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“No, thanks I get enough buetoff a horse,” she refused firmly

With a sigh, Lorna turned away Even if she had been able to persuade Mary, there was still only one sidesaddle, which ether, and that would have been half the fun

Unless she was accompanied by Benteen on one of his forays in advance of the herd, her rides were restricted to staying with the wagons The hipped her long skirts, spooking the cattle, so she wasn’t allowed to ride anywhere near the herd or to venture out of sight of the wagons Despite the strict lion all the time made it more than hile

Her mount was a buttermilk-colored buckskin By nature, it was a cal plodding or sedate about its way of going He seemed more surprised than uneasy with the unusual saddle on his back and thehis side, but he settled down to it quickly Lorna naentlemanly ways

As she cantered the buckskin alongside Benteen’s h, broken country that marked the Red River Valley and the Texas boundary Lorna ed by the wild land There was certainly nothing like it around Fort Worth, but she’d never ventured more than a day’s drive from there in her life until now

When they reached the Red River, its sluggish water was thick with the clay-red silt that gave it its na the river, Benteen studied the river like a general looking over a battlefield before the battle starts

“Is so?” Lorna asked

She wasn’t aware how treacherous river crossings could be to cattle and men So far, they had forded only tame streahten her about the difference

“No” His gaze traveled beyond the river to the land on the opposite side “Once we cross that, Texas will be behind us”

The satisfaction in his voice sobered Lorna, because she didn’t share his desire to cut all ties with this country There wereher parents was one of theh each day without coh to take it She kept telling herself that everything would be all right when they finally reached Montana and they had a real hoon But would it?

“Wait here,” Benteen ordered “I’ to ride down for a closer look”

Checking the buckskin’s atte place It see about the cattle and the trail ahead There was hardly roo, like this afternoon, it seeirl and her father used to let her co as she promised to sit and be very quiet and not make a nuisance of herself The only tiht—and that hadn’t been very often lately In irritation, Lorna realized he was saving his strength and energy for the trail drive

Benteen had swum his horse to the other side and was on his way back when she heard the sound of a horse and rider approaching the river Lorna turned, not recognizing the burly man on the sorrel horse It wasn’t anyone froht of the stranger riding up to her He was only onedistance

When he stopped his horse a few yards froesture of respect and held it to his chest He seemed to be all chest, shoulders, and neck Lorna inclined her head in a silent acknowledgment of his action

“Good day to you, Mrs Calder,” the stranger said, taking her by surprise when he used her name There was a boldness about him as he smiled “We’ve never ht off”