Wagon Train Sisters. Shirley KennedyЧитать онлайн книгу.
time we moved on? That gold won’t be lying around the streets forever.”
“I told you—”
“I know what you told me. You’re not after the gold, but whatever you’re after, if you stick with this slow-as-molasses wagon, it’ll be the next century before we even get there.”
Jack didn’t answer. Maybe Ben would keep his mouth shut, but no such luck.
“It’s that girl, that Sarah, ain’t it, Jack?”
“You’re crazy.” Jack nudged his horse forward. He didn’t want to hear anymore from Ben, especially since the old man got it right. The whip that now made up part of the Shoshone’s fancy gear wasn’t just any whip. He’d made it himself, leather-wrapped handle, nine-foot thong. After years of practice, he could cut a card at 10 paces, for what that was worth, and it wasn’t much. He’d never struck an animal with the deadly metal tip. The sharp, cracking noise alone kept an animal in line. Well, it didn’t matter. He wasn’t herding cattle anymore. That life was behind him now. At least Luzena got the necklace, although what good it would do her, he couldn’t say. As for Sarah…
Ben rode up beside him. “Did you see how the girl got her courage up? I surely admired the way she walked right up to that Injun and offered him her ring. Most girls wouldn’t have the guts to do that.”
Jack gave a non-committal grunt. He’d noticed, all right. She’d surprised him. After all that talk about how all she cared about was an ordinary life and never wanted to take chances, he never expected she’d be that bold. Maybe he was mistaken about Mrs. Sarah Gregg.
Maybe Mrs. Sarah Gregg was mistaken about herself.
* * * *
That night after supper, Sarah noticed her father had drawn Jack aside and had a chat. She wasn’t sure why until she went to hobble her horse for the night. High in the trees, birds were chirping their goodnight songs when Jack, leading Bandit, came up beside her. “Ben and I will be moving on tomorrow.”
Oh, no. Somehow she’d thought he’d stay. Since this morning when he’d retrieved Florrie’s necklace from the Indian, he’d been on her mind. He’d done so much to help them, but that wasn’t the reason she kept thinking about him. During the day, she’d caught herself looking at him more than she should have. She liked the way he walked, so light-footed and confident, as if he was stalking an animal through the woods. She admired the way he rode his horse, his body all lean, hard muscle, moving with fluid grace in the saddle. Now she looked into his sharp, assessing eyes and politely inquired, “Are you leaving because of something my father said? I noticed you were talking.”
“It doesn’t matter. It’s time to move on.”
He wasn’t going to reveal his conversation with Pa. She could guess, though. “My father wants you to leave, doesn’t he?”
A smile ruffled his mouth. “Your father thinks I’m a scoundrel.”
“After all the help you’ve given us? Pa doesn’t understand. I’ll go speak to him.”
“No, don’t. Your father has been an honorable man all his life, a real pillar of the community. I’m the one with the bad reputation, the card shark who cheats. It’s best I go. He’s not going to change his mind, no matter how many good deeds I do.”
The question hammered at her. She had to know. “And are you a card shark who cheats, Mr. McCoy?”
“Depends on how you look at it. Yes, there are times when I play cards. I gambled on the Mississippi for a while, but I’m not a professional gambler. And no, I don’t cheat and never have because I don’t need to. When I beat someone, it’s fair and square.”
She believed him. “I still think I should talk to Pa.”
“It’s his decision, and I won’t argue.” Still holding his horse’s lead rope, he drew closer. “You’ll do fine. I liked the way you stepped right up to that Indian today, bold as brass. You’d lost your fear. Do you realize that?”
“I wasn’t thinking about being afraid. I just wanted my sister’s necklace back.”
He started to laugh. Admiration filled his eyes. “You’re braver than you think, Widow Gregg.” He dropped the lead rope, drew closer still, and clasped her upper arms.
What was he going to do? What did she want him to do? She looked him square in the eye. “I’ll miss you.”
“And I’ll miss you.” He dropped a feather-light kiss on her forehead and pulled away.
She didn’t want him to pull away. She wanted him closer. She said the first thing that popped into her head. “Was that a fatherly kiss?”
As if her question had triggered some emotion deep inside him, he drew in a shaking breath. “No, it wasn’t.” Swiftly, his arms went around her. He pressed his palms against her back, pulling her close. His lips met hers in a hard, urgent kiss that set her pulse to pounding. The kiss went on and on. She didn’t care and didn’t want it to end. The feel of his whole body up against her caused a deep throb in the center of her being. His hands rested lightly on her back, then began to roam, first her hair—
His horse whinnied—a loud, harsh sound so close to their ears they both jumped. They broke apart and started laughing. Jack retrieved the lead rope. “Looks like Bandit wants my attention.”
Her racing pulse began to slow. There was nothing more to say. The truth was, she’d just kissed a man who was leaving in the morning, and she’d never see him again. “I’d best be getting back. Will you stay for breakfast?”
“No. We’ll get off to any early start.”
“Then good-bye, Mr. McCoy. May your journey be a safe one.”
“Yours, too.” He touched the brim of his hat with two fingers and was gone.
* * * *
When Sarah came out of her tent in the morning, Jack and Ben were no longer there. She expected they’d be gone, but as she stood surveying the spot where they’d slept, a gloomy desolation enveloped her. Last night she’d been in a man’s arms—something she’d never expected after her marriage to Joseph. She wanted nothing to do with men, and yet…Jack’s kiss had stirred a passion within her she’d long thought dead. Now he was gone forever, leaving her with a life filled with…what? Her books? Helping the sick and poor? Vast, empty years stretched ahead.
“Good morning, Sarah.” Already dressed for the day, Ma climbed down from the wagon. “We’ll make a quick breakfast this morning. Your father wants to make a lot of miles today.” She sighed. “He’s going to have his hands full, having to do everything by himself.”
“He should have thought of that before he told Mr. McCoy and Mr. Longren to leave.” If her answer was sharp, she didn’t care.
“You know your father.”
“At least he’s learned how to handle the animals.” Sarah gave her mother a reassuring smile. “We’re going to be fine. Maybe today we’ll catch up with the train.”
“Frank is hell-bent on catching up, but how can we when we go so slow?” Luzena cast a resentful glance to where her husband was yoking the oxen. “Look at him—all thumbs, stumbling around like an idiot. It’ll be a miracle if we get there at all. And, no, I don’t think we’ll ever catch up with Mr. Morehead’s train. Frank was a fool to send Jack McCoy away.”
Sarah’s gloom grew deeper, if that was possible. Ma never used to talk that way. Back in Indiana, she’d kept her husband on a pedestal, but not anymore. How sad to think their old life had disappeared forever, but it had, and there was no turning back. Even when they reached California, if they ever did, things would never be the same. With an effort, Sarah squared her shoulders. “It can’t be much farther, and then it’s all going to be fine. We’re going to find the train. We’ll keep looking for Florrie, and who