‘‘Girls weren’t as important as a son. I tried everything to please her and Jamie rebelled, but in the end all she saw was Dan. The night she died, she cried for her son, saying over and over how much she loved him. She never said a word to the two daughters at her bedside.’’

‘‘There are homes for veterans like him.’’

‘‘He has a home with me!’’ Kora answered sharply.

Gage looked down at his food, embarrassed by his boldness. He shoved a biscuit in his mouth and mumbled after a minute, ‘‘If I could find a woman who could cook this good, I’d be a married man. Winter is a lucky fellow to have found you.’’

‘‘There is more to being a wife than cooking,’’ Kora said, hoping Jamie’s chances wouldn’t be zero when the doctor tasted her meals. Coffee was the limit to her skills in the kitchen.

‘‘I know what you mean.’’ The doc leaned back and downed the last of his breakfast. ‘‘I was married once, about ten years ago while I was still in school. She was an angel God called home far too soon to my liking. I’ve thought of tying the knot again a few times since, but somehow I’m still married to her. Even now, after all these years, when folks ask me if I’ve got a wife, I have to think a moment before remembering. Being married is a feeling that doesn’t wash away with the tears at the funeral.’’

He looked at her with kind eyes. ‘‘You were a widow, I understand. You must know what I mean.’’

Kora reddened and looked down. She felt like an impostor. How could she tell him she’d married a stranger on his deathbed just because she’d read his letter and thought he had a farm? Anyone who heard the story would hate her for being so selfish. She hadn’t even stayed for the funeral, but left when the sheriff told her Andrew was beyond hearing anyone but the angels.

Kora had tried to do the right thing. She’d paid the doctor and the undertaker from Andrew’s money. Even leaving enough for a headstone to be made. Then she packed Jamie and Dan and left on the first stage heading north. Andrew’s letters said he had no family, so she wasn’t taking from anyone, and she thought she was giving them all a chance.

‘‘I didn’t mean to cause you pain, Mrs. McQuillen.’’ The doctor stood. ‘‘I’m terribly sorry.’’

Before she was forced to answer, Jamie opened the door.

‘‘Kora,’’ Jamie whispered instead of shouting for once. ‘‘May I have a word with you?’’

Thankful for the distraction, Kora excused herself and hurried to her sister. ‘‘What is it?’’

‘‘That husband of yours has every man on the place marching double time. He’s even stationed Logan in the foyer with enough weapons to hold off a small army.’’ Jamie looked frustrated. ‘‘There’s not a soul to go riding with me. I even asked the gambler eating his way through a month’s worth of groceries, and he claims he hurt his shoulder and can’t ride.’’

‘‘You could sit with Cheyenne,’’ Kora suggested. The one thing Jamie never allowed herself to be was bored. If they didn’t think of something, she’d find trouble. She always did.

‘‘Oh, Kora, you know how I’d hate that.’’ Jamie glanced over at Cheyenne. ‘‘If he’s asleep, it will be so boring and if he’s awake I’ll probably kill him within an hour if I have to talk to him. Let Dan bring his chair back up and sit with him. He’ll offer as much conversation as the man needs.’’

Kora stepped out in the hallway and started down the stairs. ‘‘I don’t see how I can solve your problem. I know better than to suggest cooking or cleaning.’’

‘‘We’ve got an idea,’’ Jamie followed her down. ‘‘Wyatt and me.’’

‘‘Wyatt?’’ Kora glanced at her sister.

‘‘The gambler. He’s really a nice sort.’’ Jamie was suddenly bouncing with excitement. ‘‘We could take the doc’s buggy into town. Wyatt said he’d show me around, and we’d be back long before dark. I could handle the reins so he could baby his shoulder.’’

Kora looked at Logan, who’d been eavesdropping from the foyer. The old man shrugged.

‘‘But Winter said-’’

‘‘Winter said I couldn’t leave alone. I wouldn’t be alone. Besides, Wyatt says he’s an excellent shot. But trouble won’t come. Wyatt and I aren’t involved in this range fight. Why would anyone want to bother us?’’

Kora watched at Logan again. The old man raised his gaze to her and shrugged once more. He was offering no help.

‘‘All right, but be careful.’’

Jamie and Wyatt left as soon as he could hitch the team and Kora could pack a lunch for them. She didn’t feel right about her sister going, but she couldn’t think of a reason to say no.

After they left, the day passed in a maze of work. She helped the doctor take care of Cheyenne, cooked, and tried not to worry. Logan talked constantly, trying to convince her that all was well, but the uneasiness in the back of Kora’s mind would not leave. The ‘‘witchin’ luck’’ Jamie always teased her about was drawing near. Every time she settled down and thought life would smooth out, something happened.

