Page 64 of Mail-Order Brides Wishes
Flint pulled the child to his knees. “I’d feel better if you weren’t watching.”
Blue eyes confronted him. Funny, he’d never noticed before that they were only a shade darker than his own. More like his pa’s had been. But he recognized the look in them. One of thinking before she made up her mind.
Finally, she nodded and left the house.
He closed his eyes as Bryn unwrapped the cloth about his head. Every touch of her fingers, every brush of her arm against his shoulder, every breath that matched his own poured joy into his heart, filling empty places, and flooding hidden corners.
“It’s looking better. Almost stopped bleeding.”
“Um.” She could keep right on doing what she was doing.
“All done.” A cold draft filled the space she left as she stepped back.
“Thanks.” He sat back as she cleaned up her supplies and took the water outside. She returned with Susie, and he had the pleasure of watching her prepare breakfast.
Susie had dozens of questions for him. He sidetracked her by asking about Kitty.
They lingered over the meal, but he couldn’t put off his responsibilities much longer.
As if to prove him right, a knock sounded on the door. Jayce entered.
“I did the chores. We need to get those men to town as early as possible. I don’t mind doing it on my own if you’re not up to the ride.”
Flint pushed to his feet. “I best go along. There’ll be questions.” He reached for his hat and adjusted it gingerly on his head.
Bryn hurried to him. “Flint, are you sure you’re up to riding to town?”
He squeezed her shoulder. Sure, he’d like to stay right there, enjoying her fussing over him. But he’d been the one to shoot a man. It was up to him to make sure things were done properly.
“We’ll be back later.” He might have dropped a kiss on her inviting lips but not with Jayce watching.
They were soon headed down the road leading two horses. One rider had nothing to say but the other one more than made up for it.
“This ain’t fair,” he whined. “You came up on us without warning. Wasn’t a fair fight.”
Flint kept his thoughts to himself. Two against one wasn’t fair. Stealing cows wasn’t fair. Shooting someone protecting what was his weren’t fair either. He touched the bandage on his head. Felt no moisture.
Jayce muttered to Flint. “It’s going to be a long ride.”
“Yup.” Flint settled back in the saddle and let his thoughts wander back to hours spent with Bryn. That made the journey pleasant.
All the same, the hour and a half stretched into two and felt like double that. They stopped at the train station. Flint stayed with the prisoners as Jayce went into the office.
Flint closed his ears to the continual string of complaints from the live prisoner.
“Shoulda shot ya when I had the chance,” he muttered.
Jayce returned. “Good news. The marshal is in town. He’s gone over to the store. Arnold said he had business at the Bar-B-Bar.”
Flint turned the horses in that direction while Jayce walked.
“Didn’t expect he’d be here.” In his head, Flint imagined securing the one who wouldn’t shut up, giving a statement to Arnold, and sending a wire to the marshal.
The marshal stepped from the store at their approach. He must have seen the body hung over the horse and knew it was business he had to be part of.
“What do we have here?” He had a booming voice that silenced the yapping prisoner.
“Rustlers.” Flint knew it was enough to secure a hanging for his suddenly quiet prisoner.
