she saw that he wore no underwear. Neither drawers nor longjohns. Willing her hands not to shake, she eased his trousers down his hips and legs until the huge purple bruise on his lower thigh became visible.
"Turn on your side, away from me," she instructed, trying not to look at anything but the injury.
Rafe let out a yelp when she probed the bruise with a fingertip.
"I don't think anything is broken. There's no bone sticking out and you seem able to move about freely. You probably should stay off your leg for a few days."
Rafe wished Jess were here. With his doctoring skills he could tell right away if there was a hidden hairline fracture. Unfortunately he had to make do with Angel's guesswork.
"Cold compresses ought to help," Angela said. "I'll fetch water and cloths."
Before she departed, she discretely arranged the sheet over him so that nothing showed but his bruise. Her sensibilities assuaged, she beat a hasty retreat.
The cold compresses seemed to help. The swelling subsided and the pain wasn't quite as severe as it had been. With the pain eased, Rafe had time to think. The boulder balanced over the mine entrance couldn't have been dislodged without help. The longer he thought about it the more convinced he became that two strong men, such as Cady and Baxter, could easily pry it from its precarious perch. It was something to consider.
The following day Rafe tested his leg. It hurt like hell to put any weight on it, and he still wasn't sure there wasn't a hairline fracture, but lying abed wasn't an option. He'd rather limp around than lay in bed like a useless lump. Besides, that boulder was meant to kill both him and Angel. She needed his protection.
Nothing unforeseen happened during the following days. Rafe's limp eased, as did the pain, and he was finally able to sit his horse without undue discomfort. The first day he was pain free, he suggested to Angela that they go into town and sell the wagon that had carried her across the prairie.
"The wagon is too cumbersome for these mountain roads," Rafe explained. "I noticed a buckboard behind the cabin, and some horses corralled nearby. The buckboard will do just fine to get you to town and back. I think you should buy a good riding horse with the proceeds from the wagon." He sent her an assessing look. "You can ride, can't you?"
"I can ride. Your suggestion is a good one. While I'm in town I can visit Father's lawyer. Mr. Goodman should be informed of my arrival and I need to learn more about my inheritance. Are you healed enough to ride?"
He sent her a wicked grin. "Would you care to inspect my injury?"
"No thank you," she sniffed. "I've already seen more of you than I care to. I'll get my bonnet and meet you outside."
Rafe watched her leave, his expression bemused. He wished things were different between them. Were he able to settle down with a woman, Angel would be his first and only choice. But circumstances beyond his control denied him the kind of life he might choose for himself. A man on the run from the law had no business messing up the life of an innocent woman like his Angel.
The trip down Red Rock Canyon Road was every bit as harrowing as it had been going up. The prairie schooner lumbered awkwardly from side to side down the winding road, but they arrived safely in Canyon City, due primarily to Rafe's expert handling of the team.
The hostler offered a fair price for the wagon and Angela found a chestnut mare to her liking. A trade was made and they set off for the lawyer's office. Mr. Goodman greeted them with a mixture of surprise and pleasure.
"So you're Simon's daughter," Goodman greeted effusively.
Age and years of experience sat heavily upon his shoulders, but his forthright gaze and confident air immediately put Angela at ease. "I had no idea you intended to visit your father's property."
"My decision to travel
"Turn on your side, away from me," she instructed, trying not to look at anything but the injury.
Rafe let out a yelp when she probed the bruise with a fingertip.
"I don't think anything is broken. There's no bone sticking out and you seem able to move about freely. You probably should stay off your leg for a few days."
Rafe wished Jess were here. With his doctoring skills he could tell right away if there was a hidden hairline fracture. Unfortunately he had to make do with Angel's guesswork.
"Cold compresses ought to help," Angela said. "I'll fetch water and cloths."
Before she departed, she discretely arranged the sheet over him so that nothing showed but his bruise. Her sensibilities assuaged, she beat a hasty retreat.
The cold compresses seemed to help. The swelling subsided and the pain wasn't quite as severe as it had been. With the pain eased, Rafe had time to think. The boulder balanced over the mine entrance couldn't have been dislodged without help. The longer he thought about it the more convinced he became that two strong men, such as Cady and Baxter, could easily pry it from its precarious perch. It was something to consider.
The following day Rafe tested his leg. It hurt like hell to put any weight on it, and he still wasn't sure there wasn't a hairline fracture, but lying abed wasn't an option. He'd rather limp around than lay in bed like a useless lump. Besides, that boulder was meant to kill both him and Angel. She needed his protection.
Nothing unforeseen happened during the following days. Rafe's limp eased, as did the pain, and he was finally able to sit his horse without undue discomfort. The first day he was pain free, he suggested to Angela that they go into town and sell the wagon that had carried her across the prairie.
"The wagon is too cumbersome for these mountain roads," Rafe explained. "I noticed a buckboard behind the cabin, and some horses corralled nearby. The buckboard will do just fine to get you to town and back. I think you should buy a good riding horse with the proceeds from the wagon." He sent her an assessing look. "You can ride, can't you?"
"I can ride. Your suggestion is a good one. While I'm in town I can visit Father's lawyer. Mr. Goodman should be informed of my arrival and I need to learn more about my inheritance. Are you healed enough to ride?"
He sent her a wicked grin. "Would you care to inspect my injury?"
"No thank you," she sniffed. "I've already seen more of you than I care to. I'll get my bonnet and meet you outside."
Rafe watched her leave, his expression bemused. He wished things were different between them. Were he able to settle down with a woman, Angel would be his first and only choice. But circumstances beyond his control denied him the kind of life he might choose for himself. A man on the run from the law had no business messing up the life of an innocent woman like his Angel.
The trip down Red Rock Canyon Road was every bit as harrowing as it had been going up. The prairie schooner lumbered awkwardly from side to side down the winding road, but they arrived safely in Canyon City, due primarily to Rafe's expert handling of the team.
The hostler offered a fair price for the wagon and Angela found a chestnut mare to her liking. A trade was made and they set off for the lawyer's office. Mr. Goodman greeted them with a mixture of surprise and pleasure.
"So you're Simon's daughter," Goodman greeted effusively.
Age and years of experience sat heavily upon his shoulders, but his forthright gaze and confident air immediately put Angela at ease. "I had no idea you intended to visit your father's property."
"My decision to travel
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