To Have and to Hold (Cactus Creek Cowboys) by Greenwood Leigh

Author:Greenwood, Leigh [Greenwood, Leigh]
Language: eng
Format: azw3, epub
Publisher: Sourcebooks
Published: 2013-11-05T05:00:00+00:00

Twelve

Colby had been reluctant to accept clothes from Haskel Sumner, but the man was so grateful for what he’d done for Opal, it would have been unkind to refuse. In any case, Morley Sumner threatened to strip him himself if he didn’t take the clothes. Colby wasn’t a small man, but he had no desire to test his strength against a man who’d been a blacksmith for more than twenty years.

Accepting Dr. Kessling’s offer to change in his wagon had been more difficult, but Morley said Colby had to be in the saddle most of the next day looking for the missing animals. He also said he had no intention of letting Colby get sick and die, leaving them to wander about the desert like the Israelites in the Bible. When he started talking about manna from heaven and being led by pillars of fire, Colby owned defeat and followed the doctor to his wagon. He had known the doctor wasn’t happy with him. It didn’t take long for him to find out why.

“I don’t blame you for Naomi’s wanting to help round up the missing livestock, but I do blame you for not making her come back.”

Colby blamed himself as well. “I would have had to drag her off the horse and bring her back by force.”

“I know she can be difficult, but she’s—”

“She’s more than difficult. She’s very intelligent and extremely capable, but she’s gotten her way for so long she expects it. I can’t make her understand this isn’t like Kentucky.”

“Then you shouldn’t have insisted she learn to ride. That gave her one more way to show her independence. How is knowing she can do everything better than half the men in the wagon train going to help her get a husband?”

“She’ll have no trouble getting plenty of offers. The question is whether she’ll accept any of them.”

The doctor favored Colby with a less than friendly look. “I want her to live long enough to get the chance.”

“So do I.” They had reached the Kessling wagon.

“Scratch on the flap,” the doctor said without warmth. “She’s expecting you.”

Colby wasn’t sure what he was expecting to see when Naomi opened the flap, but he’d been certain he’d see a change in her. He felt transformed, but she looked as she always did. Maybe a little uncomfortable in her father’s presence. He wasn’t comfortable himself. He usually didn’t allow the opinions of others to affect him, but he liked and respected the doctor. He didn’t enjoy knowing the doctor thought he’d acted irresponsibly.

“Did you get some dry clothes?” Naomi asked.

“He got some from Morley,” her father said. “Now climb down and let Colby inside. I won’t be surprised if he gets an inflammation of the lung from traipsing around in this weather.”

Colby didn’t see how the doctor could equate looking for stampeded animals with traipsing around, but the prospect of warm clothes and a bit of heat to warm him up destroyed any desire to argue. He put the clothes on the wagon seat.

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