A Lady Like Sarah by Margaret Brownley Page B

her horse.
    Until he could figure out a plan, he had no choice but to keep her handcuffed, and he was sorely tempted to gag her as well.
    "I'm not going to Texas!" she yelled at him.
    "You're going," he insisted.
    "Over my dead body."
    "God's commandments make that option unfeasible."
    She leveled cold blue eyes at him. "If they hang me, my blood will be on your hands for the rest of your born days. Is that what you want?"
    "What I want is to make sure that no noose ever touches that pretty neck of yours."
    A light like a candle flared in her eyes, and she looked ready to retort, but instead she clamped her mouth shut. Her hands still handcuffed together, she took hold of the reins.
    He roused Owen. It was a struggle to help Owen onto Noah. Owen could barely stay awake and he slumped over the horse's neck. Justin kept a steady hand on the man while mounting the saddle behind. His arms around Owen, he tightened his hold on the reins.
    He glanced at Sarah, who sat on her horse looking remarkÂably obstinate given her circumstances. Smiling to himself, he clicked his tongue and started along the trail.
    For the most part, Sarah remained silent for the rest of the morning, which suited him just fine. He had enough to worry about.
    The farther south they traveled across Missouri toward the Ozarks, the more available water they found. Flat grassÂlands gradually gave way to rocky inclines and deep ravines surrounded by loose soil. He soon gave up any hope of reachÂing the town until nightfall, if then.
    Justin didn't know how much longer Owen could survive.
    With each cautious step, the hooves of their horses slipped dangerously, sending rocks and soil tumbling into the valley below. An unexpected clearing allowed him to put Moses in front, and this turned out to be a wise decision. Whereas Noah grew ever more skittish and confused, the mule showed no such hesitation, leading the way with sureÂfooted confidence.
    On occasion, they were forced to cross a fast-flowing stream or detour around a tangled thicket. Upon circling one such dense growth, they roused several deer from a hidden lair, sending the frightened animals bounding away in alarm. A spotted fawn wobbled after them.
    The relentless glare of the sun began to take its toll. Justin mopped his wet forehead and glanced back at Sarah, but she avoided his eyes. He could see she was tired. Her face was flushed and less lively than usual, but she looked no less stubÂborn. Even so, he felt sorry for her.
    He wondered if somehow they had missed the town. He searched the trail ahead for a shady place to rest, but it was another hour before they actually found a suitable spot next to a sparkling stream and grove of sturdy cottonwoods.
    After helping Owen off the horse, Justin settled the feverÂish man down on a soft patch of grass. He turned to give Sarah a hand, but she had managed to slip off her mount without his help. He took off her cuffs so she could cool herself in the water.
    Justin knelt at the stream and doused himself with water before rinsing off his neckerchief. He then removed Owen's hat and gently dabbed his face with the wet cloth. Owen's skin was flushed red, and he was breathing hard.
    Fearing for the man's life, Justin stared at the rocky trail ahead. "Traveling is taking a lot out of him. At the rate we're going, we won't make it to the next town till after nightfall," he said. Lowering himself onto a fallen log, he held his weary head with both hands and said a silent prayer.
    He felt her hand on his back, her head on his shoulder.
    Startled by the way her touch made his heart leap, he jumped to his feet.
    The initial surprise on her face turned to hurt. "I was only tryin ' to be a friend," she said.
    Feeling utterly foolish, he raked his hand through his hair. "I apologize."
    Her eyes blazed into his. "Don't go gettin ' yourself all worked up. I ain't that desperate, and you ain't that—"
    "Irresistible?" he asked, hoping to break the tension with a