The Cowboy's Baby Bond. Linda Ford

stared at the empty entrance to the train. Where were they?

      Slowly it dawned on her. They weren’t getting off.

      She raced toward the train and scrambled aboard, ignoring the call from the conductor. “Ma’am, no need to rush. We aren’t leaving for half an hour.”

      She stood in the empty aisle. Every seat was vacant. Just to be sure they weren’t playing a trick, she called, “Celia, Sarah, where are you?” She went the entire length of the car, looking behind each seat, till she reached the end. “Where are they?”

      Johnny had followed her. “I think you better ask the conductor if he’s seen them.”

      Her pulse hammered in her ears. “If they didn’t get on...” She shook her head. What had befallen them?

      Johnny guided her down the steps, across the platform and into the station, where the conductor conversed with the ticket agent.

      “My sisters,” Willow blurted out. “I was expecting them. Two girls. Ten and fourteen. Celia and Sarah Hendricks. Were they on the train?”

      “Those two. Yes, they were on it. They had quite a little argument, then got off back at Martens. We waited as long as we could, but they didn’t come back. I wondered what happened to them, but it wasn’t my business, now, was it? The older girl seemed to know what she was doing.”

      “Martens? Where is that?”

      “’Bout fifty miles east.” The conductor turned away, his business done.

      Willow sank to a nearby bench. Her sisters had gotten off. She thought of the men who had recently accosted her, and reached for the conductor’s sleeve to get his attention. “Were they in some kind of trouble? Was someone bothering them?”

      “No, ma’am. I made sure no one did. Like I said, they argued. Seems to me the older one wanted to do something the little one didn’t care for. That’s all I can say.”

      Willow rocked back and forth as disappointment and worry twisted through her. There was only one thing to do. She pushed herself to her feet.

      “I must go find them.” She took Adam from Johnny, ignoring the baby’s protests, and marched out to the wagon.

      Johnny followed and clambered aboard.

      “What are you doing?”

      His jaw muscles bunched. “I’m not letting you ride all over the country by yourself, that’s for certain sure.”

      “You have a cabin to fix.” From what Maisie had told her, that seemed very important.

      “You have sisters to find. That outweighs a cabin.”

      “You don’t need to do this.”

      He flicked the reins and they drove away from the station. “I do need to if I want to be able to live with myself.”

      “That’s an odd thing to say.”

      He spared her a brief glance full of challenge and stubbornness. “I don’t know what kind of men you’ve known in the past, but some of us live by principles, and my principles will not allow me to let a young woman and a baby travel unescorted across Montana.”

      She opened her mouth, but could think of no reply and snapped it shut.

      A man with principles? She liked the sound of that. But it didn’t change her plans. Nor her vow to never again trust any man, because, to her sorrow, she knew words came easily.

      Noble talk without noble actions was, in her mind, the worst sort of deceit.

Chapter Four

      Johnny turned the wagon around to head back to the store.

      Willow grabbed his arm. “Where are you going? We have to go east.”

      “We will, but I plan on being prepared. Fifty miles and back will take us several days. We’ll need food and water and supplies, and some oats for the mare if we expect her to carry us.”

      Willow swung her head back and forth. “I don’t like the delay.”

      He understood her concern to find her sisters. “A few minutes now will save us hours of regret later.” He stopped at the store. “No need for you to come in. I’ll pick up what we need.”

      Her glance challenged him. He half expected her to argue, demand that they race after the girls without thought of food and supplies. Then she nodded. “I hope this won’t take long.”

      At her easy agreement he released his breath. Perhaps she realized that arguing would only delay their departure. “I’ll be as quick as I can.” He hurried inside, ordered enough staples to last a few days and rushed back out with them, fearing she wouldn’t wait. With relief he saw the wagon and its occupants still there, and he stowed the box of supplies.

      “I’ll have to make one more stop.” Johnny went to the feed store and purchased a sack of oats. He looked at Gray. Should he leave the horse at the livery barn or take him along? He decided on the latter. A man never knew when he’d be wanting a horse to ride.

      “That’s it,” he said, climbing back onto the seat and flicking the reins. “We’ll be on our way.”

      Willow held Adam on her knee and strained forward as if she could make the horse go faster. But Johnny knew he’d have to pace the old girl if he expected her to complete this journey.

      “You’re going to get an awful crick in your neck if you sit like that the whole trip.”

      Inch by inch, she eased back, until she looked halfway comfortable.

      They left Granite Creek behind and followed the dusty road east. Johnny did his best to avoid the potholes and stay in the well-worn ruts, but sometimes the holes couldn’t be avoided. The wagon wheels dropped into another, and Willow was jostled against him. Adam merely laughed.

      She righted herself. “At least he’s enjoying this.” She sounded aggrieved.

      “Willow, I know you’re worried, but I assure you we’ll find your sisters. In the meantime, you might as well relax and enjoy the scenery.” And the company, he almost added. But they were together simply out of necessity. Her need to find her family, his to make sure she got safely settled. After that? Well, he meant to move on with his plans. He owed it to himself, but more so to Thad. It took effort to move past the death of a sister and the treachery of a girl he’d trusted. Johnny meant to be there for his friend each step of the way.

      Speaking of sisters... “I’m surprised your folks let your sisters travel across the country on their own.”

      “My parents have been dead two years.”

      “You’ve lost your husband and your parents? That’s tough. I’m sorry.” Words were so inadequate. He wished he could do something practical to express his sympathy. Helping her find the girls would have to suffice. “Your sisters have been living somewhere. Shouldn’t the people they’ve been with be concerned about them traveling alone?”

      “Mr. and Mrs. Reames are their guardians. Or rather, they were.” The look Willow flung at Johnny clearly expressed anger. But surely she was not angry at him. His questions had been innocent enough.

      “Were? What happened?”

      “When my husband died, they refused to keep the girls any longer.”

      “What? Why, that’s downright dishonorable.”

      “I couldn’t agree more.”

      Johnny mulled over the information. Things began to fall into place, though they made no sense. “Your married name is Reames. Any relation?”

      “I married their son.” The words were spit out as if they were bitter to the taste.

      The