He smiled.
“After breakfast.”
Clara glared.
“You use food to avoid emotion.”
“Yes.”
“Coward.”
“Probably.”
He cooked eggs, potatoes, bacon.
Clara ate ravenously.
For first time she did not apologize.
Silas noticed.
Said nothing.
After breakfast, they prepared to leave.
Clara changed into dried burgundy dress.
Thin but warm enough beneath borrowed coat.
Silas had a massive fur-lined cloak that fit around her shoulders.
“You own suspiciously many large things.”
“Mother left instructions.”
Clara smiled.
“My mother.”
“Yes.”
The possessiveness in her voice pleased him.
Outside, snow nearly waist deep in drifts.
The attackers’ horses had wandered.
Silas’s stable held two draft horses and a reinforced wagon.
Clara looked.
“This also for me?”
“For freight.”
“Liar.”
“Partly for freight.”
She laughed.
They traveled toward Cedar Ridge.
The road took four hours.
Halfway, Silas stopped.
Fresh tracks.
Three riders.
He looked toward forest.
Clara’s fear returned.
“Price?”
“Maybe.”
“Can we outrun?”
“No.”
“Then?”
Silas handed reins to Clara.
“Drive.”
“I told you I cannot.”
“You can.”
“No.”
He placed reins in hands.
“Keep horses straight.”
“What are you doing?”
“Making them think wagon is empty.”
He climbed into rear under tarps.
Clara stared.
“That is terrible plan.”
“Best one.”
“Silas—”
“Drive.”
She did.
Her large hands held reins awkwardly.
The horses moved.
Riders emerged ahead.
Three men.
One was stagecoach driver.
Clara recognized immediately.
He smiled.
“Miss Whitfield.”
Clara stopped wagon.
“Mr. Price wants see you.”
“I don’t.”
“He insists.”
“I decline.”
The driver laughed.
“You don't understand.”
A voice came behind him.
“Oh, I think she does.”
Sheriff.
Not Silas.
Clara turned.
Six riders approached from rear wearing county badges.
Silas climbed from wagon.
Clara stared.
“You planned this?”
He smiled.
“Some.”
Sheriff Marcus Bell rode closer.
“Miss Whitfield?”
“Yes.”
“Mr. Boone filed warning two weeks ago regarding potential coercion over property deed.”
Clara looked at Silas.
Two weeks.
He had anticipated.
Sheriff continued.
“We’ve been watching Price’s men.”
Stage driver fled.
Did not get far.
Deputies surrounded.