CHAPTER 1
Two weeks before her husband and her unmarried brother who lived with them and worked on the ranch were to leave for Europe, Carl's young wife hit the roof.
"These women who've replied to your advertisements to be a companion for me while you two go cruising round Europe after buying young pedigree Angus bulls are as useless as tits on a bull," Sarah said, giving a fair impression of ripping her hair out by the roots and she then stamped her foot for good measure.
"Don't get your knickers in a knot, I'll find someone down at the Grady's Bar."
Sarah all but exploded, saying she was not having one of his whores living with her for four weeks and the bitch groaning that she wasn't getting sex being incarcerated away from the bar.
"Well you go and live in town. The men will probably work better without your over-lording them anyway."
"You bastard," Sarah shrieked, throwing one of her best vases at her husband.
Carl only just managed to catch the missile and placed it gently on the table and muttered, "Jesus."
"Look what you almost made me do with my favorite vase," she sobbed.
Carl muttered he could buy a replacement for under a hundred bucks.
"Cut the acting your two," smiled the younger Kevin. "Place an ad in the newspaper for an experienced and versatile person for a month to help manage a big home and ranch. Don't say anything more."
"What if guys apply?" asked his calming sister.
Kevin grinned. "You want guys to apply because you've had no replies from women. If you choose a guy under twenty-five or over fifty-five you'll be safe sexually as at that age they won't be interest in a big-tit thirty-five year old like you."
"Oh thank you very much asshole."
"Very well Sarah darling," her husband said sarcastically, "Let's hear your superior suggestion or even an inferior alternative."
"You know mom and dad won't come here in spring with the cold still around. For them it's midsummer of nothing."
"Come on baby, back down. Let's try Kevin's suggestion. A 60-year old could still have the stomach to pick up a rifle and defend your honor against intruders and to provide the backup to ensure the guys work the cattle as you dictate. Some older guys pack more muscle that some younger men in their so-called prime."
"Oh all right. We are probably wasting out time. If that fails I'll go down to the quarry and ask Harry if he'd loan me a sexy guy aged thirty-five to sleep with me for four weeks. He ought to get some volunteers."
"It would create a riot of competing volunteers," Kevin leered.
"That's inflammatory talk Kevin," said Carl sternly. "Shut your mouth unless you have something more useful to say. Sarah if this last-resort ad doesn't work you may go down to the quarry and hand-pick a guy you know I'd approve of and slip Harry the folding money he'd want and that's bound to be at least five hundred bucks plus coming to an agreement about the guy's pay."
Eight days later Sarah and Carl interviewed the nine guys who'd applied for the job. They quickly eliminated the misfits and the one remaining guy got cold feet and left, saying he was scared of the dogs and didn't like hearing bulls bellowing.
"Jesus," Carl said, slamming a palm hard against his forehead to send his ears ringing.
"Vehicle coming," Kevin said. "It's the McPherson's Chevy pickup."
"I bet he wants to borrow a box of staples," Carl said. "Well the answer's no because Tim has already borrowed two boxes and not replaced them."
"It's his son Yarrow," Kevin called.
"He's finished college and is back home," Carl said, screwing a finger into his left ear. "He'll want to ride a horse. His dad has switched completely to farm bikes. Kevin fix him up with Silver."
"Hi Mrs Medway, Carl, Kevin. Sorry I'm late applying for the job. I had to pick mom up at the hairdresser's and they were late with her. Too much talking I reckon."
"What to help manage the house?" Carl said. "You know fuck-all about ranching."
"Mom said the role is to stand between Mrs Medway and the men to stop them trying to fuck her."
"Oh Jesus," Carl groaned. "No way am I going to the UK."
"How old are you Yarrow?"
"I turn twenty-four in two months Mrs Medway."
"And you have a girlfriend?"
"Well on and off. It's Bess Grant but she caught me humping her sister last week so the Ice Age has come between us at the moment but I'm expecting that to thaw pretty soon."
"Did you hear that Carl? And he's under the age limit for younger guys."
"I heard. Come to the office and sign on Yarrow. Do you know the meaning of castration son?"
"Yeah of course I do Carl."
"Well that's what will happen to you if you touch Mrs Medway while residing here."
They were walking away but Sarah fumed when she heard the reply.
"Christ Carl, don't be so gross. She's old."
Kevin sniggered. "You ought to try to bed him if you can Sis. I know from experience older women like younger guys."
"Don't be so gross."
"Gross, what's this thing about gross that everyone is on about?" Kevin asked.
He wasn't answered because Sarah believed he didn't deserve one.
Sarah took the two guys to the airport and howled. That caused her husband and brother to shuffle their feet awkwardly and they looked pleased to get the boarding call. They looked back to see Sarah waving, apparently happily, and that must have confused them.
On the two-hour drive home Sarah became brave and thought she'd lay that young jerk to teach him what a good woman was like. Yeah that was being neighborly because his mom couldn't be expected to do that. But by the time she arrived home she'd decided he could sleep in the barn. That would offer her little protection but she didn't want him seeing her pad around in her gown with her breasts swinging. God that would have him shut in the toilet half the day masturbating.
Yarrow arrived on a farm bike late afternoon as arranged, in time for tea. As he shut down the noisy motor and removed his helmet Sarah saw the low sunlight highlighting his blonde hair and then she noted broad shoulders for a skinny kid and she felt quite motherly.
"Where will I sleep Mrs Medway?"
"I'll make up the guest room after dinner," Sarah smiled, wondering why she hadn't said he would sleep above the hay in the barn.
As they finished dinner she saw the light was fading and was glad she'd be sleeping with a man in the house, er she would be glad to be sleeping in a house where there was a man. That still sounded awkward, she mused, but then males were awkward to have around.
"Do I continue to call you Mrs Medway?"
"Yes."
"Then Mrs Medway it is Mrs Medway."
Sarah made up the bed and they watched TV and she dozed off and when she awoke found he'd gone. She waited thinking he'd gone to the bathroom but after fifteen minutes though even a person with a partial bowel blockage wouldn't take that long. Jesus, he'd gone to bed without saying good night the oaf. But then she though what was the purpose of him saying goodnight when she'd been asleep?
Knocking on his door, Sarah waited to give Yarrow time to cease masturbating and cover up.
