“She’s a stout one, your Sally.”
“She’ll make you a good wife, son. I guess you know she’s the kind that will stick by you, no matter what.”
“Yes, sir, I’ve found that to be true.” Johnny wondered how much Mr. Vane knew about Sally’s earlier marriage. Or maybe he was only talking about her decision to stay with him after she learned of Mark’s death.
Their gazes caught and held for a moment, and Johnny’s gut tightened.
“You be good to her,” Jeremiah said quietly.
“Yes, sir.” Johnny took a careful breath. Now was the time for frankness. “I won’t lie to her, ever again. Or to anyone else.”
“That’s real fine. I hope you mean it.”
“Oh, I do, sir.” Johnny hoped he wouldn’t have to prove his honesty and dependability to Sally’s family all his life, but he couldn’t fault her father for being a bit wary.
Jeremiah sank back into his pillows with a sigh. “I expect I should telegraph my son and tell him what’s happened.”
“Sally sent me yesterday to do that very thing,” Johnny said. “She and her mother worded it carefully so as not to cause undue alarm.”
“Good. We don’t want the boys showing up here on your doorstep, thinking I’m about to die.”
Johnny chuckled. “No, sir, though I’m sure Sally would be glad to see her brothers. She’s been a mite homesick, I think, and not just this summer.”
“You’ll have to bring her up to see us before too long.”
“I can do that.”
Mr. Vane’s eyelids closed again.
“I’ll let you rest, sir,” Johnny said. Mr. Vane showed no sign that he’d heard.
Johnny rose carefully and picked up the tray. When he entered the kitchen, Sally and her mother were still at the table, lingering over coffee and cake.
“You sure do make a good marble cake,” Mrs. Vane said.
Sally laughed. “It’s your recipe. I just wish I could bake without heating up the house so.”
“Soon,” Johnny said, thinking of the half-finished oven outside.
They both looked up at him expectantly.
“He’s sleeping.” Johnny carried the tray to the worktable and eyed the water level in the boiler. He judged that Sally had enough hot water to do the dishes in. “I ought to ride out and see if the cattle are getting enough water, if you don’t need me here.”
Sally nodded. “Go ahead. I suspect the creek is nothing but a trickle now.”
“What will you do if it dries up?” Mrs. Vane asked.
“That’s the big question all the ranchers are asking,” Johnny said.
Sally stood and gathered her dishes. “I’ll walk out to the barn with you.”
She and Johnny had slept out there in the harness room for the past two nights. Sally admitted she felt less secure there than in the house, but he reminded her that Cam and the outlaws could no longer hurt them. Johnny slept on the floor between her and the door, with his pistol beside his pillow.
As they crossed the yard, he whistled, and Reckless and Lady came trotting to the fence.
“I’m glad we got Lady back.” Sally walked over to pat the mare’s nose while Johnny got his saddle.
He brought it from the barn and plopped it on the top rail then opened the gate for Reckless. Lady tried to crowd through behind him.
“No, you stay in there, girl.” He pushed her head back and quickly closed the gate. “Had a talk with your pa,” he said as he spread the saddle blanket over Reckless’s back.
“What about?”
“You, mostly. I don’t think he quite trusts me with his daughter yet.” Johnny reached for the saddle.
Sally’s face crinkled. “He’ll learn. Did he scare you?”
“Maybe just a little. But I figure I deserve it.”
She smiled, and everything came right inside him. He let go of the saddle and stepped toward her. She came into his arms, and he kissed her, not caring if the world saw.
Lady nickered, stretching her long neck over the fence. Sally pulled away from him and laughed.
Johnny tugged her back against his chest. He wasn’t ready to let go of her.
“I love you, Sal.”
Her smile lit her face, and he determined to say those words more often. She stood on her toes and kissed him again.
“You don’t mind having Ma and Pa in our room, do you?”
“Not so long as it’s not permanent.”
“Maybe we could build another room on the house,” she said.
“For company?”
“Or a nursery.”
He half closed his eyes and studied her face, trying to determine what she meant by that.
“Think we’ll need one soon?”
“Maybe so. And Ma says she’ll come back when it’s time.”
He wanted to crow, but he remembered what had happened in the past with her other babies. “Did you tell the doc?”
“I did mention it to him. He said to come see him in a month if I still think… And sooner if anything seems wrong.”
“So, you’re not sure,” Johnny said.
“It’s early, but…pretty sure.” Her hands tightened on his back. “Johnny, I want this one to be right.”
“So do I. No more lifting and lugging things for you, you hear?”
She laughed softly. “Doc said that after what happened with Pa—being in the well and holding him up so long—if I wasn’t strong enough to carry, I probably would have lost it then. If there is a baby.”
“There is.” He pulled her head tight against his heart. “There is, and we’ll pray every day that he grows strong and healthy.”
Sally jerked a little, like a hiccup, and he leaned down to see her face.
“You’re not crying, are you?” he asked.
“Maybe.”
He smiled and rubbed her back. “If it’s a boy, we’ll name him Mark.”
“I’d like that.”
They stood there for a long time, until she gently pushed him away. “You’d better get going, Mr. Paynter, and see if those cattle have enough to drink.”
He hated to leave her now, even for an hour, but she was right. He needed to make a success of this ranch, as well as his marriage.
“I’ll be back soon,” he said. “And that’s a promise.”
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Susan Page Davis is the author of more than fifty novels in the romance, mystery, suspense, and historical romance genres. A Maine native, she now lives in western Kentucky with her husband, Jim, a retired news editor. They are the parents of six, and the grandparents of nine fantastic kids. She is a past winner of the Carol Award, the Will Rogers Medallion for Western Fiction, and the Inspirational Readers’ Choice Award. Susan was named Favorite Author of the Year in the 18th Annual Heartsong Awards. Visit her website at: www.susanpagedavis.com.
Also available from Shiloh Run Press…
The OUTLAW TAKES a BRIDE
Unabridged Audiobook
OTHER BOOKS BY
SUSAN PAGE DAVIS
The Prairie Dreams Trilogy
The Bride’s Prerogative
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