She had the feeling that Travis was moving on with his life. He'd done his job. He'd kept her safe and now he planned to step out of her life. She knew little about men. Maybe he only said that he loved her to calm her when they were in danger. Maybe he hadn't wanted her last night no matter how much it seemed like he had.

Two hours later she sat beside Dottie as they rode in the judge's buggy toward the restaurant. Rainey didn't really have anything she cared about collecting from the place, but she wanted to see if any part of the words Travis had written in the dust still remained. They would be proof that somehow, if only for a moment, his love had been real.

When they pulled up to Dottie's place, Rainey noticed someone had pulled the boards from the windows.

"Oh," Dottie patted Rainey's hand. "I forgot to tell you. I lost this place in a poker game last night."

Rainey remembered hearing Dottie go downstairs late last night, but because she was crying, Rainey didn't join her for one of their midnight meetings.

Dottie shook her head. "The winner played a grand game, but when he won the place, he asked that I deed the restaurant over to you."

"What?"

"You need some place to make your pies and this will work perfect. You can even close off most of the front room for a little apartment if you wish."

"But I can't afford-"

"There is no afford to it. It's all yours, paid and clear. The judge as my witness, I swear I always pay off on a bet, and I lost the place fair and square."

Before Rainey could believe all Dottie was saying, she saw Mamie step out with a broom in her hand and begin sweeping the entry.

Rainey was out of the buggy and hugging Mamie a moment later.

Mrs. Vivian's slave backed away, hiding her smile. "I ain't no slave anymore. I'm a free woman. A married woman. And if you need me I'll work for a fair wage for you, but come suppertime, I'm going home to my man."

Rainey laughed. "But how?"

Mamie smiled. "Mrs. Dottie knew I'd run to my man when the trouble started. She got the judge to marry us and to set my price so low from Mrs. Vivian's estate that I bought my own freedom. That way I'm not beholden to anyone. Then she found me before dawn and told me what a cleaning this place would need if you was going to take over today."

The idea of her own place was starting to settle into Rainey's brain. "I'd love to have you help me make pies, and maybe we can make some of your wonderful bread and sell it as well. Wait till you see the size of the ovens."

"I already cleaned them first thing. Mr. Travis said he wanted them ready for a shipment of wood and coal that'll be here directly."

Travis. Rainey should have known he'd be at the bottom of this. She turned to Dottie. "Just out of curiosity, who'd you lose this place to last night?"

Dottie laughed. "Your Ranger. I found him in the kitchen when I went down for my midnight snack. You know, for a man who claims he doesn't like to play cards, he sure had some great hands last night."

Travis walked out of the restaurant. His sleeves were rolled up and his shirt spotted with sawdust. "I thought I'd have everything ready by the time you got here, but Duck decided to help me."

He reached in his pocket and handed her a set of keys. "This is yours, Rainey. All yours. The judge and I made sure that it will stay in your name even if you marry, and all the profits will be yours alone to do with as you please."

Before she could say more, he reached for a box Duck carried out and pulled out a shiny new gun. "This is yours, also. If you don't know how to shoot, I'll teach you." He brushed her cheek with his thumb and whispered, "No one will every make you feel helpless or in danger again."

Rainey stared at him, not believing what she was hearing.

"And one more thing, I found that horse you borrowed. I really don't want him back. He's become a town horse, you know, and they don't mix well with the ranch horses. So, after seeing how you ride, I figured I'd save the horse some confusion and have him hitched to a buggy. Now you can make your deliveries, and if you decide to run, you'll have a good horse and room to pack everything you value."

"What are you doing, Travis?" She could hardly believe all he'd given her.

"I'm making it where, if I ever decide to ask you to marry me again, you won't say no for all the wrong reasons. You'll never have to worry about being worthless or losing all you have to a husband. You'll be able to take care of yourself, protect yourself. You'll even be able to run if you decide to."

He lowered his voice, but he knew everyone was still listening. "The next time I ask you to marry me, say no only if you don't love me."

"Fair enough," she answered. "But I'll pay you back for the horse. A dollar a month."

"Fair enough," he answered.

Dottie had been quiet long enough. "I'd like to see what changes you plan for my old place."

