Читать книгу The Cowboy's Convenient Proposal - Linda Ford - Страница 11

Chapter Three

Belle’s arms clutched about Red’s waist. Feeling the fear and desperation in her little sister, she almost forgot the way her head pounded, the pain driving deeper with each thud of her mount’s hooves. She shivered, though the sun beat down with enough heat to bake biscuits on the dirt trail. Where were they going? She took some comfort in the fact it was the same direction as the ranch. She could always flee there for protection should the need arise. Of course that depended on how far Ward’s cabin was from the ranch. He rode a few feet ahead, leading the way. Why had he offered his cabin? Did he have an ulterior motive? Or was it born from knowing what it was like to receive the blows of fists?

She urged the horse forward until she rode at Ward’s side. “Where is your cabin?”

He pointed in the general direction of the ranch. Some help that was. Would it hurt the man to give exact directions?

“It’s nothing like Eden Valley Ranch. For one thing it doesn’t have the backing of a rich family back in England. Nor does it have the thousands of acres of the Eden Valley land grant. But I’ll be able to run enough cows and horses to make a good living.” He sat easy in the saddle as only a cowboy used to long hours on the back of a horse could.

Red shifted, wishing she could be half as comfortable. But her leg hurt almost as much as her head. She was tired and admittedly, a tad cranky. She didn’t need a cowboy to point it out to her.

Ward continued talking as if his cabin was the most important thing in the world. Maybe it was to him. For her, it was only a place she would go to because she had no other option. Resolve drove away a great deal of her discomfort. She would find a place as soon as possible. She allowed herself to dream a little. Wouldn’t it be nice if Belle could attend school and later, they could celebrate Christmas together in their own home? She’d trim the tree with red ribbons tied in bows of various sizes. There would be gifts. Nothing extravagant. Perhaps a new dress for each of them. Warm mittens. Woolen coats. Maybe she could splurge for one extravagance. A storybook for Belle and a book of poetry for herself.

Poetry? She mocked her dreams. How foolish. That pleasure belonged to the past. As did such dreams. She couldn’t afford half a penny candy let alone frivolous things. With every ounce of self-control she could muster, she jerked her attention back to Ward, who still talked about his place.

“I wanted to get a simple cabin built first in the hopes of persuading my family to join me. Once they’re here, I figured there would be plenty of hands to help make it larger. Next spring, I hope to buy enough cows to start my own herd.” His voice rang with hope and pride.

Red accepted that she had neither hope nor pride left. Nor was she bitter about it. Not with Belle safely behind her, Thorton locked up and a chance to make a better life for them.

“Red,” Belle whispered. “When did you eat last?”

She let the horse drop back and spoke low, hoping Belle would be the only one who heard. “Been a while. But we’ll manage. You and me, we’re survivors, remember? Nobody and nothing can defeat us. Especially not a little bit of hunger.”

“I have an awful big hunger.”

No doubt Old Mike never thought to feed a little girl. Red was glad Belle couldn’t see her face or she might guess at her anger. She could take all sorts of mistreatment, but it made her boil inside that people seemed to forget Belle was a child. Children should be protected, guarded, treated as gifts from God. They should never know anything but trust. “We’ll be okay. You’ll see.”

Ward slowed until he rode beside her. “We’ll rustle up some food soon.” He’d overheard them.

Seems the man was determined to stick his nose into everything she did. However, she was grateful for his help. Or was she? She gave a humorless smile. Not really. She didn’t want him or any man extending favors. If she never again saw another man or had to accept anything from a man’s hand, it would suit her just fine.

They continued on the worn trail. Grass whispered as the wind passed over it. Birds scolded the intruders. The gentle scent of pine trees filled the air. They climbed a hill, the Rockies rising up in the distance.

Belle leaned over to get a better view. “Are we going to live in the mountains?” Awe rounded her words.

Red thought of all the places a person could hide in that rugged expanse. She’d heard men tell tales of treacherous cliffs and impassable barriers, but they’d also spoke reverently of roomy caves, rushing water and ideal camping spots. Where a man could live forever in peace with a boundless supply of fish to eat and fresh water to drink. It sounded ideal to Red’s ears. Ward shifted in the saddle to answer Belle’s question. “We’ll be pretty close to the mountains. Some mornings it feels like you can reach out and touch them right outside the window. But the distances are deceiving. It would take a hard day’s ride to get to the foot of one of those giants.”

