Mary had been working at the Yellowstone Dutton ranch for over five years now. She helped with the office work, assisting Jamie and John with all the paperwork and cattle sales. She was older, just a few years younger than John. She had come about working at the ranch after her husband died and she couldn't run her own ranch alone. Her husband's name was Matthew. He was a mean, hard man. They had a child together, but due to the toxic environment their marriage created, Mary gave the baby away. It broke her and she never recovered knowing her baby grew up without her. She knew what she did was right though, as Matthew would have abused that child too. Even more so as it was a baby boy. John and Matthew knew of one another and their wives had been friends. John couldn't stand Matthew, no one hardly could. That was why John had offered to buy the ranch from Mary, offering her a job and a home on his own ranch. She was happy to sell John the land that bordered the Yellowstone and was grateful for the opportunity.