Linda Ford - The Cowboy's Convenient Proposal

Eddie groaned. “She stole a horse? Don’t hardly call that gratitude. Do you?”

Ward didn’t say one way or the other. “I’ll ride after her and get the horse.”

“You do that.”

Ward hesitated. Did Eddie want him to turn Red over to the Mountie as a horse thief? Though Ward was beginning to think the only place Red would be safe was behind bars.

“Just get the horse back.” Eddie spun about and paced to the far side of the room. He stared out the window as Ward waited. With a gut-deep sigh, Eddie turned. “And bring her back, too, or Linette will have both our hides.”

“Boss, you expect me to tie her to the saddle?”

Eddie grinned. “Ward, charm her into coming back.”

“Yeah, right.” So far neither charm nor superior strength had convinced Red she didn’t need to go back to that man Thorton. “Why in the name of all that’s right would she want to return?”

“I don’t know. Doesn’t make sense. He must have some hold on her, though I can’t imagine what it could be.”

Ward turned and headed back to the barn. Whatever Red’s reason, he intended to stop her. No way he could stand by and see a person subjected to the abuse he knew she received. As he saddled up, he prayed for a way to convince her. And, Lord, keep her safe. In her condition she could have fallen from the horse and received further injury.

Following her tracks presented no challenge and he galloped down the trail. The sun rose higher in the east, bringing with it the promise of heat.

Was Red in that silly dress she clutched in her arms yesterday? If so, she’d soon be burnt a matching color. Though anyone riding back into her situation deserved to suffer some misery. Might make her reconsider her decision.

But worry soon replaced his annoyance. And a large dose of confusion. He knew firsthand the pain and fear of living with someone who controlled with fists to the flesh and a belt across the back...or anywhere it landed. Why would she return to such a situation? Eddie said the man must have a hold on her. But Ward couldn’t imagine what that could be.

He settled into a lope. An hour later he glimpsed her in the distance and urged his horse to a gallop.

As he closed the distance, she turned, saw him and kicked poor old Moon into a jarring trot. Ward knew from experience how rough a ride Moon was and almost felt sorry for her.

He easily overtook her, grabbed the bridle and pulled them to a standstill. “What do you think you’re doing?” At least she’d chosen to wear the brown dress rather than the revealing red one.

“I’m going back where I belong.” Her green eyes blazed with defiance.

“You know the kind of trouble you can get into for stealing a horse?”

“About the same you will be in for kidnapping me.”

“Kidnapping!” She had to be joshing. “I rescued you.”

“Don’t recall saying I needed rescuing.”

He reached out and touched her back where he’d seen the red welts and knew a fleeting sense of triumph when she flinched. “You planning to tell me you like that kind of treatment?”

“Wasn’t planning to tell you anything.”

“I know what it’s like to have a belt used on me. I know what it does to your mind.”

Her eyes darkened. She pressed her lips together. For a moment he thought she might soften. Admit the pain. Relent. But then her shoulders went back and her chin went up and he knew she wouldn’t give in.

“Nothing touches my mind.”

Ward shrugged. “You’ll never convince me, ’cause I know better. Not only does it affect your mind, it affects your heart. Teaches you to build guards around it so no one can get in.”

“Speak for yourself.” She jerked away and urged the horse forward.

He grabbed the bridle again. “You ain’t going anywhere.”

She yanked at the reins, trying to get free. When that didn’t work, she slapped his hands, tried to kick his horse.

“Stop it.”

“Let me go.”

They stared at each other, both breathing hard. He knew his eyes were as hard and unyielding as hers, which blared brittle, green shards. “Why would you want to go back to such a situation?”

He could feel her measuring him, trying to gauge him. He could see her throat work as if she struggled to swallow.

Finally she nodded. “He has my little sister. Belle’s only eight.”

The words thundered through him. A person would do anything to protect a little sister...or brother. Hank was only six when Ward left, Travers, thirteen. He did a little mental arithmetic. That was seven years ago. How had time passed so quickly, silently...sadly?

He wished he could know if leaving had made it better for Hank and Travers.

“Has he hurt her?” Each word ripped a piece of flesh from his heart.

All the starch left Red and she sank forward. “You talk about how cruel treatment touches the mind and heart. I see it in her. But so far I’ve protected her from worse.” She scrubbed at her eyes. “I have to get back to her.”

He understood that there were other kinds of torture, especially for a little girl. He nodded and together they rode onward. “We need to get her out of there. You, too.” Though technically Red was out of the situation, he now understood why she would return. Why she felt compelled to.

“He will never let us go.”

He heard the resignation in her voice. But he wasn’t about to accept defeat. This time he would fight to make sure a man like Thorton could not continue to rule by the power of his fists. “Have you ever considered going to the Mountie?”

“Thorton never lets us out together unless he’s with us. If I ever went to the Mountie on my own, I fear what would happen to Belle.”

“I figured as much.” He considered the situation for the next few miles. “Here’s the plan. I’ll go with you to the Mountie and he’ll make Thorton release your sister.”

Red didn’t answer for a moment as she studied his suggestion. Finally she nodded.

He considered her from under the brim of his hat, wondering if she only pretended to agree. He was learning she didn’t easily go along with plans others suggested. More than that, he understood why she would agree to something with her mouth while dissenting with her mind.

The sun reached its zenith as they neared town. It blared down on them without pity. One of the first buildings was the Mountie station. A horse stood patiently at the front. Hopefully it belonged to the lawman. Their whole plan rested on him being there.

Ward swung from his saddle and hustled over to help Red dismount. He guessed from the way she pursed her lips she might have protested but reconsidered and allowed it with barely a hesitation and likely only because her leg hurt. But after she gained her feet she pulled away so they marched side by side toward the door. Ward fell back to let her step in first.

The Mountie sat behind a desk, writing in some sort of ledger. He glanced up at their arrival. Ward got the feeling he saw them both in detail but his eyes lighted on Red and he slowly rose to his feet. “Thorton said you’d been kidnapped. This man the one responsible?”

Ward’s neck tingled. His plan didn’t include getting arrested and maybe hung.

“He didn’t seem particularly worried about it, I might add. Said you’d be back soon enough.” The Mountie considered Ward from head to toe, no doubt silently examining him for a weapon.

Ward could assure him he carried no hidden pistol or knife. In fact, he kind of counted on the Mountie’s authority to accomplish what they needed. “I didn’t kidnap her. She was injured. I took her to a friend to be doctored.”

“That right, miss?”

Red dismissed his question with a wave of her hand. “I’m here to tell you the truth.”