“What happened?”
“I waited until everyone fell asleep.”
For the first time, something stronger than fear entered her face.
“I took a horse and rode.”
Daniel almost smiled.
Almost.
“How far?”
“Until the horse collapsed.”
“You walked?”
“For three days.”
“Good God.”
“I reached a church mission. They hid me. A month later, Charles’s men came looking.”
Daniel felt his stomach sink.
“The mission priest put me on a wagon headed west under another name.”
“Harrow.”
She nodded.
“My mother’s maiden name.”
Daniel looked at her carefully.
“And Charles?”
“I heard rumors he survived. Then nothing.”
“So you don’t know whether he’s alive.”
“No.”
Daniel stood motionless.
Now he understood.
The tears.
The terror.
The apology.
“You’re afraid being married makes him able to find you.”
Emily shook her head.
“No.”
Daniel frowned.
She looked at him.
“I’m afraid he already has.”
Silence.
Daniel felt the night change around him.
Every small cabin sound suddenly became distinct.
The wind.
The stove.
A branch dragging against the roof.
“What makes you think that?”
Emily slid out of bed.
Her bare feet touched the wooden floor.
She crossed to the bureau.
From the bottom drawer, she removed something.
A single black playing card.
The ace of spades.
Daniel stared at it.
“I found this inside my sewing basket yesterday.”
He took it.
“Does it mean something?”
Emily nodded.
“Charles used them.”
“For what?”
“To mark people.”
Daniel’s eyes lifted.
“People he intended to kill.”
The fire popped loudly.
Emily flinched.
Daniel did not.
His entire body had suddenly become still.
“Who has been inside this cabin?”
“You. Me. Mrs. Whitcomb. Reverend Hale. Your ranch hands.”
“Anyone else?”
“I don’t know.”
Daniel walked toward the window.
Outside, darkness covered the valley.
The barn stood as a black shape beneath the moonlight.
His horses were quiet.
Too quiet.
Daniel reached automatically for the rifle mounted above the mantle.
Emily’s eyes widened.
“Daniel?”
He checked the chamber.
Loaded.
“Put your boots on.”
“What?”
“Now.”
She moved quickly.
Daniel grabbed his coat.
Emily’s face had gone pale again.
“What are you doing?”
“Finding out whether we’re alone.”
“Daniel, no.”
He paused.
“You said yourself that Charles kills people who help me.”
“I heard you.”
“I won’t let you—”
Daniel crossed the room.
He stopped several feet from her.
“I have loved you for two years.”
Emily’s mouth parted.
He had never said those words before.
Not directly.
Not like that.
Daniel continued quietly.
“I loved you before you agreed to marry me. I loved you when I thought you might say no. I loved you when you said yes.”
Emily’s eyes filled.
“And I’ll still love you tomorrow if you decide you can’t stay. But I will not spend tonight sitting beside the fire pretending a murderer might not be somewhere on my land.”
He turned toward the door.
Emily grabbed his sleeve.
Daniel stopped.
“Then I’m coming.”
“No.”
“Yes.”
“Emily—”
“I spent six years running from him.”
Her voice shook, but she did not release him.
“I am done waiting behind locked doors while men decide what happens to me.”
Daniel studied her face.
Then he nodded once.
“Stay behind me.”
They stepped outside.
Cold Wyoming air struck them immediately.
Moonlight silvered the fields.
Daniel listened.
Nothing.
Then his eyes moved toward the barn.
A horse shifted inside.
One of the mares gave a low nervous snort.
