Bound by a Child

Pony Express rider Jacob Young is a man of action, which is why when he sees a little girl caught in the middle of a stampede, he races to her rescue. And he soon discovers the child is the half sister he hadn’t known he had. The more time Jacob spends with adorable Daisy and her beautiful guardian, ranch owner Lilly Johnson, the more he realizes they’re filling all the lonely corners of his heart.

Wary Lilly can’t deny the cherished feelings that overcome her when Jacob vows to protect her and Daisy from any harm. And she can’t help but hope that maybe they can put their past hurts aside and forge a future together as a full-fledged family.

“If you will trust me, I’ll help you protect Daisy.”

Jacob watched the emotions wash across Lilly’s soft features. She wanted to trust him but something held her back.

“Thank you.” The words sounded tight in her throat.

He offered her a smile. “I won’t let you down.”

If someone was going to hurt Daisy, they’d have to go through him. He’d vowed to watch over the little girl and he’d do just that.

Jacob realized then that his promise included Lilly. If anyone hurt Daisy, they’d also be hurting Lilly. His instincts told him that she was a kind person. Her sympathy for him when he’d told her about his upbringing had been sincere. Jacob knew he’d not let either Daisy or Lilly be hurt.

He just prayed he’d not lose his heart in his desire to protect them both. Jacob had no intentions of falling in love. Women couldn’t be trusted not to abandon those they claimed to love the most. His birth mother had proven that. No, he’d harden that part of his heart and still keep his promise.

RHONDA GIBSON lives in New Mexico with her husband, James. She has two children and three beautiful grandchildren. Reading is something she has enjoyed her whole life, and writing stemmed from that love. When she isn’t writing or reading, she enjoys gardening, beading and playing with her dog, Sheba. You can visit her at rhondagibson.net. Rhonda hopes her writing will entertain, encourage and bring others closer to God.

Pony Express Hero

Rhonda Gibson

www.millsandboon.co.uk

MILLS & BOON

Before you start reading, why not sign up?

Thank you for downloading this Mills & Boon book. If you want to hear about exclusive discounts, special offers and competitions, sign up to our email newsletter today!

SIGN ME UP!

Or simply visit

signup.millsandboon.co.uk

Mills & Boon emails are completely free to receive and you can unsubscribe at any time via the link in any email we send you.

And they that know Thy name will put their trust in Thee: for Thou, Lord, hast not forsaken them that seek Thee.

—Psalms 9:10

To my brother, Marty McConnell, for all the good times we shared growing up and the support you have shown me as an adult. I’m proud to call you my little brother and best friend. As always, thank You to my Lord and Savior for allowing me to write books for Him.

Contents

Cover

Back Cover Text

Introduction

About the Author

Title Page

Bible Verse

Dedication

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Sixteen

Chapter Seventeen

Chapter Eighteen

Chapter Nineteen

Chapter Twenty

Chapter Twenty-One

Chapter Twenty-Two

Chapter Twenty-Three

Chapter Twenty-Four

Chapter Twenty-Five

Chapter Twenty-Six

Epilogue

Dear Reader

Extract

Copyright

Chapter One

Mud Springs, California

Summer 1860

A scream tore through the early-morning air. Instantly alert, Jacob Young reined in his horse and pushed back his hat, scanning the area for trouble. His horse shifted beneath him, its movements telling him it, too, sensed something was wrong.

Then Jacob saw her. A child, no more than three or four years old, in bare feet and a white nightgown. He squinted, searching intently for her parents, but found no one. Why would a little girl be in a ravine by herself at this early hour of the morning? The sun had barely begun to top the horizon.

His gaze moved to the other end of the ravine. A cloud of dust rose like steam from a kettle. Icy fear twisted around his heart as he saw what had the little girl scrambling up the small hillside. Cows, hundreds of cows, thundered down the gorge toward her. The rumble of hooves pounded the ground along with the continual terrified screams from the little girl.

Stampede.

Jacob kicked his horse’s flanks and shouted, “Hiyah!” The horse’s sturdy legs tensed—then, like a shot, they raced down one side of the ravine toward the small figure that seemed so very far away. He leaned over the horse’s neck, urging him to go faster and faster. They were close but so were the cows. A flicker of apprehension coursed through him. Would he make it in time?

The child stumbled and fell, losing ground she’d already gained. Frantically she glanced behind her. Jacob was close enough now to see that fear, stark and vivid, glittered in her eyes. She spotted him racing toward her and stopped trying to climb the ravine; instead she turned and ran in his direction. Clear brown eyes looked up at him expectantly. A solid wall of cattle closed in on her.

Jacob leaned over and grabbed her around the waist. Thankfully she weighed no more than a half bale of hay or Jacob felt sure she would have unseated him. He pulled her up and plopped her in front of him in one swift move. Her fingers clutched his arms and she pressed back against him, turning her head sideways to hide her eyes from certain disaster. His arms wrapped protectively around her tiny waist as the horse swung away trying to outrun the thundering, bellowing cattle. If need be, he’d shield her with his body, should the horse fail in its attempt to get them to safety.

His heart beat so hard and fast in his chest it felt almost painful. The cows continued down the ravine and the dust rolled, causing him to cough. The horse managed to get up the canyon wall just before the cattle pounded past them.

The little girl shuddered. He tightened his hold, offering comfort the only way he knew how. She sneezed and rubbed at her eyes. Jacob slowed the horse to a walk.

“Honey, are you all right?” He loosened his grip on the child.

She wiggled around to face him. “Uh-huh.” Big brown eyes looked up at him. Her heart-shaped face was covered in dirt and muddy trails traveled down both cheeks where her tears had run into the collar of her now very soiled nightgown.

“What are you doing out here?” he asked as he wiped at the dirt on her face with a handkerchief from his pocket.

She shook her head and her blond braids slapped the sides of her little face. “I don’t know. I went to sleep and when I woke up I was here.”

The sound of hooves pounding the ground had Jacob twisting in the saddle and looking over his shoulder. A young man and woman raced toward them. Fear and relief warred for a place on the woman’s face.

“Daisy! Are you all right?” the young woman called.

Jacob felt more than saw the little one nod, her hair rubbing against his chin. Her name fit her. Her golden hair resembled the color of a yellow daisy, her brown eyes the button in the center of the flower. Jacob was thankful he’d come along when he had, but anger twisted in him like a volcano on the verge of erupting.

When the woman and man got close enough, Daisy answered, “I’m all right. Lilly, he saved me.” Her big brown eyes drank in Jacob’s face.

The woman pulled her horse alongside Jacob and reached for the child but Jacob was having none of it.

“Where were you? Why was she here by herself? What kind of mother lets a child wander off alone at this time of the morning?” Jacob’s heart demanded he say more but the child in his arms tensed and placed her hand against his heart. He took a deep breath and reined in his temper.

“Now see here.” The man bristled at Jacob’s words but the woman held her hand up and silenced him. Tears glistened on her pale heart-shaped face.

“I’ve been looking for her since early this morning. I have no idea how she got here... I don’t know how she opened the door to get out of the house.” A hot tear rolled down her cheek. She swiped at it with a trembling hand. “I would never intentionally let her wander off, nor would I want her hurt in any way.”

With an odd twinge of conscience, Jacob handed Daisy across to the woman. It surprised him to see her wearing men’s trousers. Her pretty blue eyes ran over the little girl as her arms gathered her in a tight hug. Golden hair hung over one shoulder in a tight braid, reminding him a little of his adoptive mother, Rebecca.

The woman whose name he now knew to be Lilly looked to be about his age, twenty, maybe a year or two younger than himself. Jacob realized he was staring and said, “I’m not sure why she is out here by herself but the cattle almost did her in.”

Before Lilly could speak the man beside her interrupted. “And I’d like to know what you’re doing on Johnson soil, mister.”

Jacob leaned against his saddle horn, aware that his hands still shook. “My name is Jacob Young.” He pushed back his hat and met the other man’s eyes.

“Lilly, the cows came running toward me. I almost got runned over,” Daisy said, laying a small hand against Lilly’s cheek.

Lilly stopped running her hands over the child and looked over Daisy’s head. “Thank you for rescuing her.” She hugged the little girl close to her. “I’m Lilly Johnson and this is my sister, Daisy.”

“You still haven’t told us what you are doing here,” Lilly’s companion said. Ice-blue eyes scowled at Jacob.

Jacob didn’t care for the man’s tone but he assumed that he was Daisy’s father so thought it best to answer him. “I’m the new stock tender for the Pony Express. I was headed to the Johnson ranch to let the owner know I’d arrived.”

Lilly stopped fussing over the little girl and straightened in the saddle. “I’m the owner of the ranch, Mr. Young.”

“Then I’m assuming Mr. Roberts, the Pony Express superintendent, told you I was coming.”

“He did.” She nodded to the man beside her. “This is Sam Hawkins. He’s the foreman of the ranch but your job is totally separate from the ranch, so the two of you won’t really have much time to spend with each other.”

Lilly directed her gaze back to the little one in her arms. Her worried voice questioned her sister. “Daisy, what made you come this far from the ranch house? You know you aren’t supposed to leave the house or the yard without an adult.”

The little girl’s eyes filled with tears. “I didn’t, Lilly.”

“Then how did you get out here?” Lilly asked, her voice shaking as her hands smoothed the hair from Daisy’s forehead.

