Chapter 21
Enoch swung the barn doors wide, meeting Willow’s nicker of greeting.
He paused to scratch the mare’s neck and let the filly sniff his hand.
It had been nearly three weeks since the barn had burned.
This morning he’d peered into the glass, happy to see that the ugly burn creeping up his neck and into his hair had mellowed into pink new skin.
Even better, he could move his left shoulder without the constant twinge of a deep scab.
Now only the deepest of the cat scratches still tugged as he turned to the wagon tucked in the corner on the other side of the aisle.
Today they could finally pick up the lumber from Walnut Springs to finish the barn.
He strode to the wagon and checked the wheels, running a hand along the spokes to test for any wobble or weakness. All seemed in good repair.
He couldn’t let anything go wrong today, not with Mandie riding along to town with him and James.
Two days had passed since that wet ride and cougar attack, and he’d had a feeling she would jump at another chance to get out of the house. She had.
He could understand her restlessness. Being cooped up inside, even a house as large as this one, could make a body feel trapped after a while. Especially someone used to the freedoms of being on her own.
Still, a part of him wished she would stay safely at the ranch, away from any dangers or discomforts the journey might bring. It would be a long, bumpy ride in her condition, and he didn’t want to risk her health or the babe’s.
But the hopeful look on her face had weakened his resolve.
After their conversation in the kitchen, he found it harder to deny her, to keep that careful distance between them.
So against his better judgment, he’d agreed.
And maybe…maybe by coming to town, she’d remember how nice and convenient everything was and want to stay.
She’d be safer here than on the ranch, where wildcats and barn fires sprang up without warning. Safer here than with him.
When he’d agreed to let her come, her smile had been radiant, making something in his chest tighten. Thank you, Enoch. I promise I won’t be any trouble.
Mandie Beaumont was trouble incarnate, at least for his peace of mind.
He couldn’t seem to stop thinking about her, worrying about her, wanting to be near her, despite all his best efforts to maintain his walls.
Thankfully, James strode into the barn just in time to distract him. That ever-present grin marked his face. “You ready for our adventure?”
Enoch straightened, dusting off his hands. “Not an adventure. Just a supply run.” But he couldn’t quite keep the edge of tension from his voice.
James cocked an eyebrow. “With Mandie along? I’d say that qualifies as an adventure.” His grin turned sly. “Especially given the way you two have been dancing around each other lately.”
Enoch shot him a sharp look. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Sure you don’t.” James chuckled and moved to grab the harnesses. “Just try not to scowl at her the whole way. Poor woman might think you don’t like her company.”
Enoch bit back a retort. He liked Mandie’s company far too much. That was the problem.
And he didn’t want to hurt her by keeping her out. Perhaps she’d be happier somewhere else. She’d mentioned she had money. Maybe while they were in town, he could find a way to set her up safely somewhere. Maybe Two Stones would help.
The two of them made quick work of hitching the team, as well as saddling the mount James would ride.
The wagon bench could hold three if they squeezed together, but on the return trip, the horses would have the weight of all the lumber.
Besides, the last thing he needed was Mandie’s body pressed up against his side all the way to town and back. Or James’s side, for that matter.
By the time they led the horses out into the yard, the morning sun had crested the mountains, painting the sky in shades of gold and pink.
Mandie must have been watching for them, for she stepped from the house as Enoch reined in the team by the porch steps.
She wore a pale blue dress, her dark hair braided and coiled at the nape of her neck. When her eyes met his, a small smile curved her lips, equal parts shy and excited.
Enoch’s heart gave a traitorous thump.
Her gaze shifted to take in his brother too. “Good morning.”
James swept off his hat and dipped a gallant bow from his saddle. “And a fine morning it is, now that you’ve graced us with your presence.”
Mandie laughed, a warm, rich sound that filled the air. “Ever the charmer, James. I see the trip ahead has done nothing to dull your wit.”
“Wit?” James placed a hand over his heart. “You wound me, Mandie. I assure you, my compliments spring from the deepest sincerity.”
She shook her head, still smiling. “Sincere or not, I thank you for them. It’s a lovely start to the day.”
Enoch cleared his throat. “We should get moving if we want to make good time.” He dismounted from the wagon as she descended the porch.
He took the carpetbag from her and placed it to the side so he could use both hands to lift her to the bench. He wasn’t prepared for her softness. Her warmth. The feel of her curves beneath his palms.
When she slid onto the seat, pulling out of his reach, he had to force himself to focus on something other than reaching for her again.
Mandie smoothed her skirts and flashed him a smile. “Thank you.”
