by Peterson, Tracie; Davis, Mary; Hake, Kelly Eileen; Stengl, Jill; Warren, Susan May
Her thoughts were interrupted by Davey’s sudden appearance. She sat down in front of her and held out a canteen. Marty gratefully accepted the water and guzzled it. She hadn’t realized how thirsty she was with trying not to look tired and defeated.
“Davey, you and Dani have to get them to let the two of you ride Flash,” Marty said between swallows.
“Why?”
“Just listen. When you get the chance, you and Dani ride back the way we came. Go as fast as you can and don’t look back.” Marty took another swig.
“But what about you?”
“Don’t worry about me. They will let me go to chase after the two of you.” Marty didn’t really think they would let her go, but maybe they would be distracted enough for her to escape as well. “When you are out of sight of us, cut south. They will assume you are heading straight home.”
Davey’s eyes filled with tears. “But Aunt Marty, what about you?”
“Stop it, Davey. You got to listen.” Marty kept one eye on their captors. “Find a town and wire Cinda where you are. She’ll—” Marty stopped short because Wylie was eyeing them. Marty took another drink.
“Bring that canteen back over here, girl,” Wylie snarled.
Davey got to her feet and scrambled back to where Dani stood. Marty hoped her nieces had the courage to go it alone. They had to. It was their only hope of escape.
Reece raised his voice. “She can’t walk all the way to Seattle.”
“Then leave the little witch here. I don’t care.”
Reece let out an exasperated sigh. “You know we can’t do that.”
“Sure we can.” His dead serious glare belied his light tone. “We got rope, we got a tree, and there she’ll stay.”
Reece rolled his eyes and sighed again. “If we could only catch her horse, one of the girls could ride it.”
While the two rats argued over whether Marty would come or stay, Davey whispered in Dani’s ear. When Wylie stomped off in disgust, Davey swallowed hard and gathered her courage. “I could catch Flash.”
Reece turned slowly to the girl and looked down at her.
Marty hoped he didn’t suspect anything.
“You wouldn’t help me catch your aunt’s horse before. Why would you help me now?”
Davey dropped her head shyly and kicked at the ground. “That was before you were mean and made Aunt Marty walk all that way.”
Yes! Davey could make you feel sorry for her for winning first prize because someone else had lost.
Reece took a deep breath and knelt in front of Davey. He looked her in the eye.
Don’t waver, Davey. She hoped he would let her get the horse whether or not he suspected anything.
“If you can get that horse to cooperate, I promise your aunt won’t have to walk anymore. Is it a deal?”
Davey nodded and headed for Flash. Reece looked amazed when the child walked right up to the grazing horse and climbed up into the saddle. The horse didn’t even bat an eyelash or resist the girl’s prodding. Davey stopped Flash near Reece and Dani.
“Throw me the reins,” Reece said to Davey.
This was Marty’s cue. “He won’t be bridle led.”
Reece turned to her and locked his gaze with hers.
She knew he was trying to intimidate her to see if she was telling the truth. Being a lawyer, he was probably well practiced at undoing a person with an incredulous stare. Well, Rawlings weren’t regular people; they were a tougher lot. He had met his match and then some.
“Flash won’t be led by the bridle.” She hoped her firm tone would convince him. She needed the reins in Davey’s hands when they escaped.
Reece stared at her for a moment longer, then went to Wylie’s horse and untied the rope. He marched over to her where she still sat on the ground and untied the rope from around her waist. “Then I’ll lead him with a rope. You stay put.”
Marty simply shrugged her shoulders. When Reece approached Flash, Marty made a clicking sound with her tongue, and Flash threw his head around, snorted, and stomped his feet. Reece stepped away from the agitated animal. Dani patted the horse’s neck and whispered in his ear. He calmed down.
Reece brought the rope over to Marty and held it out to her. “You do it.”
Marty glared up at him. “You really that stupid to think I’d help you?”
