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Sam didn’t seem too concerned as he rode with Lilly and Daisy. If anything the man had been angrier to find him with Daisy than relieved that the little girl was all right.
Jacob told himself that it was none of his business. His business was to work on the ranch while searching for his birth mother to find out why she abandoned him when he was ten years old. He might need to remind himself of that fact quite often if things were as off-kilter on the Johnson ranch as they seemed.
He thought about the little girl’s caramel-brown eyes. They looked nothing like Lilly’s pretty blue ones. Lilly had said they were sisters but other than hair color, they didn’t look much like they were related. He shook his head, reminding himself once more to mind his own business. He had his own family problems to deal with and didn’t need to add another family’s to his.
Still, Daisy reminded him of his adoptive sister, Joy, and he’d fight to the death to protect Joy. And deep down, Jacob knew he’d watch over Daisy in the future, too. How could he not?
* * *
Lilly’s insides quaked. Daisy had been so close to being killed. If the Pony Express man hadn’t shown up, she hated to think what would have happened.
Jacob Young had said he was the new stock tender. The last one had been an older man and had been nice enough but she really hadn’t paid him much mind. Come to think of it, she’d seen the Pony Express riders exchange horses by the barn and then continue on. She’d really not paid much attention to them, either—her first order of business had been to take care of Daisy and the household along with any ranch business or financial things that Sam brought to her attention.
If she was honest with herself, she’d stayed away from the men because she didn’t want their attention. The last thing she needed was to fall for a man who was only interested in her family ranch—a ranch that belonged to both her and Daisy.
Her father’s last wife and Daisy’s mother, Gertrude, had taught her that people weren’t always who they first presented themselves to be, especially if they thought you had land or money. Gertrude had treated her like a servant when her father was out of the house or away on business, but was sweet when he was present. Her stepmother had told Lilly many times that should her father die, Lilly would be on the first stagecoach to a boarding school. If Gertrude hadn’t died first giving birth to Daisy and leaving Lilly without a stepmother and her father without a wife, Lilly would be in a boarding school now or working someplace far from her beloved ranch.
Looking back she probably should have told her father about Gertrude’s true nature, but her love for him had stilled Lilly’s tongue. He’d often told her he’d married Gertrude so that she could be a mother to her. Lilly shivered, as her stepmother had been anything but a true mother.
After lunch, as Lilly made her way across the yard and to the barn, she wondered how Daisy had gotten out in the ravine. The little girl’s feet hadn’t been scuffed up like they should have been if she’d walked barefoot all the way out there. She didn’t want to think about it but Lilly felt sure someone had taken the girl from her bed and carried her off. But why leave her in the canyon?
“You are deep in thought.”
Lilly stopped several inches away from Jacob Young. What he’d said was true. She’d been so deep in thought that if he hadn’t spoken, she would have run into him. “I was.”
He stepped out of the barn door. “I’m sorry to have disturbed you.” Jacob pulled one of the Pony Express horses out of the barn with him.
“No, I’m the one who is sorry. I snapped and it wasn’t because I’m irritated with you. If anything, I’m very grateful to you.” She offered him a smile that she hoped he’d recognize as a peace offering.
Jacob looked back at her and returned her smile. “No harm done.” He walked the horse several feet away from her.
The sound of a bugle blared through the air. A few seconds later, Lilly made out the Pony Express rider and his horse. In less than five minutes, the rider had exchanged horses and was back on the trail.
Jacob pulled the tired horse back into the barn. He passed Lilly and led the horse into one of the many stalls. He closed the door behind the animal while staying in the stall. “If you want to share your thoughts, I’m a pretty good listener.”
Lilly walked to her mare’s stall. “I was just thinking about Daisy and how she got into the canyon this morning.” She pulled a saddle blanket off the nail on the wall and spread it out over the horse’s back.
“I’ve been thinking about that, too.” Jacob took the saddle off the horse while he talked. “Has she ever walked in her sleep?”