It was long past suppertime when Winter rode in, muddy and tired. He’d just stepped on the back porch when Kora met him at the door.

‘‘Jamie’s not back,’’ she said as his ‘‘evenin’ ’’ died in the air.

Winter took a deep breath. ‘‘Where’d she go?’’

Kora didn’t want to tell him. She could feel the anger in his stance rippling the air between them. He’d probably think it all her fault, as it was. Jamie might think she was full grown, but she didn’t have the common sense of a jackrabbit in a thunderstorm. Kora was always the logical one.

‘‘She left for town hours ago with Wyatt. They promised they’d be back by dark.’’ Kora twisted her hands together in near panic. Jamie was always late and unpredictable, but this was different. Someone was shooting at riders on Winter’s ranch. This time she could get hurt, and Kora had given in against her better judgment just to avoid a fight.

Suddenly his large hand covered hers, stilling them with his grip. ‘‘I’ll find her.’’

Without another word, he turned and signaled several men to follow him. Silently the tired men swung back into their saddles.

Kora stood on the porch and watched him adjust his hat as he moved toward his horse. His stride was long and powerful, filled with anger. The soft jingle of his spurs did nothing to lighten the mood as he led his men back out into the night.

The cloudy night had turned ink black without moon or stars. She watched until the last rider disappeared, then listened in the silence, straining to hear them returning.

Only the sounds of the night greeted her.

‘‘He’ll be all right.’’ Logan startled her with his words from the kitchen door. ‘‘You’ve no need to keep watch. Win’s a survivor, no matter what.’’

‘‘I know,’’ she whispered, wanting to believe. ‘‘I thought he’d yell at me for letting Jamie go.’’

‘‘He knows you did what you thought was best. And he knows Jamie.’’ Logan bit into a brown square of tobacco. ‘‘I’d be surprised if he ever yelled at you.’’

Kora tried to see the old man clearly in the darkness. ‘‘Why do you say that?’’

‘‘You’re his wife. For Winter that means you’re a part of him.’’ Logan smiled and mumbled as he moved back into the kitchen. ‘‘Like bone and blood.’’

Kora paced for an hour. Every little sound made her jump. Finally she heard horses approaching and ran for the door.

Logan stepped in her path. ‘‘Hold up there!’’ he warned. ‘‘Best let me take a look first. Might be trouble riding in for a visit.’’

But as he opened the door, Jamie stormed through kicking at invisible blockades in her path. Her hair was wild and her clothes windblown.

Before Kora could say a word, she yelled, ‘‘That wild, half crazy husband of yours ruined my evening!’’ She attacked the stairs. ‘‘I should have known he was short on brains when he introduced us to his horse. Most men introduce a bride-to-be to the family.’’ She stared down at Kora, as if blaming her for marrying Winter. ‘‘For a man promising to help me find a mate, he’s certainly doing his part to see that I become an old maid. Keep him out of my sight, or I swear, I’ll cut him up so small he’ll be good for nothing but chicken feed.’’

Kora followed as fast as she could, but Jamie’s pants made maneuvering the stairs far easier than Kora’s dress. ‘‘What happened? You said you’d be home before dark. Jamie, I was worried.’’

Jamie reached her bedroom door. ‘‘Ask that bossy bully you married what happened. I’m going to bed!’’

Slamming the door, she ended Kora’s questioning.

For a moment Kora stood at the door waiting for her sister to answer. Jamie had always been high-strung and wild, but usually she was able to talk to Kora at least. Whatever Winter did must have been pretty bad.

Suddenly the old fires flamed up. Someone was picking on her little sister. Kora couldn’t stand by and allow that to happen no matter how much Jamie had asked for it. She ran down the stairs and past Logan before the old man could say a word.

The night was cold and the wind whipped at her skirts almost knocking her down, but Kora marched straight to the barn. By the time she was inside, the weather had taken the edge off her anger.

Winter had unsaddled his horse and was putting the gear up when she found him. He’d shoved his hat far back on his head and smiled as she approached.

‘‘What happened?’’ Kora forced herself to give him the benefit of a doubt. Maybe Jamie had overreacted. It wouldn’t be the first time.

Winter looked at her closely. ‘‘I found her,’’ he said simply. He wasn’t about to tell Kora in what state he’d found Jamie and the gambler.

‘‘But she’s very upset. Did you embarrass her?’’ Kora asked as they moved to the tack room.

‘‘I reckon I did,’’ Winter answered. ‘‘But I didn’t lay a hand on her, so don’t look at me that way.’’

‘‘I didn’t say you did,’’ she countered, embarrassed that he’d guessed what she’d been thinking.