On the cabin porch, he propped his rifle against the wall and tapped on the door before pushing it open. He never knew what Cathleen and his mum would be up to, and sometimes it felt like intruding on their privacy to barge in.
Cathleen looked up at him from a chair by the table, the usual smile on her face. Maybe a little more subdued. Maybe. He wasn’t so good at reading those things. She held a needle in one hand and a wad of frilly fabric in her other.
He cleared his throat as his gaze swept the room. Mum wasn’t around. “I... If you’re not busy, I thought this afternoon might be good to teach you to shoot.”
The heat crawling up his neck certainly wasn’t helping his rush of nerves. And why in the starry sky was he getting nervous? It wasn’t like he was asking to court her or anything. Just teach her a skill she’d need to keep from getting killed around here.
She set down her needlework and leaned back in her chair. “All right. Now’s probably the best time. Your mum’s napping in her room.”
He nodded, then stepped backward toward the porch. At least he could breathe out here. He sat on the steps with the rifle and pulled a cartridge from his pouch as Cathleen settled beside him. These steps were wide enough he didn’t have to worry about his leg brushing her skirts. Especially since the dress she wore didn’t seem as frilly and wide today. More sensible. But not as much like Cathleen, and he almost missed the old look. Although the lack of ruffles did nothing to lessen her beauty. A quick glance at her face confirmed that and picked up the speed of his pulse.
He focused on the rifle in his hands. “This is my gun. It’s a Sharps, easier to shoot than the one hanging on the wall in there. You’ll need to learn both if you stay here much longer.”
As he explained how to load the gun, then how to aim for the most accurate shot with the variations he’d made to the sights, the tension in his muscles started to ease. Talking about guns was something he could do.
She watched with a wide, steady gaze, taking in each word and every move he made.
He held out the gun. “You want to load it?”
Twin lines formed between her brows as she took the rifle and cartridge, then started to follow his directions. “It’s heavy.”
Her fingers were clumsy, but she loaded the cartridge pretty much the way he’d shown. It seemed she’d absorbed most of his lesson with her intense scrutiny.
When the gun was loaded, she looked up at him with eager eyes. “What next?”
He looked to the woods at the side of the cabin. “I guess let’s go shoot it. Just a couple times, though. I don’t want to worry Tash and the foal.” Tashunka was more than used to him hunting from her back, but a newborn at her side would make her jumpy. Not to mention his own mother, who might not appreciate gunshots so near the cabin.
Cathleen carried the rifle as they walked around to the spot where he’d target practiced in his younger days. The trees rose up on a hill, so the ground would cushion any stray bullets.
“All right. First, you’ll line up your target in the sights. That biggest pine in the middle is a good mark. Then squeeze this rear set trigger, pull back on this to cock the lock.” He pointed to the hammer, careful not to touch her with his oversize finger. Still, he was close enough to smell the cinnamon drifting from her. And it was more than a little distracting.
“So this first”—she fixed the set trigger—“then this?” She cocked the hammer, accomplishing what he’d directed. But she held the gun all wrong, barely balancing it with her hands close together and the butt resting too high on her shoulder. It’d take her teeth out if she squeezed the trigger holding the rifle like that, maybe even break bones in her chin.
“Here. You need to tuck it in tighter to your arm.”
She adjusted it, but now the gun was too close to her shoulder, close enough to dislocate the bone on her first shot. “Like this?”
“Not quite.” He had no choice but to reach in and help. He gripped the barrel and tried to do it without touching her, but to get the gun seated right, he had to press a hand to her back. Her muscle flinched under his touch, but no more so than his own. She was just the right amount of softness and strength, and for a second he let himself enjoy the feel.
“So…am I ready to pull the trigger?”
Cathleen’s unsteady words pulled him back to the present, and he took in her stance. “You’ll want to put your left hand out here to support the barrel.” He pointed to the spot, and she did as he asked, but again, her effort was all wrong.