Despite her resistance to anything he might offer, he made the view from his cabin sound appealing. And the way his eyes flashed blue as if reflecting the sky back, Red found herself drawn into his description.

“Every time I see them out the window, I think of a portion in the Bible, one of the Psalms, ‘They that trust in the Lord shall be as mount Zion which cannot be removed, but abideth for ever. As the mountains are round about Jerusalem, so the Lord is round about his people from henceforth and forever.’ Reminds me that God doesn’t change.”

Belle sighed heavily. “Red says we don’t trust God anymore, even though Mama and Papa said we always should.” The accusation in her voice brought a choking argument to Red’s throat, but she would not list all her reasons in front of Ward.

Ward pushed his hat back and gave Red an unblinking look. But rather than accusation or disapproval, she thought she saw sympathy. “Sometimes it’s hard to trust. Awfully hard.”

She couldn’t jerk from his gaze and, as it deepened, something warm and gentle seemed to brush against a dark and angry spot buried deep within.

With an effort, she shifted in her saddle, keeping her attention on things close by, ignoring the mountains. But again and again her gaze was drawn to the distance. If she could escape to the mountains. Find safety.

Resignation sighed into her soul. Ward’s cabin would have to do. For now.

If they ever reached this cabin.

She’d been half slouching in the saddle, weary from too much riding, too much struggle, too much life, but now she straightened and stared ahead, though she saw neither the mountains nor the narrow trail. What if there wasn’t a cabin? What if it was all a trick? Had she, in her desperation to escape Thorton’s clutches, fallen into a worse situation? She began to shake and sucked in air. She could not let Belle know of her concern. Whatever came, wherever this man led her, her first and foremost thought was to protect Belle.

Perhaps she should get Belle to slip from the horse now and hide in the trees. Then when she knew what lay ahead she could come back for her, either to take her to a real cabin or to escape into hiding. But the idea of abandoning Belle for any reason did not rest easy in Red’s mind. Instead, she would be attentive and prepared to take evasive action if things turned sour.

The sun ducked behind the mountains, sending rays of light upward into the sky.

“Look,” Belle said. “God is sending out fiery arrows to show us the way.”

Despite the knot of disbelief in her heart, Red couldn’t help thinking that’s exactly what it looked like. For half a second she let herself think her life could be different, that God was directing her to a place where she could forget the past.

But reality could not be wished away or fancied out of existence. She was headed into an uncertain future. Moreover she was Red. A woman who would forever be known as a saloon dancer. Many would question if dancing had been the only thing she did. It had been, though few would believe it. Seems Thorton wasn’t interested in anything more than forcing her to dance for others so he could collect the money he demanded before each performance. That and controlling her, humiliating her.

He’d never allowed any other man to go beyond touching. She shuddered at the memory of those harsh fingers feeling her. Then she forced herself to sit motionless so as not to alarm Belle.

“There’s the ranch.” Ward pointed.

Red pulled back on the reins. The horse stopped moving and Red stared. “You said we were going to your place.” It was the Eden Valley Ranch. The place she’d ridden away from before daylight. Had he tricked her?

He didn’t turn toward her, which was probably for the best. He might not like the suspicion and anger tightening her face. “Have to let the boss know I got his horse and saddle back.”

“What is he going to do?”

“Horse thieves aren’t treated kindly around here.”

“I have firsthand knowledge of not being treated kindly.”

He turned to consider her. “They’re usually hung.”

She pressed her hand to her throat. “So you’re really turning me over to a hangman? This was all just a ruse to get me to come along.” Belle’s hands dug into Red’s ribs. She shouldn’t let her anger make her forget to guard her words. “It’s okay, Belle. I’m not going to hang. Now or ever.” She yanked on the reins and jabbed her heels into her mount’s ribs. The animal jerked so hard, Red almost came unseated, and then it took off in a bone-pounding trot. She kicked again. “Faster, you lazy animal.”

But faster wasn’t something this horse understood. She’d do better to try to escape into the trees, and she pulled the horse off the trail. It went reluctantly, crashing through the brush. Red ducked to avoid branches. Belle clung to her, a high-pitched sound whistling from her.

The horse jerked to a halt and stood quivering, surrounded by trees. Despite Red’s urging, it refused to take another step.

