scurlock | oom: barlow estate (2)

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oom: barlow estate (2)

He sleeps well enough, curled on his side (after he manages to fall asleep, of course, nerves in his belly twisting at him for a while after the drink and conversation) and wakes with the first sounds of someone moving around the bunkhouse.

It's Jim.

Doc gives the older hand a few minutes of head start before he hauls himself out of bed and begins getting ready for the day. He notices that Jim, and the rest of the boys, all wear their guns, so once he's dressed himself, he settles his at his hip.

It's not dawn, yet, not by a longshot, when he makes his way over to the stables and barn in order to check on his horse - and see if Jim wants a hand in getting things taken care of. Might as well offer, after all.

"Hey, Jim...don't forget t'mind your hat," he mentions, quietly, as he enters the barn. His own is hanging around his neck by the cord, where he'll keep it out of reach of the horse as best he can. "You need a hand with anything?"

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He glances towards the house.

"I'm gonna go get myself a cup of coffee," he tells her. "If you'll excuse me, Miss Barlow?"

She again looks out toward the early, early morning sky, and nods.

"Of course."

And then she turns her attention back to the horses.

Jay nods his head, once, before he turns and heads for the house to get himself a cup of coffee.

He won't be in there long, however. Barlow said he needed to be ready by dawn, and he will be.

He passes Jim on the way to the house.

The older man glances from Jay, to the stables, to Jay again.

And then, with a grunt, he keeps on moving.

He refrains from 'mind your hat'.

(He also figures that Katherine will tell him anyway.)

The thought does make him smirk.

(Oh, she will. Much to the older man's chagrin, and reluctant amusement.)

Inside, Jay will find the coffee still hot and steaming in the kitchen. Henry is already up and moving about the room, along with the petite woman from yesterday, pots and things banging and rattling as they begin preparations for breakfast.

Henry is a genial sort of fellow, and is glad for some conversation with another gentleman, as 'Jay' fetches his coffee.

He does make a few moments of conversation with Henry while he drinks his cup of coffee - black, not bothering with milk or sugar this morning.

The fact that Jay's even still on the property should answer any doubts the man has about how the conversation the night prior went.

Eventually, after finishing that cup of coffee, he heads back out for the stables to see if Jim needs a hand and to start getting his horse ready.

Once he returns to the stables, he'll find that young Miss Barlow is gone, and Jim is taking an examination of each stall, checking on the feed and watering the young miss had taken care of.

His eyes glance up when Jay enters the barn, but he only shrugs when the boy asks if he can help out, telling him to get his own horse taken care of.

(His hat is hanging from the leather band around his neck.)

"You and the boss have a nice chat last night?" he asks, voice not betraying a hint of emotion, or a hint of how he knew about said chat.

"Ah, yessir. Cleared a few things up that needed clearin'."

He goes to where he stored his tack last night to fetch the comb and hoofpick from his saddle bags, so that he can brush down the animal's coat prior to saddling him up and also check his hooves for any rocks or debris stuck in.

"What else would you have expected? The boss just invited the new boy in for drinks with his two heads of estate, 'cuz he likes 'im?"

He arches an eyebrow at Jay, but his tone isn't overly harsh or cruel.

"Boss knows how to watch out for his affairs. And for what he misses, he got the rest of us all to keep an eye open."

And, on that note...

"You have a nice chat with Miss Barlow?" he mutters, voice low, as he leans against the wall near Jay, arms crossed.

He glances up, at that question.

"I just came out t'ask if y'needed help and she said you'd gone in to fetch your coffee. Never got no farther in than the doorway," he nods his head in the direction. "She asked 'bout Cortez and I told her 'bout him, then I headed in t'fetch my own."

A beat.

"I ain't gonna try t'pull nothin'. I ain't stupid."

He watches his face for a moment, before snorting a soft laugh, shaking his head.

"No, I don't think you is," he mutters, amusement clear in his voice. "And it's damned near impossible to avoid her, especially out here.

"She's of the curious sort, too, I think y'might have noticed. But--"

And he leans in, then, expression becoming a bit serious.

"I'd still caution you t'be careful. Lots of us 'round here love that girl to bits. Stupid or not, you're gonna have eyes on you everywhere you go."

He nods. "I'm well 'ware of that," he says. "I honestly don't expect nothin' less," he admits.

They're loyal to her father which means that they're loyal to her. It's not hard to see how that could become a problem if he got too close to her. He'll keep his distance...and it's not like he's in love with this girl.

She's just a girl.

"She is awful curious," he continues. "Smart, though. Figured out I'd named him for the explorer 'fore I even had to mention it."

Jim nods, and there is a genuine smile on his face.

"She and her daddy love their books somethin' fierce," he remarks, straightening and moving back to his work. "Says she's gonna teach, just as soon as she's done with scoolin'."

The conversation steadily works its way back to stable matters, as Jim watches him finish with his own horse and asks his help with a few others.

Dawn is creeping over the horizon, and others are joining them in the stables now.

Cortez is ready and set before the sunlight breaks over the horizon, and he moves as Jim directs him, helping get things taken care of.

(This reminds him of Milliways, and the day she came and woke him up before the dawn, sky still grey and cold...)

It's easy enough work, for him, since he knows what he's doing - and he's determined to make a good impression.

