Page 24 of At Love’s Command

Radisson’s eyes lit up. He took the money and stuffed it in the pocket on the bib of his overalls. “Yes, ma’am. I’ll have him ready.”

Josephine nodded, then rushed over to the mercantile. Lizzie was assisting a customer with a length of fabric, but as soon as she spotted Josephine, she excused herself and hurried over to her friend.

Lizzie’s gaze skittered to a halt on Josephine’s legs, but she recovered quickly and made no mention of the trousers. “You’re going after them, aren’t you?”

Josephine nodded. “I have to. My brother’s in trouble, and my father refuses to help. The Horsemen are my only option.”

Lizzie gave her a serious look. “They don’t work for free, Jo. Daddy had to pool money with the other ranchers in the area to afford them. They might help out in gratitude for what you did for Mr. Wallace, but this is their livelihood, so . . .”

It didn’t matter that she left the sentence hanging. Josephine heard the unspoken words anyway. Don’t get your hopes up. Unfortunately, she didn’t have a choice. Captain Hanger and his men were all the hope she had at the moment.

“I’ll think of something.” She had several hours on horseback to come up with a plan to pay them. “If you could help spread the word that I’ll be gone for a few days, I would appreciate it.”

Lizzie grinned. “Spreading words is my specialty.”

“I know.” Jo smiled, her first moment of lightness since Darla’s letter arrived. “If there are any medical emergencies, you can send for Dr. Carlton in San Marcos.” She hated leaving her community without medical support. What if something happened to little Grant or old Mrs. Peabody while she was gone?

Lizzie touched her arm. “We survived without a doctor in Purgatory Springs for years before you came, Jo. We’ll make do until you get back.” She wrapped Josephine in a quick embrace. “Go after your brother. He needs you more than we do at the moment.”

Josephine hugged her friend, then stepped back. “I’ll return as soon as I can.”

“Godspeed.”

Yes, Lord, Josephine prayed as she hurried back to the livery. I’m going to need all the speed you can give me.

Matt’s eyes scanned the landscape in front of him out of habit, but his mind only half processed what he saw.

He should have stopped by the clinic before he left. After she’d done her best to avoid him at Dalton’s ranch yesterday when she checked on Wallace a final time, he’d decided that avoiding her in return would make things easier for them both. But now he feared that choice had only made him appear rude. Ungrateful. She’d likely saved Wallace’s life, after all, and he couldn’t be bothered to bid her a decent farewell.

He probably should’ve warned her about Kendall too. Preach had wired the reporter while he and Jonah were in San Marcos, letting him know they’d finished the job and giving him the names of key people he’d want to interview. Dr. Jo was sure to have made that list.

That was one of the things Matt liked best about their arrangement with Francis Kendall. He never insisted on interviewing them directly. He was content to interview those who hired the Horsemen and any other locals who witnessed their efforts. Of course, that led to some inflating of the truth from time to time, but Kendall made sure not to let the facts get lost in the storytelling.

Josephine would be one to stick to the facts. If anything, she’d downplay her role. Probably shrug Kendall off with some statement about just doing what she’d been trained to do. Maybe he should wire Kendall himself, make sure he knew exactly how vital she’d been to Wallace’s recovery. Emphasize her skill and compassion. Matt frowned as he squinted into the western sun. Nah. She struck him as being as unappreciative of the limelight as he was. She deserved respect, but she wouldn’t want it handed out for free through a newspaper article. She’d want to earn it face to face. The way she’d earned his.

The sound of hooves approaching from the rear of their small party drew Matt from his musings and sharpened his focus. He brought Phineas’s head around and kicked him into a trot to meet Jonah, who’d been scouting their back trail while Matt attended to what lay ahead. Preach and Wallace reined in their mounts as Matt rode by. They’d watch for any encroachers from the north. Not that this was particularly hostile country, but if trouble was coming, it was better to have time to prepare before meeting it.

Jonah slowed his cantering horse to a walk as he met up with Matt.

“Something to report, Sergeant?” Matt scanned the area behind them, the dip of the terrain preventing him from seeing much of what fell to the south. “You rode in at a faster clip than usual.”

“Rider on our back trail. Gained on us over the last hour.”

Matt frowned. “Single rider?”

Jonah nodded. “Yep. On the small side too. Could be a boy.”

Matt groaned. It wouldn’t be the first time a kid had ridden out after them with some crazy notion about joining the Horsemen. The boy he’d met in the clinic, what was his name? Donald? Dennis? Douglas! That was it. He’d had a hundred and one questions about the Horsemen. Could be he’d followed them. He seemed a mite young, but stranger things had happened.

“I’ll check it out. Stay with the others.” If it was a kid, Matt would have to see him home. He couldn’t let a young’un wander around on his lonesome. If it wasn’t a kid . . . well, Matt would have a friendly chat with the fellow. Determine his business and see if he posed a threat. “Wallace can probably do with a rest about now, anyway. Have the others hold up until I return.”

Jonah tapped the brim of his hat. “Will do, Captain.”

Nudging Phineas into a canter, Matt set off in the opposite direction from his men. He should probably thank the mysterious rider for giving him an excuse to force Wallace to rest without sounding like a nagging old woman for once. The kid’s pride was already rubbing raw with the slower pace Matt had forced on the group for his benefit. Having a reason to stop that didn’t center on his injury would be a blessing.

Matt crested the hill that had obscured his view of the back trail and reined Phineas in. He scanned the road that stretched out to the south. There. About a mile back. A rider with a black hat on a pale horse. Rode well for a youngster. Too well. The rider had the seat of an experienced horseman, one with years of training. Matt shaded his eyes with his hand and squinted. Fellow might be small, but not likely a boy.

Unsnapping the guard on his holster so his revolver would be ready for a quick draw if needed, Matt touched his heels to Phineas’s flanks and set an intercept course. Could be nothing, or could be trouble. Time to figure out which.