“Miss Addie showed me how.” He scraped his thumb along the edge of the wood tabletop. “She will make someone a good wife.” The tips of his ears glowed a bright red.
Nash forgot the tasty morsel on his fork and stared at Shorty, then Addie, who smoothed the fabric of her plain black skirt and avoided looking at Nash. Had something happened between them while he’d been away? Some sort of attraction? What would someone like Addie see in the man? What did he offer that Nash couldn’t?
Unable to find an answer, he finished his dessert.
Addie reached for his empty dish. Her arm brushed his shoulder. His heart tilted toward her. His gaze followed her as she washed the few dishes and put them in the cupboard.
“Join us.” He patted the spot on the bench beside him.
With a quick smile, she sat at his side. “Tell us about the rocks you’re moving. How big are they? How many of them?”
“Some are large. It takes both of us to roll them out of the way.” He did his best to describe the scene they’d encountered.
Mr. Bertrand mumbled something about the delay being unnecessary, but no one paid him any mind.
“What was that?” Mr. Zacharius jerked upright, his breath whistling past his lips.
Nash didn’t point out his breathing made it hard to hear anything else. They all strained to listen.
“There it is again.”
Nash tilted his head. A slight thud followed by a scratching.
“Is someone there?” Addie edged in close to his side. “Why don’t they knock or open the door?”
“Maybe it’s a branch tossed by the wind.” He kept his voice low and, hopefully, calming.
More sounds came from outside.
One way to find out what was there. He and Hawk rose at the same time. They crossed to the door and paused to listen.
More sounds. Grunting.
“Nash, be careful,” Addie whispered.
She hadn’t said Hawk’s name. Only his. Nash’s insides warmed. “I’ll be careful.” He nodded to Hawk,indicating the nearby poker. The man picked it up, then stood with it raised and signaled Nash to open the door.
“One, two, three,” Nash whispered and yanked the door open.
A pointy face and bright eyes stared at him. Then, the fox raced away, disappearing into the nearby trees.
Hawk lowered his weapon.
“Just a curious fox.” Nash returned to the bench, bringing relieved laughter from the others.
“Could have been worse,” Mr. Bertrand grumbled.
Would the man have been happy for it to be something more sinister?
“Like what?” Addie asked.
“Robbers. People know the stagecoach is late. Some enterprising person might think it makes us vulnerable and come to rob us.”
“If they want to rob the coach, they wouldn’t need to come here,” Hawk pointed out.
“Well, maybe a bigger animal.” Mr. Bertrand leaned over to confront Shorty. “You ever see bears around here?”
“Of course. We are in the mountains, so it is to be expected.”
