Fawn Read online

  Fawn entered the kitchen and Wade saw Pierre quickly adjust his chef's hat that had fallen cockeyed across his balding pate. The stubborn little man refused to cook without the damn thing, even though he was cooking for cowboys. "Pierre Dubois, I'd like you to meet Fawn Woods. She'll be caring for Zoe and the household."

  Pierre's eyes rounded and Wade knew he was just as shocked by this beautiful woman working in the sticks of Colorado. "Mademoiselle Woods, or is it Madame?" the Frenchman asked with a slight bow.

  "Monsieur Dubois, je suis Mademoiselle Woods."

  "Parlez-vois Francais?"

  "Oui. Je suis heureux de vous rencontrer."

  Pierre's eyes rounded even more and his smooth baby features belied his fifty plus years. His face lit with a big grin. "Ah, finally, we are blessed with culture in this cowboys' den. I am happy to meet you, too."

  "What's for dinner, Pierre?" Wade asked.

  Pierre gave him a sour look and said, "Beans, beans, and beans, of course, but with the most heavenly cornbread in the State of Colorado. And, of course, the boring American apple pie for dessert."

  "Good, I don't think the guys are ready for more escargot." He winked at Fawn.

  Regardless of Wade's position as his employer, Pierre gave him a haughty look and returned his attention to Fawn. "Do you enjoy cooking, Mademoiselle Woods?"

  Both men waited for her answer. She hesitated, "Um, yes…yes."

  Wade wanted to groan. She didn't sound very sure of her culinary skills and he wondered what she'd be cooking for him and Zoe. They might have to keep eating with the guys. He'd hoped to find someone who could teach Zoe about cooking, but then he remembered Ms. Woods probably wouldn't last beyond the next day, so the point was moot.

  After leaving the kitchen with Pierre kissing Fawn's hand at departure, Wade hid a grin. His animals and his cook were smitten with her. They crossed an outside patio to another rectangular building and entered a room with a billiard table, ping pong table, some old leather chairs and matching couch, a large card table with mismatched chairs, and a flat screen TV. He stated the obvious, "This is the rec room and it gets a lot of use." Off that room they followed a hallway to a dorm style one with several bunk beds and bureaus. He explained, "Macho, Bud, and Tate share this room. As you can see, we have plenty of space for ranch hands." He didn’t add, too bad we can't afford them. After that he continued along the hallway and pointed out two other doors. "That room belongs to Schmitt, my foreman, and Pierre's is the other one. Because of their positions at the ranch they have their own quarters."

  By the time Wade returned to the main house with Fawn, the sun rested on the horizon. Wade opened the kitchen door and waited for Fawn to enter. He heard her gasp. Stepping around her, he saw Zoe sitting at the small drop leaf table eating a bowl of cereal. She looked up and smiled. "Hi, Daddy."

  Wade observed the disaster and groaned. There was more cereal on the floor than in Zoe's bowl and it looked like she'd crunched the mess with her feet before scooting her chair around in it; maybe even rolling in it. A milk carton sat precariously at the edge of the table with spilled milk dripping onto the floor and creating a puddle.

  Wade said sharply, "Zoe, what have you done?"

  His child looked innocently from him to Fawn and back. "I kinda spilled things, I guess."

  "Why didn't you wait–"

  Fawn interrupted, "I know what you mean, Zoe. I sometimes have a problem with spilling things myself."

  Zoe looked nonplussed. "You're not mad?"

  "Of course not, but I'll tell you what. When you clean the mess up, I'll help you."

  Zoe scrunched her face and started to say something, but Fawn cut her off. "I'll just keep this box of cereal and all the other ones in my bedroom until the kitchen is clean. You let me know when you're ready to start and I'll help you." Fawn picked up the almost empty box of Captain Crunch and closed the lid. She went to the cupboard where all the other cereal boxes were stored and started removing them.

  Wade, who had been standing off to the side watching the unfolding scene, wondered what Zoe's response would be.

  When Fawn started toward her bedroom with an armful of cereal boxes, Zoe said sullenly, "Okay, I'm ready."

  Fawn turned and beamed such a beautiful smile at Zoe that it made Wade's toes curl.

  "Do you want to sweep up the cereal or mop up the milk?" she asked his daughter.

