He cleared his throat. “Uh, and how—how are you this mornin’, Miss Kate?”
“Just fine, thanks for askin’,” she responded, relieved to stay in neutral territory. “And how are you doin’?”
“Fine, fine. Thanks.” Another long pause. Another glance in her direction. Then he squinted out at the rain in a way so much like Jacob just had she let out a soft laugh.
“What are you laughin’ at?” he asked, scowling.
Goodness, this conversation was like dancing through a thornbush! She refrained from rolling her eyes. “I wasn’t laughin’ at you, Andrew. I was merely enjoyin’ the similarities in how you and Mr. Munroe observe the weather.”
“We’re nothin’ alike, him and I,” he replied curtly.
“No,” she mused, “I suppose you’re not.”
It was a moment before he asked with affected casualness, “What did Munroe want?”
“He was just lettin’ everyone know that we’d be comin’ on Scott’s Bluff by sundown tomorrow, and that our stop will bring us close to Chimney Rock.”
“Won’t be able to see it today, not in this rain.”
“I plan on seein’ everythin’ I can from St. Joe to, well, however far we get. A bit of rain won’t stop me,” she declared boldly.
He looked at her sharply, dark eyes intense and an edge in his voice. “You’re headin’ out there alone?”
“No, not alone. Mr. Munroe is takin’ me.”
“Unchaperoned?”
Exasperated, Kate blurted out, “Come on, Andrew! It’s only Jacob. Or don’t you remember he was the one who came to my rescue at Fort Kearney?” She saw him go rigid in the saddle. Too late, she realized what she had just said. “I’m sorry, Andrew, I didn’t mean—”
“No, it’s true. Don’t try to say it ain’t. I shoulda been the one to protect you that night and I didn’t. I was bein’ stupid, and I wasn’t there, and you were almost …” He looked away, jaw clenched, swallowing hard.
“Andrew, please! I don’t think that, not at all! It was my own foolish daydreamin’ that led to what happened. It’s not your fault.”
“Don’t make excuses for me, Miss Kate. I know when I done wrong.” He stared out into the soaking mist. “I’m sorry. Maybe one day you’ll be able to forgive me.” He booted his horse into a run.
“Andrew, wait!” Kate called after him, but he was already swallowed by the gray curtain. She sighed. She didn’t want Andrew to blame himself. She knew it was her fault, but he was so defensive she couldn’t get that idea past his walls. Kate’s shoulders ached with tension, her mind preoccupied, her heart heavy.
As the rain continued through the day, the trail slowly churned into a thick, clinging mud that grasped mercilessly at the wheels of the wagons, and the mules struggled to pull their load through the sucking sludge. They finally staggered to a weary halt, and Kate jumped down from the high wagon seat with a squelch, sinking up to her ankles in muck. One thing about Ma being sick was that she didn’t have the energy to argue over Kate’s clothing choices, so she wore trousers most days. Her hands moved automatically, loosening harnesses while her mind drifted.
“Heya, sis!”
Kate nearly jumped out of her skin. Danny tied his horse to the wagon, covered from head to toe with splattered mud. “Goodness, Danny! Don’t sneak up on a body like that! You nearly scared me half to death!” He merely grinned at her, teeth standing out brightly against his dirty face, and his red hair nearly glowing in the gloomy light. Kate squinted at him. “If that’s even you under all that mud.”
He pushed the back of a gloved hand across his cheek, leaving a black smear. “Better?”
“Hardly,” she chuckled, and she went around to the other side of the team, loosening their yokes. Danny followed, lending a hand. “Would you mind catchin’ Sadie for me real quick while I set out dinner for Ma?”
“Sure thing. What do you need her for?”
“I’m headin’ out to see Chimney Rock. Jacob says we can get there and back before sunset.”
Danny sidled up beside her, a smirk on his face. “So, Jacob, is it? Not Mr. Munroe?”
She gave him a swat but turned away to hide the blush that flared in her cheeks. Did he know about the kiss? Keeping her voice light, she responded, “Just a slip of the tongue, Danny.”
“Sure, sure.” He gave her an exaggerated wink. He continued, his voice turning serious, “You know, Katie, I think he really cares for you. What he did for you when … you could do a lot worse than Jacob Munroe.”
Kate busied herself with the last of the harness and replied flatly, “There could never be anythin’ between us. We’re friends, Danny, just friends. Just let it be.”
