The Forest Ranger's Promise. Leigh Bale

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СКАЧАТЬ that’s why they brought me in. To help smooth all of that over.”

      She snorted. “And how do you intend to do that?”

      “One permittee at a time. I thought I’d start with you.”

      “No.” She shook her head, staring straight ahead.

      “You don’t even know me.”

      “I think that’s best,” she said.

      “And yet you helped me.”

      “Wouldn’t you have done the same?” She tilted her head to look at him, her delicate features outlined in shadows. She seemed too dainty to be running a sheep ranch, and he got the impression she made up in spirit what she lacked in physical strength.

      “Of course I would.” He met her eyes. “What did the other ranger do to upset you so much?”

      “For one thing, he made a lot of promises he never kept.”

      “I won’t do that. Not ever.” And he meant it.

      “We’ll see.”

      He sighed, realizing it would take time for him to prove himself.

      She squirmed in her seat. “Look, can we change the subject?”

      “Sure. What do you want to talk about?”

      She didn’t bat an eye. “How old is your daughter?”

      “Almost eleven.”

      “My Anne is eleven.”

      He peered through the darkness at the sleeping girl, finding her mouth open slightly as she breathed. She looked like a sweet child. A smaller version of Melanie, with a pert nose and cheeks sprinkled with freckles and auburn hair like her mom’s. “What grade is she in?”

      “She’ll start sixth grade in the fall.”

      “Shelley will be in the sixth grade, too. Maybe they can be friends.”

      Melanie looked doubtful and then he remembered Anne’s accusation on the mountain. “Why does Anne blame me for her father’s death?”

      Melanie sucked in a deep breath.

      “Oh, I’m sorry,” he added. “Is that getting back into a taboo subject?” He tried to tease her, to lighten things up a bit, but the look on her face told him it wasn’t working. He saw something in her eyes, something vulnerable and fearful. From the little he knew about this woman, he realized she’d been hurt and he sensed the pain went deeper than just the loss of her husband. What had happened to her?

      She licked her top lip, seeming to choose her words carefully. “Let’s just say the last ranger wasn’t a nice man and let it go at that.”

      Her revelation made Scott’s mind run rampant. He’d never met Ben Stimpson, but he’d heard that the man used some illegal threats to force the ranchers to do his bidding. Had Stimpson threatened Melanie?

      Scott sensed a deep reticence in her words. Once her husband died, Ben could have helped Melanie and her daughter, making their lives much easier. Or he could have made things more difficult. Scott figured from Melanie’s comments that it had been the latter.

      They didn’t speak much over the next few miles. When she pulled into Snyderville, he breathed a sigh of relief. One lonely streetlight guided their way down Main Street. The morning sun had just peeked over the eastern mountains and he was grateful they were all home safe.

      Karen, her husband, Mike, and Scott’s range assistant, Jim Tippet, were all at his house to meet him. As Melanie pulled into the gravel driveway, they came outside fully dressed, Jim’s thinning hair sticking up in places.

      “Thank goodness you’re home. Are you okay?” Karen asked as she rushed over to take Scott’s arm.

      “I’m fine, thanks to Mrs. McAllister.” Scott smiled at Melanie, who stood back with her arms folded. Anne continued sleeping in the truck.

      Jim looked at Melanie. “Good thing you were up on the mountain and found him when you did.”

      A tight smile curved her lips. “I was glad to help.”

      Yeah, right. Scott doubted her words, but he respected her for doing the right thing in spite of her dislike for him. Without her and Anne, he’d probably be dead now.

      “Let me unload Tam and I’ll put him in the corral before I drive Mrs. McAllister home.” Jim went to retrieve Scott’s horse.

      “I’ll help you,” Mike said.

      As the two men rounded the back of the horse trailer, Scott looked at the Forest Service house, painted white with green trim. Someone had turned the porch light on. Even though he had kind people here to help, he felt overwhelmed by loneliness. “Where’s Shelley?”

      “Inside sleeping. She doesn’t even know anything happened,” Karen said.

      “Good. I didn’t want to frighten her.” No matter what, he wanted to protect his daughter and let her have as normal a childhood as possible.

      “Let’s get you inside so you can rest,” Karen urged.

      Scott reached out his hand to Melanie. “Thank you, Mrs. McAllister. I owe you.”

      Melanie hesitated before shaking his hand. Her fingers felt chilled and delicate against his.

      “You don’t owe me a thing,” she said.

      Scott watched her return to the truck, sliding in beside her sleeping daughter. Injured and alone on the mountain without a horse, he could have died. He had Melanie to thank for his life. Right then, he decided he would do everything in his power to return the favor.

      As Karen led him up the front steps to his house, he stared at the front door. Thinking about the big, empty rooms, he wished he didn’t have to go inside. If only he had someone to come home to each night besides Shelley. Someone who loved and cared for him as much as he cared for her.

      Chapter Three

      “Why do we have to come here, Dad? I wanna go home.” Shelley crinkled her nose with repugnance as Scott rapped his knuckles on the front door of the red-brick house.

      White trim surrounded each sparkling window. The front porch circled the house, with white paint peeling along the slim columns supporting the second floor. The front gate stood ajar, sagging on its hinges. Cracked cement along the foundation showed a lack of care. Several boards hung loose on the toolshed at the back edge of the lawn. Everything looked tidy, but repair jobs had been ignored. It occurred to him that Melanie McAllister might need his help as much as he needed hers.

      “Shell, I’ve already explained to you three times,” he told his daughter. “The people living here saved my life. The least we can do is thank them.”

      The girl released an exaggerated sigh. “All right.”

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