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It was nice to see a softer side to her. Apparently there was more to her than met the eye, although what met his eye was rather appealing. In fact, the sight was almost mesmerizing.
But Tom couldn’t very well continue to gaze at her like an awestruck kid with a crush on the schoolmarm. What if she caught him doing it?
The last thing in the world he needed to do was to let down his guard with a woman as outspoken as Katie O’Malley, no matter how pretty she was, no matter how softhearted she might appear to be.
He’d seen the feisty side of her. And right now, he had enough trouble on his hands.
For a moment, his resolve waffled. If circumstances were different, if he were just passing through, he might have said or done something stupid. But he had a job to do, a child to protect. And there was another issue he couldn’t ignore.
Katie O’Malley was also white.
And Tom McCain wasn’t.
That might not make a difference to people like Hannah and Trapper Jack, but there were others who’d object. Others who’d made it more than clear that Tom wasn’t to step foot on their ranch.
Tom had been about nine years old when he’d gone to the Lazy G to deliver a pair of moccasins his mother had made for Caroline. The girl hadn’t been home because she’d gone into town with the housekeeper, but Randolph Haney, Harrison’s friend and solicitor, had been there.
He’d responded to Tom’s request to speak to Caroline with a shove that had knocked him to the ground.
“She doesn’t need anything from the filthy likes of you. Get out of here. And don’t ever come back.” Then, for good measure, Haney had kicked him while he was down, splitting his head open with the toe of his boot.
Tom still bore a scar from the attack, a reminder to keep his distance from the Lazy G, which he’d made a point of doing. But nearly a year later, at the urging of his mother, he’d gone back with her one cold, rainy afternoon.
Haney had answered the door that day, too. His mother had begged him to let her talk to Harrison. Haney had left them outside and gone into the house. A few minutes later, when he returned, he’d pulled his gun and ordered her off the property.
And take your whelp with you.
It had been a hard lesson, a painful one—because Tom’s mother had died several days later.
That was why Trapper had objected to Tom taking the job to find Caroline in the first place. But there were some things a boy didn’t forget, some promises meant to be kept.
So after taking Sarah Jane back to the Lazy G, assuming Tom was convinced that she’d be treated as a rightful heir, he’d leave Stillwater for good. He had no need for Randolph Haney or Harrison Graves.
He didn’t need Miss O’Malley, either—except for the next few days. After that, when he got to Hannah’s place, he’d ask Trapper to escort the troublesome redhead back to Pleasant Valley. Then he’d be done with her for once and for all.
Yet he continued to watch her until she glanced up and spotted him. As their eyes met, their gazes locked.
He knew how she felt about women’s equality. But how did she feel about equality for all people, even those with darker skin?
He supposed it really didn’t matter.
Either way, he couldn’t let her think that he was fawning over her. So he’d better put some distance between them. They might have to share a seat on the same wagon, but there were other ways to create distance. One way would be to let her know who was boss.
“It’s time to eat,” he said. “There are some supplies in the wooden box under the seat of the wagon, but Rose packed a basket of food for us to eat this evening. That’s probably going to be the easiest and best-tasting meal we’ll have for the next few days. So when you’re finished with whatever you’re doing here, you can start setting it out.”
Miss O’Malley pondered his request for a moment, then she straightened, crossed her arms and tossed him a pretty smile. “I’ll be a while yet. So if you’re hungry, then maybe you ought to do it yourself.”
It’s not as if Tom had never set up camp before or fixed supper for himself and Trapper. But he wasn’t about to let the schoolmarm order him around as though he were one of her students, and she may as well get that straight.
Of course, he wasn’t about to have a showdown in front of the child.
“Sarah Jane,” he said, reaching into his shirt pocket and withdrawing a small paper bag. “Go see about Erin and, if she’s awake, offer her one of these. You can have some, too.”
Without the least bit of reluctance, Sarah Jane pulled free of the woman’s grip on her shoulders and approached Tom with an outstretched hand.
When she reached him, he handed her the bag. She peeked inside before heading back to the campsite.
“What did you give her?” the schoolmarm asked.
“Lemon drops.”