Reece squatted down in front of her with the rope held loosely in one hand between his knees. “I promised a little red-haired girl if she got control of the horse, her aunt wouldn’t have to walk anymore. She did her part. I plan on keeping my promise. The only way I can, without your horse, is for one of your nieces to walk because you will be riding, one way or another.”
She couldn’t believe how gullible he was and snatched the rope from him, giving him a shove. He fell on his backside. She marched over to Flash and waited for Reece to catch up. She held out her bound wrists. “I can’t do it with my hands tied.”
“Don’t try anything foolish.” Reece untied her.
He was the fool, giving her yet another opportunity to escape. She would be foolish not to take it.
Wylie put a heavy hand on Dani’s shoulder to keep her put. The little girl sucked in some air and closed her eyes tight.
Marty put the rope around Flash’s neck and tied a knot that appeared secure to the untrained eye but was guaranteed not to hold. Reece took the other end.
“You put that kid on your horse,” Reece said to Wylie.
“Oh, please no,” Dani moaned.
“Can’t you see she’s afraid of him?” Marty glared at Reece. “You would have to be cruel to do that to a scared little girl.”
“Then you can ride with Wylie because I doubt you are afraid of anything,” Reece shot back, grabbing hold of her arm.
“I ain’t ridin’ with her. She’s trouble. Just tie her to a tree and leave her here,” Wylie released his hold on Dani.
“I want to ride Flash,” Dani demanded.
“I’m riding Flash. I caught him.”
“That’s not fair.”
“Is, too.”
“Is not.”
While her nieces squabbled, Wylie muttered on about Marty being nothing but trouble. She would love to show him just how much trouble she could be. He wasn’t going to have anything to do with her except to tie her to a tree for the wolves.
Marty smiled and almost chuckled aloud at Reece trying to concentrate amidst the confusion.
The hold he had on her arm tightened with his increased frustration. “Quiet!”
Her nieces didn’t say another word and stared wide-eyed at him. Wylie slowly tapered off to silence as well but kept his back to the group. Reece released Marty and marched over to Dani. Dani’s eyes got bigger as he approached. She squealed as he hoisted her up in the saddle behind her sister. “You can both ride the infuriating beast.”
Marty smiled inwardly. Fool. She took a casual step toward Flash to see if Reece or Wylie were paying her any attention. Neither one noticed. She figured she could free Flash with one solid jerk, sending the girls on their way.
Then all she had to do was turn around, swing up, and take off on Reece’s horse. She took a deep breath and made her move. She lunged forward and yanked on the rope hanging from Flash’s neck.
“Gee-up!” She slapped the horse’s rump, and Flash took off. Marty turned, making her move for the other horse. She would make it to his horse before him.
Reece grappled at Flash’s reins. Though he touched them, he couldn’t quite get a hold of them. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Marty heading toward his horse. It would be trouble if she got away, too. All would be lost. He leaped forward and charged for his horse. He reached it at the same time Marty did and caught hold of her around the waist, lifting her off the ground, flailing.
“Let me go!” She beat the arm he had around her with her fists. He could tell by her slight startle that she hadn’t expected him to catch her.
“They’re gittin’ away,” Wylie hollered.
“They’ll be back.” At least Reece hoped so. He wasn’t a gambling man, but right now he was betting on Marty.
Wylie pulled out his rifle. “I should have shot that horse when I first laid eyes on him.” He aimed at the racing pair.
“No!” Marty yelled, squirming in Reece’s arm.
“Wylie, put it away.” Reece moved between Wylie and the girls with Marty still in his grasp. “You could hit the girls.”
“But they’re gittin’ away.” Wylie lowered his rifle. The girls disappeared into the trees. “I’m goin’ after ’em.”
“Don’t bother. Miss Rawlings will call back her horse,” Reece said confidently.
“Over my dead body!” Marty folded her arms across her chest.
“I’d be more’n happy,” Wylie snarled.
