Inside the opening of one crate she kept a comb and small cracked mirror. Beneath the table, she’d hidden her cigar box of keys. The box was the one real thing she owned. It had traveled with her from her father’s house to the hundred places she’d lived. She had no pictures of family, no handed-down jewelry, no treasured keepsakes. But she had her keys, most found without locks, all worthless to anyone but her. Yet Kora knew the location of where she’d found each treasure. Sometimes she’d polish them and remember the good and bad of everywhere she’d ever been. When she’d cleaned this house, she found a key that no one seemed to know what it had ever been used for. It was added to her collection with a silent promise that if anyone asked, she’d give it back.

The keys were something she’d never show anyone, but just knowing the box was there made her smile.

Quickly she dressed in one of her new dresses and tied her hair up in a bun. Blood seemed to rush through her veins as she thought of how close she’d slept to Winter. He could have reached out and touched her, or she, him. But he hadn’t. Maybe he was worth the trusting. She’d made up her mind yesterday, after Jamie’s remark, that she had to give him a chance. Over and over she’d told herself that being suspicious of a man who simply growled didn’t make sense. She’d hold to her agreement, at least until she knew he’d bite.

If anyone had broken the bargain so far, it had been her. She’d kissed him every night they’d been married. In some strange way, her action made Winter hers and their marriage almost real. For a while she could pretend she was married just as she sometimes pretended her keys fit all the locked doors in the world.

As she stepped around the screen, Winter turned from the window. He was standing at the far corner of the room looking south. He’d pulled on his jeans and shirt, but hadn’t bothered to button either. In the early light, before the day began to weigh on him, he looked younger.

‘‘Morning.’’ His voice sounded even lower than usual. ‘‘Have you checked on Cheyenne yet?’’

‘‘I was just going down,’’ Kora answered, thinking she probably should have checked before dressing.

Winter buttoned his jeans. ‘‘I’ll go with you. I told the doc to call me if there was any change. Since he didn’t, I’m guessing no news may be good news.’’

Kora reached in the top drawer of the dresser and handed Winter a clean pair of socks from the stack she’d organized.

‘‘Thanks.’’ He stared at her as he sat on the corner of the bed and pulled on the socks. ‘‘You don’t have to do that, you know.’’

‘‘Do what?’’ she said, thinking that he needed a haircut.

‘‘Hand me my stuff,’’ Winter answered. ‘‘You don’t have to wait on me, I can take care of myself. I’ve been doing it all my life.’’

‘‘I wasn’t waiting on you,’’ Kora answered, surprised he’d even think such a thing. ‘‘I was helping you.’’

Winter pulled on his boots in silence. Finally, when he stood, he said, ‘‘I’m new at the marriage thing. I’m not sure how to react to this pampering you call help. I’m not complaining. The meals you leave out, the way you helped last night, everything. It’s something I think I could get used to if you want to continue helping.’’

Kora smiled. ‘‘I’m glad. Just say thanks now and again. That’s all you need do.’’

Winter took the first step down out of their room. ‘‘Kora?’’ He turned to meet her gaze. ‘‘This may prove a long day. After the ambush yesterday, I’m not sure you’ll be safe on the ranch. If you like, I could move you and Jamie into the hotel in town until it’s over.’’

‘‘Are you staying on the ranch?’’

‘‘I’m staying.’’

‘‘Then so am I.’’ She moved to his side. ‘‘I’m not leaving my home unless you order me out.’’

‘‘I’ll never do that,’’ he grumbled as he started down the stairs.

Kora followed, wondering what had made him seem so grumpy. Was it because she’d called it her house, or because she’d said she’d never leave? She hurried, but barely caught up with him before he opened the door to Cheyenne’s room.

They entered silently as Dr. Steven Gage unfolded from a chair beside the bed. He still looked like a young man, early into his thirties, with a kindness in his eyes few men let show.

‘‘I was just coming to wake you, Win.’’ The doctor smiled. ‘‘Cheyenne’s fever broke about half an hour ago. It’s too early to tell if the wound will stay free of infection, but it looks good.’’

‘‘What can we do?’’ Winter asked as he stared down at his sleeping friend. The room smelled of medicine and blood. Dan still sat silently in the cane chair by the windows. Winter wasn’t sure if he’d been there all night, or merely returned this morning. He wasn’t looking at them or giving any indication he knew they were in the room.

