Thread: The Untamed ( Katy1008 & CrimsonMaster )

It had been the best, and the hardest, six months of Katies life. So much had changed in the last year. Her father had died shortly before she had gotten married at the age of 25. Then her Uncle...her fathers brother... had passed a few months after that and before she could introduce him to Martin. Her fathers death had effectively left her independently wealthy, which made her incredibly fortunate, but her Uncles death had quite literally changed her life. Instead of living a quiet life of relative comfort in Boston, she had moved West, following the steps that Walter had taken more than 15 years before. Her father had given her a proper education and not just the kind of education that came out of books. She had not had maids and governesses to look after her. She had not been spoilt as a child. And whilst nothing in a Boston upbringing could really have prepared her for the work she found herself doing at the Horseshoe Ranch, she had a sense of adventure, and was at least mentally prepared, recognizing that the decision that she and Martin had made might have been simple, but the consequences were not. Katie was 57, blue eyes and had chestnut brown shoulder length hair that was almost always tied back. She was curvaceous but nicely proportioned physically strong for a woman and certainly not someone who got sick often. One cold a year was about as bad as it got. There was much to learn about dealing with land and cattle and horses through a western summer... and more again to get them through a winter. There was much to learn about life out west in general. Fortunately she could ride and she could cook... but that was about it. And the small town of Victorville was certainly not Boston. It was quite literally a one-man town... one man of whom everyone including the Sheriff seemed scared. She did not exclude herself from that either. She and Martin had met him a few times and he made her decidedly uncomfortable although she tried desperately hard not to let him see that. His brothers made her feel even worse they looked at her lasciviously and she could feel them almost undressing her in their minds. But again, hell would freeze over before she would willingly let them see his discomfort. She was not going to let them intimidate her. Martin stood by her... stood as her protector where he could... but it was her land and he respected her enough to let her make the decision. And once made, he supported her absolutely. After early meetings with Victor and his brothers, Katie had had one of the ranch hands teach her and Martin how to use a shot gun and a hand gun. Martin had gotten used to wearing the hand-gun now in the same way that he was used to wearing pants or a shirt. That was what the West demanded... and this part of the West seemed to demand it more than most. Of course, Katie didnt wear a holster, but when she went out, there was always a rifle in the saddle holster and a hand gun in one of the saddle bags. On this particular Sunday, Katie and Martin had returned from Church in the buggy and had set themselves down to a home cooked Sunday dinner. Sitting out on the porch, enjoying now the late afternoon sunshine, Katie was reading a book whilst Martin dozed gently.