Daisy looked confused. “I don’t know. I was sleeping and woke up here.” She shrugged as if it were all a mystery to her.

Worry and fear entered Lilly’s face and eyes. She looked to Sam.

He shook his head as if to say, Not here.

Her head swiveled in Jacob’s direction. Clear blue eyes looked him over. “Follow us and I’ll show you the barn and tack room, where you will be staying.” She spun her horse around and headed for home.

Jacob couldn’t shake the feeling that something was dreadfully wrong. Little Daisy had said twice that she’d been sleeping in her room and then woke up out here in the ravine. How had she gotten here?

Sam didn’t seem too concerned as he rode with Lilly and Daisy. If anything the man had been angrier to find him with Daisy than relieved that the little girl was all right.

Jacob told himself that it was none of his business. His business was to work on the ranch while searching for his birth mother to find out why she abandoned him when he was ten years old. He might need to remind himself of that fact quite often if things were as off-kilter on the Johnson ranch as they seemed.

He thought about the little girl’s caramel-brown eyes. They looked nothing like Lilly’s pretty blue ones. Lilly had said they were sisters but other than hair color, they didn’t look much like they were related. He shook his head, reminding himself once more to mind his own business. He had his own family problems to deal with and didn’t need to add another family’s to his.

Still, Daisy reminded him of his adoptive sister, Joy, and he’d fight to the death to protect Joy. And deep down, Jacob knew he’d watch over Daisy in the future, too. How could he not?

* * *

Lilly’s insides quaked. Daisy had been so close to being killed. If the Pony Express man hadn’t shown up, she hated to think what would have happened.

Jacob Young had said he was the new stock tender. The last one had been an older man and had been nice enough but she really hadn’t paid him much mind. Come to think of it, she’d seen the Pony Express riders exchange horses by the barn and then continue on. She’d really not paid much attention to them, either—her first order of business had been to take care of Daisy and the household along with any ranch business or financial things that Sam brought to her attention.

If she was honest with herself, she’d stayed away from the men because she didn’t want their attention. The last thing she needed was to fall for a man who was only interested in her family ranch—a ranch that belonged to both her and Daisy.

Her father’s last wife and Daisy’s mother, Gertrude, had taught her that people weren’t always who they first presented themselves to be, especially if they thought you had land or money. Gertrude had treated her like a servant when her father was out of the house or away on business, but was sweet when he was present. Her stepmother had told Lilly many times that should her father die, Lilly would be on the first stagecoach to a boarding school. If Gertrude hadn’t died first giving birth to Daisy and leaving Lilly without a stepmother and her father without a wife, Lilly would be in a boarding school now or working someplace far from her beloved ranch.

Looking back she probably should have told her father about Gertrude’s true nature, but her love for him had stilled Lilly’s tongue. He’d often told her he’d married Gertrude so that she could be a mother to her. Lilly shivered, as her stepmother had been anything but a true mother.

After lunch, as Lilly made her way across the yard and to the barn, she wondered how Daisy had gotten out in the ravine. The little girl’s feet hadn’t been scuffed up like they should have been if she’d walked barefoot all the way out there. She didn’t want to think about it but Lilly felt sure someone had taken the girl from her bed and carried her off. But why leave her in the canyon?

“You are deep in thought.”

Lilly stopped several inches away from Jacob Young. What he’d said was true. She’d been so deep in thought that if he hadn’t spoken, she would have run into him. “I was.”

He stepped out of the barn door. “I’m sorry to have disturbed you.” Jacob pulled one of the Pony Express horses out of the barn with him.

“No, I’m the one who is sorry. I snapped and it wasn’t because I’m irritated with you. If anything, I’m very grateful to you.” She offered him a smile that she hoped he’d recognize as a peace offering.

Jacob looked back at her and returned her smile. “No harm done.” He walked the horse several feet away from her.

The sound of a bugle blared through the air. A few seconds later, Lilly made out the Pony Express rider and his horse. In less than five minutes, the rider had exchanged horses and was back on the trail.

Jacob pulled the tired horse back into the barn. He passed Lilly and led the horse into one of the many stalls. He closed the door behind the animal while staying in the stall. “If you want to share your thoughts, I’m a pretty good listener.”

Lilly walked to her mare’s stall. “I was just thinking about Daisy and how she got into the canyon this morning.” She pulled a saddle blanket off the nail on the wall and spread it out over the horse’s back.

“I’ve been thinking about that, too.” Jacob took the saddle off the horse while he talked. “Has she ever walked in her sleep?”

“No, she’s a heavy sleeper but she’s never walked in her sleep,” Lilly answered as she tightened the cinch under her horse’s belly. She stood. “And even if she had walked that long way, her feet would have been cut up from the rocks and plants along the way.”

“And I take it they weren’t?” He leaned against the stall door.

Lilly shook her head. “No, they were dirty but not hurt in any way, which I’m grateful for. Normally Daisy sleeps until I wake her after my morning ride. Only this morning, something led me to go check on her before I left.” She sighed and leaned her forehead against her horse’s neck. “I’m so glad I did.” Lilly straightened and looked at him.

They stood staring at each other for several long minutes, both deep in thought. Who would want to hurt her little sister? Lilly didn’t want to suspect any of her men of trying to harm Daisy, but she felt a chill travel down her spine. Suddenly she reconsidered taking her daily ride.

Suspicions gnawed at her. Had someone taken Daisy while she’d been saddling her horse for a ride? Everyone on the ranch knew her routine. Or had they crept in earlier while she’d slept in the next room? Goose bumps formed on her arms at the scary thoughts.

She began to unsaddle the horse. “Sorry ol’ gal, I can’t risk leaving Daisy alone.”

Jacob walked over to her. “I can take her out for you, if you’d like.”

Lilly looked at him. What did she know about him? That Mr. Roberts had said he was coming to be the stock tender and that he’d saved Daisy this morning. “Thank you, but no. Maybe I’ll take her out later today.” She patted the mare’s nose.

He nodded and stepped around her. Jacob pulled the saddle from the little mare’s back and said, “You know, I believe Daisy when she says she didn’t walk out there on her own.”

Lilly nodded. “So do I.” She sighed as she put the saddle blanket away.

He returned to the Pony Express horse and began brushing it down. Lilly walked to the barn door and stepped out into the sunlight. What was she going to do?

Lilly entered the house and checked on Daisy again. After lunch, the morning’s activities had caught up with Daisy, so Lilly had put her down for a nap.

The little girl slept on her side, curled into a ball. Her blond hair spilled over the pillow, her little lips slipped up into a smile as she dreamed. Lilly’s heart went out to the tiny girl. They were all that was left of the Johnson family. Lilly couldn’t lose Daisy, too, and would protect her with all she had. But would it be enough? What did she need to do to ensure the child’s safety?

Lilly walked over to the all-wood window that was partially open to let in fresh air. It might be uncomfortable for Daisy but Lilly shut the opening. She looked around the room for something to stop the window from being opened. Finding nothing she went to the wood box in the kitchen. Judging a piece of kindling to be about the right length, she returned to Daisy’s room and placed the stick between the bottom lip of the window and the top of the window casing. She pushed against the wood and shook it. The piece of kindling held firm. There. That should stop intruders with evil intent.

She chewed her lower lip. Fear threatened her peace. Lilly knew she had to get to the bottom of this or Daisy would never be allowed out of her sight.

The Johnsons had never locked their doors before. But now, well, she couldn’t take the chance that someone would slip in and steal Daisy again. Lilly vowed she would keep Daisy safe at all cost.

Chapter Two

Jacob mucked out the stall and leaned on his pitchfork. He didn’t like where his thoughts had been all morning but he couldn’t shake his gut feeling. Daisy and maybe even Lilly were in danger.

His gaze moved to the fifteen-year-old boy who took care of the Johnson horses. Upon his arrival, the young man had shown him where everything was and even his room off to the side of the barn. Jacob called to him now. “Caleb?”

“Yeah.”

“How many men work this ranch?” Jacob continued working as if the question were of no importance.

“Well, let’s see. There’s Sam, he’s the foreman. Then there is Cook, Edward, Asher, Lewis and myself. We’re the regular hands. During the cattle drive, Sam hires others. Usually drifters.” Caleb sat with a saddle in front of him. As he talked he rubbed oil into the leather.

“So six,” Jacob muttered.

“Yep, six.” Caleb shook his head. His black bangs fell into his eyes as he picked up a bridle and began to work oil into the thick leather. “How do you like the tack room?”

Jacob stopped and wiped sweat from his brow. “It’s not as nice as the one we have at home but it’s livable.”

Caleb laughed. “Yep, that’s what ol’ Ike used to say.” He deepened his voice. “It’s livable.”

Jacob thought about the tack room. It was a spacious room and the front part nearest the stalls was used for saddles, bridles and all other manner of things needed to work the farm. His portion of the room had a small woodstove, a bed, an end table and a tall chest of drawers with a cracked mirror and washbasin resting on top. Jacob decided that the next trip to town he’d buy a couple of blankets, some rope and maybe a pillow.

Going through the chest of drawers he noted that the previous stock tender had used the top two drawers for sugar, coffee, salt and several other cooking items. He didn’t look forward to cooking his own meals, especially in a room with little air flow. He felt his stomach protest not having eaten since the night before.

“Cook said to tell you, if you’d like to have meals over at the bunkhouse, he’ll set a plate for you,” Caleb said as if reading his mind, or possibly because his stomach rumbled.

