“The afternoon I brought bread?”
He nodded.
She laughed softly.
“You barely spoke to me.”
“I was trying very hard not to.”
She stared.
Then smiled.
“Why?”
Gideon looked embarrassed.
“Because you were beautiful and I hadn't the faintest idea what to do about it.”
Elena's lips trembled.
For a moment, she couldn't speak.
Then she leaned closer.
“Gideon Hale.”
“Yes?”
“You are a very foolish man.”
He laughed.
“Been told.”
She touched his cheek.
“Then perhaps you'll let me teach you something.”
He raised one eyebrow.
“What?”
She smiled.
Then kissed him.
This time, the kiss was not hesitant.
It was warm.
Tender.
A promise of feelings neither had known how to express.
When she drew back, Gideon rested his forehead against hers.
“Good lesson.”
Elena laughed softly.
“I thought so.”
For several minutes, they remained beside the stove, enjoying a peace neither wanted to interrupt.
Then the watch in Gideon's pocket caught against the edge of his coat.
He felt its familiar shape.
And remembered why they had brought the records to the mountains.
Matthew.
The ledger.
Rusk.
The years of lies.
Gideon looked toward Elena.
“We need to make a plan.”
She nodded.
“I know.”
They sat beside the table.
Gideon unfolded the sketch Matthew had left.
Elena spread the old bakery ledger beside it.
The map showed the road north of Cedar Hollow, the frozen crossing, and the abandoned freight depot.
Gideon traced the route.
“Crow's Landing is about twenty-two miles from here.”
Elena looked toward the drawing.
“Can we reach it by wagon?”
“Most of the way.”
She nodded.
“Good.”
He looked up.
“Elena.”
She raised an eyebrow.
“What?”
“It's dangerous.”
“So is leaving a man hiding somewhere while the people hunting him know we're looking.”
Gideon stared.
She continued.
“I'm not asking to ride into a gunfight.”
He frowned.
“Good.”
“But I know how to read these freight records. And Matthew gave me the watch because he believed I'd deliver it to you.”
Gideon looked toward her.
She continued.
“If he wanted you alone, he could have left the watch somewhere else.”
For a moment, Gideon considered the argument.
It was reasonable.
More importantly, it was clear Elena had been thinking carefully rather than simply insisting on accompanying him.
He nodded slowly.
“Then we go prepared.”
They spent the morning arranging support.