If you happen to remember anything, I won't. " "No," Garrett said softly. "I don't suppose you will. " They rode off, but Jake noticed one man looking back repeatedly. He waited until they were well out of sight before lowering the rifle. "They'll be back," Margaret said quietly. Yes, Jake turned to her.
That was quick thinking. "The husband bit. " "Rose's idea," Margaret admitted as her sister joined them on the porch. She said if we acted like we belonged here, they might doubt their information. It bought us time, Jake said. But not much.
They'll check the story. Find out I'm not married or Morrison himself will come to verify. We should go, Margaret began. But Jake cut her off. No, running now would confirm their suspicions.
We prepare instead. That afternoon, Jake showed them where he kept the weapons. A small arsenal his father had accumulated. Two more rifles, a shotgun, boxes of ammunition. He watched them handle the guns with grim familiarity.
"Where'd you learn to shoot? " he asked Rose as she checked the action on a Winchester. "Our father taught us," she said. Before he died, said women on the frontier needed to protect themselves. Smart man. He was her voice softened.
"Morrison killed him, too. Oh, not directly. But he forced Papa off his land, burned his crops. " Papa's heart gave out watching everything he'd built turned to ash. Catherine, cleaning the shotgun with steady hands, added, "That's when Morrison first noticed mother at Papa's funeral, said she was too pretty to be a widow, that she needed a man's protection. She refused. " Margaret continued politely at first, then more firmly.
"Morrison doesn't like being refused. " The pieces of their story were coming together, painting a picture of systematic cruelty. Jake felt his resolve harden. Men like Morrison were a plague on the frontier, using their power to destroy lives. As evening fell, Jake positioned himself by the window while the sisters prepared supper. The domestic scene felt surreal after the day's tension.
Rose hummed while she cooked. Margaret mended one of his shirts without being asked. Catherine read aloud from one of his books. Anyone looking in would see exactly what they'd pretended to be, a family. "There," Jake said suddenly.
"Ridge to the north. " A brief glint of light sun on metal or glass. Someone watching. They're out there, he said quietly. Margaret joined him at the window. What do we do?
We wait. Let them think we're unaware. Tonight we'll be ready. Dinner was a tense affair. Everyone listening for sounds outside.
As darkness fell, Jake doused the lamps one by one, plunging the house into shadow. Margaret, take the back window. Rose, the side. Catherine, stay low. Uh, watch the front with me.