sights and squeeze the trigger. Take your time. Remember, you have the advantage, you’re holding the gun.”
Abigail grinned. “I’ll think of the rock as your head, Captain Trumble.” With that, she squeezed the trigger and sent the rock flying off the log. Five more tries sent Brett searching for five more rocks for targets.
“I think we’ve had enough for today,” he said, wincing. He took the pistol from her. “I’d hate to see you get too good at this.”
Chapter Eight
After a hearty lunch of bread, meat, and cheese, Tye and Maria wandered off to take a walk in the woods and locate a grassy spot along Cherry Creek to relax and allow Maria some time to draw. Tye wanted more than anything to have some time alone with her. Ever since he laid eyes on her at the landing in Canon City Landing, his attraction to her was like an appetite he couldn’t satisfy, and he yearned for the hours when they could be together. He found himself making all types of excuses to spend more and more time away from his ranch and at the cottage and schoolhouse instead. He wondered whether she felt the same.
Together, they followed a narrow path leading to the stream and passed a series of high ledges where industrious miners had prospected for coal seams, leaving cave-like indentations into the mountainside. Maria looked up at a mine’s entrance, yawning like the mouth of an old bear. “Oh, wouldn’t it be fun to climb up the spoil pile and see what’s inside?”
Tye shook his head, a shadow of alarm marring his face. “Some of those hollowed out old mines aren’t very stable and have been known to cave in without warning.” He had no desire to admit that he had never liked small, dark places even as a child. In fact, he never liked any cave, unless he could see light streaming in from its entrance. Growing up, his brothers had often teased him about his claustrophobic nature, but he had great respect for miners, especially the Territory’s local bituminous coal miners who went hundreds of feet down into shafts to bring out the ore.
He touched her back and urged her forward. “Come, Maria, you are not dressed for exploring caves. Let’s go down to the stream where it’s cool. You can sketch and maybe I can catch a nap.” He was relieved when she agreed, and they continued onward down a narrow path shaded by pine where they seated themselves on the grassy bank in the shade.
Maria opened her sketchbook. A strand of sleek black hair came undone from the rest tied at the back of her neck and fell into her eyes. She pushed it aside, and it fell back again.
Just as she was about to raise her hand again, Tye reached over and tenderly tucked it behind her ear. They looked at each other for several moments, unable to tear their gazes away. “You are a beautiful desirable woman, Maria,” he whispered and watched as a flush of red crept up her neck onto her cheeks. He stared longingly at her.
She nervously looked away. “I thought you wanted to take a nap,” she stammered.
“I did.” Removing his hat, he stretched out on his back beside her and placed it over his eyes, content to give her some space, content to listen to the sounds of the forest. The sights and sounds of the outdoors always made him feel life was good. Above them, birds warbled, and the wind rustled through the tops of the pine trees. Around them, insects droned and crickets chirped. Below them, the stream sang a merry tune as it gurgled over rocks on its way to bigger waters.
Twenty minutes later, he sat up, interrupting Maria’s concentration. He could see she had already sketched a picture of the stream and forest beyond. She had paid careful attention to a nearby bush where a butterfly flitted above the leaves of milkweed plants lining the opposite riverbank. He was just about to speak, when in his side vision he caught sight of a scruffy head with two dark eyes peering out from behind a nearby cottonwood. He had no idea how long the boy had been
Abigail grinned. “I’ll think of the rock as your head, Captain Trumble.” With that, she squeezed the trigger and sent the rock flying off the log. Five more tries sent Brett searching for five more rocks for targets.
“I think we’ve had enough for today,” he said, wincing. He took the pistol from her. “I’d hate to see you get too good at this.”
Chapter Eight
After a hearty lunch of bread, meat, and cheese, Tye and Maria wandered off to take a walk in the woods and locate a grassy spot along Cherry Creek to relax and allow Maria some time to draw. Tye wanted more than anything to have some time alone with her. Ever since he laid eyes on her at the landing in Canon City Landing, his attraction to her was like an appetite he couldn’t satisfy, and he yearned for the hours when they could be together. He found himself making all types of excuses to spend more and more time away from his ranch and at the cottage and schoolhouse instead. He wondered whether she felt the same.
Together, they followed a narrow path leading to the stream and passed a series of high ledges where industrious miners had prospected for coal seams, leaving cave-like indentations into the mountainside. Maria looked up at a mine’s entrance, yawning like the mouth of an old bear. “Oh, wouldn’t it be fun to climb up the spoil pile and see what’s inside?”
Tye shook his head, a shadow of alarm marring his face. “Some of those hollowed out old mines aren’t very stable and have been known to cave in without warning.” He had no desire to admit that he had never liked small, dark places even as a child. In fact, he never liked any cave, unless he could see light streaming in from its entrance. Growing up, his brothers had often teased him about his claustrophobic nature, but he had great respect for miners, especially the Territory’s local bituminous coal miners who went hundreds of feet down into shafts to bring out the ore.
He touched her back and urged her forward. “Come, Maria, you are not dressed for exploring caves. Let’s go down to the stream where it’s cool. You can sketch and maybe I can catch a nap.” He was relieved when she agreed, and they continued onward down a narrow path shaded by pine where they seated themselves on the grassy bank in the shade.
Maria opened her sketchbook. A strand of sleek black hair came undone from the rest tied at the back of her neck and fell into her eyes. She pushed it aside, and it fell back again.
Just as she was about to raise her hand again, Tye reached over and tenderly tucked it behind her ear. They looked at each other for several moments, unable to tear their gazes away. “You are a beautiful desirable woman, Maria,” he whispered and watched as a flush of red crept up her neck onto her cheeks. He stared longingly at her.
She nervously looked away. “I thought you wanted to take a nap,” she stammered.
“I did.” Removing his hat, he stretched out on his back beside her and placed it over his eyes, content to give her some space, content to listen to the sounds of the forest. The sights and sounds of the outdoors always made him feel life was good. Above them, birds warbled, and the wind rustled through the tops of the pine trees. Around them, insects droned and crickets chirped. Below them, the stream sang a merry tune as it gurgled over rocks on its way to bigger waters.
Twenty minutes later, he sat up, interrupting Maria’s concentration. He could see she had already sketched a picture of the stream and forest beyond. She had paid careful attention to a nearby bush where a butterfly flitted above the leaves of milkweed plants lining the opposite riverbank. He was just about to speak, when in his side vision he caught sight of a scruffy head with two dark eyes peering out from behind a nearby cottonwood. He had no idea how long the boy had been
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