“No, she’s a heavy sleeper but she’s never walked in her sleep,” Lilly answered as she tightened the cinch under her horse’s belly. She stood. “And even if she had walked that long way, her feet would have been cut up from the rocks and plants along the way.”
“And I take it they weren’t?” He leaned against the stall door.
Lilly shook her head. “No, they were dirty but not hurt in any way, which I’m grateful for. Normally Daisy sleeps until I wake her after my morning ride. Only this morning, something led me to go check on her before I left.” She sighed and leaned her forehead against her horse’s neck. “I’m so glad I did.” Lilly straightened and looked at him.
They stood staring at each other for several long minutes, both deep in thought. Who would want to hurt her little sister? Lilly didn’t want to suspect any of her men of trying to harm Daisy, but she felt a chill travel down her spine. Suddenly she reconsidered taking her daily ride.
Suspicions gnawed at her. Had someone taken Daisy while she’d been saddling her horse for a ride? Everyone on the ranch knew her routine. Or had they crept in earlier while she’d slept in the next room? Goose bumps formed on her arms at the scary thoughts.
She began to unsaddle the horse. “Sorry ol’ gal, I can’t risk leaving Daisy alone.”
Jacob walked over to her. “I can take her out for you, if you’d like.”
Lilly looked at him. What did she know about him? That Mr. Roberts had said he was coming to be the stock tender and that he’d saved Daisy this morning. “Thank you, but no. Maybe I’ll take her out later today.” She patted the mare’s nose.
He nodded and stepped around her. Jacob pulled the saddle from the little mare’s back and said, “You know, I believe Daisy when she says she didn’t walk out there on her own.”
Lilly nodded. “So do I.” She sighed as she put the saddle blanket away.
He returned to the Pony Express horse and began brushing it down. Lilly walked to the barn door and stepped out into the sunlight. What was she going to do?
Lilly entered the house and checked on Daisy again. After lunch, the morning’s activities had caught up with Daisy, so Lilly had put her down for a nap.
The little girl slept on her side, curled into a ball. Her blond hair spilled over the pillow, her little lips slipped up into a smile as she dreamed. Lilly’s heart went out to the tiny girl. They were all that was left of the Johnson family. Lilly couldn’t lose Daisy, too, and would protect her with all she had. But would it be enough? What did she need to do to ensure the child’s safety?
Lilly walked over to the all-wood window that was partially open to let in fresh air. It might be uncomfortable for Daisy but Lilly shut the opening. She looked around the room for something to stop the window from being opened. Finding nothing she went to the wood box in the kitchen. Judging a piece of kindling to be about the right length, she returned to Daisy’s room and placed the stick between the bottom lip of the window and the top of the window casing. She pushed against the wood and shook it. The piece of kindling held firm. There. That should stop intruders with evil intent.
She chewed her lower lip. Fear threatened her peace. Lilly knew she had to get to the bottom of this or Daisy would never be allowed out of her sight.
The Johnsons had never locked their doors before. But now, well, she couldn’t take the chance that someone would slip in and steal Daisy again. Lilly vowed she would keep Daisy safe at all cost.
Chapter Two (#ulink_35548c63-5d81-5307-b2b9-0b4dcaad3988)
Jacob mucked out the stall and leaned on his pitchfork. He didn’t like where his thoughts had been all morning but he couldn’t shake his gut feeling. Daisy and maybe even Lilly were in danger.
His gaze moved to the fifteen-year-old boy who took care of the Johnson horses. Upon his arrival, the young man had shown him where everything was and even his room off to the side of the barn. Jacob called to him now. “Caleb?”
“Yeah.”
“How many men work this ranch?” Jacob continued working as if the question were of no importance.
“Well, let’s see. There’s Sam, he’s the foreman. Then there is Cook, Edward, Asher, Lewis and myself. We’re the regular hands. During the cattle drive, Sam hires others. Usually drifters.” Caleb sat with a saddle in front of him. As he talked he rubbed oil into the leather.
“So six,” Jacob muttered.
