The Cowboy's Reluctant Bride Read Online Free

alfalfa rippling across the pasture. He paused at the thick line of trees running along the back of her place.
    After a moment, he realized what bothered him. “I’d like to take a look at the woods in front of your house.”
    “All right.”
    Retracing their steps, they reached her house several minutes later then cut across the wet yard and out the gate to the road.
    She hurried along beside him, her cheeks flushed. “Why are you interested in the woods?”
    “None of those drawings showed the rear view of your property.”
    Realization flashed across her face. “Except for the one of my bedroom, they were all from the woods bordering the road.”
    “Yes, and there might be some sign that someone’s been lying in wait.”
    “You mean spying on me then vandalizing my place?”
    He nodded.
    “They’re watching me?” She sounded more angry than alarmed.
    He sneaked a look at her indignant features. If someone were hanging around, heaven help them. The woman had already held him at gunpoint twice for no other reason than just showing up.
    They crossed the muddy road onto the soggy grass and reached the edge of the south woods.
    “Has the railroad ever talked about coming through here?” he asked.
    “Oh, they’ve been talking about it for years, but it hasn’t happened. Besides, if there were plans for a railroad, everybody would be chattering about it.”
    She had a point.
    As he reached the edge of the trees, she caught up to him.
    “Do you really think you’ll find anything in there?”
    “I don’t know.” He was checking anyway. He’d promised Smith.
    “The rain will have washed away any footprints,” Ivy said.
    “True, but there might be other signs that someone has been around.”
    “Like what?”
    “The remains of a fire, maybe, or a shelter or something.”
    “Oh.”
    “I’ll be right back.”
    “I’m coming, too.”
    When he hesitated, she said, “Two pairs of eyes are better than one.”
    “Okay.” He led the way into the dark denseness. Thick branches still dripped with rain, and wet pine needles slid beneath his feet.
    After several minutes of walking through the damp air, Gideon had found no sign of anything except rain. He wanted to find the spot that would give him the view shown in those drawings.
    Looking over his shoulder, he could see daylight through the wall of trees at his back. “What’s beyond here?”
    “More pasture.”
    He watched as she began walking into the wooded area that faced her house. Ahead of her, between the trees and bushes, he saw a wedge of light.
    He followed. At times he would see her white frame home, then it would vanish as if the branches closed up. A trick of the shadows, he realized.
    As he came within a foot of Ivy, he could clearly see her house through two stubby pines. Without warning, she stopped cold. To keep from running her over, he clamped his hands on her waist. She jumped, unbalancing them both for a second. He steadied them then released her.
    “Look,” she breathed, pointing at something in front of her.
    He dragged his attention from the taut curve of her waist and followed her gaze to the patch of ground she indicated.
    Sunlight filtered through the thickness of the trees, falling on a blackened pile of sticks. Gideon stepped around her and knelt over the remains of a campfire.
    “Someone’s been here.” He touched the soggy wood. Because of all the rain, he couldn’t tell how recently.
    “Do you think they’ll come back?” She moved closer, her skirts brushing his arm.
    He stood. “If it’s the person causing trouble, yes.”
    She wrapped her arms around herself, looking at the forest surrounding them. “Do you think someone is here right now?” she asked in a low voice.
    He glanced down, seeing a flare of alarm in her eyes. She hid it well, but she was worried. He wanted to reassure her, which made him snort. He was hardly made for that.
    Still, he tried. “It’s so quiet that I think we would hear if anyone else