times he caught her looking at him with a mixture of interest and wariness. When he spoke to one of the boys, her expression always softened. If he offered to be of some help to her, she shook her head and murmured a quiet refusal.
He had no business staying on. He should pack up and ride out of there, leaving her and the boys with the protection of his name. Sheriff Reid was drunk by lunch every day, and Matt worried that Hughes would escape. He should be in Colter Canyon keeping an eye on things, but all he wanted was to guard over Isabelle Hudson.
In the late afternoon, he found her taking clothes off the line. Seth and Luke were teaching Patch to fetch a ball, or at least trying to. The pup ran after the ball and continued past, apparently forgetting his errand along the way.
“I want to take a dip in the river,” Matt said. “Get some of this grit off me. Can’t remember the last time I got a bath.”
Her gaze settled on him in a way that made him restless and irritable. Her lips curved into a smile.
“Well, go on then,” she said softly, toying with him.
“I want you to come with me.”
She lifted the basket and set it on her hip. “All right. I can show you where the river is.” She kept her gaze on him, and it was clear she found something terribly amusing. “C’mon boys, Mr. Hudson wants to take a dip in our nice warm Diablo River.”
Chapter Nine
Isabelle bit her lip as she listened to Matthias’ muttering. He’d been careful not to curse. She could tell, and for that she was grateful. He bathed in the river, in what state of undress she wasn’t sure. She’d kept her eyes averted and suppressed her laughter when he’d entered the frigid river, growling at the temperatures.
While he bathed the boys amused themselves along the bank, tossing rocks into the water and looking for frogs and tadpoles. An evening breeze blew. One that probably chilled the grumbling Mr. Hudson to the bone.
Luke frowned and sucked his thumb, a sure sign of hunger. Tiny creases etched his brow, and he gazed at her as if he fully expected her to understand and solve his dilemma. She knew all this because she’d studied the boys to find what made them tick, and she knew their cues. She went to the willow tree and tugged a sandwich out of her satchel, unwrapped the linen and handed it to the boy.
“Seth would you like a sandwich?” He’d say yes, not because he was hungry but because Luke was eating.
“Mm…yup.”
She went to the bank where he crouched, peering into the river, and handed him his ham sandwich.
“Have you spotted any mermaids yet?” she asked, tousling his hair.
He looked up at her and grinned. “Only five.”
“Ah, well. They’re shy this evening. Mr. Hudson’s frightened them all away. Who could blame them? They’re afraid of ogres.”
She heard Matthias chuckle. She stole a glance at him and took a moment to admire his immense shoulders. He sat in the shallows, the water swirling around him. She knew the water was almost unbearable, and she had to give him credit for lingering in the icy river.
He must have felt her eyes on him, and he glanced over his shoulder. “Come wash my hair and my back, like a good wife.”
His words dismayed her. He hadn’t made any demands on her in front of the boys, until now. She let out a slow simmering huff of indignation. Seth would have a thousand questions if she didn’t go to Matthias and do his bidding.
She shed her boots, turned her back and rolled down her stockings. Tucking her skirts in her belt she waded into the water, gritting her teeth. She glanced back at the children. Both boys were occupied with their sandwiches. Seth stirred the river water with a long stick while he ate.
“Nothing like getting a bath from a pretty girl,” he drawled.
“You’re a beast,” she hissed.
“You have no idea,” he said, holding the soap over his shoulder.
She rubbed the soap over his shoulders, along his neck and across his scalp.
He
He had no business staying on. He should pack up and ride out of there, leaving her and the boys with the protection of his name. Sheriff Reid was drunk by lunch every day, and Matt worried that Hughes would escape. He should be in Colter Canyon keeping an eye on things, but all he wanted was to guard over Isabelle Hudson.
In the late afternoon, he found her taking clothes off the line. Seth and Luke were teaching Patch to fetch a ball, or at least trying to. The pup ran after the ball and continued past, apparently forgetting his errand along the way.
“I want to take a dip in the river,” Matt said. “Get some of this grit off me. Can’t remember the last time I got a bath.”
Her gaze settled on him in a way that made him restless and irritable. Her lips curved into a smile.
“Well, go on then,” she said softly, toying with him.
“I want you to come with me.”
She lifted the basket and set it on her hip. “All right. I can show you where the river is.” She kept her gaze on him, and it was clear she found something terribly amusing. “C’mon boys, Mr. Hudson wants to take a dip in our nice warm Diablo River.”
Chapter Nine
Isabelle bit her lip as she listened to Matthias’ muttering. He’d been careful not to curse. She could tell, and for that she was grateful. He bathed in the river, in what state of undress she wasn’t sure. She’d kept her eyes averted and suppressed her laughter when he’d entered the frigid river, growling at the temperatures.
While he bathed the boys amused themselves along the bank, tossing rocks into the water and looking for frogs and tadpoles. An evening breeze blew. One that probably chilled the grumbling Mr. Hudson to the bone.
Luke frowned and sucked his thumb, a sure sign of hunger. Tiny creases etched his brow, and he gazed at her as if he fully expected her to understand and solve his dilemma. She knew all this because she’d studied the boys to find what made them tick, and she knew their cues. She went to the willow tree and tugged a sandwich out of her satchel, unwrapped the linen and handed it to the boy.
“Seth would you like a sandwich?” He’d say yes, not because he was hungry but because Luke was eating.
“Mm…yup.”
She went to the bank where he crouched, peering into the river, and handed him his ham sandwich.
“Have you spotted any mermaids yet?” she asked, tousling his hair.
He looked up at her and grinned. “Only five.”
“Ah, well. They’re shy this evening. Mr. Hudson’s frightened them all away. Who could blame them? They’re afraid of ogres.”
She heard Matthias chuckle. She stole a glance at him and took a moment to admire his immense shoulders. He sat in the shallows, the water swirling around him. She knew the water was almost unbearable, and she had to give him credit for lingering in the icy river.
He must have felt her eyes on him, and he glanced over his shoulder. “Come wash my hair and my back, like a good wife.”
His words dismayed her. He hadn’t made any demands on her in front of the boys, until now. She let out a slow simmering huff of indignation. Seth would have a thousand questions if she didn’t go to Matthias and do his bidding.
She shed her boots, turned her back and rolled down her stockings. Tucking her skirts in her belt she waded into the water, gritting her teeth. She glanced back at the children. Both boys were occupied with their sandwiches. Seth stirred the river water with a long stick while he ate.
“Nothing like getting a bath from a pretty girl,” he drawled.
“You’re a beast,” she hissed.
“You have no idea,” he said, holding the soap over his shoulder.
She rubbed the soap over his shoulders, along his neck and across his scalp.
He
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