‘Looks quiet.’
‘Too quiet. The cattle we seen on the way in ain’t been bothered. The place looks normal. Nobody nosin’ around.’
‘You’re sure Russell’s up to somethin’, are you?’
‘All indications sure been pointin’ thataway.’
Sam, Bart Spalding and Oz Maguire sat their exhausted horses, looking down from a long ridge on to the site of Kate Bond’s ranch yard.
‘So what do we do now?’ Oz wondered.
Sam took in a deep breath. ‘Well, it looks like things are calm enough here. There ain’t no need to let them know I’m in the country.’
‘You ain’t gonna tell Kate you’re here?’
He shook his head. His lips were a thin, hard line beneath the coating of trail dust. ‘She don’t want anything to do with me. She made that real plain.’
‘Women say lots o’ things they don’t mean.’
‘They mean lots o’ the things they say, too. She didn’t leave no room for doubt. She don’t never wanta see me again.’
‘The boy don’t likely feel that way.’
‘I ain’t his say-so.’
Bart cleared his throat. ‘Like I think I tol’ you down there in the Indian Nation, I think she’s plumb sorry she said all that stuff. I’d bet anything I own she’d love to have a chance to take it back. But you gotta ride down there an’ let her know you’re here.’
Sam’s voice was flat and hard. ‘I don’t gotta do nothin’ o’ the kind. I’ll size up the situation, and figure out what needs done. I’ll take care of it. Then I’ll get outa this country just as fast as I rode back into it.’
‘Yeah, that’s why we just wore out five sets o’ horses an’ went two nights without sleep to get here in a hurry,’ Oz said with an exaggerated drawl.
Bart squirmed uncomfortably in his saddle. ‘I been five nights with pertneart no sleep,’ he reminded the others. ‘I’m headin’ home to bed. Oz, you’re welcome to hole up in our bunkhouse till Sam figures out what we’re doin’ next. Sam, if you’re gonna be too bullheaded to go tell your woman you love her, you’d just as well hole up in the bunkhouse too.’
Oz nodded. ‘Then let’s go. I’m too old to run this long without sleep, an’ I only rode half as far as you have.’
There was no response from Sam. The other two reined their horses around, urging them to a tired trot, leaving Sam to study the ranch yard alone. It was supper time. A thin tendril of smoke issued from the chimney. The smell of something frying in a skillet wafted on the breeze. Irritation surged at the sudden churning of his stomach the aroma aroused. Greater irritation overcame it because of the intense ache in his chest he could not stifle. It got tighter and tighter, until he felt as if he couldn’t breathe. Cursing softly, he lifted his reins and turned the horse away from the yard, following the others.
His horse responded reluctantly, for a moment the weary beast had sensed the end of a long trail. As they approached the familiar yard he whinnied a response to the greeting from Billy’s horse in the corral. Now he was being forced to leave that sanctuary and its promise of rest to follow the others. He was less than happy with the situation.
His emotional turmoil was nothing compared to Sam’s. His stomach was constricted into a hard knot. A lump in his throat made swallowing difficult. He felt as if he bore a five hundred pound weight on his shoulders. A gaping hole ached in the center of his chest.
Everything in him screamed for him to turn back around, race for the house, throw open the door, announce his return, and pray Kate would be happy to see him. After all, Bart might be right. She just might have been as miserable as he since they separated. She might be wanting him to come back. She might.…
He snuffed the thoughts before they could become any more unbearable. She had made her wishes perfectly clear. She didn’t want to see him again. But he couldn’t stay in the Indian Nation and just leave her in the peril Bart had described. He had to deal with those trying to steal her land and her security. His love would not allow him to do otherwise. When he had done so, he would leave. Only later would she learn who had rescued her. If she stewed over that, well, so be it. It was no more than she deserved, running him off her place for no reason.