Keep My Heart

Chapter 6

Chapter Six

Millie felt better and more in control after she had straddled the horse and got it into motion. She had always felt comfortable on the back of a horse, but living in town rarely presented the opportunity to ride.

Trey, too, was a very accomplished rider, sitting tall and perfectly erect in the saddle. His horse knew who was boss and moved at the slightest tug or a gentle motion of his body.

“Have you ridden much?” he asked her.

“Not much” Millie admitted.

“Could’ve fooled me. You ride very well” He smiled.

Whoa…was that a compliment?

“Thanks” Millie smiled awkwardly. She had never been completely comfortable with responding to compliments.

Noting hank’s shiny coat, Millie tried to make conversation. “I met Price yesterday,” she said.

“Price?”

“The stable boy?”

“Oh” Trey nodded. “I wouldn’t get too comfortable with him if I were you”.

Millie stared at him. Why would he warn her against Price? He seemed civil enough.

“I don’t trust him,” Trey said as if reading her thoughts.

Millie pursed her lips. Price sure seemed to have a grudge against Trey, and it was looking like the feeling was mutual.

“Then why does he work for you?” Millie regretted asking the question the moment it came out. It was none of her business as to why Trey hired someone he didn’t trust.

“I don’t know really. Clayton hired him while I was gone once. Haven’t had the heart to send him on his way yet” Trey answered.

Maybe Millie could get Price’s side of the story sometime. If there was anything she had learned in life, it was to get both sides of a story before judging someone.

“So tell me about you,” Trey said, resting one hand on his thigh and looking at her. “What brought you here?”

“I needed a job,” Millie answered shortly.

“Obviously. Do you have any family?” Trey pressed.

Millie sighed. It was obvious that he wanted the whole story. “No. My Pa was killed about a little over a month ago. I don’t know of any other living kin”.

“Killed?”

“Bank robbery in Casden. A man shot him in cold blood” Millie shut her eyes to ward off the memory, and when she opened them, she looked over at Trey. A strange expression crossed his features, one that she couldn’t recognize.

“Y-You’re from Casden?” he asked.

“Yes. I’ve lived there my whole life,” Millie said.

Trey nodded. He didn’t look so good. Millie decided to change the subject.

“I have a question, Trey,” she announced.

“Uh, huh?”

“How long has it been since Quinn has spoken?” Millie asked.

“Huh? Is he supposed to talk yet?” Trey twisted to face her.

“Um, yes. He’s two years old. Have you even tried to get him to say something?” Millie asked.

“It’s…never occurred to me” Trey said. “I’m gone a lot and he’s usually up in the nursery” Trey turned his horse down a beaten path to the right.