“Get down, Belle. Hurry.” She held out an arm to help Belle to the ground, then dropped down beside her, grabbed her hand and raced into the trees. They were making too much noise. Ward would have no trouble tracking them. She stopped. “We have to be quiet.” To their right was a thicket of bushes. “There. Crawl in out of sight.”

Belle clung to her. “Me?”

“I’m coming, too. Hurry up.” They fought through the tangles and crouched on the ground. She wrapped her arms about Belle and held her tight. Red panted, the sound ragged and loud. She forced herself to breathe slow, deep.

The soft thud of horse hooves approached. The leather of a saddle squeaked.

Red didn’t move, didn’t release the air in her lungs.

No sound came from the horse or the cowboy. How long could she hold her breath? Her head felt funny.

“I know you’re in there and I’m not leaving.” Ward sounded so sure of himself that she wanted to jump out screaming and scare his horse so Ward would get dumped off.

She let the air whoosh out of her lungs. Stupid man probably wouldn’t get thrown no matter what she did.

“I’m not about to get myself hanged.”

Belle twitched and turned toward Red, her blue eyes big and full of fear.

“Nobody is hanging me,” she assured her little sister.

“I doubt Eddie will want to hang you.” Ward didn’t need to sound so regretful.

“You might as well come right out and say you consider it foolish for him to show any leniency.”

“Yeah, well, he hasn’t had to fight you every mile of the ride.”

“You tricked me.”

He groaned. “I thought you might like a meal. There’s little in way of supplies at the cabin.”

“I’m awful hungry,” Belle whispered.

Red considered her options. They were pretty unappealing. Either hide in the bushes while Ward waited, determined to take her to the ranch, or admit defeat. Either way, she was destined to go to the ranch.

“Let’s get out of here,” she whispered to Belle, and they scrambled from the bushes. She drew herself up tall and straight. She’d go to the gallows, she’d face her punishment. But no one would see a shadow of fear on her face.

“We’re ready.” She marched back to the trail where the horse munched on grass. Stupid animal. If it had run like a horse was supposed to, they would be far away now.

Ward swung to the ground and came to assist her back to the saddle.

She grabbed the saddle horn and pulled herself up without assistance, but as she reached for Belle, Ward swung her up. Red didn’t wait for Ward, but headed straight for Eden Valley Ranch and whatever justice Mr. Gardiner would mete out.

She kept her attention on the trail as they edged downward, passed empty corrals, clattered over a wooden bridge and turned toward the big house. But with each step forward her enthusiasm and determination weakened.

Ward drew abreast of her. “He isn’t going to let you hang.”

“I guess not. Who would look after Belle if he did?” Did she manage to keep a defensive note in her voice?

“I expect Linette would give her a home. She’s given Grady one.”

Red had seen a little boy previously but assumed he was Linette and Eddie’s son. “Good to know someone would show my sister some Christian charity.”

Ward sighed long and loud. “Linette is a very sweet, patient woman.”

He didn’t need to say what he really meant. That Red wasn’t. But before she could point out that it was hard to be sweet and patient under her particular circumstances, the cowboys poured from the building she knew to be the cookhouse. They didn’t make a sound.

“They’re staring.” Belle sounded scared.

“Guess their mamas didn’t teach them it was rude.” She kept her attention fixed straight ahead.

The door in the house up the hill opened and Eddie stepped out, Linette on one side and a little boy on the other. They waited as Ward escorted her toward them. They stopped ten feet from the watchful trio.

Ward swung from his horse. Red would have dismounted on her own, but her skirts made it awkward at best and with Belle pressed to her back, impossible. So she allowed Ward to grasp her by the waist and assist her. It meant nothing that his hands were steady, and his shoulders where she was forced to rest her hands, solid. As soon as her feet touched the ground she sprang away, brushing her skirt clear up to her waist trying to flick away the feel of his touch.

Ward’s eyes narrowed as if realizing what she did. Then he quirked one eyebrow and lifted Belle down so quickly she didn’t have time to protest. But she skittered over and grabbed Red’s hand, burying her face in the brown cotton of Red’s borrowed dress.

“It’s okay, honey. You’re safe with me,” Red assured her.

“With me, too,” Ward said, his voice so quiet she could almost persuade herself she didn’t hear. Just like she could almost believe he wasn’t more than a bit offended that she tended to put him in the same category as a man like Thorton. Not that she really thought he was. But still, he was a man and she and Belle were at his mercy and that of his boss. She intended to be cautious around them.

