She had a terrible seat. In spite of the fact that she was hardly more than a willow whip of woman, she sat heavy on her mare’s back in all the wrong ways. He also suspected that she was experiencing some pain in certain sensitive parts of her undercarriage. Her skirt, shift, and drawers were insufficient padding for a bottom unused to sitting in a saddle. The leather would be rubbing against her inner thighs, and the heat from the friction was only tolerable for so long. She was bearing up surprisingly well, but he couldn’t call himself any kind of man if he let her suffer on.
“You need to put some of your weight into the stirrups,” he said. “Dig in a bit.”
“What?”
“Bear down and lift yourself up. Sit tall.” He slowed the horses as Phoebe attempted to follow his directions. When she was unsuccessful, he stopped Bullet and dismounted. “Here’s part of the problem,” he said, removing Phoebe’s right foot from the stirrup. Her slender lace-up boot dangled in his line of sight until he shortened the length of the strap and told her to try it out.
“That’s much better.”
Remington saw for himself that it was. He repeated the fix with the other stirrup and was satisfied with the resultwhen she was able to shift her seat. He returned to Bullet’s back. “Sit up. You need to be straight but also relaxed.”
She tried to do what he said. “So this is what it means to sit tall in the saddle?”
“More or less. I’m more. You’re less.” Out of the corner of his eye, he saw her nod and then turn her head toward him. Without looking at her, he asked, “What are you doing?”
“Studying you. Most specifically your posture. You move with your horse, not against it. You’re easy with him.”
“You know, if I weren’t leading you, you’d have to spend some time watching where you’re going. Like I’m doing.”
“Does it bother you that I’m making a study?” Before he answered, she went on. “You were doing that to me on the train. Mrs. Tyler told me. So you might even say that I’m getting some of my own back.”
“I wouldn’t say that. I would never say that. I might say you were hell-bent on revenge, but not the other.” He looked her way, met her eyes. “Mrs. Jacob C. Tyler is a busybody.”
“Probably. But she wasn’t wrong, was she?”
“No. Did I make you uncomfortable?”
“The idea of it made me uncomfortable. Why were you studying me?”
He swiveled his gaze forward. Her reply intrigued him.The idea of it made me uncomfortable.The idea. Not him. That might bode well, although there was plenty of time before they reached Frost Falls for him to make himself insufferable. He’d been told he had a particular gift for it. He heard her clear her throat and realized he had not answered her question.
“Looking out the window had no appeal. I’m familiar with the landscape that had all of your attention, so looking at you was as good a way as any to pass the time. I also played peek-a-boo with Madeleine.”
“Madeleine?”
“The little girl sitting with her mother.”
“Oh. I didn’t know.” She hesitated. “So you weren’t following me?”
“Following you? How do you mean?”
“I thought I saw you at the station in Saint Louis.”
“I’m sure there were plenty of people you saw at the station who ended up boarding the same train.”
“Yes. I’m sure you’re right.”
“It’s a peculiar notion, though, that you thought I might be following you. What put it in your head, besides what you’ve already told me? Were you in anticipation of someone trailing you?”
“No. Well, not really. My friends, people I worked with mostly, had warnings for me when they knew I was set on leaving New York. I suppose I paid more heed to what they had to say than I ought to have done.”
“Is that why you bought that palm pistol?”
“Yes.”
“Tell me about the warnings.”
“Mostly they were about traveling alone. I was encouraged to keep to myself, sit with women, refuse the attention of men. I was warned not to show my money, keep a tight hold on my reticule, and be particular to avoid anyone whose face might be gracing a wanted notice. They said I would encounter confidence men, Indians, card sharps, drunkards, and outlaws.” She gave a short laugh. “I imagine they will be pleased to learn that one of their fears came to light.” She fell silent a moment, then, “Unless you’re a con man, an Indian, a card sharp, or a drunkard.”
