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Ty only nodded, offered his arm to her, and led her out of the hotel onto the street.
There were several other couples also on their way to church and each one of them stopped to stare openly at Tynan and Chris.
In church, Chris pulled Tynan to the third pew, away from the back row where he started to sit. Throughout the service, he was silent, listening to the preacher with attention. During the singing, he seemed familiar with the songs and, as Red had said, he did indeed have an excellent voice.
As they left the church, he seemed relieved that it was over and had gone well. Standing at the door, the minister made an effort to shake his hand and tell him he was welcome.
As they went down the stairs, they saw Red waiting for them in a beautiful big-wheeled carriage, holding the reins to a sleek black gelding.
“I brought you baskets of food for the picnic,” she said. “I didn’t want you to go empty-handed. Here, Ty, help me down.”
“You aren’t going with us?” Chris asked.
“A church picnic ain’t no place for the likes of me. You two go and have a good time. And, Tynan, you start to look happier or I’ll take a switch to you.”
That made Ty laugh as he kissed her cheek. “Maybe I needbothof you to protect me.”
Chris slipped her arm in his. “One can handle you. We shall miss you, Red, but we’ll see you tonight. Pray it doesn’t rain.”
“Honey, I ain’t stopped prayin’ since you came to town. Now get out of here.”
Ty lifted Chris into the carriage and soon they were speeding down the dirt road with the other couples. Chris moved close to him on the seat and held his arm. “Who are the Chanrys?”
“Been snooping again?”
“Of course. Who are they?”
“A bunch of two-bit crooks. Most of them are either dead now or locked away.”
“Were you part of them?”
“They wanted me to be. Even told people I was.”
“But I thought they broke you out of jail. Tynan, how many times have you been in jail?”
“Total?” he asked seriously. “Even for being drunk?”
“Never mind, don’t answer. How did your name get linked with those criminals?”
“I told you. They wanted me to join and when I wouldn’t, they got angry. They didn’t break me out of jail, a U.S. marshal did.”
“Explain, please,” she said over the sound of the carriage.
“The Chanrys didn’t like the way I told them I wouldn’t join their gang no matter what they offered me. You see, they needed a fast gun since their best man had been killed. As revenge, they robbed a bank and kept calling one of the men Tynan. The local sheriff came after me. Only problem was that I was laid up with a broken leg, but he didn’t seem to think that was proof that I was innocent. One of the women where I was staying got in touch with a marshal and he came up to investigate. When he couldn’t persuade the sheriff not to hang me, the marshal blew up the jail. The sheriff told everybody it was the Chanrys—proof that he should have hanged me.”
“Tynan, you are full of the most awful stories.”
“When a man lives by the gun, he should expect to be faced with other guns. Here we are. Why don’t you take the baskets over there and I’ll—”
“No, you have to carry the big one and I have to introduce you to everyone.”
“But I already know most of these people. They’re the ones—”
“They are the ones who know nothing about you. Now come along.”
“Yes, ma’am,” he said, grinning. “You do tie them apron strings to a man, don’t you?”
“Sometimes, apron strings give a man purpose in life. And they’re a lot less violent than guns.”
