AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Dallas patted her hand. “You probably just overdid it yesterday. I want you to let the staff take care of the cleaning from here on out.”
Charles’s head snapped up.
“It was fun, cleaning with Mrs. Daly.” Megan sighed. “It made me feel useful.”
Dallas gave her hand a gentle squeeze. “You should spend your time planning teas and luncheons with the ladies of the town, not working your fingers to the bone.”
Megan laughed. “I hardly call it ‘working yer fingers to the bone.’”
“Well, I think it’s admirable,” Charles interjected, “but Dallas is right. I think you overdid it yesterday. You should rest.”
Dallas glanced over at him and nodded his thanks. He was going to have to teach Megan how to be the lady of the house, to be a woman of substance.
***
When Bill pulled the carriage up in front of the house, Dallas walked with Megan up the stairs, and she was asleep before he finished tucking her in. He worried that she might be coming down with something, but pushed the thought aside, vowing to keep a close eye on her. Dallas didn’t know what he would do if anything happened to her.
When he came downstairs, he and Charles went into town to check on the sheriff, the bank, and the town, even though it was Sunday. But when they arrived, the town looked quiet. Dallas had a hard time concentrating as thoughts of Megan invaded his mind. And with the outlaws in town, he didn’t want to leave the bank unattended for too long, even on Sunday.
Sitting in the bank, the taste of her kiss was still hot on his lips. The more time he spent with Megan, the more he couldn’t live without her. Dallas rose from his desk, not wanting to spend too much time away from her. He just hoped she wasn’t coming down with something.
“Everything’s fine here, so let’s go over to the Sheriff’s Office,” Dallas said to Charles, locking up his desk. “I want to make sure he’s okay, since he didn’t come to church today.”
Charles nodded as he rose from his seat. “Let’s go.” Charles looked outside, and men were sitting out in front of the hotel and restaurant but were quiet. They were huddled up, obviously having been there for a while in the cold.
Dallas locked up and headed next door and Sheriff Daxton Clark was there. The bell rang when they walked in.
Sheriff Clark’s head snapped up. “Dallas.”
“What are you doing here today… on a Sunday?” Of course, Dallas knew the answer, but he thought it was a good opener.
The sheriff stood, nodding toward the men sitting outside. “Them. They’re scaring off customers from the restaurant. I have a mind to run ’em off, but they haven’t broken any laws. Not yet, anyway.”
Dallas sighed. “How have they been?”
“Quiet.” Daxton shrugged. “But I have a feeling that as soon as I leave, all hell’s going to break loose.”
Dallas crossed the room to the window, watching the men as he spoke. “Sheriff, you can’t sit up here twenty-four hours a day watching them.”
Daxton let out a deep breath. “Yes, but I can make them think twice before they act.”
“I’m sure you’re doing that.” Charles chuckled. “I’d bet they didn’t expect you to be here today.”
The sheriff smiled. “No, I’m sure they didn’t.” He stood and took a swig of his coffee. Then he walked over to the backdoor and threw out the contents. “Well, I think it’s time to pack it up. If they’re going to do anything, they’ll do it whether I’m here or not.”
“If you like, we can sit up here for a while, sheriff.” Dallas smirked as he looked across the street. The men were still sitting outside, shivering. “Unless they get someone to relieve them, I don’t think they’ll be outside much longer today, anyway. Look.”
He pointed out the window at the men and they were curled in around themselves, blowing on their hands. Puffs of white snow suddenly blew through the town, and the men pulled the collars of their coats up over their necks.
The sheriff laughed. “Thank goodness for cold weather, right?”
Charles chuckled. “You gotta love it.”
“Well, gentlemen, let’s go home.” The sheriff smiled as he slipped into his coat. “I’m sure the town will be safe for one more night.” He looked through the window at the outlaws. “I just wish I knew what they were waiting for.”
Dallas’s eyebrows pulled together in concern. “What do you mean?”
The sheriff let out a deep breath. “Those two men we caught who robbed your bank?”
