Lizzie rode hard. She had to find her daughter. Never again would she let Blue fend for herself. She’d borrowed a horse from Jesse. He’d made her promise to wait for him, and they’d leave tomorrow, but she couldn’t wait.
After he left, she rode back to Trace’s ranch, packed up supplies, a canteen, and rode to the mountain. She prayed as she’d never prayed before. Blue had to be alright. And Trace. She owed her life to him.
If it meant going back to work for Kiley, it would be worth it to know that Blue and Trace were safe. She skirted the main road and kept to the trees until she was on the outside of town. She didn’t want Jesse to know that she’d left.
The horse was sturdy and welcomed the challenge she set before him. He ate up the ground, and soon they were going up the mountain. Lizzie figured she would be able to be partway down by the time she had to stop for the night.
The air had a chill, and she didn’t want to be on the pass at night. She patted the stock of the rifle in the saddle and was glad she had some security. As they climbed to the higher elevation, she snugged her coat around her.
She’d never believed she could love a man, but her feelings for Trace were growing stronger. Now, she couldn’t imagine living without him. She owed him her life if not Blue’s.
Finally, she stopped the horse near a few large boulders. She made a fire as Trace had done. She kept the rifle near her and prayed for protection. For Trace and Blue first and then for herself.
Lizzie prayed through the night as the stars filled the sky. The preacher had told her that prayer was just talking with God. Since she’d been ignoring Him most of her life, she had a lifetime of things to talk over with the Almighty.
But she wasn’t worried about herself. It was all for Blue and Trace. After all her years as a saloon girl, she never believed she could love a man as she did Trace. What’s more, she knew he cared for her. That he would risk his life to save Blue showed her how much he cared.
Lizzie sat against the boulder, letting the fire warm her, but sleep wouldn’t come. Finally, hours before sunrise, she got up, saddled the horse, and led him down the trail. She had to find Trace.
***
Trace wanted to go on, but Blue looked done in. He stopped alongside the road and made camp. The sheriff had given them food for the trip back.
There was an uneasiness in the air. He’d felt the same way many times when on the hunt for those who were wanted by the law. The sun edged down below the horizon and set off a spectacular show of colorful clouds.
Trace didn’t admire them. Instead, he looked at the night as a time of trouble. Animals knew the time when the predators came out in search of prey. He glanced at Blue. He had to keep her safe. It wasn’t just his obligation, but in his heart, he wanted to care for her. Give her a better chance than he or Blue’s mother had had growing up.
And that was why the uneasiness bothered him so. If it was just him, he’d park himself by a tree trunk or rock and wait it out, becoming the predator but not the prey. He didn’t think the sheriff would be after them. He’d said he forgiven Trace.
Then again, he still had the sheriff’s horse. Maybe it had all been a trick to get him to leave with the animal so they could come after him. Trace looked around him, half-expecting to see the sheriff and his posse with guns drawn.
Blue yawned. “I’m going to sleep after I eat.” She smiled at him, displaying her innocence. “Thank you for coming after me. It makes me feel all warm and happy.”
He handed her some jerky and a biscuit. “I’ll take care of you, Blue. Don’t worry.”
She grinned at him. “I’m not worried. I trust you, Trace. I know the Lord sent you to watch over my mama and me.”
He looked at her. Trust. Wasn’t that what the preacher had told him. “Son, you’re going to have to learn to trust the Lord and other people.”
As Trace thought on the word trust, the uneasiness left him. God was watching out for them. Like Blue said, they were safe in His hands. He grabbed a blanket and covered an already sleeping little girl.
He prayed for her, prayed for Lizzie, and prayed for the sheriff and even his brother Cyrus. All the time he had hunted men for money, he’d thought of no one but what he could get for them.
After finding Blue, he’d had to look after someone else. The feelings had unlocked a place in his heart that he’d not known before. Now, he’d never go back to his old ways. Trace didn’t want to use his gun again.
He looked at Blue and marveled at her innocence. He wanted her to stay that way as long as she could. He’d do what he could to make that happen. Trace leaned against his saddle and hoped Lizzie was safe in the cabin.
