Faithful, Texas
Six weeks later
Samantha sank into the hot water that lapped against the sides of the wooden tub. The steam tickled her nose and the heat eased the ache in her weary body. She’d arrived home less than an hour ago and immediately doled out her presents.
A new dress for Amy. Broad-brimmed hats for Nate and Benjamin. A locket for her mother.
But the best gift of all had been the note from Mr. Thomas at the general store, saying their debt had been paid in full. With all her purchases, Samantha still had money left over to give to her mother. Money that would help get them through the coming autumn and winter.
It had taken the herd three weeks to get to Sedalia. She’d watched as they’d counted and loaded the cattle onto boxcars. She’d hardly been able to believe that her days as a trail hand had come to an end.
Returning to Faithful had gone much more quickly because their journey hadn’t been hampered by the slow-moving steers.
Some of the cowboys had gone their own way after Sedalia, but her favorites had traveled back to Texas: Matt, Slim, Squirrel, Jed, and Jeb. Jake and Cookie had been with them as well, intent on returning to the Broken Heart ranch.
She was having a difficult time believing that she was home. It appeared her mother was as well. With the hem of her apron, she kept wiping the tears from her eyes.
“It shouldn’t have been you who had to provide for us,” her mother rasped, clutching the pouch that held what was left from the hundred dollars.
Through half-lowered lashes, Samantha peered at her mother. “Ma, I wanted to do it.”
“You seem so much older, hardly like my little girl anymore.”
“I reckon I grew up some.” Using the scented soap she’d purchased from the general store, she began washing the weeks of grime from her body. “It was an adventure, Ma.”
“You always did want to go on an adventure,” her mother reminded her.
Samantha smiled. “And I’ll tell my grandchildren about this one.”
Her mother picked up the pile of filthy clothes in the corner. “I think these should be burned.”
“I’m looking forward to putting on a dress again. Looking like a girl,” Samantha admitted.
“There’s a dance in town tonight. I reckon Amy’s going to want to wear her new dress,” her mother said.
“Reckon I’ll wear mine as well.”
“I’ll leave you to finish getting ready.” Her mother pressed a kiss to the top of Samantha’s head. “It’s so good to have you home again.”
After her mother left the room, Samantha leaned her head back against the tub and closed her eyes. She didn’t really want to go to the dance. The only fella she wanted to dance with was headed toward his home somewhere south of hers.
Matt had stood up for her outside Baxter Springs. But once she’d been accepted as a true member of the group, he’d treated her more like she was a boy than he had in the days before. Kinda like a younger brother—if he paid any attention to her at all.
He’d never again kissed her. She could only assume the last kiss he’d bestowed upon her had been fever induced. Maybe he’d been delirious. Even after they’d delivered the cattle to Sedalia and she’d held the hundred dollars in her hand, he’d been aloof.
He’d been polite when he’d said good-bye to her that morning, but he’d left her with no promises. Only memories.
Memories of her first trail drive, her first kiss…her first love.
With her family in tow, Samantha walked inside the schoolhouse. She’d spotted all the desks outside as Benjamin had pulled their wagon alongside the others. They always used the one-room school for gatherings. On the teacher’s raised dais, Mr. Thomas from the general store was tuning his fiddle.
Lanterns hung from walls, casting pale light into the room. She saw her best friend standing in a corner. “Ma, I’m going to go visit with Mary Margaret.”
Her mother smiled softly. “Reckon I can let you out of my sight for a little while tonight.”
Samantha hurried across the room and threw her arms around Mary Margaret. With a squeal, her friend hugged her tightly.
“You’re finally home!” Mary Margaret leaned back. “For pity’s sake, Samantha Jane, I can’t believe you didn’t tell me about this wild scheme of yours.”
“There wasn’t much time for telling anyone anything.” Besides, Samantha had been afraid that somehow the word of her plan would make its way to the trail boss before she’d ever begun the journey. And her cattle days would have come to an abrupt end.
“What was it like being with all those…those men…all those weeks?” Mary Margaret asked. She was raised up on her toes as though she expected Samantha’s answer to send her into flight.
“It was hard at first,” Samantha admitted. “Trying to make sure that they didn’t figure out that I wasn’t a boy.”
“And once they figured it out?”
“They treated me like they had all along—like one of the fellas.”
“For pity’s sake, Samantha.” With a dramatic sigh, Mary Margaret pressed her hand above her breast. “I’m on the verge of swooning at the very thought of you being in the company of men by your lonesome for so long. I want to know all the details.”
One day she’d share with Mary Margaret the details regarding Matt, but tonight was too soon. She wanted to savor the memories, hold them close to her heart, and for a while longer, keep them only to herself.
“For the most part, I just trailed along behind the cattle,” Samantha said.
“Did the men toss out any profanity?”
“Not that I recall.” Oh, they’d grumbled and grouched, but then, so had she from time to time.
“Did they imbibe any alcohol?” Mary Margaret asked eagerly.
“I doubt it. You have to stay alert. A man could get killed if anyone was careless.”
“You must have been terrified,” Mary Margaret said.
Sam shrugged. “A couple of times. Mostly I was just so grateful to feel useful. To know that I was doing my share, pulling my weight.”
“It doesn’t sound like any great adventure at all,” Mary Margaret said.
Within her heart, though, it had been a wonderful adventure.