He gave a curt nod and grabbed her bag, stowing it under the bench before climbing up beside her. The wagon dipped and creaked under his weight. He was a clumsy ox compared to her fluid grace.
James nudged his horse alongside them. “Ready?”
Enoch nodded, then flicked the reins for the team to follow in behind his brother’s mount.
As the wagon rolled down the dirt track, he couldn’t help but be aware of Mandie’s presence beside him. The sway and jolt of the wagon bench brought them into contact more than once, her shoulder and thigh brushing his.
He kept his gaze fixed ahead, trying to ignore the scent of her hair, the soft rhythm of her breaths. But it was a losing battle. His senses felt heightened, attuned to her every movement.
Mandie seemed oblivious to his inner turmoil, her face alight with quiet happiness as she took in the passing scenery. “It’s so beautiful out here. I don’t think I could ever tire of these mountains.”
Enoch darted a glance at her, taking in the soft smile on her lips, the way the sunlight brought out glints of red in her dark hair. She looked radiant, alive in a way he rarely saw within the confines of the house. “You like being outdoors.”
She turned to him, her eyes bright. “I do. I always have, even as a child. There’s something freeing about open spaces, about being surrounded by nature’s beauty.
” Her smile turned wistful. “In Savannah, I often felt…confined. By the expectations of society, the strict rules of propriety. Out here, it’s different.
Simpler, in a way, but also more real. Here, I feel like I can breathe.
Like I can just be myself, without all the trappings and expectations. ”
This woman. She’d so completely echoed what pressed inside his own chest. She’d put into words what he felt each time he rode out into the mountains, looked over the peaks and valleys that stretched farther than any city street could hope to.
Out here, all the duties and restrictions that came with his family title faded away, leaving only him. The man who craved simplicity, who felt most at home under an open sky, with the scent of pine and damp earth in his lungs.
As he glanced down at her upturned face, something shifted inside him.
He swallowed, searching for a response that wouldn’t reveal too much. “I know what you mean. The mountains, the land...they have a way of stripping away all the unnecessary things. Leaving only what’s true and essential.”
Her smile deepened, warming him like a touch. “Yes. Exactly.”
She held his gaze, and for a heartbeat, a connection sparked between them, an understanding that went beyond words.
Then James called back to them, pointing out a hawk circling overhead, and the moment passed.
But as they rode on, occasionally speaking of inconsequential things, he couldn’t get that brief exchange out of his mind.
Maybe he and Mandie had more in common than he’d ever guessed.
That thought made him want to draw closer to her, even as instinct screamed for him to pull back. To protect himself.
Yet he was so tired of being alone. Of holding himself apart, aloof and untouchable. With Mandie, he couldn’t stop longing for...more. Even if he didn’t quite know what that meant. Or whether reaching for it was safe.
The miles fell away beneath the wagon wheels, the sun climbing higher into the cloudless blue sky.
Before long, Walnut Springs stretched out in the valley before them.
As they neared the main road through town, the sounds of men’s shouts and pounding hammers rose from the sawmill by the river.
When Clark had an order to fill, that cacophony usually overshadowed all the other noises from the town.
Walnut Springs wasn’t large, but it held a mercantile with the telegraph office inside.
And of course the doctor. A scattering of other businesses lined the street—a blacksmith, a cafeteria with a few rooms upstairs they let out to travelers, a washwoman, and the like.
But the mercantile and sawmill were the two businesses the Balfours frequented the most.
Holbrook at the mercantile could order most anything they needed if they were willing to wait long enough—and pay the stout shipping fees.
Enoch reined in the team in front of the sawmill, then set the brake and jumped to the ground. He sent a glance to his brother before reaching to help Mandie down. “You want to see Clark and back the wagon in so they can start loading? I’ll take Mandie to the mercantile, and you can meet us there.”
Mandie placed her hand in his as she reached her boot down to the step. Her hands were so soft, he almost felt guilty letting her touch his callused fingers. But he also wasn’t above enjoying her touch.
When she settled on the ground, she sent him a warm smile. “Thank you.”
James cleared his throat, forcing Enoch to look away from that ray of sunshine to his brother’s frowning face. “How about you talk to Clark, and I’ll take Mandie to the mercantile? You’re the one who drove the wagon here. Finish the job.”
Enoch wanted to growl. Maybe even snap at his brother like a stray mongrel.
But James had a point. Any argument he came back with would sound petty and entitled.
So he only nodded, but the glare he sent the back of his brother’s head as the cad extended his arm to Mandie should have been hot enough to set fire to that brown fluff James had clearly taken extra care to pomade in place today.
As the pair walked away, James’s mount trailing behind, Enoch turned back to the sawmill and sighed. It seemed duty over pleasure would never end for him.