Lochlan lifted the water bucket and carried it back to the cottage with me following alongside him.
Even if it was between him and someone like Brent or Ambrose, I’d still likely choose Lochlan as the one to trust. I understood the other bounty hunters since they were so similar to me, which was why I knew I could never trust them.
It was ridiculous, really. I hadn’t known Lochlan long at all. Peter had told me that Lochlan had been working with Roderick for years. That was evidence enough to show that Lochlan wasn’t trustworthy. No one would’ve stayed in a crime ring for that long otherwise.
“Finally,” Roderick huffed when we came back inside. “Since when does it take two people to fetch a pail of water?”
“Since Gil overturned the last one,” Lochlan answered. “He spilled the one yesterday, so I made him prove that he can do it correctly. And now he owes me by slicing peaches for wasting my time. Get on it, boy.” He set the water down and shoved some peaches my way.
Peter and Roderick went back to talking, and Lochlan put a pot on the stove.
“So when are you going to tell me your real name and age?” Lochlan breathed when he crossed to get some oats.
I froze and cast a terrified look at the others, who seemed deep in conversation, once again poring over a map on the other side of the cottage. Peter was tracing a route along the parchment and Roderick was nodding.
“I’m not telling,” I whispered back. “And keep your mouth shut.”
“What are you two whispering about over there?” Roderick called from across the room.
I jumped slightly, but Lochlan looked up, his face a perfect mask of casual amusement. “Gil met a lady friend and needed advice,” he said with an easy smile. “Unless either of you want to give tips. Peter? Any advice on picking up women?”
“Nope. Chasing women isn’t worth my time,” Peter said, stretching and linking his fingers behind his head.
“You’re missing out,” Roderick said gruffly. “Women provided excellent entertainment in my younger days.”
“Can you even remember that far back?” Peter said with a wicked grin. “I thought you were too old to remember what it was like to entertain beautiful women.”
“That’s some smart talk from a boy who barely has his whiskers,” Roderick shot back. “And you know I was married. How do you think Lochlan got here?”
“Gross,” Lochlan said, then made a gagging noise. “Don’t remind me.”
I looked back and forth between Roderick and Lochlan, confused.
“I don’t think anyone told Gil,” Peter said with a laugh. “Roderick is Lochlan’s father. Didn’t you know?”
My mouth fell open. Roderick and Peter both laughed, and for a moment, I thought they’d said it as a joke, but then I saw Lochlan’s rigid jaw and the sudden, emotionless expression on his face. It was true.
How had I not known? No wonder Lochlan had stayed with Roderick for years on end.
I couldn’t think of anything else all throughout breakfast and packing up the cart with the booth’s supplies. Peter and Roderick had begun making lists of possible buyers, but I didn’t bother to snoop. It would look too suspicious, and all I needed was one look later on.
“I’ll do the dishes,” Peter offered. “I know you two will be late otherwise. Go on.” He made a little shooing motion toward us. “Go sell a bunch of alpaca wool.”
“Hopefully the right buyer is around,” Lochlan said, and guided me out the door.
At first I walked alongside the cart, but once we were out of sight, Lochlan came to a halt.
“Get in,” he told me, nodding at the cart.
I crossed my arms. “No.”
“Get in,” he repeated.
“I can walk. I’m fine,” I told him stoutly.
“And I can pull you. It’ll be quicker this way. I’m just saving us time. You’re walking slowly right now.”
“Then I’ll walk faster. I’m not a skein of yarn to be toted around.”