He supported the barrel himself, then slid his hand over hers and showed her how to position it correctly. He didn’t breathe a whit through it all. No wonder his mouth went dry. Would he be able to speak, if it became necessary? He seriously doubted it.
Was she having the same trouble? From the way her shoulders rose and fell as he stepped away…maybe.
He forced his muddled brain back to what he was supposed to be doing. “All right. Now, match up the target between the sights, then squeeze the front trigger.”
She followed each direction precisely and stared down the sights for several long seconds.
He should probably warn her about the rifle’s kick before it caught her off guard. The moment he opened his mouth to do that, the blast of the gun filled the clearing, sending up a small puff of black powder.
Cathleen jerked backward, almost as if the bullet had struck her shoulder. She stumbled to catch her footing, but her skirts tripped her up.
He reached for her, missing her shoulder but just barely grabbing her arm with his fingertips. She was already falling, though.
He stumbled, trying to gain his own footing so he could keep her upright. His left boot caught on her skirt, his right tangling in her ankle.
And almost like he was watching from a dream, he tumbled forward, too.
At the last minute, he grabbed his bearings enough to twist sideways so he didn’t land on her. Instead, his elbow hit the ground first, his side slamming close behind it.
A glance at Cathleen showed that she’d landed on her elbows, too, the gun resting across her chest. Those pretty brown eyes were wide enough to read a book through. Then they narrowed a bit, laugh lines forming at the edges. A giggle broke through, and her eyes met his with a sparkle.
Peas and carrots, but she was pretty.
Her smile was contagious. He tried to hold his back at first, but finally let out the grin that begged for release.
“I guess I should have expected so much gunpowder to be hard to hold.” She released that clear laugh again.
A bit of black powder smudged the bridge of her nose, and he reached over to wipe it off.
She looked at him with both brows raised. “A mess, am I?”
Oh, she was too cute for words. “Not at all.”
She reached over and touched his cheek, running a finger down his jaw. “You’re not quite spotless yourself.”
Her skin was soft as rabbit fur, her touch warm. And he couldn’t stop the skitter that ran through him at the contact.
The smile that had lit her face faded into a very different look. Longing, if his eyes could be believed.
Then she blinked, pulled her hand back, and sat up straight. She stared toward the tree line. “Do you think I hit the target?”
Letting out a long breath, Reuben straightened, too, and pushed up to his feet. He extended a hand to help her up, but she placed the rifle in it, then scrambled up on her own.
Probably best.
Chapter Fourteen
CATHLEEN PRESSED A hand to her skirt as she rounded the corner of the cabin from the outhouse. Mrs. Scott had been knitting, with North lounging at her feet, when Cathleen took the opportunity for a quick outing. She probably should have put the bar across the door, but with the weather still so nice after three days, they’d been keeping the door open to let in the fresh air.
A movement at the edge of the woods caught her attention.
A rider? She stopped and shaded her eyes. Reuben was in the
barn, working on the hides he’d brought, so it couldn’t be him.
But that profile was familiar. Unmistakable.
Grabbing her skirts, she sprinted forward. “Alex!”
He nudged his horse into a jog and closed the distance between them, then reined in and swung down. She landed in his arms, relishing the warmth as they wrapped around her.
“You really are alive.” His voice had a hint of a chuckle, but the way he held her overlong brought a rush of moisture to her eyes. She hadn’t realized how much she’d missed this brother of hers.
Finally, he pulled back, gripping her shoulders like he was holding up a puppy for examination. “Two arms. Still standing and walking.” He grabbed her hands and raised them up. “All fingers are still there.” The twinkle sprang into his eye in full force. “I guess you’ve done all right.”
She jerked her hand away, then gave him a backwards shove. “Scamp.”
He raised both hands in an I didn’t do it gesture. “That’s your name, not mine.”
“Who’s there?” A shaky voice from the porch pulled Cathleen back to her surroundings.
