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"What on earth are you talking about?" Josh asked, squinting through the falling dusk.
Melanie did not take the time to respond. She was too eager to go and embrace Shaneto welcome him back home. His return had proved so much to her!
Breaking into a run, she left the bedroom. She did not even feel the steps beneath her feet as she rushed down the staircase. Breathless, she hurried
from the house, down the front steps. Lifting her skirt up into her arms, she ran toward Shane.
When he saw her approaching, he met her halfway and drew her into his embrace, hugging her fiercely.
"As promised, I have returned," he said in a whisper into her ear. "It is good to feel you in my arms, Melanie. So good."
"What's this all about?"
Melanie and Shane drew apart quickly when Josh spoke up behind them. Shane took a step toward his brother and glowered at him.
"I said what's this all about?" Josh stormed, gesturing toward the horses that Shane had added to the others. "Where did you get those horses? Why did you bring them here? Damn it, Shane, where the hell have you been?"
"I owe you no answers about anything," Shane said. He walked past Josh and lifted a hand to Red Raven. They intertwined their fingers. "My friend, we will meet again. But until we do, ride with care."
Red Raven gave Shane a steady gaze, gripped his hand harder, then drew it away. He wheeled his horse around and rode off in a gallop.
Josh went to the fence and peered at the horses more closely. "These horses are stolen, aren't they?" he asked, giving Shane a glance over his shoulder. "Melanie said something about Chief Gray Falcon. Shane, did you steal these horses from him?"
Shane tightened his jaw. He turned away from Josh and began lifting his pelts off his horse. He
stiffened when Josh came to him and grabbed him by an arm.
"Shane, are these horses stolen?" Josh shouted. He stared down at the pelts. "Are those stolen pelts? Are you trying to draw us into a war with the Indians? I should have expected something like this!"
Melanie yanked his hand from Shane's arm. "Josh, stop that!" she shouted. "You don't understand. You don't know!"
Josh st
epped away from Melanie. He raked his fingers nervously through his hair, staring from Melanie to Shane. "I've had enough," he said, his voice drawn. "I've got to get away. I can't be a part of horse stealing. I won't be here when the Indians arrive to retaliate!"
He waved a hand wildly in the air. "For now, it's all yours," he said, his voice breaking. "I see now that there's no other wayno other way to prove that it's wrong for you to be here except to let you take charge. It won't take long for you and everyone else to see just how wrong it is. I'll be back and take over after you leave. That is, if the damn Indians don't burn down my house and steal all of my cattle first!"
Melanie's mouth dropped open. She stared disbelievingly at Josh as he broke into a run toward the stable and soon rode away on his horse.
Shane seemed not at all disturbed by Josh's abrupt decision to leave. He walked toward the house with the pelts.
Melanie watched, feeling suddenly helpless. Without Josh, everythingall responsibility for
Shane's welfarehad fallen into her hands. It would be up to her to teach Shane everything, or he would lose the farm! She knew that Josh would not stay away forever. He cared too much about his position in life to turn his back on it. Melanie had only till Josh's return to teach Shane everything that was required to run a cattle farm!
She looked up at the butte, where the land reached into the forest. Fear suddenly claimed her heart. Josh had been right to worry about a reprisal by Chief Gray Falcon.
But just what sort could be expected?
Melanie broke into a run after Shane. She had much to say to him. She had much to find out. There was the question about Cedar Maid. In what way had he loved her? And how deeply?
Chapter Sixteen
Melanie followed Shane through the house and into his bedroom. Wide-eyed, she watched him lay his pelts aside, then remove the packages from his bed and place them on the floor. Without hesitation, he lifted the mattress from his bed and carried it past Melanie, out into the hall, then returned and dismantled the bed and, piece by piece, removed it from the room also.
Puzzled by his actions, Melanie watched Shane as he placed the many pelts on the floor where his bed had stood, spreading them out in a comfortable pile.
Shane stood up and studied his pallet of furs, nodding his approval, then went to Melanie and took her hand and led her to them. Snuggling her close in his arms, he eased her down onto the furs.
