The Dyers were known for bad food, dirt and fleas. Ty would have been stuck there if he hadn’t hired on with Josie.
Wayne crossed his arms. “I hear you ran Obie off the Bright place.”
“That’s right.”
“I’m glad you did.” Wayne got a faraway look. “Winnie and I go way back. If Jeremiah hadn’t come back from the war, I’d have swept her off her feet.”
Ty knew the feeling. He’d do anything for Josie…anything at all. “If you hear talk about Obie, let me know.”
“Will do.” Wayne indicated a pot on a round stove. “Got coffee if you want it.”
“No, thanks.”
The men shook hands and Ty left the barn. He wanted to be back for the closing hymn, so he cut through town. The route took him past the Dyer place and he thought of Obie. The fool could make all the threats he wanted, but Ty intended to win the Maze.
As the church came into view, Ty walked faster. The service hadn’t let out, so he slipped through the door and into the back pew. He looked for Josie, but instead of her green hat, he saw an empty seat. It wasn’t like Josie to leave in the middle of a sermon. Worried, he went to look for her.
* * *
The coughing fit that drove Josie from church hadn’t been faked. She’d gotten a tickle in her throat the minute Reverend Hall read today’s scripture. Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath… She tried not to listen, but the minister had looked right at her from the start of his sermon.
We forgive because we’ve been forgiven.
He’d jumped all over the scriptures, and every word had hit like an arrow, especially the last one he’d quoted.
Let him whose slate is clean cast the first stone.
That’s when she started to cough. It was either cough or cry, and so she’d coughed enough to justify leaving and gone to the carriage. That’s where she was now…blissfully alone and angry enough to spit nails. The frustration had started when her mother forced her to ride alone with Ty. It increased when he tried to make her mad. She had gotten mad, but she didn’t want to show it. If her anger drained away, she’d be left with the hurt. She couldn’t stand the thought, but neither could she stand being angry. Determined to be done with it, she confessed to the sky. “I want to strangle Ty Donner!”
A male laugh—deep and satisfied—came from ten feet behind her. She’d know Ty’s voice anywhere, anytime. Furious, she faced him. “What’s so funny?”
“Us.”
“I’m not laughing.”
His eyes twinkled even brighter. “So yell instead. It’ll feel good.”
“No.” She hesitated. “Where have you been?”
“Signing up for the Maze.” He picked up a rock and offered it to her. “Want to throw it? You can pretend you’re aiming at me.”
“I don’t care about the rock.” But she did. She wanted to throw the rock as hard as she could, and Ty knew it. He knew her better than anyone, a truth that put a lump in her throat.
He touched her shoulder. “Josie—”
“Don’t touch me!”
When he lowered his hand, she started to cry. The gesture showed that he understood…and he cared. She saw the blue eyes that made her shiver, the jaw that jutted when he was being stubborn, but she didn’t see the man who left her to chase a bunch of horse thieves. She saw someone else…someone who’d learned to listen. She thought of all the nights the sun had gone down on her anger. Then she thought of the wedding dress and made a decision. Today she’d take the dress out of the wardrobe. She’d forgive Ty for hurting her, or she’d get rid of the dress that embodied her lost dreams.
Ty offered her a bandanna. She wiped her eyes, then said, “I want to go home.”
“Sure.”
He helped her into the carriage and off they rode. Josie remained silent, but her thoughts ran in circles. What would happen when she saw the dress? Would she hate Ty even more, or would she find peace? She didn’t know, but she resolved to find out. Today she’d examine her heart and maybe she’d know what to do.
The spring sun warmed her face as they bounced down the rut-filled road. She stole glances at Ty, noticing how the cuts from the fight with Obie had healed, but mostly she stared at the winding road. On occasion she sensed his gaze on her cheek. The carriage wheels usually squeaked, but today they rolled in silence. Ty must have greased them, a chore she’d ignored. She wanted to ignore him, but she couldn’t stop looking at his hands holding on to the reins, or his boots on the floorboard, slightly apart and worn from work. The silence thickened until they reached the front of the house. The instant he stopped the rig, she climbed down from the seat. Her petticoat caught on something sharp, tore but didn’t come loose. The tears she’d stifled threatened to break loose.
“Hold on,” Ty ordered. “Let me help.”
“I can do it.” She tugged on the petticoat, but it was caught on a spring. The harder she pulled, the more tightly it wedged.
Ty came to her side of the carriage, reached over the wheel and freed the cloth. Intending to politely thank him, she looked into his eyes. The courteous words melted on her tongue. Instead she finally yelled at him. “I can’t stand it! Why did you come back? Why do you do this to me!”
“I don’t mean to do anything.” He took her gloved hand in his. “I care about you, Josie. I always have—”
“Don’t say that!”
His fingers stroked hers. “This hardness between us has to stop, and it has to stop today. Check on your mom and then come to the barn.”
“Why?”
“You and I need to take a ride.”
“Where to?”
“Boulder Gorge…the place where I shot Brant Scudder. I want to forget it, but I can’t.”
Josie knew about memories that refused to be laid aside. She looked into Ty’s eyes, saw a plea and thought of the wedding dress. She’d intended to open the wardrobe immediately, but Ty deserved to be heard. “All right,” she said. “I’ll meet you at the barn.”
He climbed back into the carriage and snapped the reins. Sighing, she went into the house, told her mother she and Ty were taking a ride, then retreated to her room where she opened the wardrobe. Instead of retrieving her split skirt, she stared for a moment at the muslin package holding her wedding dress. She didn’t know which frightened her more—reliving old memories or making new ones on today’s ride. The dress could wait. The ride couldn’t, so she put on her riding clothes and went to meet Ty.
Chapter Five
After leaving Josie at the house, Ty went to the barn to saddle Smoke and a brown mare named Maggie. Josie had always liked that name… She’d mentioned it when they’d talked about naming their children. Their first son would have been named after her father; the second would have been Ty Junior. If he hadn’t gone after the Scudders, by now they’d have had two babies, maybe three. They would have—
“Stop it,” he muttered to himself.
He lifted a saddle onto Maggie’s back, scowling as he worked. He had no time for self-pity. Today he had just one wish. He wanted to talk to Josie…really talk…about that awful day. With its ugly memories, Boulder Gorge struck him as a fitting spot to clear the air. God had forgiven Ty’s sins and he knew it. Josie was still holding a grudge, and he hoped today he could convince her to let it go.
He finished with Maggie, then saddled Smoke. As he led the horses out of the barn, he saw