Chapter 5

His Night to Remember

Bobby and Kathleen realized they would have to spend a cold night in this desolate end of the Davis ranch.  Mr. Davis would not be concerned as Kathleen had been raised on the ranch and knew how to make a camp and take care of herself.  She had attended roundups since childhood and often rode out on the ranch for two or three days without company or concern.  It was part of being raised on the ranch.

Darkness and temperatures fall quickly as the sun set over the Sierria Nevada mountains of California.  Bobby and Kathleen continued to talk as more wood was put on the fire to help keep them warm.  She was different than the Southern ladies he had grown up with.  A Missouri woman would have worn her best gown for socializing with a man and would never be allowed out at night.  It was becoming clear that Western were different and much more independent than the women he had known.

Kathleen sat leaning against a rock with a blanket wrapped around her as she enjoyed the warmth of the fire.  Bobby realized that he had spent many hours with this woman, but that she always wore heavy winter ranch clothes that revealed nothing about her figure.  He added more wood to the fire as she laid her saddle out and spread her bed roll.  He set up his bed roll near a rock on the opposite side of the fire and a little further back as the gesture of a gentleman respecting her privacy.  They both settled in for the night by climbing into their bedrolls, removing their coats, and resting their heads on their saddles.  The coats were each used to soften the saddle a bit.  Being raised as a gentleman, Bobby busied himself with his back to her as she climbed into her bedroll.  They were both tired and sleep came quickly as he thought about Kathleen laying only a few feet away on the other side of the fire. 

Bobby was startled awake by some sound, or was it the unusual silence.  He relaxed as he realized that Sissie was not making any unusual sounds as she and Harold grazed only a few feet away.  He laid still and listened as he realized someone was moving in their camp.  He finally heard the sound of boots on snow as he realized that Kathleen was moving about.  She quietly spoke to him as she put more wood on the fire.  She told him that it was snowing and they would have to protect themselves from the cold.

He sat up as she moved her bedroll next to his.  He climbed out of this bedroll to help her arrange a blanket over the rock to form an impromptu lean-to over their heads.  She moved her bedroll and saddle next to his as the fire began to pick up a little.  They each climbed into their bedrolls under the protection of the blanket that was keeping the snow off them.  They each shivered from the cold as they waited for the blankets to help warm them.  He was surprised as she moved against him to keep warm on this very cold night.  It was an unfamiliar feeling that helped to warm him and he soon returned to sleep.

Morning broke with a thin layer of snow covering the range.  Bobby occasionally pushed up on the blanket to help the snow fall to the side of the lean-to.  He laid awake enjoying the warmth of Kathleen against him as she continued to sleep in the cold morning.  

She continued to sleep as he climbed out of his bedroll, put his coat on, and lit another fire.  The aroma of fresh coffee filled the air as she finally climbed out of her bedroll and joined him by the fire.   The sat close to the warm flames as they enjoyed a hot cup of coffee and he began fixing breakfast.