When Sarah Jane was out of earshot, Tom crossed his own arms. “It seems that neither of us likes taking orders, but let’s get one thing straight. I’ll be making all the decisions on this trip. You’ll do what I say—and when I say it.”
“I don’t mind yielding to you because of your experience and know-how, but I’m not going to take orders blindly, just because you’re a man and I’m a woman.”
“Like I said, you’ll do as I say. And you won’t question my reasons or motives. That means you’ll handle the meals.”
“Apparently you didn’t hear me.” The petite redhead stood firm. “I’ll return to camp when I’m good and ready. And if you have a job for me to do, you’ll ask me to do it, rather than tell me. You’ll also use words like ‘please’ and ‘thank you.’”
“Listen here, Miss O’Malley. You’re not in charge. I am. And you’re lucky I don’t throw you on the back of that nag you call a horse, turn it around and slap its rump to send you back to town in a dead run.”
“Are you trying to intimidate me?” she asked, her voice coming out a bit wobbly.
“Do you scare easily?” he asked.
“No, I don’t.”
He flashed a taunting smile. “I suppose you’re too smart to be afraid.”
“I’m bright,” she admitted, “and better educated than most—male or female.”
“That might be true, but driving a wagon and crossing rugged territory takes more knowledge than you can find in a book. It takes common sense, instinct and courage—things you can’t learn in school.”
“What I lack in experience, I make up for in determination.”
“A determined fool won’t last a day on the trail.”
She clenched her fists at her side. “I’m no fool, and I have far more courage than you think.”
While he’d like to believe her, especially when he wasn’t sure what they might face down the road, he couldn’t help thinking of her as a young, trigger-happy cowboy out to prove himself. But he doubted arguing with her would get either of them anywhere.
“I guess that’s left to be seen,” Tom said. “Now let’s get out of here.”
“All right.”
Yet neither of them made a move.
“What are you waiting for?” she asked.
“For you to go first.”
When she didn’t move, he said, “Listen, Miss O’Malley, I can be your ally or your enemy. It’s your choice.”
“I choose my friends wisely, Mr. McCain.” She flashed an insincere smile then headed up the incline toward the wagon, passing him as she went and leaving a scent of lilac lingering in the air.
Tom raked a hand through his hair. He was going to need help with Erin and Sarah Jane over the next couple of days. And right now, the only human he had to rely on was a troublesome redhead who, given time, could surely provoke a gentle and pious preacher to spit and cuss.
Over the years, Tom had learned to trust God to see him through every difficult situation he had to face. The first time he’d called out to his father’s God—he’d been a ten-year-old half-breed, cold, hungry and alone in a hostile white world.
Not ten minutes later, Trapper Jack had come along to change all that and to take him to live with Hannah McCain. She’d not only loved and cared for him, she’d shared her faith, and before long, Tom had become a believer himself.
Last night, Tom had prayed for guidance and help in protecting Sarah Jane and finding her a loving home. He knew God would answer that prayer. He surely did.
Trouble was, he feared that this time, instead of blessing him with a woman like Hannah, God had seen fit to punish him with Katie O’Malley.
Chapter Four
The next morning, as dawn broke over the eastern hills, Katie woke up stiff and sore. She’d no more than grimaced and tried to stretch out on the quilt-lined wagon bottom when she heard the sound and caught a whiff of coffee percolating on an open flame.
Apparently Mr. McCain had realized he shouldn’t order her to cook all their meals. If so, why hadn’t he backed down the day before? It would have saved them both some unnecessary trouble and anger.
Maybe he’d decided it was time for a truce. After all, they were stuck with each other for the next couple of days. Bickering wasn’t going to do them any good. And it certainly wouldn’t help Sarah Jane feel safe.
After biting back a groan, Katie rolled to her side and carefully climbed from the wagon, trying not to disturb the other woman and the child, both of whom still slept soundly. Then she made her way to the small campfire, where McCain sat upon a large rock, studying the flickering flame.
He hadn’t shaved, and in the morning light, he appeared more rugged, more manly and even more handsome—dangerously so.
She lowered her sleep-hoarsened voice. “Good morning.”