  CHAPTER 6:

  FERAL HORSES

  Fawn slipped into the night where a full moon hung suspended halfway between heaven and earth. Wispy clouds skirted across its surface darkening the pastures behind the house. The clouds passed and the moonlight returned full force. Fawn's breath caught at the beauty of the ranch at night. Sam sidled up to her and she knelt to pat his head.

  When Wade had shown her around that afternoon, she'd fallen in love with the sweeping pastures that reached to the base of craggy hillsides. In the distance, grand white-capped mountains painted the backdrop.

  After Wade had mentioned a canyon on the property with Anasazi ruins and gestured in the general direction, she'd decided to make the ruins the target of her first exploration flight. She walked to the trunk of a massive oak near the fence line and hid behind it. Sam followed and sat, glancing up at her. Scratching the dog's ears she said, "Sam, I won't be gone long," before bowing her head and praying the Prayer of Secrecy that shifted her into an owl. Sam barked once when she flew skyward. Channeling her energies into merging creature and shapeling, a skill acquired over many sun risings, she flew against a slight breeze and observed her new home from above. Except for the glow of a porch lights and another filtering through the curtains of Wade's bedroom, the house appeared lonely against the landscape.

  Circling the barn and the cowboys' quarters, dark and shadowed except for lights glowing at the entrances, she shifted her attention to distant hills. Flapping and angling her wings she flew over the southern pasture, hopeful of locating the canyon and possibly a band of feral horses.

  Alfalfa pastures gave way to rocky outcroppings when she reached the closest hill. Exhilarated, she captured the breeze and soared, feeling one with the wind, sky, and earth.

  Playing in the wind she let it guide her. So exhilarating was her flight that she almost missed seeing an area darker that its surroundings. She flew toward it and circled cliff pillars that stood sentry to a narrow passage and surmised this was the entrance to the canyon. On the ground the passage was reached by a trail winding upward.

  Suddenly, the sound of hooves captured her keen sense of hearing. She flew toward the distant roar and inwardly gasped. A herd of horses, led by a lead mare, with a magnificent stallion bringing up the rear, galloped toward the looming cliffs. Fawn landed behind the stallion and prayed the Prayer of Secrecy. Shaking her mane, she reared high into the air before running to catch the herd.

  Reveling in the rush of becoming her favorite animal, a snowy-white, sleek-coated mare, she quickly reached the herd and galloped with them. They slowed only when they approached the narrow path leading upward to the pillars. Single file, they passed beyond the stone sentries. Fawn was the last to enter. Gradually, the canyon widened as the horses continued their trek, until they halted beside a crystal pool shimmering with moon reflections. Cautiously, she introduced herself to the lead mare that turned sideways in a gesture of acceptance. Next, she approached the stallion in a submissive posture. He snorted and circled her while the other horses watched. She was prepared to pray and fly upward as a hawk if he did not accept her, but he nickered and moved closer, rubbing his muzzle against hers and blowing. He had accepted her. The herd lost interest in them and returned to drinking from the pool.

  After the stallion moved on to another mare, she drank and surveyed the area. Beyond the pool of water, the canyon narrowed again so as to allow only three or four horses to pass through side-by-side. Beside the pool, sharp stone cliffs stretched upward toward a brilliant moon and a ledge captured her attention. Her keen sight followed the outlin
e of ruins. She had located the Anasazi dwellings.

  The lead mare whinnied and the herd began moving farther into the canyon. Fawn watched their departure, wanting to continue with them, but also wanting to explore the ruins. She bowed and prayed and lifted skyward again.

  Landing on a crevice, she surveyed the ruins with her owl's eyes. The crumbling fortress stretched the length and breadth of a wide ledge reached only by a steep trail. Over two dozen stone rooms that had once been living quarters or storage areas, peppered the ledge and stubbornly adhered to one another like comrades in battle refusing to be defeated. And centrally located within the maze of walkways and rooms was the all important kiva, a circular subterranean room used for ceremonies and community gatherings.

  In her mind's eye, Fawn envisioned children scampering up and down the trail while their mothers washed clothing and pottery in the natural spring below, and their fathers built and fortified their stone structures with primitive tools. In the silent night, she listened to the sounds of her imagination—laughter, splashing water, babies crying, stones being chiseled, birds twilling, insects buzzing—and beyond a doubt she knew that the ancient ones still inhabited Hidden Canyon in spirit.

