The Fire in Ember - DiAnn Mills [69]
He pictured a woman who looked like Bert holding on to life until she’d given her baby girl a name. “That’s a beautiful story. Do you have a second name?”
She took a deep breath. “Rose. Gideon gave it to me because it belonged to my mother.”
“Ember Rose. Fits together real nice.” How could he ever call her Bert again? Maybe when the time was right …
“Thank you. Gideon was the only one who ever called me by my rightful names. My pa and my brothers always called me Bert.”
Relief swept through him. She did have someone good in her life. “Where is Gideon now?”
“He died of pneumonia four years ago.”
The thought hit John that those who’d loved her had died. “I’m sorry. I can tell you miss him. You already told me your father is alive. Whereabouts are you from?”
She glanced away.
He’d gone too far into her private world. “You aren’t going to tell me any more, are you?”
“I can’t, John. It’s too dangerous.”
He refused to make her feel bad. Not today. “Maybe another time. Right now I want to be your friend and earn your trust. Like I told you the night on the road. I appreciate your telling me how you got your name. I haven’t pried like I set out to do because I want you to tell me the truth when you’re comfortable.”
She nodded and from the way she stared out into the corral, she must have wondered if she’d done the right thing by telling him how she got her name.
“Telling me about yourself is not a thing to fear.”
“But I’m afraid, and I can’t tell you why.”
“I’m trying to understand.”
“Why?”
How much more could he reveal about himself than what he’d done on the starlit night? “I think you already know.”
She rested her arms on the corral fence and leaned into it. “When I’m here and with you, I feel safe.”
“That’s the way I want it always to be.”
She continued to gaze out at the horses. “But it’s impossible. Someone’s bound to get hurt again. And I don’t mean just Evan and breaking his heart. I’m talking about blood.”
A chill rose on his arms. “The cattle rustlers?”
She shook her head. “Stealin’ and killin’ is all he’s ever known, and he has a way of dragging others into the mud with him.”
“Do you know where this ‘he’ is?”
“No. He’s like a snake, slithering under rocks and striking when a person least expects.”
“Would you give me information about him if you thought someone might get hurt?”
Bert continued to stare out at the horses. She slowly turned to face him. “When I decided my life needed God, I also decided I would do whatever I could to stop any more bloodshed.” She touched his arm. “I’d rather die myself than see any of you hurt.”
John didn’t like the finality of her words. Neither did he like what they meant. Weariness had taken a toll on John’s heart, and he wanted answers now. “How long is a man supposed to wait for a woman to trust him?”
She shook her head and walked away.
John had his answer.
CHAPTER 31
Two days later, Leah found herself alone during the afternoon. Ember had taken Davis fishing while the other boys were off looking for strays and making sure their own cattle were intact. Leah hated that they were gone. Their absence worried her. And she was afraid they’d run into rustlers. Her sons carried rifles, and the weapons were a constant reminder of what had happened to John—and could happen again.
“We have our rifles with us all the time,” Evan had said when she voiced her fears. “Nothing’s changed.”
“I’m no fool. But you normally carry your weapons to protect yourself from wild animals, not armed men.”
Aaron leaned on his saddle horn and reached out to take her hand. Mercy, the boy could charm just like his father. “There will always be wild animals and men who want to take what we have. Totin’ guns means we have a chance against them.”
Leah had no