Page 45 of Wagon Train Dreams
“That’s my brother you’re tormenting. I don’t know if you noticed, but he is big enough to hurt all three of you—and he will if I tell him to.” She bounced on her toes. “I think it would be wise for you to leave as fast as you can.”
The three of them eyed each other.
“Nah,” the big one said. “He’s too stupid to do anything.”
“You mean he’s too kind. While you three are mean as rattlesnakes.” She settled back on her heels and made a shooing motion. “Now, be off with you.”
Joe coiled, ready to spring to her defense.
Finally, the smallest of the three sighed. “This ain’t fun no more. Let’s go.” He started down the alley. After glowering at Hazel, the other two left.
“Bertie, leave the dog and go back to Mama.”
“But, Hazel?—”
“No buts, Bertie. You can’t keep the dog.”
Bertie pushed to his feet and ambled away.
Joe stepped forward. “That was the craziest thing I ever saw.”
She spun around. “Where did you come from?”
“Thought I’d check on you. Glad I did.” Though she hadn’t needed his help. But all the same, he was glad he’d been close in case she did.
Smiling, she sauntered to his side. “You couldn’t stand to be away from me.”
While that might be true, he was more concerned about what he’d just seen. “There were three of them. All bigger than you. What would you have done if they hadn’t backed down?”
She shrugged. “I would have called Bertie to help.”
Did the rising of his eyebrows inform her how useless he thought that idea?
“I can run fast.”
“I’ll take your word for it.”
“I can also scream really loud. I would inform everyone that they were hurting me.”
His tight breath eased out, but his chest did not relax. “You scare me.” So much fierceness in such a small, defenseless body.
“Maybe you’ll realize that I’m capable of facing problems. That I care not what others think or do.”
Recognizing she didn’t mean only her defense of Bertie, he didn’t blink an eye.
She hooked her arm around his elbow. “You want to go to the store? Or maybe walk up and down the street?”
“I want to go back to the campsite.” Maybe the three youths would forget how she’d humiliated them. Or they might be plotting revenge. At least back where the wagons were, he could offer a degree of protection.
“I like the sound of that.”
He slowed his steps to match hers as they retraced their steps. They were the only ones at the camp. She took her bag to the wagon and then returned.
“I’ve got something for you.” She handed him a book. “You said you liked reading, so I got you this.”
“Kidnapped?” The title intrigued him. Besides that, it was a gift from Hazel. He would have cherished it even if written in a foreign language.
“I hope you enjoy it.”
