Page 46 of Montana Lawman Rescuer
“Do you need everyone’s approval?”
“I suppose not.” But to have the acceptance of a woman who would take him with his past, his present, and his future would be nice. Perhaps a dream he wasn’t worthy of.
“Do you forgive me for my unkind words?” she asked.
“Of course. And forgive me for being offended.”
She pulled him toward the couch. “I’ve been reading. You have an excellent selection of titles. Have you read them all?”
“Not that novel by Jane Austen.” He pretended to shudder. “Gram reads it at least once a year and sighs repeatedly at the romance.”
Emily laughed, picked up the book she’d been reading, and showed him the cover. “Guess what I’ve chosen.”
He shook his head as if distressed when he read the title,Pride and Prejudice. “Have you been sighing lots?”
She clutched the book to her bosom and sighed, her eyes merry with amusement. “It’s so romantic.” She grew serious—or, at least, she attempted to appear so—as she held the book toward him. “Jesse, you really ought to read it.”
“Would it fix what’s wrong with my life?”
“Well, it won’t help you find those bad guys who held up the stagecoach, but it will provide a little romance in your life.”
Their gazes melded. He wished he could see to the core of her being and know who she was.
He felt her searching just as deeply and held back only a portion of his thoughts. “Do I need romance?” His voice had deepened. He hoped she wouldn’t notice.
“I think we all need love and romance.” Her eyes held the color of the last blue of the sky just before the light of the sun vanished. He could almost see the flicker of sunlight behind the darkness of her irises.
“Do you need love and romance?” Would she accept it from the likes of him—a man marked and marred by the life his mother had lived?
She blinked, and the moment ended. “What I need is to get my memory back and learn who I am.”
How had he forgotten that he didn’t know who she was? For all he knew, she might be married. By not taking into account a woman’s marital status, he acknowledged he wasn’t all that different from his mother. He would apologize to Emily, but she had no idea of the direction his thoughts had gone, and he feared to say something that would only make Emily uncomfortable.
She laid the book aside. “I will say good night now.”
“Sleep well.”
“I will, now that you have forgiven me.” Her smile filled him with warmth.
He listened to her footsteps on the stairs and as she walked down the hall. Her door closed with a faint click. He picked up the book and stared at the title.Pride and Prejudice.How fitting. It was the latter that marred his life. He’d developed the former to protect his heart.
His gaze drifted to the window. She’d been worried about his safety. Concerned that her words had hurt him. Apart from his grandmother and the Marshalls, who were like family to him, he’d never known that kind of caring from anyone else.
Tomorrow, he would go with her to the doctor, if she would allow it, and hopefully learn how to help her regain her memory. Would knowing who she was make things easier or more complicated?
The truth shall set you free.He nodded as he recalled the scripture. It would set her free to resume her life. What would it do for him? It would surely make it possible for him to resume his life, as well. A sheriff who did his duty and guarded his heart.
He put the book on the side table and turned out the lamp. For some reason, he felt compelled to make sure the doors were firmly latched. Gram had left open one window in the kitchen to let in the cool night air, and he closed it. She would complain in the morning, but Emily was right. There were men out there who would not hesitate to harm others. He couldn’t be looking for them and guarding Emily at the same time. In the morning, he would deputize Clarence and send him out to look for a man wearing silver-toed boots and a horse with an odd-shaped shoe. And anything else that might lead them to the murdering trio.
“Doyou want me to go with you?” Jesse asked the next morning as Emily nervously prepared to leave the house to visit the doctor. At his words, he watched the tension drain from her.
“I would appreciate it, but don’t you have a job to attend to?”
“I’ll look around as we go there and thus do my job at the same time.” As soon as he got the verdict from the doctor, he would find Clarence and then take care of the paperwork that dogged his heels. He liked being a sheriff but didn’t much care for being his own secretary. It was part of the job, though, so he did it to the best of his ability. There were often letters from other sheriffs asking him to keep an eye out for someone. Or asking about a family that they searched for. Today, he was more anxious than normal to open his mail, hoping there would be something about a missing young woman and child. Except no one would know of their circumstances. The Newmans had moved on. Whoever had sent her would think she was with them. But, sooner or later, some information would surface.
Emily turned to Gram. “Are you sure you don’t mind watching Mikey?”
Gram chuckled at the little boy and the dog playing in the backyard. “It’s a pleasure to see Muffin enjoying Mikey’s company. You two run along. We’ll do just fine together.”