“I see you found them,” Eddie said.

“You have a child.” Linette sounded every bit as sweet and patient as Ward said she was and it almost made Red want to weep.

Ward turned to his boss. “This is Belle, Red’s sister. They both need a home. You have your horse and saddle back so if you’re okay with that, I plan to take them to my cabin.”

Linette sprang forward and grabbed his arm to shake it. “You’ll do no such thing. It’s isolated up there. They’ll stay here with us.” She reached for Red’s arm, but Red backed away.

Isolated sounded about right to her. “That’s very generous of you, but we’ve already accepted Ward’s offer.” Once Linette heard where Red had spent the last few months, she’d want her as far away as possible.

“I won’t hear of it.” Her eyes flashed determination.

Ward neglected to say his sweet, patient boss’s wife was every bit as stubborn as Red. Red allowed herself a moment of admiration for the woman before she rallied her arguments.

“Belle’s been through a difficult time. I think she needs some time alone to get over it.”

Linette studied Belle, who buried her face in Red’s skirts. Each breath released on a shudder. “The poor child.” She nodded as if she’d made up her mind. “If you think she needs time alone, then you can live in the little cabin across from the cookhouse.” She pointed to the place.

In the dusky shadows, Red saw a tiny log cabin facing the roadway that ran through the midst of the ranch buildings but tucked into a cluster of trees that went on and on to the river. It was almost tempting to live where she could dream of finding friends. But once they knew the truth, no one would accept her. Better to be isolated.

Linette, guessing at Red’s resistance, spoke to Ward. “I won’t hear of her living alone in your cabin.”

Red turned to Ward as well. “We had an agreement.” She kept her voice low, but knew from the flash in his eyes that he understood she wanted to jerk every word from her mouth and spear him with them.

Linette appealed to her husband. “Eddie?”

Eddie cleared his throat and spoke to Red. “I don’t know what your circumstances are, but in the future if you are in trouble and need help, I hope you will come and ask rather than steal a horse.”

She’d forgotten the threat of hanging. “I apologize. But I had to rescue my sister.”

“In that case...” He seemed to consider his next words. “I won’t seek justice, seeing as the horse and saddle have been returned, but I think you owe it to Linette and I to accept our offer.”

Linette grinned like the decision had been made.

Red sent a silent appeal to Ward, who shrugged.

“Can’t argue with the boss’s wife,” he said.

Red seemed to have little choice in the matter. But she vowed it would be temporary. Only until she found something else. “Thank you,” she murmured, managing, she hoped, to sound grateful as no doubt they all thought she should.

“I’ll show them the way,” Ward offered. “And make sure they have food.”

Linette thanked him, then turned back to Red. “I’ll check on you in the morning and see if you need anything. In the meantime, get settled, make yourself at home and have a good night’s sleep.”

Red allowed Ward to take the reins of her horse and struggled down the hill with Belle still glued to her skirt. Evening had crept in and filled the hollows, so she felt as she and Belle were alone with Ward.

A cowboy stepped from the cookhouse and Ward handed him the horses. Ward signaled Red and Belle to follow him to the cabin, where he opened the door and indicated they should enter.

Red took a step forward. She paused at the doorway, unable to make out the interior in the darkness.

Belle whimpered and pulled on Red’s skirt, hampering any further progress. Red extricated Belle from the material and tipped her face up. Even in the growing dusk, Red could make out Belle’s eyes—so wide they practically swallowed her face.

Red’s heart burned. Why should her little sister know such insecurity, such terror? Had Thorton’s treatment of the past few months, and before that, the death of their parents and Red’s attempts to support them, robbed this child of any childhood innocence and faith? “Belle, honey, what’s wrong?”

Her hand still clutching Red’s skirts, Belle lifted one finger toward the cabin. “It’s dark. Like that other place.” Her voice shook.

Red straightened, silently cursing herself for not taking into consideration where Belle had spent the past three days. In almost total darkness in an unfamiliar cabin. Not unlike the one they now faced.

Ward must have had the same realization as he sprang forward. “Wait there while I light a lamp.” His footsteps thudded into the darkness of the cabin.

Belle shuddered. “He’s disappeared.”