Jacob grinned. “That’s right nice of him.”

Caleb nodded. “Cook is nice enough. Just don’t be getting into his sweet cakes. He doesn’t share those.”

A soft laugh sounded from the doorway. “No, he doesn’t share those,” Lilly said as she entered.

Daisy danced into the room behind her. She wore a light blue dress with what looked like cowboy boots meant for a boy. From the looks of the footwear, she’d not had them long. “Look, Caleb. Lilly let me wear my boots today. We’re going riding,” she said, holding her foot up for Caleb to see.

“That’s wonderful, little Miss Daisy,” Caleb answered. He stood and walked toward the tack room. “I’ll get your saddle for you, Miss Lilly.”

“Thank you, Caleb,” Lilly called after the boy. She pulled her saddle blanket from the wall and walked to her horse’s stall.

Daisy looked shyly at Jacob. “I get to ride with Lilly today.”

Jacob leaned on his pitchfork and smiled at the little girl. Her hair was done in pigtails. “I heard. That’s exciting.”

“It is. We are going to check the fences. That’s important work. Huh, Lilly?”

“Yes, it is,” Lilly answered. She rubbed the horse’s nose.

“Want to come?” Daisy asked Jacob.

He looked to Lilly and she shrugged.

“That would be fun. Are you sure you don’t mind if I tag along?” The thought of getting out of the stuffy barn appealed to Jacob.

Both Lilly and Daisy shook their heads.

Jacob quickly went to saddle up his own horse.

Daisy followed. “I wish I had my own horse.”

“You don’t?” Jacob asked.

“No. Lilly said that I might get one for my birthday.”

“When is your birthday?” Jacob asked, pulling the cinch under the horse’s belly.

The little girl sat down on a bale of hay. “In two months.”

Jacob nodded. “And how old will you be?”

“I will be five years old,” Daisy said, pulling straw from the bale.

She spoke very well for a four-year-old going on five. Jacob thought about his adoptive sister, Joy. She wasn’t a big talker, unlike Daisy, who was even now telling him that Lilly said this year she might have a birthday party and everything.

Jacob listened to her continued chatter as he finished up. He looked over the stall toward Lilly. The woman actually stood there smiling from ear to ear. Had she been watching to see how he’d respond to Daisy? And if so, why?

The thought that she might see him as a future husband stopped his hand as he started to lead the horse from the stall. The last thing he needed was a woman pining away for him. No matter how pretty she was or how blue her eyes, he had no intention of becoming romantically involved with her. Women couldn’t be trusted. He’d learned that when his own birth mother deserted him. Jacob shook his head—he realized he was letting his imagination get the best of him. He didn’t know Lilly, how could he think she’d see him as a future husband? Come to think of it, no one had said she didn’t already have a man.

Caleb had named off six men that worked the ranch but hadn’t mentioned a husband for Lilly. He watched as Lilly smiled at Daisy. Without having to ask, he knew Lilly was still unwed and wondered why. She was pretty enough and in most folks’ eyes should have been married a few years ago. So why wasn’t she?

“Come along, Daisy,” Lilly called to her little sister.

Daisy skipped off to join Lilly. She took Lilly’s hand and glanced over her shoulder to make sure Jacob followed. Her little pigtails bounced as she left the barn.

“She is a cute little thing, isn’t she?” Caleb said from the tack doorway.

Jacob nodded. His mind worked with questions. He pushed away the ones regarding Lilly’s marital status and focused on Daisy. Could Caleb have been the one to take the girl from her bedroom? If so, why would he do such a thing? His gut usually told him what type of person a man was when they first met. For instance, he hadn’t cared much for Sam Hawkins on sight. But he’d not had that gut reaction with regard to Caleb.

Caleb pushed away from the door and returned to his oil and leathers. “I have a sister a little older than her. I miss her a lot. Daisy is like a little sister to me and I’ll hunt down any man that is out to hurt her.” Anger filled the young man’s voice and the warning was clear. Hurt Daisy and I’ll hurt you.

No, Caleb hadn’t been the one to take the little girl from her bed. Still, Jacob would keep an eye on the boy. He stepped out of the barn just as Lilly swung up into the saddle behind Daisy.

She was still in her trousers and looking as pretty as a hummingbird on a bright sunny morning. Jacob looked away. Maybe going out on a ride with them wasn’t such a good idea. Still, his protective nature overrode any caution he might have felt at spending time with a pretty girl and her little sister.

Just don’t let your heart get in the way of your head, he mentally scolded himself as he swung up into the saddle and followed the sisters out of the yard and across the pasture.

* * *

Lilly didn’t know who she could trust. The man riding beside her and Daisy was new on the ranch and they weren’t friends, at least not yet. She’d never considered becoming friends with any of the men before, except Sam. But now, with Daisy being threatened and Jacob being the only new person on the ranch...could she trust him? Tell him what she suspected? Or should she tell Sam? After all he was her ranch manager.

Daisy pointed at a rabbit that sat on a small incline. Her joy at seeing the small animal brought a smile to Lilly’s face. She pulled her horse to a stop so the little girl could enjoy the sight.

Memories of riding with her father to check the fences flooded Lilly’s mind. Daisy would never have memories of riding with their father. He’d died when she was a year old and too young to ride out with him. Lilly still missed him. Bitter memories flooded her tired mind. According to Sam, her father had fallen from his horse while chasing a mother cow and her calf, resulting in a broken neck and immediate death.

Jacob’s horse stomped its foot, probably trying to get rid of a pesky fly, and the action pulled Lilly from her sad thoughts. She glanced his way and smiled. He’d been quiet most of the ride. They both had. Daisy talked enough for all of them.

“Lilly, can we go to the pond?” Daisy asked. The little girl tilted her face so that she could look up at Lilly.

“I suppose so,” Lilly said, pulling the horse’s reins to the right and gently kicking its sides. The horse moved toward the pond.

Jacob followed.

When they got to the water’s edge he slid from his horse’s back and let the horse drink, then helped Daisy down from Lilly’s mare. Jacob sat her down on the ground and then looked to Lilly.

She refused his hand and slid from the horse on her own. Her desire to talk to someone grew. Lilly wanted to voice her fears without worrying that they’d get back to the person who had taken Daisy.

Daisy pulled off her little stockings and boots and waded in the water.

“Don’t go too far out, Daisy,” Lilly warned. She moved a little away from her sister and sat down.

Jacob joined her. He pulled up his knees and focused on Daisy, who splashed water with her bare feet. “Can I ask a question?”

Lilly searched his face. From his expression and tone she deduced that the question was of a personal nature. “I suppose so.”

“Do you think someone is out to hurt Daisy?”

She nodded. “After this morning, what else can I think?”

Jacob turned to face her. “I know I’m new here and you don’t know me at all. I’d like to tell you a little about myself, if we have time.”

Lilly knew he was trying to put her at ease so nodded. “If you are sure,” she said.

“I am.” He returned his gaze to Daisy. His voice continued in a low tone. “When I was ten years old my mother dropped me off at an orphanage. She didn’t want to bring me to California with her. I don’t know why she didn’t. Maybe she was ashamed of me, maybe I was a burden she was tired of taking care of, but whatever the reason she abandoned me.”

Lilly laid her hand on his arm. “I’m so sorry.”

He shook his head. “I lived in that place for two years and then Rebecca and John Young came to the home. They adopted me and took me to their farm. John became like a pa to me and Rebecca a ma, even though she wasn’t that much older than me. John died but before he did, he made arrangements with the Pony Express to hire his boys. There are seven of us in all. As he was dying, John told me to take care of his family. And I did.”

Lilly looked at Daisy. Her father hadn’t had the chance to ask her to take care of Daisy. His death had been sudden, but still heartbreaking. “I’m sorry for your loss.”

Jacob’s Adam’s apple bobbed as he swallowed. “Then a man named Seth Armstrong came along as the station keeper. He and Rebecca fell in love and were married a couple of months ago. He’s now in charge of taking care of my brothers and little sister, freeing me to look for my birth mother. I never forgot my mother and have wondered for ten years why she left me at that orphanage. So, I began making my way to California in search of her. I’m still searching for her.”

Lilly dropped her hand from his arm. “Do you have any idea where she might be?” There were other questions she wanted to ask Jacob, but she started with the one that she felt was the most important to him.

“Rebecca heard that she might be living in Sacramento.”

Jacob turned his warm brown eyes on her once more. “I’ll ask around when I go to town, but after all these years, I’m not sure I’ll ever find her.”

“So how long will you be staying on the Johnson ranch as a stock tender?” Lilly asked, realizing that Jacob could leave at any time.

“Your ranch is my last stop. I can travel from here to inquire about her presence. I’m staying as long as the Pony Express will keep me hired. And, if I don’t find my mother in Sacramento, I’ll just have to live never knowing why she gave me up.” His eyes looked deeply into hers. “I’ve never been in trouble with the law. I have brothers and a sister that I love very much. They might not be my blood but they found their way into my heart. Someday, I’ll head back to Wyoming, where my family lives.”

Lilly watched as Daisy picked up little rocks and tried to skip them across the pond water. He wasn’t staying forever. He’d mentioned a sister. “How old is your sister?” she asked.

“She’s five. Almost the same age as Daisy. Children need people to watch over them, not to harm them,” he answered as he also looked to Daisy.