Reece took a deep breath. Lord, it seems I can’t do anything without You lately. I need this wild filly to cooperate. “Call your horse,” he said.
“What makes you think I can?”
“You and that horse are like one. I think he can read your mind and knows exactly what you want him to do. I heard you whistle to him last night when you tried to escape.” Reece tightened his hold around her in case she didn’t realize who was in charge here. “Now call him.”
She struggled against him. “You can’t make me.”
He bet he could, and words would serve him well for once with her. It was a matter of choosing the right ones. “The wilderness is a dangerous place for two little girls…all alone…unprotected.” Reece leaned closer to her ear and lowered his voice. “They have no food. Do they know how to forage for food?” He paused to let it sink in. She stilled in his arm. “They have no weapon or way to protect themselves against predators. What do you suppose will find them first? Bear? Cougar?” His tone grew more sinister. “Maybe a renegade Indian or two? Those red-haired scalps would be quite a prize.”
He felt the fight go out of her but doubted she would admit defeat.
She hadn’t thought about the dangers her nieces were unprepared to face. She let out a loud whistle, waited a moment, and whistled again.
“Good girl.” He was certain calling them back was not the end, not by a long shot.
“Let go of me.” She wiggled to free herself.
“So you can try to escape again? I don’t think so,” Reece said.
“There they are.” Wylie pointed at the woods across the meadow.
Flash came right up to Marty and greeted her. Marty rubbed his nose. “Good boy.”
“He wouldn’t keep going. We tried, but he turned around on his own,” Two Tails explained in a whine.
“I know. It’s not your fault. I was forced to call him back.” Marty squirmed in his hold.
If she thought he would let her go now that the twins were safely back, he had a surprise in store for her. She had gotten the better of him too many times already. He wasn’t about to think of her as weak or helpless. She was as cunning and sly as a fox, a definite intellectual challenge. And that was rare.
“Wylie, tie the rope around the horse’s neck,” Reece said. He quickly covered Marty’s mouth with his hand to prevent her from intentionally aggravating her horse. He knew who was in control of her horse. And it was high time he took control of this whole sorry situation. If that were even possible.
Chapter 9
Marty grappled at the hand covering her mouth. She couldn’t budge it. The low-down, no-good, dirty weasel. Reece held her firmly. It was no use. She might be smart, but he was definitely stronger. She dropped her hands to her sides. She was too tired to fight him anymore.
His warm breath fanned her cheek, and his growing whiskers tickled her ear, sending a shiver through her. Again she jerked against his grip and the unusual feelings running wild through her from having this man hold her. She had never let a man get close enough to her to put an arm around her. It caused an odd feeling in the pit of her stomach and made her heart beat faster.
She watched as Wylie tied Flash to his horse. He gave her a gloating sneer. He had won for now, but she hadn’t given up. Her next plan would be better, more thought-out. When her horse was secure, Reece took his hand from her mouth.
From behind his saddle Reece untied his bedroll with one hand, keeping a firm hold on Marty with his other. He threw the bedroll at Wylie. “Put this on the back of your horse.” He hoisted Marty up into his saddle, keeping a good tight hold on the reins, she noticed.
She supposed he didn’t want her riding off without him. The thought was appealing, but he didn’t give her the opportunity.
He swung up behind her.
No chance of jumping off the back of his horse. Maybe she was better off trying to escape herself than trying to free the girls. Once she was free, she could set an ambush.
Marty sat up straight in the saddle and slightly forward, to keep space between her and Mr. Keegan. She held tight to the saddle horn to keep herself steady.
He nudged his horse up next to Flash. “This is in the way.” He snatched off Marty’s Stetson and handed it to Dani.
Marty reached for her hat but was unable to snag it before it was turned over to her niece.
Reece prodded his horse into a gallop. Wylie mounted up and was close behind.
After a few minutes, Reece slowed the pace to a walk and leaned forward. “I don’t bite,” he whispered in her ear.
