Daisy felt heat flood her face. She hadn't had the courage to ask herself that question.

"I've put him out of my mind," she said. She was unable to discuss her feelings about Tyler, even with Laurel. She was too unsure of them.

"Probably very wise."

"Guy's pressing me to set a date for the wedding. He says he's anxious to take all my worries off my shoulders."

"That's wonderful. I'm so happy for you."

But Daisy was well aware Laurel guarded her expression.

"I told him I wasn't ready."

"I can understand," Laurel said, looking down at her son. She changed sides. "However, it's never wise to take too long to get through a period like this. I know. I've lost my mother, father, and a husband. It'll be easier if you go on and get married. Making room in your life for a man is a big adjustment. I've done it twice, and it wasn't easy either time."

"Not even with Hen?"

"Don't ever tell him I said this," Laurel confided with a smile. "It was just a different kind of difficulty. It always is when you marry a strong man. They don't realize it, but they don't bend very easily."

Tyler didn't bend at all as far as Daisy could tell.

"Guy and his family are doing everything they can to shield me from any unpleasantness or curiosity over my father's death. Mr. Cochrane has taken over trying to find out who killed my father. His mother will plan the wedding."

"You're very fortunate." Laurel lifted her son against her shoulder. He rewarded her with an immediate burp.

"Not a very elegant way of signifying his satisfaction."

"May I hold him?" Daisy asked.

"Sure."

Daisy took Harrison from his mother and cradled him in her arms. He didn't feel at all strange this time. He seemed awfully small, but totally wonderful.

"He looks so much like his father already."

"All the Randolph children do. I wouldn't have been able to tell Fern's boys apart if it hadn't been for their ages. I don't think Rose had anything to do with her four. They're pure Randolph."

"You don't mind?"

"I can't think of anything more wonderful than having a son who looks exactly like the man I love."

"You do love him a lot, don't you?"

"I can't tell you how much. Sometimes it frightens me."

Daisy knew she looked confused.

"Hen used to be a gunfighter. I married him knowing there would always be a chance I would lose him." Laurel smiled softly. "I hated everything I thought he stood for, but it didn't do any good. I fell in love with him anyway."

The baby fell asleep in Daisy's arms, but she hardly noticed. "You married a man you disapproved of?"

"It was either that or be miserable the rest of my life. It was the same for Iris and Fern. No sane woman wants to marry a Randolph. We just can't help ourselves. You can put Harrison to bed now. He'll sleep until he's hungry again."

Daisy lay him in his bed. Her mind was racing. Three women had married Randolph brothers even though they didn't want to. Yet it had worked out fine for all of them.

But there was a major difference, she reminded herself. Tyler didn't want to marry her. As long as that was true, nothing else mattered.

As Daisy turned, she heard the door to the sitting room open and a babble of voices enter.

"That'll be Hen and the boys," Laurel said, a smile wreathing her face. "It sounds like they had a good ride."

Daisy felt like crying. If she had to sit and watch a happy family group, she was sure she would.

"I'd better be going," she said. "Mrs. Cochrane will worry if I stay away too long. They're all convinced I'm so fragile I'll crumble at the slightest thing."

"What do you think?" Laurel asked.

"I don't know what I think."

A boy of about eight burst into the room. "Ma, you should have been with us. I beat Jordy."

"He wouldn't have if that nag I was riding hadn't shied," Jordy said, disgusted. "I told you Adam and me ought to have brought our own horses."

"How did your father do?"

"Aw, he always wins," Adam complained. "Ain't no horse can beat Brimstone."

A sharp wind whipped around the rocky outcroppings. After a week warm enough to melt the last of the snow, the weather had turned cold under a clear, blue sky. Tyler continued to dig out the pieces of soft quartz with his pick. He barely noticed the thin vein of gold that laced the rock and glinted softly in the sunlight, or that it grew larger as he dug deeper into the hillside. He couldn't stop thinking about Daisy. He hadn't been able to get her out of his mind for more than a few minutes since he left Albuquerque.

He couldn't forget that last night in the cabin, the way she had felt in his arms, the taste of her kisses, the pa.s.sion that warmed her body until it was as heated as his own.

But it wasn't merely that night. He missed her. He'd had plenty of time to realize no other woman had responded to him as she had. Other women didn't know what to do with him. They were careful to avoid offending him. Strange he should like the one who seemed to make a point of annoying him. He was perverse and obstinate, just like the rest of his family.

