to have me a little target practice, and I’m not too good a shot at night.”
Lester scowled, but Emma couldn’t help grinning at the wide eyes and audible gulp from Earl. She was fairly certain Jesse was only joking and wouldn’t really shoot the hats off their heads.
When Charlie and Morris rode off to help Luke and Griff bring in the other cows, Papa mounted his horse and quietly announced that he would lend a hand helping McCann and Vic guard the herd. Apparently no one was interested in sleeping. Maummi disappeared around the back of their wagon, and shortly Emma heard the scrape of items being slid across the wooden bed.
Rebecca resumed her favorite activity—mooning over Jesse. She hovered beside his chair.
“Is your leg comfortable? I can bring a quilt to cushion that crate if you want.”
Emma started to protest. The only quilt they had was Mama’s, and that was not coming out of the chest until they got back home and it could be returned to its place on her bed.
Jesse shook his head. “I don’t want a quilt.”
From the ground Earl spoke up. “I’ll take a quilt. This ground’s a might hard.”
Rebecca cast a startled glance at him, and Jesse raised his pistol in a threatening manner. “You shut up. You don’t get a quilt or a blanket or anything else. You’re lucky you get to breathe.”
The man fell silent. Rebecca stood with her hands clasped behind her back, staring at Jesse’s profile.
“Would you like a drink of water? I can fetch you one.”
He rolled his eyes. “Isn’t it past your bedtime or something?”
“Rebecca.” Maummi’s sharp voice called from behind the wagon. “Help me here.”
A loud sigh of relief sounded from Jesse when Rebecca reluctantly obeyed. He cast a scowling glance after her. “I don’t know what I did to attract that girl’s attention, but if somebody would tell me, I promise I’ll never do it again.”
Emma gave him a sympathetic smile. “She is young and has not known many Englisch men.”
He gave her a sideways scowl. “Yeah, well you Aim-ish should get out more. Then you wouldn’t be so apt to fall for the first cowhand who comes along.”
His words tossed icy water into Emma’s soul, and her smile melted. Was he talking about Rebecca or about her? Surely he wasn’t saying she went about mooning after Luke the way Rebecca showered attention on him. Or was he?
And more importantly, was he right?
Apparently she’d made a fool of herself by staring at Luke, watching the easy way he rode and admiring his profile when she was sure he wasn’t aware. Did he think of her the way Jesse obviously thought of Rebecca, as a child and a nuisance?
Face flaming, she whirled on her foot and went to help Maummi and Rebecca.
Though the sun was not yet in evidence, the eastern sky was a lighter blue than the western half by the time Emma spotted a herd of cattle heading in their direction. Before she could stop herself, she searched the mounted riders until she spotted Luke’s familiar figure atop a white horse that reflected the predawn light. Then she remembered her resolve. She would not humiliate herself and her family by mooning after him like a lovesick youth. With deliberate resolve she turned her back to the approaching group and bent over the cook fire, feigning indifference. She did peek behind every so often, but only to watch the convergence of the two herds.
The approach of the new cattle caused a stir among the existing ones. As the lead steers came into sight, the sleeping herd awoke and staggered to its feet. Luke and the other wranglers rode into the fray to break up confrontations before they gave way to aggression. The men worked as a team, even Papa, by forming a constantly moving barrier around the whole, gently but firmly urging them to spread out into the sweet green grass that surrounded their bedding ground. By the time the first rays of light streaked into the sky from the still-hidden sun, the two herds had merged into one and set about grazing peacefully side by side.
The riders approached camp at a gallop. McCann broke off when the others headed for the remuda to turn in their tired horses. He came straight to the chuck wagon.
“Whew, what a night,” he called toward Jesse as he dismounted. “Been a while since I spent that much time in a saddle. I’ve got to get some breakfast going to