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They were soon fed and rolled up in blankets beside the fire. The crackling of the blaze eased the chill of the cool night. Josh pulled her into his arms. After a long, hard day of work, they were both asleep before long.

* * * *

Once settled in bed, Josh closed his eyes on the night and then opened them and it was morning.

It seemed as though the night had passed just that fast. He had Tilda in his arms, her head resting on his chest. He lay there marveling at how nice it felt to have her so close.

And she’d always be close for the rest of his life.

He pushed away the blanket before he did something stupid, like kiss his very own wife right in front of three sleeping men who’d never notice.

Tilda stirred as he stood. She smiled up at him, the sweetest smile he’d ever seen. The thought of waking up to that smile every day made something warm surround his heart.

“How are you feeling this morning?” He ran one finger across her silky-smooth skin where it wasn’t scraped raw, gently brushing one of her dark curls back.

He should have probably whispered, but it was full daylight, and they had a long day ahead of them. They might as well get moving.

She sat up, groaned, and pressed a hand against her back. “Like I jumped off a moving train, then rode a horse for hours, then spent more hours digging and moving armor.”

Josh winced. “That bad, huh?”

“I’m battered and stiff, but no real damage has been done. The best thing I can do is get moving.”

He nodded, and at the same time he regretted she couldn’t just take one day to try and heal up. Instead, they had to pack up all the armor and artifacts, then mount up for the long ride ahead.

“Maybe you can have an easy day tomorrow. Ben’s probably long gone by now, but it might be wise to get away.

We came out here so fast for that reason.

We need a honeymoon, and Michelle’s family has a beautiful home in San Francisco.

We could ride a train you don’t have to jump out of and stay there for a week.

Ben would never think to look for you there. ”

But Ben had at least one man with him. Might he send that man back and make another attempt at kidnapping Tilda?

She smiled again. “Let’s talk more about that when we get back to the Two Harts.”

Cord rolled out of his blankets. “I’ve never made such a thing as a travois and can’t quite picture it, but if you’ll boss the job, I can take orders.”

Tilda stifled another groan as she stood. “I’ll get breakfast going.”

Josh turned to her, frowning. “You don’t have to do that. I’ll get coffee going, and we can eat jerky and hardtack.”

She shook her head. “You get the fire going and bring in water—I’ll do the rest.”

Josh really liked being married. He grabbed the coffeepot while Cord and the MacKenzies gathered wood. By the time he was back, they had a small blaze going.

“The coffee will take a while to brew,” said Josh. “Let’s get to work. You can all help with the first sled we build. Then if you think you’ve got it, we can each make one of our own.” He turned to his wife. “You mind the coffee.”

“I’m supposed to watch water boil?”

He nodded, then a grin broke out on his face. “There’ll be plenty to do once we’re ready to load up the armor.”

He led the men to the woods and talked while he chopped down saplings. He had ten of the slender trees cut before Tilda called out that the coffee was ready, the jerky and hardtack laid out.

After they finished eating, Josh showed them how to weave rope between the splayed poles.

They were fast learners, and by the time Tilda had stowed away the cooking supplies and doused the fire, Josh had one travois finished and three men sure they could do one on their own.

He’d make a second one for Tilda, so they’d each have one to haul behind their horses.

He talked with Tilda about how best to load their treasure, then left her to stack one complete suit of armor on the first travois he’d built while he put together a second one.

It went faster than he’d thought with everyone working, so they were ready to ride by midmorning. He’d hoped to leave before noon.

Taking a narrow trail that wound through heavy woodland, they started for home. It was sure to be a much faster trip than the slow, searching one that led them here along the dry riverbed as they followed Graham MacKenzie’s map to where they’d found the hanging shield.

Yet even after they’d come upon a game trail where they could move more surely, they still had to be careful. Though tied down, the armor was slippery. Every so often, someone would holler because they saw something shifting on the travois ahead of them.

When they reached the cave where Graham’s remains had lain undisturbed for thirty years, they paused so their horses could have a breather.

Josh twisted in the saddle to face the others.

“We’re not going to stop, if that suits you.

I’d like to press on. We’ll eat as we ride.

We won’t get home in time for supper, but we can beat nightfall.

