they were related, so it would only be strange if they didn’t have any similarities.