‘‘Keep him warm and quiet mostly,’’ Gage answered. ‘‘Get as much liquid and food down him as we can. He lost a lot of blood. It’ll take time to build back up. Right now, he’s peaceful enough, but we’ve got to keep him in bed longer than he’s probably going to want to stay.’’

‘‘I’ll put a man on guard, Doc. He’ll stay down if I have to stake him.’’

Steven Gage laughed. ‘‘I hope you won’t have to go that far. I’ll stay another day’’-he glanced at Kora-‘‘if your wife doesn’t mind having a guest?’’

‘‘You’re welcome to stay, Dr. Gage.’’

‘‘Thanks, ma’am. Your sister’s already been up with coffee this morning. She told me you wouldn’t mind if I stayed. She also told me about how the ambush happened and how she helped get Cheyenne back. That’s quite a woman, your sister.’’

Kora smiled. ‘‘Thank you.’’

‘‘You still single, Doc?’’ Winter got the question out just before Kora jabbed him in the ribs.

‘‘Yes,’’ Steven answered. ‘‘Why?’’

Winter cleared his throat. ‘‘I just wondered if I needed to send a rider to let your wife know you were staying.’’

Kora took Winter by the arm. ‘‘I’ll start breakfast.’’

She pulled at his elbow until he followed her. As soon as the door was closed, she faced him, fighting anger. If Jamie had a chance with the doctor, Winter might ruin it by pushing.

Winter didn’t see the anger in her gaze as he rubbed his side. ‘‘I never realized you were so strong. A little harder and I’d have a busted rib.’’

‘‘Do you have to ask every man in the county if he’s married as soon as they mention my sister?’’ She put her fists on her hips. As always, she was willing to fight for Jamie.

‘‘Seemed like a logical thing to do. I wouldn’t want to waste any time.’’ Winter liked the way she fired up. Her blue eyes sparkled.

‘‘You make it seem like we have to sell her off fast before she molts.’’

‘‘I’ll try to refrain from asking for a few more minutes.’’ Winter held his hands up in surrender. ‘‘Just don’t hit me again.’’ He was choking down the laughter.

Kora turned to leave.

‘‘One other thing, wife.’’

Winter’s words stopped her and she turned, realizing how forward she’d been to hit him. He couldn’t know that she’d been standing up for Jamie forever. Even when Kora didn’t stand up for herself, she’d fight her sister’s battles.

Winter folded his arms over his chest and waited until she looked up at him. ‘‘I just want to say, you’re beautiful when you’re angry.’’

A fire spread up Kora’s throat and across her cheeks. Compliments were for others, not for her. She was always the mouse no one noticed.

‘‘I don’t know what to say,’’ she whispered, fighting the desire to run.

‘‘Just a thanks, now and then. That’s all.’’

Before she could react, he leaned down and kissed her on the cheek, then disappeared, taking the stairs two at a time.

TEN


KORA COOKED BREAKFAST AND CARRIED IT UPSTAIRS to the doctor and Cheyenne. They worked together to get a few bites down the injured man, then Kora cleaned the room as the doc sat back and enjoyed his breakfast.

She caught Doc Gage’s questioning glance when Dan silently picked up his chair and moved out of the room.

‘‘The war,’’ she said as she collected discarded bandages.

Gage almost dropped his fork. ‘‘But that’s been twenty years! Has he been like that since then?’’

Kora nodded. ‘‘My mother took care of him while she was alive, then I started. He’s really no trouble as long as you lay everything out that he needs and don’t try to talk to him or make him eat with anyone.’’

‘‘Does he wander off?’’

‘‘No.’’ Kora dusted the dresser. ‘‘He takes walks but always returns where his things are, even if we move from one house to another. Sometimes he curls up in the back of a wagon to sleep. We’ve almost lost him a few times because of that habit. When we move all we do is put his chair in the wagon bed and he climbs right in.’’

‘‘Can he talk?’’

‘‘I don’t know.’’ Kora faced the doctor. ‘‘My mother tried everything to make him come out of his prison. When first my father died and then Dan came home like this, the light went out of her eyes.’’

‘‘But she still had you and your sister?’’ Gage reasoned.