His Cousin's Lady *Big Sky Brides Book 1*

Chapter 6

A vision of chestnut curls and sparkling brown eyes, kept replaying in Justice's mind.

He couldn't keep thoughts of beautiful Miss Seri out of his head.

Her beautiful smile brought one to his lips. The thought of seeing her again caused him to hurry through his chores.

He was almost finished hitching the flash black mare to the buggy when Jacob Moore his foreman breezed in.

"So Pearl tells me your sweet on that new young lady. " Jacob raised and eyebrow and laughed at his friend's icy gaze.

"Hey it's nothing to be ashamed of. I think she's right pretty too. " He said as he finished examining one of the wheels on the buggy.

Justice glared at Jacob and he laughed again.

"Y'might wanna get a new wheel why you're in town, this one looks a little worn. " he said slapping his hand down on the wheel.

Justice nodded and led Elle up toward the house with Jacob following behind.

Pearlie appeared on the porch, her golden brown shawl fluttering in the October wind.

Justice looked up at the gray sky.

"Might snow before long. We need to bring the cattle closer to the house. Last winter we lost about fifty head, not including the calves, to the frigid temperatures. "

Justice nodded at Jacob's statement.

And climbed into the buggy. He looked back down and realized he'd forgotten to help Pearl into the buggy.

He started to climb down and help his sister when he saw Jacob clasp her waist and lift her up.

Their eyes lingered on each other far too long in Justice's opinion.

He cleared his throat and shot his foreman an icy glare.

That foreman had better watch his step where his little sister was concerned.

The drive town was silent and uneventful.

Justice dropped Pearl off at the hotel and drove to the wagon shop.

"Hey Paul. " He called as he walked through the maze of wagons and wagon parts.

"I need a spare wagon wheel. I'll be by to pick it up later. "

Paul the man with thinning hair nodded and waved to Justice as he walked out the door.

Justice clipped down board walk greeting the townsfolk as they passed.

He met a very hysterical Pearl in front of the hotel.

"Oh Justice!" She cried.

"Something terrible has happened. Miss Serilda never came back last night. They saw her heading out of town on horse back and she never returned. "

Something in Justice snapped and he felt like he needed to personally find her.

"I'm going to the sheriff and we'll get a posse together."

Pearl nodded and halfway ran down the boardwalk to her Aunt's two story home with a white picket fence.

Justice turned the opposite direction and walked into the sheriff's office.

"Sherriff? "

"Steele, what can I do for you? "

"Miss Serilda's gone missing. "

"Is that so? And what do you want me to do about it"

"I want you to get up off your lazy tail and help me get a posse together! "

"Can't. With the Ryker gang on the loose I don't feel safe leaving the townspeople unprotected. "

"So you mean to tell me you're gonna leave that poor girl lost out there and not even attempt to look for her. Sorry Sheriff but you're even sorrier than I originally thought. "

The Sheriff just shrugged and propped his feet up on his desk.

"Maybe if she means so much to you ya oughtta go look for her by yourself. "

"Maybe I will! " Justice fumed as he stamped out the door.

He walked down the road to his aunt's house and picked up Pearl.

"What's got you in such a bad mood? " Pearl asked after he climbed into the buggy beside her.

"That sorry sheriff doesn't think Serilda is important enough to send a posse after. I'm dropping you off and grabbing a few of the hands I trust and then we're gonna go look for her."

Pearl nodded. The rest of the ride was silent.

It didn't take long before Justice and two of the cowboys were riding off with a few days provisions and a heavy coat each.

Justice went one way and sent the other guy's the other with the plan to meet in a few days.

Justice spurred his mare, Calamity looking for any sign of Serilda. He noticed some horse tracks heading out of town and followed them a ways until they disappeared.

The temperature had dropped drastically and Justice shivered. He shrugged into his heavy coat as a lone snowflake fell to the earth.

He knew it wasn't long before the sky opened and bathed the world in the white powdery fairy dust.

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Serilda shivered against the cold wind and was grateful for her soft, warm, moccasins.

The stars were bright on that chilly night.

Her feet crunched against the blanket of snow that had fallen earlier and was still falling only softer.

It was like a fairy land so beautiful, only Serilda couldn't understand the change if weather. Just yesterday, she had been outside in nothing but her dress and now she was wrapped in furs.

She was enjoying her freedom before she Wed the next day to a total stranger, whom she didn't love and hardly knew.

She was fixing to head back to the tent when she heard a sound.

She turned back towards the camp and someone grabbed her clamping a hand around her mouth.

She tried screaming. She kicked bit and swung trying to free herself from her captor.

"I won't leave you. " Her captor said in broken English.

She bit his finger causing him to cry out and loosen his hold on her. Ah struggled against her assailant, but to no avail. She was at the mercy of her captor.

She longed for town and Justice. Where did that thought come from. Nevertheless, she longed for him.

Here captor carried her to his horse, and lifted her on first.

"You stay with me. Waynoka's brother no need you. "

Seri looked up at her captor and tears filled her eyes. She was a prisoner and she hated it.

It wasn't long before the Indian reined his horse in at an old abandoned cabin.

"We stay here tonight and you be my squaw . "

Seri shuddered as he lifted her off the horse and brought her inside. The house was freezing and Serilda shivered.

"You be safe and warm with me. "He gave her this grin and Serilda nearly fainted.

The Indian shut the door and Serilda seated herself in a corner and burst into tears.