Chapter 16

Chris woke up and sighed contentedly when he saw Mary Anna still sleeping next to him. Southern Rebel or not, he loved her. He looked around the room and then sat up. His headache was gone, and he felt his normal self. He grinned. Maybe not normal. He was a married man now with responsibilities.

He dressed and sat in the chair, watching her sleep. How did he get so blessed as to have her as his wife? He thanked the Lord. Then, he thanked Him again for keeping him from robbing that bank with Drake.

There was no way he was going to make Mary Anna suffer in that little house at the ranch. He had an idea of what to do, but he needed to talk to Jake. He glanced at Mary Anna. She was stirring.

"Good morning, sleepyhead?" He bent over her and kissed her. He hoped she remembered their night and didn't wake up and slug him. But she opened her eyes and smiled. "My love."

"I'm glad you remembered."

She laughed. "Relax, the war is officially over. I love you, Yank." She reached up, grabbed his head, and drew him down for a kiss. "Does that prove it?"

"A little." He grinned and pulled her to him.

Mary Anna pushed him away. "I'm hungry. Let's get breakfast."

Chris sighed. "I have enough in my pocket to get breakfast, and that's about it."

She frowned. "I forgot about our money problem. Maybe I can get a job at the dress shop."

"I have an idea, but I need to talk to Jake."

She sighed. "I'll get dressed so we can have breakfast. Maybe Sheila will come and visit me while you talk to Jake."

"Hurry. I have a lot to do." He grinned at her and went to look out the window. He wondered how Jake had done with Shiela.

Mary Anna came up behind him and laid her head on his shoulder. "I don't know why it took me so long to surrender to you, but I'm glad I did."

He turned and kissed her properly. "Now, let's get breakfast."

They had just entered the restaurant when Jake and Sheila came through the door. From the look on Jake's face, Chris had to guess that things had gone well. "Come and join us."

After they ordered, Jake held Sheila's hand. "She said yes. We're going to get married and wanted you two to stand up with us."

Chris grinned. "Congratulations, you two." He looked at Jake and whispered. "I've got an idea of how we can build a house near the pond. A nice one, and then next year, build another."

Jake eyed him suspiciously. "I sure hope it's not by robbing a bank."

Chris laughed. "No, but we could bring in Drake and collect the reward. We have to do something. Even if we all got jobs, we wouldn't have enough to get the ranch going."

Jake looked at Sheila. "Is it all right if we postpone the wedding until we get back?"

Sheila shrugged. "I've waited this long. What are a few more days? Just don't get hurt."

Mary Anna frowned. "It sounds dangerous. I saw that man, Drake, and I didn't like him at all."

Chris shrugged off the potential risk. "We'll be careful. I have a good idea where he's going, and it's not north like Trask thinks. But I'm sure his trackers will figure it out soon. We need to leave now."

Mary Anna sighed. "Well, finish your breakfast. Sheila, we can shop for a wedding dress."

Sheila blushed. "I'm way past needing a wedding dress, but I'd like to walk around town with you and have lunch. We can wait for them to get back together."

Jake pulled cash from his pocket. "Here's all the money we have. If anything happens, you can split it and take a stage to a better city." He gave the money to Sheila. "We'll be back as soon as we can. This is the only way we can make the ranch work."

Chris pulled Mary Anna to him and kissed her cheek quickly. "We'll be careful."

"You better."

He laughed. "I went through an entire war without a scratch."

She shuddered and smiled at him. "I'll be praying for you."

Chris grabbed Jake's arm and pulled him toward the door. "Let's do this." He hit the door at a run and turned to go toward the livery. "We should get some supplies."

Jake groaned. "I gave all my money to the women."

"Guess we can fish and shoot game for our meals. I think I know where they were going. Drake had talked about it from time to time over drinks. I'm sure he won't be happy to see me."

Jake nodded. "You better use your money to buy ammunition. I know I need some more. We'll probably have to pay Steve. He expects it on the first Saturday."

"That's the end of the week. Hopefully, we'll have plenty of money by then." Chris stared at Jake. "I hope we both come back unhurt. Drake won't be an easy one to bring in."

Jake scowled. "No, I didn't figure he would be. Can you still shoot straight?"

"I'm sure I can." Chris shuddered as he remembered sitting high in a tree and ambushing men who couldn't even see him. He hated being a sniper, but it had saved the lives of many of his fellow soldiers."

Chris shook his head. "I don't want to kill him or anyone."

"Then shoot to slow them down. They won't come in peaceably." Jake stopped walking and grabbed Chris's arm. "This is no time to be a pacifist. We either go in there to take them in, or we don't go at all, and it's going to take guns and gunfire to do it."

"I know. I'll be ready." Chris swallowed hard and prayed he would be. Since the war, he'd vowed never to go after men to kill them. But they needed the reward money. Would it be blood money? Chris was shaken by the doubts, but he knew Jake wouldn't understand.

He'd have to resolve his questions before they found Drake. Mary Anna said she'd pray for him. Maybe he'd pray too. Right now, he couldn't see right and wrong clearly. Robbing the bank with Drake would have been wrong. So why hadn't he seen that? If Jake hadn't taken him down, he'd be running from the law right now.

It was so clear now. Was it because of Mary Anna, and he had pledged his life to her? Maybe that made the difference. But he couldn't let Jake down. He glanced at his friend as he saddled his horse. Jake was sure of what they were doing. He could see it in his eyes and face.

Chris remembered that during the war, Jake would get that look. His warrior look, Chris called it. A determined set to his jaw. An unflinching purpose in the way he did everything: checking his gun, saddling the horse, and filling the canteens. War was coming, and Jake was ready.

Chris felt the same way now that he always had before a battle. Scared out of his wits but determined to do what he had to do. Then, after the battle, he always went behind a tree or boulder and threw up. The thought of killing another man sickened him.

He knew Drake was an outlaw and cared for no one but himself. He used the war and hatred of the South to get men to do his bidding. That he'd told them they were going after a Southern bank only to find out it was a branch of a Chicago bank was proof of the liar Drake was. But he was a man.

Chris hated that he'd fallen for the lies. He'd been so quick to hate the South that he hadn't taken the time to check out Drake's story. Chris tightened the cinch and sighed at the same time his horse did. "I'm ready, Jake. How about you?"

Jake was already on his crazy horse. Max, the feisty sorrel, pranced in circles, pulling at the bit. Jake grinned at him. "Let's go."

Chris patted his horse, Star, and watched Jake and Max gallop off, leaving them in their dust. Chris shook his head. There was no stopping Jake now.