charge?â
âWhatâs that supposed to mean?â
He looked over his shoulder. âIâm trying to help you, but we have to convince him that youâre my wife and that Iâd die protecting you.â
âYouâd have better luck convincing him youâre a two-headed goat from a sideshow than that youâre in love with me.â
Josiahâs face went blank like someone had wiped his slate clean. The moment stretched before them. Katie Ellen lowered her eyes.
âAre you sure you donât want to make a run for it?â he asked.
Still looking at the floor, she shook her head. Sheâd like to remind him that he didnât have to stay there with her, but thought better of it. Without him . . . she shuddered.
âWhereâs your paâs gun?â he asked.
âHe took it.â
Josiahâs jaw worked. His shirt was drying and showing which stains were permanent. Then suddenly the concern vanished from his face and his confident manner returned. âWeâll just have to outsmart him. You can help me do that, canât you? Just keep an eye on him?â
Itâd been three years since the two of them had worked together on anything, but it seemed they had no choice.
Chapter Four
Keeping an eye on Katie Ellen was no sacrifice to Josiahâs way of thinking. Heâd always kept track of her, knew what days she checked the trout lines, knew when she and her pa would journey into Pine Gap, knew where she was likely to go when she meandered through the woods. After that kiss, heâd cut a wide swath around her, but he still couldnât stay away. Not completely. When he was feeling low, heâd wait until he could accidentally-on-purpose stumble across her in the forest between their homes. Heâd thought himself clever the way he always acted surprised to see her. If she had any notion of how long heâd been waiting for her to pass, she never let on. Usually she only gave him a few curt words as she hurried on her way. Funny thing was he used to be a blamed nuisance, always underfoot, messing up her tree house and shooting that rabbit. How was he supposed to know it was her pet? But once he started to mature, she started acting strange. He thought heâd just straighten it out and go ahead and kiss her, but that didnât work out the way heâd planned, either.
âIâve got to feed the stock.â Her brisk tone ripped him outof his daydream. She wasnât fifteen anymore. No, she was full-on marrying age, and depending on how her folks got along with the Freesons in Fayetteville, he might have missed his chance.
âIâll do it,â he said.
âYou donât know how.â
âTo feed stock?â Josiah leaned against the countertop and noticed how the little hairs escaped from her bun and curled on her neck. âI was born on a farm, and if that ainât enough, Iâve worked at the auction house for years. I know how to feed animals.â
âBut you donât know how I like it done.â She rocked as she scrubbed the iron skillet like she was trying to punish it. Such a little thing she was, but always putting forth a mighty effort.
âThen maybe youâd better come with meââ
The sound of breaking glass rang out from the parlor. Josiah shoved off the countertop and ran, skidding to a stop at the broken windowpane and the bearded man peering in.
âYou locked me out,â Silas grumbled.
Josiahâs outstretched arm caught Katie Ellen as she attempted to rush past him. He pushed her behind him, but she was right up onhis heels, so close he could feel her anger warming the back of his neck. âI didnât lock you out,â he said.
âYou sure did. I was just trying to see if this here window was unlocked and it fell apart when I moved it.â
âIt did not fall apart,â Katie Ellen hissed as her fingernails became one with