  Reluctantly, she gave a final glance around the ruins and flew into the night to return to the ranch. She needed at least a couple hours sleep before rising at dawn to begin her first full day as Zoe's caretaker and Wade's housekeeper. She welcomed the caretaker responsibilities and the chance to help Zoe unlock her special abilities. As for the housekeeper part… She sighed.

  CHAPTER 7:

  FIRST DAY

  Zoe pulled her Sleeping Beauty T-shirt over her head and stepped into her jeans. Foregoing her tennis shoes, she walked across the hall to the bathroom and splashed her face with water. Next, she attempted to pull a brush through her hair. As always, the curly blonde locks refused her efforts. "Ouch! I hate my hair."

  Reaching for her toothbrush, she squeezed out a huge lump of toothpaste. Her mother had always said brushing her teeth was one of the best things she could do for herself. Zoe tried to always do what Mommy had taught her. She blinked several times. Stupid tears! To keep herself from thinking about Mommy, she concentrated on the new nanny. Jeez, she's so pretty. I wonder what it feels like to be pretty. Maybe I'll be pretty when I grow up. But Mommy said it isn't that important, so I guess it doesn't matter.

  Zoe wondered if—what was her name—yeah, Fawn, would be gone by tonight. She liked the lady's name. She'd never met anyone named Fawn. Spitting out toothpaste, she thought about the voices from yesterday. She hated hearing the voices. It wasn't so much that they scared her…well, yeah, they scared her, but she could never understand what they were saying because they all talked at the same time. There were lots of voices, but she couldn't break them apart.

  She dried her hands and patted her corkscrew curls one last time. Her daddy said her hair was beautiful, like her mommy's had been. Closing the bathroom door she ran toward the stairs. Even though it was really early, Daddy would be at the barn. When they had a sitter, he always left before daylight. She hoped her new nanny wasn't up yet.

  Skipping down the stairs she thought about the pretty lady. Zoe knew there was something different about her. She could see her colors. They were even prettier than the lady herself. Zoe had never told her daddy about the colors she always saw swirling around people because she didn't think he believed in stuff like that. The only person she'd ever told was her mommy. Her mommy had said it was because she was special and it would be their secret. She didn't feel special. Mostly she felt sad. She knew her daddy was sad too because his colors looked kind of faded. Sad people had faded colors.

  In the dining room she heard noises coming from the kitchen. Pushing through the swinging door she skidded to a stop. The new nanny was standing on tiptoe and stretching to see what was on the higher shelves.

  "Good morning, Zoe," she said without turning around. "Are you hungry?"

  "Do you always get up early?"

  "Always."

  Zoe didn't know if she liked that.

  The pretty lady named Fawn glanced around and then turned back to the cupboard. "What do you usually eat for breakfast? Or is that a silly question when you like cereal so much?"

  "I like cereal, but some of my mean nannies made me eat other stuff." Zoe thought that should get her message across.

  "Hmm. Which cereal would you like today?"

  Zoe grinned behind Fawn's back. "Trix." When the sitter reached for the box of Trix, Zoe's grin widened. She wiped the look off her face when the nanny turned around. She didn't want her knowing that she'd just tricked her into giving her what she wanted.

  "Do you know how to cook, Zoe?"

  "No."

  "I don't either."

  "How can you not know how to cook? You're grown up."

  "Pretty sad, huh?"

  "You're not going to cry are you?"

  "No. But I have an idea. Let's learn to cook together. We can help each other."

  "I'm little. I might make a mess."

  "Like you did last night?"

  "Ah, yeah."

  The nanny shrugged. "Oh, well. I was just thinking maybe we could make something special for your daddy. You know—a surprise. He looks like he could use a surprise."

  Zoe started to feel guilty.

  "You think about it Zoe, okay?"

  "Okay."

  ***

  "Hey, Wade, how's it goin' with the new gal?"

  Wade sat on a bench at the picnic style table with his three ranch hands and foreman eating breakfast. He wasn't fooled. Tate, at the end of the bench, stretched his long legs out while Macho yawned and Bud stuffed his mouth with a forkful of pancakes dripping with syrup. Schmitt, his cranky old foreman, was the only one to look him directly in the eyes waiting for a response. Wade knew Pierre had already praised the gorgeous nanny, but more than likely added that she'd probably be gone before sundown.

