Page 135 of The Ranger

“Appointed?” was all Major said.

Markhel stood. “I have made my promise. Now you must decide whether she lives or dies.”

27

Maida kept going to the window, unable to concentrate on dinner preparations.

“Maida, sweetheart,” Grandma Sadie said. “Come away from there.”

Her heart sank. She should have stayed with Markhel. She should have fought harder. But a lifetime of honoring her parents wasn’t going to budge so easily.

She left the window and joined her grandmother at the stove. “I’m sorry.”

Grandma Sadie took her by the hands. “So am I. Your grandfather gets...”

“Upset easily?”

She smiled. “I was going to say riled up, but yes. Upset over things he can’t control, especially if he perceives those things as a threat to his family. That includes you.” She gave her hands a squeeze. “Your father is the same way just not so intense.”

“Pah,” she scoffed. “He’s been mighty intense the last few days. If he’d had a gun on him earlier, he’d have shot Markhel.”

“Oh, now, I wouldn’t go that far...”

“He doesn’t like him, Grandma.” Tears stung the backs of her eyes. “And I don’t understand why.”

“You poor dear.” She pulled Maida into her arms. “Your father will come around, they both will.”

Maida couldn’t help it. The tears came out of nowhere, and worse, her belly was tightening up in knots. She remembered the pain at the swimming hole and prayed it didn’t come back. She wanted to chalk it up to something she ate, but that didn’t explain Markhel’s pain.

She sniffed back tears and wiped her eyes on her sleeve. “Will Pa and Grandpa tell Markhel to go away?”

Grandma Sadie put a hand on her shoulder. “No, dear. Besides, it wouldn’t matter if they did.”

“Why is that?”

She looked past her, presumably out the window. “Because I have a feeling that at this point, Markhel can’t leave. Or least not for very long.”

Maida saw the acceptance in her grandmother’s eyes. She’d seen it before when things were happening that the family had no control over. Sick cows, drought, a squabble she had with Mama over something silly. Those weren’t bad, unless Grandma thought Mama was making a wrong decision.

“Doyoulike him?” she asked.

Grandma Sadie smiled. “I’ve always liked Markhel, but at the same time, I’ve always been wary of him.”

“Why?”

“There’s something wild about him. Untamable.” She met Maida’s hopeful gaze. “He cannot be tamed. Not by a man, a woman, or even you.”

She didn’t know what to say to that. She wasn’t sure she understood what her grandmother was trying to say.

Maida looked out the window, saw her relatives and guests crossing the barnyard to the house, and searched for Markhel. She didn’t see him. “No...” she headed for the front door. By the time she reached it, Grandpa was coming into the house. Markhel right behind him.

She breathed a sigh of relief and smiled at him. “You’re still here!”

Grandpa stopped and watched them. Maida ignored him. Her chest warmed as she looked into Markhel’s eyes, and she wanted to touch him, connect in any way possible.

Pa came through the door next, followed by Grandma Waller and the others. They filed down the hall toward the kitchen. But not Pa or Grandpa. Doc Waller also lingered behind.

She still couldn’t take her eyes from Markhel’s, not even if they ordered her to.

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