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The doc waited for a second, but Gray didn’t have anything else to say to him. Everyone had their assigned tasks, and he had no intention of holding their hands while they did them.
“I’ll see you later, then,” Doc said. “Let me know when Reverend Donnelly comes back with the wagon, and I’ll help you get the men loaded.”
Gray grunted and propped his feet up on the desk. Jason rubbed a hand behind his neck. “I don’t know what to say. I am honored that you trust me with such an important job. I know you say it’s because you don’t have any other choices but…”
Gray waved him off. “Don’t get too emotional about it. Like I said, you’re the only one I’ve known longer than a week, and you’re here already doing the job. Saves me the trouble of findin’ someone.”
Jason flushed but still looked pleased. “Do you mind if I go take a closer look at the rooms upstairs? I haven’t done much more than grab a quick nap here and there.”
“Do whatever you want,” Gray said, tipping his chair back. “Just be quiet about it.”
Jason flashed him a grin and headed up to explore his new lodgings.
“Deputies,” Gray muttered, pulling his hat down over his eyes.
The preacher returned much sooner than Gray expected, but at least he’d managed to get a short nap in first. Jason hustled downstairs when he heard the wagon pull up and Gray sent him over to fetch the doc.
Doc Fairbanks gave the prisoners one last look over while Gray inspected the men the preacher had gathered to escort them south. They seemed reliable enough and didn’t show any nervousness or unnecessary roughness in handling the prisoners as they were loaded into the wagon. That was good. The last thing any of them wanted was too many questions about all the goings on.
The preacher watched Gray assessing the men, his eyebrows raised in question.
Gray gave him a sharp nod. “They’ll do. How long did you say the journey should take?”
Preacher rubbed his jaw. “Two days there, two days back so long as the weather holds. Maybe a day or so to get everything situated. Should be back within a week, I would think.”
“Good.” Gray nodded to each of the men who had volunteered to escort his prisoners. “I’m much obliged to you,” he said, his voice coming out gruffer than he meant. He wasn’t used to dealing with so many people face-to-face. Or any people, really. He certainly wasn’t used to thanking them for their efforts.
First he became a lawman, and now he was being polite. He hardly recognized himself some days. He still wasn’t sure if that was a good or bad thing.
…
Mercy finished up in the General Store, thanking Martha’s grandparents for everything they’d done for the wedding. She would have liked to talk to Martha, but her friend was out delivering an order and hadn’t returned yet.
It took a few minutes, but she extricated herself as politely as she could from her conversation with old Mrs. Clifford. She loved the dear lady, but the woman would happily chat until the sun went down if left undeterred, and Mercy still needed to return Mrs. DuVere’s dress, which was thankfully still in one piece.
She stepped out onto the sidewalk right as Gray was finishing some sort of meeting with several men from town. She watched him walk into the sheriff station, her mind still struggling to wrap around her change in circumstances. He belonged to her now. She belonged to him. Even more extraordinary, both of them seemed to be enjoying their situation, which was something she, at least—and she’d be willing to bet Gray felt the same way—had never expected.
“Admiring the view?”
Mercy jumped a little and put a hand over her racing heart as Mrs. DuVere grinned at her. There was no point pretending she hadn’t been ogling her husband, so she just smiled but didn’t say anything until he disappeared.
Then she turned to face Mrs. DuVere. “It’s much more enticing than I thought it would be,” Mercy admitted.
Mrs. DuVere chuckled. “I assume the last few days have gone well, then?”
Mercy’s cheeks flushed, and Mrs. DuVere laughed. “I’ll take that as a yes.”
“I brought your dress back,” Mercy said, rather than answer.
“Oh, thank you, dear. You didn’t need to return it so quickly. I assumed you’d be…otherwise occupied for a few more days at least.”
Mercy had to stop blushing every time the woman made an innuendo or her cheeks were going to melt off.
“We had to come into town, anyway, so it was no trouble.”
Mrs. DuVere looked over her shoulder at the jailhouse. “Our new sheriff checking on his prisoners?”
“Yes. We had a visit from Josiah this morning.”