She squared her shoulders and remained forward. He may not bite, but if he got any closer, she would.
Not having slept all night and walking most of the morning, coupled with the rhythmic plodding of the horse, made her drowsy. She was comfortable on a horse. Before long, Marty struggled to keep her heavy eyelids open but found it impossible. They finally shut, and her head dipped forward.
When her chin hit her chest, she jerked her head up, and her eyes flew open. She repositioned herself in the saddle and stretched her face by opening her mouth and eyes as wide as they would go. She blinked several times and raised her eyebrows up and down to try to revive herself. It worked for about thirty seconds before her eyelids shut again.
When her head dropped forward for the third time, Reece put an end to her misery. His one arm was partially around her, holding on to the reins, his hand resting on his knee. His other hand was planted on his upper thigh.
He wrapped his free arm around her waist and gently pulled her back into him until she rested against his chest. Her resistance was minimal. She was half asleep. Her head bobbed forward. It couldn’t be very comfortable, not that sleeping on a horse ever could be. He took a chance she wasn’t faking sleep and momentarily wrapped the reins around the horn. He slowly tipped her head back, trying not to wake her. She settled her head against his chest.
He rested his chin on her head. Holding her like this seemed so right. Like she belonged there. Why should he be so attracted to her? Why this woman who hated him?
She certainly didn’t fit his idea of what a woman should be. And maybe his attraction to her was as simple as that. She was so different from any woman he had ever met, and it was going to get him in trouble. He kept expecting her to act meek and mild. She didn’t do any of the silly things other women did to get what they wanted. She was strong and courageous. She boldly went after what she wanted and didn’t cry if she got hurt or didn’t get her way.
Now that he knew her better, he wouldn’t underestimate her again. She wasn’t about to give up until she had her nieces or died trying. Unfortunately, it was his job to see that she didn’t succeed in the former, and he would do everything in his power to prevent the latter from happening as well.
When Marty woke, the sun was low in the sky. She couldn’t believe she had slept the whole afternoon. Ahead of her she could see Dani and Davey being led by Wylie. Marty pulled away from Reece and sat up straight, not because she disliked being so close, but because her backside ached from sitting so long in the saddle. Reece
kept his arm around her waist but didn’t stop her from leaning forward.
He pulled the horse to a stop. “I think we both need to stretch our legs.” He climbed down and offered a helping hand to her. She brushed it aside and jumped down on her own.
Reece clasped her hand. “To make sure you don’t get lost.”
Marty strained to free her hand but her efforts were in vain. She kept her hand stiff at first, then she slowly relaxed; she wasn’t sure if she disliked his warm hand on hers or not.
Just after dusk they came over a rise. Nestled in the valley that spread out for miles to the north was a ranch house. Reece and Wylie had stayed there on their way out to pick up the girls and were invited back on their return trip. The ranch owner greeted them and invited them in for chow.
Daniella and Daphne were put up for the night in Sally’s room, the rancher’s stepdaughter.
Marty bunked in a bedroom by herself. It looked like it had once been a lady’s room with ruffled curtains, a lace doily on the wash table, and a pink ruffled quilt on the bed. Reece secured her wrists to the bedposts, loose enough so she could sleep comfortably, but not so much rope that she could free herself and hang him with it. Reece left with the promise to see her in the morning.
“Don’t be surprised when you find us gone come sunup,” she called after him.
Reece had planned to get a good night’s sleep on a nice soft bed of hay except for two things gnawing at him: a ranch full of questionable men with a pretty, young woman just inside the house, and Marty’s threat to be gone with her nieces by morning. So here he was sleeping on the hard floor in the hall outside of Marty’s room and a few feet away from the little girl’s room where Daniella and Daphne slept. He peeked in on them to make sure they were indeed there. He wouldn’t put it past Marty if they weren’t, but they were there all snug and fast asleep.