Lilly sighed. “I’m afraid I don’t know how to protect her. I don’t know who to trust. I’m sure Sam would never hurt her but until this morning, I wouldn’t have believed any of the men working on my ranch would hurt her, but someone tried.” She crossed her arms over her knees and buried her face in the fabric of her trousers.

He laid his hand on her shoulder. “If you will trust me, I’ll help you protect Daisy.”

She looked up into his eyes. There was truth and sincerity in his gaze. Lilly knew Jacob hadn’t taken Daisy—he’d saved her. But how much trust should she put in a stranger? Although, what choice did she have?

Chapter Three

Jacob watched the emotions wash across Lilly’s soft features. She wanted to trust him but something held her back. Had she been hurt, too? He pulled his hand from her shoulder.

“Thank you.” The words sounded tight in her throat.

He offered her a smile. “I won’t let you down. I’ll watch over Daisy as if she was my own sister.”

Lilly stood. “Daisy, we need to get back to the house.”

“Aw,” Daisy said, picking up her stockings and boots. She dragged her feet through the dirt as she walked back to them. “Do we have to?”

Jacob laughed. Joy would have felt the same way, if she’d been here. “Yes, we have to. My tummy tells me it’s getting close to dinnertime.”

Daisy brightened up at the prospect of dinner. “Lilly says we’re going to have fried chicken.”

“That sounds wonderful.” Jacob’s stomach growled, as if it was in total agreement.

A giggle burst from Daisy’s lips. “Mr. Jacob, your tummy is talking.”

He shook his head. “Not as well as you.”

Daisy handed her stockings and boots to Lilly. “Will you help me, please?”

Jacob looked to Lilly. “I’m amazed at how well she talks.”

She smiled as she slipped a sock onto Daisy’s foot. “That’s because we have never talked baby talk to her.”

“I’m not a baby,” Daisy told him with a grin.

He laughed. “No, you are not.” Jacob shook his head. “I’ll go round up the horses.”

Jacob found them both munching on grass just inside the tree line. He heard Daisy giggle and looked back to see Lilly tickling the little girl. His heart tugged in his chest at the sight.

If someone was going to hurt Daisy, they’d have to go through him. He’d vowed to watch over the little girl and he’d do just that. No man, or woman for that matter, was going to hurt that sweet child.

Lilly looked up and met his gaze. Her eyes were gentle and contemplative. He felt a curious swooping pull at his innards.

Jacob realized then that his promise included Lilly. If anyone hurt Daisy, they’d also be hurting Lilly. His instincts told him that she was a kind person. Her sympathy for him when he’d told her about his upbringing had been sincere. And Jacob knew he’d not let either of them be hurt.

He just prayed he’d not lose his heart in his desire to protect them both. Jacob had no intention of falling in love, like Seth and Rebecca had. Women couldn’t be trusted not to abandon those they claimed to love the most. His mother had proven that. No, he’d harden that part of his heart and still keep his promise.

He ignored the tiny voice that whispered to him that his adopted mother, Rebecca, had been a woman of integrity. She’d not abandoned her duties even though she was very young. Lilly was also young and she’d managed to take the care of her sister seriously. Jacob pushed the last thought aside. He didn’t want to admire Lilly in any way or fashion.

* * *

Lilly waited as Jacob lifted Daisy onto her horse, then she mounted up behind her. Jacob paused while she settled into the saddle then climbed onto his horse, shifting until he was comfortable. He treated her like a gentleman treated a lady. It was hard not to be impressed when his manners toward her and Daisy were so thoughtful. There wasn’t a lot of gallantry found this far west of the Mississippi so Jacob’s actions were like a warm summer’s rain during the hottest part of the day. Lilly realized she wanted to trust him. Could she afford to?

He’d opened his life up for her to view. Had he expected her to do the same? Tell him about her childhood? How her father had married a woman who was supposed to love her but had only despised her? Share how they’d both died and how Daisy had been her responsibility since she was born? Loneliness and confusion mingled together in one huge surge of yearning. How she longed for someone to share her life with—the joys, sorrows, even the mundane everyday living. Right now her future looked vague and shadowy. Lord, please, she thought in silent prayer. Send my other half, my partner. Someone I can trust to love me for myself and not for the ranch. I’m tired of doing this alone.

As they returned to the house, she listened to Daisy chatter about the birds, flowers, tall grass and other things that flitted through her young mind. Jacob laughed at her funny expressions and words. Almost without a second thought, Lilly decided to trust him, and to do so she’d need to share a part of their life, too.

Caleb met them as they arrived at the barn. “Miss Daisy, the cat had her kittens. Would you like to see them?”

Daisy squealed and leaped into the boy’s arms. “Oh, yes!” She waited for him to lower her to the ground and then clasped his hand. “Where are they?”

He kneeled down beside her. “In the back stall but you can’t go running in there. She’s a new mama and might be nervous. We have to go in quietly and not talk too loudly. Also, don’t touch the babies today. We’ll hold them when they are a little older and their mama isn’t as skittish as she is today. All right?”

Her blond head bobbed her agreement.

Caleb stood. “Miss Lilly, would you like to see them, too?”

Lilly smiled. “Not right now.” She watched them walk hand in hand to the barn. Was Caleb trustworthy? Had the young man taken her sister into the ravine? As she climbed down from her horse, she gnawed at her bottom lip.

Jacob took the reins from her hands and smiled. “Can you believe that boy threatened me this morning?”

Her face went from worry to shock.

An easy laugh spilled from Jacob. “Oh, not how you’re thinking. But in his own way. Caleb told me that anyone who hurt Daisy would answer to him. In other words, don’t hurt her because I love her like a little sister.”

Lilly felt the emotions drain from her body. She’d gone from confusion, to worry, to shock in just a matter of minutes. At this rate she’d be emotionally exhausted by nightfall.

He pulled the horses over to the large water trough beside the barn, his shoulders hunched and powerful. They were broad and maybe strong enough to support the dread and fears that filled her heart as she worried about Daisy.

“Thank you for sharing your past with me.” She rubbed her horse’s neck as it drank from the fresh water. “I grew up on this ranch. It’s all I know and all I want to know.” Lilly thought about her little sister in the barn.

Jacob leaned against the barn and smiled. “Sounds like a nice childhood.”

She grinned. “It was. Mama died when I was about Daisy’s age. I remember her soft smile, warm smell and gentle hugs.”

“I’m sorry for your loss.” Jacob had crossed his legs and now rubbed the toe of his boot against the other. She wondered if he looked at the boots to avoid seeing sorrow in her eyes.

“Thank you. Then when I was ten, Papa decided I needed a mother’s touch and married my stepmother.” She laughed and heard the bitterness in it. “I know he meant well, but she was not mother material.”

“And now, your childhood isn’t sounding so nice.” His warm brown eyes, gentle and contemplative, looked into hers, inviting her to continue.

“Oh, it was nice. But, I grew up at the age of ten. Gertrude made sure of that. When Pa was away, I cooked, cleaned and was treated like the hired help.” Lilly fell silent as the memories took over. She hated those years of her life.

His silence reminded her that Jacob still listened patiently. “But five years ago, all that changed. Gertrude had Daisy. She died shortly after that but left Papa and me with a beautiful baby. Daisy has been my life ever since. I love her as if she was my child instead of my sister.” She realized how silly that must sound to him and giggled. “Well, you know what I mean.” Lilly felt heat fill her face.

Jacob remained silent; his hat shadowed his face so Lilly wasn’t sure of his expression. Had her story made him think that she’d been too silly in her love for Daisy?

He must have sensed her watching him because Jacob looked up again. A spark of some indefinable emotion crossed his features, but he spoke in a gentle, soft voice. “I’m sorry. Did your father leave after your stepmother died?”

Lilly realized he must have assumed that he’d abandoned her and Daisy like his mother had him. “No, he had a riding accident that broke his neck and killed him instantly.” Sorrow filled her heart. Even after four years she still felt her loss cut through her like a two-edged sword.

“So you’ve been taking care of Daisy and running this ranch on your own?” He pushed away from the barn.

Lilly nodded. “Yes, with Sam’s and Papa’s lawyer’s help.” Did knowing her father was dead change his view of her? Would he, like so many others before him, now see her as wife material? Making himself a ranch owner in the process?

Apparently unaware of her thoughts, Jacob tugged his horse around and walked toward the barn. Lilly followed with her own mount. He stopped just inside the barn door. He placed a hand against the barn, his demeanor stiff and tense. His jaw clenched as if he was holding raw emotion in check. She placed her hand on his forearm.

“What is it, Jacob?”

“Did I mention earlier that my mother’s name is Gertrude?”

Lilly’s breath caught in her lungs. Her fingers clenched around the fabric of his sleeve. She swallowed hard and tried to think of something to say. He seemed to have the same problem. Lilly’s heart told her Gertrude was the same woman. She walked past Jacob toward her horse’s stall. “Gertrude is a common name for women born during that time.”

Lilly began to remove the saddle from the horse. Trying not to sound strange, she asked, “Jacob, what is your last name?”

He looked at her as if she were dense. “Young.”

She swallowed. “I mean before you were adopted.”

Jacob grunted as he pulled the saddle from his horse’s back. He carried it to the tack room and placed it on a sawhorse. He adjusted it three or four times, finally latching on the saddle horn in a tight-fisted grip. “My birth name is Fisher.”

