Sweetwater Ridge by Snodgrass G. L

Author:Snodgrass, G. L. [Snodgrass, G. L.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Amazon: B07Y2WLQN3
Goodreads: 48647538
Publisher: Purple Herb
Published: 2019-10-31T07:00:00+00:00

Chapter Fourteen

Amelia felt as if someone had punched her in the stomach.

“Tomorrow?” she whispered unable to process the thousand emotions flowing through her. He was taking her away.

He frowned as he studied her for a moment. “I’ve got to get you over there before the snow flies. Even more. I got to get back. If the pass gets closed, I could be stuck over there for weeks. Maybe a month or more.”

Of course. His stupid mine. That was what he was worried about. Nothing could be allowed to interfere with his mine.

“You’re walking pretty good now,” he said as if that was her true concern. “At least when you wear Charlie’s boots. And your wound didn’t get infected. Consuela’s salve worked. So, I think we can do it if you ride Big Bay. I’ll lead Old Ben. We’ll need to pack enough for about ten days. Six over. Four back for me.”

She could only stare at him as she tried to listen to what he was saying. But all she could think of was that he wanted to get rid of her. A sadness filled her. She had been so stupid. How could she have ever imagined it would be any other way.

He looked at her strangely and she realized there was something he wasn’t telling her.

“What else?” she asked.

He sighed heavily. “The boy said that there were men looking for you. They described a big man who took you in the night.”

“That’s why,” she said. “It’s not because you’ve grown tired of me. I’m not a bother.”

He laughed. “Amy, you’ve been bothering me since the moment I stomped those two men. But it ain’t your fault. A beautiful woman just naturally bothers a man.”

Her heart soared. He thought she was beautiful. No one had ever said that to her before. Not like that. She sighed inside. A woman could hear words like that all her life and die a happy woman.

“Maybe they won’t find us,” she said as she desperately tried to think of some way to hold off the inevitable. “Didn’t you say there was a danger of us being on the trail.”

He nodded. “Can’t put it off or you’ll be stuck here all winter. We’ll sneak through Truckee at night. No way they can watch the road day and night.”

Her stomach clenched. Should she tell him that the idea of being stuck with him in this cabin all winter was not so terrifying to her? In fact, she realized, it sounded like the most beautiful way to spend a winter.

No, she realized. She couldn’t tell him that. He was set on being free of her. Wasn’t that one of the reasons he’d given her a share of his gold? It was a way to relieve his guilt.

He needn’t have bothered. He had nothing to feel guilty about. If not for him she would have been trapped in a Reno brothel. No, she would always appreciate all he had done for her. Even now. He was taking time away from his mine because he was concerned for her well-being.

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