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out."
    "How old are you?"
    "Twenty." She rolled her eyes in an exasperated way. "I
    know—well on my way to becoming an old maid—Belinda tells
    me so all the time. But Mama was sick for a long time, and I
    took care of her. She needed me. I didn't have time for
    anything else. And I told Belinda I didn't have to live with
    them. I could live at the farm." Her head lowered until her
    chin touched her chest. "But it was sold."
    He rubbed a hand over his lips, afraid the assumptions
    jumping into his mind would leap out his lips. Thurston Fulton
    was not only a Populist, he was a complete ass.
    She brushed several strands of hair from her cheeks. "Aunt
    Corrine was the only one of Mama's family who ever wrote.
    Mama loved getting her letters. They were full of tales about
    buffalo hunters, cattle drives, street dances, and all the other
    fascinating events in Dodge City. So...when Belinda said I had
    to either get married or leave. I left." Those big doe eyes
    settled on him. "I mean, I couldn't marry Edward Keyes, he's
    older than my father." A sigh slipped out. "So, I bought a
    ticket to Dodge."
    He rested his elbows on his knees. His family was a little
    rough around the edges, but they weren't despicable. Right
    now his mind was deciphering her father and Belinda to be
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    Boot Hill Bride
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    about as loathsome as they come. "What happened when you
    got to Dodge?"
    "I had written to Aunt Corrine, but she never got the post.
    When she wasn't at the train station to meet me, I figured the
    best way to find her was to ask someone. Sure enough, a
    man at the depot knew where she lived. But I must admit, I
    was a little shocked when I discovered she was, well, you
    know." Her cheeks turned a blushing pink.
    He nodded. Everyone knew Corrine Martin was one of
    Danny J's girls. Danny's prized queen, to say the least.
    "Aunt Corrine wanted me to leave as soon as I arrived. But
    I didn't have anywhere to go." Her face scrunched into a
    dreadful frown. "I suspect she was afraid Danny J would put
    me to work if he found me at the house. So, she hid me in a
    little room upstairs—just until we could figure out what I
    should do."
    "What happened last night?"
    "The cook Danny J has isn't very good, and whatever was
    in the soup she made yesterday didn't settle with me." Her
    cheeks grew pink again. "I woke up in the middle of the night
    needing to—well, while I was outside a fight started inside the
    house. I don't know who it was, but there were all kinds of
    screaming and crashing. I—I—uh, didn't dare go back inside.
    I remembered this place, so ran down here to hide and—"
    "Randilynn! Randilynn, I need to speak to you!" Her
    father's voice bellowed near the door.
    Her eyes grew wide with apprehension, and the color
    drained from her cheeks. The way she crossed her arms to
    rub at the shivers encompassing her from head to toe made
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    Boot Hill Bride
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    Howard turn to the door and shout, "She'll be out in a
    minute."
    "I need to speak to her now!"
    He rose and stomped across the tent. Tugging the flap
    aside, he glared at the man. "I said she'll be out in a minute."
    "Listen here, young man—"
    Ire raced up his spine. "No, you listen here. Randilynn is
    no longer your daughter. She is now my wife, and I said she'd
    be out in a minute." He met the man, eye to beady little eye.
    Thurston Fulton turned dynamite red, and Howard thought
    the man might shoot skyward at any moment. He gestured
    toward Snake and Bug standing a few yards away, silently
    asking the boys for assistance. His brothers walked over, and
    stopped, one on each side of Thurston Fulton.
    The shorter man glanced at the two much younger, much
    stronger, men towering over him. His Adam's apple jiggled as
    he swallowed. "All right, then. I'll, uh, I'll be right out here
    when she's ready."
    Howard didn't respond, just let the flap fall shut and
    turned back around. He kept his gaze averted, afraid she
    might see his anger. The