at him. She was back to ignoring him. He told himself it didn’t matter as long as she came to him at night, but he realized he wanted her . . . all of her.
Lewt rode point, scouting far enough ahead to make sure trouble didn’t surprise them. The land was growing rocky with bends and turns in the road. He knew they were in Texas and should feel safe, but the feeling of being hunted still hadn’t washed out of his system. He felt like he did sometimes when he walked the streets after midnight, only now it was daylight and he couldn’t just tell himself to stay in the streetlight glow to be safe.
Duncan interrupted his thoughts by riding up beside him.
“Another day and we should be far enough that we won’t have to worry about Toledo,” Duncan said, as if talking to himself. “No matter how much she wants the girl, she’s not likely to stray too far into Texas.”
“Does she have the right?” Lewt asked.
“No. Anna can make her own way now. If I hadn’t ended up at Three Forks, I have a feeling Ramon and Anna would have been married within the year. The way I see it, the girl’s life stopped when she was shipped to Three Forks. She’s small, but she’s full grown—in her body, anyway. In her mind she may always be a little kid.”
“So we can’t just drop her off at the nearest street corner. What do we do with her?” Lewt didn’t want to think about what would happen if she wasn’t protected.
“Take her to Whispering Mountain, I guess.” Duncan didn’t sound too sure.
Lewt smiled. “Well, while you’re planning, what do we do with the two little cooks? Send them to jail? Let them go? No jury will find them guilty if they can’t find the bodies.”
Duncan didn’t look like he liked dealing with a problem he couldn’t shoot to get rid of. “I don’t know. I’ve asked them for details. You know, did they hate their husbands, were they worth killing? They seem to talk about everything else. Without proof of a murder, they can’t be arrested. For all I know their husbands just had enough of their chatter, ate supper one night, and then decided to ride off.”
“So take them home with you. Rose could use some help. Near as I could see, she does the lion’s share of the cooking.”
Duncan looked at him. “I’m not sure I like you knowing all about my family. It doesn’t set right.”
Lewt laughed. “You’ve got a gang of bad guys chasing you with a leader who wants you dead, two cooks who confess to being murderers, a woman/child who won’t get two feet from you, and you’re worried about me? Duck, you’ve lost what little brains you had.”
Duncan laughed. “You have a point. But stay away from my cousins. Much as I like you as a friend, I don’t want you in the family.”
Before Lewt could say anything, Duncan kicked his horse and circled back to Wyatt riding trail.
Lewt slowed, letting the wagon and Em catch up to him. Sumner was driving the rig and didn’t look too happy about the chatter around him. For once, the cooks were riding in the back of the wagon, and Anna sat beside the driver. She didn’t appear happy about it. Her back was straight as a rod, and she held herself as far away from Sumner as she could manage.
“Everything all right?” Lewt asked.
Sumner nodded. “Watch this.”
He pulled off his gloves and laid them on the seat between him and the girl.
A few moments later Anna picked them up and slipped them on her small hands. Then Sumner handed her the reins.
“She’s not sure of herself, but she’s a good driver.” He motioned her to ease up on the lines. “I tried this a few times yesterday. It’s the only time she’s not shaking with fear.” He turned away from Lewt and instructed her in a low tone.
Lewt moved around the wagon and pulled up even with Em’s horse. “Did you see that?” he asked.
“I did,” she answered, without looking at him.
“Any chance we’re about to have a normal conversation?”
“No.”
He fought the urge to circle his arm around her, pull her onto his horse, and kiss her soundly, but with his luck she’d fight and kick and they’d both end up on the ground. He would have liked to tell her how wonderful last night had been, but she didn’t look to be