Another Dawn

by Deb Stover

  Con-priest was more like it.

  He looked at the black stallion Sam was grooming. The marshal talked to the giant beast as if it were human and understood every word.

  The animal's eyes commanded Luke's attention. They glittered with mischief as the horse snatched the brim of Sam's Stetson between its teeth and flung the hat across the stable with a toss of its head. The horse whinnied as Sam chuckled and stomped after his hat.

  Sam bent to retrieve his hat, meeting Luke's gaze as he straightened. "Well, guess you got to see Lucifer in action, eh?" The lawman chuckled again. "That horse is one helluva lot smarter'n most men I've known."

  "I can see that." Luke only knew one thing for sure. He didn't want a horse anything like Lucifer. "Beautiful animal."

  "Finest horse I've ever owned." Sam jammed his hat back on and jerked his head toward the stall. "C'mon over and meet Lucifer."

  "Meet him?" Luke laughed and shrugged. The horse was aptly named, though Cujo could have worked, too. "Uh, sure. Why not?" Making nice with Lucifer would give Luke a chance to say good-bye to Sam.

  "Mind your manners, Lucifer," Sam said as he slid in beside the horse. "We got company."

  The horse thrust its muzzle toward Luke's clean shirt and nibbled, leaving behind remnants of horsey breakfast. "Uh, gee, nice to meet you, too." He couldn't take his gaze off the horse's eyes. Lucifer really seemed to understand everything. It was uncanny...and disconcerting.

  Sam handed Luke his bandanna. "Sorry 'bout that." The lawman patted Lucifer's neck. "He's still pretty young, but damn smart."

  "Yeah." Luke dabbed horse mess off his shirt. "I'm glad I ran into you, Sam."

  "What's on your mind?" The marshal slid a feed bag over the horse's muzzle–thank goodness–and stepped out of the stall, shutting the half-door behind him.

  "Sofie and I are getting ready to leave for Denver," Luke said, deciding not to waste any time making up a story. "Snow will start soon and Roman said she could travel, so I figured we'd better get started."

  Sam nodded and stroked his whiskered chin. "Yep, makes sense."

  "I'm here to buy a couple of horses and we'll need supplies, too." Even as he spoke, Luke realized Sam was the perfect person to help him choose a couple of horses. Gentle horses.

  "Henry's got a few in the paddock out back." Sam started walking that way without being invited.

  "Does he now?" Luke cleared his throat and followed his mentor to the open doors at the rear.

  "Henry, the Father here needs a couple of mounts."

  Henry had buried a son and almost lost another in the smallpox epidemic. Luke remembered the funeral, and he searched his mind for the other boy's name, relieved when it came to him. "Henry, how's Micah doing?"

  The man grinned and spit tobacco juice into the corner. "Just fine, Father." He wiped his hand on his overalls, then thrust it toward Luke.

  Without hesitation, Luke shook the man's hand and mumbled words of relief about Micah's continued recovery. And meant it. He'd really fallen into his role. Scary.

  "So you need horses?" Henry leaned his pitchfork against the door frame and headed into the bright autumn sunshine. "Got me five decent ones here. Epidemic left a few without owners." Henry sighed. "Money we get for 'em will pay their keep, then the rest'll go to any family."

  Sam shoved his hat back farther on his head, squinting into the sunlight at the horses in the far corner of the paddock. Two of them munched on hay, while another reached over the fence to pull mouthfuls of dried grass from the ground. The others stood staring at the humans.

  "What if there ain't no family left?" Sam asked, directing his lawman's gaze on poor Henry.

  The other man chuckled, unaffected by Sam's query. "Anythin' left is goin' to Doc Wilson, 'course."

  "Good, good." Sam walked toward the nearest horse, running his hands over the animal expertly. "This one don't show much spirit."

  "That's good." Luke approached the animal with a grin when Sam frowned at him. "I want gentle and dependable times two. Not spirit."

  Chuckling, Henry went around to the front of the horse and lifted its lips back to expose its huge horsey teeth. "This here ain't no youngster, Father."

  "I appreciate your honesty, Henry." Luke cleared his throat. "Frankly, I don't plan to keep the horses long after we reach Denver. I'll probably give them to the Church."

