Read Online Dances Naked by Dani Haviland - Free Book Online Page B

handle of his knife menacingly with the other. “I just want to see what you have for me here,” he added with a snort, finishing his report with a wad of spittle a scant foot from Marty’s face.
    Marty gingerly scooted up to a seated position, keeping one eye on the highwayman , and looked to see if anyone else was with him. Bandits usually traveled in groups of three or more. He couldn’t see or hear anyone other than a teenaged girl with a baby, squatted down by the creek. She wasn’t paying attention to what was going on with the robber, his knife , or him. She was dipping her bare bottomed son in the water, laughing at his giggles as he kicked his feet into the slow moving, warm current.
    Marty looked back up at the thief and felt braver. I t was only one man and a knife— he could handle this scenario. “Did you find what you were looking for?” he asked sarcastically. He knew there wasn’t anything but a blanket in his bedroll. He didn’t think it wise to have a lot of money with him so hadn’t traveled with more than a few shillings and those sewn into his vest lining.
    The man answered with a sneer, “As a matter of fact I did.” He re-rolled the blanket, hastily tied it together , and stood up. “Take off your boots,” he commanded.
    Marty’s eyes cut to the woman a nd the baby at the water’s edge. T hey weren’t involved in the theft , but they were probably traveling with him. The young pair wouldn’t be on the road alone; there weren’t any homes nearby , and he hadn’t seen a wagon or any horses. “Shit,” Marty mumbled as he pulled off his right boot, hoping that he hadn’t cut his hand enough to bleed. He was trying to palm his hidden boot knife and had sliced himself in the process.
    “What d’ya mean ‘shit’?” the man asked.
    “Shit: you’re taking my boots and I’ll bet you’re seriously considering taking my horse, too,” Marty said to cover his fumbled cursing.
    “Oh, so you’re a betting man, are ya?” Grant asked snidely. “Well, I’ll bet this morning you didn’t see your day finding you baref oot and without a horse by noon, did ya ?” The raggedy man picked up the boots and dropped one of them beside his foot, estimating the fit potential. They looked to be bigger than the ones that he had on but that didn’t seem to bother him. He picked the boot back up and stuffed it under his arm. “Rachel, bring the horse over here,” he called.
    Marty watched as the girl threw the laughing baby over her shoulder, his bare butt exposed to the sunshine , his little feet pedaling with glee. She walked twenty yards to grab the reins of the horse that was only ten feet from the robber. She bent down and loosened the knot on the hobble rope with one hand as she clutched her child to her with the other. She didn’t say a word as she handed him the reins , but did cut her eyes to Marty. It didn’t look like she was any happier with this scenario than he was.
    “See what he has in his saddlebags,” Grant commanded gruffly. He wal ked a few steps away from Marty and grinned as he moved his knife through the air flamboyantly , almost asking his victim to attack him— he wanted a fight.
    Marty subconsciously gulped then looked to the girl. She was dispassionately pulling the straps off his flat saddlebag. There was nothing in it; he had given all of his food and cookware to Wee Ian. He only had his canteen and a pocketful of granola. She flipped up the flap on the bag and stood on tiptoes to look inside, co nfirming what she already knew— it was empty. “Looks like he has even less than we do,” she commented idly then walked away from the humble nag , back towards the creek.
    “Where is it?” Grant demanded. “No one travels without food or a way to get it. You don’t even have a pan to cook with? Nah, somethin’ fishy’s goin’ on here.”
    “You’re right,” Marty said with a twinkle in his eye. Even in dire straits, he couldn’t pass up the opportunity