What could have made Whitney think such a thing? Silver felt no affection for Jared Newman. Certainly not of the romantic kind. Perhaps she’d begun to admire him a little after hearing the Hanovers’ story. But that was all. Respect and admiration were as far as her feelings went.
Her dream rose up to mock her. She saw him seated on his pinto, felt his gaze turn upon her, wanted to—
Stop! It was absurd. And dreams meant nothing.
She would have to make sure no one else misinterpreted her feelings in the future. Most of all the bounty hunter himself.
CHAPTER 15
A s they approached Green River City three days after departing Laramie, Silver felt relief when Jared told her they would get a couple of rooms for the night. Not so much because she would enjoy sleeping in a real bed again—although she would—but because it would give her some time by herself. It seemed that she couldn’t look at Jared without Whitney Hanover’s voice echoing in her memory: “You must love him a great deal . . . I saw it on your face at supper. It was there whenever you looked at him.”
Love him? How could she love him? She barely knew him. Jared was little more than a stranger to her. While they traveled, he rarely spoke, and it wasn’t much different when they stopped to rest the horses during the day or to camp for the night. The man was private with his thoughts andhis past. She’d learned more about him during their brief stay with the Hanovers than in all the other hours she’d spent with him put together.
Then there was that dream. The one that lingered in her memory, day after day.
“Sometimes the heart understands far more than the mind, and much sooner too.”
Perhaps Whitney was right. But the Bible, as her father was wont to remind her, said the heart was deceitful above all things. She’d best remember that. She’d made a bad enough mistake when she’d ignored her head’s warning about Bob Cassidy, a liar, scoundrel, and thief. She didn’t want to make an even worse one with a bounty hunter.
“There it is,” Jared said as he reined in on the crest of a hill. “Green River City.”
Embarrassed by where her thoughts had taken her once again, she followed the direction of his gaze and found the small town nestled beside the green-colored river from which it took its name. In unison they nudged their horses and started down the hillside.
Green River was much like other western towns built along the Union Pacific rail line. There was one main street bordered by a mercantile, a restaurant, a church, two saloons, the jail and county offices, a doctor’s office, and a small hotel advertising clean beds and hot baths. Dust rose up in small clouds behind horses and wagons, turning everything the same dull shade of taupe.
The pair dismounted in front of the hotel, Jared’s spurs jingling as he stepped onto the boardwalk. “You get us a couple of rooms.” He squinted at the afternoon sun. “I’ll take the horses to the livery stable and then check around town, see if I can learn anything. I’ll meet you at the restaurant across the street at six o’clock.” He took money from his pocket and offered it to her. “Can you wait that long to eat?”
Taking the coins, she nodded, thankful her stomach didn’t growl and make a liar out of her.
“Here.” He stepped off the boardwalk and removed the saddlebags from both of their horses. “You’d better take these with you.” He dropped them onto her outstretched arm. “I’ll take care of the rest of our things. See you at six.” He led the horses down the street.
As she watched him go, his long, easy gait familiar to her, a strange feeling shivered up her spine. A feeling she couldn’t define—and wasn’t sure she even wanted to try.
The man at the railroad station was certain no one meeting Bob Cassidy’s description had broken his trip at Green River over the past two weeks. “Truth be told, ain’t been nobody get off
Her dream rose up to mock her. She saw him seated on his pinto, felt his gaze turn upon her, wanted to—
Stop! It was absurd. And dreams meant nothing.
She would have to make sure no one else misinterpreted her feelings in the future. Most of all the bounty hunter himself.
CHAPTER 15
A s they approached Green River City three days after departing Laramie, Silver felt relief when Jared told her they would get a couple of rooms for the night. Not so much because she would enjoy sleeping in a real bed again—although she would—but because it would give her some time by herself. It seemed that she couldn’t look at Jared without Whitney Hanover’s voice echoing in her memory: “You must love him a great deal . . . I saw it on your face at supper. It was there whenever you looked at him.”
Love him? How could she love him? She barely knew him. Jared was little more than a stranger to her. While they traveled, he rarely spoke, and it wasn’t much different when they stopped to rest the horses during the day or to camp for the night. The man was private with his thoughts andhis past. She’d learned more about him during their brief stay with the Hanovers than in all the other hours she’d spent with him put together.
Then there was that dream. The one that lingered in her memory, day after day.
“Sometimes the heart understands far more than the mind, and much sooner too.”
Perhaps Whitney was right. But the Bible, as her father was wont to remind her, said the heart was deceitful above all things. She’d best remember that. She’d made a bad enough mistake when she’d ignored her head’s warning about Bob Cassidy, a liar, scoundrel, and thief. She didn’t want to make an even worse one with a bounty hunter.
“There it is,” Jared said as he reined in on the crest of a hill. “Green River City.”
Embarrassed by where her thoughts had taken her once again, she followed the direction of his gaze and found the small town nestled beside the green-colored river from which it took its name. In unison they nudged their horses and started down the hillside.
Green River was much like other western towns built along the Union Pacific rail line. There was one main street bordered by a mercantile, a restaurant, a church, two saloons, the jail and county offices, a doctor’s office, and a small hotel advertising clean beds and hot baths. Dust rose up in small clouds behind horses and wagons, turning everything the same dull shade of taupe.
The pair dismounted in front of the hotel, Jared’s spurs jingling as he stepped onto the boardwalk. “You get us a couple of rooms.” He squinted at the afternoon sun. “I’ll take the horses to the livery stable and then check around town, see if I can learn anything. I’ll meet you at the restaurant across the street at six o’clock.” He took money from his pocket and offered it to her. “Can you wait that long to eat?”
Taking the coins, she nodded, thankful her stomach didn’t growl and make a liar out of her.
“Here.” He stepped off the boardwalk and removed the saddlebags from both of their horses. “You’d better take these with you.” He dropped them onto her outstretched arm. “I’ll take care of the rest of our things. See you at six.” He led the horses down the street.
As she watched him go, his long, easy gait familiar to her, a strange feeling shivered up her spine. A feeling she couldn’t define—and wasn’t sure she even wanted to try.
The man at the railroad station was certain no one meeting Bob Cassidy’s description had broken his trip at Green River over the past two weeks. “Truth be told, ain’t been nobody get off
Similar Books
