It took his saying it a few more times in the waning light before her eyes widened. “That’s what you ask me after what just happened?”
He laughed. “It's called a distraction.”
“Oh.”
He grinned. “So…are you?”
She let out a breath and shook her head. “No. If I had my way, I’d stay in Silver Falls.”
“Why?”
“It’s my home.”
“Well, yeah, but where’s your sense of adventure?” He grinned and crossed his feet a the ankles. “I’d travel the entire world if I could. See foreign lands. Immerse myself in other cultures.” Taking off his hat, he laid it on the ground beside him before running his hands through his hair. “I met a Chinese man in Texas once. The stories he used to tell about where he came from made it seem almost magical. I’m sure it's not, but I’d still like to see it.”
She was squinting as if trying to make out every word he said and knew she hadn’t caught them all. But when she said, “My grandfather is from Scotland,” he realized she’d caught enough to know what he’d been telling her.
He grinned again. “Yeah, his accent gives it away.” She yawned, covering her mouth with her hand. He looked back the way they’d come, seeing that nothing was moving before catching her eye again. “Get some sleep. I’ll keep watch and wake you if we need to run again.”
She looked hesitant to do so but pulled her knees in long moments later, wrapping her cloak tighter around her body before laying her head on her knees and closing her eyes. It was hard to take his own off of her then. She looked like a sleeping angel in the filtered moonlight shining through the trees.
The conversation with Violet before they left Elkin came back to mind. She knew he liked Daisy, and he couldn't help but grin when he remembered her telling him to use his time wisely. He’d agreed to do just that in what little he’d have with her, but it looked as if fate had other plans. The meager hours he thought he’d have with her had doubled now, so he’d use their misfortune to his advantage and try his damnedest to make her fall in love with him.
He wasn’t sure what would happen once they made it to Butte. He hadn’t seen her train ticket, so he wasn’t sure when the train left. All he’d been told was to escort her there. Thinking of the train ticket, he swore under his breath. She had nothing on her but the clothes on her back. Her luggage had been rifled through, her reticule taken by the bandits, which meant, more than likely, her train ticket was either on the side of the road or taken by the bandits. Should they double back and look for it?
The sharp crack of a twig breaking made him sit upright. He reached into the inner pocket of his coat, his hand wrapping around the pistol grip as he scanned the forest. A shadowy figure moved nearby. He eased the gun from his coat pocket, pulling the hammer back before getting to his feet.
A man stepped from behind the trees a hundred yards away. Clay lifted the pistol, aiming it at his head before saying, “That’s close enough.”
Chapter 2
Daisy startled awake when something hit her foot. She blinked open her eyes and yawned. Clay was standing, staring off to her right, and turning her head, she froze when she saw the figure of a man. The sudden shock of seeing him jolted her into action. She jumped to her feet and winced when her muscles ached. All the running and trying to sleep while sitting up next to a tree was doing a number on her body. She could only imagine how Clay felt after getting kicked so many times.
Clay didn’t even glance her way when he grabbed her arm and stepped in front of her. She accepted the stance without question, hiding behind him as they stood facing the man in the trees. The sun was still hours away from rising, so no one would have any reason to be out here this time of night. Was it the men who attacked the stagecoach? Had they found them?
The man took several steps closer. He had a funny gait, his body moving left, then right, as he walked. She noticed a rifle at his side; the muzzle pointed to the ground. When he was close enough to see, she sighed in relief. He wasn’t one of the men from the stagecoach robbery. Or she didn’t think he was. She hadn’t seen him. He was an older gentleman with gray hair and a long beard. His clothes looked clean, and he smiled as if everything was perfect in the world.
He and Clay spoke for several long minutes, but she couldn’t make out what they were saying in the dark. The old man gave her another smile and turned to walk away. She stepped out from behind Clay when he did and looked up at him. His smile eased some of her fear. “Who is he?” she asked, glancing behind her to watch the man walk away.
Clay tapped her shoulder to get her attention. “His name is Eugene Harding. He has a cabin close by. Said we’re welcome to come stay the night with him and his wife.”
It was hard to see his lips in the dark. He lowered his head and repeated what he’d said, and she got the gist of it. “How did he know we were here?”
“He heard you screaming and came to see what was happening.”
“Oh.” The mention of her screaming brought back memories of the kiss that had put a stop to it. She glanced at Clay’s mouth, the same mouth that had touched hers so intimately, and she felt her face heat. Luckily, it was still dark enough Clay wouldn’t be able to tell how hard she was blushing.
She hoped.
“We don’t have to if you feel uncomfortable.”
Uncomfortable was sleeping on the damp ground with nothing to keep the chill air from her body but a thin cloak.
“We’ll do whatever you want.”
Daisy inhaled a deep breath and let it out slowly. She’d never been trusting of strangers. It had more to do with not being able to hear them than anything else, but she trusted Clay. “Do you think it’s safe?”
He nodded. “More so than sleeping out here all night.”
