I'd appreciate that at least until they're caught. The sheriff glanced toward the house where Bethany could be seen through the window helping Martha with breakfast preparations. She's settling in well from what I hear. Mrs. Henderson tells me she's taken the teaching position in town. She has, Yates confirmed, ignoring the speculative look in the older man's eyes.
She'll be excellent at it. Mm. Taylor hummed non-committally. Well, good teachers are hard to come by out here. Be a shame if anything happened to her before she even starts.
Nothing's going to happen to her, Yates stated with quiet intensity. Not while I have anything to say about it. The sheriff's mustache twitched with what might have been a suppressed smile. Glad to hear it, I'll have Deputy Wilson stay here for a few days. He's young but sharp eyed.
True to his word, that afternoon, Yates took Bethany to a secluded area of the ranch to teach her how to handle a revolver. She approached the lesson with the same focused determination she brought to everything, listening carefully to his instructions and practicing her stance with serious concentration. The key is to respect the weapon without fearing it. Yates explained as he positioned her hands on the Colt45. It's a tool like any other.
A dangerous tool, she commented, feeling the weight of the revolver. In the wrong hands, yes, but in the right hands, it can protect. He stood behind her, adjusting her stance slightly. Now focus on the target, breathe steady, and squeeze the trigger gently. She fired the recoil stronger than she expected, but she held firm.
The shot went wide of the tin conveyed set up as a target, but not by much. Good, Yates encouraged. Very good for a first try again, but this time exhale as you squeeze. They practiced for over an hour. Bethy's aim improving with each attempt.
By the end of the session, she was hitting the target regularly, her confidence growing visibly. "You're a natural," Yates praised as they packed up to return to the house. "Hardly," she replied with a self-deprecating smile. "But I'm a quick study. always have been. It's more than that.
You have steady hands and good instincts," he hesitated, then added more seriously. "I hope you never need to use these skills, but if you do, I won't hesitate," she finished for him. "I understand what's at stake." Their eyes met, and Yates felt the same connection that had been growing between them since her arrival, a bond of trust and mutual respect that was deepening into something more profound. Bethany, he began, knowing it was time to speak what was in his heart.
Danger or no danger. Yes, she prompted when he fell silent, her eyes searching his. I want you to know that regardless of what happens with the Decker gang, you have a place here. Not just until school starts or until you find your own accommodations in town, but for as long as you want it. Her expression softened.
Yates, I'm not asking for anything, he hurried to add. I just want you to know that you have options. That there are people who care about what happens to you. People, she repeated a hint of challenge in her voice. Or you specifically, the directness of her question caught him off guard, but it was time for honesty.