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"Dear!" Indoria exclaimed, clamping her hands together and acting quite delighted as she scanned mysterious-looking eyes over Brogan's shapely form.  "Brett will be pleased."

Indoria leaned forward, poured out a cup of steaming coffee from the copper pot, then handed it to Brogan.  The cup was so hot that she had to maneuver it about, grasping the handle as she had almost dropped it onto the plush Oriental rug supporting the mahogany coffee table.  That would have been a disaster, she silently mocked - a bit leery of her new employer's lackadaisical demeanor.

Indoria McKay - flighty, feather-headed, awkward and friendly - a summation that had taken Brogan a handful of minutes to conclude, as the middle-aged woman was an easy read.  And she had decided that her time at The Crooked Run ranch would be an enjoyable one with Indoria on board.  The waters would be continually turning over, Indoria appearing unable to embrace the calm.

"Why it's been years since we've had a portrait sitting - at least two," Indoria thoughtfully emitted, tensing her brow as she struggled to remember.  "And even though it's just me and Brett, I still like to refer to the painting as a family portrait. Don't you agree dear?"

Brogan nodded and Indoria rushed forward, "Brett - it's his fault, you know?"

Again, before giving Brogan an opportunity to respond to the comment, Indoria continued without inhaling, "He is always so busy playing with the ranch. I wish he would become that infatuated with a woman," she went on to confide, her voice easing down to a mere whisper as she leaned toward Brogan.

Brogan produced a weak smile, concentrating on the sizzling coffee cup rather than Indoria.  She was a bit amused with the cup design - a flock of large steers parading around the china.  Flock?  No, that wasn't quite right.  Fledging of cows?  No - cattle, she went on to hastily correct.  She had never been good with identifying groups of animals.  Herd!  A herd of cattle she remembered, a smile fixing itself onto her pink lips as she silently congratulated herself.

However, it swiftly faded as she looked up, her eyes connecting with Indoria's as the woman trickled out, "I'm glad that you see what I mean, dear.