Shotgun Bride Read Free Page B

“Maybe you’d like to come inside—Sister.”
    Mandy straightened her spine and let her shoulders down from her ears. She’d ponder over the cynicism she’d heard in the word sister later; right now, she just wanted to put as much space between her and Gig Curry as possible. “Yes,” she said agreeably. “I think I would.”
    She felt Gig reach for her arm as she passed and just as quickly suppress the motion. She kept right on walking; ten more steps, seven, five… keep going… one foot in front of the other.
    “You know of any ranchers lookin’ to hire a good hand?” Gig called to McKettrick from behind her. “I’ll be sticking around here for a while, I reckon.”
    A chill struck the length of Mandy’s back like a wall of cold water.
    “Nope,” McKettrick replied. His gaze didn’t shift from Gig, nor did he raise his hands from the railing on the stoop, but Mandy sensed a bone-deep vigilance in him as she drew nearer. He might not have been looking directly at her, but he was taking in every nuance of the situation, subtle or otherwise. He would be a hard man to deceive, should that become necessary. But, then, she’d known that since the episode in Cave Creek.
    “I heard there was a fellow name of Cavanagh lookin’ to take on some help,” Gig said, friendly as could be, all smiles. Mandy thought she heard the sound of sinners sizzling on a griddle.
    “That would be between you and him,” McKettrick said flatly.
    Mandy had gained the steps by then, and Kade stepped aside slightly to let her go by. When she considered lingering to see what would happen next, however, he passed her a look that made her think better of the idea.
    “I’ll be seeing you soon, Sister Mandy,” Gig called in jovial warning, as she stepped over the threshold into the radiant warmth and temporary safety of the hotel kitchen.
    Mandy’s stomach pitched at the threat, but Emmeline was there, solid and sweet and practical as an angel, just taking a fresh pot of coffee off the stove, and it wouldn’t do to let the boss lady see how shaken she was. Kade McKettrick might have saved her bustle this time, but Gig would get to her sooner or later, or die trying.
    Emmeline paused, taking her in with a concerned expression. “Are you all right?” she asked. Kade lingered outside on the porch, the door still open, and the faint scent of tobacco smoke curled into the room, oddly comforting.
    Mandy forced a smile. “I’m just a little cold,” she said to explain the visible shiver that went through her. She was generally brave when face-to-face with trouble, but afterward, when she let down her guard a little, well, that was when she was hard put not to fall apart. “Here—let me take that coffee.”
    Emmeline hesitated, then set the heavy kettle back on the stove and handed the pot holder to Mandy. “Thank you,” she said, her gaze straying to the open back door, full of questions.
    Mandy willed some starch into her knees, picked up the coffeepot, and headed for the dining room, which had filled, in the last few minutes, with cowboys and other customers. She poured coffee for Rafe McKettrick, Emmeline’s husband, and for Jeb, his brother, along with the other men, all the while waiting for Kade to come back in, then moved on to the large corner table next to the window. A small group of young women had settled there, all of them impatient mail-order brides, gathered for one of their regular war councils.
    Mandy wasn’t without sympathy for the aspiring wives; all of them staying at Mrs. Sussex’s boarding house to conserve funds, they’d come to Indian Rock from every direction but up, set on getting hitched to a McKettrick, and they’d all been sent for one way or the other. The problem was, only two marriageable brothers were left, not counting Holt Cavanagh, of course, and there were six brides.
    So far, anyway. It seemed like every stage brought in another one.
    Mandy smiled, momentarily amused, but the smile faded