AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Instead, he swallowed loudly and narrowed his eyes. “Go for your gun.”
* * *
Sybil put aside her empty teacup. “I’m fine now. But I need to take care of Dawg.” She pushed herself to her feet, willing strength into her shaking limbs. “Mercy, will you come with me?”
Her friend looked startled, then shrugged. “Sure. Why not?”
Dawg waited outside and wriggled a happy greeting when Sybil called him. “I’ll take him to the barn. That’s where he’s used to staying.” She waited until they reached the barn to turn to Mercy. “Help me saddle a horse.”
“You? Why?”
“I’m going after Brand.”
Mercy laughed.
“I’m serious.”
Mercy squinted at her as if trying to bring her into focus. “You really are. Okay. I’ll saddle a horse for you, but I’m coming, too.”
Sybil hugged her friend. “I hoped you’d say that.” She’d have to ride astride though she’d never done so. Regardless, she had to do this.
“Up you go.” Mercy helped her into the saddle. It was uncomfortable, but she’d survive.
When they left the barn, Sybil glanced around. Should they tell someone? No men lingered about. She glanced at the big house but didn’t see Linette at the window. “Maybe we should tell Jayne what we’re doing.”
“She’ll try and stop us. Do you want that?”
“No. I must do this. Let’s go.” So they rode north.
It didn’t take long before Sybil wondered if she had been rash. She bounced with every step. Her legs cramped. Her back cried. But they kept onward, hoping for some sign of Brand.
She saw a movement through the trees. “Stop.” She pulled up so hard her horse reared.
Mercy halted and waited for Sybil’s mount to settle.
“Help me down.” Sybil practically fell into her friend’s arms, and bit her lip as her legs took her weight. “I saw someone through there.” She pointed. “It has to be Brand. Wait here,” she requested. “I want to see him alone.”
Mercy squeezed her arm. “You go get him.”
Sybil tiptoed forward, wanting to assess the situation before she confronted him. Twenty feet in she drew to a sudden halt, her heart kicking her ribs so hard it would leave a bruise.
Brand and another man faced each other. The second man held a gun aimed at Brand, and the look on his face convinced Sybil he meant business.
“Draw,” the angry man ordered.
Brand didn’t have a chance at outdrawing a man with a gun already in his palm.
Her legs forgot how to work and she collapsed against a tree.
Brand, she silently whispered. Don’t die. Please, God, let me get a chance to tell him how much I love him.
Brand kept his arms stretched out at his sides as if avoiding any indication he meant to draw. “I ain’t gonna be part of this,” he said, his voice firm and strong. Keeping his right hand far away from his body, he slowly reached with his left toward the gun in his waistband and tossed it aside.
Her heart beat so fast she felt dizzy. What was he thinking? Did he plan to die?
“You go ahead and take a shot if that’s what will make things right in your mind. I ain’t like my pa and brother. I won’t shoot a man for any reason.” Brand stood immobile. “If you think that’s what your innocent wife would want you to do.”
The stranger stared as the moments ticked by. Then he slowly lowered his gun. “You ain’t no Duggan. A Duggan wouldn’t miss a chance to shoot someone.” He stuck his gun in his belt.
“I really am sorry,” Brand said. “Kind of know how you feel. When I thought I was about to die, I had similar regrets. I thought I would do most anything to make up for past mistakes, even ones I didn’t make. But you can’t live life backward. Only forward.”
Acknowledgment flickered through the man’s eyes and then he turned, swung onto his horse and rode away.
Sybil’s legs folded under her and she crashed to the ground.
At the sound Brand turned. When he saw her, his expression went from alarm to concern. He hurried to her side. “How did you get here?”
“I rode a horse.” She explained how worried she’d been when Dawg returned.
