Pony Express Hero. Rhonda Gibson

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      Both Lilly and Daisy shook their heads.

      Jacob quickly went to saddle up his own horse.

      Daisy followed. “I wish I had my own horse.”

      “You don’t?” Jacob asked.

      “No. Lilly said that I might get one for my birthday.”

      “When is your birthday?” Jacob asked, pulling the cinch under the horse’s belly.

      The little girl sat down on a bale of hay. “In two months.”

      Jacob nodded. “And how old will you be?”

      “I will be five years old,” Daisy said, pulling straw from the bale.

      She spoke very well for a four-year-old going on five. Jacob thought about his adoptive sister, Joy. She wasn’t a big talker, unlike Daisy, who was even now telling him that Lilly said this year she might have a birthday party and everything.

      Jacob listened to her continued chatter as he finished up. He looked over the stall toward Lilly. The woman actually stood there smiling from ear to ear. Had she been watching to see how he’d respond to Daisy? And if so, why?

      The thought that she might see him as a future husband stopped his hand as he started to lead the horse from the stall. The last thing he needed was a woman pining away for him. No matter how pretty she was or how blue her eyes, he had no intention of becoming romantically involved with her. Women couldn’t be trusted. He’d learned that when his own birth mother deserted him. Jacob shook his head—he realized he was letting his imagination get the best of him. He didn’t know Lilly, how could he think she’d see him as a future husband? Come to think of it, no one had said she didn’t already have a man.

      Caleb had named off six men that worked the ranch but hadn’t mentioned a husband for Lilly. He watched as Lilly smiled at Daisy. Without having to ask, he knew Lilly was still unwed and wondered why. She was pretty enough and in most folks’ eyes should have been married a few years ago. So why wasn’t she?

      “Come along, Daisy,” Lilly called to her little sister.

      Daisy skipped off to join Lilly. She took Lilly’s hand and glanced over her shoulder to make sure Jacob followed. Her little pigtails bounced as she left the barn.

      “She is a cute little thing, isn’t she?” Caleb said from the tack doorway.

      Jacob nodded. His mind worked with questions. He pushed away the ones regarding Lilly’s marital status and focused on Daisy. Could Caleb have been the one to take the girl from her bedroom? If so, why would he do such a thing? His gut usually told him what type of person a man was when they first met. For instance, he hadn’t cared much for Sam Hawkins on sight. But he’d not had that gut reaction with regard to Caleb.

      Caleb pushed away from the door and returned to his oil and leathers. “I have a sister a little older than her. I miss her a lot. Daisy is like a little sister to me and I’ll hunt down any man that is out to hurt her.” Anger filled the young man’s voice and the warning was clear. Hurt Daisy and I’ll hurt you.

      No, Caleb hadn’t been the one to take the little girl from her bed. Still, Jacob would keep an eye on the boy. He stepped out of the barn just as Lilly swung up into the saddle behind Daisy.

      She was still in her trousers and looking as pretty as a hummingbird on a bright sunny morning. Jacob looked away. Maybe going out on a ride with them wasn’t such a good idea. Still, his protective nature overrode any caution he might have felt at spending time with a pretty girl and her little sister.

      Just don’t let your heart get in the way of your head, he mentally scolded himself as he swung up into the saddle and followed the sisters out of the yard and across the pasture.

      * * *

      Lilly didn’t know who she could trust. The man riding beside her and Daisy was new on the ranch and they weren’t friends, at least not yet. She’d never considered becoming friends with any of the men before, except Sam. But now, with Daisy being threatened and Jacob being the only new person on the ranch...could she trust him? Tell him what she suspected? Or should she tell Sam? After all he was her ranch manager.

      Daisy pointed at a rabbit that sat on a small incline. Her joy at seeing the small animal brought a smile to Lilly’s face. She pulled her horse to a stop so the little girl could enjoy the sight.

      Memories of riding with her father to check the fences flooded Lilly’s mind. Daisy would never have memories of riding with their father. He’d died when she was a year old and too young to ride out with him. Lilly still missed him. Bitter memories flooded her tired mind. According to Sam, her father had fallen from his horse while chasing a mother cow and her calf, resulting in a broken neck and immediate death.

      Jacob’s horse stomped its foot, probably trying to get rid of a pesky fly, and the action pulled Lilly from her sad thoughts. She glanced his way and smiled. He’d been quiet most of the ride. They both had. Daisy talked enough for all of them.

      “Lilly, can we go to the pond?” Daisy asked. The little girl tilted her face so that she could look up at Lilly.

      “I suppose so,” Lilly said, pulling the horse’s reins to the right and gently kicking its sides. The horse moved toward the pond.

      Jacob followed.

      When they got to the water’s edge he slid from his horse’s back and let the horse drink, then helped Daisy down from Lilly’s mare. Jacob sat her down on the ground and then looked to Lilly.

      She refused his hand and slid from the horse on her own. Her desire to talk to someone grew. Lilly wanted to voice her fears without worrying that they’d get back to the person who had taken Daisy.

      Daisy pulled off her little stockings and boots and waded in the water.

      “Don’t go too far out, Daisy,” Lilly warned. She moved a little away from her sister and sat down.

      Jacob joined her. He pulled up his knees and focused on Daisy, who splashed water with her bare feet. “Can I ask a question?”

      Lilly searched his face. From his expression and tone she deduced that the question was of a personal nature. “I suppose so.”

      “Do you think someone is out to hurt Daisy?”

      She nodded. “After this morning, what else can I think?”

      Jacob turned to face her. “I know I’m new here and you don’t know me at all. I’d like to tell you a little about myself, if we have time.”

      Lilly knew he was trying to put her at ease so nodded. “If you are sure,” she said.

      “I am.” He returned his gaze to Daisy. His voice continued in a low tone. “When I was ten years old my mother dropped me off at an orphanage. She didn’t want to bring me to California with her. I don’t know why she didn’t. Maybe she was ashamed of me, maybe I was a burden she was tired of taking care of, but whatever the reason she abandoned me.”

      Lilly laid her hand on his arm. “I’m so sorry.”

      He СКАЧАТЬ