Lilly felt as if her knees might give out from under her. Her stepmother, Gertrude Fisher, was Jacob’s mother. That made him Daisy’s half brother. Strange and disquieting thoughts raced through her mind. Would he want to take Daisy away from her? Or would knowing she was his own flesh and blood make him want to protect her more? And, would he think he could protect her better by taking her away? Icy fear wrapped its ugly fingers around her spine.

She could tell him that half the ranch belonged to Daisy, but should she? New fears and questions twisted her insides. Would that make him less inclined to take Daisy away? Or would it make him want to take the ranch? Was he the type of man who would woo her to get his sister and the ranch?

Did he somehow already know all this? Had he secretly been checking things out, with plans already formed? And she had let her guard down. Her emotions had ruled that Jacob could be trusted, but what had emotions always proven to her? That they certainly could not be trusted. She had eagerly accepted Gertrude, longing for a mother’s touch and love, but that had led to years of loneliness and disappointment.

Chapter Four

Over the next few days, Jacob got to know his new home better. He now knew the barn and everything in it as if he’d lived there all his life. He met the other men of the ranch and took his meals with them. Rode the fence lines and learned where the ravines were located.

Since the ranch wasn’t a Pony Express home station, but a way station where the riders exchanged horses to deliver the mail, there was no station manager. Jacob was free to come and go as he pleased as long as he was ready when a new rider came in needing a fresh horse.

He helped out where he could and kept an eye out for the Johnson women. Lilly and Daisy were never apart. He’d watched them puttering around the house, in the garden, washing clothes out by the well and playing tag on the side of the house. Lilly always seemed alert to their surroundings and had even waved to him a few times when she caught him looking in her direction.

However, since the day she’d told him about her past, Lilly had stayed away from the barn. According to Caleb it wasn’t like her not to take her horse out for a ride at least once a day. Jacob assumed it was because of her worry over Daisy that kept her close to home. Still, he didn’t think it was good for her or her horse.

As he put the recently returned Pony Express horse into a stall, Jacob realized that the last time she’d spoken to him had been after their short ride to the river. She’d asked him his last name and then hurried from the barn as if her biscuits were burning in the kitchen. Had he said something wrong? Something that had disturbed her? Made her think he was a danger to them? Or had she simply decided to be cautious? He knew now that Daisy was her only living relative. He could understand Lilly’s strong desire to want to protect the little girl.

He closed his eyes and inhaled the warm scent of hay from the barn. Jacob had to admit that he missed his family. His adoptive mother, Rebecca, would be calling them all in for lunch about now. His rowdy brothers would be pushing and shoving to be the first inside. He missed the way Joy, his sister, ran to him and begged to be swung about in the air.

“Jacob? Is now a bad time?”

Lilly’s soft voice broke through the memories and his eyes snapped open. She stood to the side with her hands buried in a long skirt that touched the straw-covered floor of the barn. Since he’d arrived he’d never seen her in a dress or skirt, and the sight took him by surprise. To cover it, he cleared his voice. “Not at all. I was just...putting the horse away.”

She grinned a knowing smile. “Good. I was wondering, since the Pony Express rider just left, if you’d have time to go with Daisy and I to Mud Springs?”

Daisy stood behind Lilly. She peaked around her sister. “Pleeeease.”

Jacob nodded. “Mud Springs?” He’d not heard of that town when he’d come through so perhaps it was a small town between the ranch and Sacramento.

“That’s the old name. About five years ago the town folks renamed it El Dorado. We’re still used to it being Mud Springs.” She pulled her braid around to her left shoulder and played with the band at the end. Her blue eyes looked up at him inquisitively.

Jacob recognized the town name El Dorado. “I’d be happy to go. Let me tell Cook so he doesn’t expect me for lunch.”

Caleb stood up from where he’d been kneeling in the back stall. “I’ll tell him for you,” he offered. Caleb grinned at Daisy. “Want to see the kittens while Jacob gets the wagon ready?” He shot a mischievous grin at Jacob.

Daisy’s blond braid bobbed as she nodded. She looked up at Lilly. “Can I, Lilly?” Weariness laced the little girl’s voice as if she feared her sister would say no.

“Yes, just remember they are still very little.”

“I will.” Daisy skipped the short distance to Caleb.

Jacob had missed the little girl’s voice and happy nature. He grinned. “I better get the wagon.” He started to leave the barn but stopped when he heard Lilly call out.

“Caleb?”

The young man popped his head up. “Yes, Miss Lilly?”

“Will you keep an eye on Daisy? I’d like to go fix a picnic lunch for the trip.” She nibbled at her bottom lip.

Jacob’s eyes met Caleb’s. He nodded to the young man.

“I’ll watch out for her,” Caleb agreed. “Don’t worry, we’ll stay here in the barn and watch the mama cat and kittens.”

She nodded. “I’ll be quick.” Lilly turned and saw Jacob. “Do you need help with the wagon?” she asked, tugging at her braid.

“No, I can take care of it,” he answered.

Lilly walked toward him. When she was at the door he said, “Caleb will take good care of her and I’ll be right outside.”

“I know.” Still she worried the tip of her braid. Then she turned toward the house and marched smartly away.

Jacob moved to the side of the barn where the wagon sat.

A heavy Irish accent drifted to Jacob. “Need help with getting that pulled to the front of the barn?” Asher asked.

Jacob glanced over his shoulder at the broad-shouldered man. Asher seemed good-natured. His red hair and green eyes made him very recognizable. He answered, “That would be nice.”

The big man grabbed the tongue of the wagon while Jacob pushed from behind. Within a minute they had the wagon standing in front of the big barn. The two men continued to work together until the horse was hitched up and ready to go.

“I could have gotten the wagon pulled around but your help made it much easier. Thanks.” He grinned at the Irishman.

“Happy to help. I suppose I should feed the hogs. I can hear their squeals from here.” He walked away.

The hog pens were farther away from the house. Asher scooped up two slop buckets as he passed the bunkhouse and then disappeared around the corner.

Jacob grinned. He liked Asher and couldn’t imagine that he’d harm man or beast. Still, he’d get to know him better before he trusted him or anyone else on the ranch other than Caleb. He walked back into the barn, where Caleb sat with Daisy on a bale of hay. “What are you two doing?” he asked. Then he saw the small fur ball in Caleb’s hands.

“Looking at the kitty,” Daisy whispered. “This is the one I want to keep.”

The kitten was still small and its yellow fur wasn’t very thick. “Aren’t you going to keep them all?” Jacob asked as he sat down across from them on a large bucket.

She shook her head. “No, Lilly only keeps two kitties on the ranch at a time.”

Caleb grinned. “The other two will go to the Lawrences, they own the farm to our right.”

The mother cat chose that moment to let her disapproval come through. She meowed loudly. “Sounds like you better put that baby back,” Jacob said as he stood and stretched.

He looked forward to this trip to town. Even though he’d come through it on his way to the Johnson ranch, Jacob planned to ask again about his mother. The sooner he found her, the sooner he’d have answers to his questions and get on with his life.

* * *

Knots filled Lilly’s stomach as she hurried back to the barn. The wagon looked ready to go. She placed the basket full of food and a couple of Daisy’s favorite toys behind the seat. Lilly inhaled deeply. Anticipation of Jacob’s reaction ate at her. Lilly tried to ignore the feeling, knowing she was doing the right thing.

She’d prayed earnestly, asking God what to do with the new knowledge that Jacob’s mother and her stepmother were one and the same. Lilly didn’t want to tell him because she feared he’d want to take over Daisy’s upbringing. She also feared he’d think the ranch belonged to him, too. But, after much prayer, Lilly felt it wouldn’t be right to keep the truth from Jacob.

The thought of him continuing his search for his deceased mother saddened her. Knowing would be better for him than not knowing. This was something she had to do. She released the pent-up air.

Lilly walked the short distance to the barn and stepped into the doorway. Jacob stood. He stretched out his back and flexed his wide shoulders. She quaked at what his reaction might be to the news she’d been holding onto for the last few days.

Jacob had given her no reason to fear him and yet she did. Lilly knew the fear wasn’t for herself but for Daisy. Not that he’d hurt her, but that he’d take her away.

Jacob turned as if sensing her nearness. “About ready?” he asked.

Lilly nodded, unwilling to speak in case her voice gave out on her. She had to get these emotions under control.

Daisy ran around Jacob and looked up at her sister. “I know which kitty I want.” She bounced around like a happy puppy.

“You do?” Lilly smiled as the little girl’s braid flopped about her shoulders.

“Uh-huh. The orange one.” Daisy grabbed Lilly’s hand and pulled.

Lilly stood her ground. “Daisy, what have I told you about pulling on people?”

Daisy dropped her hand and her head. “Not to.”

“That’s right. Where were you going to pull me to?” Lilly asked, as she tried not to smile at her sister’s antics.

Daisy looked up at her with big eyes. “I was going to show you my kitty.” Her bottom lip pouted out.

Lilly kneeled down beside the little girl. “I think that is very sweet but I also think we should leave the kittens alone for a few more days.” She saw Daisy inhale and a protest form on her little mouth. Lilly interrupted quickly. “It won’t be that long and you don’t want the mama to hide them, do you?”

“No.” The dejection in the little girl’s voice tugged at her.

She stood. “I tell you what, when we get to town you can buy a small sack of lemon drops. How does that sound?”

The bouncing began again. “Come on, Mr. Jacob.” Daisy ran around Lilly and started climbing into the wagon.

