“I don’tattend shows. In Sacramento.”
She were attemptingconversation. A warmth began beneath his breastbone. “And why not,darlin’?”
She lifted a shoulder.“There is always work to do. Besides, there is no one to attendwith.” She said this simply, as if it weren’t a tragedy she had noone.
Though he had no oneneither, but he’d never let it stop him. “You wouldn’t go byyourself? Some of the best times I’ve had alone.”
Her pale lip twitched.“You haven’t much experience with Sacramento society, Ipresume.”
“Can’t say asI have.” He ain’t never been further west than the edges of UtahTerritory, and even that had been a ways distant. “They wouldn’tlook kindly on a woman alone, I take it.”
“Mostwouldn’t.”
“Would theycome at you with pitchforks?”
Her gaze whipped to his.“I beg your pardon?”
Surprise had widened hereyes, given some animation to her pale features. She were a prettything, when all was said and done.
He shifted in his saddle,uncomfortable with the direction of his thoughts. “Would thesociety folks come at you with pitchforks, were you to arrivealone?”
Again, her lips twitched.“No. That would be uncouth.”
He nodded gravely. “Onemust always be...couth.”
The tiniest of smilestouched her mouth. He glanced away His groin weren’t stirring atthe sight. That would be some sort of foolishness rightthere.
“Whathappened with Clementine?”
“She foundinformation for us.” Body once again under control, he urged hishorse forward.
“I assume shedid not hand it over joyfully.”
“No.” Herubbed a hand against the smirk her words caused. Clementine hadbeen unwilling to share anything she’d learned, but he reminded herof the favour she owed and, grumbling, she’d complied. “There’s agood spot for a camp.”
The clearing was small,surrounded by young trees that would hide them from view with asmall stream a short distance away. Quiet-like they dismounted,taking care of the horses needs before their own. Preparing tinderand fuel for the fire took short work, and he laid his bedroll nearwhat would be the fire, propping his saddle at the head, noting shelaid her bed again opposite, as far from him as was practical. Itwere no skin off his nose if she chose to lay far from the fire,but she had no call to complain when she was freezing in the smallhours.
Night had fallen, a firecrackled and his belly was full of the canned beans they’d heatedbefore she spoke again. “What did Clementine discover?”
Shoulders propped by hissaddle, hands laced over his full belly, he cracked an eye. She saton the other side of the fire, flame painting her pale colour inorange and gold.
Closing his eyes, hesettled deeper into his saddle. Well, wasn’t that right fanciful ofhim, being all poetical and such. Maybe he should quit the life ofa law enforcer and take up naval gazing.
“Mr Wade?”Annoyance coated her use of his name.
The corner of his mouthtwitched. It were probably wrong how mightily he enjoyed rilingher. “She discovered Callihan and his men are known for holing upsomewhere in the mountains for the winter, and it would take a hostof bodies to find them.”
A loaded kind of silence.He fought a grin as he waited.
“Then why arewe headed away from the mountains,” she said flatly.
“Because heain’t there, darlin’.” He stretched his toes, enjoying the warmthfrom the fire.
“I beg yourpardon?” Her words couldn’t be any stiffer if she tried.
“He ain’tthere,” he repeated. He risked the crack of an eye. From across thefire she stared at him, her brows drawn. Ah. Emotion. It satwrongly on her.
“How can youmake such a claim?” she asked. “Weren’t you relying on Clementineto find your information for you?”
