a man who complained. If Em was guessing, she’d think that this might be one of the more comfortable places he’d slept during his years with the rangers.
Lewt spread her blankets a foot from his own. When she curled up inside, he removed his heavy leather coat and placed it over her, claiming all he needed was the blanket.
She watched him stretch out flat on his back and then raise his hand in the moonlight slicing through the car sides.
Em knew what he was offering. She snuggled in the warmth of his heavy coat and laced her fingers through his. She thought she’d be too worried or too uncomfortable to sleep, but something about having this man so near comforted her. She fell asleep.
When she awoke, all three men were up and the train was pulling into the station. She scrambled to get her things together as the train stopped and the door dropped. Within minutes they were unloaded, the horses wild with fright over the steam. Everything seemed to be happening at once. Sumner strapped the bags on one of the extra horses and Wyatt disappeared to the nearest outhouse.
“Morning, beautiful.” Lewt smiled as she stepped to the edge of the car, looking for a place to jump down.
She stared at him, thinking she probably looked a sight. Strands of her hair had come loose from her braid, and she wouldn’t have been surprised to find straw hanging off her clothes.
He raised his hands, and she leaned forward as he caught her and swung her down to ground. They moved to the horses in silence, but both knew that she’d forgiven him for yesterday. They were back to being friends and, she decided, just a bit more.
He lifted her saddle onto her horse and faced her. “I’m glad you’re with us,” he whispered. “I was wrong. You’ve got as much right as any of us to ride to help Duncan. Just promise me one thing. Don’t take any chances unless I’m there to cover your back.”
She nodded. “If you’ll promise me the same thing.” For this unsteady new friendship to work, he had to accept her as an equal.
He smiled as if he understood her meaning. “Agreed.”
When she finished saddling her mount, he tossed her an apple. “Enjoy breakfast. We’ll be ready to ride as soon as Wyatt gets back.”
Five minutes later, they were headed south at breakneck speed. Wyatt led the way with Sumner just behind, then Em, then Lewt. She caught herself glancing back to make sure he could keep up, but he seemed to be having no problem. She’d taught him well.
They stopped to rest the horses about noon and again three hours later. Wyatt and Lewt passed out hardtack and canteens, but no one suggested a fire. There wasn’t time.
By late afternoon Sumner had taken the lead, and they began to move slower. The old man was digging through twenty years of memory to find the trail that had once taken him into Mexico to a big place built like a stage station. He said the scarred woman sold supplies to travelers on one side and anything else on the other side. He remembered there had been whiskey and opium for those who wanted to forget what a mess they might be in and soiled doves for those looking for a few minutes to remember. Mixed in with it all, surrounding it all, were card games that lasted for days and often ended with gunfire. The woman who ran the place, Toledo by name, took no part in the gambling other than to charge outrageous prices for the drinks and food during them. She also charged the survivors for any burials.
When they stopped to water the horses, Sumner told them he’d gone down with another ranger looking for a strawberry-headed woman whose husband claimed she had been kidnapped by outlaws. They found her dealing cards, but she wasn’t in any hurry to come back to Texas. Apparently the customers treated her better than her man had. She claimed he worked her harder than the plow mules during the day and then rode her half the night. She’d begged them to let her stay.
Sumner smiled his toothless smile. “We went back alone and told the farmer she was dead. He shrugged and said he’d already ordered another woman from a mail-order bride place. I’ve seen men who had to shoot their horses show more emotion than he did. I always wondered what happened to that girl.