But she had Belle to consider. Besides, no decent man would ever look at her without judgment or lust in his eyes. She’d performed dances that made her grateful her mother couldn’t see. And men touched her, their hands soiling her soul every bit as much as Thorton’s belt damaged her body.
“I can’t stay,” she murmured, unable to break from his promising gaze. “Please take me back.”
He straightened. “Never.” His eyes blazed. “I saw how that man treated you.”
She lowered her gaze. “I can take it.”
He perched on the edge of the bed. “I understand how you fear him, but there is no need. He can no longer harm you. No one here will let him.”
Linette murmured agreement.
“So you rest and get better. Things will sort themselves out. You’ll see.” He patted her hand.
She nodded. Obviously she was going to get no help from him or likely anyone here. They all saw themselves as noble rescuers. But she would find her way back. She must.
Ward watched her closely. “Your coloring is coming back. That’s good.”
Self-consciously she brushed her hands over her hair. For half a wooden nickel she would shave off that offensive red hair. Wouldn’t Thorton find that idea just lovely? “I’d like to get up now.”
Ward shook his head. “Think you better give your head a chance to get back to normal.”
“For all you know, this is normal.” He knew nothing about her or her circumstances and she was happy to leave it that way.
Ward’s eyes crinkled with amusement. “You forget I saw how nimble you are on your feet.”
He was too close, too big, practically blocking everything else from view. “I still am. Let me show you.” She shoved him aside and swung her feet to the floor, feeling the blood drain from her face. Her skin grew clammy. No way could she stand up without clutching support. For sure she couldn’t do anything nimble. But he didn’t need to know it. She pulled in a breath, sucked strength from it and forced her legs to hold her upright. “See? I’m fine.”
But by the way Ward hovered at her side and the anxious look on Linette’s face, she knew she had not convinced them.
“I’ll just sit a moment on that chair.” She indicated the hardback chair a few feet away.
Ward jerked it closer. She didn’t know if she should be annoyed that he didn’t think she could walk that far or grateful that she didn’t have to prove she could. Her knees waited until she reached the chair before they buckled. Still she sat straight, trying hard to convince everyone in the room she was okay. It was hard to say if either of the others thought she was fine. She knew she wasn’t.
She could not make it back to the saloon without help.
Help was not to be found from Ward or Linette.
Where would she find it?
“I’ll let you handle her.” Ward nodded toward Linette and headed for the door. He paused, turned to consider Red. “I’m glad you’re on the mend and hope you’ll soon feel safe here.”
She scowled at him with all the strength she could summon from her uncooperative body. What right did he have to come into her life and complicate matters? He knew absolutely nothing about what was at stake.
She could not continue staring at him. It made her head hurt like fury. She settled for simply nodding—let him think what he wanted from that—then lowered her gaze and studied her fingers, noting how they twisted together until there were spots of white and red. Let them think what they wanted about that, too. Put it down to tension or pain. They would never guess how worried she was.
Ward finally left, his footsteps echoing down the hall.
Determination filled her, giving her strength to remain sitting upright. “I’m fine,” she insisted.
She had to get her strength back. But with Linette hovering, she couldn’t move. “I think I’d like to rest now.”
Linette hurried to her side and held her elbow.
She let Linette ease her to the inviting bed, and snuggled down like she meant to have a long sleep. Linette spread an afghan over her, then tiptoed from the room. Red sighed. It was tempting to close her eyes and give in to the lethargy of her body.
But that would not get her back to Belle.
She remained tense, waiting for Linette’s footsteps to fade, then she pushed herself to the side of the bed and took deep breaths to stop the dizziness. Holding carefully to the frame on the foot of the bed, she again made her way to the window and rested her forehead on the glass. Men went back and forth outside. Too many for her to slip away unnoticed. Even if she had the strength.
But she must find the strength somewhere. Somehow.
Too bad she no longer believed God would help her or she would pray for His intervention.
Chapter Two
“Boys.” Eddie stepped into the cookhouse as the cowboys ate their breakfast. “Red is missing.”
Ward dropped his fork and stared. Yesterday she could barely stand. Now she was gone?
Eddie continued. “Her room was empty when we got up this morning. I’m telling you, Linette is some concerned about her. Figures she’s lost her memory again and is wandering about, lost and alone. Or worse, passed out somewhere.” He scrubbed at his neck. “Boys, we have to find her before Linette gets it into her head to go looking. We can’t have that. Especially in her condition.” Linette was in the family way, and Eddie worried constantly about her.
Ward was already on his feet. “I’ll check the barn.” He was out the door while Eddie ordered men to various corners of the yard to search for the missing woman.
Ward raced to the barn. Had she wandered out in the dark? Fallen in the river? He shuddered as he imagined her alone. Further injured. Suffering. He’d rescued her from a harmful situation. He could only pray she hadn’t fallen into a worse one. The door squawked a protest as he pushed it open and stepped into the warm, dusty interior. “Red,” he yelled, wondering if she could hear his voice. Would she respond even if she did? He headed down the alley, paused at the first stall. It was empty. The horse that should be there was gone.
Gone? Had the animal let himself out? Probably not, since it was Moon that should have been in that stall and Moon liked the comforts of the barn too much to wander.
Suspicion crept into Ward’s thoughts. Red kept saying she wanted to go back. He went to the tack room and counted the saddles. Sure enough. One missing.
His jaw clenched. Even though he knew it was useless to search the rest of the barn, he did so. More out of wishing she was here than thinking she was. Then he headed back to the cookhouse. Eddie paced the floor, waiting for someone to return with good news to ease his wife’s worry.
“’Fraid I have bad news,” Ward said. “There’s a horse
