Drum grabbed Daniel and pulled him up by his shirt. 'Damn it, you scared a year off my life.”
Daniel made no attempt to fight. 'Well, pardon me. I was busy dying. I had two choices, stay underwater or be hit by the bullets slicing through the river just above my head”
All three men laughed. For men who didn't laugh easily, they roared. Daniel sat down and put his head on his knees. Drummond dropped by his side and fell backward. They were all three wet and cold and very much alive.
Teagen stood and helped both young Rangers to their feet. They rode back to the house and drank, while Martha put Thanksgiving dinner on the table.
'First warm day,' Drum promised, 'I'm going to teach you to swim. I don't know if my heart could take dragging my only friend out of the river again”
Daniel shook his head. 'When I was a kid traveling around with my pa, he'd stop now and then and go back to his preaching ways. I was washed in the water every time we'd draw a crowd. Left me with a real fear of water over my head.'
Daniel raised his glass. 'I'm in both your debt”
Teagen drank then said, 'That you are. As soon as you have a good meal, I want you and Drum riding toward town. Daniel, you stay close to the clinic to make sure everything is all right there. Drum, you know where Sage is headed. With luck, you'll catch up to her before nightfall. You stay with her until we come for you.'
'Agreed,' Drum answered.
'But if we go toward town, we'll be headed right into that gang again. I'm not looking forward to having to die again to keep from drowning.'
'Take him through the pass” Teagen ordered.
Drum raised an eyebrow.
'Blindfolded,' Teagen added.
Drum nodded. 'Only one change in the plan. We leave now.'
Daniel Tony stood. 'I was afraid you were going to say that. Hanging around you is going to make a skeleton of me. I swear I'm going to find me a fat wife who loves to cook and quit this life before I'm nothing more than bone”
By the time the men had changed into dry clothes, Martha had packed them both food. Daniel was so grateful, he kissed her.
Drum hardly noticed the food. His mind was on reaching Sage before anyone else did.
CHAPTER 42
BONNIE WATCHED SAGE AND THE BOYS RIDE BACK toward the hills, turning northwest as they entered the tree line.
She hugged Bradford's side. 'I've never had anyone to take care of me”
He pulled away. 'You should have told me you were pregnant last night.' His voice was rough with worry.
She smiled, remembering the sweet hours they'd spent together last night. 'Why? Would you not have made love to me?'
He stared at her a minute then answered, 'I might have only done it once”
'But I was the one who wanted it the second time.'
He laughed as he kissed the top of her head. 'You're going to be a hard woman to say no to”
She tugged him to the corner of the porch, and they talked for a while. Bradford would never be a man of many words. She guessed that they'd eat most of their meals together in silence, but she didn't mind. He was a hard man, worn by life, she imagined, but he had a kindness in his eyes when he looked at her, and that somehow was enough.
'Will you stay around to see this child into the world?' she asked, needing to know how long they had.
'If it's a girl, I'll be around for her wedding and more” he answered. 'If you've no objection?'
She laid her hand over his in answer.
'I sold my land to the rancher next to my place a few days after I took you back to Galveston. I'd planned to go have a talk with you, but worries over my brother kept me out longer than I'd planned. When I reached town, no one knew or wanted to tell me where you were”
'How'd you find out?'
'I didn't. I just knew you were with the little doctor, and I'd seen her with the gunfighter, Drummond Roak. When I started asking where he was, the Rangers didn't mind telling me. I guess they figured I wasn't any kind of trouble Roak couldn't handle.'
“But what will you do? You sold your home”
“It was just land. I can buy more. One thing this state's got plenty of is cheap land. If you're settling here, I could look for a place nearby.” He studied her as if trying to find words she'd understand. 'You could move in with me, if you'd be willing.'
“That would not be proper.'
He touched her belly. 'We're a little late for proper. I'd marry you today, but I'd bet there's not a preacher within a hundred miles.'
Bonnie looked up and noticed Daniel Torry riding toward her. She smiled. 'I wouldn't be too sure.'
She waited until Daniel reached the house and listened while he explained that Drum saw Sage and the boys riding off, so he joined them.
When the Ranger climbed down from his horse, she introduced him to Bradford.
As the men shook hands, Bonnie said, 'Get your Bible, Preacher Daniel, I've work for you to do” Marching into the house, she added, 'I'll be ready in ten minutes.”
Daniel shoved his hat back. 'Who died?'
Bradford grinned. 'I did.' He laughed. 'If I don't marry that pretty lady, she'll probably kill me. Either way, you'll make your dollar for the ceremony.'
CHAPTER 43
DRUM CAUGHT UP TO SAGE AS SHE BEGAN TO CLIMB the first hill. She didn't seem surprised to see him. He knew the boys had slowed her down coming through the secret passage.
He pulled his mount close to hers without a word. He could protect her and the boys now. He could breathe.
'How are things at the ranch?' she asked as if trying to make her words as casual as possible. 'Is the company gone?'
'Yes,' Drum answered, wishing she'd look at him. 'As I was leaving, I saw the ranch hands riding in from the far pasture. The bridge will be well-guarded from now on, and I doubt one of the men we saw could swim the river'
Sage smiled. 'I've only known one man who could do that besides my brothers.'
He was glad she said
'You don't think he really could be related to them?'
Drum shook his head. 'Even if I hadn't had the dream, I still wouldn't believe it possible. If he were the real thing, why would he bring what looks like every gunslinger from the gutters of Galveston to ride guard?'
They rode in silence for a while, then he finally said what had been bothering him for hours. 'You know back there what you said about loving me?'
'I know,' she answered without looking at him, but he didn't miss the blush on her cheek.
'Well.' He had to speak his mind. 'I don't want to hear you talking like that again”