Red knelt and pulled her little sister into her arms. “No, honey. He’s only inside.”

A yellow light flickered and grew stronger. It shifted, making Ward’s shadow lurch like something alive. Belle squeaked in terror. Red feared Belle would shred the brown skirt as she squeezed her little fists tighter and burrowed closer.

“It’s a lamp, honey, so we don’t have to go into a dark room.”

The light steadied, grew larger as Ward headed for the door. He stepped out, the lamp before him. The yellow light filled his nostrils and highlighted his eyebrows, giving him a wild appearance.

Red swallowed a nervous giggle. “It’s okay—” She meant to reassure Belle but Belle didn’t hear her as she tore from Red’s side with a piercing scream and ran into the dark.

“Belle!” Red called, racing after her. “Belle, come back.”

But Belle continued her headlong flight.

* * *

Ward stared past the golden lamplight, trying to see where Red and Belle had gone. But the light effectively narrowed his vision to a tiny circle. Not that he needed to see to know what happened. His ears proved more than sufficient.

Belle had run screaming into the woods, Red in her wake.

Birds exploded from the trees at the noisy disturbance.

Belle’s fear of him, and Red’s distrust, were starting to wear his patience a might thin. He only wanted to help them. Get them away from men like Thorton Winch and that creepy guy with the boarded-up shack. Two or three times he’d considered he might have taken on more than he anticipated. His already tense jaw tightened further, making his teeth hurt. He would not abandon this pair, no matter how difficult they proved to be. One thing he’d learned...walking away was not the answer, even if he’d done so with the best of intentions.

He lowered the lamp and hurried after Red. She stood at the back of the cabin, calling into the darkness.

“What happened?”

“You.”

That was it. One word, chewed up and spit out like something dirty. “What did I do this time?” He didn’t care that he sounded put out.

“You looked like a monster the way the lamp flared on your face.” She gave a brief, humorless chuckle.

“Thanks.” He’d about had his fill of insults.

“Well, it’s true. You scared her whether you meant to or not.”

“Whether?” His frustrations of the day were about to boil over. “You think I might have intended to frighten her? What kind of a man do you take me for?” He held up one hand. “Don’t tell me. I don’t think I want to hear.”

“Good, because I don’t want to say something I might regret.”

He snorted. Not something he usually did around ladies. But seeing as she wasn’t acting like a lady, he didn’t think it counted. “Do you mean to say you sometimes regret what you say?” He expected she caught the way he emphasized sometimes and the way doubt dripped from his voice, but he was beyond caring what he said to this woman.

“Not often.” She gave him a look of pure defiance. “Now are we going to look for Belle or not?” She stomped away without waiting for his reply.

Great. Now the pair of them was going to wander around in the dark. If he’d known how much aggravation they would turn out to be...

Who was he fooling? He would still have done the same thing. He would have rescued Red even if she accused him of kidnapping. He would have followed her back to the saloon, confronted Thorton and, yes, offered them his cabin. Having her in Eddie’s cabin suited him even better. He’d be able to make sure she and Belle were safe.

He’d not done well on that front so far.

He had to find Belle. Chasing after her would serve no purpose. She’d just hide. But he recalled she’d complained of hunger. “I have an idea.”

“I hope it’s better than your last one.”

He wondered which idea that was, because so far he thought his ideas had been good. “What idea do you mean?”

“Holding the lamp to your face and scaring a little girl half to death.”

“That wasn’t— I didn’t— Oh, what’s the use? You’re determined to twist every word and action of mine into some sort of attack.”

She stepped back into the circle of light to glower at him. “I most certainly do not.”

“Uh-huh, you do. Now can you keep quiet long enough to hear my plan?” He paused for good measure. “Unless you’ve thought of one?”

Her glower deepened as she was forced to acknowledge she had not. “Go ahead. Talk.”

He chuckled. “Knew you wouldn’t admit you had no plan.”

“You gonna tell me this wonderful plan or flap your jaws?”

He grinned at her. “Like I asked before, you ever lose an argument? No, wait. What I mean—” He leaned closer until they were almost nose to nose. “Do you ever admit it?” The lamplight reflected in her eyes, filling them with something he hadn’t seen before—wasn’t sure what to call it. Perhaps fear. Or loneliness? Even though it was barely a shadow, hardly a hint, he knew it was there, and knowing, all resentment left him.