He tried to keep his mind on his work. He had thought nothing meant as much as finding gold -- that was the basis on which he had made every decision for the past three years -- but things had changed in less than two weeks.

The more he thought about the killer, the less confident he felt the Cochranes could protect Daisy. He had no doubt they would have the sheriff on the killer's trail, but he doubted they would understand how dangerous this man was. Tyler doubted he would attempt to shoot Daisy in Albuquerque. He would probably wait until she visited her parents' graves.

Tyler drove his pick deep into the rock. He pulled out loose stone and attacked the vein more savagely. The click of metal on stone caused him to look up. Willie Mozel was coming over the ridge. Tyler left his diggings. He had coffee on by the time Willie reached the camp.

"I came to see how you're getting along," Willie said. He accepted a cup of coffee and settled on a rock. "Did you get that gal settled in town?"

Tyler nodded.

"Don't wear your voice out talking," Willie said.

Tyler almost grinned. "I left her with my brother. Her friends should be back by now."

"You had some visitors at your cabin," Willie said, taking a noisy sip of the hot coffee. "They stayed two, three days from what I could gather."

"The three killers?"

"Don't know if they was killers, but there was three of them. Made themselves at home."

Tyler waited, knowing Willie had more to tell.

"Didn't go off together," Willie said finally. "Two of them headed south. I figure they're headed for Mexico. Money lasts longer down there."

"And the other one?"

"Big fella riding a big horse. Couldn't miss his tracks."

"Where did he go?"

"Can't tell for sure, but if I was to make a guess, I'd say he was headed to Albuquerque."

Tyler had known it was coming. He had lain awake for several nights wondering what would set him off. He didn't have to wonder any longer.

"Then I guess I'd better head for Albuquerque."

"Sort of figured you might. Want some company?"

"No need. Hen's still there. Besides, if she's with the Cochranes, there's not much I can do but warn her."

"That all you going to talk to her about?"

"What else is there?"

"That's not for me to say," Willie said with a scornful snort. "I wasn't holed up with her in a cabin alone for nearly two weeks."

"It was only nine days, and Zac was there all but one."

"Plus two more on the road."

"Nothing happened."

Willie sipped noisily. To Tyler, the noise seemed like a derisive commentary.

"Why aren't you working your own claim?" Tyler asked.

"It turned out worthless. I'm looking for another likely place."

"I'll make you a deal. You work mine while I'm gone, and I'll give you a quarter of anything you find."

"A third," Willie countered.

"Okay."

Willie didn't look excited. "A third of nothing is still nothing."

"Let's have a look," Tyler said.

Willie was a good deal less skeptical when he got a look at the rock. "You can't go off chasing killers now," he exclaimed. "This could be a big strike."

"I knew I had to go as soon as I saw you top that ridge."

"I might try to steal your claim."

"I'd hunt you down and kill you."

"I might take any gold I find and head for Mexico."

"They don't ask questions about scrawny, ugly bodies in Mexico."

Willie laughed. "Go on. I knew you was in love with that gal the minute I set eyes on the two of you."

"And you came all this way to offer to watch my claim so I could go after her."

"Something like that."

"Well you're wrong about me being in love with her, but you're right I can't let her wander around without knowing that killer is still on her trail."

Tyler didn't even know if Daisy would want to see him. She probably felt this Guy fella was all the protection she needed. But Tyler couldn't feel comfortable with that until he got a look at Cochrane. Whether Daisy wanted him in Albuquerque or not, he was going to make sure she was all right.

"When can I expect you back?" Willie asked.

"Four or five days. It shouldn't take me long. Once I've told the Cochranes and the sheriff what they're up against, no reason for me to stay."

But as Tyler headed toward Albuquerque, he knew he had at least one more reason to prolong his stay. He had to be certain Daisy was in love with Guy Cochrane. He couldn't let her marry him if she wasn't.

Chapter Twenty.

"Mama says it's time you let Guy announce your engagement," Adora said to Daisy.

Adora had come to Daisy's room to have a comfortable chat before going to bed. She nestled in the chair next to Daisy's bed to keep warm.

"I told Guy I wasn't up facing all those people," Daisy said.

"Just an announcement, silly. You can hide in this room for the next year if you like. We'll protect you."