Carolyn Davidson by Runaway Read Free Book Online

corral.
    Motioning Cassie to join him, he handed her the reins. “The fella’s gonna write me up a bill of sale. We’ll getsome food from the house. Just have to tell the cook he sent us.” Gathering up the reins of his stallion, Will started toward the house.
    Breakfast had been scant—flat biscuits and some stringy, dried meat that required an enormous amount of chewing. Food freshly cooked would taste like manna from heaven, Cassie thought, trailing behind Will.
    Tying the reins to a hitching rail near the back door of the big farmhouse, Will shot her a glance. “Wait here. I’ll only be a few minutes.”
    Cassie nodded, then turned to the brown mare. She lifted one hand to touch the side of the animal’s jaw, felt the flinch of alarm as the horse responded to the unaccustomed handling. “It’s all right, girl. It’s all right,” she murmured beneath her breath, feeling a measure of bravery as she increased the pressure of her stroking.
    “You ride much, ma’am?” From behind, the raspy voice startled her and Cassie jerked. The mare whinnied, tossing her head, and Cassie turned quickly.
    The tall man from the corral had followed them, and now he eyed the young woman before him, her face flushed from the sun and no small amount of anger. “She’ll settle down,” he said quietly. “You married to that cowboy?”
    Cassie swallowed, wary of the lie she must tell. Her chin tilted as she considered the man who watched her. “Will Tolliver’s my husband, yes,” she said finally. “I’m Sarah Jane Tolliver.”
    “You’re not in trouble, are you, Sarah Jane Tolliver?” The eyes watching her narrowed a bit, taking on a speculative gleam as he awaited her reply.
    Cassie stiffened, her gaze meeting his. “No sir, mister. I’m not.”
    “I’ve got a daughter about your age, girl. I’m not sureI’d want her ridin’ around the country dressed in a man’s duds, drawin’ the eye of every cowhand and stray Indian.”
    Cassie’s mouth firmed, her jaw tightening at his words. “That Indian in the barn didn’t hurt me.”
    “You didn’t answer me, girl. I asked if you do much ridin’.”
    “Not much, lately. But Will says I can handle her all right.” Cassie drew in a deep breath. “Mister, that Indian in the barn was trying to help me.”
    “He was part of the problem, miss. He’s already on his way.”
    She flinched at his words, but subsided, aware that nothing she said would make a difference.
    His dark eyes gave her one more measuring look before he turned to the house. “Here comes your husband now, ma’am. I told him to get some grub from the cook.” His long fingers reached up to sweep the hat from his head and he nodded once in her direction. “A pleasure to do business with you folks. I’m only sorry I had those roughnecks on my crew.”
    “What did he say to you, Cassie?” Will had helped her astride the saddle, adjusted the stirrups and snugged her moccasin-clad toes into them. Now he mounted his stallion, leading her horse behind him until the ranch was almost out of sight.
    Cassie held fast to the saddle horn, riding the easy gait of the mare, aware of her swishing tail and the tossing of her head. “I don’t think he believed you, Will. He wanted to know if I was really your wife.”
    “What did you tell him?”
    “I lied, sort of.”
    “I’ll bet you blushed. Did he believe you?”
    Cassie’s mouth tightened and she unfastened the reinshe’d looped over the saddle horn, holding them firmly in her right hand. “I don’t lie well,” she admitted.
    He turned to flash her a look of sober admiration. “I’m glad to hear that. My mama always said a man’s word is his honor. If I have to start pickin’ apart everything you tell me, we’ll be in for a hard time together.”
    “My mama always said that lies multiply like flies. You have to tell another to hide the first, then another…” She caught her breath with a sob. “Let’s not talk about mothers, all