He straightened. “Belle is hungry.”

“So what? We’ve been hungry before. Expect we will be again.”

He decided it wise to refrain from saying they would not go hungry while they lived in this cabin. “I’m going to build a nice fire over there.” He pointed to where Eddie had dug a fire pit, lined it with rocks and placed logs around it at a safe distance to use as benches. “And start cooking up a meal. I’m guessing she’ll soon come out of hiding when she smells the great food I cook.” He grinned, meaning it as teasing. After all, he was a cowboy and only cooked out of necessity, and even then it was the simplest of fare. But at the way her eyes widened and the loudness of her swallow, he guessed she was as hungry as Belle. Right then and there he vowed to make the best meal he’d ever made.

He led the way to the fire pit and soon had a roaring fire going. Red reached out her hands to the flames. For the first time he considered she wore only a brown dress. Belle had on a shapeless gray thing that had seen better days. That observation coming from a cowboy who spent weeks in the same clothes indicated a large degree of wear and tear. Good thing he could count on Linette to help him on that score.

“You stay here. Maybe she’ll come back when I leave.”

Red’s gaze jerked from staring at the flames to look at him. “You’re going?”

“Just to get supplies.”

He dashed across the road to the cookhouse. “Cookie, quick, lend me a bottle of that meat you put up.”

Cookie crossed her arms and looked at him like he’d suddenly sprung a second head. “What for? My cooking not good enough for you?”

He jerked to a halt and swallowed hard. He had no desire to offend Cookie. “I’ve got two hungry females over there.” He gave a wave in the general direction of the cabin.

“Didn’t the boss send you out to bring back his horse and saddle? Instead, you come back with two women?” She sniffed her disdain.

“The horse and saddle are in the barn. Red and her sister are going to stay in the cabin.”

“A horse thief! Whose idea was that?”

“Linette’s.”

Cookie’s scowl disappeared in a wreath of confusion.

“They understand why she had to do it.” As quickly as he could, Ward explained how Red had to rescue her little sister. “And now she’s out in the trees, hiding in fear.” Before he finished, Cookie started filling a basket with jars of meat, bottles of preserved vegetables, fresh produce and some biscuits.

“You tell her to come over in the morning and I’ll have freshly baked cinnamon rolls.”

“I’ll tell her.” He grabbed the supplies and hurried back to the cabin. He dumped meat and vegetables into a cast-iron pot. As he worked, he thought of how Red looked and sounded scared when he said he was going. She’d unwittingly allowed him to see that she liked having him there, though she would deny it with every breath she had. Not that he intended to mention it. He would simply accept it as a step forward. Balancing the lamp in one hand and the makings of a meal in the other, he made his way back to the fire. No one sat beside Red or anywhere around the fire. “She hasn’t come back yet?”

Red shook her head. “Belle?” she called. “Come on, honey. It’s nice and warm here.”

“She do this often?” Ward asked as he fashioned a spit over the fire and hung the pot. He dug a hole nearby and dropped in several hot stones, put a pan of potatoes still in their jackets on top and left them to bake.

“Do what often?” He doubted Red tried to keep the challenge out of her voice.

“Run away.”

“Did you see the little room in the saloon? Well, that’s where she’s spent the last four months. Apart from when Thorton thought to take us out for a walk, and he made plenty sure to hold tight to her hand. So, no, she doesn’t do this often.”

“I’m sorry. I never realized, though I suppose I should have.” He’d seen the little room, even noticed how the window was barred, allowing only slits of light to enter. “She’ll have lots of chance to roam free out here.”

“Hope she doesn’t get lost.”

Ward thought it best to not echo his worry along the same line. After a bit the stew bubbled, and he moved it down the spit to simmer while the potatoes cooked. The smell of food was enough to flood his mouth with saliva. He’d eaten a fair-sized breakfast but nothing since. He guessed Red hadn’t eaten since the day before, and who could guess when Belle had last eaten. He hoped the aromas floating from the pot should soon bring her in. “How’s your leg feeling?”

“It’s fine.”

“I suppose your head is fine, too?”

“Yup.”

“Would you admit if it hurt like fury and your leg pained clear to your eyeballs?”

She laughed, a sound that startled him, expecting, as he was, another fierce argument. “I’ll admit it hurts some, but seeing as there’s nothing for it but to endure, doesn’t seem much point in bemoaning the fact.”

