didn’t hear the man’s reply. He walked after his mate, admiring the straight line of her spine and the way she held her shoulders. Learning the truth about her mother was devastating for her, but she stood proudly.
Chapter 7
Knowing Snake was right behind her steadied her. The look of pride she’d seen on his face when she’d gone past him gave her the strength to keep her tears back and her head up. Mel went back to the horses, unhitched hers, tightened the saddle, and mounted without putting her rifle away. She didn’t think her moth— that woman would follow, and even if she did, Mel didn’t think she could pull the trigger, but the weight of the weapon was a comfort. A few minutes later Mike appeared. His face seemed pale under its dark tan when he settled in the saddle and looked at her. Mel evaded his gaze. A part of her wanted desperately to cry, but she couldn’t. Tears were a luxury life burned out of her years ago.
Snake mounted the third horse. “Stone will hang back a bit to be sure we’re not followed.”
Mel nodded wordlessly and turned her horse to begin the ride home. It would be a few days before she’d have to face Marc and Mord and tell them the truth about their mother. Her fingertips felt strangely cold and weak when she clenched them around the reins. What words could she use to explain their mother to them? Thinking of it made tears threaten, so Mel didn’t think of it.
They rode long after dark. Mel could have gone on, but Mike rightly pointed out the horses needed rest, and in the dark a horse could easily get hurt stepping into an unseen hole. Stone found them a snug little cabin to spend the night in. It was clean and furnished, with a neatly made bed behind a partition and a couch and table in the shared kitchen and living area. It was obviously a home, but there was no one there. Mel peeked into the stove where kindling was laid in readiness for a fire.
“The scent isn’t fresh, but someone’s been living here,” Snake said, standing.
“Yeah. Maybe they’re off visiting somewhere,” Stone suggested. “There must have been a cow in the little shed, but the scent is old. Either it died or they took it with them.”
Mel scratched her scalp under hair matted by sweat and the hat. “Maybe we should find somewhere else. What if they come back and find us here?”
Snake shrugged. “Then we apologize. Mel, you take the bedroom. The rest of us can bunk out here on the floor.”
She sighed. “I can’t lay in that nice bed. I’m filthy.”
Her husband grinned at her. “We all are. I’ll get a fire started in the stove. We can wash up before we go to bed.”
She went to the cupboards by the stove. “They must be coming back. Here’s flour and sugar and some canned goods. Let’s go on. I’d feel like a thief if I stayed here.”
Mike stepped in from taking care of the horses. “We can leave some money to pay for our stay.”
“Money?” Mel snorted. “We don’t have any money.”
“Yeah, we do.” Mike slapped his waist. “That man gave it back to me.”
Bitterness pushed a laugh out of Mel. “At least one of them has a sliver of decency left.” Too bad it wasn’t her mother.
Mike looked down. “Yeah. What’re we going to tell Marc?”
“The truth. Snake, let’s get the bathwater going.”
The sponge bath was heavenly. It wasn’t as good as sitting in a tub, but the rag dipped in hot soapy water made her feel clean again. The encounter with her mother made her feel dirty in a way that healthy sweat and trail dust didn’t. The men decided they didn’t need hot water to wash in, so they were out in the back gathered around the pump. Had talking to their mother made Mike feel dirty too?
As she was pulling a comb through her damp hair, a knock sounded on the door. “Mel? It’s me,” Snake called.
She jerked her last clean shirt over her head. “Come in.”
Lamplight shone on his black hair hanging in damp waves over his bare shoulders.
Chapter 7
Knowing Snake was right behind her steadied her. The look of pride she’d seen on his face when she’d gone past him gave her the strength to keep her tears back and her head up. Mel went back to the horses, unhitched hers, tightened the saddle, and mounted without putting her rifle away. She didn’t think her moth— that woman would follow, and even if she did, Mel didn’t think she could pull the trigger, but the weight of the weapon was a comfort. A few minutes later Mike appeared. His face seemed pale under its dark tan when he settled in the saddle and looked at her. Mel evaded his gaze. A part of her wanted desperately to cry, but she couldn’t. Tears were a luxury life burned out of her years ago.
Snake mounted the third horse. “Stone will hang back a bit to be sure we’re not followed.”
Mel nodded wordlessly and turned her horse to begin the ride home. It would be a few days before she’d have to face Marc and Mord and tell them the truth about their mother. Her fingertips felt strangely cold and weak when she clenched them around the reins. What words could she use to explain their mother to them? Thinking of it made tears threaten, so Mel didn’t think of it.
They rode long after dark. Mel could have gone on, but Mike rightly pointed out the horses needed rest, and in the dark a horse could easily get hurt stepping into an unseen hole. Stone found them a snug little cabin to spend the night in. It was clean and furnished, with a neatly made bed behind a partition and a couch and table in the shared kitchen and living area. It was obviously a home, but there was no one there. Mel peeked into the stove where kindling was laid in readiness for a fire.
“The scent isn’t fresh, but someone’s been living here,” Snake said, standing.
“Yeah. Maybe they’re off visiting somewhere,” Stone suggested. “There must have been a cow in the little shed, but the scent is old. Either it died or they took it with them.”
Mel scratched her scalp under hair matted by sweat and the hat. “Maybe we should find somewhere else. What if they come back and find us here?”
Snake shrugged. “Then we apologize. Mel, you take the bedroom. The rest of us can bunk out here on the floor.”
She sighed. “I can’t lay in that nice bed. I’m filthy.”
Her husband grinned at her. “We all are. I’ll get a fire started in the stove. We can wash up before we go to bed.”
She went to the cupboards by the stove. “They must be coming back. Here’s flour and sugar and some canned goods. Let’s go on. I’d feel like a thief if I stayed here.”
Mike stepped in from taking care of the horses. “We can leave some money to pay for our stay.”
“Money?” Mel snorted. “We don’t have any money.”
“Yeah, we do.” Mike slapped his waist. “That man gave it back to me.”
Bitterness pushed a laugh out of Mel. “At least one of them has a sliver of decency left.” Too bad it wasn’t her mother.
Mike looked down. “Yeah. What’re we going to tell Marc?”
“The truth. Snake, let’s get the bathwater going.”
The sponge bath was heavenly. It wasn’t as good as sitting in a tub, but the rag dipped in hot soapy water made her feel clean again. The encounter with her mother made her feel dirty in a way that healthy sweat and trail dust didn’t. The men decided they didn’t need hot water to wash in, so they were out in the back gathered around the pump. Had talking to their mother made Mike feel dirty too?
As she was pulling a comb through her damp hair, a knock sounded on the door. “Mel? It’s me,” Snake called.
She jerked her last clean shirt over her head. “Come in.”
Lamplight shone on his black hair hanging in damp waves over his bare shoulders.
Similar Books
