within a few short hours it would be all
over. He saw Tuff and Jasper’s wagons up ahead, and he knew they
would be arriving in Sherman and soon be home.
He wished he could have more time with his
wife, the bond between them is there, but it isn’t as strong as he
would have wished it to be. Well he couldn’t do anything about it
now but hope like hell his wife and his marriage will endure the
coming confrontation with his brothers.
Her stomach muscles tightening, India also
saw the wagon’s up ahead and by the stiffness of her husbands’ body
knew they were nearly at their destination. She wished she knew how
to ease his tension, but she doubted anything she could possibly
say or do would lighten the fact that they were soon going to face
nine angry men.
Tuff saw the dust out the corner of his eye
and turned his head. He frowned when he saw the two riders coming
towards him. Well, it seemed the boy caught up with his wife, now
he just hoped Dane and the woman finally sorted out their
differences. He would hate them to arrive home with anger between
them. The other boys will latch on to it quick smart.
As they drew closer, he let out a sigh when
he saw Dane lean over, whisper to his wife, and saw her smile.
Well, I’ll be danged, the boy did it. He grinned when they reached
him. “Bout time yah both got here, we’ll be in Sherman
shortly.”
India blushed when she felt the old man’s
twinkling eyes on her and his broad knowing grin. It only made the
blush already warming her face grow even warmer. And all because
her husband mentioned what he would like to do when they reached
home and she took a hot bath. Drat the man. “Tuff do you mind if I
ride with you? I’m a little saddle sore.” She asked him, she wanted
a chance to apologize to him, and she smiled in relief when he
nodded and pulled the wagon to a stop.
Dane swung down from his saddle and lifted
his wife off her horse and onto the wagon. Once he tied her horse
to the back of the wagon, he swung back onto his horse and rode
ahead of the wagons.
Tuff started the wagon moving and eyed the
gal out the corner of his eye. “I see you and the boy have sorted
things out.”
“ Yes we have. Tuff, I would like to
apologize for my behavior and hope you will forgive me.” India
spoke but kept her gaze on her husband’s stiff broad back and
frowned. “Tuff, Dane told me what to expect when we arrive home,
and I want you to promise me that if he is forced to choose between
me and his brothers you’ll help me leave.” She swung around to look
at him and smiled sadly when she saw the shock on his
face.
Tuff was right pleased with the gal's
apology he felt relieved that Dane finally told her about his
brothers and what to expect. He couldn’t hide his surprise though
over her request and shifting the reins into one hand he rubbed his
whiskered chin thoughtfully. “Well now that’s a mighty big thing
yah asking me to do. I doubt I could tear the boy's heart out by
helping yah leave.”
India reached over, grasped his arm, and
gazed at him pleadingly. “It would tear his heart out to choose.
Please just think about it.”
With a nod of his head, Tuff agreed and
looked towards Dane riding ahead. The gal was right either way the
boy is gonna be hurt. Hell what a damn mess.
His whole body stiff with the tension
growing inside of him as he rode through town, Dane pulled his
horse up at the livery, swung out of the saddle, and after tying
the reins to the fence post strode towards the building. “Pete
where the hell are you?” He yelled and grunted when the man poked
his head out of a stall.
“ Well I’ll be darned yah back
already.” Pete asked as he stepped out of the stall and walked
towards the open doors. His eyebrows rose when he saw the two
wagons pull up. “Them homesteaders with you?”
Dane turned his head and looked over his
shoulder then turned back and shrugged. “They're not homesteaders,
it’s my wife. I’m going to leave the
over. He saw Tuff and Jasper’s wagons up ahead, and he knew they
would be arriving in Sherman and soon be home.
He wished he could have more time with his
wife, the bond between them is there, but it isn’t as strong as he
would have wished it to be. Well he couldn’t do anything about it
now but hope like hell his wife and his marriage will endure the
coming confrontation with his brothers.
Her stomach muscles tightening, India also
saw the wagon’s up ahead and by the stiffness of her husbands’ body
knew they were nearly at their destination. She wished she knew how
to ease his tension, but she doubted anything she could possibly
say or do would lighten the fact that they were soon going to face
nine angry men.
Tuff saw the dust out the corner of his eye
and turned his head. He frowned when he saw the two riders coming
towards him. Well, it seemed the boy caught up with his wife, now
he just hoped Dane and the woman finally sorted out their
differences. He would hate them to arrive home with anger between
them. The other boys will latch on to it quick smart.
As they drew closer, he let out a sigh when
he saw Dane lean over, whisper to his wife, and saw her smile.
Well, I’ll be danged, the boy did it. He grinned when they reached
him. “Bout time yah both got here, we’ll be in Sherman
shortly.”
India blushed when she felt the old man’s
twinkling eyes on her and his broad knowing grin. It only made the
blush already warming her face grow even warmer. And all because
her husband mentioned what he would like to do when they reached
home and she took a hot bath. Drat the man. “Tuff do you mind if I
ride with you? I’m a little saddle sore.” She asked him, she wanted
a chance to apologize to him, and she smiled in relief when he
nodded and pulled the wagon to a stop.
Dane swung down from his saddle and lifted
his wife off her horse and onto the wagon. Once he tied her horse
to the back of the wagon, he swung back onto his horse and rode
ahead of the wagons.
Tuff started the wagon moving and eyed the
gal out the corner of his eye. “I see you and the boy have sorted
things out.”
“ Yes we have. Tuff, I would like to
apologize for my behavior and hope you will forgive me.” India
spoke but kept her gaze on her husband’s stiff broad back and
frowned. “Tuff, Dane told me what to expect when we arrive home,
and I want you to promise me that if he is forced to choose between
me and his brothers you’ll help me leave.” She swung around to look
at him and smiled sadly when she saw the shock on his
face.
Tuff was right pleased with the gal's
apology he felt relieved that Dane finally told her about his
brothers and what to expect. He couldn’t hide his surprise though
over her request and shifting the reins into one hand he rubbed his
whiskered chin thoughtfully. “Well now that’s a mighty big thing
yah asking me to do. I doubt I could tear the boy's heart out by
helping yah leave.”
India reached over, grasped his arm, and
gazed at him pleadingly. “It would tear his heart out to choose.
Please just think about it.”
With a nod of his head, Tuff agreed and
looked towards Dane riding ahead. The gal was right either way the
boy is gonna be hurt. Hell what a damn mess.
His whole body stiff with the tension
growing inside of him as he rode through town, Dane pulled his
horse up at the livery, swung out of the saddle, and after tying
the reins to the fence post strode towards the building. “Pete
where the hell are you?” He yelled and grunted when the man poked
his head out of a stall.
“ Well I’ll be darned yah back
already.” Pete asked as he stepped out of the stall and walked
towards the open doors. His eyebrows rose when he saw the two
wagons pull up. “Them homesteaders with you?”
Dane turned his head and looked over his
shoulder then turned back and shrugged. “They're not homesteaders,
it’s my wife. I’m going to leave the
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