Mary Margaret squeezed Samantha’s hand. “Can you believe we’re having our first dance? I’m so glad you’re here to share the night with me. I’m hoping some fella will sweep me right off my feet.”
“Maybe Benjamin will ask you to dance.”
Mary Margaret slapped her hand at the air. “Oh, I’ve given up on Benjamin.” Suddenly, she grabbed Samantha’s arm and jerked her closer. “Oh, my gosh, Samantha. Ain’t he a long drink of water?”
Samantha glanced over her shoulder and her heart skipped a beat. No one else but Matt was hovering in the doorway. And Gawd almighty, did he look good. He’d obviously bathed, shaved, and cut his hair. He was wearing clean clothes. No, she realized. They were more than clean—they were brand-spanking new. His boots were polished to a shine.
She thought he was gone, on his way home. What in the world was he doing here?
She knew the moment he spotted her. A slow, lazy smile spread over his face.
“He has to be the most handsome fella I’ve ever seen,” Mary Margaret whispered.
Oh, yes, Samantha thought. He surely was. Her heart thundered against her ribs and her mouth grew dry. With his gaze trained intently on her, he strode confidently across the room until he reached her.
“Hello, Samantha Jane,” he said in a slow, sensual drawl.
“I thought you’d gone on.” She was surprised to discover that she sounded breathless.
His grin grew. “You know how cowboys are. We wouldn’t dream of missing a dance.”
Mary Margaret tugged on her arm to gain her attention. She knew her friend wanted an introduction. “Matt, this is my best friend. Mary Margaret.”
“Pleasure. There’s a few fellas coming through the door behind me who would be right honored to dance with you,” he told her.
Mary Margaret’s face brightened. “Well, then I’ll go introduce myself.”
She gave Samantha a speculative look before heading across the room where Slim, Squirrel, Jed, and Jeb were standing near the entrance. Samantha could see them making hasty introductions and she figured Mary Margaret would be dancing all night.
As for her…“Matt, what are you doing here?”
“I wanted to see you. To explain why I stayed away from you after the stampede.” He rubbed the side of his nose. “Jake told me that if he caught me kissing you or even looking at you like I wanted to…he’d take you back to Baxter Springs himself and put you on a stagecoach. I swore to him that I’d leave you be until I delivered you safely home.”
Warmth swirled through her. “Why didn’t you tell me? I thought you were still upset with me!”
“His orders were no talking whatsoever. I was perched precariously on his bad side. I didn’t want to risk tumbling off and cause you to lose your opportunity to earn that hundred dollars. The past six weeks have been the hardest of my life, Sam, not being able to let you know how I feel.”
Her breath caught. “How is that, Matt?”
“I marched off to war when I was fourteen…and I stopped letting myself care about anyone…until you.”
The fiddle started to send a lonesome melody around the room.
“‘Nobody’s Darlin’,’” Samantha whispered.
“You’re somebody’s darlin’. Dance with me, Samantha,” Matt said as he wrapped his hand around hers.
His hand felt familiar in hers as he led her onto the dance area, and she was reminded of the night they’d gone to scout out the river.
He took her in his arms and began to waltz. He held her so closely that his thighs brushed against hers.
She held his blue-eyed gaze as they moved in rhythm with the strains of the music. What an incredible journey they’d taken together. All because of a notice tacked on the wall of the general store and her determination to earn the money it offered.
“Are you going to continue to herd cattle?” she asked, hoping he might and that he might also come this way again.
He grinned. “Reckon I will, since it was my father’s herd we were driving to market.”
She widened her eyes. “That was your herd?”
“My father’s. I was nothing more than a hired hand this trip. I was supposed to learn from Jake. Maybe I’ll take my own herd up next year. We’ve got plenty of cattle left back at the ranch.”
“That’s the reason you felt such a responsibility toward me. Why you tried to protect me—”
“Maybe in the beginning, but over time, as I came to know you…” His voice trailed off, and an emotion both warm and inviting touched his eyes. “Take a walk with me.”
Holding her hand, he led her out of the schoolhouse into the night. Light spilled from the windows, guiding their way until they stood beneath the spreading boughs of an ancient tree.
Limned by moonlight, he bracketed her face between his hands. “The truth is, Samantha, I was scared.”
“Scared? Of what?”
“When I thought you were a boy, I was afraid I’d let you down like I had so many others during the war. I followed orders, Sam. Always. Even when I didn’t agree with them. When the commanding officers ordered me to lead my unit into battle, I did. When I was ordered to advance, I did. Even when I thought retreat would have been better. A lot of boys died. I didn’t want you to die.
“And when I found out you were a girl…when Jake ordered me to take you to Baxter Springs…I couldn’t do it because I knew it was wrong—like so many of those orders I followed during the war. It felt good to disobey an order and to know I was right in doing it.”
“I’m so glad you did, Matt. You should have seen my ma’s face when I gave her that money.”
“I didn’t have to see her face, Sam. I saw yours…when we arrived in Sedalia and Jake handed you a hundred dollars. The look on your face made every mile worth it.”
Reaching up, she touched his beloved face. “I’m sorry for the trouble I caused you, Matt, for having to lie.”
“Don’t be sorry, Sam. You not only turned out to be a good cowboy, but the girl I came to love.”
He lowered his mouth to hers and kissed her tenderly. Six weeks of passion tethered and slowly released. As though they had all night. Or perhaps the rest of their lives.
And Samantha realized that more than a cattle trail, she’d followed her heart’s trail.