and forth in anger, an amused look came to his face.
“Don’t you dare look at me like that, Luke McCutcheon! Don’t you dare.” She stomped her foot. “I won’t take it, do you hear?”
“Look at you like what, Faith?” he asked slowly.
“Like I’m a child,” she said. “No, like I’m addle-headed or crazy. I’m not. Just because I’m a woman doesn’t mean I don’t know what I’m talking about.” She sighed, tired and defeated. What was the use? She calmed herself and said, “I want to explain to you why I was out this morning with Ward. When I woke up Colton was gone and I’d thought Ward had taken him. I was trying to find the livery stable so I could tell you. I got lost and that’s when he showed up and offered to carry my bag and walk back with me.” She shrugged. “Ward is a threat to me, Dawn and Colton. That’s all you need to know. If you don’t want to believe me, well…don’t.” She was through fighting. She just wanted to go back to her wagon and lie down. She turned to go.
“Wait, don’t go away mad,” Luke said, reaching out andcatching her by her arm. He was behind her and stood only inches away. “I didn’t mean to get you so worked up. I guess I just want to know more about you than I do. I think it’s because I helped deliver Dawn. I’m sorry.”
Those two little words flowed over Faith like thick, warm honey. Samuel had never said them. She closed her eyes and just stood there, absorbing the way they made her feel inside. He leaned in close. His mouth was just a breath away from her ear, and his hat seemed to close them both off from the rest of the world.
“You’re a wildcat,” he whispered, a hint of humor in his voice. “I never would have guessed it.”
“And, I suppose you’re a little lamb?” she replied, working hard not to enjoy his nearness.
“Depends.”
There was a world of meaning in that one little word. Her feet were rooted to the spot. If Lucifer himself rose up before her, she wouldn’t be able to move an inch. From behind, Luke wrapped his arms around her and pressed his cheek to hers. They stood like that, enjoying the respite.
Faith wished she could open up, but she knew that way lay disaster. It seemed like Luke already believed Ward. What if Ward told Luke she killed Samuel, or went to their sheriff? Would Luke accept it as truth? She couldn’t risk the Browns getting custody of Colton and Dawn. She either married Ward, giving them her father’s farm, like they wanted, and be subjected to an unthinkable life for her and her children, or they’d go to the judge in Kearney and she’d hang. If that were the case, they’d be raising her children anyway, without her being there able to shield them. Both outcomes were absurd. Escape was the only answer.
After a moment, Faith pushed Luke’s arms down and stepped away from his comforting warmth, the action unmistakable. They stood for an instant in awkward silence.“I’ll walk you back to your wagon.” His voice was hard, the warmth and teasing gone. Faith understood the change, and regretted having to drive him away. He wanted her to confide so he could help. Little did he know there was no help for her.
Chapter Seventeen
C ROSSING the river took most of the next day. Luke came and drove Faith’s wagon across early, not saying more than a handful of words the whole time. She knew he must still be annoyed with her from last night. She longed to tell him that she hadn’t disliked his affection; that in actuality it was wonderful and exciting. But her memories of Samuel were hard to break. And, she couldn’t take the chance of her softening and telling Luke the truth.
Safely on the far side of the river, she and Colton watched as the men brought the herd over slowly. Chance, Ike and Ward held the remuda close by, for the men needed fresh horses often. Faith looked over at Ward but whipped her attention back to the river when she found him watching her. Oh, it galled her how
“Don’t you dare look at me like that, Luke McCutcheon! Don’t you dare.” She stomped her foot. “I won’t take it, do you hear?”
“Look at you like what, Faith?” he asked slowly.
“Like I’m a child,” she said. “No, like I’m addle-headed or crazy. I’m not. Just because I’m a woman doesn’t mean I don’t know what I’m talking about.” She sighed, tired and defeated. What was the use? She calmed herself and said, “I want to explain to you why I was out this morning with Ward. When I woke up Colton was gone and I’d thought Ward had taken him. I was trying to find the livery stable so I could tell you. I got lost and that’s when he showed up and offered to carry my bag and walk back with me.” She shrugged. “Ward is a threat to me, Dawn and Colton. That’s all you need to know. If you don’t want to believe me, well…don’t.” She was through fighting. She just wanted to go back to her wagon and lie down. She turned to go.
“Wait, don’t go away mad,” Luke said, reaching out andcatching her by her arm. He was behind her and stood only inches away. “I didn’t mean to get you so worked up. I guess I just want to know more about you than I do. I think it’s because I helped deliver Dawn. I’m sorry.”
Those two little words flowed over Faith like thick, warm honey. Samuel had never said them. She closed her eyes and just stood there, absorbing the way they made her feel inside. He leaned in close. His mouth was just a breath away from her ear, and his hat seemed to close them both off from the rest of the world.
“You’re a wildcat,” he whispered, a hint of humor in his voice. “I never would have guessed it.”
“And, I suppose you’re a little lamb?” she replied, working hard not to enjoy his nearness.
“Depends.”
There was a world of meaning in that one little word. Her feet were rooted to the spot. If Lucifer himself rose up before her, she wouldn’t be able to move an inch. From behind, Luke wrapped his arms around her and pressed his cheek to hers. They stood like that, enjoying the respite.
Faith wished she could open up, but she knew that way lay disaster. It seemed like Luke already believed Ward. What if Ward told Luke she killed Samuel, or went to their sheriff? Would Luke accept it as truth? She couldn’t risk the Browns getting custody of Colton and Dawn. She either married Ward, giving them her father’s farm, like they wanted, and be subjected to an unthinkable life for her and her children, or they’d go to the judge in Kearney and she’d hang. If that were the case, they’d be raising her children anyway, without her being there able to shield them. Both outcomes were absurd. Escape was the only answer.
After a moment, Faith pushed Luke’s arms down and stepped away from his comforting warmth, the action unmistakable. They stood for an instant in awkward silence.“I’ll walk you back to your wagon.” His voice was hard, the warmth and teasing gone. Faith understood the change, and regretted having to drive him away. He wanted her to confide so he could help. Little did he know there was no help for her.
Chapter Seventeen
C ROSSING the river took most of the next day. Luke came and drove Faith’s wagon across early, not saying more than a handful of words the whole time. She knew he must still be annoyed with her from last night. She longed to tell him that she hadn’t disliked his affection; that in actuality it was wonderful and exciting. But her memories of Samuel were hard to break. And, she couldn’t take the chance of her softening and telling Luke the truth.
Safely on the far side of the river, she and Colton watched as the men brought the herd over slowly. Chance, Ike and Ward held the remuda close by, for the men needed fresh horses often. Faith looked over at Ward but whipped her attention back to the river when she found him watching her. Oh, it galled her how
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