responded to her crooning tone, growing calm at her owner’s soothing words.
Dave leaped up behind Brendan and Cody urged their horses toward Alex.
“I hope you’ll forgive me, Miss Gordon, if my concern for your life caused me to lose my temper and offend you. There’s a serious danger to be fought here, and it will be far easier for Brendan and me to root it out and put an end to it if we’re not constantly worrying about your safety.”
He didn’t give her a chance to respond. After the tongue-lashing she had given him, he was determined to have the last word. He nudged his mount around and started loping smoothly back toward Victory.
As they neared town, he slowed his horse, and Brendan moved up to ride by his side. Cody saw that the older man was smirking at him knowingly, but he just shook his head and continued on toward civilization.
T HEY ALL RETURNED TO the boardinghouse together, Alex dreading the thought of having dinner in his company. Yes, she had perhaps spoken more harshly than she should have, but he had insulted her first, so really, it was all his fault. Levy quickly came over to tend to the horses, telling them that Cole Granger was inside pacing, after Dave’s horse had returned without him.
“Thank God you’re back!” Cole said as they trailed in. He immediately gave Alex a huge hug, and she hugged him back. She felt his heart pounding and knew he was especially grateful for her return. He went on to clap Dave on the back, and pump Brendan’s and Cody’s hands with enthusiasm. “I don’t mind telling you, I was terrified. After what happened last night, I couldn’t leave this town unprotected again, but when Dave’s horse came back…What happened?”
“Something spooked the horses,” Dave said. “And…Ithink we have some kind of giant birds in the woods,” he added, shaking his head, knowing his words sounded irrational. “Giant birds—they got the wolves howling like I’ve never heard before, and then they started swooping down on us. Alex and I were barely holding our own, and—then Cody and Brendan found us.”
“Giant…birds?” Cole asked doubtfully.
“I swear, that’s what they seemed like. Giant birds—and I think they’re what’s killing everyone around here.”
Cole stared at the four of them.
“Cole,” Alex said, “I don’t know what was out there—but they flew, and they would have killed us.” She hesitated, trying to keep her voice level. “I think Cody hit one of them, but it flew off before it fell, and it was too dark under the trees for me to see anything. Finally they quit attacking us and we got out of there as fast as we could. So now…”
Her voice trailed off as Beulah, Bert and the girls came running in, kissing and hugging everyone with unbridled enthusiasm. Alex couldn’t help but notice that Cody had an awkward grin on his face, as if he were glad of the warmth being shown him on his return.
She remembered the bizarre dream she’d had about him, but insisted to herself that that was all it was, just a dream, nothing she needed to be concerned about.
But she couldn’t help being scared. Too often in the past, her dreams had been a forewarning of what was to come.
“All righty now,” Beulah said firmly once everyone’s return had been celebrated. “You folks get on to the dining room right now.”
“Not me, thank you, Beulah,” Cole said. “I called atown meeting for just about an hour from now, and I ought to be getting over to the saloon to get ready for it.”
“We’ll all be going to the meeting, Cole Granger,” Beulah said firmly. “And you’ve still got to eat. Now, get in there, everyone, and don’t forget to wash up first. Then you’ll all eat a nice, civilized dinner, before we get back to making plans so we can stop being so afraid.”
No one was about to dispute Beulah when she was so determined, so Alex hurried upstairs to her room. Her washbowl had been filled, and it felt delicious to dip
Dave leaped up behind Brendan and Cody urged their horses toward Alex.
“I hope you’ll forgive me, Miss Gordon, if my concern for your life caused me to lose my temper and offend you. There’s a serious danger to be fought here, and it will be far easier for Brendan and me to root it out and put an end to it if we’re not constantly worrying about your safety.”
He didn’t give her a chance to respond. After the tongue-lashing she had given him, he was determined to have the last word. He nudged his mount around and started loping smoothly back toward Victory.
As they neared town, he slowed his horse, and Brendan moved up to ride by his side. Cody saw that the older man was smirking at him knowingly, but he just shook his head and continued on toward civilization.
T HEY ALL RETURNED TO the boardinghouse together, Alex dreading the thought of having dinner in his company. Yes, she had perhaps spoken more harshly than she should have, but he had insulted her first, so really, it was all his fault. Levy quickly came over to tend to the horses, telling them that Cole Granger was inside pacing, after Dave’s horse had returned without him.
“Thank God you’re back!” Cole said as they trailed in. He immediately gave Alex a huge hug, and she hugged him back. She felt his heart pounding and knew he was especially grateful for her return. He went on to clap Dave on the back, and pump Brendan’s and Cody’s hands with enthusiasm. “I don’t mind telling you, I was terrified. After what happened last night, I couldn’t leave this town unprotected again, but when Dave’s horse came back…What happened?”
“Something spooked the horses,” Dave said. “And…Ithink we have some kind of giant birds in the woods,” he added, shaking his head, knowing his words sounded irrational. “Giant birds—they got the wolves howling like I’ve never heard before, and then they started swooping down on us. Alex and I were barely holding our own, and—then Cody and Brendan found us.”
“Giant…birds?” Cole asked doubtfully.
“I swear, that’s what they seemed like. Giant birds—and I think they’re what’s killing everyone around here.”
Cole stared at the four of them.
“Cole,” Alex said, “I don’t know what was out there—but they flew, and they would have killed us.” She hesitated, trying to keep her voice level. “I think Cody hit one of them, but it flew off before it fell, and it was too dark under the trees for me to see anything. Finally they quit attacking us and we got out of there as fast as we could. So now…”
Her voice trailed off as Beulah, Bert and the girls came running in, kissing and hugging everyone with unbridled enthusiasm. Alex couldn’t help but notice that Cody had an awkward grin on his face, as if he were glad of the warmth being shown him on his return.
She remembered the bizarre dream she’d had about him, but insisted to herself that that was all it was, just a dream, nothing she needed to be concerned about.
But she couldn’t help being scared. Too often in the past, her dreams had been a forewarning of what was to come.
“All righty now,” Beulah said firmly once everyone’s return had been celebrated. “You folks get on to the dining room right now.”
“Not me, thank you, Beulah,” Cole said. “I called atown meeting for just about an hour from now, and I ought to be getting over to the saloon to get ready for it.”
“We’ll all be going to the meeting, Cole Granger,” Beulah said firmly. “And you’ve still got to eat. Now, get in there, everyone, and don’t forget to wash up first. Then you’ll all eat a nice, civilized dinner, before we get back to making plans so we can stop being so afraid.”
No one was about to dispute Beulah when she was so determined, so Alex hurried upstairs to her room. Her washbowl had been filled, and it felt delicious to dip
Similar Books
