gun me down from long range.’
‘Mean he’ll bushwhack you?’ Raven said.
‘Mean he’ll try.’
‘Dear God,’ Ingrid said. ‘This is the nineteenth century. Aren’t we ever going to learn to get along with one another?’
CHAPTER TWELVE
The rest of the week passed uneventfully. Raven, delighted that Gabriel was accompanying them to Las Cruces, was on her best behavior and did all she could to be helpful. She fetched water for her mother, hung clothes out to dry, swept the cabin and even finished the reading and arithmetic lessons that Ingrid composed for her – all without complaint.
She also tried to be around Gabriel as much as possible, fetching things for him, sewing buttons on his shirts, and offering to groom the stallion so that he didn’t have to risk re-injuring his healed wound.
Ingrid, though accustomed to mercurial mood swings in Raven’s personality, was nonetheless astounded by the change in her daughter.
‘If I hadn’t seen it with my own eyes,’ she remarked to Gabriel, ‘I wouldn’t have believed it possible. Thanks to you, she’s turned into a little angel.’
He was skeptical. Though he enjoyed Raven’s company, he felt uneasy about the way she fawned over him when they were alone. Occasionally he caught her staring at him with such intensity it made him uncomfortable. He sensed there was more behind her adoration than she let on, and was worried that her ‘crush’ might develop into somethingmore than he could handle. But when he mentioned it to Ingrid she only laughed and assured him that it was a perfectly normal reaction: all young girls had crushes, she said. It was part of growing up. Why, she herself had mooned over her neighbor’s son while growing up, and when he and his family moved away she was convinced her heart was permanently broken.
Having no prior experience with teenage girls, Gabriel accepted her explanation and said no more. He wasn’t sold, but he just decided not to worry about it. In two more days they were leaving for Las Cruces and once he put them on the train, he’d never see either of them again.
Raven, however, had no intention of losing Gabriel. For days now, while busy with her chores, she had been trying to think of a way to keep everyone together. Finally, on the night before they departed, she made a point of helping her mother pack the few personal belongings they were taking with them just so she could be alone with her.
‘Momma, know what I wish?’
‘No, lamb. What?’
‘I wish Gabe was coming with us to Old Calico.’
‘Mr Moonlight to you, young lady.’
‘But he told me to call him Gabe.’
‘I don’t care what he told you. You know better than to address your elders by their first names. As for your wish, dear, I wouldn’t get your hopes up. I very much doubt if he will change his mind.’
‘But you wouldn’t mind if he did, would you?’
‘N-no … I suppose not. Ridiculous as it sounds after such a short a time, I’ve grown used to having Mr Moonlight around. I’d enjoy his company – not to mention his protection – on such a long journey.’
‘Why don’t you ask him then?’
‘Ask him what – to come with us? Oh, no, I couldn’t possibly do that.’
‘Why not?’
‘It would be much too forward of me. It not only would embarrass him but it’d be very awkward for both of us.’
‘Why?’
‘Well, for one thing he has a lady friend in Las Cruces.’
‘No, that’s not true!’
‘But it is. He told me so himself.’
‘When?’
‘The other day, when he offered to accompany us to the train station.’
‘I don’t believe you.’
‘Believe what you like. It’s still true. She’s at the mission … waiting for him, I presume.’
‘Liar!’
‘How dare you!’ Ingrid went to slap Raven but at the last moment controlled herself and lowered her hand. ‘Now apologize, this instant.’
‘Why should I? I ain’t the one making up stories.’
‘Neither am I. And don’t say ain’t.
‘Mean he’ll bushwhack you?’ Raven said.
‘Mean he’ll try.’
‘Dear God,’ Ingrid said. ‘This is the nineteenth century. Aren’t we ever going to learn to get along with one another?’
CHAPTER TWELVE
The rest of the week passed uneventfully. Raven, delighted that Gabriel was accompanying them to Las Cruces, was on her best behavior and did all she could to be helpful. She fetched water for her mother, hung clothes out to dry, swept the cabin and even finished the reading and arithmetic lessons that Ingrid composed for her – all without complaint.
She also tried to be around Gabriel as much as possible, fetching things for him, sewing buttons on his shirts, and offering to groom the stallion so that he didn’t have to risk re-injuring his healed wound.
Ingrid, though accustomed to mercurial mood swings in Raven’s personality, was nonetheless astounded by the change in her daughter.
‘If I hadn’t seen it with my own eyes,’ she remarked to Gabriel, ‘I wouldn’t have believed it possible. Thanks to you, she’s turned into a little angel.’
He was skeptical. Though he enjoyed Raven’s company, he felt uneasy about the way she fawned over him when they were alone. Occasionally he caught her staring at him with such intensity it made him uncomfortable. He sensed there was more behind her adoration than she let on, and was worried that her ‘crush’ might develop into somethingmore than he could handle. But when he mentioned it to Ingrid she only laughed and assured him that it was a perfectly normal reaction: all young girls had crushes, she said. It was part of growing up. Why, she herself had mooned over her neighbor’s son while growing up, and when he and his family moved away she was convinced her heart was permanently broken.
Having no prior experience with teenage girls, Gabriel accepted her explanation and said no more. He wasn’t sold, but he just decided not to worry about it. In two more days they were leaving for Las Cruces and once he put them on the train, he’d never see either of them again.
Raven, however, had no intention of losing Gabriel. For days now, while busy with her chores, she had been trying to think of a way to keep everyone together. Finally, on the night before they departed, she made a point of helping her mother pack the few personal belongings they were taking with them just so she could be alone with her.
‘Momma, know what I wish?’
‘No, lamb. What?’
‘I wish Gabe was coming with us to Old Calico.’
‘Mr Moonlight to you, young lady.’
‘But he told me to call him Gabe.’
‘I don’t care what he told you. You know better than to address your elders by their first names. As for your wish, dear, I wouldn’t get your hopes up. I very much doubt if he will change his mind.’
‘But you wouldn’t mind if he did, would you?’
‘N-no … I suppose not. Ridiculous as it sounds after such a short a time, I’ve grown used to having Mr Moonlight around. I’d enjoy his company – not to mention his protection – on such a long journey.’
‘Why don’t you ask him then?’
‘Ask him what – to come with us? Oh, no, I couldn’t possibly do that.’
‘Why not?’
‘It would be much too forward of me. It not only would embarrass him but it’d be very awkward for both of us.’
‘Why?’
‘Well, for one thing he has a lady friend in Las Cruces.’
‘No, that’s not true!’
‘But it is. He told me so himself.’
‘When?’
‘The other day, when he offered to accompany us to the train station.’
‘I don’t believe you.’
‘Believe what you like. It’s still true. She’s at the mission … waiting for him, I presume.’
‘Liar!’
‘How dare you!’ Ingrid went to slap Raven but at the last moment controlled herself and lowered her hand. ‘Now apologize, this instant.’
‘Why should I? I ain’t the one making up stories.’
‘Neither am I. And don’t say ain’t.
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