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it like being a rancher?”
    Normally he wouldn’t have had any trouble answering that question, but normally he was not in the room with a beautiful woman whose lush body caused his brain to turn to mush. Not even her relatively modest clothes could hide the generous curves that belonged to a woman at least a decade older. It was her face that said she was young, probably no more than early twenties. Yet there was something about her eyes that said all her years hadn’t been happy ones. But how could he concentrate on her eyes when her mouth was so wide and her lips so full and red? It was enough to cause a man to do something stupid.
    â€œI suppose being a rancher is a lot like other jobs,” he said, trying to concentrate on her question and not her body. “I get to spend a lot of time outdoors on a horse, but I still have to pay bills.”
    â€œYou don’t make it sound very exciting.”
    â€œIt’s not, but I grew up on a ranch in Texas. Cows aren’t much fun.”
    â€œWould you rather do something else?”
    Why all the questions? It was like she was questioning him to see if he passed some sort of basic requirements before she decided whether to discuss her business. Still, what kind of business could this young widow have that could concern him? He had no connection with her late husband’s mercantile or her brother-in-law’s bank.
    â€œI’ve spent seven years in the army, four fighting a war in Virginia, and three fighting the Comanche in Texas. Fighting and ranching are all I know. Of the two, I much prefer ranching.”
    â€œHow much land do you have?”
    â€œThat’s difficult to say. I can’t buy enough land to ranch, but I can use all I can claim and control.”
    â€œHow much is that?”
    â€œTwenty thousand acres. Thirty if I need it.”
    She seemed surprised. “Isn’t that a lot?”
    â€œNot when it takes thirty-five acres to support one cow.”
    She paused only briefly before replying, “Then your twenty thousand acres could only support something over five hundred and fifty cows. Is that a lot?”
    She might not know much about ranching, but she was certainly good with math to be able to figure that out in her head so quickly. “It’s not a lot by Texas standards, but Texans have longhorns. I’m hoping to buy Herefords.”
    â€œWhy?”
    â€œBecause they gain weight quickly on grass, are hardy, mature early, and reproduce quickly. They carry more weight and the meat is a better quality than a longhorn. For the same investment of time and resources, I can get twice the profit.”
    â€œDo you have any of these cows? What do they look like?”
    â€œThey’re red with white faces, but I don’t have any yet.”
    â€œHow do you plan to get them?”
    â€œA man will be passing through Arizona in a few weeks with a herd he’s taking to California. I’ve heard tell he now realizes it was a foolish thing to do, but he’s come too far to turn around and go back. If I can buy his whole herd, I believe he’ll sell it rather than attempt to make the rest of the journey and risk losing more of his cows.”
    â€œHow many cows does he have?”
    â€œHe started out with five hundred. I expect he has fewer than four hundred left. He got hit by Indians and stampedes, wolves got a few, and some just died.”
    â€œHow much will they cost?”
    â€œIf he makes it to California, they’ll go for more than thirty dollars a head. He’ll sell them to me for twenty, but I’m hoping to get him down to fifteen.”
    After another quick calculation, she said, “At twenty dollars, it would cost you eight thousand dollars to buy four hundred.”
    â€œThat’s why I’m hoping to get him down to fifteen a head.”
    â€œThat’s only six thousand dollars, but you don’t have that much money, do you?”
    Jared was