  Luke made a mental note to make sure he did just that. No more lies. He'd find a church–any church–and donate the horses once he and Sofie were finished with them. After this journey, he and Sofie would be ready for a nice fast train.

  Though Sofie might still be looking for an airport.

  Guilt constricted his throat, but he forcibly banished it. The memory of Warden Graham's eyes peering through that hood knifed through Luke, reminding him to hurry. The day was half gone already.

  "This one look okay, Sam?"

  "If you don't mind a horse with no spirit, she'll do." Sam turned to Henry. "Horse got a name?"

  Henry nodded. "'Course. This is Rosie. Everybody in Redemption knows everybody and their livestock."

  "Rosie?" Sam spit toward the nearest fencepost. "Well, she looks sound, but that's 'bout it."

  "That's all I want. I'll take that one."

  He chose another equally docile creature named Sissy and let Sam haggle over price while Luke poured gold nuggets into Henry's outstretched hand.

  "That'll include the tack," Sam said, rather than asked.

  "Sure thing, Marshal." Henry placed the glittering nuggets on a scale, indicating he was accustomed to trading in gold, rather than regular currency. "Even throw in a sidesaddle for the lady."

  Sam shot Luke a look. "Ridin' through the mountains is rough, Luke," he said. "I dunno what kind of experience Miss Sofie's got with sidesaddles, but I reckon ridin' astride'll be safer."

  Luke knew if Sofie had any riding experience, it wouldn't have been sidesaddle. "Two regular saddles then. Thanks, Sam."

  Sam also accompanied Luke to the dry goods, where they purchased blankets, something called hardtack, canned beans, jerky, and canteens. If not for Sam's experience, Luke might have ridden into the wilderness without the proper supplies.

  Sofie trusted him–Luke couldn't let her down.

  They walked the horses to the rear of the parsonage, where Sam and Luke shook hands. "Father, if you're ever in Ft. Smith, Arkansas, you look me and my missus up. Hear?"

  The back door opened and Sofie stepped through. She eyed the horses warily, then smiled at Sam. "Thank you for everything, Marshal." She offered him her hand.

  Sam looked at her strangely, then grinned and shook her hand. "Miss Dr. Sofie, it's been a pleasure meetin' you and Luke here."

  "Thank you, Marshal, and thank you for helping Jenny and Shane."

  "It's honest work." Still grinning, United States Marshal Sam Weathers took a step back and tipped his hat. "God bless you, ma'am. You remember how I told you to find the pass, Luke?"

  "I do, thanks."

  Luke watched Sam walk away, then chuckled and looked at Sofie. "Who was that masked man?"

  An expression of surprise and suspicion crossed her face, but he watched her bring it under control. A dark cloud fell across her eyes.

  Something had happened during his absence. Fear trickled through his veins. "Did...did you have any company while I was gone, Sofie?" He had to know. Could Warden Graham have walked over here and told Sofie everything? Of course he could have. Luke remembered the man walking without a limp earlier today.

  "No, whatever gave you that idea?" Sofie turned and opened the door, but just stood there without entering for a few minutes. "By the way, there's no way I'm riding a horse in a dress. I'm borrowing a pair of your jeans and a shirt before we leave."

  "Good idea."

  She stepped through the door and turned to face him again. The smile she flashed was false.

  Something was definitely wrong.

  "I can't wait to get back to civilization and fast food," she sai
d casually.

  Too casually. Oh, my God. Had she remembered? Her laughter came too easily. Forced.

  "I've had enough of antiquity to last me a lifetime," she said, still brandishing that fake smile. "If I never see another Victorian dress, it'll be too soon."

  "Uh..." What could Luke say without playing his hand prematurely? Nothing. He was trapped until she played her cards. Sofie had obviously remembered something.

  Enough to make her suspicious.

  "Maybe we'll pass a McDonald's on the way," she said, as she closed the door behind her.

  How much had she remembered? Everything? His breath caught in his throat. Did she know about him?

  No, she couldn't know everything. Why would she have agreed to leave with him if she knew?