“Yep, six.” Caleb shook his head. His black bangs fell into his eyes as he picked up a bridle and began to work oil into the thick leather. “How do you like the tack room?”
Jacob stopped and wiped sweat from his brow. “It’s not as nice as the one we have at home but it’s livable.”
Caleb laughed. “Yep, that’s what ol’ Ike used to say.” He deepened his voice. “It’s livable.”
Jacob thought about the tack room. It was a spacious room and the front part nearest the stalls was used for saddles, bridles and all other manner of things needed to work the farm. His portion of the room had a small woodstove, a bed, an end table and a tall chest of drawers with a cracked mirror and washbasin resting on top. Jacob decided that the next trip to town he’d buy a couple of blankets, some rope and maybe a pillow.
Going through the chest of drawers he noted that the previous stock tender had used the top two drawers for sugar, coffee, salt and several other cooking items. He didn’t look forward to cooking his own meals, especially in a room with little air flow. He felt his stomach protest not having eaten since the night before.
“Cook said to tell you, if you’d like to have meals over at the bunkhouse, he’ll set a plate for you,” Caleb said as if reading his mind, or possibly because his stomach rumbled.
Jacob grinned. “That’s right nice of him.”
Caleb nodded. “Cook is nice enough. Just don’t be getting into his sweet cakes. He doesn’t share those.”
A soft laugh sounded from the doorway. “No, he doesn’t share those,” Lilly said as she entered.
Daisy danced into the room behind her. She wore a light blue dress with what looked like cowboy boots meant for a boy. From the looks of the footwear, she’d not had them long. “Look, Caleb. Lilly let me wear my boots today. We’re going riding,” she said, holding her foot up for Caleb to see.
“That’s wonderful, little Miss Daisy,” Caleb answered. He stood and walked toward the tack room. “I’ll get your saddle for you, Miss Lilly.”
“Thank you, Caleb,” Lilly called after the boy. She pulled her saddle blanket from the wall and walked to her horse’s stall.
Daisy looked shyly at Jacob. “I get to ride with Lilly today.”
Jacob leaned on his pitchfork and smiled at the little girl. Her hair was done in pigtails. “I heard. That’s exciting.”
“It is. We are going to check the fences. That’s important work. Huh, Lilly?”
“Yes, it is,” Lilly answered. She rubbed the horse’s nose.
“Want to come?” Daisy asked Jacob.
He looked to Lilly and she shrugged.
“That would be fun. Are you sure you don’t mind if I tag along?” The thought of getting out of the stuffy barn appealed to Jacob.
Both Lilly and Daisy shook their heads.
Jacob quickly went to saddle up his own horse.
Daisy followed. “I wish I had my own horse.”
“You don’t?” Jacob asked.
“No. Lilly said that I might get one for my birthday.”
“When is your birthday?” Jacob asked, pulling the cinch under the horse’s belly.
The little girl sat down on a bale of hay. “In two months.”
Jacob nodded. “And how old will you be?”
“I will be five years old,” Daisy said, pulling straw from the bale.
She spoke very well for a four-year-old going on five. Jacob thought about his adoptive sister, Joy. She wasn’t a big talker, unlike Daisy, who was even now telling him that Lilly said this year she might have a birthday party and everything.
Jacob listened to her continued chatter as he finished up. He looked over the stall toward Lilly. The woman actually stood there smiling from ear to ear. Had she been watching to see how he’d respond to Daisy? And if so, why?
The thought that she might see him as a future husband stopped his hand as he started to lead the horse from the stall. The last thing he needed was a woman pining away for him. No matter how pretty she was or how blue her eyes, he had no intention of becoming romantically involved with her. Women couldn’t be trusted. He’d learned that when his own birth mother deserted him. Jacob shook his head—he realized he was letting his imagination get the best of him. He didn’t know Lilly, how could he think she’d see him as a future husband? Come to think of it, no one had said she didn’t already have a man.
