Free Spoiled Evelyn (The Mail Order Brides of Boot Creek Book 4) by Carré White Page B

intolerable situation, but that doesn’t make me a liar or a thief or a murderer or whatever they’re accusing me of. I just don’t want to marry Joseph.”
    “Or Percy. You don’t seem to like men all that much, Evie.”
    My mouth fell open. “That’s not true at all! I like men plenty, but just not those men.”
    “I’ve met some ladies that prefer other ladies.” He grinned mischievously.
    “Oh, stop that. That’s disgusting.”
    “Not really. It’s … titillating.”
    “I’m not listening to this. I don’t want to know anymore about it, and I won’t even ask where you got that notion, although I can only imagine.”
    “You ever consider the fact they might come after us?”
    “What?”
    “I’m wonderin’ about your maid. What if she tells them you went out looking like a man.”
    He had verbalized a fear of mine. I could not be certain if Tory had given away my location, because she had been writing letters on the journey. I had been suspicious of her. “I hope not.”
    “Let’s gallop for a spell, all right? I want to put more distance between us and Boot Creek just in case.”
    “Good idea.”
    Kicking my horse in its flanks, we darted ahead, while a billowing dust cloud followed, although it dissipated soon enough. It felt exhilarating to travel at such speeds, the wind whipping loose strands of hair into my face, while I clenched my thighs around the animal beneath me. The mare was a pretty brown and white creature with a friendly temperament. She seemed to adore a good run, although my bottom had become sore from the jarring and bouncing. I lifted myself off her back, bending my knees to keep up with her movements, but this soon became exhausting as well.
    Once we had cleared the canyon, leaving a sizable mountain behind, Mr. Brittle slowed to a trot. “That’ll do it for now. We’ll take a rest and continue on until suppertime.”
    I glanced at the horizon, seeing nothing but an endless expanse of desert. “Goodness, it goes on forever.”
    “Yeah.” He gazed at me. “You look fetching in that outfit.”
    “Stop it. I look like I’m drowning in fabric. Everything’s too big.”
    “You sore?”
    “Yes.”
    “We’ve got a few hours yet to go, honey. You’re gonna have to suffer through it.”
    I frowned at that, but the alternative would have seen me arrested on false charges and hauled to the nearest train station. Whether my father had hired those men or Joseph, the end result would have been the same. Everything—especially my freedom, was at stake. I needed to do whatever I could to decide my own fate, although I had been praying for the last hour, because I had a terrible feeling it might be for naught.

Chapter 10
    I t was well after dark that we made camp, choosing to remain hidden near a riverbed, which would provide water for the horses. A fire had been made, and a kettle hung over the flames, while a pan sizzled with beef and beans. I had washed off the best I could, feeling especially filthy after riding for hours. My back ached, while my bottom throbbed from having been beaten to a pulp by the saddle.
    I watched the flames and waited to eat, my belly protesting noisily. “Where are we going?”
    “A friend’s hacienda.”
    “Where’s that?”
    “Outside of Albuquerque. We won’t get there until tomorrow afternoon.”
    “Is he an outlaw?”
    Holding a tin plate, Chuck ladled out a portion of the impromptu stew. “Here you go, and, no, he isn’t an outlaw. He’s a rancher.”
    “Oh. Thank you.”
    “He’s a friend of mine. I’ve known him since the Lincoln Country War days. He was on the wrong side, unfortunately, but then again, there really was no right side.”
    “I’ve heard about that. They just killed Billy the Kid not that long ago.”
    “Last summer.”
    “Did you know him?”
    He gave me a look. “No, honey. I don’t know any outlaws. I’ve been working for Mr. Kelly for a few years now. I was wild in my youth. I don’t have the