The Cowboy's Baby Bond

“Hmm.” Mr. Marsh rubbed his chin several times. “Only thing I can think of offhand is the one at the end of the street behind the hotel. It belongs to the Sears family, but they left last fall. I’m sure he won’t mind you using it. I have his forwarding address. You can write him and make arrangements with him. Now, mind you, it’s a little run-down on the outside. I haven’t been inside, so can’t speak for what it’s like. But it’s about all there is at the moment.”

“I’ll take it.” She didn’t care what it looked like, only that her family could be together. “Is there a key?”

“Doubt it’s locked, but if it is, just look over the doorjamb.”

She jerked about. “Do I hear a train whistle?”

Mr. Marsh consulted his watch. “Yup and right on time.”

“I’ve got to go. I’ll take the house and contact the Sears family. Thanks.” She hurried out the door, not surprised that Johnny beat her to the wagon. In minutes they were on their way to the depot.

They pulled up to the platform as the train chugged to a halt, releasing a gust of steam.

Again, Johnny helped her from the wagon, and carried Adam as they went up the stairs to the platform.

Willow rocked back and forth on her tiptoes. “I can hardly wait to see them.” She tidied Adam’s shirt. “Soon you’ll see your aunties and they’ll see you.” She laughed for the sheer pleasure of the occasion.

Adam gurgled and turned back to Johnny. “Man.”

Johnny looked pleased at the baby’s attention. But Willow had eyes only for the train. The conductor swung down and placed a step stool in place. He offered his hand to the first passenger to disembark—an older woman with a black satchel. Then two businessmen stepped out, and a cowboy who went to claim his horse from farther down the platform.

Willow waited. Where were her sisters? Why weren’t they getting off? She held her breath until she felt faint. The conductor crossed toward the station house.

Willow stared at the empty entrance to the train. Where were they?

Slowly it dawned on her. They weren’t getting off.

She raced toward the train and scrambled aboard, ignoring the call from the conductor. “Ma’am, no need to rush. We aren’t leaving for half an hour.”

She stood in the empty aisle. Every seat was vacant. Just to be sure they weren’t playing a trick, she called, “Celia, Sarah, where are you?” She went the entire length of the car, looking behind each seat, till she reached the end. “Where are they?”

Johnny had followed her. “I think you better ask the conductor if he’s seen them.”

Her pulse hammered in her ears. “If they didn’t get on...” She shook her head. What had befallen them?

Johnny guided her down the steps, across the platform and into the station, where the conductor conversed with the ticket agent.

“My sisters,” Willow blurted out. “I was expecting them. Two girls. Ten and fourteen. Celia and Sarah Hendricks. Were they on the train?”

“Those two. Yes, they were on it. They had quite a little argument, then got off back at Martens. We waited as long as we could, but they didn’t come back. I wondered what happened to them, but it wasn’t my business, now, was it? The older girl seemed to know what she was doing.”

“Martens? Where is that?”

“’Bout fifty miles east.” The conductor turned away, his business done.

Willow sank to a nearby bench. Her sisters had gotten off. She thought of the men who had recently accosted her, and reached for the conductor’s sleeve to get his attention. “Were they in some kind of trouble? Was someone bothering them?”

“No, ma’am. I made sure no one did. Like I said, they argued. Seems to me the older one wanted to do something the little one didn’t care for. That’s all I can say.”

Willow rocked back and forth as disappointment and worry twisted through her. There was only one thing to do. She pushed herself to her feet.

“I must go find them.” She took Adam from Johnny, ignoring the baby’s protests, and marched out to the wagon.

Johnny followed and clambered aboard.

“What are you doing?”

His jaw muscles bunched. “I’m not letting you ride all over the country by yourself, that’s for certain sure.”

“You have a cabin to fix.” From what Maisie had told her, that seemed very important.

“You have sisters to find. That outweighs a cabin.”

“You don’t need to do this.”

He flicked the reins and they drove away from the station. “I do need to if I want to be able to live with myself.”

“That’s an odd thing to say.”

He spared her a brief glance full of challenge and stubbornness. “I don’t know what kind of men you’ve known in the past, but some of us live by principles, and my principles will not allow me to let a young woman and a baby travel unescorted across Montana.”

She opened her mouth, but could think of no reply and snapped it shut.

A man with principles? She liked the sound of that. But it didn’t change her plans. Nor her vow to never again trust any man, because, to her sorrow, she knew words came easily.

Noble talk without noble actions was, in her mind, the worst sort of deceit.

Chapter Four (#ulink_7caaf787-b461-520c-aee1-a60123e53073)

Johnny turned the wagon around to head back to the store.

Willow grabbed his arm. “Where are you going? We have to go east.”

“We will, but I plan on being prepared. Fifty miles and back will take us several days. We’ll need food and water and supplies, and some oats for the mare if we expect her to carry us.”

Willow swung her head back and forth. “I don’t like the delay.”

He understood her concern to find her sisters. “A few minutes now will save us hours of regret later.” He stopped at the store. “No need for you to come in. I’ll pick up what we need.”

Her glance challenged him. He half expected her to argue, demand that they race after the girls without thought of food and supplies. Then she nodded. “I hope this won’t take long.”

At her easy agreement he released his breath. Perhaps she realized that arguing would only delay their departure. “I’ll be as quick as I can.” He hurried inside, ordered enough staples to last a few days and rushed back out with them, fearing she wouldn’t wait. With relief he saw the wagon and its occupants still there, and he stowed the box of supplies.

“I’ll have to make one more stop.” Johnny went to the feed store and purchased a sack of oats. He looked at Gray. Should he leave the horse at the livery barn or take him along? He decided on the latter. A man never knew when he’d be wanting a horse to ride.

“That’s it,” he said, climbing back onto the seat and flicking the reins. “We’ll be on our way.”

Willow held Adam on her knee and strained forward as if she could make the horse go faster. But Johnny knew he’d have to pace the old girl if he expected her to complete this journey.