Cole was already thinking about tomorrow. "Did you send a wire to the sheriff in Blackwater? " "Yes, but I didn't get an answer. That worries me."

"We'll be there tomorrow afternoon, and then maybe we can finish this."

"It still won't be over, " Daniel said. "We have to get Rebecca and the man in charge."

"Do you think the man they're holding is Bell? " "Jessica saw him and said he turned when the leader called his name, and he wasn't one of the four in the saloon. It has to be Bell."

"Rebecca could be with Bell."

"No, she'd align herself with the one running the show. She wouldn't take up with one of the hirelings."

"Maybe, but don't get your hopes up." Several minutes passed in silence while Daniel carried the saddles over to the camp and Cole brushed the horses.

"Daniel? " Cole said. "I've been thinking."

"Yes? " "If Jessica tells you it is Bell, you aren't thinking about doing anything you'd regret, are you? " "What would you do if you knew he killed your wife and your baby? " Cole thought it over a long while before answering.

"I honestly don't know."

"Neither do I. I won't know until I look at him."

"If you kill him, they'll lock you away or hang you."

"I realize that." You know what's worse than hanging? " "There's lots of things worse than hanging."

"Sitting in a cell somewhere knowing that because of you, two of the gang got away."

"You'd get them." Cole didn't want to argue the point. "What about Grace? " Daniel shook his head. "I don't know what to do about her.

She kind of . . .

took me by surprise."

"I know all about that, " Cole admitted.

"Meaning Jessica? " "I'm that transparent? " "No, but she is, " he said. "She's always looking at you like she's thinking about shooting you." Cole grinned. "It's love all right."

"How can you be so sure? Every one who meets you wants to shoot you."

"We're getting married."

"Has she agreed? " "No." Daniel burst into laughter and was surprised at how good it made him feel to let his guard down and relax for a few minutes.

"Then how do you think you're going to get her to marry you? " Cole smiled. "Ever hear of a shotgun wedding? " "No, but I've got a feeling I won't want to miss it."

"Good, " Cole said, "because your attendance is going to be required."

"Why? " "Who do you think is going to hold the shotgun? " They both laughed.

Grace turned to smile at Daniel. She and Jessica were sitting side by side at the edge of the creek, dangling their feet in the water.

"What do you think they're laughing about? " she asked Jessica.

"I don't know. I'm trying to figure out where they found the strength.

I'm too tired to eat."

"Me too." S JuLie fanwood Jessica was walking back to camp when she spotted Cole coming toward her. He wasn't smiling now, but looked terribly serious, and when he reached her, he didn't say a word. He simply caught her hand in his and kept walking. She either had to follow him or fall down.

"What are you doing? " "You need to work the stiffness out of your muscles."

"I'm too exhausted to walk."

"Walking isn't what I had in mind." Her heart felt as though it had just skipped a beat. "Oh, no . . . you can't think . . . " "I can if you'll let me." She tried to tug her hand away, but it was a halfhearted attempt, and when he tightened his hold, she gave in. He continued on until they were well away from camp, then turned to her.

In the moonlight, his face was golden. She stared into his amazingly beautiful blue eyes, and she thought he was surely the most handsome man in the whole world. How could he possibly love her? She was so ordinary and plain, and he could have any woman he wanted. Why had he chosen her?

"Do you still love me? " He couldn't believe she had to ask. "Do you think I would change my mind so swiftly? No, don't answer that, " he cautioned, "'cause then I'll get mad. Yes, I do still love you. "

"Why? " She was genuinely perplexed. Cole was astonished and realized then that she had absolutely no idea of her appeal. Hadn't anyone ever told her how perfect she was?

"Jessie, when you were a little girl, didn't your mother or father ever tell you that you were smart and clever and sweet and good-hearted and" He would have gone on and on if she hadn't interrupted him. "My father left when I was very young. I don't remember much about him except that I had to stay away from him when he was drinking, and it seemed he was always holding a glass in one hand and a bottle in the other."

"What about your mother? " "I think his leaving changed her, but I can't be certain. She dried up inside. She used to tell me she had to be hard on me so I wouldn't make the same mistakes she made."

"Did she ever praise you? " "I don't remember, " she said. "I loved my mother, but I don't want to be like her, and I'm afraid that maybe it's too late for me to change."

"You aren't like her, " he said.

"You don't know how to be hard." When she tried to turn away, he tilted her chin so she would look at him again.

"You praise Caleb all the time. I've heard you tell him how smart he is and how sweet . . . " "Children need to know they're loved. They must have constant reassurance."

"You need to be reassured too, don't you? " She didn't answer him.

"Do you know what attracted me to you? " She shook her head.

"When I first met you, you were standing behind a screen door at Tilly's house. Remember? " "I was terrified."

"Yeah, I know you were. Well, I thought you were about the prettiest woman in the territory."

"You did? " she whispered breathlessly. "I was wearing an old, faded dress." He laughed. "I didn't pay much attention to what you had on.

I was trying to picture what was underneath. You have a very shapely body, Jessie, and I couldn't wait to get my hands on you." He couldn't believe she was blushing, yet she was, and he thought that was one of the hundred or so reasons why he loved her.

"I was already intrigued, because I had heard about this young lady who went to visit her aunt and ended up taking on the responsibility of becoming a mother to a newborn. Do you know how few women would have done what you did? The responsibility of raising a child alone is staggering, and a lot of women couldn't or wouldn't have done it. They would have dropped him off at the nearest foundling home and gone on their way."

"It isn't a hardship. Caleb's the joy of my life."

"Remember I told you how my brothers and I became a family? I was part of a gang back then and awfully young when we found Mary Rose in the alley we called home. I was headed for disaster, " he added. "Mary Rose changed my life and so did my brothers. I didn't raise my sister alone, though.