“Yeah, me too.”
“What can I do for you?” the agent asked.
Eddie peeked over the side of the wagon. “Mama, is this the ranch?”
“We’re not there yet.”
“This is Mrs. White and her son.” Jace nodded toward Dianne, then introduced Bart to her. “The pair were on the stagecoach to Golden Valley and got left behind. Can they stay here until the next one?”
A woman joined the man—a dark-eyed beauty with shining black hair in thick braids. “I am Dawn. Wife to Bart. Won’t youplease come in for dinner?” Her voice had a softness that eased away Dianne’s tension.
Jace helped her to the ground, then lifted Eddie down.
The three of them went to the porch.
Bart cleared his throat. The rough sound caused Eddie to cling to Dianne’s hand.
“Please join us for the meal.” The big man waved them inside.
The interior was bright and clean. The room was three times the size of Jace’s cabin. Open shelves held baskets and canisters likely storing provisions. From the rafters in a nearby pantry hung onions and dried herbs of some sort. On the counter were more baskets. One revealed some kind of white root vegetable, but it didn’t look like potatoes.
“Please sit down.” Dawn indicated the table. Even before she finished speaking, she hurried to the stove and returned with a steaming pot of stew that smelled heavenly. Then she slid fresh biscuits from the oven.
It looked like she’d been expecting them, but that wasn’t possible.
They gathered around the table seated on wooden benches.
“I’ll give thanks to the Almighty for the food.” Bart bowed his head and murmured deep-throated words, most of which Dianne didn’t understand. He was either mumbling or speaking another language. Not that it mattered, for she silently prayed her own words.
Lord, thank You for this wonderful-smelling food. For keeping us safe on this journey. For this pleasant place to wait. And please, Lord, help Jace change his mind so we can have the home we need.
The food was passed around the table. Dianne scooped stew on her plate and to Eddie’s and took biscuits for them both. Everything tasted as good as it smelled.
“This is delicious,” she said. “Thank you for feeding us.” Though she chafed at the delay.
Bart cleared his throat, and again, Eddie pressed closer to Dianne.
“Don’t ’spect the next coach for three days. Dawn and I are about to leave.” That explained the satchels by the door. “Going to visit her family.”
They were leaving? Dianne couldn’t swallow the food in her mouth. Could she stay here alone except for Eddie? Shivers tracked up and down her spine. Like a spider traveled her skin. With an audible gulp, she forced her food down her tight throat.
This trip had proven more challenging than she expected—especially this last bit.
The skin on her face grew taut, drawing down her bottom eyelids.
Her fork clenched in her hand so hard it bit into her flesh. She directed her gaze to Jace. Would he see her silent appeal for him to come to her rescue?
Jace triedto look away from Dianne’s compelling eyes, but the darkness of her look trapped him. He felt her desperation clear down to his boots, as Chet would often say. He held back a sigh. Of course, he wouldn’t leave her stranded. It went way beyond his sense of being a decent man. Who would have thought Bart and his wife would be going away? Just when Jace needed them. He tried for an encouraging smile, but it must’ve looked more like a grimace. Words were needed, though he seemed incapable of getting any intelligent sound from his mouth.
Bart reached for another biscuit. The movement jerked Jace from his stall.
“Guess we’ll move on to the next way station, then.”
Relief melted Dianne’s face into soft lines.
Dawn and Bart looked at each other. Then the man spoke. “Might find the place crowded.”
“And not very friendly,” Dawn added.
