Holbrook at the mercantile could order most anything they needed if they were willing to wait long enough—and pay the stout shipping fees.
Enoch reined in the team in front of the sawmill, then set the brake and jumped to the ground. He sent a glance to his brother before reaching to help Mandie down. “You want to see Clark and back the wagon in so they can start loading? I’ll take Mandie to the mercantile, and you can meet us there.”
Mandie placed her hand in his as she reached her boot down to the step. Her hands were so soft, he almost felt guilty letting her touch his callused fingers. But he also wasn’t above enjoying her touch.
When she settled on the ground, she sent him a warm smile. “Thank you.”
James cleared his throat, forcing Enoch to look away from that ray of sunshine to his brother’s frowning face. “How about you talk to Clark, and I’ll take Mandie to the mercantile? You’re the one who drove the wagon here. Finish the job.”
Enoch wanted to growl. Maybe even snap at his brother like a stray mongrel.
But James had a point. Any argument he came back with would sound petty and entitled.
So he only nodded, but the glare he sent the back of his brother’s head as the cad extended his arm to Mandie should have been hot enough to set fire to that brown fluff James had clearly taken extra care to pomade in place today.
As the pair walked away, James’s mount trailing behind, Enoch turned back to the sawmill and sighed. It seemed duty over pleasure would never end for him.
CHAPTER 22
The wagon creaked and groaned, straining under the weight of the lumber as it rolled up the rocky trail. Mandie leaned back against the bench, her mind still spinning with the memories of their refreshing day in town.
Having the chance to shop again had turned out to be far more refreshing than she’d expected. The Walnut Grove Mercantile possessed a surprising variety of goods, and they’d enjoyed a pleasant lunch at the little cafeteria that served as the lower level to the boarding house.
James had been attentive and charming as always, his quick wit and easy laughter drawing her out of her shell.
And Enoch... Well, he’d been Enoch. Gruff and taciturn at first, clearly irked by his brother’s flirtations. But as the day wore on, he appeared to relax, his stern facade softening around the edges.
It had been nice to feel like a normal woman for once. Not a grieving widow or an invalid. Simply a lady enjoying the company of two handsome gentlemen.
Even if one of those gentlemen was simply being a pleasant younger brother, and the other...
The other stirred feelings in her that were far from sisterly.
She darted a glance at Enoch, taking in his strong profile, the way his hands gripped the reins with quiet competence. He’d removed his hat, and the breeze ruffled his dark hair, revealing the twisted scar he’d received saving Willow and her baby. Did it still hurt? The thought made her fingers itch to smooth his locks back from his brow.
Dragging her gaze away, she focused on the passing scenery. The heavy load of wood in the bed made the wagon creak and groan more than before, nearly drowning out the birdsong and rustle of leaves on the trail. They were lumbering around the side of the mountain, but the road was wide enough that the rig stayed away from the downward slope on her side. It wasn’t a cliff exactly, just a steep hill.
The front wheel on Enoch’s side hit a particularly deep rut, lurching the wagon forward. She fought to hold in a gasp as she clutched the seat for balance.
Enoch’s arm shot out in front of her, a brace to keep her in place even as he gripped both reins tighter in his other hand, holding the team steady when the rear wheel dropped into the rut too. “You all right?”
She managed a nod. “I’m fine. Just startled.”
When the rig settled again, he glanced her way. His gaze searched her face, as though looking for details of an injury she’d not confessed to. He must be satisfied, for he turned forward again. “The road’s a bit rough through here. We’ll take it slow.”
True to his word, he eased the horses into a slower pace, guiding the wagon around rocks and over uneven patches of ground.
She tried to relax, but every bump and sway seemed magnified, jangling her nerves a little tighter each time.
They navigated a narrow stretch, though the incline leveled out some through the length of it.
As they rounded the next bend, the trail widened once more. Mandie let out a breath. But just as she started to relax, the wagon hit another deep rut, larger than any of the previous ones.
The wagon lurched violently to the side. Wood planks clattered and shifted behind them. Enoch barked a command to the horses, hauling back on the reins to steady the team even as the rig tipped precariously toward the slope.
Mandie’s stomach swooped. She grabbed for the seat, for Enoch, for anything solid as her world tilted. But gravity yanked her sideways.
Her hip struck the edge of the bench. Then she was falling, tumbling over the side of the wagon into open air.
