The gunfire died down. There was no one left in the pass. Win motioned for his men to stay ready. Nothing or no one would cross now and live. All bargaining was over.
THIRTY-TWO
CHEYENNE RODE BEHIND A BANK OF ROCKS TO THE campsite and dropped a screaming Jamie to the ground a few yards from Wyatt. She fell onto her backside as he swung from the saddle and pulled his knife.
But before he could cut her free, she whirled and turned on the gambler like a skillet-warmed rattlesnake. ‘‘You left me!’’
‘‘I tried to reach you,’’ Wyatt said, looking like a man who’d faced death and had no stomach for the sight. ‘‘If I’d stayed longer, we both would have been killed.’’ He crossed his arms in front of him to keep his hands from shaking.
Jamie doubled her bound fists together and swung, knocking the gambler down with one mighty blow that almost toppled her. ‘‘One of us may be killed yet!’’ she screamed. ‘‘Stand up so I can hit you again.’’
Wyatt remained on the ground.
Cheyenne walked up behind Jamie and circled his arm around her waist. The action was becoming a habit. He lifted her just high enough so that her feet left the ground.
‘‘Let me go!’’ Jamie shouted and twisted against his side.
He moved several yards away from Wyatt and the others. ‘‘Don’t make me sorry I rode down after you,’’ Cheyenne said calmly as he set her down and tried to untie her. ‘‘Be still, or I’ll leave you bound.’’
Jamie straightened, offering her hands before his blade. ‘‘Don’t expect me to be grateful. It’s not one of my traits.’’
‘‘I imagine I’ll come to regret what I did.’’ Cheyenne smiled. ‘‘Sooner or later.’’ His knife sliced through the ropes.
She looked at him then, truly looked at him, for the first time. A portion of her anger passed as the realization of what he’d done sank into her frightened brain. ‘‘Thank you,’’ she said. ‘‘No one else would have risked his life for me like you did.’’ Jamie offered her hand.
Cheyenne closed his grip around her fingers and held tightly as he pulled her a step closer. ‘‘You’d have done the same for me,’’ he mumbled, but his eyes seemed to say so much more. His thumb moved across the back of her hand in almost a caress.
‘‘I tried to reach you, Jamie,’’ Wyatt interrupted. ‘‘In fact, when I rode away from you, you were safer because everyone was shooting at me. I’m probably the reason Cheyenne didn’t get hit when he rode in.’’
Jamie glanced in Wyatt’s direction without turning loose of Cheyenne’s hand. ‘‘Then I guess I should thank you, too.’’ Her gaze came back to Cheyenne. ‘‘You never know what someone will do until under fire.’’
She moved beneath Cheyenne’s arm, and he let her close for once. His hold was strong, but not an embrace.
‘‘You’ve got some explaining to do, Wyatt.’’ Cheyenne stared at the man. ‘‘You’re no ranger and you’re no gambler, but you’ve been trying real hard to straddle the fence. Didn’t anyone ever tell you that the man who sits the fence makes the easiest target?’’
Wyatt lowered his head, unable to stare at Cheyenne. ‘‘I was a ranger for a while, and I fancy myself a gambler.’’
‘‘But that’s not all.’’
‘‘Maybe it is.’’ Wyatt looked dissatisfied with himself. ‘‘And somehow it’s not enough. Whatever I am, whatever I do, never seems to be right, or enough to measure up.’’
He lifted his hand to touch Jamie, but lowered it before he reached her. ‘‘I sent you the note hoping you’d meet me and run away from this mess. But they got to you first.’’
A wagon rattled up to the campsite, drawing everyone’s attention and ending the conversation.
Kora jumped out and ran toward them. ‘‘Jamie! Are you all right?’’
Jamie pulled away from Cheyenne. ‘‘Sure. No problem now. You missed all the excitement.’’
‘‘We heard your scream, and Logan went to look for you,’’ Kora announced as she hugged her sister. ‘‘Some men hit Logan in the back of the head and rode off with you before I could stop them. Rae was very upset, even trying to get men to follow.’’
‘‘I’m fine now thanks to Cheyenne… and Wyatt,’’ Jamie added. ‘‘How’s Logan?’’
‘‘Rae’s looking after him. He’s hurting, but we got him back to Rae’s place and doctored up. He told me to ride along the south border and I’d find help. I was so frightened. I pushed the team as hard as I could with Dan asleep in the back.’’
Win climbed over the cluster of six-foot-high rocks and slid down the incline to the camp. He was issuing orders as he approached, but when he saw Kora, he froze. Slowly he straightened and faced her directly as though forgetting all else. ‘‘What are you doing here?’’ His voice was low. ‘‘And why did you bring Dan?’’
‘‘I was worried about Jamie,’’ she answered, no longer bothered by his gruffness. ‘‘There was no time to get Dan out of the wagon. He’s sleeping like a baby. I couldn’t leave him with Rae. She had her hands full with Logan.’’
‘‘Jamie’s out of harm’s way, for the moment.’’ He seemed to be fighting to keep his voice calm. ‘‘Take her back to the house and wait this out there.’’ He started moving toward the wagon. ‘‘Is Logan hurt bad?’’
‘‘No, just a headache and a two-inch cut. He’ll be fine.’’
Kora followed, but didn’t step forward when he offered to help her onto the seat. ‘‘Are you coming back?’’ She touched Win’s sleeve gently as she always did.
‘‘No. I’ve work to do here,’’ he answered, looking irritated that she wasn’t already on her way but not pulling his arm away. ‘‘But you’ll be safe back at the house.’’
Kora took a step backward. ‘‘If you’re not going, I’m staying.’’
Everyone in the campsite was silent, not even breathing as they waited for Winter’s reaction.
Win knew he could reach down and lift her into the wagon. Or he could raise his voice and frighten her with his anger. If it had been Jamie, he’d already be yelling at her.
But Kora didn’t even look afraid. He didn’t know whether to be proud of himself for being so convincing that he’d never hurt her or proud of her for being so brave.
She raised her hand and gently laid it over his heart.
‘‘I’m a rancher’s wife. I belong here.’’ Her words were only a whisper.
‘‘But we may be here all night,’’ Win began. He’d just offered his entire ranch for her safety; he couldn’t hurt her by arguing now. And no matter how much he wanted her safe, he wasn’t sure he could turn her away.
‘‘It doesn’t matter,’’ she answered. ‘‘I’ll stay with you.’’
Leaning, Win propped his rifle against the wagon wheel. Then, without a word, he unbuckled his gunbelt.
No one moved. Jamie started to move toward her sister, but Cheyenne’s hand on her shoulder stopped her.
Win knelt on one knee and wrapped the belt around Kora’s waist. ‘‘If you’re staying, you may need this.’’
Everyone in the site let out a breath at the same time.
Win adjusted the gunbelt. ‘‘Promise me you’ll follow orders. There may not be time to talk things over.’’
Kora nodded. ‘‘What can I do?’’
He stood beside her and pointed toward a cluster of cottonwoods. ‘‘You could use the wagon and bring as much wood up as you can. By dark I’d like several fires going just back from the rim. With enough wood at each to keep it burning all night.’’
Win reached for his rifle. When he rose, he met Kora’s eyes. For a moment all the trouble didn’t seem so bad. All he’d asked for was a woman to marry him so he wouldn’t lose the house, and he’d gotten all he’d ever imagined a woman could be in the bargain. She’d even said she loved him once, and if she never said it again, once was enough.
Kora climbed into the wagon as men within hearing distance tried to act as if they hadn’t been listening. ‘‘I’ll
