sort.”
“Is he?” Melora’s eyes lit up. “Well, then I’ll have to see to it that I chatter day and night and make his life every bit as miserable as he’s made mine.”
Sadly they shook their heads at her. “Good-bye, Missy Deane. And good luck.”
Wish your precious Cal good luck, Melora thought savagely, yet as she watched them ride off due east, apprehension set in.
Now she was alone in the middle of nowhere with Cal. She might have been able to wheedle or bamboozle the other two somehow, if given half a chance, but she doubted Cal would fall prey to any tricks.
As she stole a sideways glance at him while he grabbed hold of her mount’s reins and started off again, a new thought passed through her mind.
He would have to sleep, wouldn’t he?
Somewhere inside her, hope awoke.
Now there wasn’t anyone with whom he could trade off keeping watch. And while he slept, she might find a chance to escape. No, she would find a chance to escape.
Jinx, Wyatt, I’m coming home, she vowed silently.
And as the horses galloped toward the darkening line of hills in the distance, she wondered what they all were thinking in Rawhide, if a search party was combing the area for her, if anyone had a clue to what had become of her.
Poor Wyatt, she thought in dismay as she pictured how desperate he must be. And my poor frightened Jinx.
Her chest tightened with anxiety as she thought of her sister. Jinx had only Aggie to hold her and soothe her now. But Wyatt will take care of them, she told herself as the last rays of light glowed feebly in the sky. He’ll take care of both of them. Together he and Aggie will reassure Jinx and do their best to allay her fears.
But Melora knew her sister. Jinx would be so lonely, so scared. She’d lost Pop, she’d lost the use of her legs, and now she’d lost Melora.
“I hate you,” Melora grated out, and Cal turned in the saddle to stare at her.
Tears streamed down her face, but Melora didn’t care.
She saw his gaze narrow in the fading light. Then he swung back around and resumed the business of riding.
Tonight, Melora promised herself as she choked back her sobs. Tonight I’ll get away from him—or die trying.
Chapter 5
Aggie wiped her hands on her apron as Jinx stared disinterestedly at the bowl of beef stew before her on the kitchen table.
“Jinx, honey, try to eat. Starving yourself won’t bring Mel home any quicker.”
“Not hungry.”
“But it’ll do you good—”
“Please, I’m not hungry, Aggie.” The child’s voice came out in a tortured whisper.
Sighing, Aggie put her arms around the girl in the invalid chair. “There, there,” she murmured, not knowing what else to say. She exchanged a sad glance with Wyatt, who’d arrived at the ranch a few moments earlier with nothing to report.
He’d been combing the valley all day with several dozen men from town and some neighboring ranches. No one had found anything.
“Wyatt, how about you? You really ought to sit down and have yourself a decent meal too—” she began, but he held up a hand.
“You’re sure that nobody heard anything? Anything at all?” he demanded for the twentieth time. “Aggie, Jinx, you’re sure?”
They both nodded. Jinx idly picked up her spoon, then set it back down on the gingham tablecloth, fighting back tears.
“Melora would never have gone away on her own—never. She wanted to marry you so much. And she’d never leave on purpose without saying goodbye,” she added, biting her lip.
“That’s right,” Aggie murmured, smoothing the girl’s long red-gold curls. “She sure wouldn’t.”
Wyatt wheeled away from the table and strode back and forth across the gleaming wood floor.
Poor man, Aggie thought, ready sympathy welling in her chest. Exhaustion was stamped across his vividly handsome face, his eyes were bleary, and his boots were caked with dust. He’d been in shock when he’d heard the news that Melora was missing, and he hadn’t stopped searching
“Is he?” Melora’s eyes lit up. “Well, then I’ll have to see to it that I chatter day and night and make his life every bit as miserable as he’s made mine.”
Sadly they shook their heads at her. “Good-bye, Missy Deane. And good luck.”
Wish your precious Cal good luck, Melora thought savagely, yet as she watched them ride off due east, apprehension set in.
Now she was alone in the middle of nowhere with Cal. She might have been able to wheedle or bamboozle the other two somehow, if given half a chance, but she doubted Cal would fall prey to any tricks.
As she stole a sideways glance at him while he grabbed hold of her mount’s reins and started off again, a new thought passed through her mind.
He would have to sleep, wouldn’t he?
Somewhere inside her, hope awoke.
Now there wasn’t anyone with whom he could trade off keeping watch. And while he slept, she might find a chance to escape. No, she would find a chance to escape.
Jinx, Wyatt, I’m coming home, she vowed silently.
And as the horses galloped toward the darkening line of hills in the distance, she wondered what they all were thinking in Rawhide, if a search party was combing the area for her, if anyone had a clue to what had become of her.
Poor Wyatt, she thought in dismay as she pictured how desperate he must be. And my poor frightened Jinx.
Her chest tightened with anxiety as she thought of her sister. Jinx had only Aggie to hold her and soothe her now. But Wyatt will take care of them, she told herself as the last rays of light glowed feebly in the sky. He’ll take care of both of them. Together he and Aggie will reassure Jinx and do their best to allay her fears.
But Melora knew her sister. Jinx would be so lonely, so scared. She’d lost Pop, she’d lost the use of her legs, and now she’d lost Melora.
“I hate you,” Melora grated out, and Cal turned in the saddle to stare at her.
Tears streamed down her face, but Melora didn’t care.
She saw his gaze narrow in the fading light. Then he swung back around and resumed the business of riding.
Tonight, Melora promised herself as she choked back her sobs. Tonight I’ll get away from him—or die trying.
Chapter 5
Aggie wiped her hands on her apron as Jinx stared disinterestedly at the bowl of beef stew before her on the kitchen table.
“Jinx, honey, try to eat. Starving yourself won’t bring Mel home any quicker.”
“Not hungry.”
“But it’ll do you good—”
“Please, I’m not hungry, Aggie.” The child’s voice came out in a tortured whisper.
Sighing, Aggie put her arms around the girl in the invalid chair. “There, there,” she murmured, not knowing what else to say. She exchanged a sad glance with Wyatt, who’d arrived at the ranch a few moments earlier with nothing to report.
He’d been combing the valley all day with several dozen men from town and some neighboring ranches. No one had found anything.
“Wyatt, how about you? You really ought to sit down and have yourself a decent meal too—” she began, but he held up a hand.
“You’re sure that nobody heard anything? Anything at all?” he demanded for the twentieth time. “Aggie, Jinx, you’re sure?”
They both nodded. Jinx idly picked up her spoon, then set it back down on the gingham tablecloth, fighting back tears.
“Melora would never have gone away on her own—never. She wanted to marry you so much. And she’d never leave on purpose without saying goodbye,” she added, biting her lip.
“That’s right,” Aggie murmured, smoothing the girl’s long red-gold curls. “She sure wouldn’t.”
Wyatt wheeled away from the table and strode back and forth across the gleaming wood floor.
Poor man, Aggie thought, ready sympathy welling in her chest. Exhaustion was stamped across his vividly handsome face, his eyes were bleary, and his boots were caked with dust. He’d been in shock when he’d heard the news that Melora was missing, and he hadn’t stopped searching
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