At the sound of his warm chuckle, Lilly shook her head. It amused her that he found Daisy comical now, but just wait until he had to deal with one of her crying spells. Then he wouldn’t be laughing. She followed Daisy to the wagon.

Jacob hurried around her and offered his hand to assist her up. Surprised by his speed, she lay her hand in his. Lilly told herself that it was because of the skirt and her fear of catching the tips of her boots in the hem that she allowed him to help her.

His warm, callused palm held tightly to hers as she raised herself into the wagon. “Thank you.” Lilly sat down and made sure her skirt covered her legs. The warmth of his touch remained on her hand, making the other feel cool.

Within moments he was on the seat beside her. He looked over his shoulder at Daisy, checking to make sure she remained seated in the back of the wagon, and then quirked a brow at her. “Everyone ready?”

“I am.” Daisy smoothed the yarn on her rag doll’s head.

Lilly nodded. She folded her hands in her lap and stared straight ahead, wishing he wasn’t quite so nice because she had to figure out how to break the news to him. She couldn’t quite fathom what that had to do with anything, but then these days her mind was a crazy mixture of hope and fear; hope that she was wrong that someone wanted to hurt Daisy and fear that someone truly did.

Jacob gently slapped the reins over the horse’s back and clicked his tongue to get her to go. The wagon lurched and the wheels ground the dirt as they took off. Lilly tried to choose which of the several ways she’d thought through on how to broach the subject of his mother.

She could hear Daisy talking to her doll and the little wooden horse that she’d brought along to play with. Should she say something in front of her little sister? After all, Daisy and Jacob shared the same mother. Lilly had no idea how Daisy would feel. Could someone that small—that young—even understand what it meant? Would Jacob want to tell Daisy himself?

Jacob’s rich voice broke the silence. “This is a nice ranch. I hope you don’t mind but I rode the fence lines and checked out some of the ravines on the property.”

Lilly glanced at him. “No, I don’t mind.” She nibbled at her bottom lip.

They fell into silence once more. Daisy told her doll and horse all about the kittens in the barn. Lilly listened as she chattered about the yellow kitty and how they were going to be the bestest of friends.

She glanced in Jacob’s direction and saw the soft smile on his face. He was either listening to Daisy, too, or deep in his own thoughts. Lilly looked across the pasture they were passing. It had recently been cut and the grass gathered for feed. The sounds of birds in the nearby trees chirping their happiness soothed her troubled thoughts.

In a quiet voice, Lilly said, “Jacob, I’d like to stop someplace for lunch before we get to town.”

Daisy piped up from behind them. “I’m hungry.”

Just as she thought, the little girl had been listening to them. Lilly answered, “Me, too.” She hadn’t eaten much breakfast. Worry had consumed her and the thought of food hadn’t appealed at the time.

“I could use a bite to eat, too,” Jacob agreed. “If I remember right, there is a little stream up the road. Would that be a good place to stop?”

“Yes!” Daisy squealed. “Lilly and I stop there all the time.”

Lilly grinned as she relived memories of wading in the cool water, first with her father and later with Daisy. She realized he was watching her expression and answered, “Yes, it’s a favorite spot of ours.”

At Daisy’s gleeful squeal, Jacob set the horse into a trot and said, “The sooner we get there the sooner we eat.”

Daisy laughed and encouraged him to go faster. As if the horse sensed the little girl’s urgency it trotted faster. Lilly found herself laughing with her sister and enjoying the ride. Her hair escaped her braid and teased the side of her face. Lilly knew she’d look a sight if they didn’t get to the stream soon.

Jacob pulled the wagon off the road and headed for a cluster of trees, where he stopped the horse and set the brake. He turned to smile at her. “Hope you brought plenty. I’m starved.”

She pushed her hair back. “I believe I did.”

“Good, ’cause I’m starving, too,” Daisy said, slumping against the seat as if weak from hunger.

“Daisy, you really are a mess. You know that?” Jacob asked, jumping from the wagon as laughter spilled from his throat.

She laughed, too, and jumped from the wagon. Lilly held her breath as Daisy sailed over the side of the wagon through the air. Jacob caught her up and swung her around. In one action Daisy showed the two adults just how much she trusted Jacob. How much more would she trust him once she learned he was her brother?

New fearful thoughts entered her mind. What if Daisy wanted to live with Jacob when he returned to his Wyoming family? Would the little girl leave her? Could she bear it if Daisy did leave?

Chapter Five

Jacob watched Lilly’s face as she set down the picnic basket under the tall tree he’d chosen to have their lunch below. Where had the joy gone that had filled her face minutes earlier? She gnawed at her bottom lip as she pulled food from the basket and her change in mood gnawed at him. Something wasn’t quite up to par, but he’d be hanged if he knew what it was.

Daisy kneeled beside her sister and peered into the hamper. “I want a cookie.” Her small hand reached inside but quickly came back out when Lilly slapped it.

“No, not now. You have to eat a sandwich first, then you can have a cookie.” She pulled out a ready-made sandwich and handed it to her sister.

Daisy frowned at it. “Can I eat it by the water?” Her lower lip puckered out as if she was going to cry.

Lilly reached out and tugged at Daisy’s braid. “Only if you stop pouting and drink all your milk.”

Daisy sucked in her lip and nodded. She took the bottle of milk that Lilly handed her. “Thanks.” Then with her sandwich in one hand and the milk in the other, she skipped away to the water’s edge.

“Don’t get your boots wet!” Lilly called after her.

Jacob joined her under the tree.

“I won’t,” Daisy called back.

He sat down on the ground beside the picnic basket. “If I eat all my sandwich, can I have a cookie, too?” Jacob hoped his teasing would bring back the joy they’d shared earlier.

She offered what he considered a weak smile. “Sure.” She handed him a sandwich wrapped in cheesecloth.

Jacob took the sandwich. “Thank you.” He waited until she’d finished setting out the food and drinks and then asked, “Is something bothering you?”

Lilly studied his face. What she looked for, Jacob couldn’t say. He held her gaze, waiting. She looked away, tucking a strand of hair behind one small ear.

“I have to tell you something.” She played with the corner of her cheesecloth-covered sandwich.

From the way she was gnawing at her lip, Jacob was pretty sure whatever she had to tell him was pretty important to her. “All right.” He unwrapped the cheesecloth and pulled a piece of ham out from between the bread. Jacob hoped by acting normal it would put her at ease. He bit into the sweet ham and waited.

“Remember when I told you my father remarried?” She looked up at him.

“Yes.” Jacob found himself nodding as if to assure her he remembered.

“Well, I realized the other day, when you told me your last name, that my stepmother was your mother.” She swallowed hard. “I haven’t been sure how to tell you.”

Her words struck him like lightning hitting a tree. A loud roar began in his head and white-hot pain hit his heart. His eyes burned as the words ricocheted through his mind. His mother was dead. A part of him wanted to grieve, the other part wanted to be angry.

To fight the grief Jacob focused on the anger. He stood to his feet. His mother had not only abandoned him as a ten-year-old, but now he also felt like she’d abandoned him once again. Now he’d never know why she’d left him at the orphanage.

“I’m sorry, Jacob. I should have told you the other day.” Sadness filled her voice.

Jacob wanted to be angry with her but couldn’t be. Hadn’t he already thought that her stepmother and his mother might be the same person? Jacob knew that he had but hadn’t wanted to believe that it was possible.

He sighed and handed her his uneaten sandwich. “Thank you for telling me, Lilly.” He turned away. The stinging in his eyes was getting worse. Grown men didn’t cry in front of others. “I’ll be back in a few minutes.” His throat felt raw as he walked down the bank of the stream away from Lilly and Daisy.

Unwanted tears streamed down his face as Jacob thought of the loss of his mother. He sat down on a fallen log beside the water’s edge. Jacob had convinced himself that he’d replaced his love for his birth mother with hate, but now knew that wasn’t true. She’d been his mother no matter what reason she’d deserted him. He still loved her even if she didn’t love him.

“Mr. Jacob?”

At the sound of Daisy’s voice behind him, Jacob wiped at his eyes. He turned slowly to face the little girl. “Yes, Daisy?”

“Are you all right? Lilly said I should leave you alone, but...” She walked around the log and saw his face. Daisy stopped and completed her sentence. “I didn’t listen and snuck off.” She reached up and touched his damp cheek. “Are you sad?”

He placed his hand over hers. “I am.”

She climbed into his lap and laid her head on his chest. “Why?” Her little hand rested on his shoulder.

Jacob curled his arms around her small body. “I just found out that my ma is dead.”

Daisy snuggled closer. “Oh, my ma is dead, too.”

He tightened his arms around her as he realized that Daisy’s ma and his were the same. “I know.” Jacob rested his chin on the top of her head. Was that the reason Lilly had been afraid to tell him? Did she think he’d take Daisy away from her?

Jacob inhaled the little girl’s soft scent. Now that he knew he had a real sister, would he be able to leave her with Lilly?

Grief and confusion washed over him. Jacob held his little sister close and silently prayed. He didn’t want to hurt Lilly, but now that he knew Daisy was his flesh and blood, he’d never leave her. She was all the real family he had left.

* * *

Lilly’s fears grew as Jacob and Daisy came back to camp. He held the little girl’s hand in his and new determination filled his eyes. She’d seen Daisy follow him but hadn’t tried to stop her.

