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questions?” Seth immediately looked to Benjamin, but the boy remained silent along with his brothers. “Since there are no questions, let me explain to you exactly what my job entails. I am called a station keeper for a home station—that’s what the farm is called. I make sure that you men are ready to ride. That the station runs smoothly and that the horses are tended well. I also make sure that during your stay at the home station you aren’t idle. You will follow my orders. If I say build a fence, you build a fence. If I say ride on out, you ride on out. Is that understood?”
    â€œWhat about Ma?” Benjamin asked.
    Seth looked at the boy. “What about your mother?”
    â€œDoes she have to take orders, too?” His eyes challenged Seth, something Seth hadn’t expected. He smiled at the boy.
    â€œNo, your mother isn’t a Pony Express employee.”
    â€œOh.”
    Clayton asked, “What if Ma says to chop wood and you say to ride out, then what?”
    â€œYou ride out,” Seth answered, aware they walked a tight line here. “But if you aren’t working for me and your Ma says chop wood, you best chop wood.”
    Rebecca spoke for the first time since they’d all arrived in her living room. “Mr. Armstrong, I can understand the boys’ confusion.” She pushed a strand of hair behind her ear. “They simply want to know who has the most authority, you or me?”
    Seth knew that. How many other station managers had to answer questions like these? He doubted any of them did. “It’s really very simple. They work for me. Each boy will have time off and that is when they can do whatever you need or want them to.”
    Her eyes flashed but she simply nodded. He noted her growing quietness as he outlined the job. First the barn had to be rebuilt and second they’d need to work on their riding skills.
    Did she disagree with him on what her sons would be doing? Or did she just not like the way he’d come in and replaced her deceased husband? Confrontation wasn’t his strong suit when it came to women, but Seth had known from the start that he and Rebecca Young must have a heart-to-heart discussion about what might and would happen to her farm and children.
    * * *
    Rebecca finished making Jacob’s bed then headed to the living room to wait for Seth and Jacob to return to the house. Joy and Benjamin were both tucked in for the night and the house seemed very quiet. Normally she relished this time, but tonight the stillness seemed to grate on her frayed nerves.
    Earlier, as the boys had filed out to return to the bunkhouse, Seth had stood beside her and quietly asked if he could speak to her in private. She’d agreed. Not because he’d asked for the meeting, but because there were things she needed to say to him.
    She’d have to be both blunt and gentle in her words to the man. Rebecca knew without him having to say so that he wasn’t going to agree with her thoughts, but she had to speak them.
    Would he fire the boys? Tell Mr. Bromley that the Young farm wouldn’t make a good home station after all? What would she do if he did that? What would become of her boys?
    If they worked for the Pony Express, each one of them could potentially earn enough to buy a parcel of land, or go to a college back east. They would have a foot up to a better life. John had left her well-off, financially, but the boys would need to earn their own way.
    But at what cost? Their lives?

Chapter Four
    R ebecca heard them come through the door and stopped pacing. Jacob carried a box with his things in it. Cold air whipped about the room as Seth closed the door behind them. He, too, carried a box of Jacob’s things.
    â€œI’ll take these to Jacob’s room and then be back for our talk,” he told her as he passed.
    She had to get her thoughts together. How should she approach her concerns with him? Calmly and