Tanner asked.
“The marshal was busy. I didn’t want to bother him. What difference would it have made? The men were dead. Nobody but the good Lord can judge them now.” Mary shooed a horsefly off her skirt. “Besides that, my daughter would worry if she knew what had happened here. She and Judd would pluck me out of this house faster than you could say Jack Robinson.”
Clara had kept her eyes on Tanner. She saw the tension ease in his face and body. Clearly he’d been expecting the marshal to show up. Maybe now he’d stay long enough to heal properly…and for Galahad to breed her mares.
“I’ll take care of your horse and see to the others, Grandma,” she said. “You sit here and rest awhile.”
“I’ll be getting to the chores.” Tanner loped down thesteps and strode off in the direction of the milking shed. Clara watched him go as she led Mary’s horse toward the barn. Maybe they’d get a chance to talk before her grandmother sent her packing for home. Then again, that might not be such a good idea. Talking with Tanner tended to strip away her defenses, leaving her raw and vulnerable. That was the last thing she needed today.
In the barn she found the horses safe but restless. The two mares were as demure as nuns, showing no signs of interest in the big stallion. Clara sighed as she turned them out to graze. “You ladies don’t know what you’re missing!” she scolded them as she closed the paddock gate. “A fine gentleman like Galahad doesn’t happen along every day of the week!”
And a man like Tanner didn’t happen along every day either, she mused. But what had put that thought into her head? By his own admission, Tanner was a fugitive, running from the law. If she had the sense of a plucked goose, she’d call the marshal and turn him in.
But something about him—call it pride, or even honor—made her hesitate. Tanner didn’t strike her as a man who’d stoop to dishonesty or to harming innocent people. But then, who was she to judge? How many women had been taken in by a handsome face, only to end up with broken hearts and ruined reputations?
She’d be a fool to let that happen to her.
The stallion snorted when she opened his stall, but he allowed her to lead him out of the barn. After turninghim loose in the paddock with her mares, she unsaddled Mary’s horse and put the two geldings in the corral. Then she led Tarboy out of his stall to saddle him for the ride home.
She was bending to tighten the cinch, her hair tumbling over her face, when the east door opened. Sunlight spilled across the straw as Tanner stepped into the barn. His tall frame loomed over her, casting a shadow where she stood. Clara glanced up. Her pulse lurched at the sight of his stormy expression. Had he come to thank her or to threaten her?
Rather than wait to find out, she decided to make the first move. Rising, she swept her hair out of her face and met his gaze straight on.
“So, will you be staying awhile longer?” she asked him. “My grandmother could certainly use your help.”
For a moment he stood silent, his narrowed eyes taking her measure. A chilly breeze from outside raised goose bumps on her skin. What if she’d been wrong about him? What if he was as cold as he appeared to her now? A man who could look like that might be capable of anything.
“That depends on you,” he said. “Can I trust you to keep your word, Clara?”
“You can, as long as you stay until my mares are bred—and as long as you give me no reason to worry about my grandmother’s safety.”
“I’d never harm your grandmother, or you. You should know that by now.”
She shook her head. “I don’t really know anything about you, Tanner.”
Except how I felt when you held me in your arms .
“You know enough to put me in danger. If I can’t count on you to keep still, it’s best that I leave right now. Your grandmother can hire somebody else.”
“Tell me what you did.”
His mouth tightened. “That’s
“The marshal was busy. I didn’t want to bother him. What difference would it have made? The men were dead. Nobody but the good Lord can judge them now.” Mary shooed a horsefly off her skirt. “Besides that, my daughter would worry if she knew what had happened here. She and Judd would pluck me out of this house faster than you could say Jack Robinson.”
Clara had kept her eyes on Tanner. She saw the tension ease in his face and body. Clearly he’d been expecting the marshal to show up. Maybe now he’d stay long enough to heal properly…and for Galahad to breed her mares.
“I’ll take care of your horse and see to the others, Grandma,” she said. “You sit here and rest awhile.”
“I’ll be getting to the chores.” Tanner loped down thesteps and strode off in the direction of the milking shed. Clara watched him go as she led Mary’s horse toward the barn. Maybe they’d get a chance to talk before her grandmother sent her packing for home. Then again, that might not be such a good idea. Talking with Tanner tended to strip away her defenses, leaving her raw and vulnerable. That was the last thing she needed today.
In the barn she found the horses safe but restless. The two mares were as demure as nuns, showing no signs of interest in the big stallion. Clara sighed as she turned them out to graze. “You ladies don’t know what you’re missing!” she scolded them as she closed the paddock gate. “A fine gentleman like Galahad doesn’t happen along every day of the week!”
And a man like Tanner didn’t happen along every day either, she mused. But what had put that thought into her head? By his own admission, Tanner was a fugitive, running from the law. If she had the sense of a plucked goose, she’d call the marshal and turn him in.
But something about him—call it pride, or even honor—made her hesitate. Tanner didn’t strike her as a man who’d stoop to dishonesty or to harming innocent people. But then, who was she to judge? How many women had been taken in by a handsome face, only to end up with broken hearts and ruined reputations?
She’d be a fool to let that happen to her.
The stallion snorted when she opened his stall, but he allowed her to lead him out of the barn. After turninghim loose in the paddock with her mares, she unsaddled Mary’s horse and put the two geldings in the corral. Then she led Tarboy out of his stall to saddle him for the ride home.
She was bending to tighten the cinch, her hair tumbling over her face, when the east door opened. Sunlight spilled across the straw as Tanner stepped into the barn. His tall frame loomed over her, casting a shadow where she stood. Clara glanced up. Her pulse lurched at the sight of his stormy expression. Had he come to thank her or to threaten her?
Rather than wait to find out, she decided to make the first move. Rising, she swept her hair out of her face and met his gaze straight on.
“So, will you be staying awhile longer?” she asked him. “My grandmother could certainly use your help.”
For a moment he stood silent, his narrowed eyes taking her measure. A chilly breeze from outside raised goose bumps on her skin. What if she’d been wrong about him? What if he was as cold as he appeared to her now? A man who could look like that might be capable of anything.
“That depends on you,” he said. “Can I trust you to keep your word, Clara?”
“You can, as long as you stay until my mares are bred—and as long as you give me no reason to worry about my grandmother’s safety.”
“I’d never harm your grandmother, or you. You should know that by now.”
She shook her head. “I don’t really know anything about you, Tanner.”
Except how I felt when you held me in your arms .
“You know enough to put me in danger. If I can’t count on you to keep still, it’s best that I leave right now. Your grandmother can hire somebody else.”
“Tell me what you did.”
His mouth tightened. “That’s
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