Only 06 - Winter Fire

fiercely in return.
    â€œThank God,” Hunter said again and again. Then, “Morgan, come on out. Case is alive!”
    â€œOf course I am,” Case said. “Have you been drinking Morgan’s moonshine again?”
    Instead of answering, Hunter thumped his brother on the back, pushed him away to get a look at him, hugged him hard again and released him.
    Morgan strode out of the brush. The wiry black rider carried a shotgun easily across his shoulder.
    â€œHowdy, Case,” Morgan said. “Mighty glad to see you this side of hell, suh. Mighty, mighty glad.”
    Case shook the other man’s hand and thumped him on the shoulder with masculine affection.
    â€œYou’re looking pretty good yourselves,” he said, “for two such ugly critters.”
    Morgan laughed and rubbed his hand across his tightly curled black beard.
    â€œWho are you calling ugly, boy?” Morgan drawled. “You’re as furry as I am. You hiding out as a grizzly?”
    Shaking his head, Case turned back to his brother.
    â€œWhat are you two doing here?” he asked.
    â€œWord came to the Ruby Mountains that you had been killed by Culpeppers,” Hunter said bluntly.
    The harsh, weary lines of his face said more than his spare words.
    â€œIt was a near thing,” Case admitted.
    â€œHow near?”
    â€œReginald and Quincy were the fastest Culpeppers I’ve ever drawn on.”
    Hunter whistled soundlessly. “What happened?”
    â€œThey each shot twice before I finished them. I took some lead.”
    â€œYou look fit enough now.”
    â€œI had a good nurse.” Case raised his voice. “Sarah, come on out and meet some friends.”
    After a few moments she came out of the brush. There was no sign of the supper she had brought to Case. His six-gun, however, was very much in sight.
    Her eyes were wary until she saw Hunter.
    â€œFrom the size and cut of you,” she said, smiling, “you must be blood kin to Case.”
    â€œMrs. Kennedy,” Case said formally, “meet my brother Hunter Maxwell and our friend Nueces Morgan.”
    â€œMa’am,” Morgan said, lifting his hat. “It’s a pleasure.”
    Hunter took off his hat and bowed to Sarah.
    â€œThank you for saving my brother’s life,” he said. “If you ever need help, send to the Ruby Mountains. I’ll come at a dead run.”
    â€œThere’s no debt,” she said. “I’ve saved more useless critters than your brother.”
    â€œBut not too many, I reckon,” Morgan said dryly.
    She laughed, liking the wiry rider.
    â€œYou’re welcome to supper,” she said, smiling at Hunter and Morgan in turn. “Venison stew and cornbread, just as soon as I mix up another batch.”
    â€œThat’s very kind of you, Mrs. Kennedy,” Hunter said.
    â€œThank you, ma’am,” Morgan said fervently. “We’ve been living on hardtack and water so long my stomach thinks my throat was cut.”
    â€œHardtack and water?” she asked.
    â€œWe were in a hurry,” Hunter said simply. “A drifter told me that Case was dead.”
    Her eyes widened and her heart turned over at the thought of what Hunter must have been through.
    â€œYou poor man,” she said. “No wonder you look so weary. I know what it’s like to lose your closest kin.”
    Hunter was touched by the compassion in Sarah’s mist-gray eyes.
    â€œYou’re a fine and gentle woman, Mrs. Kennedy,” he said.
    â€œI’m sure your brother would disagree,” she said tartly. “And please, call me Sarah. I’ve been widowed longer than I was married. I’ve never worn the Kennedy name comfortably.”
    â€œSarah,” he said, smiling. “Call me Hunter.”
    She smiled in return. The smile was like her voice—feminine, generous, and welcoming in a way that wasn’t at all flirtatious.
    â€œYou can save your girlish wiles for someone else,” Case said sourly. “Hunter is married to a fine woman.”
    Sarah gave Case a narrow, sideways look.
    â€œI have even less girlish wiles than you have manners,” she said distinctly, “and that means not enough for an ant’s breakfast.”
    Morgan and Hunter laughed out loud.
    Case said something under his breath.
    She smiled at Hunter. “You’re his older brother, aren’t you?”
    He nodded.
    â€œLooks like you had