Daring by Sylvia McDaniel Read Free Book Online Page A

purpose in life was to live as an independent woman without a man.
    She’d better make some rules quick. “As long as you don’t come near me, we’re good.”
    He frowned at her. “I’m not making any promises I can’t keep. There’s always been this pull between us. Only now you’re older.”
    Yes, there was this enticing lure she felt whenever he was around, but she wasn’t going to act on it. “And I’m wiser,” she said. “We’ll work together to find this outlaw, but afterwards we go our separate ways. You don’t kill a McKenzie and get away with it.”

Chapter Four
     
    C aroline rode her horse to the farm to let Ruby’s sisters know how she was doing. As she entered the yard, Annabelle’s husband came out of the house.
    “Good morning, Caroline,” Beau greeted her. “Good to see you. Where’s Ruby?”
    “That’s why I’m here,” she said, alighting from her horse.
    “Oh, no. She’s okay?” Beau asked.
    “She was fine the last time I saw her,” Caroline said.
    Leaving Ruby had been difficult; no one liked to come home in defeat. For a moment, Caroline felt a twinge of shame. She’d been a hindrance and unable to help Ruby, but she was going to change that. The next time Caroline went bounty hunting she’d be prepared.
    “Meg is visiting Annabelle, so you picked a good time to drop by the house. Let me know if you need some support in there. Together, the sisters can be a little intimidating,” he said smiling.
    Intimidating? No, the sisters were going to grill her like a Confederate spy in a Yankee prison.
    Caroline nodded as she walked into the house. Might as well get this over with, so she could get home and face her mother. That would be the biggest challenge of the day.
    When she entered, Meg stood. “Caroline! Where’s Ruby?”
    Annabelle walked over and hugged Caroline, her belly protruding. “Good to see you. Sit down. Where is our wayward sister?”
    Sitting in the rocking chair across from Meg and Annabelle, Caroline’s stomach clenched with nerves. The two of them waited patiently, and she knew they were not going to be happy with the news. “Ruby sent me home.”
    “What?” Meg said. “What is that girl thinking?”
    “She said I’m not ready and she’s right.” As much as Caroline hated to admit it, Ruby was legitimate to send her home.
    “Well, then she should have come home with you,” Annabelle said, fury in her gaze as she stared at Caroline. “If I wasn’t eight months pregnant, I’d be climbing on my horse and going after that girl.”
    “What happened?” Meg asked. “Maybe we need to send our husbands after her.”
    Caroline told them how they had brought in the two bounties and how Ruby had introduced her to Deke Culver. “When I left Ruby, she and Deke had just learned James Rivera was loose. He broke out of jail. They were going after him together.”
    “James Rivera is out?” Meg asked, her voice rising. She stood and her dress showed the faint outline of her pregnancy. “We should go help them bring that outlaw in. He needs to hang.”
    Annabelle patiently looked at her like she was crazy. “Meg, you’re expecting. I’m too far along to ride a horse. Ruby is the only one of us who can bring him to justice. And my husband is not going anywhere until after this baby is born.”
    Meg sighed and sat back down. “You’re right, but that doesn’t mean I wouldn’t have wanted to go after that outlaw.”
    Until recently, Caroline had not realized how much of a hothead, Meg could be. But after learning she’d tied up her husband and left him naked in the middle of Main Street, she was careful of Meg. No need to rile her up and receive some of that redheaded spitefulness.
    “I know. But this will be good for Ruby and maybe Deke can talk some sense into her. Maybe he can help her realize she has no business hunting alone. Ruby has always been sweet on Deke,” Annabelle said. “This might be good.”
    “You’re right, but I worry about