After the Ashes(58)

Still, this fresh blow seemed especially cruel. Maybe she thought Christopher was some prize for her endurance. But there was no prize, only more to endure.

She lifted her skirt and increased her pace. A rock dug through the thin soles of her worn shoes, toppling her fragile balance. Her breath whistled through her teeth at the sharp jolt of pain.

Christopher was instantly at her side to steady her. “Are you all right?”

His touch hurt more than the rock. Not because his concern wasn’t real, but because it was. He did care for her. Unfortunately, he decided how it would be between them, and her opinion didn’t even count. He did what he thought was best. Men always did, and look how terribly things turned out.

She shook off his grip. “I’m fine, thank you,” she said, and strode toward the camp ahead of him, alone.

***



Braddock couldn’t stop gazing at Lorelei across the campfire, watching her blink back her tears before they could spill onto her cheeks. If it weren’t for Archie and his antics, keeping semi-composed would have been that much harder for her. The tension hanging over the campfire still had the potential to ignite at any moment.

He swirled the coffee in his mug. Maybe he should have taken a shot of Archie’s whiskey after all. The liquor seemed to work well for everyone else. He couldn’t believe he was actually grateful for Archie’s company, but the unbearable silence that surely would have surrounded them had the man not been present might have broken him. He still didn’t know if he could walk away from Lorelei forever.

All he had do to was summon back the vision of Lorelei being dragged to her feet by the outlaw, and Braddock knew he could do whatever it took to keep her safe. The safest place for anyone he cared about remained as far away from him as possible. Time had proven that again and again.

Lorelei tossed her head back suddenly and genuinely laughed at something Archie said. Probably something outlandish. Corey laughed too, and Archie, who laughed at just about everything. Braddock had missed the joke. His own miserable thoughts barred him from the others’ joy like a wall of cold, wet stone.

He tore his gaze away from the warm light in Lorelei’s eyes and the way her dark curls danced around her shoulders as she continued to giggle. There was no need to pretend he was anything but an outsider, their jailer.

Archie leaned over and refilled Corey’s cup with whiskey. Lorelei put her hand over her cup and shook her head.

Archie raised his glass. “You’re a lovely lady, Miss Lori May. Corey, why didn’t you tell me your mother was so pretty? Would have liked to have heard about that. That’s what I miss most about St. Louis, the pretty girls.”

Corey laughed too loud. The kid couldn’t hold his liquor. Braddock should have put a stop to the drinking before it started. But when he and Lorelei had returned to camp, Archie had already made a fire and started a decent stew of beans and salted meat. And, of course, a shot of whiskey for flavor. Braddock had been in no condition to take charge of anything. By the time he was able to draw a steady breath, Archie had already passed out the stew and the booze. He must have stuffed his saddlebags with whiskey before they left.

“Is your husband from Kentucky, too?” Archie asked.

“He’s not her husband. I told you, he’s a bounty hunter who wants to find Mulcahy.” Corey took another gulp of whiskey.

Archie finished the bottle at the mention of Mulcahy’s name. Lorelei stared at the fire, unblinking. Her face had turned a chalky white. She didn’t look as if she could hold down her liquor or her meal. She set her half eaten bowl of beans away from her. Braddock couldn’t help but notice that her illness coincided with the mention of their ruse as husband and wife.

Archie, who didn’t bother to eat at all, tipped over as he grabbed for another bottle. “Don’t want to know nothing about Rowen Mulcahy.” He half reached for, half crawled to his saddlebag, righting himself only after he retrieved his prize. “No, sir. Don’t know nothing about that red-haired Irishman.”

“He expects me to tell him where to find Mulcahy,” Corey said with a glare in Braddock’s direction.

Archie froze with the bottle in his hand. For a moment he looked stone-cold sober. “Don’t tell me. I don’t want to know.”

“Well, you’re going to know, because that’s where he’s taking us.”

“Not me.” Archie’s face flushed. “Lori May, talk to your husband. He must be crazy.” Archie grabbed the cork with his teeth and pulled it out. He spit it past the circle of light thrown by the fire, then took a long draw from the bottle.