They toured the small restaurant as if they hadn't spent two days in it. Mamie had spent the morning cleaning and had several ideas for where things should go.

When Rainey finally got Dottie off by herself, she whispered. "How could you do this, Dottie? What about the ghost of Henry being here?"

Dottie laughed. "He's the one who told me to get rid of it. I'd never do anything with the place and you will." She waved at the judge. "I've got other plans."

Rainey thanked everyone, even Duck, who'd sawed one of the legs off a table in his attempt to help. Dottie asked her to go to lunch, but she refused. She wanted to stay and work with Travis and Mamie.

They spent the afternoon getting everything ready to begin baking the following morning. Owen delivered supplies and helped Travis stack them on shelves he'd built across the door leading to the cellar. The saloon could have the cellar; Rainey would have her safety knowing that there was only one way to come into her store.

The last thing she did was watch Travis hold Duck high as he hung a huge bell over the front door.

As she locked up, she handed Mamie the spare key. "I'll meet you here at eight tomorrow, but you'll need this in case you make it here first."

Mamie stared at the key. "What do I do if I'm first?"

Rainey shrugged. "Let yourself in and make the coffee."

"But you don't drink coffee."

"I know, it'd be for you. Unless, you'd rather have tea."

Mamie slipped the key into her apron pocket. "I'll make me a pot of coffee if I'm here before you. Then I'll have me a seat and think about what needs doing until you get here."

Rainey nodded. "That sounds good. If I'm first, I'll do the same."

Mamie turned toward the blacksmith's shop and walked away with her head high.

Rainey took Duck's hand and walked to where her horse and little buggy were tied. When she glanced back, she noticed Travis standing watching her. "Would you like a ride, Mr. McMurray? We've not much time to get ready for your ceremony tonight."

Travis hurried toward her. "I forgot about it." He laughed. "And I'd love a ride. You can drive this cart?"

She said yes, but he gave her instructions all the way home anyway.

CHAPTER 35

Rainey watched with pride as Travis took the oath to practice law. He looked like a fine gentleman in his black coat. The lawyers sat on the first row behind him as if backing him up. All their friends were watching-the Rangers, the Langlands, the Baileys. Even Roy had brought his wife and six children.

Duck sat beside her on the second row, looking around and wiggling. He seemed to enjoy watching the candles along the walls and the way the dark blue drapes shifted gently in the breeze from the open windows.

She'd tried to understand all Travis had done for her today. He still hadn't said he loved her out loud, but he'd proved it. He'd given Rainey her dream of freedom. He'd known her well enough to understand her. He'd shown his love without asking for anything in return.

Rainey closed her eyes and realized she loved him so much her insides hurt. She must love him now the way he'd loved her from the first, and he'd been right, just sleeping together would never have been enough.

The bailiff stood and held out a Bible for Travis to swear on.

Travis glanced at her. He looked as nervous as if he'd been asked to dance.

Duck suddenly darted beneath the bench, disappearing just as Travis was about to be sworn in.

Rainey reached for him, but couldn't find him without getting to her knees and she didn't want to make a scene.

When she looked back at Travis, he also began to move. In one fluid movement, he shifted his stance, grabbed the Bible, opened it and pulled out a gun.

Everyone in the courtroom seemed to suck in air at the same time he held the weapon with both hands and fired directly over their heads.

A second later the Bible hit the polished wood floor of the courtroom.

Dottie screamed as a wiry old man tumbled from the curtain near where she sat. His hand held a gun.

Suddenly the courtroom was chaos. The Rangers moved to cover the doors. The doctor rushed to the man who'd been shot. Mothers hurried their children together.

Rainey looked back at Travis. He stood frozen, the gun still in his hand. One of the Rangers yelled that the shooter was Old Man Norman.

She ran toward Travis, knowing that if he hadn't fired, he would be the one dead on the floor now. The Rangers had told her the old man hated them all, but no one thought he'd do more than cuss them out.

The bailiff mumbled, "How'd you know I keep a gun there, son? I've never told anyone, not even the judge."

"I dreamed it," Travis said. Then he knelt, lifted the Bible, and handed it and the gun back to the bailiff. "Thanks for keeping it there."