He longed for her to be by his side. He wasn’t sure how it had happened, but he loved her. Trace drifted into sleep with Lizzie on his mind and in his heart.
~
Trace sat up and put his hand on his pistol. Something had awakened him. It wasn’t daylight yet. He strained in the dark as old feelings resurrected. Survival, the hunt, parts of him that he thought he’d left behind.
On alert, he scanned the darkness. The horses were standing not far away. Charger had his head and ears up. Something or someone was out there.
The fire had gone down, so he didn’t need to put out the light. He glanced at Blue, and she was still sleeping. He stared down the path from the road and listened.
Nothing.
Then Charger nickered.
A horse from the north side of the trail answered.
Grabbing his gun, Trace slid behind a tree and watched. In the darkness, he thought he saw movement. A twig snapped. After another glance at Blue, he decided to leave her be and prayed she’d stay asleep.
She was down the road from him, so he decided to meet whoever was coming first. Just as the horse approached, Trace stepped into its path. “Stop.”
“Trace?”
It was Lizzie. He ran to her. “What are you doing out here?”
“I had to come and see that Blue and you were all right. I couldn’t stay home.” She fell into his arms and put her head against his shoulder. “Don’t be mad.” She looked up at him. “You said we were one. We were a family, and families stay together and fight things together.” She looked toward Blue.
“I found her. She’s safe. She’s also one brave little girl, like her mother.” He kissed Lizzie and held her tight. “How did you know I needed you so badly?”
“Maybe because I felt it too. We belong together, Trace.”
A gunshot rang across the quiet.
Trace whirled and put Lizzie behind him. He saw the sun had edged above the horizon, and light flowed through the forest, but he couldn’t see who fired the gun.
Lizzie let out a low whisper behind him. “Kiley.”
Trace held his pistol. Yes, he’d vowed to put it away, but to save Lizzie, he’d use it.
“I see you came back, Lizzie. You and that horse thief.” Kiley came out of the shadows as a ray of sun struck the ground in front of him.
Lizzie stepped in front of Trace. “I belong to Trace now. We’re married.”
A guttural laugh met her words. “Women like you don’t marry. You’re not fit.”
Trace put a hand on Lizzie to pull her to him. “You’ll have to deal with me, Kiley.”
Another rider came forward. “You’re mine. My brother might have let you go, but I’m not. You cost me. Because of you, my brother is kicking me out of town.” Cyrus aimed a rifle at him.
Light from the sun broke through and sprayed the two men, blinding them momentarily. Trace shoved Lizzie behind him.
Suddenly, the horses the men were riding jumped and reared, unseating the two of them.
Trace looked and had to grin. Blue had thrown rocks at them. She had a determined look on her face and a rock in each hand. “You leave my family alone!”
Cyrus fell off the still bucking horse. He got up and lunged toward Blue.
Another shot rang out. This time the sheriff came forward. “I wondered where you’d gone, Cyrus. I’m ashamed you’d even think of going after a little girl.” He swung his rifle toward Kiley. “And you can step down, too.”
Trace ran to Blue and brought her back to stand with Lizzie and put his arms around each of them. “Thanks, Sheriff.”
“My wife said I needed to go after my brother. Then the kid at the livery came and told me he’d taken a horse.” The sheriff shook his head. “Horse stealing, Cyrus. You’re in trouble now. Along with this friend of yours.”
Kiley edged away from Cyrus. “He didn’t tell me he stole a horse.”
Cyrus growled at him. “I knew you’d want to know where Trace was.”
The sheriff threw some rope at Trace. “If you don’t mind, would you tie these two up for me?”
“Glad to.” Trace tied their hands tightly behind their backs. “That ought to hold them. Want me to help you get them on their horses?”
The sheriff shook his head. “No, I think a long walk ought to do them some good.”
Trace took his wife in his arms and kissed her, and then he and Lizzie grabbed Blue and hugged her.
“Thanks again, Sheriff. We’ll be on our way home now.” He smiled at his family and felt complete and content. Whatever troubles they faced in the future; they’d face together. It felt good to not be alone.