Clouding: Day 3

Word Count: 18,038

Summary of Events:

Asher continued on his trek eastward, getting into a lengthy argument with his captive until he threatened the boy into silence. Theresa was helping her mother bake pies when her father came home to get his bedroll because he was going on an overnight investigation of cattle rustling claims. Asher decided to stop for the night and left his captive to starve when his captive refused the food that he offered. Theresa was feeling incredibly worried about her father's safety when her boyfriend came over for a visit . . .

Excerpt of the Day:

"Your fears are unfounded," Bennett said. "I promise you that. Jeremy is a fine sheriff, and he knows well how to take care of himself. After all, he kept his whole family safe since your oldest sister was born."

"Esther," Theresa said.

"I thought she was the oldest, I wasn't sure," Bennett said. "I'll have to work on getting your siblings all straight. Stephen's the youngest, isn't he?"

"Stephen is Esther's oldest," Theresa replied.

"Oh," Bennett said. "At least there was a Stephen. Aunt Winnifred is convinced I have a brother named Waldo. None of Father's brothers are Waldos, nor any of his sisters' husbands, nor any of my cousins, nor even Father's great nephews, so we have no idea where she got that from. Uncle Malachi says there's not even any Waldos on her side of the family either. We still haven't been able to prove to her that there's no one named Waldo in our family."

Theresa dabbed at her eyes. Ordinarily she would've laughed at Bennett's tale. She knew Winnifred Colvin to be an unobservant woman. She wasn't unintelligent, but she wasn't good at paying attention to things; thankfully her inattentiveness had only led to mirth from what Theresa knew.

"Oh Theresa," Bennett said, putting his hand back on her shoulders. "I'd ride out to go be sure Jeremy is okay if I knew where I was going, but I'm afraid I'm rather hopeless beyond the confines of Tucson, surely I can convince you he's alright, and if he isn't, I would be the man to change that."

"Only if he's injured," Theresa said.

"You don't mean to say you think he's going to die, do you?" Bennett asked.

Theresa nodded.

Bennett slid his hand all the way across her shoulders and pulled her toward him. "That, I assure you, is complete and utter nonsense. It's not like he's going out alone. There are people that live out there, aren't there?"

"He's going to the Hanington's," Theresa replied. "Mr. and Mrs. Hanington's two oldest children are sons, they're right around Luc's age."

"See?" Bennett said. "There's three other men there to back him up if he needs to face down any criminals. There's nothing to worry about."

"Luc's only sixteen," Theresa said.

"Well they're grown up enough to be good shots," Bennett said.

Theresa sniffled. "But they're just boys."

"I don't think your father's going to have to face down anyone that terribly nefarious," Bennett said. "Where is this fear coming from? Were there some other cattle rustlers that nearly killed him?"

"No," Theresa replied, shaking her head. "I don't know why I'm so scared."

Bennett sighed and leaned his head gently against hers. "I promise you he'll be fine Theresa."

And heaven only knew she desperately hoped the same, despite the doubt and fear that so oppressed her.