Remington was thoughtful, offering no argument to counter hers. “Go on.”
“I could hardly feel anything save for relief when you showed up at the cabin, but then there was the fact that youdidshow up. I dropped breadcrumbs, as you said, but I don’t think they could have been easy to follow, or even to find. It seemed entirely possible that you found and followed because you knew the route we would take. And when I asked about going back to the train, you didn’t seem terribly concerned for the passengers. I know what you said about repairs to the track being underway, but could I believe you? I asked you where we were going; you said the nearest town was Frost Falls. But that didn’t answer my question. Not really. How could I be sure you weren’t lifting me out of the frying pan and leading me into the fire?”
He didn’t say anything for a time, waiting. Then, “Is that everything?”
“That, and your reluctance to tell me your name.”
“Reluctance?”
“Unwillingness.”
Remington nodded. “Might as well call it what it is.”
“You’re right.”
“So what do you think now?”
“Truth? I’m not sure, but at least I’m no longer tied to the foot of a bed.”
“Yes, there’s that.”
Phoebe’s mouth quirked. “Is there anything you want to say?”
“Not particularly. There’s logic from your perspective; I can see that. Except for that lapse when you shot Mr. Shoulders, your fear did not completely overrun your ability to think.”
“And yet here I am with you. The jury’s still out, wouldn’t you say?”
“What do I need to say that will make you believe you are safe?”
“You know the answer to that.”
He did. “‘What’s in a name?’” he quoted. “‘That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet.’”
“Do not flatter yourself. What I smell from here stinks like three-day-old fish.”
Remington grinned. “That’s worse than bull shit, I’ll give you that.”
“Keep your bullshit and tell me your name.”
“I will, but you are not going to like it.”
She waited him out.
“Remington Frost.” He expected almost anything from her except what she did. Phoebe yanked her right foot from the stirrup with the intention of giving him a good kick. She missed his leg and jabbed the toe of her boot into Bullet’s side. The gelding cut sideways, the mare startled, Phoebe grabbed the reins, and both horses took off at a run.
Chapter Six
Phoebe had no hope that she could stay in the saddle, not a prayer that she could remain on her mare’s back. She let go of the reins and gripped the saddle horn with both hands. Every bounce exploded firecrackers of pain up and down her spine. Her teeth chattered. She bit her tongue. She squeezed her thighs together and tried to lean forward. Apparently it was the wrong thing to do. The mare shot ahead again.
Phoebe was aware of the gelding keeping pace, but she did not dare look over. Once she saw Remington’s hand cross her field of vision as he tried to grasp the reins. When he failed, she lost sight of him and his horse. The next time she was aware of him was when she felt his arm at her back. Bullet was so close now that she felt his heat. Her leg, the same leg she had used to try to kick Remington, rubbed against his. The half circle of his arm tightened and then she was lifted out of the saddle and held flush to his side while the gelding responded to his direction to ease up and finally stop. The mare ran on, but Phoebe didn’t care about that. She was dangling a couple of feet above the ground and Remington Frost did not appear to find that a burden.
Between breaths she managed to wheeze out, “I am going to lose the baby.”
“I am reversing my opinion,” he said, lowering her to the ground. “Thereisat least one empty chamber in your six-shooter.”
“That’s just mean.” She bent a bit at the waist to catch her breath. Her lumpy belly presented an obstacle. “I’m donewith this. Turn your head.” Without waiting to see if he complied, she raised her skirt all the way to her hips and began to unfasten the bolster that was tied at the small of her back.
Watching her, Remington just shook his head. “Do you want my knife?”
