Only 06 - Winter Fire

as much luck teaching him manners as I’ve had with my younger brother,” she said.
    Hunter hid his smile by smoothing his sleek black mustache.
    â€œWe had our dust-ups,” he agreed.
    â€œI’ll just bet you did,” she said. “At least you were big enough to whale the tar out of your little brother. Conner is only fifteen and would make two of me.”
    â€œCloser to three,” Case said. “The boy eats like a plague of locusts.”
    â€œYou, of course,” she retorted, “have such a dainty little appetite.”
    Morgan coughed.
    Hunter didn’t even bother to disguise his amusement at the tart-tongued widow. He simply threw back his head and laughed out loud.
    â€œWell, I see I won’t have to worry about standing guard,” Case said sardonically. “All your braying will scare off the Culpepper mules.”
    Shaking his head, Hunter threw his arm around Case’s shoulders and hugged him hard, laughing all the while.
    Case didn’t smile in return, but his features softened as he returned the one-armed hug.
    The clear affection between the two brothers made Sarah smile even as her throat closed around a sadness she hadn’t acknowledged until this moment.
    Someday Conner will leave me and find his own life , she thought.
    Yet even as sadness came, so did a measure of peace.
    That’s the way it should be. I didn’t raise him to keep me company .
    But dear God, it will be lonely without him .
    â€œShall I get the horses, Colonel?” Morgan asked.
    â€œI’ll come with you,” Hunter said. “Six is a handful.”
    â€œSix?” Sarah asked, dismayed at the thought of that many men to feed. “Are there more of you?”
    â€œNo, ma’am,” Morgan said. “We didn’t want to kill horses getting here, so we brought three apiece.”
    She looked at both men more closely.
    â€œDid you sleep along the way?” she asked.
    â€œIn the saddle,” Hunter said. “It’s a soldier’s trick.”
    â€œHow long have you been riding?”
    â€œI don’t know,” he admitted, rubbing his face wearily. “I’m just damned glad we weren’t rushing to a funeral.”
    â€œWe’ve had some shovel work here,” she said, “but so far it’s only been Moody’s men and a Culpepper.”
    Hunter looked toward his brother. The sudden sharpness in Hunter’s features reminded Sarah of Case.
    â€œThe Culpeppers are close by?” Hunter demanded. Case nodded.
    â€œAll we heard about were the two in Spanish Church,” Hunter said. “Is Ab here?”
    â€œOnly until I get him in my rifle sights,” Case said. “Then he’s on his way to hell.”
    â€œAny more Culpeppers?”
    â€œAll of them, except for the one I killed a few weeks back.”
    â€œWhat happened?” Hunter asked.
    â€œHe and two of Moody’s boys thought they’d flank us by coming around from behind the cabin after the moon set,” Case said.
    Morgan shook his head.
    â€œI heard two tone-deaf owls hooting at each other and went out hunting,” Case continued.
    Sarah’s mouth flattened. The terror she had felt for him that night was something she would never forget.
    â€œCase was still hurting from his wounds,” she said roughly. “The Culpepper nearly got him.”
    â€œWhich one was it?” Hunter asked.
    â€œNot Ab,” Case said succinctly. “One of the man’s fingers was missing. Last time I was close enough to count, Ab had all ten of his. It was probably Parnell.”
    Hunter settled his hat with a quick motion of his hand.
    â€œAll right,” he said. “We’ll worry about taking care of them after we’ve rested.”
    â€œTaking care of them?” she asked.
    â€œNothing to worry about, ma’am,” Morgan said. “Just some unfinished business from down Texas way.”
    â€œThere are only four of you, counting Ute,” she said. “There are at least a dozen of those raiders.”
    â€œMore or less,” Case said. “One or two of Moody’s men have just slipped out in the night. They don’t like Ab.”
    â€œWhen did you last count the raiders?” Hunter asked, looking closely at his brother.
    â€œTwo days ago. Fresh tracks going out. None coming in.”
    â€œWe’ll have our work cut out for us,” Hunter said.
    His voice and