He’d told himself the same thing many times so couldn’t argue. Somehow hearing her say it made him like her just a little. “You will keep an eye on your leg and make sure it doesn’t get infected? If you see any sign of it, let me know. Linette will have ways of treating it.”

“I can manage on my own.”

“I was only being helpful.” He felt her wariness and recalled her earlier words. “And I don’t expect any form of repayment in return.”

“I would pay cash for the use of the cabin if I had any. I don’t. Nor do I aim to repay favors with favors.”

He sighed loud and long. “I would not take either.” He tested the potatoes with a fork. They were cooked. He trotted back to the cabin for dishes, paused to fill a bucket of water at the well. Back at the fire, he handed her two plates, forks and cups.

“Thank you,” she said.

He chomped down on his teeth to keep from saying it was good to see she had a measure of manners. “Call out and tell Belle the food is ready.”

“Belle. There’s food. It smells mighty good. Can you smell it?”

They both waited silently for a sound of the little girl. To his right, the grass rustled.

“She’s coming,” he whispered.

“Ward made lots of stew and there’s baked potatoes. When was the last time you had a whole potato?”

The grass rustled some more, then Belle hovered at the edge of the darkness.

“Come on, honey,” Red urged.

Belle darted glances at Ward as she made her way to Red’s side, going the long way around the fire to avoid having to pass him.

He tried not to let it bother him and failed miserably. Instead, he had to be content with handing them a heaping plate of food. He handed Red a potato. She took it. But when he held out one toward Belle, she shrank back. Red reached for it but Ward withdrew. He wanted Belle to trust him enough to take it from him. After all, he had provided the food. Besides, he was getting tired of being treated like one of the bad guys.

Belle’s fear was palpable, but so was her hunger. He offered her a towel. “It’s hot. Hold it with this.”

She snatched the towel, took another moment to consider the potato carefully, then, doing her best not to touch his hand, took it.

It was a start. Satisfied, he sat down with his own food. “I’ll say grace.”

He didn’t need to look at Red to feel her resistance. But Belle met his eyes steadily a moment before she bowed her head.

He prayed, and then they ate in silence. When he saw they’d cleaned their plate, he offered them another helping, which they didn’t refuse.

The evening deepened. Despite the warmth of the fire, he felt coolness moving in. “I need to do my chores.” Though likely Slim or Roper had seen to them by now.

Red sprang to her feet. “You go. We’ll be fine.”

Ward picked up his hat from beside him and slammed it on his head. “What’s your hurry?”

“I didn’t mean...”

“Don’t bother backpeddling. But if you don’t mind, I’ll see that you’re settled in the cabin and the fire is dowsed before I leave.” He grabbed the lamp and strode back to the cabin. He set the lamp on the tiny table.

Red slipped into the room. “Guess you can’t blame me for being leery. I want to make it on my own. Owe no man anything.”

“I could carve it in the log by the table so you don’t forget.”

“What are you talking about?”

“Lady, my stepfather made no secret that my presence set his teeth on edge. So I walked away from my family because I figured if I left they’d be better off. But I’ve never known if it was so or not. Instead I wonder. And I regret leaving. My only reason for helping you is to make up for leaving my family. It’s nothing to do with you. So don’t think I plan to take advantage of you. You mention it again and I will carve ‘I want nothing in return’ in that there log.” He slapped the chosen place.

“Well, fine then. Just so long as we understand each other.”

“I’m pretty sure we do. There’s the bedroom.” He pointed toward the door. “There’s the stove. I can light it now if you think it’s too chilly in here, though likely you would then roast like trussed chickens. There’s food in the cupboard. Not much. I’ll be back with more in the morning. The place is yours.”

He headed for the door, which was all of three steps away, and Red bolted out of his way. He stopped to give her a long, steady look.

She lowered her head and mumbled something that sounded vaguely like “thank you.”

He nodded briskly and stepped outside. “Call your sister. I’m going to put out the fire.”

At her call, Belle dashed past him to join Red.

He carried the dishes to the cabin and set them in a pot without any comment, then grabbed a shovel from the corner.

Smacking out the lingering flames and covering the embers with dirt allowed him take care of most of his frustration.

He wondered if rescuing this pair would in any way ease his guilt about having left his own family, or if he had bitten off more than he cared to chew.