***
Seated before Jacob on his large horse, Katherine took notice of the townspeople who stopped and stared at the trio as they made their way out of town. Jacob and Carson looked into the eyes of the men that were present during the afternoon’s events, and watched as they averted their faces in shame.
“Cowards!” Katherine muttered bitterly.
“Easy, Kate.” Jacob soothed.
“Katherine, these are calm, God-fearing, simple folk. All they want to do is live their lives in peace.” Carson explained. “They don’t know how to handle a cut throat like Mason. His viciousness goes far beyond what anyone would ever expect.”
“What if it was one of their daughters?” she fumed. “What if tomorrow one of Mason’s men decides to take another girl for himself?”
Jacob sighed and adjusted the reins in his hands. “Let’s hope it never comes to that.” He said solemnly.
The ride along the western road was long and hot, particularly so because the men kept a slow pace for Katherine’s benefit. At the halfway mark they stopped under a small grove of apple trees to sit in the shade and water the horses at a nearby stream. Carson led the horses to drink a short distance away while Jacob laid out a saddle blanket on the grass for Katherine. She eased down onto it, trying her best to appear strong and healthy, but failing miserably. Jacob grabbed several apples from the lowest branches of a nearby tree and tossed one to her. She thanked him quietly and began polishing it in the folds of her dress. Jacob could sense tension emanating from her in waves, and decided to remain quiet in order allow her to gather her riotous thoughts.
Their friendship was superseded only by that between him and his twin brother. They had all known each other since childhood, the Johnson boys taking an instant liking to her and her older sister, Michaela. Young Katherine was the tomboy, always riding with them over the wild countryside, while Michaela, ever the lady, preferred to stay inside and out of the sun. Their parents had also been friends. But when the Pattersons passed away three years ago, Big Jake and Isabelle had automatically taken over the role of parents over the girls.
As they grew older, Jacob didn’t take long to realize that he had fallen in love with Katherine. Since her nineteenth birthday, almost a year ago, he had proposed to her twice. Twice she turned him down. So he tried to fool himself into thinking that he could settle for being her friend. He failed miserably, and his love for her still burned, but he did his best to hide it for her benefit. She wouldn’t have him, but he would protect her forever.
Perched on a boulder, he watched her from beneath lowered lashes, noticing the way her delicate hands polished every inch of the apple. He knew that despite her calm outward appearance, her tired mind worked furiously to solve their current dilemma.
“Mason wants the Boone lands.” She said without looking up.
“I know.” Jacob said simply.
“I wouldn’t be surprised if he killed Abby’s father, and planned this all from the start.” She said. The apple in her hands reflected the afternoon light like a mirror.
Jacob took a bite from his apple, watching her hands work as her eyes stared sightlessly into the bushes ahead of her.
“Abby told me that before the night of the fire, Mason approached Boone in town one day, acting friendly. Then he started asking strange questions about oil on the land. She couldn’t hear all that was being said, but she could tell her father was on edge when they left town. A week later, he was dead.”
Katherine stilled and sighed heavily. “Whatever you’re planning,” she said, finally turning her eyes to Jacob, “don’t leave me out of it. I promised Mrs. Boone on her deathbed that I would look after Abby. I intend to keep my promise.”
“I won’t allow you to be put in danger.” Jacob said.
“You won’t be allowing me to do anything. I’m a grown woman.”
“You’re nineteen!” He threw back.
“And I am perfectly capable of taking care of myself. I intend to see this through!”
“What you’ll see is four walls if you keep trying to get yourself killed.”
Katherine gasped for a breath of air to retort, but was cut off by Carson returning with the horses.
“What I believe my brother is trying to say, Katherine, is that he would never forgive himself if anything were to happen to you.”
She looked from one man to the other, her intended words lodged in her throat, and turned away. Jacob stood up before Carson, eyes blazing.
“Here brother, eat an apple.” He said, and chucked the fruit at Carson’s head. Carson caught it easily, and grinning, took a large bite.
Jacob took the reins of his own horse. “We need to get back on the road.”