so his horse could help himself to the abundance of grass at his feet. Laurie had already dismounted and found a branch to use for a fishing pole.
“Aren’t you hungry?” Rand called out to her.
“Sure am.” Laurie continued to work with her pole. “I just wanted to get a line out in the water to see what’s swimming by today.”
“Suit yourself.” Rand gave Marybeth a hand in stepping down from the buggy.
“What a lovely place.” She breathed in the fresh, cool air of the shady meadow. Closer to the river she spied some wildflowers but didn’t recognize what kind they were. Peace settled over her and she made up her mind to enjoy the day.
“Yep. It’s real nice here. ’Course we have fish in the streams near our ranch, but the best trout come from the Rio Grande. That’s why I like it.” He walked to the back of the rig, untied the picnic basket and pulled a blanket from beneath it. Then he searched for a good spot to lay it out.
Marybeth hurried to his side. “I’ll help you.”
“No, ma’am. You’re my guest today.” Finding a shady spot, he moved a few rocks and branches out of the way. “I’ll take care of everything.”
Nonetheless, Marybeth reached for the blanket and helped him spread it out. She started to follow him back to fetch the basket, but he stopped and gently gripped her upper arms. “You don’t mind very well, do you? Now go sit down and let me manage the rest.”
Despite his crooked grin and teasing tone, a shiver went through her. No. She would not feel this way. He was just being nice, just taking care of her, as any gentleman would. She tried to return a playful grin, but it felt too wobbly to be convincing. Turning from him, she did as he said and made herself comfortable on the old woolen blanket. Or as comfortable as one could be on the rough ground. She reached beneath the blanket and pulled out a few more rocks.
He returned with the basket just as she threw aside a large sharp stone. Instead of the charming grin she expected, his expression twisted into something she couldn’t even describe. Fear? Anger? Because she’d moved a rock instead of waiting for him?
He slowly set down the basket, slowly pulled his gun from his holster and slowly pointed it straight at her. “Don’t move, Marybeth. Don’t move an inch.”
* * *
The rattler was just pulling itself up into a coil not three feet from Marybeth’s hand. Yet the fear written across her pretty face wasn’t from the danger she hadn’t even noticed. She was afraid of him. In spite of his confession, she still didn’t trust him. But this was no time to sort it all out. She had minded his order and sat like a statue on the blanket, her widened eyes squarely focused on his gun.
Dear God, don’t let her move. Let me kill the rattler without hurting her.
Gunfire exploded several yards to his left. Snake parts flew in all directions. Rand’s knees threatened to buckle. He glanced at Laurie, whose rifle bore a telltale curl of smoke around its barrel.
Now he was just downright annoyed. Saving Marybeth’s life would have made him a real hero in her eyes. Yet honesty demanded that he hand the honors to a fourteen-year-old girl.
“Good aim, Laurie.” He needed to downplay the situation, make it sound like an everyday occurrence to calm Marybeth’s fears.
“Looked to me like Marybeth was in your way.” Laurie shrugged as she returned her rifle to the leather holster on her horse’s saddle. “I had a better shot from over here.”
Rand nodded his agreement. “Let’s see now. Shall we move the blanket to a nicer spot closer to the river?” Someplace far away from the dead snake. “I don’t know about you ladies, but I’m as hungry as a bear coming out of hibernation.”
He grinned at Marybeth about one second before she fell over on the blanket in a heap.
Marybeth had never fainted in her life. She’d always refused to surrender to the frailties of the silly society girls she’d known at the academy. But now she found herself looking at the world sideways and trying desperately to reclaim reality. The first thing to register in her mind was Mrs. Foster’s scratchy straw hat, one side now crushed between her face and the hard ground. Her eyes couldn’t quite focus on two round brown objects in front of her: Rand’s bent knees? Laurie’s voice reached her through a dull roar inside her head. Or was the roar from the nearby river?
“I dunno, Rand. You sure you want to marry a gal who can’t handle a little incident with a snake?”
“Hush. Don’t be rude.” He tugged on the ribbons holding the hat in place and moved it back from her head. “Marybeth?” His work-roughened hands felt gentle on her cheek. “Are you all right?”
Air. She desperately needed air. Dragging in the life-giving oxygen so scarce at this high altitude, she whimpered with relief as her lungs expanded. Oh, mercy. What a baby she was. This was far from the most frightening thing ever to happen to her.
“’M fine.” She tried to infuse the words with confidence, but they came out on a strangled whisper. This really must stop. She pushed herself up on one elbow, with Rand’s support under her arm providing the strength she lacked. After another gulp of air, she expelled an awkward laugh. “Gracious.” No other words came to mind, so she just looked up at Rand and gave him a tremulous smile.
He shoved his hat back from his forehead and returned the same, his relief obvious in his eyes. “Would you like a sandwich?”
His playful smirk sent a giddy feeling shivering through her. In spite of Laurie’s impertinent question concerning her apparent lack of fortitude, his gaze bore no censure.
“Yes. Thank you.” No, not at all. Not with her stomach twisting inside her at the memory of the gory snake remains.
Dismissing the dreadful sight from her mind, she placed a hand in his offered one and they stood as one. Once again she had to draw from his strength, this time to gain her footing, and now she couldn’t look away from him. For untold seconds they stared at each other as she tried to read his soul, as her minister used to say. Unlike Da’s darting, half-penitent looks, Rand’s gaze held no deception, nor did any manipulation or anger emanate from his eyes’ green depths. Only kindness and concern and sweet gentleness. Cautious trust welled up inside her accompanied by a sincere liking for this cowboy, this good, decent man. Surely he would help her find Jimmy. And while she had a lot more to learn about him, she might just think more about their marriage bargain. She quickly shoved aside that hasty, dangerous thought, replacing it with another. At least now she understood why Rand carried a gun. She might even get one herself if snakes were a constant danger.
Through the fog of her musings, she became aware of Laurie’s soft giggle.
“Guess I’ll move the blanket.” The girl grabbed an edge and tugged, forcing Marybeth and Rand to break their visual connection and hop off onto the grass.
While Laurie gave the blanket a shake and dragged it to a shady spot several yards closer to the river, Rand stepped away from Marybeth to pick up the basket and offered her an arm.
“Miss O’Brien, would you do me the honor
