Outlaw Wife. Ana Seymour

when we get out to the ranch,” he said stiffly.

      Willow’s chin went up. “Why? Have you got a mother there who’ll be horrified that her son has taken up with an outlaw girl like me?”

      “My mother died when I was twelve. But I’ve got a father, and he’s not in good health.”

      “Oh. Well, Mr. Grant, you’ll just have to remember that I’ve been riding with outlaws for the past year. I’ll do the best I can, but I’m not making any promises.” They rode for another couple minutes, then she asked, “Are you going to tell him the truth about me?”

      “If you swear like a shantyboy, I won’t have any choice. But I’d rather not. He had a stroke last spring, and I try to keep him from hearing things that are likely to upset him.”

      “Which would be me.”

      “Which would be the fact that his son has just married a girl whom. he’s known for a grand total of three days and who is a fugitive from the law, wanted for armed robbery.”

      He looked over at her, and for the first time all day, she smiled. “I see your point,” she said.

      “Good.” Reluctantly he smiled back. They were both in this thing now, for better or worse, as the judge had said. It made sense to keep the arrangement as friendly as possible.

      “But you didn’t answer my question. About the sheriff’s daughter,” she prompted.

      “Cissy and I kept company for a while. But that ended some time ago.”

      “How long a while?”

      “Hmm?”

      “How long did you and she keep company?”

      “I don’t know…. A couple of years, I suppose.”

      Willow let the air rush through her teeth. “Whew. A couple of years is a long time.”

      “Yup.” She appeared to be expecting further explanation, but Simon wasn’t about to go into the details of his and Cissy’s relationship with someone he’d barely met. Especially a woman. He’d never even discussed Cissy with his father.