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Whip felt like snarling right back.
Sha
Sudden, heavy rain drenched the clearing, dousing all the colors of sunset. Within moments cold water was dripping from Whip’s dark Stetson and beading up on the heavy wool of his jacket.
Sha
«Be sensible,» Whip said, forcing his voice to be even.
«I am. You’re the one who’s been puffing on the dream-pipe.»
«Murphy has been cheating you for years,» Whip said, ignoring Sha
Sha
Whip just kept talking. «You don’t need to worry about being obligated to me for bringing the supplies, either. I was going to check out the Avalanche Creek gold fields and your cabin was on the way.»
«That’s a nice story,» Sha
Whip’s hold on his temper slipped as the cold rain lashed one side of his face and the truth lashed the other.
«I’m not like the others,» Whip said through his teeth.
«Do tell,» Sha
Whip opened his mouth, then closed it. Lying simply wasn’t his style.
«I want you,» he said flatly.
Sha
«But I’d never force you, Sha
«I’ll make that promise easy for you to keep. Mount up and ride.»
«Listen,» Whip began.
«No, you listen,» Sha
«It’s not just that,» Whip said angrily.
«Oh? Does that mean you’re offering marriage along with the rutting?»
The look on Whip’s face told Sha
«That’s what I thought,» she said. «Thank you, but no thank you. I’ve got everything I need until Silent John gets back.»
«What if he never gets back? Damn it, what if he’s dead? What then?»
Sha
And undermined her.
Don’t argue with him, Sha
«You earned the name Whip,» Sha
To Sha
Lightning split the rainy twilight, turning the world to burning silver. Thunder followed instantly, loud enough to drown out all other sounds. Rain came down harder and then harder still, a torrent fit to put out the fires of hell.
Though Whip was only twelve feet away, Sha
When lightning came again, the clearing was empty.
Whip was gone.
Sha
And she knew exactly what he wanted.
The Culpeppers had made what men wanted savagely clear to Sha
The thought of it made her stomach clench, sending bile into her throat.
Maybe Whip wouldn’t ask that of me. Maybe he did just want to help and wouldn’t have asked for anything more than thanks and a home-cooked meal.
Then Sha
Whip wants me, all right. Just like the Culpeppers want me.
Sha
And children. Sweet-faced little bits of humanity to sing to and cuddle and love.
Prettyface whined and set his teeth gently around Sha
Stop dreaming, Sha
And she got me. I loved her, but all she loved was laudanum.
Cherokee is right. Love is a fairy tale spun to keep women from setting off on their own and leaving men to take care of themselves.
Slowly Sha
3
When Sha
Prettyface made a low sound in his throat and nudged Sha
«Brrrrrr,» she muttered. «Your nose is as cold as the floor will be.»
But Sha
Not that her great-uncle had ever been much company. He had fully earned the nickname «Silent John.» But Sha
In the Colorado Territory, Sha
In Virginia, she had been little more than a slave.
«Good morning, my beautiful monster,» Sha
At the words «hot spring,» Prettyface’s ears came up. He cocked his head, whined, and looked toward the back of the cabin, where a cupboard door opened onto a narrow tu
Silent John had used the healing waters when his arthritis bothered him too much. Sha
And during Sha
Thank the Lord for the hot spring. Otherwise I might get as dirty as Murphy or those Culpeppers.