  "McDonald's." Luke sighed, mustering his self-control. "I don't think they allow horses in the drive-thru," he muttered to Rosie, shock and uncertainty still ricocheting through his brain. In response, the horse batted her big brown eyes at him and nudged his chest with her muzzle.

  Leaving behind a trail of half-chewed oats.

  Chapter 18

  Sofie remembered how to ride a horse. Sort of.

  When she climbed into the saddle, she knew to grip the reins with one hand, sparing her injured shoulder. She remembered to pull the reins on only one side to make the horse turn, and to pull evenly on both sides to make it stop or slow.

  She was on a roll. Now if she could just stay in the saddle...

  By the time they reached the top of the first hill, Rosie was displaying much more vigor. "Looks like you have your hands full," Sofie said.

  He shot her a sheepish grin over his shoulder and obeyed. "Yeah, I've got my hands full here."

  "I see that." Sofie turned and looked back over her shoulder. "Oh, look."

  Luke stopped his horse beside hers and they both stared down the mountain. Nestled at the base of a snow-covered peak, the town of Redemption looked like a postcard fit for any Rocky Mountain vacationer to send home. Tears stung Sofie's eyes and she dragged the back of her gloved hand across them.

  "I'm going to miss them, too," Luke said, his voice low and sincere.

  When he reached over to touch her arm, Sofie turned to face him. "I know." Guilt welled up within her when she saw the worry lines creasing his forehead. She hadn't meant to upset him with her flippant remarks earlier, but she knew he was hiding something, and she was determined to find out what.

  "I'm glad you left notes for everybody." Rosie stepped sideways and Luke grabbed the reins again. "With your sore shoulder, it's a good thing you got Sissy instead of this rowdy old nag."

  Despite all her suspicions, Sofie laughed. It felt so good and natural to laugh with Luke. Even though he was keeping secrets from her, she loved and trusted him. An oxymoron? Probably, but there it was. Sighing, she urged her horse into a slow walk along the trail behind Luke.

  Mid-afternoon sun promised good traveling weather, at least for today. Sofie prayed they wouldn't get lost, and that the weather would hold until they reached Denver. After her flash of new memories this afternoon, she was more eager than ever to see Dr. Bowen. Maybe once she recovered all her memory, she could eliminate the nagging suspicions she had regarding Luke and his

  secrets.

  Though they could never be lovers, they could be friends. Sighing, she urged Sissy over a fallen log. Disappointment threatened her resolve, but she blinked back her tears and cleared her throat.

  Luke had chosen his life as a priest, and she had no right to question that. She loved him, and she'd simply have to restrain her feelings to friendship only.

  Admiring the way his hair curled at the nape of his neck, she remembered the silky feel of it beneath her fingers. And with a flash of fire low in her body, she remembered the warmth of his lips on her flesh. Her breasts swelled and ached, longing to welcome him again.

  So much for restraint.

  Luke had strayed from his vows, but not completely. They'd both been under a lot of stress after the epidemic, especially with the threats hanging over Jenny and Shane. He hadn't touched her since that night, except as a concerned friend.

  A friend–get it straight, Sofie.

  Regret and disappointment merged with determination, and she lifted her chin. She would temper her obsession with this man, and she would recover her memory and get on with her life.

  That was that.

  The air cooled rapidly as the sun settled behind the highest peak to the west. Maneuvering their horses along the rocky trail became increasingly treacherous until they descended into a valley, where the terrain leveled somewhat. Luke paused and wiped his brow, glancing back at Sofie with a smile.

  "So far, so good," he said. "We're supposed to find a stream along here that we should follow all the way down."

  "As good as Triple A, I'm sure." Sofie returned his smile, determined to keep things friendly and easy between them.

  Luke chuckled and looked up at the darkening sky. "We could've gone to Cripple Creek and caught either the stage or train down to Colorado Springs, but Henry said it would be faster to go to Denver on horseback."

  A train. Sofie sighed wistfully. A little luxury would be welcome about now, but speed was more important.

  "I'd like to find that stream before it gets any darker," he added.

  That made sense. She prodded Sissy to follow when Luke started farther into the valley. Though the sky was still light, down here with the mortals, shadows gathered, making their surroundings more ominous with every step.