It's not the easiest thing in the world, making a good impression on Jim. But he certainly isn't disappointed in the young man's skill around the stables.

It's not long before Samuel appears in the doorway, pack and rifle slung over his shoulder as he greets his hands. "Mornin', son," he nods to Jay as he passes, heading to where a starred gray has been pulled from his stall, and tied off to a rail.

"Boys, there are hot grits and butter inside, 'long with the usual trimmings. Jay--" he turns back to the young man, after securing his rifle to the horse's saddle. "I suggest you go eat, son. Take your time."

He keeps his deep blue eyes trained on him steadily, for a moment. Then, with a short nod, he goes back to his mount.

In his opinion, 'not disappointed' is a very good first step. When her father enters the barn, however, and tells him to eat, his attention goes to him.

"Yes sir," he replies, nodding in response before he finishes up what he was doing (never leave a job unfinished) and then heads into the main house for breakfast.

When he gets there, he's instantly made aware of where Katherine's habit of ensuring he eats proper comes from.

At least he's not the only one?

It's not as big an affair as dinner, but there are people milling about the kitchen and dining room, loading their plates and chowing down quickly before the morning's chores begin.

Katherine is in the kitchen, helping with eggs and bacon and grits, fresh, warm bread and butter made from goat's milk (made fresh on the premises), potatoes and cornbread. There's quite the spread laid out, and plenty to choose from.

It's important to Mr. Barlow that his men are fed well in the mornings, so they stay healthy and happy throughout the day's work. Some of them won't get a midday meal.

He makes his way through the kitchen and loads himself a plate full of food, knowing that he's going to want the energy later so that he doesn't hit a wall during the middle of the day - especially since he's going to be out working with the boss himself.

Jay...feels a need to impress the man, today.

Make up for lyin' to him 'bout what you've been doin' these last few years.

He takes his time eating - but doesn't tip-toe around it. Making idle conversation with a few of the other hands between bites of the meal, he drinks a second cup of coffee, while he's at it. By the time he's finished, he's fed, awake, and ready to go.

Samuel and Jim come in together, laughing and looking relatively jovial, given the hour (see, Jim does have more than one emotion!). Jim grabs himself a plate, while Samuel reaches over Katherine to get to the hashed potatoes she's currently frying up. She scolds him halfheartedly, threatening to beat his knuckles, and the older man laughs, kissing the crown of her head as he runs a gentle hand across her back.

"You get to your lessons early today, you hear?" he murmurs lowly, peering down at his small daughter. "You do a fine job with the house and the stables, but they'll survive without you."

She murmurs a submissive "okay," smiling up at him, but she is dedicated to not letting the potatoes burn, so he doesn't hold her attention long.

(He steals another pinch, and this time she does thwack him, both laughing as he backs further into the kitchen.)

He grabs some bacon and a slice of bread, finishing off his cup of coffee and leaving it in the sink, then he turns to the dining hall and motions to Jay and John.

It's time to go.

Jay finishes his last swallow of coffee before he rises from the table, clears his dishes and leaves them in the sink.

(He also thanks both the women for cooking, manners and all.)

Then he heads out of the house, following after Samuel as they make their way to the stables. His gloves are tucked into his back pocket, and he pulls them out as they walk, smacking them against his leg a time or two so that he works the dust off.

Samuel's pace is fairly quick. One might describe it as being lively. Excited.

He makes quick work of the 'bacon sandwich' he grabbed from the kitchen. Before he's even to his horse, he's already dusting off his hands.

"We'll ride on up the west side of the property line from the gate. Make ourselves a proper rotation, ending in the southwest corner by sundown. Shouldn't be too much work, but I'll want to be sure to give the northeast field a good sweep before we head on down," he informs the two men, mounting up.

His horse steps impatiently, and he hushes him calmly, tugging on his leather gloves.

"Easy, Dusty. Easy. Soon enough, boy."

Cortez is eager too, shaking his head a bit against the lead while Jay works to untie him after pulling on his gloves. The horse catches the brim of his hat and tugs him backwards, choking him a bit before he reaches up and pulls the hat back onto his head.

"M'gonna have t'train you outta that, rascal," he mutters, righting his hat before he hauls himself up into the saddle and takes up the reins, then shifts his gun belt on his hips a little so that he's comfortable.

The sun is just breaking up over the horizon, the clear sky turning into that proper, endless Texas blue.

The two men laugh -- I mean, honestly -- as Jay and his mount commune.

"Shucks, I think it gives 'im personality," John teases.

"Eh, he's just a colt," Samuel smirks, shaking his head. "Kinda suits you well, Jay."

It takes about twenty minutes for them to get to the west gate, going along at an easy trot. They pass a small garden of summer vegetables as they go, a small row of peach trees, and grassy knolls full of blooming weeds.

Samuel has himself several acres of land -- some rich, some not-so-much -- but everywhere you look there's something to see.

"I gotta admit, I kinda think it's funny myself," he quips, patting the horse a few times on the neck as they set off for the west gate, heading across the property.

He's putting it all down to memory as they ride past, thinking about the notebook that's tucked away in his bag back in the bunkhouse. He didn't get a chance to write last night, but he'll try to get a few pages of first impressions in tonight, after dinner.

"Ya'll got peaches all over the county," he comments, idly. "Noticed that ridin' in."

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