Christine Dorsey by The Rebel's Kiss

matter what they did.
    “You think about it, little lady.” Moore jerked his head to the side, and the two others turned their horses. “Moving might be the best thing for you, too. We’ll be back.”
    Samantha collapsed against the dirt wall, locking her knees to keep from sliding to the ground. They were riding away. They were actually leav—
    Moore was almost out of the yard when he reined to a stop, turning his mount in a tight circle. “Where’d you get that horse?” he yelled. Samantha’s gaze shot to where he was looking, and her heart sank.
    There in plain sight was the Rebel’s horse. They’d put him in the small paddock beside the barn after Will fixed that stretch of fence. It seemed like a good idea at the time. But now the eastern sun shone off his chestnut coat and Samantha couldn’t think of a single way she could have gotten a fine animal like that. Not to mention that Moore probably recognized it as belonging to one of his men.
    Samantha wondered briefly why Morgan hadn’t yelled out, but dismissed that thought as Moore trotted back toward her.
    “Answer me, girl. Where’d you get him?”
    “I traded.” Samantha swallowed. “A stranger came through here last week needing food and clothing.”
    “And he traded that for a horse?”
    Moore obviously didn’t believe her, and why should he? Her lie was stupid. The other two men were walking their horses up to join their boss. Samantha glanced toward the cabin and caught the glint of sun off a gun barrel poking through the paneless window. She hoped Will wasn’t going to shoot. He’d never hit even one of them, and they’d be on him before he could reload.
    “A horse for some food don’t make much sense, girl.”
    “It does if you’re starving,” Samantha answered with as much certainly as she could muster. She must have been convincing, or maybe Moore had noticed the gun pointed his way by this time. For whatever the reason he signaled his men again, and they all cantered out of the yard.
    “You think about it, little girl” drifted back to her across the prairie as they galloped away.
    “Sam! Sam! You all right?”
    She was and she wasn’t. Samantha waved briefly toward Will as he raced across the yard. His shirttail was flapping behind him and his large flat feet were bare.
    “I thought they were going to hurt you sure,” he said skidding to a halt in front of her. “What’s wrong? Oh no, what’d they do to you? I should have shot them.” He grabbed his sister’s shoulder.
    “No.” Samantha tried to say more but she was shaking so badly her teeth were chattering as if a winter wind had swooped down on them. “I...” she started only to be interrupted by yelling from the barn.
    “What in the hell is going on out there? Someone get in here!”
    Samantha straightened, folding her arms across her chest and looking at Will. She’d totally forgotten about their visitor. But he wasn’t going to stand for that now. He was hollering his head off, the sound ringing out loud and clear. Why hadn’t he made his presence known before?
    Following her brother into the barn, Samantha bumped into him when he stopped suddenly.
    “Hell’s bells, why’d you tie him up?”
    “Because he’s the enemy. And watch your mouth, young man. You’re not too big for me to—oh my heavens!” One look at Captain Morgan, and Samantha forgot her brother’s cursing. She dropped to her knees in the straw. “What have you done?”
    “Ouch! Damn, would you be careful?”
    “This isn’t my doing,’ she yelled back, but her hands gentled on his wrist, where the rope had cut into his skin.
    “I suppose I tied myself to this board.” Jake gave his arms a jerk, yanking on the stall siding and sending the twined rope digging further into his torn flesh. He mumbled a string of curses he’d learned in the army, not giving a damn if she liked it or not. Stupid woman.
    Samantha waited till he ran out of steam then went back to untying his wrists.