“Then who will be with him?” Rebecca was beginning to feel exasperated with him.
“Jacob. They are taking the last hour of the morning,” Seth answered. “Before you ask, I’m taking the midnight shift with Noah. If danger strikes, it will probably be then.”
So he would be with Noah. Rebecca had to admit that knowing this made her feel a little better. “Look, I don’t mean to be a pain, Mr. Armstrong, but these are my children. I have a right to know that they are safe. Or at least as safe as you can make them.”
He nodded. “I agree you do have that right. But you have to trust me to keep them as safe as I possibly can.”
Did she trust him? No, why should she? Rebecca told herself she didn’t really know the man at all. Still, Mr. Bromley trusted him, so what other choice did she have? She’d have to try to trust Seth Armstrong to watch after her boys. How did a mother release that kind of trust to a stranger? She reminded herself that to keep her family together, she’d have to try.
* * *
Seth watched the emotions war across her delicate features. He knew what he asked wasn’t easy for her. She’d irritated him as well as made him feel empathy for her all in the past few minutes.
He tossed the remainder of his coffee off the porch. “Look, Rebecca. Over the next few days the boys and I are going to finish the barn and work with the horses—”
“That’s another thing,” she interrupted. “I don’t think Benjamin is old enough to work with the horses.”
Exasperation filled him. Why couldn’t she just accept that he knew what he was doing? “Benjamin is eight years old. By the time I was six, I was riding and caring for my own horse. He’s more than old enough.”
Rebecca studied his face. “Why do you want him to ride a horse?” Suspicion filled her voice. “He’s too small and you know it. Why, his feet barely reach the stirrups.”
“Because he may need to do so. Being a Pony Express station makes this farm vulnerable to all kinds of enemies. Benjamin is small, he can ride fast and get help should we need it.” Seth took off his hat and rested it on the railing.
“It’s dangerous.”
He nodded. “Yes, you’re right, it is. But it’s also why we train them the proper way to act and treat horses. If you don’t trust me, then at least trust Jacob. He’s in charge of Benjamin’s learning.” Seth had seen how she relied on her oldest son. The boy seemed dependable and for that Seth was grateful.
“All right, but please don’t put them in unnecessary danger.” Rebecca stood and pulled her shawl closer around her slender body.
Seth handed her his coffee mug. “I better get some shut-eye. Tomorrow is going to be a long day.” He paused to look at her. “Do you need anything from town?”
“I don’t believe so. Why?” She stopped in front of the closed door.
Seth hurried to help her open it. “We need saddles and bridles for the horses. The ones we had burned in the fire.”
She turned to face him. “Do you need me to go with you?”
Her eyes searched his face.
“No. I just figured if you needed anything you might like to go.” Seth enjoyed the way her eyes sparkled in the evening light. The moon hung in such a way as to shine in her eyes.
“I see. I don’t believe I need anything but if I change my mind I’ll let you know over breakfast.” Rebecca moved into the house. “Thank you for keeping me informed.” She smiled a tired grin and then shut the wooden door behind her.
She really was a beautiful woman. Her weary grin had caused his heart to do a little dance. For the first time, he had noticed twin dimples in her cheeks. He’d always been a sucker for dimples. Seth shook his head to clear it of those unwanted thoughts and feelings. He had a fiancée out there somewhere and had no room for such thoughts.
He walked to where Andrew sat on a stump keeping watch over the horses. His eyes looked heavenward. “Looks like we might get some cold weather soon,” Andrew said in way of greeting.
Seth followed his line of vision. The moon now played hide-and-seek with the dark clouds. A soft ring circled the moon.
“Rain or snow?” he asked.
“Probably rain,” Andrew answered, meeting Seth’s gaze. “I don’t think it is cold enough for snow, but I could be wrong.” The young man shrugged.
A nippy breeze lifted the hair on Seth’s neck. “I believe you are right, but it for sure is getting colder.”
Andrew pulled up his collar. “Yep.”
Seth leaned against the fence rail facing the horses. The night’s silence offered comfort. The horses snorted from time to time and their feet shuffled against the hard-packed dirt. If he closed his eyes he could almost smell their musky scents.
“It’s peaceful out here,” Andrew said. He’d moved to stand beside Seth at the railing. He laid his rifle on the top bar and sighed. “Did Ma give you a hard time about Beni taking a watch?” he asked.
“Not after she learned that Jacob would be with him,” Seth answered truthfully. He’d expected her to put up a better argument. He glanced in Andrew’s direction.
Andrew seemed ever watchful. “That’s good. Ma’s very protective of Beni, and now Noah.”
“How long has Noah been on the farm?” Seth asked, deliberately focusing his attention on the horses.
Andrew heaved a sigh. “About three months, give or take a day. Beni has been here since he was three. The rest of us arrived shortly after our twelfth birthdays.”
Seth could understand Rebecca’s concern. Beni probably still seemed like a baby to her. Noah hadn’t been here long and with the changes going on at the farm and in his life, Rebecca must be worried about his reactions to those changes.
“Are you an orphan, too?” Andrew stared at Seth.
“I guess that depends on how you look at it. I didn’t grow up in an orphanage but I no longer have any family left.” He held the boy’s gaze, waiting for the next question that was sure to follow.
It didn’t take long for Andrew. He asked, “Is that why you signed on with the Pony Express?”
“No, I signed on because I’d been robbed by bandits and needed the money.” Seth didn’t add that he’d been searching for his mail-order bride when he was attacked.
“What was that like?” Andrew picked up his gun and cradled it in his arms. Whether he was angling for company on his watch or was simply curious, Seth couldn’t tell, but decided to answer him honestly.
“Well, I was traveling alone and had decided to bed down in a small grove of trees just outside of town. Normally, my horse lets me know if anyone is around, but on this night, the horse didn’t alert me. Or if he did, I simply didn’t hear him. Anyway, the next thing I knew three men surrounded me with guns.”
“Did you try to fight them?” Andrew propped his leg on the fence and turned from looking at the horses. His face filled with excitement. Seth made a note of his lack of attention to what might be happening around them.
“No, I chose to live instead.”
Andrew sighed in disappointment. “So you just gave them your money.” He turned away and studied the house.
“Yes, I gave them my money and all my supplies, too.”
“Why didn’t you fight them?” Andrew faced him once more. The accusation in his voice caused Seth to pause. It seemed there was more to the question than just curiosity.
“Andrew, there is a time to fight and a time to