Chapter Eight
“We’re not taking a stagecoach?” Charlie asked when their packed horses headed for the nearby woods instead of the stagecoach stop.
“I considered it but thought for sure that someone would recognize you as a woman. Besides, we can get to Cheyenne faster by taking shortcuts.”
Charlie shivered. Delia’s words rang in her ears, despite Sean’s assurance. Now, here she was, trotting through a path in the dark woods with someone Delia had implied was a womanizer. He led, and she rode behind him.
After about an hour, Jesse stopped and dismounted.
Charlie tensed—why were they stopping in the woods? She was reluctant to get down from her horse, but Jesse came to take her hand.
“C’mon—we need to water the horses. There’s a stream up ahead.”
As soon as her feet were on the ground, she pulled her hand from his. “How do you know there’s water here?”
“I’ve been this way many times. Next time we stop, we’ll have lunch. The horses need an occasional rest.”
Sure enough, just a few feet away, she saw the brook.
The horses drank while Jesse checked his supplies. “Since I didn’t tell you we weren’t taking the stage, I grabbed an extra bedroll.” He must have noticed her eyes widen, because he continued, “Don’t worry—I’ve been traveling like this for ten years.”
When they stopped for lunch, Jesse spread a tablecloth on the grass, opened the packages of food, and fixed them each a tin plate of food. “Tonight I’ll try to shoot us something so we can eat a hot supper.”
Charlie nodded.
“What’s wrong, Charlie? You haven't been your usual bubbly self. Are you not feeling well?”
“It’s nothing.” Charlie took a bite of her sandwich and wrapped it back up. “I’m not hungry.”
Jesse stared at her for several moments. “You heard about Delia’s visit the other night and Roy’s accusations, haven’t you?”
Charlie shrugged. “No, but—”
“But what?”
“It’s nothing,” she said.
“I’ll tell you exactly what happened: Delia stopped over and threw herself into my arms just as Roy Barkley came bursting in. He demanded that I propose or he’d take me to court.” Jesse put his sandwich down as well. “I swear that’s what happened. This is an old trick desperate women used to hook men before taking them to the altar. I’m not marrying Delia, and I did nothing wrong.”
“Roy Barkley? I don’t get the connection.”
“Roy’s wife, Gwen, is Delia’s sister. I didn’t know that until last night. The night I met Delia, I was sitting with Roy, Sean, and Mac, and Roy never let on that he knew Delia. This was all a planned trap.”
Charlie believed him, but she had a few questions. “Why would she have picked you?”
“Sean had your sister arriving, Mac is married, so that left me. I’m sure Roy told her I had property… and money, too.”
“Do you have a lot of money?”
“They must think I do. I made good money as a bounty hunter, and I rarely spent any of it, so I’m not rich, but I am financially secure.”
Charlie smiled for the first time that day. “So, that’s why Delia called on me yesterday.” She shook her head and smiled. “Sean told me that none of it was true, and he vouched for you, but some of the things Delia said were hard to dismiss.”
Jesse started to pack up the lunch.
“Wait!” Charlie said. “I think I’ll have that sandwich now.”
Jesse handed her the sandwich. “I’m glad you’ve regained your appetite. Now, tell me what lies Delia told about me.”
Between bites she said, “Um... that you and she had... um... you know.” Then, she added, “That you’ve done the same with other saloon women. I think she was warning me against traveling with you. Sean talked some sense into me, though.”
That made Jesse smile. “That’s an enormous compliment because Sean and I have only been friends for a year and a half. I met him at a horse show in Sterling’s Mill. When we returned to Sunset Creek, he invited me to his monthly night out with his two friends, Roy and Mac. Sean and Mac ran ranches, so it was hard to get together more than that. I liked both Roy and Mac, and I had no clue what Roy was planning or for how long he’d planned it. He and I have a score to settle when I get back.”
Charlie smiled at him. “I’m ready,” she said as she helped him pack up the lunch. “How do you know where we’ll stop for supper?”
He pulled a pocket watch from his pants pocket. “I’d say we'll have reached Pike's Stream about the time the sun sets, and we’ll bed down there for the night. It’s a suitable spot. I’ll try to shoot us something hot to eat, but if I don’t we still have beans and biscuits.”
They mounted their horses and continued traveling.
Once they’d set up camp at Pike’s Stream, Jesse took his shotgun and headed for the nearby woods. Meanwhile, Charlie spread out the bedrolls and gathered wood for their fire. She put the fire pit between the two bedrolls. She trusted Jesse but thought it best to be proper and cautious.
Charlie jumped when she heard a gunshot, but then she smiled—they’d have a hot dinner. She took the flint that Jesse had given her, lit the fire, and had it going fairly well when
