Page 68 of Montana Groom of Convenience
“Bring them from where?” Carly demanded, her voice thin with suspicion.
Sawyer had his own qualms about what her father was up to.
“Why, at the Bar None Ranch. Where else would they be?”
“Father, that’s two days’ ride away.”
“Only one if you’re in a hurry. But I don’t want those bulls pushed hard. Take your time bringing them home. You can leave tomorrow morning.”
“Sir, what about Jill?” Sawyer asked.
“Dinnae I tell you? Logan has agreed young Beth can come over. She’s fourteen and capable of taking care of us.”
Carly sputtered her protest.
Sawyer wasn’t happy about the arrangement either. “It will be just the two of us?”
Father came round to face them. “I expect the pair of you can handle three animals.”
Neither Carly nor Sawyer spoke, though she practically vibrated with her upset.
Father nodded. “Then that’s how it’s to be. Might be good for the two of you to work together.” He limped back into the barn, his attention already on the harnesses he held.
Sawyer understood then that the old man knew exactly what he was doing and what he hoped to gain, and it wasn’t solely the safe delivery of three bulls. What he didn’t know was both Sawyer and Carly had given their word that their marriage would be a business arrangement only.
How was Sawyer to remember that if they were to be alone day and night for probably three days?
He prepared provisions and a bedroll that night. Carly did the same, muttering under her breath comments directed at her father.
They left early the next morning as soon as Logan brought Beth over.
They rode in a silence broken only by the thud of horses’ hooves and the call of the birds. They kept up a steady, mile-eating pace, heading to the northwest over rolling hills, keeping to the eastern slopes.
Sawyer had things he wished he could say. Such as, could we change the agreement we made regarding our marriage? But pride and fear stopped him. They’d been gone about two hours when the humor of the situation hit him, and he started to laugh.
Dusty perked up his ears at the sound.
Carly gave him a confused look. When he didn’t stop, she rode closer. “What’s so funny?”
He stopped laughing but kept smiling. “You’re father fancies himself a matchmaker. I’m surprised he didn’t send someone along to keep an eye on us.”
She harrumphed. “I suppose he thought if we were alone, we’d do what he considers the right thing.”
“Maybe we should tell him about our agreement.” He had no doubt how Father Morrison would react to the information. The man’s voice echoed through his head. Ack. Now, wasn’t that a foolish thing to agree to? So why don’t we all just forget about it? You and Carly are married. Time ye acted like it.
Carly shook her head. “He’d say we aren’t married at all and then what would happen to the ranch?” She let that soak in. “And a home for Jill? She’s really settling in, don’t you think?”
“Aye, and I believe you’ve learned a few tricks from your father to bring Jill into the discussion.”
Carly grinned. “Aye, and maybe I have. Butseriously, I don’t see we have any choice but to honor our agreement.”
He slouched in his saddle. Why had he even allowed the thought to take root that she might be willing to reconsider that agreement? Obviously, she wasn’t.
They rode on, silence again their companion.
As the sun reached its zenith, he began to look around for a place where he could suggest they rest the horses for a bit.
“There’s a place over there where we can stop.” It was as if she had read his mind. And the idea did nothing to make him forget how much he wanted to change their agreement.