Caleb had named off six men that worked the ranch but hadn’t mentioned a husband for Lilly. He watched as Lilly smiled at Daisy. Without having to ask, he knew Lilly was still unwed and wondered why. She was pretty enough and in most folks’ eyes should have been married a few years ago. So why wasn’t she?
“Come along, Daisy,” Lilly called to her little sister.
Daisy skipped off to join Lilly. She took Lilly’s hand and glanced over her shoulder to make sure Jacob followed. Her little pigtails bounced as she left the barn.
“She is a cute little thing, isn’t she?” Caleb said from the tack doorway.
Jacob nodded. His mind worked with questions. He pushed away the ones regarding Lilly’s marital status and focused on Daisy. Could Caleb have been the one to take the girl from her bedroom? If so, why would he do such a thing? His gut usually told him what type of person a man was when they first met. For instance, he hadn’t cared much for Sam Hawkins on sight. But he’d not had that gut reaction with regard to Caleb.
Caleb pushed away from the door and returned to his oil and leathers. “I have a sister a little older than her. I miss her a lot. Daisy is like a little sister to me and I’ll hunt down any man that is out to hurt her.” Anger filled the young man’s voice and the warning was clear. Hurt Daisy and I’ll hurt you.
No, Caleb hadn’t been the one to take the little girl from her bed. Still, Jacob would keep an eye on the boy. He stepped out of the barn just as Lilly swung up into the saddle behind Daisy.
She was still in her trousers and looking as pretty as a hummingbird on a bright sunny morning. Jacob looked away. Maybe going out on a ride with them wasn’t such a good idea. Still, his protective nature overrode any caution he might have felt at spending time with a pretty girl and her little sister.
Just don’t let your heart get in the way of your head, he mentally scolded himself as he swung up into the saddle and followed the sisters out of the yard and across the pasture.
* * *
Lilly didn’t know who she could trust. The man riding beside her and Daisy was new on the ranch and they weren’t friends, at least not yet. She’d never considered becoming friends with any of the men before, except Sam. But now, with Daisy being threatened and Jacob being the only new person on the ranch...could she trust him? Tell him what she suspected? Or should she tell Sam? After all he was her ranch manager.
Daisy pointed at a rabbit that sat on a small incline. Her joy at seeing the small animal brought a smile to Lilly’s face. She pulled her horse to a stop so the little girl could enjoy the sight.
Memories of riding with her father to check the fences flooded Lilly’s mind. Daisy would never have memories of riding with their father. He’d died when she was a year old and too young to ride out with him. Lilly still missed him. Bitter memories flooded her tired mind. According to Sam, her father had fallen from his horse while chasing a mother cow and her calf, resulting in a broken neck and immediate death.
Jacob’s horse stomped its foot, probably trying to get rid of a pesky fly, and the action pulled Lilly from her sad thoughts. She glanced his way and smiled. He’d been quiet most of the ride. They both had. Daisy talked enough for all of them.
“Lilly, can we go to the pond?” Daisy asked. The little girl tilted her face so that she could look up at Lilly.
“I suppose so,” Lilly said, pulling the horse’s reins to the right and gently kicking its sides. The horse moved toward the pond.
Jacob followed.
When they got to the water’s edge he slid from his horse’s back and let the horse drink, then helped Daisy down from Lilly’s mare. Jacob sat her down on the ground and then looked to Lilly.
She refused his hand and slid from the horse on her own. Her desire to talk to someone grew. Lilly wanted to voice her fears without worrying that they’d get back to the person who had taken Daisy.
Daisy pulled off her little stockings and boots and waded in the water.
“Don’t go too far out, Daisy,” Lilly warned. She moved a little away from her sister and sat down.
Jacob joined her. He pulled up his knees and focused on Daisy, who splashed water with her bare feet. “Can I ask a question?”
Lilly searched his face. From his expression and tone she deduced that the question was of a personal nature. “I suppose so.”
“Do you think someone is out to hurt Daisy?”
She nodded. “After this morning, what else can I think?”
Jacob turned to face her. “I know I’m new here and you don’t know me at all. I’d like to tell you a little about myself, if we have time.”
