Page 33 of A Groom for Heather
“It is rather intimidating.” Dalton laughed. He had a deep timbre that made Heather shiver.
“Yes, it is.”
“The only gun I’ve seen was the one we had over the bar back home in Bellbrook.”
Heather picked up another shell and rotated it in her hand. “Where is that?”
“Ohio.”
“What were you doing in a saloon in Ohio?”
“I worked there. It was my first job. My father was an accountant in town. I didn’t grow up on a farm, but I idolized the cowboys that came into town. I got a job at the saloon washing glasses. Eventually, I was serving beer and listening to the stories of life on the range.” He stared in the distance as if reliving the memory. “My brother, Richard, stopped by every night after his children were in bed to come to play faro. He was good at it too. Never cheated. But the people he was playing with that night didn’t take kindly to losing. They shot him down in the street right in front of me.” Dalton rubbed his eye. “The sheriff didn’t want to go after Frank. Appears Frank Drummond took delight in killing lawmen. His reputation preceded him.”
“Which is why you never correct the perception about you.”
Dalton nodded. “No need. If a man has a reputation people stay out their way.”
“Coffee should be done.” Heather moved to the stove and filled two mugs from the large pot. Handing one to Dalton she sat back down at the table and held her mug with both hands. Blowing on the hot coffee she took a sip and allowed it to warm her.
The bedroom door creaked open, and the sound of little feet could be heard coming to the main room. “Mama?”
Heather held out her arms and Arthur climbed into her lap. “What is it, sweetheart?”
“I got scared. There is a loud noise outside.”
Heather rocked her son back and forth, rubbing his back. “It’s just a mountain lion. She’s looking for her mate.”
“Her mate?”
“Her husband. She’s trying to find her husband.”
“Oh.” Arthur yawned and snuggled under Heather’s arm. “I’m sleepy.”
“Where’s your sister,” Dalton asked.
“She was too afraid to come out.”
The roar of the mountain lion was heard in the cabin once more. That was all it took for Cecily to run from the room, Miss Poppet in tow, and throw herself into Dalton’s arms. The little girl hid her face in Dalton’s neck. Dalton only hesitated for a moment before wrapping the little girl in his embrace and shifting her, so she sat comfortably on his lap.
“Shhhh,” Dalton soothed Cecily. “It will be alright. She’ll be gone by morning.”
“What are you going to do?”
“Once the sunlight comes up, we’ll find where she is and make sure she never comes back.”
“Promise?”
“I promise.”
Heather watched as Dalton kissed Cecily’s hair and put her back on the ground. “Why don’t you go back to bed?” he told her.
“I’m still scared.”
“I wanna sleep out here,” Arthur said.
Cecily jumped up and down. “Can we, Mama?”
“I suppose so. Just this once.”
