The Cowboy's Convenient Proposal. Linda Ford

and his shoulders where she was forced to rest her hands, solid. As soon as her feet touched the ground she sprang away, brushing her skirt clear up to her waist trying to flick away the feel of his touch.

      Ward’s eyes narrowed as if realizing what she did. Then he quirked one eyebrow and lifted Belle down so quickly she didn’t have time to protest. But she skittered over and grabbed Red’s hand, burying her face in the brown cotton of Red’s borrowed dress.

      “It’s okay, honey. You’re safe with me,” Red assured her.

      “With me, too,” Ward said, his voice so quiet she could almost persuade herself she didn’t hear. Just like she could almost believe he wasn’t more than a bit offended that she tended to put him in the same category as a man like Thorton. Not that she really thought he was. But still, he was a man and she and Belle were at his mercy and that of his boss. She intended to be cautious around them.

      “I see you found them,” Eddie said.

      “You have a child.” Linette sounded every bit as sweet and patient as Ward said she was and it almost made Red want to weep.

      Ward turned to his boss. “This is Belle, Red’s sister. They both need a home. You have your horse and saddle back so if you’re okay with that, I plan to take them to my cabin.”

      Linette sprang forward and grabbed his arm to shake it. “You’ll do no such thing. It’s isolated up there. They’ll stay here with us.” She reached for Red’s arm, but Red backed away.

      Isolated sounded about right to her. “That’s very generous of you, but we’ve already accepted Ward’s offer.” Once Linette heard where Red had spent the last few months, she’d want her as far away as possible.

      “I won’t hear of it.” Her eyes flashed determination.

      Ward neglected to say his sweet, patient boss’s wife was every bit as stubborn as Red. Red allowed herself a moment of admiration for the woman before she rallied her arguments.

      “Belle’s been through a difficult time. I think she needs some time alone to get over it.”

      Linette studied Belle, who buried her face in Red’s skirts. Each breath released on a shudder. “The poor child.” She nodded as if she’d made up her mind. “If you think she needs time alone, then you can live in the little cabin across from the cookhouse.” She pointed to the place.

      In the dusky shadows, Red saw a tiny log cabin facing the roadway that ran through the midst of the ranch buildings but tucked into a cluster of trees that went on and on to the river. It was almost tempting to live where she could dream of finding friends. But once they knew the truth, no one would accept her. Better to be isolated.

      Linette, guessing at Red’s resistance, spoke to Ward. “I won’t hear of her living alone in your cabin.”

      Red turned to Ward as well. “We had an agreement.” She kept her voice low, but knew from the flash in his eyes that he understood she wanted to jerk every word from her mouth and spear him with them.

      Linette appealed to her husband. “Eddie?”

      Eddie cleared his throat and spoke to Red. “I don’t know what your circumstances are, but in the future if you are in trouble and need help, I hope you will come and ask rather than steal a horse.”

      She’d forgotten the threat of hanging. “I apologize. But I had to rescue my sister.”

      “In that case...” He seemed to consider his next words. “I won’t seek justice, seeing as the horse and saddle have been returned, but I think you owe it to Linette and I to accept our offer.”

      Linette grinned like the decision had been made.

      Red sent a silent appeal to Ward, who shrugged.

      “Can’t argue with the boss’s wife,” he said.

      Red seemed to have little choice in the matter. But she vowed it would be temporary. Only until she found something else. “Thank you,” she murmured, managing, she hoped, to sound grateful as no doubt they all thought she should.

      “I’ll show them the way,” Ward offered. “And make sure they have food.”

      Linette thanked him, then turned back to Red. “I’ll check on you in the morning and see if you need anything. In the meantime, get settled, make yourself at home and have a good night’s sleep.”

      Red allowed Ward to take the reins of her horse and struggled down the hill with Belle still glued to her skirt. Evening had crept in and filled the hollows, so she felt as she and Belle were alone with Ward.

      A cowboy stepped from the cookhouse and Ward handed him the horses. Ward signaled Red and Belle to follow him to the cabin, where he opened the door and indicated they should enter.

      Red took a step forward. She paused at the doorway, unable to make out the interior in the darkness.

      Belle whimpered and pulled on Red’s skirt, hampering any further progress. Red extricated Belle from the material and tipped her face up. Even in the growing dusk, Red could make out Belle’s eyes—so wide they practically swallowed her face.

      Red’s heart burned. Why should her little sister know such insecurity, such terror? Had Thorton’s treatment of the past few months, and before that, the death of their parents and Red’s attempts to support them, robbed this child of any childhood innocence and faith? “Belle, honey, what’s wrong?”

      Her hand still clutching Red’s skirts, Belle lifted one finger toward the cabin. “It’s dark. Like that other place.” Her voice shook.

      Red straightened, silently cursing herself for not taking into consideration where Belle had spent the past three days. In almost total darkness in an unfamiliar cabin. Not unlike the one they now faced.

      Ward must have had the same realization as he sprang forward. “Wait there while I light a lamp.” His footsteps thudded into the darkness of the cabin.

      Belle shuddered. “He’s disappeared.”

      Red knelt and pulled her little sister into her arms. “No, honey. He’s only inside.”

      A yellow light flickered and grew stronger. It shifted, making Ward’s shadow lurch like something alive. Belle squeaked in terror. Red feared Belle would shred the brown skirt as she squeezed her little fists tighter and burrowed closer.

      “It’s a lamp, honey, so we don’t have to go into a dark room.”

      The light steadied, grew larger as Ward headed for the door. He stepped out, the lamp before him. The yellow light filled his nostrils and highlighted his eyebrows, giving him a wild appearance.

      Red swallowed a nervous giggle. “It’s okay—” She meant to reassure Belle but Belle didn’t hear her as she tore from Red’s side with a piercing scream and ran into the dark.

      “Belle!” Red called, racing after her. “Belle, come back.”

      But Belle continued her headlong flight.

      * * *

      Ward stared past the golden lamplight, trying to see where Red and Belle had gone. But the light effectively narrowed his vision to a tiny circle. Not that he needed to see to know what happened. His ears proved more than sufficient.

      Belle had run screaming into the woods, Red in her wake.

      Birds exploded from the trees at the noisy disturbance.

      Belle’s fear of him, and Red’s distrust, were starting to wear his patience a might thin. He only wanted to help them. Get them away from men like Thorton Winch and that creepy guy with the boarded-up shack. Two or three times he’d considered he might have taken on more than he anticipated. His already tense jaw tightened further, making his teeth hurt. He would not abandon this pair, no matter how difficult they proved to be. One thing he’d learned...walking away was not the answer, even if he’d done so with the best of intentions.

      He