Page 96 of The Heart’s Charge

“Yep.” Jonah pushed away from the railing and took a seat on the steps. “And I wanted to talk to you. Got a proposition for ya.”

“Yeah?” The boy rose and joined Jonah on the steps.

Jonah smiled inwardly even though his face remained impassive. “I’m thinkin’ about buying the old Garvey spread a quarter mile north of here. Ain’t nothin’ fancy, but it’s got a cabin, a barn, and a small bunkhouse. Was thinkin’ of setting down some roots and maybe running a few head of cattle.”

Rawley waggled his eyebrows. “You’re fixin’ to court Miss Eliza, aren’t ya?”

Jonah didn’t fight to hide his smile this time. “Yep.”

“Thought so.”

They shared a grin, and then Jonah braced his forearms across his knees and knit his hands together. “I was hopin’ you might consider stickin’ around,” he said, turning his attention to his hands, not wanting the boy to feel pressured one way or the other. “I’ll need a foreman. You’re a mite young for the job at the moment, but you’d grow into it. I got a whopping lot of learnin’ to do myself. Never ranched before. But two smart fellas like ourselves who ain’t afraid of hard work ought to be able to figure out how to make a go of it.”

Rawley was quiet for a long while. Jonah snuck a peek at him from the corner of his eye. The kid looked like someone had turned him to stone.

Finally, Rawley spoke. “W-what about my boys? I can’t just leave ’em. . . .”

“A ranch can always use more hands. I wouldn’t be able to pay ’em much, but they’d have food to eat, a roof over their heads, and honest work to keep ’em outta trouble.” He shrugged. “’Course, Miss Eliza will probably insist on fillin’ all of ya with book learning too. It may not be as fun as ridin’ the rails, but education will take a man farther in life than any train.”

Rawley twisted on the step. Jonah straightened and turned to meet his gaze. “Can I think about it?”

Jonah nodded. “Take as long as you need.”

The boy nodded solemnly, grabbed the railing at his side, and hoisted himself up. “Thanks for the offer, Mr. Brooks.”

“Thanks for considerin’.”

Rawley wandered off toward the barn to ponder. Jonah stayed on the steps, thinking he’d pray for a bit. Maybe watch the sunset. The clouds were just starting to turn pink. A silhouette against the dusky sky, however, caught Jonah’s eye and sharpened his attention. Toward the road. He stood in anticipation, his chest clutching slightly.

He raised a hand in greeting as Preach approached the house, a sleeping Abner tossed over one shoulder.

The quiet click of a shoe heel on the porch behind him brought Jonah’s head around. Eliza stepped away from the shadows of the outside wall and came to stand on the step behind him. She placed her hands on his shoulders, the gentle, possessive touch sending waves of pleasure through him.

“You look good holding a sleeping child, Mr. Davenport,” she said. “You practicing to be a family man?”

Preach chuckled softly. “Not me, ma’am. I’m too wild to settle down.”

“Who says family men have to be tame?” Eliza responded. “The right woman might like a little wild in her man.”

Preach stared at her as if she’d just spoken in a foreign language. All Jonah could think about was whether or not she liked a little wild in her man. It made him glad his complexion hid the fire flushing his face.

Determined to reroute the conversation before his blood warmed any further, Jonah jerked his chin toward Preach. “How’d it go in Llano?”

“Took a bit of doing, but Miss Gordon and her brother are in custody. Sheriff Porter is comin’ to Kingsland tomorrow to get your statement and one from Miss Palmer. He’ll collect the body and conduct an investigation, but with Ortega’s reputation as an outlaw, the sheriff don’t expect any trouble clearing you.”

Eliza’s hands tightened on Jonah’s shoulders, and her heartfelt murmur echoed above him. “Thank the Lord.”

Preach mounted the steps, thumping Jonah on the arm as he squeezed past. “I better get this boy to bed. He’s tuckered out.”

Jonah expected Eliza to show his fellow Horseman into the house and had already braced himself for the disappointment of her leaving, but she surprised him by simply giving Preach directions.

“First room at the top of the stairs. His bed is behind the door on the right. Katherine is upstairs with Mr. Wallace and Dr. Hanger. She can assist you.”

Preach tipped his hat. “Thank ya, ma’am.”

Once the door closed behind him, Eliza came around to Jonah’s side and lowered herself to sit on the steps. Figuring he better follow suit, he bent his knees and joined her.

“How, ah, long you been out here?” Had she overheard his entire conversation with Rawley?