his chair by the door and satisfied his lust with her. He looked like he might have a heart attack, and she looked bored. Few in the bar bothered to notice.
Lewt had watched such acts all his life and was surprised when he heard a man call it making love. Nothing about it seemed to involve even mild caring. Lewt wasn’t like some men who treated women like objects to own, or worse, like pets to keep around just to play with, but he’d never really thought of a woman as standing on equal footing. He’d heard a few men talk about their wives or mothers as angels, but he’d seen little of that in his life. More than anything, women were a mystery to him. A mystery he hadn’t had time or opportunity to study.
Or, maybe he hadn’t wanted to until now. Until he met Em. Lewt wished he had a few nights or months to think about it, but right now he had to play poker and keep his eyes sharp. Duncan was close, he could feel it. Getting his friend out of this mess might cost him his life if he didn’t play every card right. Yet as the hours passed he couldn’t ban Em from the back of his mind.
By three there were more men asleep or passed out in the bar than awake. Lewt stood, stretched, and headed out the back door to the outhouse. No one seemed to even notice he’d left.
Once outside he circled around to the well as if just wanting a drink, then walked to the nearest entrance. He didn’t go in but peeked in the window. Sure enough, he’d found the kitchen.
One guard appeared to be leaning against a bolted door. He looked sound asleep.
Lewt walked back to where he’d tied his horse and disappeared into the night without making a sound.
Less than thirty minutes later he was waking everyone up at the camp, and none seemed too happy about it.
Wyatt rolled awake with a gun in his hand. Sumner seemed to crawl from sleep one limb at a time, and Em sat up rubbing her eyes like a child.
Lewt stared hard at her, needing to erase all he’d seen tonight. Needing the purity and plainness of her with her braid and work clothes and no makeup or frills.
“We’ve got to go in tonight,” he said as the others gathered around the dying campfire. “I think I know where he is, but it’ll take two to go in and get him and another two to stand guard, one with the horses, one on a rise about a hundred yards away from the house. It’ll provide cover and an easy getaway into trees.”
Sumner nodded, knowing his job would be as one of the two lookouts. “Does it have a clear view of the entrances?”
Lewt nodded. “From the rise a shooter can see the back entrance and, more important, the open area to the barn and corral where all the horses are kept.”
“We have to get in and out before the cooks get up to start breakfast.” Lewt fought the adrenaline already rumbling through his veins. He’d never thought of himself as brave, and now, somehow, he had to lead the charge. “So I’m guessing we have until a little before dawn to get Duncan out. This doesn’t look like the kind of place where anyone gets up early.”
Showing little sign that he’d been asleep, Wyatt stood and picked up his rifle. “From now until the first hint of sunrise it’ll be darkest. I’m not sure they’ll be able to follow us if we get a quarter-mile start, and Sumner and I scouted out a few routes besides the main trail that will get us home.”
Lewt nodded, and they all stepped into action.
Sumner and Em scrambled, collecting their things. Wyatt had left his horse saddled, but he helped Lewt load the packs. He saddled one of the extra horses they’d brought and walked the pack horse into the trees, saying they’d come back for the animal later.
“Any word how hurt he is?” Wyatt’s voice was low as he stood beside Lewt. “Do you think he’ll be able to ride? If we have to take him out by wagon, we’ll have to fight all the way to the border.”
“No, but the old woman is planning to have the auction tomorrow. I figure he’s as good as he’s ever going to get, and tomorrow night will be too late.”
Wyatt agreed. “Sumner won’t admit it,