Sam listened to Irene talk about her husband’s place as she trailed behind him as they rode leisurely in its direction.  Her description of the place left him with an impression that seemed out of line with what he’d expected. If Tim’s ancestral family had been given the ranch as a land grant by the Spanish royalty, he’d assumed that they would have had some serious influence with the royal court.  It struck Sam that overtime the family would have done all they could to preserve that status and build on it to build upon what they had.  It seemed like the place Irene was describing hadn’t been kept up to the standard of the family’s heritage.  Perhaps they had fallen on hard times and had lived beyond their means.  Sam knew that the feeling that he had came from the fact that he didn’t know everything he needed to in order to help Irene sort it out.  Sam doubted that Irene knew it all either.  It bothered him that she’d not had anything of value when her husband had been killed.  Without knowing any more than he did, he was sure that there was something very fishy about how the ranch had been lost.<br/><br/>Sam looked over and smiled at Irene as she rode up beside him.  She looked beautiful in the saddle.<br/><br/>“We’ll have to get you a place with big windows and scenery worthy of gazin’ at Darlin . . . and a horse like that grey for you.”<br/><br/>He looked back at her as she started talking, His eyes moved back and forth between her and the trail they were on.  When she mentioned the baby, he pulled up hard on the reins to bring Diablo to a quick halt and he quickly reached over and grabbed the reins to her horse as well.  When the horses had finally settled, Sam and Irene and their horses were side by side facing in opposite directions.<br/><br/>Sam reached over and covered her hand with his own and looked at her with a feeling of wonderment filling his thoughts.<br/><br/>“You said maybe yesterday honey . . . but now you’re feeling sure on it?  Oh my god Irene.  What the hell are we doing out here in this god forsaken desert and god awful heat?  I know you’re not one to be pampered but damn it Irene . . . let’s give up on this fool’s errand for now and get back to your room.  I know you’re a strong woman . . . but please Irene . . . let’s go back and take care of you . . .  and us and start to get things in serious order.”<br/>