“Lilly, I ate all my sandwich.” Daisy smiled happily. “Can I have my cookie now?”

“Yes, you can.” Had Jacob told Daisy he was her brother? She turned to get Daisy a cookie from the small bowl she’d brought with them.

Daisy took it with a smile. “Mr. Jacob would like his cookie, too, but he didn’t eat his sandwich yet.”

Mr. Jacob? Lilly looked to Jacob. Would Daisy still call him “Mister” if Jacob had told her that she was his sister? Lilly didn’t think so.

“I have to finish my sandwich before I get my cookie. Isn’t that right, Lilly?” Jacob raised an eyebrow in question.

“Afraid so. Daisy, why don’t you take your boots off and wade at the edge of the stream while you eat your cookie? As soon as Jacob finishes his lunch we’ll be heading on into town,” Lilly answered.

Daisy sat down and began pulling at her boots. Her cookie clamped between her lips. Jacob reached down and pulled a boot from her foot. She managed to get the other off and drew the cookie from between her teeth. “Eat real slow, Mr. Jacob. I want to splash in the water for a long time.”

He laughed. “Then you better get going.”

Daisy squealed and ran for the stream’s edge. Her braid swung against her back. The sound of the water splashing as her bare feet hit it brought a smile to Lilly’s face.

Lilly handed him his sandwich. She’d rewrapped it so that the bread wouldn’t get dry. “I could never run like that on this ground with my socks and shoes off.”

Jacob took it from her and once more unwrapped it. “She’s really something, isn’t she?” He took a big bite from the sandwich.

Lilly looked at him. “Yes, she is.” She paused. “You didn’t tell her, did you?”

Jacob shook his head. “No, I thought it might be better to wait.”

What was he waiting for? What were his plans? The questions slammed against her brain. Would he tell her when he was ready to leave?

“I thought we’d keep the knowledge that she’s my half sister between us.” His brown eyes watched her as he chewed.

Lilly couldn’t keep the tremble from her voice. “Why?”

“I wanted to tell her, but if I do she’ll tell everyone else and I’m not sure I want others to know yet.” He wiped at the crumbs that clung to his upper lip.

She didn’t understand. Why wouldn’t he want Daisy to tell others? Lilly refused to ask why again. She focused instead on nibbling the sugar off a cookie.

“If we tell her and she lets everyone know, then the person who kidnapped her the other day will have some kind of reaction. And I’m not sure if the results will be good or bad.” Jacob took another bite of sandwich and looked out to where their sister now played in the water.

Lilly followed his gaze. She understood what he was saying and didn’t know what the results would be, either. Would the person who had taken Daisy before try again, if they knew Jacob was her brother? Or would they do something to get rid of Jacob? Would telling put both of them in harm’s way? Was there a chance that by telling everyone they might scare off the person? She turned her gaze back on him.

“You can see my point, can’t you?” he asked, then stuffed the last of the bread into his mouth.

Lilly nodded. “It might be better to leave things as they are.”

As he watched Daisy play in the water his features expressed awe and something else that she couldn’t quite pinpoint. “I really am sorry for your loss, Jacob. I probably didn’t break the news to you in the right manner and for that, I’m sorry, too.”

He turned to face her. “There is no easy way of telling someone something like that. Thank you for letting me know that I don’t need to search for her any longer.” His gaze returned to Daisy.

What was he going to do now? He’d said that the Johnson ranch was his last stop and he’d continue to work for the Pony Express, but would his plans change now? And what were his thoughts regarding Daisy? How did one ask such personal questions?

“Lilly, would you mind telling me more about my mother’s life here? Was she happy? I mean... I’m still amazed that Daisy is my sister.”

His eyes were red-rimmed as if he’d been crying. It had never dawned on Lilly that Gertrude had been a loving mother to anyone. Gertrude had treated her more like a servant than a child that she was supposed to love and care for. She decided then and there that she’d never speak ill of Jacob’s mother.

She sat down on the grass, mindful of the skirt she wore today. “Gertrude came to the ranch when I was eight years old. Papa was of the mind that I needed a woman’s guidance.”

Jacob sat down. “So he didn’t love her?”

Lilly looked down at her hands. “Not at first. She came in response to a mail-order bride ad my father placed in some of the big newspapers. But after a couple of years I believe they both must have had feelings for one another.” She grinned and looked toward Daisy. “How else would we have had a little sister?”

He chuckled. “Having a child doesn’t require love.” Jacob reached for the bowl of cookies.

“True, but Father loved your mother. A little girl of ten can see when things change in her household.” She didn’t tell him how much she resented the fact that her father provided for his mother’s every whim, or how Gertrude used that knowledge to threaten her in her father’s absence.

He nodded and munched on the cookie, which reminded her of a little boy eager to hear more. Lilly smiled. “Anyway, after three years of marriage Daisy came along.”

Jacob finished off the cookie. “You both have flower names. Does that mean your father named Daisy?” He picked up a second cookie.

Lilly nodded. “Yes. He did. Daisy was born here on the ranch. Father had gone into Sacramento to talk to a man about buying more cows when Gertrude went into labor. Daisy came a little early. Anyway, we sent for a man to go get Papa and the doctor, but Daisy came very fast. Your mother passed away shortly afterward.”

Memories flooded her mind like springwater off the mountain. Sam had helped deliver Daisy. He gave the baby to Lilly and told her to take her to the kitchen. Lilly had thought Gertrude was sleeping and had hurried out of the room to do as Sam said. It was while she took care of the baby that Gertrude died. She remembered returning from the kitchen with the clean baby and Sam stepped out of the bedroom looking very pale. His hands were shaking. The foreman had insisted that he would clean up Gertrude and dress her for burial before Lilly’s father returned. Since there were no other women on the ranch, no one had argued.

Jacob broke into her thoughts. “Is she buried here on the ranch?” The second cookie was gone as fast as the first.

Lilly focused on his face. “Yes, she’s buried in the family cemetery. I can take you to it, if you want to go there now.”

He stood and dusted off his pants. “No, let’s go on into town. Maybe tomorrow, we can take a trip there.” Jacob snatched the last two cookies from the cookie tin. “I’ll go and get Daisy.”

She watched him walk away with long strides. He stopped and gave Daisy one of the two cookies. Their sister beamed up at him.

Now that he knew Daisy was his sister, Lilly knew all their lives were about to change. Thankfully, he’d be even more determined to keep Daisy safe. She just prayed he wouldn’t try to take Daisy away or think he had a right to run Daisy’s half of the ranch.

Chapter Six

Jacob stomped his feet at the front door to remove the dirt from his boots. Yesterday’s trip to town had been uneventful since there was no reason to inquire of his mother. He’d gone with Lilly and Daisy to the general store, where they had purchased supplies.

With Lilly’s help he’d bought new sheets and a pillow for his cot. He’d also purchased a couple of hand towels for his room. Daisy came home with a fresh batch of lemon drops. He’d smiled when Lilly told the girl she was limited to one a day.

The rooster crowed just as he raised his hand and knocked on the wooden door. Had his mother stood at this door and knocked also? He still ached not knowing why she’d abandoned him, but now that he knew he’d never be able to ask her why, Jacob felt even emptier. Other than Daisy he had no blood relatives.

Lilly pulled the door open. “Good morning, Jacob.” Weariness filled her eyes. “What can I do for you this morning?” she asked with a note of caution.

He cleared his throat. “Well, I’d hoped to make a trip to the cemetery but didn’t feel right going into your family plots without you.” Jacob twisted his hat in his hands.

Her clear blue eyes studied him. “It’s a bit early. Daisy hasn’t had her breakfast yet.”

Jacob nodded. “I forget that little girls eat later than working men.” He grinned, very aware of the tension in Lilly.

Daisy pushed past her sister. “Hi, Mr. Jacob.”

“Good morning, Daisy.” He noted that she still wore a thin white gown much like the one she’d been wearing the morning he’d met her. With his thoughts focused on his mother’s resting place he hadn’t realized how early it was.

Daisy’s smile brightened his mood. “Are we going to go visit Ma and Pa?” Daisy asked, tilting her head back and looking up at her sister.

“After breakfast,” Lilly answered. She smoothed the curls from around Daisy’s face then looked at him. “Would you like to join us?”

It was kind of her to offer, but he could tell by her pinched face that she’d rather he not. “No thanks. Cook served flapjacks for the men’s breakfast and I’m afraid I might have overdone it this morning.”

“Lilly’s making us biscuits and gravy with sausage,” Daisy said. She grinned her pleasure and then pushed past Lilly once more, returning inside the house.

Jacob laughed. “She’s constantly moving, isn’t she?”

Lilly smiled. “From sunup to sundown. But I wouldn’t give her up for the world.”

There was a warning in her voice that Jacob hadn’t missed. He nodded his understanding of her unspoken statement. “When you ladies are ready, I’ll be in the barn. There are a couple of other things I wanted to talk to you about this morning, too. But they can wait until later.” He spun on his heels and marched across the yard back to the barn.

A tight knot in Jacob’s throat begged for release. For the first time in a long time he’d awoken with a happy desire to bond with his family. He’d dressed hastily, rushed through breakfast and hurried to see his little sister and Lilly. There had to be a connection between them and he wanted to experience it, and the best way he could think of to do that was to be in each other’s presence. But Lilly had squished the joy right out of his plans.

