The Drifter And The Rancher's Daughter by Tamsyn A. Lipscolmbe

Author:Tamsyn A. Lipscolmbe [Lipscolmbe, Tamsyn A.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2020-09-15T18:30:00+00:00

Chapter 12

“We’ve got a problem,” Peter barges in on Alma. She jumps up from the bed. Luckily, she had actually just been lying there dozing off in the still heat in the room and not touching herself. “There’s a curfew at sundown. The Sheriff’s men are like to shoot on sight if you’re out past dark here.”

“That’s the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard right after women not being allowed in the saloon,” she complains.

“What’s more is he’s got folk looking for you all along the road to Inglesburg, so you can’t go that way after we’re done here.”

She rubs her face and thinks quickly, “Alright, listen. You take my horse and head on out of town, out off the road where we were earlier. I’ll stay here with Richard and get Jane then we’ll meet you there.”

“I feel like you didn’t listen to that part about them shooting you after dark.”

She gets up and insists, “I heard you well enough.” She gathers her things and then ushers him out of the room, “If we’re not there by midnight then head on to Goldsprings and handle your business. I don’t reckon you have any obligation to either of us really.”

“Come with me,” he implores. His tone is urgent and worried.

“I’m not leaving Jane. I quite like her and they’re planning to hang her tomorrow,” she reminds him, leading him down the stairs carefully their arms linked. She’s smiling pleasantly and speaking calmly so that they appear a happy couple should anyone look their way. “You just go on and wait for us.”

“You ought not risk your life-”

“I’m doing it, dear husband. Please stop trying to convince me otherwise,” she maintains her merry voice. They make it to the bottom of the stairs and start for the door, “If you don’t want to wait then you can just head on if you’d like. You already paid Jane.”

He shakes his head and looks down dejectedly, “No, I’ll wait.”

When they get to the horses, Alma starts shifting saddle bags and packs around. She grabs Jane’s spare rifle and checks to see if it’s loaded. It has a full clip and she throws the strap over her head onto her shoulder then swings it around to her back.

“Oh, goodness, Alma. What are you doing?” Peter asks her as he struggles to get on his horse. His voice cracking, sounding terrified.

“If one of these fools tries to shoot me, I plan to shoot back,” she tells him and hands him the reins of her horse. “Now you get out of town. It’s almost dark. I’ll meet up with you soon unless I’m dead.”

“Do you even know how to shoot?” He asks, his voice squeaking.

“I apparently give off some sort of air that I don’t know how to handle a gun,” she moans, not giving him a straight answer.

“Alma,” he looks like he has more to say, but he doesn’t say it. He closes his mouth tightly then he hangs his head and starts riding out.

Alma leaves Richard hitched where he is out back of the hotel with another horse.

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