TWELVE
COURTNEY TRIED TO BEstrong for Denton but riding astride on a horse wearing men’s trousers and a long overcoat to cover her curvy womanly figure was almost more than she could bear. Even the hat the sheriff made her wear – after pulling her long hair into a ponytail – had made her more uncomfortable. If not for the moisture gathering around her hairline, the only good purpose for this hat was to keep the sun off her face. Bonnets did the same thing, except she’d never nearly sweated to death while wearing one.
Yet, that was the deal she’d made with Denton and the sheriff if she wanted to go along with them during the long journey. She clenched her teeth and didn’t complain. The truth was, she’d not been brought up to ride a horse astride or wear men’s clothes. Her parents would be fainting dead away if they saw her now – or they’d probably disown her.
At long last, they arrived in Stumptown, population three-hundred, and twenty. Helena was much bigger than this town, yet she already liked the small-town feeling’s coziness. They rode toward the lake. As she spied the people on the streets, she realized she didn’t see many women. Perhaps this was another reason Denton and the sheriff made her dress in men’s clothes.
She urged her horse closer to Denton. He looked at her and smiled.
“What do you think of Stumptown?”
“It’s an odd name, but I do like it. However...” She glanced around once more. “I don’t see many women.”
The sheriff chuckled. “Not many live here. This is a logging town, and there isn’t much room for fashionable women. They don’t belong in places like this.”
She scowled at the sheriff. “That’s ridiculous. Every town needs women.”
“You’ll find a few, my dear Courtney.” Denton winked. “But very few.”
Courtney didn’t know if she liked the sheriff’s attitude about women not belonging in a logging town. Men still had desires, and she was sure that some of them wanted families, too.
The flash of a calico dress caught Courtney’s attention, and she swung her gaze toward the mercantile. A lovely woman, probably around the same age as Courtney, walked out, carrying a basket. Her belly was round with child. The woman had the prettiest dark brown hair Courtney had ever seen.
The woman’s gaze briefly met Courtney’s, but then switched back to her wagon as she set her full basket on the seat. Suddenly, the woman’s gaze jumped back to Courtney as her eyes widened.
Courtney held her breath. Her first thought was that the woman had noticed Courtney from the newspaper article, but then, she’d hoped that the newspaper hadn’t reached this far northwest.
Slowly, a smile touched the woman’s face, and she raised a hand in greeting. Courtney gasped quietly. The woman must recognize another woman in town – even if she wasn’t dressed like one. Courtney waved back at the woman, relieved to be seen as a lady and not a man. She hoped men wouldn’t notice. Then again, only women noticed things like that.
Courtney looked ahead and noticed Denton looking at her with an arched eyebrow.
“A friend of yours?” he asked.
“No.” She smiled. “The lady was just waving at visitors, I suppose.”
He stared at her for a few moments, and his grin widened. “You should smile more.”
“What an odd statement.” She gave him a suspicious look. “Why would you say that?”
“Because your face brightens, and your eyes sparkle like gems.”
Her cheeks heated, and she was sure her whole face was aflame with embarrassment. “You shouldn’t say such things out in public.”
He laughed. “Why not? You’re absolutely adorable.”
“Well, because I’m dressed like a man, and I don’t think you’d want anyone overhearing you talk that way to another man.”
Denton’s laugh grew louder. “Point taken, my dear.”
They didn’t talk again until they grew closer to the lake. Denton motioned his hand toward the large sawmill.
“Let’s stop there. I know the owner. I’ll see if he has spoken with Terrance.”
The sheriff looked at Denton and cocked his head. “Does your friend know Terrance?”
“I don’t know, but Terrance is a hard man to miss. His height and deep auburn hair makes him unforgettable.”
They brought their horses to a halt and dismounted. Denton turned to help Courtney down, but she held up her hand, stopping him.