A warning voice whispered in his head. All women twisted up a man’s thinking; first his mother, and now Lilly. Yesterday she’d seemed like she cared...all nice like and telling him she was sorry for his loss. Then this morning she acted as if he was the enemy. How come? He’d done nothing overnight to cause that kind of a reaction from her.

One might think he was going to cart off Daisy and never let Lilly see her again. Jacob stopped his mad stomp across the yard. His mouth dropped open. Surely Lilly didn’t think he planned to take their sister away from her? Lilly was Daisy’s only family, besides himself.

Jacob knew what it felt like to lose your single living family member. Little Daisy had already lost her mother and father. He would not be the cause of her losing a beloved sister.

It dawned on him that that wasn’t exactly true. His father might still be alive. Father had never been around and his mother never spoke of him. Jacob started walking again. Should he try to find his father?

He entered the barn and inhaled the musky fragrance of hay and horseflesh. By pulling the doors wide open Jacob let more sunlight and much needed fresh air into the otherwise shadowed barn.

Then he answered his own question. No, looking for his father would do no good. He had no name to go on and no idea who his birth father was. His adopted father, John Young, had been the only Papa he’d ever known and he, too, was dead. Jacob told himself that he was alone and evidently unloved by his birth parents. If a man’s parents couldn’t love him, then who could?

A few minutes later, the Pony Express horse snorted at him as Jacob pulled him from the stall. Thankful he had a job to do, Jacob focused his mind on that as he walked the horse out to the yard for a bit of exercise.

He made a mental note to assure Lilly that he’d never take Daisy away. Jacob wanted to be a part of Daisy’s life, but he’d never separate the two sisters. That would be wrong. Jacob pushed all thoughts of his birth parents and his sister from his mind and focused on the horses that were in his care.

The horse snorted and bobbed its head as they walked. The poor beast wanted more freedom and Jacob wanted that for him. No animal should be stuck in a stall all the time.

Asking Lilly for a portion of land on which to release the horses was part of his plan this morning. He had six that belonged to the Pony Express and they all needed exercise and sunshine.

An hour later, Lilly and Daisy joined him. Lilly was back in her men’s trousers and a pretty brown blouse with small yellow flowers on it. Daisy wore smaller trousers and a pink blouse. They’d both pulled their hair back into ponytails today, tied with ribbons to match their blouses.

Daisy couldn’t seem to wait to get to him, her ponytail bobbing as she ran to the barn, where he stood in the doorway. “Hi, Mr. Jacob!” She stopped in front of him with a wide grin. “Is Caleb here? I want to see my kitty.” She tried to see past him to the back of the barn.

For a moment he’d allowed himself to think she wanted to see him. That his half sister cared for him. How foolish. Jacob reminded himself once more that he wasn’t the lovable type. With a sigh he answered her. “No, he’s helping mend fences today.”

* * *

As Lilly joined them she heard the exchange between Jacob and Daisy and noticed his crestfallen expression. So the man hoped Daisy would care for him. It was as clear as the nose on his face. But he seemed to forget that Daisy didn’t know they were related, nor had she known Jacob long enough to care. But she had accepted him and whether Jacob knew it or not, that was a big deal with children. They seemed to have a built-in sixth sense about whom they could trust and who not to trust.

“Caleb will be back later, sweetie. After we visit the cemetery we’ll come straight back here and you can see the kittens.”

“But what if Caleb still isn’t here?” Daisy whined.

“If he’s not back, I’ll show both you and your sister the kittens,” Jacob promised. His warm voice brushed against Lilly’s ear like a soft feather.

Lilly didn’t dare look at him. She wasn’t sure if she could keep her wariness of him from showing. “That sounds like fun.” She smiled at Daisy.

“Let’s go.” Daisy grabbed Lilly’s hand as if to pull it and then stopped. She dropped her sister’s hand and said, “Please.”

“Is the cemetery far from here?” Jacob asked, tying the Pony Express horse to a rail outside the barn.

Daisy pointed out the door. “Just over that hill.”

Lilly answered, “Daisy’s right. It is just over the hill but if you are expecting a rider soon, we should probably take the horses.”

“Not until this afternoon. I was just exercising him before his big run.” His gaze moved up the hillside. “We can walk or ride. It’s up to you.”

She looked to the hill. If they walked, she might be able to hold him back a little while Daisy ran ahead. Lilly needed to know what his plans were in regard to their sister. She’d spent all night worrying as to what those plans might be.

Lilly knew fear wasn’t from the Lord and so decided in her heart that she’d face whatever Jacob’s plans were. “If we walk, Daisy could gather wildflowers to put on her mother’s grave.” She smiled at the little girl.

“Let’s walk, Mr. Jacob. I want to pick flowers for Mama and Papa’s graves.” Daisy looked up at him hopefully.

Jacob’s handsome face split into a grin. “Then walking it is.” He motioned for Daisy to lead the way.

Lilly walked slowly as the other two hurried forward. She watched as Daisy skipped ahead. The little girl darted about looking for the prettiest flowers. She grinned as Daisy sniffed at each blossom.

Jacob glanced over his shoulder at her and slowed his pace.

When he came even with her, he said, “I think we need to talk.”

Lilly nodded. “I do, too. Now that you know about your mother and Daisy, what are your plans? Have they changed?” She felt the air catch in her throat and her heart pound against her chest as she waited for his answer.

“Nothing has changed, Lilly. My plans are to continue to work for the Pony Express and get to know my sister.” He looked to where Daisy tugged at a stubborn flower and grinned at her determination to uproot the plant.

She swallowed hard. “What if the Pony Express decides not to run this way any longer? Then what?”

Jacob stopped walking and turned to her. “Why don’t you ask me what you really want to know?” He pushed his brown hat back on his head and waited for her to answer.

Lilly inhaled deeply. “All right. Will you try to take Daisy away from the ranch, and me?” She felt the sting of tears burn her eyes but refused to shed them. Losing Daisy wasn’t an option and she would fight him, if need be.

“Never.”

His strength in the way he said “never” surprised her. She waited for him to continue. When it became obvious he wasn’t going to say anything more, Lilly asked, “You do realize that she owns half this ranch, don’t you?”

“Yep.”

Again with the one answer. Lilly sighed. “Jacob, I need you to talk to me. Giving me one word at a time isn’t talking.”

“No, I reckon it isn’t, but will you believe me if I say more?” Jacob folded his arms across his chest and waited, chin up and jawline taut.

Lilly looked away, unable to meet his gaze. She saw Daisy almost at the top of the small hill. In a few minutes she would be out of sight. “Daisy! Wait for us!” Lilly called to her. Then she turned to Jacob. “Is your word any good?”

Jacob answered without so much as a pause. “As good as yours, I suppose.” He gave an impatient shrug then leaned toward her, a determined look on his strong features. “All I’m asking for is a chance to get to know my sister. I have no intentions of taking her away from you or this ranch. And to answer your earlier question, yes, I figured she owned half the ranch since her father has two daughters. The ranch belongs to you two, I want no part of the ownership of it.”

Lilly studied him, aware that Daisy waited for them at the top of the hill.

She nodded. Peace filled her as she asked the Lord if she should trust him. Instead of telling him that she felt relief from her worries, Lilly said, “I believe you.”

He offered her a warm smile. “Good. I want to be a part of her life.” Jacob turned toward the hill. “We better get going or she’s going to come get us.”

She laughed. “True.”

As they climbed he asked, “Have you thought about sending her to school this fall?”

Lilly nodded. “Yes, but I’m not sure she’s ready yet.”

“Why not?” Puzzlement filled his voice.

“She’s young and full of energy. I wonder if she’d be too active to pay attention to the teacher.” Lilly knew how hard it was for Daisy to sit still. Attending church on Sundays depended on how active Daisy seemed that morning.

“Well, then wait a year. I think she needs an education, but starting her too early may not be the best thing for her.” He glanced Lilly’s way.

How did he know that’s what she’d been thinking? Daisy would mature more in the year she spent at home and Lilly intended to work with her on being still and listening. Maybe having him around wouldn’t be so bad after all. If they continued to think along the same lines, Daisy would have two people who loved her and were doing what they thought best for her.

Lilly topped the hill. The small family cemetery rested below. Tall trees shaded the graves and not far away the meadow opened up and allowed the wildlife to roam free within its grasses. It was a peaceful spot. She came here at times to talk to her papa about the running of the ranch. Lilly knew he wasn’t really here, but it gave her peace and at times she needed all the peace she could get.

Daisy smiled up at Jacob. “Race you to the bottom.” And then she was off and running.

Jacob took off after her.

Lilly stood where she was. Right now everything felt right. But she knew it wasn’t. She hadn’t forgotten that several days earlier someone had taken Daisy from her bed and left her in a ravine, where she could have been trampled by stampeding cattle.

A shiver ran down her spine. Would Daisy ever be safe? Could she trust Jacob to protect their sister? The question that troubled her the most was, why would anyone want to hurt Daisy?

Конец ознакомительного фрагмента.

Текст предоставлен ООО «ЛитРес».

Прочитайте эту книгу целиком, купив полную легальную версию на ЛитРес.

Безопасно оплатить книгу можно банковской картой Visa, MasterCard, Maestro, со счета мобильного телефона, с платежного терминала, в салоне МТС или Связной, через PayPal, WebMoney, Яндекс.Деньги, QIWI Кошелек, бонусными картами или другим удобным Вам способом.