Page 7 of A Steadfast Heart
She sped up.
They altered their path. Her stomach turned over. They intended to block her way. If she could only get to the livery. Surely someone there would help her.
The men’s voices reached her.
“Hullo, sweetheart.”
She ignored the man who’d called out so familiarly. Her face burned and her pulse pounded.
“I saw her first.” The other man spoke even as they closed in on both sides.
Kaitlyn spun around. The jail was only a few doors down. Her heels clattered on the boards but couldn’t drown out the sound of her heartbeat in her ears, nor the sound of the men’s boots as they passed her.
“Where ya goin’ in such a hurry, missy?” The first man hulked in front of her, blocking her path.
His friend stopped beside him. “Why doncha stop and chat with us?”
Please let the marshal be there.
Horse hooves thudded in the packed dirt of the road, then clattered onto the boardwalk behind her. She whirled around to see a huge brown horse standing between her and the men, Mr. Quade in the saddle. “What do you boys think you’re doing? Harassing a young lady like that.”
The other men backed into the street, muttering apologies.
Her knees threatened to melt in relief. “Thank you, Mr. Quade.”
He swung down from his horse. “Why don’t I escort you to the livery? I’d hate for more trouble to find you.”
He hadn’t had reason to, but he’d come to her rescue. One of the rough men glanced over his shoulder, eyes narrowed and angry.
With her heart still pounding in her ears, it was an easy decision. “I’d appreciate that.”
The livery wasn’t far, even with shaky knees. When they reached its stable yard, Kaitlyn glanced back to see the men still watching her. Not good. Not good at all. They likely had horses nearby, and who knew how far it was to the McGraws’ ranch?
“Mr. Quade? Are you still willing to show me the way to the McGraws’?”
Quade looked back toward the saloon. “It’s either that or follow you. Couldn’t risk that bunch finding you. Can you ride?” He wrapped his reins around the post outside the livery.
“Yes.”
It only took a few minutes to speak to the hostler, then Kaitlyn found herself in the saddle of a mare that seemed sturdy and gentle.
Mr. Quade kept his horse at a walk. Kaitlyn eased up beside him.
He smiled at her. “You never told me your name.”
“Kaitlyn Montgomery.”
“I hope you won’t judge our entire town by a few bad actors.”
Bad actors. As if they hadn’t accosted her on a public street. Still, he had stopped to help. “I’d say you and the marshal even things up. I’ll keep an open mind.”
His smile widened. “A diplomat’s answer. You sound like my middle daughter. She’s always trying to smooth ruffled feathers.”
At the edge of town, the road narrowed into a dirt path barely wide enough for the two of them to ride side by side. Kaitlyn took a deep breath, the air scented with grass instead of coal smoke like the past days on the train. The prairie stretched as far as she could see to the east, and to the foot of the mountains that stood a few days’ ride to the west. No buildings hemming her in. Judging by the marshal’s attire, there might be fewer expectations as well.
Unless Drew felt differently.
She shook her head. No point in worrying about it. She’d face Drew’s expectations when she got to the ranch.
