She saw him almost daily.
Not accidentally.
Sometimes she invented reasons.
Bandage check.
Circulation.
Pain.
Nutrition.
Declan noticed.
One afternoon, Penny entered his room carrying broth.
He looked up.
“Another medical emergency?”
“You're sarcastic for an invalid.”
“You visit often for someone who says I'm healing well.”
Penny placed the bowl down.
“Perhaps I enjoy your charming company.”
He stared.
She immediately regretted the sentence.
Something changed between them.
Declan asked:
“Do you?”
Penny looked toward him.
His voice had become quieter.
She answered:
“Sometimes.”
He smiled.
“Dangerous answer.”
“Why?”
“You know why.”
Penny did.
Attraction had been building in the spaces neither mentioned.
Declan looked at her longer than respectable.
Penny liked it more than respectable women were supposed to admit.
Yet he never touched.
Not once.
She moved toward his leg.
“Let me check swelling.”
He rolled the trouser leg.
Penny crouched.
Her fingers examined skin above the splint.
Declan watched.
Penny could feel his gaze.
“You're staring.”
“You accused me first.”
“Different.”
“How?”
He looked away.
Penny smiled.
“Coward.”
His eyes snapped back.
“Penny.”
The name sounded different from him.
Not Big Penny.
Not Miss Ashford.
Penny.
She looked up.
Declan’s jaw tightened.
“I've buried seven wives.”
“I know.”
“Then don't play with me.”
The words landed hard.
Penny slowly stood.
“You think I'm playing?”
“I think you don't understand what happens near me.”
She moved closer.
“You fell into a river.”
“I dragged you out.”
“That happened near you too.”
He almost smiled.
Didn't.
“Seven graves.”
“Seven medical records.”
“Different things.”
“To me they aren't.”
Declan stared.
She continued:
“I don't believe the world kills women because they marry you.”
“You don't know the mountain.”
“I know chemistry.”
“That won't help if you're under six feet of snow.”
“Then we'll avoid avalanches.”
He laughed despite himself.
Penny liked the sound.
Then she said:
“I want to see the cabin.”
His smile disappeared.
“No.”
“Declan.”
“No.”
“We need the water.”
“No.”
“The cookware.”
“No.”
“The stove tank.”
“No.”
She crossed her arms.
He looked toward her body.
For a fraction too long.
Penny noticed.
His ears reddened.
She smiled.
“Still no?”
Declan groaned.
“You're impossible.”
“So I’ve been told.”
They argued three days.
On the fourth, Penny arrived with Samuel and county deputy Thomas Reed.
Declan stared.
Penny smiled.
“You said I couldn't go alone.”
“I did not say bring government.”
Thomas waved.