” Everyone was handed more beef jerky, and after a few minutes for the horses to drink from a spring, they moved on.

Soon they rode past the green pond Graham had written about in his journal.

They then carefully rode up a steep slope to a decent trail at last, the final leg home.

They’d been riding along it for about an hour when Zane came riding fast up the trail with Shad and Bo Sears, their foreman and their ramrod.

Josh was on edge the minute he saw them.

His brother wouldn’t ride out here searching for them, especially with no idea where they might’ve gotten to in their search—not unless something bad had happened.

“What’s wrong?” Because the trail was wider now, Tilda came up beside him, her horse pulling its travois.

“I’ve come hunting Tilda. We need you back at the Two Harts.”

“Is it Ben? Did they finally catch up to him?”

Zane shook his head. “Nope, it’s more than that.”

Josh didn’t ask what. He figured Zane had a story to tell.

Zane leaned to look around Josh’s horse, eyeing what they were carrying with them. “What is all this?”

Josh wanted to shake his brother to get him to talk.

Instead, Josh quickly explained, “We found a burial ground and all these pieces of iron—old armor—at the final spot Graham marked on the MacKenzies’ half of the map.

There wasn’t any gold, but we dug up so much that we figured we’d better haul it home before we hunted any further. ”

Josh glared pointedly at Zane, and Zane got the hint.

He opened his mouth, closed it, then gave Tilda a look so full of worry, Josh set aside the idea of laying a hand on his brother.

Finally, Zane said directly to Tilda, “Your father showed up.”

A faint gasp had Josh turning in case she fainted and fell off her horse. Her face had gone pale, and she gripped the saddle horn until her knuckles went white. “A man claiming to be my father is at the ranch?”

Zane nodded. “And I think he’s telling the truth, too.”

“Is ... is Ben with him? Has he been arrested?”

“No sign of Ben. I haven’t heard a thing about any arrest. Sheriff Stockwood would have told us if Ben had been caught.

And I didn’t stay to ask your pa many questions.

I just came a-runnin’ to bring you back.

I brought Shad and Bo along so they could stay and help with the hunt if you needed them to.

Instead, Tilda, you and Josh switch horses with them.

Let the menfolk drag the iron back to the ranch while the three of us run for home. ”

“I’m not going with him.” She gripped her reins tight enough that the horse threw its head back.

Before the fidgety horse could toss everything off the travois, Josh reached across from his horse and steadied it. Once her horse was calm again, he said, “No, you’re not going with him. You’re a married woman now. I’m your husband, and you’re staying with me.”

She gave her chin a firm nod.

Josh swung down, rounded his horse to where Tilda was on his left, and helped her down. He had to tug her hands free of the pommel and nearly untie her fingers from where they’d twisted up the reins. Finally, he got her down and on her feet.

Shad and Bo took over with the travois. Josh boosted Tilda onto Shad’s horse, the steadiest critter on the property, but still a strong, lively stallion.

He made sure she was fully settled before mounting up on Bo’s horse.

They said their goodbyes to the others, then headed out, riding side by side with Zane in the lead.

Minutes later, after glancing back at Tilda as if to judge her steadiness, Zane asked, “Can you gallop, Tilda?”

Josh doubted if she’d ridden a horse at a gallop before. But he knew she’d gotten much better in the saddle than she was that day when he ended up carrying her home.

Tilda nodded. “I think I can ... I hope.”

Why was Zane in such a hurry? Maybe he was still fretting about Michelle and his coming child. Good chance he didn’t want to be separated from her for long.

“I’ll stay a pace behind so I can catch you if you start to fall,” Josh said to reassure her.

Zane nodded. “And I’ll stay ahead so I can grab the horse if he gets the bit in his teeth.”

They took off running. Zane set his horse to a gallop from the first step, which was better than trotting.

Josh was worried about that. He’d shown Tilda how to trot, but she was still a beginner.

But Shad’s stallion took off right after Zane and Tilda, who clung to her saddle horn, not even trying to direct the horse.

Now all Josh had to worry about was stopping her and that horse ... and keeping his wife in California.

And not letting her get kidnapped again.

He had so much to worry about that he should probably find paper and a pencil and make himself a list.