Flint Hills Bride

“Denver?” What were they going to do there?

“We’ll need money,” he said. “Get as much as you can.”

“You mean steal from Christian?”

“Emily,” he said gently, drawing her closer to his side. “They’ve forced us to this. It isn’t the way either of us want it, but it’s the only way we can be together.” He gave her shoulder a squeeze before letting it go. “Besides, they wouldn’t want you to go hungry, would they?”

Emily shook her head. It was happening too fast. Yet a day ago she had thought it couldn’t happen soon enough. She looked up at the handsome face, and he smiled down at her. There was no glint of mischief in his eyes; they looked…secretive. He had his doubts about running away, as well. But, as he had said, it was the only way they could be together. She loved him more, knowing he was as uncertain as she.

He bent and kissed her quickly. “Go back now, before they miss you. Come back with food if you can.”

Jake saddled his horse in preparation for riding into town. It was midaftemoon, and he planned to spend the night at home and ride back to the ranch early in the morning.

He hated to leave Emily, though he had long since realized he was no real comfort to her. Still, the mornings when he had joined her for her walk, he imagined his presence gave her courage. Yesterday, however, had ended that pretense. She didn’t need another shadow.

This morning he had watched for her to leave the house and waited impatiently while she was gone. She hadn’t once looked toward the barn where he waited.

Shadow, he thought as he swung into the saddle. That pretty well described what he was to her. Something present but barely noticed, insignificant. Useless.

Well, he would make himself useful elsewhere. He would ask his boss for any word from Topeka. And, though he would leave her alone for a time, he would hurry back to be her shadow again.

Emily was certain there was no chance of sneaking food out to Anson before dark. She knew she should try to think of a way, but how would she explain a second walk to Jake? It would be impossible to slip past him.

Wrapped in a shawl, she took refuge on her balcony. It looked down on the valley that dropped below the front of the house, the side away from the barnyard. Here, she had thought herself safe from any reminders of Willa’s perfect Jake.

Why did the little girl have to call all his attributes to her attention? She had been content to think of him as her childhood friend, the boy who had teased her, argued with her, gotten into trouble for her.

Yesterday morning she had yelled at him. She was leaving tonight and would probably never speak to him again. She could hardly imagine it.

Somehow, years from now, she would come back and see her family. It hurt to think that her niece and nephew would grow up without her, but she would see them again.

But Jake? Where would he be by the time she was able to return? Would he be married?

She shook away the foolish thought. She would be married. And a mother. Her ties to Jake were from her childhood, nothing more. Still she regretted that her last words to him had been in anger.

She felt a sudden chill and wrapped the shawl more tightly around her shoulders. She would find him this afternoon, talk and tease, end things on a more comfortable note. She could even apologize to him now, since she would be gone by tomorrow.

The sound of a horse’s hooves caught her attention. She leaned over the balcony to look below her and watched Jake canter past. Had his vacation been brought to a sudden end for some reason? Would he be back before Christmas? Or was he leaving because he was tired of her moody responses to his offers of friendship?

With a sigh, she turned back into her room. It was foolish to think she had that much effect on Jake. It didn’t matter anyway. Any chance of settling things with him was gone now. She needed to put him out of her mind and think about her future.

Anson was the one she should be thinking of. With Jake gone there was a much better chance of getting food to Anson. He was probably starving.

The kitchen was empty when she arrived. She hurried to throw together some bread and meat left from the noon meal, knowing Martha could arrive at any moment to begin supper preparations.

She breathed a sigh of relief when she left the kitchen with the cloth-wrapped lunch tucked under her arm. She donned her cloak and concealed the bundle beneath it. She said a silent prayer that Christian wouldn’t be watching before she opened the back door and stepped outside.

No one hailed her as she walked past the barn, trying her best to look as if she were going for another of her frequent walks. Still her heart was pounding by the time the barn was safely behind her.

Anson wasn’t where she had met him that morning. Unwilling to call out for fear her voice would carry, she looked carefully around her. The thought that he had left without her didn’t fill her with as much panic as she knew it should.

But he hadn’t left. She saw his horse near the stream in the valley below and carefully made her way toward it. Anson slept in the sun a short distance away and woke with a start as she approached.

“I brought some food,” she gasped before catching her breath.

“Good girl.”

He made no move to rise but reached out a hand toward her. She removed the bundle from where she had tied it at her waist and took it to him.