After the Ashes by Cheryl Howe

Author:Cheryl Howe [Howe, Cheryl]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Tags: Romance, Adult, Western
ISBN: 9780843951738
Publisher: Leisure Books
Published: 2003-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER ELEVEN

Braddock rode Lucky onto the neat dirt perimeter that marked Jay Hartman’s front yard and braced himself. The sea of milky topped cotton that threatened to swallow the small homestead lulled him into such a false sense of ease, he thought he’d arrived at the wrong farm. But as he drew closer, he recognized the single-story ranch house.

Despite everything, Jay appeared to be getting on all right. The house’s planked front had a fresh coat of white paint, and an adobe addition peeked from the back. A swing creaked on the porch, and beds of flowers bloomed in the surrounding shadows. The last and only other time Braddock had visited his friend’s place, he hadn’t counted on Jay’s lasting a year. If it weren’t for the occasional letters that reached him, he would have assumed the Hartmans had moved back east to live with Jay’s folks.

Braddock glanced to his companions, who followed at a wary distance. Compared to the night he had sworn to let Lorelei and her brother go, their journey had been uneventful. Even Archie had behaved. Though not quite sober, he wasn’t painting the town red drunk. Braddock suspected he was rationing his supply of booze. He didn’t doubt Archie needed the stuff for medicinal purposes. Archie was so hooked on it, he probably wouldn’t have survived the two days of hard riding without it.

He swung off Lucky, draped the reins around the porch’s rail, and climbed the steps to the front door. His actions felt exaggerated, as if he had to put on as how to keep from helping Lorelei dismount. But if he didn’t keep his distance during the day, he’d never make it through the nights. The camp loomed silent then, and he could hear her heavy sighs. To keep from touching her, holding her one last time, required all his strength. More than that, he at least wanted to tell her he was sorry. But that would make their inevitable parting that much harder. And that he must leave her and never see her again was the one thing he was sure of.

He knocked on Jay’s door. His stomach clenched with the unreasonable and unwanted hope that they had moved. He stepped back and waited. A restless wind that ruffled the yard’s lone tree was his only answer.

He scanned the grounds for signs of life. His prisoners had dismounted and stared at him expectantly. Lorelei wiped dust and sweat from her eyes. She was clearly exhausted.

Braddock knocked again, louder. There was still no answer, no movement behind the door. “Hello,” he called loudly. “Jay, Beth. Anybody home?”

“Don’t give away it’s you. They might not answer,” said Corey.

Braddock took off his hat, avoiding looking over. The little

smartass was right. Braddock himself wouldn’t answer the door if it were him. He stepped down from the porch, intending to go around back. A high-pitched squeal followed by a woman’s surprised shriek stopped him in mid-step.

He swiveled in the direction of the noise, adjusted his weight to his knees, and reached for his guns.

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