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can—”

    “Patience, take a break,” Jim said. “I can handle the boy.”
    “But I’m fine,” she said. “You don’t—”
    “Let me do this for you, okay?” He summoned a smile. “It’ll give Tommy and me a chance to get to know each other.”
    Patience gathered Tommy into her arms, gave him a kiss and whispered in his ear. Then she handed him to Jim.
    The little boy reminded Jim of his cousin Toby’s son. “Tommy, you’re going to ride in front of me just the way you did with your mom. I want you to hold on to the saddle, all right? And if you get scared or need something, you can let me know. Okay?”
    The boy nodded. Jim adjusted his wool cap to cover his ears. “Our horse’s name is Jasper. Can you say that?”
    “Jasper,” Tommy said softly, and Jim kneed the horse into a walk. Tommy, believing the horse moved because he’d said his name, clapped with excitement.
    Jim kept one arm around the little boy, the other on the reins. He was sure that Patience, despite her protests, must be exhausted. But when he looked over his shoulder, she was riding her horse just fine.

    She was a remarkable woman.
    Several hours later a small hand tugged on his arm. “What is it?” he asked, easing the pace.
    “I’m sorry, Mr. Man, but I’m so hungry.”
    Jim slowed to a halt and slid out of the saddle then lifted Tommy down. “I think our horses are hungry, too.”
    “What’s wrong?” Patience asked as she pulled her horse to a stop.
    “Tommy’s hungry, and the horses need a breather. Unfortunately I don’t have anything for Tommy to eat.”
    “I do.” She turned in the saddle and reached for a bag she’d added to the pack. She pulled out a candy bar. “Maybe this will keep you going for a while.” She dismounted and handed it to Tommy.
    Jim led both horses to a small area under a tree where the snow was sparse and the horses could find grass.
    “Are you sure we can afford to take a break?” Patience asked.
    “I think so, and if we want these horses to keep on going, we have to.”
    “Our pursuers will have to rest, too, right?”
    “Not as much. We’re making a trail for them.”

    “Oh.” Patience looked at Tommy, who was happily eating his candy.
    “It’s going to be all right, Patience,” Jim said, coming nearer. “I’m going to do my best to get you home safely. At least as far as the ranch. We’ll figure out what to do next after we get there.”
    “Your family won’t mind?”
    Jim grinned. “You know my family. They always protect women and children.” He put an arm around her.
    She leaned against him, and it was a feeling he liked. “We’re going to make it. I refuse to let a madman outthink me.”
    Their gazes met and held. Almost as if on cue, they both said, “I’m sorry—”
    “You go first, Patience,” Jim said.
    “I…I wanted to apologize for our…last conversation.” At his look of confusion, she clarified, “I mean our last conversation in Laramie. I had gone home for the weekend and I saw my sister and her husband. I tried to talk to Faith about Joseph, but she kept telling me he loved her. I knew he controlled her, but I wasn’t sure it had anything to do with love. Anyway, I came back to school all fired up to make sure you weren’t controlling me.”

    Jim frowned. “You thought I was controlling you?”
    “No. At least, I knew what you wanted, but I was determined not to give in to you. Because of my sister. So I pushed you to make a commitment about our future.”
    Jim felt heat fill his cheeks. “You were right. But I was too young to… I wasn’t prepared to settle down just then.”
    “It’s all right. If I hadn’t left school and come home, Tommy would’ve died along with Faith. I got there in time to get him to a doctor, which saved his life.”
    Jim looked at the little boy still contentedly munching his candy bar. “Thank God.”
    “Yes. He’s the light of my life.”
    “Okay, now it’s my turn to apologize,” Jim said.