Page 43 of Montana Lawman Rescuer
Jesse still had his arms around her and felt her quivering. “I don’t think you are. They’re gone. There’s no more danger.”
“I c-can’t seem to s-stop shivering,” she stammered.
He held her tight and continued to rub her back. After a bit, he grew concerned. “What’s wrong?”
She sat up and stared straight ahead. “I thought it was the same three men who robbed the stagecoach and—” She glanced toward Mikey and didn’t finish.
He knew she would have saidkilled two men. Men such as that wouldn’t hesitate to kill again. He thanked God for protecting all of them, then jumped from the buggy and examined the tracks. None of their mounts had the odd-shaped horseshoe, although that could mean the horse had been swapped out for another. He hadn’t noticed any silver-tipped boots, and he certainly would have. For a moment, he stared up and down the road, but he saw nothing to cause him concern and climbed back to the seat.
“Emily, did you see something familiar about them?”
She didn’t answer for a moment, then gave a sigh. “Only that there were three of them, and they looked mean and nasty.”
“You’re sure there wasn’t something about them?”
She considered. “No. It just scared me.” She gripped his hand. Gave him a probing look. “Jesse, promise me you’ll never do that again.”
He cupped her shoulder. “Do what?”
“Face down three men.”
“Emily, I can’t promise you that. It’s my job.”
“To die protecting others?”
He nodded.
“So you can prove you’re a good man?”
Her words cut him. He slowly removed his hands from her shoulders. “I vowed to honor the law and protect my fellow man, and I intend to live up to my vow.” He heard the hard tone of his voice but couldn’t help it. Seems she wasn’t all that different from the other young ladies he’d tried to court who either hated his profession or, even more strongly, hated his background. What had made him think she might be? Only his misguided dreams. He deserved the wake-up call. Not that he was courting her or had even considered it.
After all, who courts a woman who doesn’t know who she is?
“We need to get home.” He flicked the reins, and they rode the rest of the way in silence. He pulled up in front of the house and jumped down to lift Mikey and then Emily to the ground.
Mikey looked from one adult to the other, then stuck his thumb in his mouth.
Smart little kid to recognize the tension between Jesse and Emily.
“Jesse?”
He waited, but she had nothing more to say. “Tell Gram I’m taking the buggy back and making my rounds. I might be late for supper.”
Gram would demand to know what was so important that he missed Sunday supper. He almost hoped for some kind of ruckus to provide him with an excuse to avoid returning home until after dark.
Emily fled into the house.
Was she crying?
He considered following, but her assessment of him stung. He didn’t protect the citizens of Bella Creek and uphold the law for his own glory and satisfaction. To make himself feel good.
Then why do you do it?The question refused to be silenced.
He did not thank Emily for building a cauldron of uncertainty in his brain.
CHAPTER NINE
Emily knew from the surprise on Gram’s face when she relayed Jesse’s message that it was not normal behavior on his part. She regretted throwing doubt on his reasons for being a sheriff. Her only excuse was that thinking of him facing such a risk left her mouth desert dry and her bones weak.
