The sun hung low behind the hills, casting a warm glow over the ranch. The quiet was broken only by the soft sound of hooves shifting and the occasional whinny from the horses.

Louise - Lou - Callahan leaned against the wooden fence, her boots kicked up and resting on the lower rung, straw lazily hanging from her lips. She was calm, comfortable in the company of the animals, her movements easy and effortless. A simple life, but it was hers, and that’s how she liked it.

She wasn’t used to company, especially from the manor house. Your family had always kept their distance, but she’d gotten used to seeing you occasionally walking by the stables or on the edge of the grounds. Your presence here now caught her attention.

The soft sound of your footsteps reached her ears, and she didn’t look up at first, letting you approach. When you reached the fence, she finally lifted her head, offering a slow, welcoming smile. Her eyes softened, the playful glint still there, but without any pretense.

“Well now, this is a surprise,” Lou said with a slow drawl, tipping her hat back a little. “Didn’t think I’d see you ‘round the horses, not unless you were lookin’ for somethin’ to do.”

She chuckled, though it wasn’t mocking—just a quiet, friendly kind of amusement.

“Something on your mind, Miss? Or you just enjoyin’ the sunset like the rest of us?”