He glanced up for a moment, then gave her a cursory nod. “’Morning.”
She bit down on her lower lip, unsure of how to broach an apology, then swallowed her pride and pressed on. “I’m sorry for being disagreeable yesterday. I’m afraid we both started off on the wrong foot, and I’d like to make amends. We have a common goal, and I think being at odds isn’t going to help matters.”
He seemed to ponder her words, then said, “You’re right.”
She let out the breath she’d been holding. “I think it’s best if you call me Katie from now on. Miss O’Malley is too formal for this type of trip. Besides, if we’re supposed to be traveling as—” she didn’t dare say husband and wife “—as a family, then it’s more believable, don’t you think?”
Silence swirled around them like the steam from the coffee in his tin cup.
Finally she asked, “May I call you by your given name, as well?”
He reached into the wooden box that rested next to him and pulled out a second tin cup. “My name’s Tom.”
Another step in the right direction.
“I may not be one to take orders,” she added. “But you’ll find that I’m not afraid of hard work.”
He filled the second cup with coffee. “I saw you tending Sarah Jane and Erin.”
She waited for him to continue, for him to utter some kind of compliment or recognition of all she’d done to assist Erin yesterday and through the night by wiping the dust and perspiration from her brow, feeding her and changing the chamber pot.
When no other words followed, she supposed that was all he was going to grant her. She’d just have to be happy with that.
He handed the coffee to her, and she took the tin cup from him, being careful not to burn herself.
“Where do you plan to take Sarah Jane and Erin?” she asked.
“To stay with a woman named Hannah.”
“Who is she?”
“A friend.” A slow smile broke across his face, reaching his eyes and softening his expression. “She’s a good woman, the finest one you’ll ever meet. Sarah Jane and Erin will be safe there—and well cared for.”
Katie’s heart tumbled in her chest, although she wasn’t sure why. Surprised by Tom’s obvious respect and affection for the woman, she supposed. And curiosity, too.
Was he courting Hannah? Or was she merely a friend, as he’d said?
Katie took a sip of the hot, bitter coffee and bit back a grimace, wishing she had some cream and sugar to temper the taste. Yet she knew better than to voice a complaint. Instead, she relished the warmth it provided in the crisp morning hour as dawn broke over their campsite and accepted it as the first sign of their truce.
“How will Hannah feel about you bringing a couple of women with you and asking her to keep us until you return?” Katie asked.
“She’s used to me bringing home strays.”
Katie didn’t like being referred to as a stray, and that’s certainly what Tom had implied. She hadn’t led the same kind of life that Erin had, although smudged in dirt and covered in trail dust, they all seemed to be the same—except for the bumps and bruises Erin still bore.
Katie had half a notion to give Tom a piece of her mind for implying otherwise, but she wasn’t about to hurt Erin’s feelings, should she be awake and listening. Nor did she want their fragile truce to suffer a setback. So she kept her thoughts to herself.
Still, she didn’t want to be a burden to a woman she’d never met, although she wouldn’t mind a bit if Hannah got angry at Tom for bringing her a wagonload of trouble.
* * *
By the third day, the wind and sun had chapped and burned Katie’s lips and cheeks. Sitting on the hard wooden slats had given her a backache and a crick in her neck, but she hadn’t uttered a single complaint. The journey hadn’t been easy on any of them, especially Erin, even though she’d managed to sleep through most of it, thanks to the medication Dr. Hennessy had told them to give her.
An hour ago, they’d stopped long enough to eat hardtack, stale bread and apples for the noon meal, then they’d started out once again.
“How much farther until we reach Hannah’s place?” Katie asked Tom.
“Late this afternoon or early evening.”
Katie could hardly wait to be out of the wagon for good. She wondered if Tom was as eager to get there as she was. Most likely. He clearly cared about Hannah and undoubtedly missed her.
Again, she found herself curious about their relationship.
“I suppose Hannah will be happy to see you,” she said.
As Tom flicked the reins along the backside of the team, the wagon swayed, causing his arm to brush against hers again, a warm touch she’d grown used to, an intimacy she’d actually found rather nice and comforting.
“Hannah will welcome me with open arms,” he said.
