Straightening her shoulders, Patsy met Jonah's steady gaze. He seemed to understand the emotions swirling within her, offering a small nod of encouragement.
She turned back to the Coulters, summoning a grateful smile. "I can't thank you enough for all you've done. For taking in Anna when she had no one else. I know it couldn't have been easy, but I'm in your debt."
CHAPTER 6
Jonah brushed a hand over the rough-hewn logs of his new cabin, the wood still fresh with the scent of pine. He and Patsy had only reached the ranch a few hours ago, and he’d come to inspect his cabin the first chance he could.
The rustle of footsteps in the grass sounded from the doorway, and he spun. His first instinct was to look for Patsy—maybe because she’d been lingering in his thoughts—but he’d left her settled at the main house with Anna and a few of the other women.
Jericho appeared in the open doorway, his wide shoulders filling the space as he paused to take in Jonah and the shell of the cabin Jonah had worked so hard on. Jericho always had such a commanding presence. Even a stranger would never doubt he was the elder brother, in charge on this ranch, even in a cabin that wasn’t his.
Jonah glanced around the place, doing his best to see it through his brother’s eyes. It almost looked like a home. He just needed to add the floor and chink the logs, and he’d be ready to move in. Well, he wouldn’t have furniture yet, but it would onlybe him, so that didn’t matter much. He’d rather bed down on wooden planks in his own home than keep sleeping in a bunkhouse like a hired hand.
Jericho glanced around, then ambled closer to Jonah. "Where's Sampson?"
Jonah cringed at the question. So much had happened with Patsy. That woman was enough to consume a fellow’s waking thoughts with worries over her. But Sampson—and knowing he’d left him back in Missoula Mills—had never been far from Jonah’s mind.
He turned to the corner and inspected a joint as though there were a flaw in it. "Had some things to do in Missoula. Said he'll come when he's ready. Probably a few more days."
Jonah didn’t have to be looking to feel the weight of Jericho’s disapproval hanging thick in the air. His oldest brother had come a long way from those days when he’d kept outsiders away from their ranch at gunpoint—and kept their familyinwith similar determination. But he’d put Jonah in charge of Sampson on their trip to take the necklace to convince Patsy. Jericho probably considered him leaving the lad behind as failing.
But Sampson was no longer a youth.
Jericho was the eldest of the boys in their family, but not the oldest child. Lucy had had that honor.
Swallowing the sting that still came with her memory, Jonah met Jericho’s gaze and forced his voice to be strong and level. “Sampson’s a grown man now. Nineteen. He knows the trail back. He said he would be along in a few days.”
Jericho gave a single nod. Worry clouded his expression, but maybe he wouldn’t voice it.
As the moment of quiet stretched, Jericho toed the ground with his boot. "So what’re you gonna do with this woman? Anna’s aunt?"
Not that it was his place to do anything with her, but Jonahcouldn’t deny that he’d been skirting around the topic in his own mind. They’d all wanted to find Anna’s aunt and reunite the two. But what now? Did they want her to take Anna and be on her way?
Alone?
He couldn’t help but remember the scoundrel who’d attacked her. What if Jonah hadn’t been there to protect her? What if she’d been alone with Anna in the woods? What would have become of the two of them?
No, they couldn’t just…just send them off.
Everything in him revolted at the thought.
He rubbed the back of his neck. "I don't rightly know. I found her and brought her back. I reckon I've done my part."
Jericho studied him, his gaze piercing in the fading daylight that filtered through the cabin door. "You sure about that? Seems to me there might be more to it, the way you look at her."
"I don't know what you're talking about,” he snapped, but heat crept up his neck. He walked to the back wall, rubbing his fingers along a log’s surface. Had Patsy thought he was ogling her? Had he been? No, of course not. Just… Well, he couldn’t help but notice her. She wasn’t exactly repulsive, after all. “She's Anna's kin, that's all. Not my concern beyond that."
"If you say so, little brother." Jericho's words held too much skepticism. "Just be careful. I doubt she’s planning to hang around."
But perhaps, with the right motivation…
He had no idea what she planned. Would she take Anna back to Missoula Mills? Surely not. Anna would be better off staying with Naomi and Eric than spending days and nights hanging around a saloon.
Maybe Patsy would consider…
But he was a fool to even think it. She was a woman with her own mind. And he had a poor recordwhen it came to convincing women to stay for him. He wasn’t aching to go through that pain again.
Jonah turned toward the door. "We best be getting back. Supper will be on the table soon."