  "It's goin' okay, Tate." He didn't elaborate and soaked his toast in golden, sunny-side-up eggs. All eyes rounded on him, but he ignored them.

  "Come on, Wade. You know Pete described her to us—straight black hair, cute dimple in one cheek, Bahama blue eyes, voice like honey…"

  "Gawd, Tate, you writin' for a mag-o-zine," Schmitt interrupted.

  "Gimme a break, old man. It's not every day a beauty shows up at the ranch. After all those old battle axes, it'll be nice to have a pretty gal around."

  "Don't hold your breath that she'll be stayin'," Bud interjected and stuffed his mouth again, only this time with fluffy scrambled eggs slopped in syrup.

  Pierre, who had walked into the room during Tate description, wrinkled his nose. "That is disgusting, Bud. You have ruined my masterful breakfast."

  "You say that every time I eat eggs, Petey boy, but I'm not gonna change, so give it up." He reached for the syrup jug and doused the mess on his plate with more of the sticky goo.

  Pierre rose to his full short stature, "My name is Pierre, not Pete, nor Petey." He looked first at Tate and then Bud, and added, "Tator and Buddy."

  The two ranch hands roared with laughter and Schmitt growled, "You idiots go through this same routine at least every other day. I'm sick o' hearin' it. I got work ta do…and so do you. Bust a chop boys." He looked at the men and mimicked, "Tator, you got fence fixin' duty. Buddy, you got stray cattle on the east side. And Macho, you take the south side and check for strays and fence repairs."

  Macho, a wizened Hispanic cowboy who looked older than God and spoke little English, nodded in acknowledgment.

  Schmitt looked at Wade. "What you gonna do, boss?"

  "I'm riding over to the canyon to scout out that band of feral horses. If they're close to Mac's land, I'm gonna see if I can round them back this way." Wade swung his legs over the bench and stood, flexing his back.

  Schmitt looked at Pierre and smirked, "How about a masterpiece of steak, beans, and tators tonight—Petey." Pierre's gaze never waivered from Schmitt's, "Ac
tually, I was thinking more along the lines of Boeuf Bourguignon, Schmitt-ie."

  Wade shook his head and grinned at the word wars as he walked out the door. He needed to check on Fawn and Zoe before riding out. When he entered the back door to the kitchen, two heads popped up from a book spread open on the kitchen table.

  "Hi Daddy," said Zoe, and returned her attention to the book.

  "Can I get you some coffee?" Fawn offered and started to rise.

  "No, no…I'll get it." Wade walked to the coffee pot and grabbed a cup off the wooden tree. He filled his cup and added cream and sugar from the pretty containers Fawn had set out and then leaned his hip against the counter to watch his daughter and new employee.

  Zoe pointed to a page in the book and said, "Ohhh, that looks yummy!"

  "It sure does, why don't we try it? It seems pretty simple." In response to Wade's questioning gaze, Fawn added, "We're looking for something easy we can bake together. I'm...I'm not all that skilled at cooking, although I can get by," she hastened to add.

  Wade inwardly groaned. His instincts had been right; he'd be catching a lot of meals with the guys. He stepped to the table and studied the picture of a chocolate, three-tier marvel of cake perfection. Yeah, right, he thought. He glanced at his daughter's happy face and Fawn's beautiful one. "Hey, I can't wait! Are you going to make it today?"

  Zoe ran to the pantry and shouted. "Oh, for sure Daddy!" Wade heard the excitement in his daughter's voice and then commotion inside the pantry as she shuffled through the shelves. He looked at Fawn and mouthed, "Thank you."

  Before leaving the kitchen he showed Fawn the walkie-talkie in its charger next to the pantry door and explained how to change frequencies to reach the person she wanted. He pointed to the walkie-talkie clipped to his belt. "We all have one because cell phone service out here is often iffy."

  Wade returned to the barn and saddled Misty. Swinging into the saddle he settled his cowboy hat firmly on his head and turned his horse into the pasture. After walking the mare a distance, he urged her into a trot, then a gallop, and finally a run. As he raced across the open field toward Hidden Canyon a huge smile lit his rugged features. Maybe this nanny would stick around.