He glanced toward where he’d tied the horses to graze. Would she have tried to…?
Only one bay back showed through the trees. He started toward the animal. Anna was a smart youngster to have taken a horse instead of trying to walk all the way back. Neither of the wagon horses would hurt her intentionally, but they were so big, and little Anna was so small for her age.
Jonah raced toward the remaining horse. Patsy’s skirts rustled as she ran behind him.
When they drew near the mare that was still tied, a flash of movement showed in a clearing beyond the trees. His heart seized, and he strained to see in the dusky light.
There was Anna, standing on a fallen log, trying to scramble onto the patient bay's back. Her small hands gripped the horse's mane as she worked to swing her leg over. The calico bag Naomi had sent with her hung from her shoulder.
"Anna!" Patsy half-whispered the anguished cry as shestarted forward.
Jonah caught her arm. "Let me." Anna was proving desperate, and she might not open up to her aunt as well as she would to him.
At Patsy's stricken look, he softened his tone. "Please. I think I can reach her." He rubbed his thumb over her arm and did his best to show her with his eyes she could trust him. “If I’m not getting through to her, I’ll wave for you to come try.”
Patsy hesitated only a moment before nodding.
Jonah approached slowly, not wanting to startle the horse or the child. Anna was so intent on her task, she didn't hear him until he reached the gelding’s head. Ol’ Jasper stood quietly, weary from the long day on the trail.
Anna’s jaw dropped when she saw him. He’d expected her to look guilty, but she clutched the horse’s coarse mane, her eyes defiant, clear even through the watery layer of unshed tears. "I'm going home." She lifted her chin. "You can’t stop me."
Home.
His heart clenched. Was it the Coulter ranch in general she considered home? Or Eric and Naomi’s new cabin specifically?
He took a deep breath, choosing his words carefully. "I know you're hurting, Anna. Believe me, I understand wanting to go back to what's familiar. When you have people who love you, that’s not something you take lightly. And not something you want to leave."
If anything, Anna’s little hands gripped Jasper’s mane even tighter, her lips pressing together.
He ducked to meet her gaze a little better. “You know, your Aunt Patsy loves you a whole lot too. It might not feel like it right now, but she wants what's best for you."
Anna’s lower lip trembled. "But…I want to go home. I miss Aunt Naomi and Uncle Eric and Mary Ellen."
"I know you do, sweetheart. And it's all right to miss them. But maybe…maybe it would be okay to give your Aunt Patsy a chance. To let her show you how much she loves you." A newidea slipped in. "Does she remind you of your mama at all? Since they were sisters?"
Anna blinked, one shoulder lifting and falling. "Sometimes. When she talks. Her voice is like Mama’s."
"That must be real nice, to hear your mama again."
A single tear slipped down Anna's cheek. "I guess so."
Jonah brushed the tear away with his thumb. "What do you say we head on back to camp? It’s getting dark and I’ll bet you’re as hungry as I am. I think your Aunt Patsy packed some of that strawberry jam you like so much. We can spread it on the fresh bread she and Lillian baked yesterday."
For a long moment, Anna didn't move. Then, slowly, she released Jasper's mane and allowed Jonah to lift her down from the log. She leaned into him, her small arms coming around his waist in a fierce hug.
He held her close, a weight pressing in his chest. This child had endured so much in her short life. Losing her parents, then her grandmother, and now being taken away from the home and people she’d come to love.
He would do everything in his power to make this journey easier for her. For Patsy too. No matter how much he hated to lose them both.
Later that night, Patience gazed into the dancing flames of the campfire, the warmth doing little to chase away the chill that had settled deep in her bones. Anna had finally fallen asleep, and Patience needed a few minutes to sort through her emotions.
The night was quiet, broken only by the occasional pop of the burning logs and the distant trickle of the creek where Jonah had led the horses to drink.
She pulled her shawl tighter around hershoulders, her fingers twisting the fringe as her mind churned with doubts and uncertainties. The weight of responsibility pressed down on her, as heavy as the darkness that blanketed the camp. Was she doing the right thing, taking Anna away from this new family and home she’d come to love?
The crunch of boots on dry leaves pulled her from her reverie, and she glanced up to see Jonah emerging from the shadows. He settled himself beside her, his solid presence easing a bit of the tension in her body.
For a long moment, he didn’t speak, just let her soak in his nearness. This churning inside her needed space to sort itself out. Did she dare share her worries with Jonah? He’d made it clear he wanted her to stay. But he’d not pushed the idea since he agreed to escort her and Anna to Fort Benton. He’d been a help every step of the journey.
