When she bent to break off some sort of green leaves, Lucas stood alongside her. "So you don't have any siblings?"
"No, I do not." She kept her voice low, seeming to measure each word. Instinct told him she was not telling the truth. Her story was too well practiced, as if she recited it from memory. He let it pass. It was not his business what her life had been like before moving there.
They stopped in the shade of low branches and she pointed at a family of squirrels scampering up a tree when she noticed them. "Look at the babies. They are so tiny."
He wanted to kiss her again, to hold her close and touch the enticing woman who managed to keep a safe distance at all times. Lucas moved closer and took her hand, lifting it to his lips. He brushed a kiss to her knuckles as her wide eyes met his.
"You are good company, Miss Johnston."
When she didn't pull her hand away, he was delighted and continued to hold it in his.
She turned and looked away. "We should head back. I've been gone too long already and still need to go to the mercantile."
"Very well." He finally released her hand, immediately feeling a void. "I will walk you there."
Once he left her at the mercantile, Lucas went to the post office. The postmaster would have any new telegrams that needed his or Brogan's attention.
"Deputy McKade?" A man rushed to him. "I need your assistance.” He recognized the man as a local farmer. "That no good dealing Robinson refuses to pay me and I want you to arrest him for being a lowdown thief."
With a sigh, he followed the man. Some days it seemed people never stopped being idiots.
The darkness made it hard for Camille to see. There were too many shadows as she rushed through the brush to get away from those who chased her.
"I see her," a familiar voice called out. "Camille, you come back here, now." A deeper voice sounded as she drew more energy to run faster.
They were on horseback and would catch up to her. There was little chance to escape if they could see her.
Although she knew this, her fear would not allow her to give up. If there was any way possible to get away, Camille refused to not try.
A low branch scratched her calf. From the sting, the scratch had to be deep, yet she continued on, not stopping. Suddenly it became silent. Not the sounds of horses’ hooves pounding, or the male voices. The only sounds were those of night creatures, crickets and owls.
The darkness overtook until she could not even see her hand in front of her face. A scream caught in her throat. Any sound would bring the pursuers to take chase again.
As terror gripped her, she found it harder to move forward. Something was not right. Had they caught her, knocked her out perhaps? Or was she dead? Fallen to her death, into an endless pit of darkness.
Finally, not able to hold it in, she cried out and jerked up. The familiar surroundings took a few minutes to sink in. And still her heart thudded as she clawed at the blankets, pulling them up over her chest. Sweat trickled down her temples and she let out short breaths.
It had all been a horrible dream. One she'd had often. Each time as awful and real as the last.
Soon the sun would rise but, for the moment, it was too dark for her comfort. Camille reached to her night table and lit the lantern upon it. The light filled her room with a cheery glow and, finally, she was able to let out a breath.
It had been a long time since she'd had this particular dream. It was a warning. She'd remained in Silver City much too long. Before arriving there, she'd moved every few weeks, staying in town just long enough to rest and earn money by healing and selling herbs.
Although she hated life on the run, sometimes she wondered if it was much better than remaining in one place and taking a larger chance that one day her pursuers would come through and recognize her.
She walked to the window and peered down on the slumbering town. Silver City was the first place she'd felt at peace. It was as close to a home as she'd ever known. Although she'd only befriended Sarah Sutherland and Olivia Blakely, the mercantile owner's wife, Camille knew a lot of people by name and had collected a good amount of customers.
No matter how nice it was to be settled, it wasn't worth the chance of one day someone passing through town knowing who she was.
No doubt in her mind, Bill Burns would pay a ransom for anyone returning her. Not because she was family and he cared. He was incapable of that. It was the pure principal of it. No one ever went against Bill Burns' orders, especially family.
Camille closed her eyes and leaned her forehead against the cool glass just as movement caught her attention.
Saloon girls walked down the street with several men. They laughed at something, the mixture of feminine voices with the deeper ones. The people walked past. It looked as if they headed for the nearby creek. She smiled in spite of her current situation. That group was out to have a good time by the moonlight.
Interesting that she envied the freedom of those now moving out of sight.