Her head lifted up and down. “I’ll be fine.” She tried to make her voice sound brave.
Seth stood looking at her. He took a step closer and lifted her hand in his. “I’ll only be gone two hours.” He pressed her hand to his lips. “You’re very lovely, you know.” He whispered, almost to himself. He released her hand and turned to go.
Ruby could feel tingling in her hand where he’d kissed it. Something made her feel warm inside, a strange heat that seeped through her. There had been boys at school who’d told her she was beautiful, but something about the way Seth had said she was lovely, ran more truthful than anything she’d ever heard before.
She followed him to the door and watched as he tied a horse behind the wagon and then got on the buckboard seat, clicked the reins and led the horses away from the house.
After she could no longer see the wagon, Ruby turned back inside. She went into the bedroom and checked on Timmy. He was still sleeping, so she began to look around the house. There were very few of Seth’s personal items anywhere in the bedroom and the small room off the back was locked. She assumed Seth had stored his personal items in there. She could understand his need for privacy. She on the other hand owned nothing of importance.
Her eyes lit on the traveling bag and she cringed just thinking about the dresses. There was nothing she could do with them except cut them up and perhaps use some of the material for other things. Even that was doubtful, with the adamant way Seth had refused her remaking them. Just the sight of the material might make his anger flare.
Once she’d explored every inch of the room, she stepped across the breezeway and into the kitchen. The small room at the back of the kitchen wasn’t locked. Inside she found shelves with a few cooking supplies on them. The kitchen boasted a wall with baskets and iron skillets hanging on it, a small black oven, a table with two chairs and a corner shelf with some plain looking plates and cups. Upon closer inspection, she found a lovely tea cup and saucer on the shelf over the hearth. She had noticed an identical shelf in her bedroom. Beside this hearth were two comfortable chairs set facing one another. She tried to imagine herself and Seth in the evenings, sitting there together.
Once she’d familiarized herself with everything in the house, she moved to the back of the breezeway. She stood there, holding a hand over her eyes, to block out the sunlight. Behind the house was a hen coop and several chickens in the yard. Set behind the house was a barn. She assumed that was where Seth kept his horse. There would be time to explore the barn another day, but she hoped there was a milk cow. There were so many things she could cook with fresh milk and she would need it for Timmy’s bottles.
As she turned a gentle breeze blew through the passageway between the two buildings. She stopped moving and just stood enjoying the air. It was a dry sort of breeze; unlike anything she’d ever experienced. When Timmy woke up, perhaps she could take him on a long walk and pick a few bluebonnets along the way. But then she thought she might wait until Seth gave her instructions as to where she could go safely with Timmy.
Just then, she heard the sound of hoof beats drawing closer. She moved to the front of the house to see who it was. It didn’t seem likely Seth could have gotten all the way to town and back in such a short time.
At first all she could see was a small dust cloud. But, when it finally cleared, Ruby gasped as she saw three riders heading straight towards her.
***
Seth dropped the wagon off at the blacksmith and walked his own horse into town. First, he would stop at the jailhouse and check on the Carter brothers, get some food to hold them over until the next day. By tomorrow they’d be ready to head back to their small ranch.
Seth’s mind was on the trading post. It would be interesting to shop using someone else’s list. Most of the items on the list he’d never bought in his life, so he was sure to get some strange looks by Tom Boyd. His reverie was interrupted by a voice calling, “Yoo-hoo, yoo-hoo.”
Seth turned at the sound and watched as a flustered Abigail Crane came rushing towards him. “Sheriff, sheriff, just a moment please!”
Seth cringed at the sound of her nasal voice.
“Yes, Ma’am?”
She stopped in front of him, took a breath and placed her hands on her hips. “Sheriff, I spoke with my husband and he assured me he has nothing to do with the saloon.”
Seth blew out an exasperated breath. “I’m sure he did, Ma’am. If you’ll excuse me, I have some business at the jailhouse.” He tried to step around her, but she moved in front of him and blocked his progress.
“That’s just what I wanted to talk to you about. You know, those jail cells are old and a child could get locked in them when you aren’t around.”
He glanced at her with disbelief in his eyes. “I don’t foresee that as a problem.”
“You don’t, do you. Well, that’s just what happened today, isn’t it?”
Seth titled his head. “What exactly are you talking about, Mrs. Crane?” He lifted his cowboy hat and wiped at the sweat forming on his brow. It was getting late and he hated to leave Ruby alone so long on her first day at the house.
The woman pulled a hand crocheted shawl closer to herself with a harrumph. “Those men who got locked
