Page 22 of Chasing Trouble
“Nice shooting, son,” Daniel observed.“These are the two you were watching for?”
“I can’t believe they came back,” Luke said, staring at the two men on the ground.“What did they want?”
“Nothing good,” Mac replied tersely.“They planned on taking over your homestead for the winter was what I heard.They wanted a place to hide out, and this seemed like a good spot.”
“Good thing Whitney was dressed like a man then,” Luke replied, his eyes wide.
A look of understanding passed between the two men.“Yeah...good thing,” Mac answered heavily.He knew Daniel understood the things he wasn’t saying.
Daniel reached down and checked the man’s pulse.“I reckon they are still alive; we need to get them into town to a doctor,” Daniel mused, rubbing his chin.“Could be these two have warrants.Might even be a reward out for them.They look familiar.”
“I’m sure their horses are close by, we can tie them to the saddles and I’ll take them to my place and have a couple of my hands run them on into the sheriff,” Mac grunted with distaste.
“I see the horses,” Luke said in excitement, pointing towards a giant maple.“Right through that brush, see?”
“Good eyes, Luke,” Daniel praised.
Fifteen minutes later, Clem and Jeb were tied to their horses, finally awake and complaining the entire time.
Daniel picked up the knife from the ground and handed it to Luke.“Here, son, wash this off in the pool so Mac can return it to your sister.She’ll need it again sometime, I’m sure.And while you’re at it, wash off your sister’s rock, please.”
“Sure thing, Dad.”
When Luke had trotted off with the knife, Daniel turned his steely gaze back to Mac.“What happened here?”
Mac explained what had happened, and Daniel nodded.“Just like her mother,” he said.“No wonder she was upset.Danielle had more feelings than any one woman can contain at times like these, too.A real pistol, she was, and a crackerjack shot.Never knew what she was going to say or do, but she rarely froze up.”He tipped his hat back.
“It’s funny how some folks just freeze when danger creeps up on them, but not my Danielle.She was always right in the thick of anything going on.Reflexes like a cat.”His eyes twinkled.“As for what she said, that’s between you two.But don’t be surprised if she tries to hold you to it.She’s a stubborn one.”
“I can be stubborn too,” Mac insisted, his brows drawing into a frown as he gazed at the path Whitney had taken.
Daniel put his hand on Mac’s arm.“Go easy on her, son.For all her big feelings, she’s still a fragile woman in her heart.She needs your protection, and to know she can count on you when the going gets rough.”
Mac grunted.“I intend to protect her, but I don’t have anything to prove in the court of public opinion.I couldn't care less what people want to speculate about, and I don’t intend to let them dictate how I live my life.”
“Agreed...you just have to convince her of that.”
“Like you said, I have a lap I can use.”
Daniel shot him a look of steel.“That’s a solution best used with love, not just to win a disagreement.”
“I know that.”
“Here’s Whitney’s knife, Mac.”Luke walked up, holding the knife handle first to Mac.
“Thanks, Luke.”He turned to Daniel.“I’m going to find my fiancé.We need to talk.”
“Good luck,” Daniel replied, his eyes twinkling.“Luke, you stay with Amelia while I take these two to Mac’s place and call the sheriff.”
“Yes, sir,” Luke agreed.
Mac grunted his agreement and headed after Whitney.He was pretty sure he knew where she would be.The last time she ran away, she’d ended up in the hayloft.
Ten minutes later, he was at the bottom of the ladder leading to the loft.He could hear her sobbing...again.He’d made her cry more than he wanted to in the short time he’d known her, and his heart ached for her.She’d just been through a horrendous ordeal, and all he wanted to do at the moment was comfort her.
He climbed up the steps and made his way to the corner where she was curled up on the soft hay.Sitting down beside her, he pulled her up and into his arms.She fought him at first, but he held her firmly, lifting her completely into his lap and cradling her head on his shoulder.“I’m here, honey,” he whispered in her ear.“Just let me hold you.”
She finally relaxed against him, and he leaned back against a hay bale and rubbed her back gently.“Do you want to talk about it?”he asked quietly when she seemed to settle down.
