Dancing with the Devil

Chapter Thirty-Eight

Ance saw her lips twitch with a hint of amusement and that made him feel comfortable enough to leave her sit while he went in search of a shovel. 

Ance took care of the task of burying Old Man Thompson quickly and he tied together two sticks with some leather cord to make a cross to mark the grave. Once that was done, Ance went back to the front of the house and led Audrey around back so she could see the gravesite. He left her standing beside it as he went back in and found a doll which he assumed was the one Penelope had forgotten. 

"You ready to be moving on?" Ance asked quietly when he rejoined Audrey outside. 

She nodded, her eyes instantly going to the doll in his hands. "Yes. And Penelope will be so happy to have her doll back, Ance. Thank you." 

"She'll be getting this doll soon enough," Ance agreed. "But first we have things to be taking care of in Grandy." 

Audrey tilted her head and let out a tired sigh. "Grandy here we come." 

***

Audrey sat up abruptly, unsure what had awaken her from such a sound sleep. The first thing she realized was that she was lying upon the bedrolls alone. Ance was not beside her. She glanced to the other side of the fire and saw Irish snoring soundly. 

Where was Ance? 

Gazing through the darkness and shadows, Audrey eyes fell upon the sillouhettes of two men. One she instantly recognized to be Ance, his broad shoulders and tall build were nearly impossible to miss, but the other was a bit smaller and she would swear that was a feather hanging from his hair....

Indians!! 

"Irish!" Audrey hissed. "Irish, wake up.. Ance needs our help." 

Irish jerked to alertness and frowned. "What's the matter, lass?" 

"Indians..." Audrey whispered. "He's up there with an Indian." 

Irish followed her gaze and shook his head as he relaxed back against his bedroll. "Don't ya worry your head about that none. Ance can handle the situation just fine." 

Audrey chewed her lip and wanted to smack the loafing Irishman. Those were Indians! They couldn't be trusted! She could only see one but she had heard many times that where you saw one Indian there were always more. Thankfully she'd avoided trouble with them on her ranch but she knew other ranchers, older ones, that hadn't always been so lucky. 

Audrey did not draw an easy breath until she saw Ance tip his hat to the Indian and head back her way. The Indian hopped on the horse beside him and rode off into the darkness. "What are you doing awake?" Ance asked as he laid himself down beside her. 

"I woke up and realized you weren't here... Ance, what did that Indian want?" 

"You need rest, Audrey. You haven't had a decent night sleep since we left that cabin four days ago." 

"Ansel Adams, you will answer me now." Audrey exclaimed, feeling her nerves fraying even more. She had always been a level headed person but the constant movement lately, the constant fear, the constant death around her, the nightmares keeping her awake at all hours of the night and the constant separation from her daughter was taking its toll on Audrey. 

"Calm yourself down, woman." 

"Don't patronize me, man," Audrey snapped. "What did he want?" 

Ance snorted and rubbed at his face. "He and his party have been dogging us since we left the fort. They've just been keeping an eye to make sure we don't mean trouble and to keep trouble off our backs as well." 

"So they..they're helping us?" Audrey asked with confusion. 

Ance nodded as he motioned for her to lay down against his chest. "That's about the size of it. Now lay down here and rest, Audrey." 

Audrey laid her head down but couldn't seem to fall asleep. "Are you certain they don't mean us harm?" 

Ance sighed. "I trust them more than I trust most white men. Those Indians have never done me a bit of harm and, if not for them, I wouldn't have known that Barnaby had taken you from Old Man Thompson. You owe them your life, Audrey, and Penelope's. You shouldn't judge them so harsh." 

Feeling thoroughly put in her place, Audrey picked at the buttons of Ance's worn and stained shirt. She'd cleaned it the best she could in the river but there would be no saving it... They'd reach Grandy in another three or four days and each of them needed a good hot bath and clean clothes before they left there. 

"I suppose there are things in this life I just don't know much about," Audrey admitted. "I was always told Indians were savages." 

"It's not your fault. That's what most folks want you to think. Just like all Irishmen are drunks and all outlaws are pure evil." 

"Irish doesn't do much drinking," Audrey countered. "And you don't have a purely evil bone in your body." 

"Well they say that all female ranchers are sharp-tongued harpies with more hair on their chests and chins than most men," Ance added. 

Audrey laughed lightly and pressed her lips against his ear. "Is that true, outlaw?" she purred. 

"Damn you, woman," Ance growled and just like that, he was taking her into his arms and loving her in the way that only he could. Everything around them was forgotten as Audrey lost herself in his warmth and strength.. Only half aware of Irish turning his back to them and covering his head with his thin pillow.

Audrey had obviously lost all shreds of decency because she couldn't find it within herself to care that they were so near someone else. She had been so long without Ance's lovemaking and all she wanted was to have him take away some of the worry and stress that had been weighing her down for so very long. 

Ance pulled the blankets over their heads to offer the illusion of privacy and Audrey's ability to think was lost completely as his lips roamed over her chest. 

Audrey let him love her. Her outlaw. He was hers and she was is.... At least until his roaming ways dragged them apart--which was bound to happen before too long.