The Lone Texan

CHAPTER 39

SAGE WOKE A WHILE BEFORE DAWN. HER FIRST THOUGHT was that she didn't want to move. She was warm inside the cocoon of Drum's arms and a trail blanket that smelled of campfires.

Her second thought was that she was nude. Totally nude.

As carefully as she could, she pulled away from him and began searching for her clothes in the smoky glow of the dying fire. Half-dressed, she glanced over at Drum to make sure he was asleep.

He was wide awake and watching her every move. "Turn around," she demanded.

"Not a chance," he answered.

Pulling her blouse on, she swore. "That's it. Drummond. That's why you drive me crazy." She fought with the material. "How can you be so loving one minute and so pestering the next? If you had the sense God gave a rabbit, you'd know a lady doesn't like to be watched.”

He stood and helped her with a sleeve she had twisted backward. "You're one beautiful creature when you wake up mad." He laughed. "I'll have to remember that”

"You were going to wake me in an hour so I could see what I dreamed”

"I meant to, but I fell asleep. It seems the only time I really sleep is when I'm with you. It's probably because the rest of the time, I'm worried about where you are and what you're up to.” He studied her as she finished dressing. "Any chance you want to tell me how you could be married to some guy back East and not know about what we did last night? Seems to me he would have brought you to- "

"We are not talking about that” She turned her back to him.

"Another thing you like to do but not talk about. I don't mind. Talking about it isn't near as much fun. But I got to tell you, when you shook in my arms, you-"

She glared at him. "We are not having this discussion.” "Right," he agreed. "Maybe we'll not talk about it again tonight."

Sage tugged on her boots. "I've more things to worry about than talking to you. I didn't dream." she said. "What good is the legend if I didn't dream?"

"I did. But it didn't make much sense," he said as he strapped on his gun belt, all playfulness gone from his tone. "It started with two carriages storming the bridge”

"Our bridge?"

Drum nodded slowly, as if piecing together a puzzle with a picture he didn't like. "I got a bad feeling about this. Something Daniel said once about how the raiders who killed the Smith boys' parents and the robbers at Shelley's place being part of the same gang. Maybe my mind just put them together in my sleep.”

"Or maybe your dream put the pieces together for you," Sage answered. "Pieces that belonged together."

"We'd better get back.” Drum kicked dirt over the fire. "I just remembered the last detail of the dream.”

She helped him roll up the blanket. "What was it?" she whispered, knowing that it had to be something terrible by the frown on his face.

"I'll tell you later. The sooner we get back, the better.”

She trusted him enough to know he wasn't lying. They moved down the mountain as fast as they could, and by daylight they were riding full-out toward home.

Sage knew something was wrong when she walked into the kitchen. Martha and Jessie were cooking. Teagen and Jessie's three girls and the two little Smith boys were playing games in the dining room, but she could feel something in the air. "Where is my brother?"

Jessie rushed toward her. "Thank goodness you two are back. Daniel said you went for a morning ride. It may be nothing, but we all agree it feels like trouble. Guests traveling on Thanksgiving? Men surrounded by guards are demanding to come onto the ranch. They claim they know you”

Daniel walked through the door with an armload of wood. Sage glanced at him and swore she saw him wink at Drummond.

"Where are my brothers?" she asked again, trying to make sense of what Jessie had said.

This time it was Martha who answered. "Teagen is handling the trouble at the bridge. Travis and Rainey haven't come up from their place yet." She pointed toward the window that faced the bridge. "The ranch hand on guard wouldn't let anyone pass and sent up a round to signal a warning. Teagen rode down. The other three hands on the place rode out to the back pasture a little after dawn to check on a horse after breakfast. If they heard the shot, they should be riding in soon”

Drummond stepped forward, his voice a low command. "Jessie, I need you to collect the girls and get to somewhere safe as fast as possible. If there is trouble, you need to be somewhere safe.”

He looked at Sage.

"Don't even ask," she said. "I'm here to help. If there is trouble, I stand.” Teagen's wife, Jessie, was six months' pregnant and not raised to fight, but Sage was a McMurray. She saw no reason she couldn't stand.

"Tell the old hand in the barn to saddle three horses, would you Daniel? Have him bring them around to the side of the house so they can't be seen from the bridge," he said without taking his eyes off Sage.

The young Ranger left as Drum whispered, "Can you take Will and Andy through the hills? They have to be away from here. If my dream is coming true, the men at the bridge have some kind of papers. They'll be demanding custody of both boys."

Sage didn't like the idea of leaving when trouble might be riding in, but she and Drum were the only two at the house who knew the back passage. She also knew Teagen might try to stall, but he'd follow the law. He'd think it his duty to hand the boys over if the proper authorities demanded it. Right now, Drummond's suggestion made a great deal more sense.

As everyone around her hurried to follow orders, Sage stared at him. "Tell me your dream."

"Two closed carriages, surrounded by guards, at the bridge. The first holds a judge who Teagen knows and trusts, and a man claiming to be a relative of the boys. The second carriage holds Shelley Lander and a big guy with red hair. He fits the description of the outlaw you called Charlie, who kidnapped you. In my dream Charlie was swearing to Shelley that you and the boys will be tied up and on your way back to the count before nightfall. He laughed and said he'd be paid a thousand for bringing you back alive and ten thousand for each of the boys' heads. It seems, unlike you, the boys are no good to him alive."

Sage felt a chill go all the way to her heart. Even if Drum told the judge his fears, he wouldn't be believed. After all, the only evidence he had was a dream. Teagen would believe him, but would he stand against the judge?

She ran to the porch and lifted a spyglass Teagen kept hidden on a windowsill. Two carriages waited along with a dozen men on horseback. Teagen was on horseback, barring the entrance.

She didn't want to believe it, but the scene was exactly as Drum had described. She had to get the boys away. If she took the pass, she could be in town an hour before the carriages could go by road. She could collect Bonnie and disappear. Charlie was chasing her and the boys; he wouldn't waste time pestering the McMurrays if she were gone.

"I have to stand with Teagen," Drum swore as he pulled a rifle from just inside the door, "much as I want to go with you, I can't leave him alone if that outlaw you called Charlie is with them and decides to cause trouble. From what you told me, he'd kill anyone and everyone to get to them.^”

She knew what he wasn't telling her. She could get the boys to safety without him, but her brother might not survive without more firepower. He was outnumbered twelve to one right now at the bridge. The old, broken-down cowhand in the barn might fire a few rounds, but he would be little help in a fight. The other men who worked on the ranch were probably too far away. Travis would help, but his cabin was too far in the woods to have heard the alarm round fired.

Drum looked down at her, and she saw the conflict in his eyes. She was his world, but other things mattered, others demanded his help, and honor drove his actions now.

"Find me," she whispered. "When you put an end to this, find me."

"I will," he answered as he stepped off the porch.

He motioned for Daniel to take the horse Sage had ridden in on.

"Drum," she whispered.

He heard and turned as he shoved his rifle into its sheath. "I love you” Her words, raw and honest, shocked her as much as they did him.

"Go!" he demanded. "I'll come after you.”

She watched them ride toward the bridge, knowing Drum would buy her as much time as he could, even if it cost him his life.