Chapter Six
Mary’s eyes fluttered open to see a ridiculously handsome and strong man standing over her.
She opened her mouth intending to speak, but only a pained groan emitted from her lips.
“You just lay still,” he commanded. “I’m going to look you over.”
Look her over? Why? What was going on?
Who was this guy and why was he staring at her? Had she died? Was he an angel?
Mmm. If heaven was an eternity with that man, she considered herself blessed to have made it!
But there probably wasn’t any pain in heaven and she was hurting all over. So, the Great Beyond most likely wasn’t where she was now.
So, what exactly had happened?
Mary tried to recall the events that led to this moment, but just thinking hurt her head.
She closed her eyes and groaned again. A moment later, it all came back to her.
There had been a ravine that she’d tumbled down while…trying to escape the Deputy Marshal who had arrested her.
Which brought her back to the handsome man.
She groaned another time, but now it had nothing to do with the pain.
“Can you move your legs?” he inquired.
“John Hardin,” she said.
“Yeah?”
She shook her head but winced from the pain. “I meant, your name is John Hardin. It’s all…coming back to me now.”
“Can you sit up?” he asked.
She did so, but it took a few seconds of labored, stiff movements.
Her eyes went from him to his rifle that was resting against the closest tree. She couldn’t help but wonder if he’d brought it along in case he needed to use it on her, or just so it wasn’t unattended back in the saddle boot on his horse.
She hoped it was the latter reason. The thought of having the weapon pointed at her wasn’t appealing. But then again, there was a lot about this little adventure that wasn’t appealing.
Like falling down a rocky ravine.
“How are you?”
“I’m fine,” she said.
“And your memory is clear?”
“Yes.”
“So you remember how you ran away from me after lying about needing to answer nature’s call?” he pressed.
She bobbed her head. Ouch! Just that little motion hurt so bad she nearly saw stars!
“If you weren’t in such rough shape, little girl, I’d hike that dress up, pull your pantaloons down, and take you across my knee to give your bottom a good walloping!”
“Hey!” she protested.
“Don’t you hey me, young lady. You could have gotten yourself killed, running around these woods like a wild animal! And could have gotten me hurt, too.” He looked up at the sharp incline of the ravine’s wall. “It’s going to be hard enough getting up that thing, and I attached a rope to a tree up yonder. But it could have been a lot worse than this! Now, you’re lucky your head didn’t get stove in when you fell. Could’ve busted it on a rock or something.”
A pang of guilt stabbed at her and she wanted to cry but managed to barely hold back the tears.
“I’m sorry, sir,” she said quietly.
Standing over her, with his hands on his hips, he shook his head. “I don’t know if I believe that. To be honest, I’m not sure what I believe with you.”
That was fair and she knew it. But the words still stung. For some reason, John Hardin’s opinion of her mattered greatly. Far more than it should, she reminded herself.
“You can stand?” he asked.
“Yes, sir.”
He put his hands on her as she tried, steadying her. Just that small touch sent a jolt of excited electricity coursing through her body. For the briefest of moments, she forgot about the pain the fall had caused.
“And you can walk?”
Putting her right foot out and then her left, she took a few steps and nodded.
“Alright. We’re going to hold onto this rope.”
“Where’d you get that?” she asked, still groggy and trying to make sense of it all.
“When I saw you down here, I went back to the horses and grabbed it. Helped me climb down here to you. And it’s our ticket out of here. Now, are you listening?”
“Yes, sir.”
“Good. Hold it tight. You go first. Slow and careful. We don’t need you getting hurt again.”
“What if I fall?” she asked, unable to hide the fear in her voice.
“That’s why you’re going first. I’ll be behind you. I’ll catch you.”
She couldn’t help but smile. He cared about her. It felt wonderful.
“Now be a good girl and do as you’ve been told.”
“Yes, sir,” she said.
“Oh, and Mary?”
She loved the way it sounded when he said her name, so there was no suppressing the grin that turned her lips upward. “Yes? she said, turning around to look at him.
“You try and run again, and I will give you the spanking of your life. Are we clear?”
That smile of hers quickly faded.
She gulped. “Yes, sir.”
John meant business.
Yikes!
***
It took them a while, but he seemed to have no trouble leading them back to the clearing where they’d left their horses.
Only the mounts weren’t there.
“You left them right here?” Mary asked desperately.
John shot her an annoyed look. “This isn’t my first time doing all this. Yes, I picketed them to this tree.” He squatted down and looked at the prints left behind. “Someone made off with them.”
Mary shot him an incredulous glance. “Horse thieves? Out here?”
She watched as he stood and smirked, though there wasn’t any humor to it. “You should know all about that. In fact, maybe they’re friends of yours.” He shrugged. “I would say you stole them yourself, but since I had to pull you out of the bottom of that gulley, I know you can’t be the guilty party.” A moment passed before he added, “ This time.”
The words stung her, but she didn’t argue. He was right—she knew her fair share of horse thieves. And it was her reckless actions that led him away from the horses, opening them up to whoever took them.
But out here?
He must have read her mind, because he said, “You know how it is here in the Territory. Lots of folks more than willing to run off with a mount if the opportunity presents itself.”
“You think all Indians steal?” she said with a huff.
He rolled his eyes. “No. I think the outlaws who flee into Indian Territory steal. They believe this is a lawless land where anything goes. Don’t even realize some of the tribes have their own law.”
Mary stood up a little more proudly. “Like the Choctaw Lighthorse!”
John nodded. “You have a run in with them, too, have you? They arrest you for something.”
She deflated a bit. “My brother is a Lighthorseman, thank you very much.”
“Good Lord! Two siblings and one works for the law and the other turns into an owlhoot who breaks it. Family reunions must be fun at your house,” he replied with a snort.
Again, his words and the opinion behind them hurt her, but she tried hard not to let it show. “Oh, Christmas is a real blast.”
He looked puzzled and she laughed.
“What’s the matter, Deputy? You don’t think us savages celebrate Christmas?” she poked.
He rolled his eyes again, shook his head in exasperation, and said, “No. I didn’t think criminals like yourself did. But I guess I learn something new every day.” He looked at the ground. “Come on. We’re on foot. We best get to walking.”
“We’re going to walk all the way back to Arkansas?”
“Nope,” he said, pointing to what he was looking at on the ground. “We’re going to follow these tracks and walk to wherever the thieves are who took my horses. Then I’m going to get our mounts back. You argue with me, or try to run, and I’ll find the closest stump to sit on, drag you over my knee, and spank you. Remember that.”
As he started walking away, he muttered, “I ought to do it right now just for your sassy tongue.”
She smiled and walked after him. Good, she thought. I’m really under his skin now.
I’ll be free in no time at all.