Page 43 of Conveniently Wed
He didn’t want her thinking anything other than that they were going their separate ways. “I promised to provide for you, and this seems like the most workable solution.”
She was silent, looking up at him with an assessing gaze.
“I told you when we got into this marriage that you could have my name. That’s all I can give.”
That had sounded better in his head.
Her face scrunched and for a moment he thought she might tear up, but she only turned her back to him and raised the gun again. This time, her hands didn’t shake at all.
She shot out the rest of the chambered bullets, kicking up dust near the target and once flapping its corner.
When she turned back to him, gun lowered at her side, her lips were set in a firm, white line.
He didn’t like the silence, the distance between them. It made his gut ache. But it was for the best, right?
“Good job,” he praised. “If any of those goons come after you two again, you’ll at least have some level of protection against them.”
“What ‘goons?’” Emma asked, coming near.
He hadn’t noticed she’d gotten up from her place among the prairie grasses. The daisy chain she’d been weaving fell to the ground at her feet.
“Fran?” Emma asked.
He and Emma came shoulder to shoulder as they both turned on Fran.
“You didn’t tell her?” he asked. He held his hand out for the gun. “Your coddling could put her in danger. She needs to know what’s going on.”
“Tell me what?” Emma came even closer, hands going to her hips.
Fran smacked the gun into his hand, butt first.
“There was a man asking about us on the Lincoln train platform. He may have followed us. I’m not sure.”
“And someone was looking for you back in Bear Creek. And there’s a couple of horses following our herd, not close enough for us to get a good look at them,” he added.
“So Underhill has…found us?” Emma’s chin trembled, and she looked about twelve at that moment, young and scared, looking to her sister for answers.
Fran glared at him before going to her sister and putting an arm around her. “We don’t know that for sure. It may be a couple of rustlers.”
Emma let out a teary laugh. “Is that any better?”
“Not really,” he said honestly. “But the boys and I are all crack shots. If anyone comes close with an unsavory purpose, we’ll let `em know what’s what.”
He meant the statement to be reassuring, but Emma was still pale and teary, close to how she’d been that first night.
“Look, Emma, we aren’t going to let anyone hurt ya.”
She just shook her head, eyes wide. Not even arguing.
Fran guided her sister, arm still around her, back toward the wagons. He guessed that meant their shooting lesson was over. It was coming on full daylight now, and the boys had likely already started the cattle moving, leaving him to get the girls going in the wagon. At least he could ride his horse today.
Fran sent him a glare over her shoulder, but he met her stare with one of his own. He stood by his statement that Emmaneeded to know they might have been followed. Being prepared was important, especially if unsavory characters showed up.
“What if he catches us, Fran?” Emma’s worried whisper carried back to him.
“Don’t worry,” Fran said. “I won’t let anything happen to you.”
He couldn’t help feeling a bit miffed. It was like they’d completely forgotten that he’d said anything about him and the boys protecting them. Maybe they weren’t used to having a man around, but he wasn’t going to let some unsavory character get a hold of Emma.
