Saving the Gunslinger

Chapter Forty

Chapter Forty

"Have you heard?!" Eleanor exclaimed, popping into Samantha's line of vision just as her and Zachary left the lumberyard gate.

"Heard what?" Samantha demanded, laying her hand over her racing heart, faintly aware of Zachary relaxing the arm that had instantly gone toward his gun.

Timothy laughed and wrapped his arm around Eleanor's shoulders. "The latest town gossip."

Zachary rolled his eyes. "If it has anything to do with Sam or me, we don't want to hear it."

"For once, best friend, it has nothing to do with the infamous four."

Samantha leaned back against Zach's chest as his arm slid around her. "What is it then? You both look awfully happy with whatever gossip you heard."

Eleanor glanced up at Tim and he grinned and kissed her brow. "You tell them. You're the one that heard it first."

Samantha's mind raced. What on earth could it be? Eleanor cleared her throat and tucked a blond strand of hair behind her ear. "Judith Channing is gone."

"Gone?" Zachary spoke up with a frown. "Somebody kill her?"

"Um..no..." Eleanor shook off his comment while Tim laughed. "Apparently at the town meeting last night they discussed more than just the need for law enforcement in town. A petition was started to have Reverend Channing removed from the church because of the actions of his wife. Apparently, nearly everyone signed it because they are tired of her judgments and mouthiness."

"Judith 'Loud-Mouth' Channing," Timothy agreed.

Samantha tried hard not to smile—it was wrong to be so happy at someone else's misfortune. But truly, the Channing's were horrible people who had certainly earned their bit of misfortune.

Eleanor nodded. "Exactly. So, they delivered the petition to the Channing's last night and this morning the Reverend and his rather bruised wife hopped on the train out of town."

"So now Hackney is short a lawman and a preacher," Samantha acknowledged.

"So, it's in no worse shape than it was before," Zachary assured her.

Timothy rocked back on his heels, that boyish grin proving his mind had turned to mischief. "Hey, Zach, I know you said you don't want the lawman job but what about the preaching position? Do you reckon you got what it takes to be a member of the clergy?"

Zachary chuckled as he held onto her just a bit more tightly. "If there's one thing I am most certainly not, it's a holy man."

Samantha's mind went to the evening before. No, Zachary was certainly not holy—though he had taken her to heaven. The way he had loved her with his mouth right there in the kitchen and then taken her again and again against various walls of their new home. He had then vowed that just as soon as they were settled in, they'd be taking their showers together. Her body trembled. That water would certainly never feel cold—they would heat it up just fine.

"I think her face says it all," Eleanor spoke up with a knowing smile, which only served to make Samantha flame bright red and clear her throat loudly.

"Yes, well, if we're going to make it Anbarina before dark, we should probably be going," she announced, probably far too loudly.

Laughter rang out from her so-called friends and fiancé. "Yeah, judging by that expression and that impressive blush, I'd say the two love-birds had a wonderful first night at their new house," Tim agreed.