She slipped her hand through Alex’s arm and pulled him toward the cabin. “It’s me, Mrs. Scott. We have a visitor.”
At the porch, Cathleen motioned to the rail. “Just tie your horse for a minute and come inside.” She ascended the stairs first and took Mrs. Scott’s hand in hers. “My brother’s come to pay us a visit. Isn’t that wonderful?”
“Oh. Yes, dear. I’m sure that’s nice.” The older woman used her confused voice, the one that meant she had no idea what Cathleen had just said, but she was trying to play along.
“Why don’t we go in and cut some of the sourdough bread we made this morning? He’s been riding a long time to get here, so I’ll bet he’s hungry.” She turned the woman, and they headed into the house with Alex close on their heels.
She needed to find Reuben too. He’d want to know they had a visitor, and how wonderful it would be to introduce him to her brother.
As soon as she had Alex settled at the table with somewhat-fresh coffee and buttered bread, she stepped back and untied her apron. “I’m going to the barn to get Reuben. He’ll be glad to meet you.”
Alex’s head tilted, and something about the way he held his jaw seemed to send the happy moment fleeing from the room. “Reuben?” His voice had gone dry.
She hung her apron on the peg. Alex might get his hackles up about her not coming straight back to town as soon as Mrs. Scott’s son arrived, but he’d have to get over that. There was no way she could leave her patient just yet. “Yes, Reuben Scott.”
“How long has he been back?” There was more of a steel undertone in the words than she would have liked.
She turned to face him with a sigh. “I don’t know. A few weeks, I guess. It’s been a lot for him to adjust to, both about his pa and his mum’s condition.” She dropped her tone with that last sentence so Mrs. Scott didn’t pick up on her words. “I’ve been needed here.”
A muscle flexed in Alex’s jaw. “Where is this Reuben?”
She couldn’t quite hold in her exasperated breath as she turned and started for the door. “Drink your coffee, Alex. I’ll get him.”
After stomping down the stairs, she untied Alex’s horse and led the tired creature toward the barn. From the flecks of white foam lining its neck and saddle blanket, and from its drooping head, she decided her brother must have ridden hard to get here. Of course, the horse could just be exhausted from the climb up into these mountains. She knew from experience it was a challenge.
The barn door was open, and Reuben looked up from his furs when she came in. He’d been rather distant since the incident when he’d taught her to shoot. A fact she wished she knew how to change. Had he been offended that she’d stroked his cheek? It wasn’t much more than he’d done for her. Of course, he hadn’t had black powder for her to wipe off, but he didn’t know that, did he?
It had been such a delicious feeling to touch him. The first real contact since she’d cut his hair. And as she’d gotten to know him over these weeks, seen him day in and day out, watched his kindness and wisdom—not to mention his strong, handsome features—she couldn’t have stopped her hand from touching his cheek if she’d wanted to.
But the way he’d frozen in place…he’d looked so shocked. Did he feel nothing at all for her? There were times, she thought maybe he did. But not when he looked at her with the wary expression he now aimed her direction.
He lowered the hide he’d been working with and draped it over his work table, then stood. “Whose horse is that?”
She put on her brightest smile. “My brother’s come for a visit. Alex, the younger one. Do you mind if I put his horse in this first stall?”
The wary look disappeared from his face. In fact, his expression went void of any emotion. That stoic mask took over, the one that had gradually disappeared these last weeks.
He strode toward her and took the horse’s reins. Almost jerked them from her, really. What had him on edge? Alex’s visit? No matter how she examined the idea, that didn’t make sense.
Maybe he wasn’t comfortable around new people. Well, that she could help him with. “You’ll come inside for coffee then? I made a dried apple pie for supper, but I think we’ll eat it early.” She kept her voice pleasant, but with an undertone of finality.
He mumbled something as he led the horse into the stall.
She’d take that as a yes for now, but if he wasn’t in the house in a quarter hour, she’d be back for a stronger conversation.
