CHAPTER FIFTEEN
They managed to repair the steps as best they could. Timber seemed to be in short supply, but they ripped off several planks from an old, near-collapsed barn and fashioned them to fit the gaps. Doc Farlow watched them from the top, shaking his head. Beside him stood Maisie, dressed only in her finest Basque, herring-bone ribbed sides accentuating her full figure. She laughed, but could not keep the admiration from her voice when she said, “I do like a man who indulges in manual labor!”
Dragging a forearm across his brow, Coltrane smiled towards her. “And I do like the way you are looking, Miss.”
“Name’s Maisie.”
Her smile grew wider.
“Mine’s Jeremiah. Jeremiah Coltrane. It’s good to meet you.”
“Hey, gringo,” spat Cruces, breathing hard. “We need to get this done if th
