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"Luke," the sheriff acknowledged the otherher

"Let her go," Luke reiterated in ahiss that promised retribution if not immediately obeyed

The other ht, faced Luke and questioned in a gravelly voice, "It's like that?"

"Yeah," Luke answered in a single, harsh syllable that gritted froht?"

Ein to quiver under his direct gaze "Yes," she answered him simply

His eyes ran over her, observing her closely, no doubt taking in her flushed features, the different dress she earing, and the soft-soled slippers encasing her feet He stood tall and straight before her with a nonchalant grace that was frightening in its deception The look he was giving her was staid in its intensity, as if he was staring at so that was his, and his alone

The moment in time was interrupted when Maria cleared her throat Her shiny old face was marred with tension as she looked froain She held a box in her hands and said silanced at Emma once and then quietly left the roo off inside of it

Eet away as easily as Maria had The tension was thick in the air as Luke cut his eyes away froet 'e out in the quiet rooecoach robbers

"No, not yet," the other man admitted

Luke's face was a htened, his skin pulled taut over his cheekbones as he questioned with accusation, "Why are you here, then? Seems your time would be better spent some place other than my kitchen"

"I needed to ask Emma a few questions See what she could reritted his teeth as if he wasn't used to being under interrogation while Luke grew even id

"She answered your questions?"

"Yeah"

"All right then I guess you'll be heading back now" Luke's voice was dark

"I think she should go with et an argument, if not a flat-out rejection

"No" Luke's ansas firm, spoken in a voice filled with denial, contempt, and irrefutable authority

"You can't just keep her here," the other man's voice was filled with dismay and disapproval

"Yeah, I can"

"It's not right"

"My land, my ranch, my decision" Luke's voice had turned sinister

"It's her decision, Luke"

Luke didn't answer that but his gaze landed briefly on Emma's white face

His eyes devoured hers and there was a subtle softening in his features that turned back to stone when the sheriff began speaking again

"You're not thinking straight, man She needs to be in tohere she has access to a doctor She's had a shock and that ankle needs attention"

Emma held her breath while the two men discussed her as if she wasn't in the same room

She'd heard the sheriff's argu but try to convince her to coe wouldn't be coram he'd received from the Denver office issued the news that until the robbers were apprehended, the stage wouldn't beit that far down south for awhile It would continue along a more dedicated, safer route to Denver

The sheriff had given her that infore town on the stage route, but had adanized for a feeeks

She was stuck and she only had to decide if she wanted to be stuck in town or here on this ranch She knew no one in town except for the sheriff, she didn't have the funds for an extended stay in the hotel, and besides, she felt comfortable on the ranch with Maria

But deep inside her conscience, she knew the reason she wanted to remain here

And the reason was loo a few feet from her