  "What's that?" Luke brought his horse to a stop and cocked his head.

  "What? I don't hear anything." Sofie fell silent when he raised his hand. After a moment, she heard something. "Is it water?"

  Luke nodded and prodded Rosie toward the sound, with Sofie following closely. She didn't want to lose sight of Luke in the murky light.

  "Right on schedule." Luke held back a branch until Sofie and her horse eased by and entered the clearing. "This stream and the sun will be our guide."

  "Good." Sofie's butt was more than ready to part company with the saddle. "Pity it isn't a hot spring."

  Groaning, Luke dismounted and held her reins as she did the same. "Yeah, I could use a soak myself."

  The air grew frosty as Luke unsaddled the horses and hobbled them nearby. "I sure hope I did that right, or we'll wake up sans horses," he said, carrying a bundle of sticks to a flat area near the stream. A circle of charred stones indicated someone else had once camped in the clearing.

  "You must've been a Boy Scout."

  Luke glanced up, a guarded expression in his eyes. "Once upon a time," he said.

  His secrets. Sofie watched until the fire was going well before glancing at the nearest clump of trees and shrubs. "I, uh, need to..."

  He nodded and fed more wood to the blaze. "Don't go too far."

  She had no intention of straying far. After taking care of business, she returned quickly to the fire's warmth. She couldn't bear to sit too soon, so she turned her backside toward the heat.

  Luke chuckled, and she couldn't suppress her answering grin as he fumbled through their supplies. Within a few moments, she smelled something cooking and turned back to find a small iron kettle in the coals near the fire's base.

  "If I'm doing this right, we'll have beans tonight."

  Sofie smiled. Anything warm sounded good right now. Shivering, she squatted down near the fire.

  "Cold?" Luke walked away, then returned a moment later with a blanket. He wrapped it around her shoulders, letting his hands linger a moment, Sofie thought, before he returned to tending the beans. And had his hand brushing against her braided hair been accidental...or deliberate?

  Stop it, Sofie.

  She wanted to touch him desperately. As she watched him move around the fire, stirring the beans and adding wood to the fragrant blaze, her heart swelled with love and longing. He was definitely a special man.

  Of course, it took a special kind of man to dedicate his
life to God. The reminder of his vows made her throat clog with unshed tears, and gut clench with guilt.

  I love you, Luke.

  And she would take her love for this man with her to the grave. She knew that now. Regardless of what happened, or where they went after reaching Denver, she would carry her love for him in her heart forever.

  Always.

  He filled a tin plate with steaming beans and handed it to her. "Careful, it's hot."

  She took the plate and watched him serve himself, then he sat on a rock beside her. "I think cowboys always drink coffee, but I'm a wimp. It keeps me awake at night." He spooned beans into his mouth, then turned toward her. "But if you want some, I could–"

  "No, water's fine." She lifted the tin cup to her lips and took a long drink. "Thank you."

  "My pleasure."

  Sofie ate her beans in silence, then offered to rinse the dishes in the stream, but he insisted on doing it himself. "You're spoiling me," she argued.

  "I know."

  Those two little words poured over her like warm maple syrup. A shiver skittered down her spine and she pulled the blanket closer as she watched him rinse the dishes in the stream, then pack them away for the night.

  "Sam said to hang our food in a tree away from where we sleep," he said, tossing a rope over a branch and tying their supplies to it.

  Where we sleep? Sofie's breath caught and her pulse launched. Houston, we have lift-off.

  Luke pulled the rope, hoisting their supplies into the air, high enough that no creatures would be able to reach it. "There. Even Big Foot couldn't reach that."

  "Big Foot?" Sofie suddenly noticed the night sounds. An owl hooted, something else scurried along the ground just beyond the friendly circle of firelight. "Oh."

  Chuckling, Luke fed more wood to the blaze. "I'll keep this going, Sofie," he promised. "Don't worry."

  She knew the flames would keep wild animals away, so she relaxed somewhat. No, her greatest threat wasn't from wild animals, but from herself.

  Because in her heart and soul, she couldn't deny that if Luke weren't a priest, she'd throw herself at him tonight. She'd give anything to feel his lips on hers, his gentle touch against her flesh.