With a damp finger, she brushed along the marks until she knew for certain the last letter.
M.
S–T–U–R–M.
Sturm.
Her hands failed her, and she dropped the leather. “Sturm.” The whispered word burned across her lips.
The murdering beast had taken her parents’ lives.
She shoved the offending bit of leather away. It could dry into a twist. She didn’t care. Her eyes burning, her fists clenched, she sat back on her heels.
Who was Nash?
Sturm had a son. She’d never seen him. The authorities informed her he’d moved away prior to the dreadful event.
Could Nash be the missing son?
Or had he acquired that…that…offending object some other way? Perhaps he’d purchased it without realizing who had owned it. That would be one explanation for the way someone had tried to scratch out the letters.
Drawing in one deep breath after another, she calmed her anger. She wouldn’t judge Nash until she knew the truth. But she’d be watching him very closely to see if he was the man he appeared to be.
“I’ll get the horses.You get the passengers moving.”
Nash hurried to do Hawk’s bidding and burst into the cabin. Everyone turned at his entrance, but he cared only to see brown eyes welcoming him.
Her gaze slid past him, and she turned to the cupboard where she dried a dish and put it away. They’deaten dinner. He and Hawk would grab a quick mouthful before they left.
Although he waited, she didn’t turn toward him.
“We’re ready to depart.” His words lacked the enthusiasm they should have carried. Would she offer him food? Shorty filled a dish for him.
Not bothering to sit, Nash wolfed the food down and handed the dish back.
“Miss Addie made cake too. Spicy raisin. It is good even if it is not ginger cake.” Shorty presented him with a small plate holding a generous portion of cake.
Nash ate the serving. “It’s very good. Thank you, Addie.”
“You’re welcome.” Her words lacked warmth, and she showed him nothing more than her back.
The empty plate gave him an excuse to go to the cupboard. “Addie, what’s wrong?”
Her whole body jerked as she faced him. “Nothing. Nothing at all.” She flung away. “I need to help Mother get ready to travel.” She skittered off as if chased by a snarling dog.
He looked at Shorty. The man watched Addie’s hasty departure, then turned toward Nash.
“Well.” That’s all Shorty said. It was enough for Nash to realize he was as surprised by Addie’s behavior as he was. And from the look in his eyes, he was equally confused.
Hawk stepped inside. “Is everyone ready?” Seeing the pot of beans, he scooped out a bowlful and ate them hurriedly, then grabbed a square of cake. “Sorry to leave you to clean up after us, Shorty, but we need to be on our way.” He led them from the cabin.
Nash slung his saddlebags over his shoulder and helped lead the horses to the coach and hitched them inplace while the others climbed inside. He stood at the door, one foot on the step, his gaze on Addie. Again, she refused to look at him. Her interest in smoothing her skirt was nothing more than avoidance. Of him. But why?
“I’ll ride with Hawk.”
No one voiced a protest, and he swung up to the driver’s seat, tossing his saddlebags in with the other luggage.
Neither man spoke as the horses trotted along the repaired road. If he was inside, he would have pointed out the boulders perched on the shoulder and explained how they’d moved them. He could have told them when they crossed the spot that had washed out and been repaired. They turned a corner where a waterfall gushed down the mountainside. Would Addie notice it and remember the sweet time they’d enjoyed as she told him how her father had taken them to some falls?
