afoot most of the way, allowing her to ride to avoid walking on a sore
leg. She was just about to voice her need for nature’s call when Wolf halted
Scout. “We’ll stop here for the night. This is the place I told you about;
water close by, a shelter in case of a sudden rainstorm, and a place to tether
Scout and hide her from prying eyes. Horse thieving is big in these parts.”
Sarah gratefully
slid to the ground, barely listening to what Wolf said. “Thank God,” she
mumbled, rubbing her behind. “Although I appreciate the use of your horse, I
never realized how hard it was to ride without a saddle. I’ve never been much
of a horsewoman, but give me leather between me and that abrasive hair any
day.”
Wolf laughed, as he
led Scout to the creek for a drink. He dropped the mare’s lead rope and walked
back, carrying the bedroll and coffee pot.
Sarah eyed the tin
container. “I thought we were out of coffee.”
“We are, but I
thought you might like some warm water to wash up. I’ll gather wood and dried
grass and get a fire started. How does that sound?”
“Wonderful. I feel
like I’m wearing half the trail on my face.” She picked up the bedroll. “Where
should I make the beds?”
“Over there,” he
pointed, “beneath the outcropping. I slept there a few months ago, so I’ve
already cleared most of the big rocks and pebbles. There’s no tall grass, so
you don’t have to worry about snakes.
She swallowed hard.
“That’s nice to know.”
“Oh, and if you need
some privacy, use the stand of oaks over there.” He pointed to the opposite
side of the creek.
Making a beeline for
the trees, she found it easy to ford the creek, using the flat stones Mother
Nature had conveniently placed across the shallow flow of water. Within a few
minutes Sarah returned, a smile on her face and feeling relieved. Wolf was busy
collecting fair-sized rocks to add to the partial circle that remained of a
fire pit.
In the time it took
Sarah to spread the buffalo robes and blanket where Wolf indicated, he’d
completed the ring of stones and had a healthy fire burning within its center. When
she realized the closeness of their bedding, she bent and pulled her pallet a
little farther from his. She straightened to find him watching her, and her
cheeks warmed beneath his gaze. His eyes held such depth and beauty—certainly a
mirror to a good soul. Still, his attention caused her continual guilt.
The coffee pot
already sat amid the flames, and Wolf squatted next to the fire. “Would you
mind if I use your valise to help catch dinner?”
“How in the world…”
“Easy. It’s going to
become a rabbit snare. First you tie a piece of string to it, then you turn it
upside down over a piece of bait, prop it on a stick, and wait for a rabbit to
get nosy enough to venture underneath. Can you bring me the tie from the
bedrolls, please?”
Sarah retrieved the
piece of rawhide and handed to him. “What do you plan to use as enticement?”
“The only thing I
have is a last piece of hard tack. I hope the rabbits around here aren’t
picky.”
Sarah moved back to
the bedroll and crouched down to empty her bag. Grabbing both sides, she turned
the case upside down and shook the contents onto her pallet. The gun fell with
a thud. She’d totally forgotten she had it. Did Wolf know? Did it matter? It
wasn’t unusual to carry a weapon, especially when traveling.
He was busy searching for a stick, so she
stowed the weapon beneath her bedding, feeling foolish for hiding it. Surely he
must have seen the weapon when he rifled through her bag in search of dressings
for her leg. Still, firearms made her nervous, and it was best to keep hers hidden.
She walked back over
to the fire in time to see Wolf removing the coffee pot. He pulled his sleeve
down to protect his hand from the heat, and set the utensil in the sandy soil.
“You might want to
let it cool a bit.” With a smile, he took the valise she held out to him
leg. She was just about to voice her need for nature’s call when Wolf halted
Scout. “We’ll stop here for the night. This is the place I told you about;
water close by, a shelter in case of a sudden rainstorm, and a place to tether
Scout and hide her from prying eyes. Horse thieving is big in these parts.”
Sarah gratefully
slid to the ground, barely listening to what Wolf said. “Thank God,” she
mumbled, rubbing her behind. “Although I appreciate the use of your horse, I
never realized how hard it was to ride without a saddle. I’ve never been much
of a horsewoman, but give me leather between me and that abrasive hair any
day.”
Wolf laughed, as he
led Scout to the creek for a drink. He dropped the mare’s lead rope and walked
back, carrying the bedroll and coffee pot.
Sarah eyed the tin
container. “I thought we were out of coffee.”
“We are, but I
thought you might like some warm water to wash up. I’ll gather wood and dried
grass and get a fire started. How does that sound?”
“Wonderful. I feel
like I’m wearing half the trail on my face.” She picked up the bedroll. “Where
should I make the beds?”
“Over there,” he
pointed, “beneath the outcropping. I slept there a few months ago, so I’ve
already cleared most of the big rocks and pebbles. There’s no tall grass, so
you don’t have to worry about snakes.
She swallowed hard.
“That’s nice to know.”
“Oh, and if you need
some privacy, use the stand of oaks over there.” He pointed to the opposite
side of the creek.
Making a beeline for
the trees, she found it easy to ford the creek, using the flat stones Mother
Nature had conveniently placed across the shallow flow of water. Within a few
minutes Sarah returned, a smile on her face and feeling relieved. Wolf was busy
collecting fair-sized rocks to add to the partial circle that remained of a
fire pit.
In the time it took
Sarah to spread the buffalo robes and blanket where Wolf indicated, he’d
completed the ring of stones and had a healthy fire burning within its center. When
she realized the closeness of their bedding, she bent and pulled her pallet a
little farther from his. She straightened to find him watching her, and her
cheeks warmed beneath his gaze. His eyes held such depth and beauty—certainly a
mirror to a good soul. Still, his attention caused her continual guilt.
The coffee pot
already sat amid the flames, and Wolf squatted next to the fire. “Would you
mind if I use your valise to help catch dinner?”
“How in the world…”
“Easy. It’s going to
become a rabbit snare. First you tie a piece of string to it, then you turn it
upside down over a piece of bait, prop it on a stick, and wait for a rabbit to
get nosy enough to venture underneath. Can you bring me the tie from the
bedrolls, please?”
Sarah retrieved the
piece of rawhide and handed to him. “What do you plan to use as enticement?”
“The only thing I
have is a last piece of hard tack. I hope the rabbits around here aren’t
picky.”
Sarah moved back to
the bedroll and crouched down to empty her bag. Grabbing both sides, she turned
the case upside down and shook the contents onto her pallet. The gun fell with
a thud. She’d totally forgotten she had it. Did Wolf know? Did it matter? It
wasn’t unusual to carry a weapon, especially when traveling.
He was busy searching for a stick, so she
stowed the weapon beneath her bedding, feeling foolish for hiding it. Surely he
must have seen the weapon when he rifled through her bag in search of dressings
for her leg. Still, firearms made her nervous, and it was best to keep hers hidden.
She walked back over
to the fire in time to see Wolf removing the coffee pot. He pulled his sleeve
down to protect his hand from the heat, and set the utensil in the sandy soil.
“You might want to
let it cool a bit.” With a smile, he took the valise she held out to him
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