~ ~ ~
REUBEN FORCED HIMSELF to climb the porch stairs, one at a time.
Cathleen was leaving. Her brother had come to fetch her, and she would be leaving them.
Leaving him.
He’d known this day would come. Had done his best to put distance between them since that ill-fated shooting lesson. But facing the stark reality of it now….
Could he take care of Mum by himself? He’d have to. If Cathleen had been able, surely he could, too. There might be some awkward moments, but together he and Mum could work through them.
But would he be able to face the cabin without Cathleen’s smiling face? He wasn’t so sure.
He pushed open the door, and that bright smile he’d just been picturing turned its full force on him from her seat at the table. That look had so much more power in reality than it had in his mind. Power to make his stomach flip at the first sight of it.
He clenched his jaw and turned his gaze on the man rising to his feet from Pa’s old chair.
“Alex, this is Mr. Reuben Scott. Reuben, my big brother, Alex Donaghue.” Cathleen’s voice had an awful lot of perkiness in it. She must be thrilled to finally escape this primitive mountain and get back to town.
Reuben shook Alex’s hand with a nod and took a quick measure before meeting his gaze. The man was a decent height, maybe six feet. Hair a little browner than Cathleen’s auburn. His eyes were dark and expressive like Cathleen’s. And at the moment their expression held an extra heaping of distrust.
Well, the man didn’t have anything to fear from him, if that’s what he was worried about. He’d protect Cathleen to his dying breath—even if it meant protecting her from himself. But it didn’t mean he had to look forward to her walking away.
“Scott.” Cathleen’s brother eased his glare as he pulled his hand back. “Didn’t expect to see you here. Glad to, though.”
Reuben nodded. He couldn’t exactly say the same, and the best remedy to lying was usually to keep his mouth shut.
Cathleen rose from her chair and scurried toward the stove. “I was just telling Alex about the wolf the other day. I asked him to look at North to see if there’s something else we should do for him.”
Reuben glanced at the dog, curled by his food dish in the corner. He’d been up and moving around these last couple days, although he still stayed mostly in the cabin. Reuben had a strong suspicion that had more to do with the coddlin
g he was getting here than anything. If they were still at the winter camp, North would have been jogging the trotline of his own accord two days ago.
Cathleen turned to face him with a smile and a steaming mug in her hand. “Here’s some coffee. Have a seat, and I’ll cut you a slice of pie.”
As usual, that smile started a flip in his belly. Letting her leave was going to be so much harder than he’d ever planned.
He took the cup from her and tried to offer some semblance of a smile. The least he could do was let her know how much he appreciated the little extra things she did. How much he appreciated her.
She held his gaze a second longer, then turned to her brother. “Are you ready to check him?”
Reuben sipped coffee while the two of them knelt over North, Cathleen stroking the dog’s head while her brother poked and prodded. The animal, of course, stared at Cathleen with devoted eyes. It was going to be a hard awakening for the dog when she left, too.
Finally, the doctor sat back on his heels. “It doesn’t seem like any of his organs are damaged, especially if you say he’s eating and drinking fine. There is some damage to the deep tissue on his haunches, but the area already shows signs of healing.” He glanced back at Reuben. “I’ll leave a tincture that should speed his recovery.”
“Thanks.” Reuben forced out the word.
Cathleen gave the dog a final pat, then rose to her feet. “Come sit again, Alex, and tell me how the babies are. I bet they’ve forgotten who their Aunt Cathy is.”
The two jabbered back and forth across the table, Cathleen’s face glowing as he filled her in on each family member. Her brother’s responses sounded like she was quite a favorite among the group. And no wonder.
At last, Donaghue leaned back in his chair and eyed his sister. “Shall we wait till the morning or try to head back tonight? We’d have to ride a couple hours in the dark, but Miriam would thank you for getting me home sooner.”
The Lady and the Mountain Call (Mountain Dreams Series Book 5) Page 11
