Page 54 of Mail-Order Bride Runaway
Andy watched her, wondering what she was thinking that made her feel so far away from him.
Her gaze jerked to him. “Did your ma know she would be moving out west?”
“I can’t say for sure, but I think so. After all, Pa had known from a young age that he meant to. He’d bought a small farm and raised cattle until he had the start of the herd we moved west.”
Blue blazed from her eyes. “Did she enjoy the journey?” She rushed on, not waiting for his answer. “I think it would be a wonderful experience. I read about it in three of theMen of the Weststories.” She blinked, gave a laugh that lacked amusement, and she developed a sudden interest in her hands. “I know those stories are fiction, of course.”
“I’ve read a few. Mostly they’re pretty accurate about life in the west.” He tried to recall the name of the one he read that took place on a wagon train. “I readWagon Train Attack.”
Her gaze lifted to his, her eyes wide. “Me too. It was exciting when that young lady walked out and faced the attackers.”
“She might have been killed.”
“But she saved everyone that day.” There was no mistaking the admiration in Della’s voice. “Maybe she didn’t think it was such a big risk when she recognized the leader of the gang as her own brother.”
Andy wanted to protest the woman’s actions but at the time of the reading, he’d been impressed and thrilled by her bravery.
Della burst to her feet and held out her hand to him. “Let’s not sit here talking about other people’s adventures. Let’s find some of our own.”
He took her hand and rose to face her. “What do you have in mind? It’s one thing to read about confronting robbers or wild animals in a story. Another thing to do so in real life.”
A shudder gripped her. Her fingers tightened around his as she looked past him.
He slowly turned, afraid of what he might discover. Dust and heat waves made it hard to bring distant things into focus, but he didn’t see anything to concern him. Had she? Had Mr. Hartman tracked them down?
“We shouldn’t be out here in the open.” He hurried them both back to the wagon and reached for the rifle.
* * *
Warm dampness clungto Della’s face. She wiped her hands on her skirt. Had Andy seen something she’d missed? She scanned full circle. Nothing. But the distance was blurred. Or was it her eyes? She returned her gaze to Andy. He stared at the rifle in his hands. Wondering if he’d have to use it.
She rushed forward. “Where’s the axe?”
“I suppose Wally put it away when he cleaned out the wagon.”
“If someone is after us, I’d feel better to have it in hand.” She looked in every corner of the wagon in case it had been left behind.
Andy studied the surroundings and then returned the rifle to the wagon. “I don’t see anyone.”
There was no sign of the axe in any of the corners and she returned to Andy’s side. “Then why did you get the gun? I thought you must have seen something.”
A slow, powerful, enticing smile curved his lips and flooded his eyes. “I thought you saw something.”
She grinned at him. But realizing how exposed they were, her smile flattened, and she again scanned the horizon. “Do you think Mr. Hartman will follow me here?”
“I can’t say what he’ll do but let’s not take any chances.” He helped her into the wagon but didn’t immediately flick the reins. “We have all afternoon. I don’t want to go home too early and have to endure suggestions from my brothers as to what I should have done.”
“I’d like to see more of this beautiful country.” Would he entertain the idea of delaying their return to the house?
“I know what. There’s a rough trail to the lake. And we don’t have to be in the open. How does that sound?”
“Wonderful.”
He turned the wagon around and they soon came to a barely visible Y in the trail. He went to the left. At first, the wheels turned on soft sod but as they angled toward the lake, the wagon lurched on rocky ground.
Della clung to the seat.
Andy pulled to a halt. “This is rougher than I remember. The truth is I haven’t brought a wagon this way since Ma died. We should turn back.”
