The Outlaws Daughter

Chapter 5

 Being the only woman surrounded by men she had to learn to cook, so she knew her way around a kitchen.

"What are you doing?" She asked in surprise as Lincoln stood next to her, he silently reached for the potatoes she had set aside.

"I'm not useless in the kitchen, my brothers and I would take turns at dinner." He explained to her as he started to peel the potatoes.

Sabrina smiled a little at that, feeling oddly happy that he shared something about himself with her. "I would have loved to have a brother." She mused at that.

"Well I have five of them." Lincoln told her, his grey eyes flicked to her for a moment before focusing on the potatoes.

"Are you the eldest?" She asked him while trying to mask her jealousy at his big family.

"No, I am the baby, and they make sure to remind me of it." Lincoln explained, his expression softening for a moment.

A giggle escaped at the thought of the tall brooding man beside her being picked on by his older siblings.

"Uh, I do want to thank you for this." He remarked as he chopped the potatoes into thin slivers.

"Hmm you thank me for paying for food, but not for saving your life...You are an odd man Lincoln Clay." She said with a half laugh as she diced the slab of beef she had purchased and threw it onto the pan that had been heating on the stove.

"You shouldn't have risked your life for mine. Now I am indebted to you and I'd rather not be in this position." Lincoln said seriously as he moved to add the potato into the second pan she had set up. She fell silent at that, she was the daughter of the man who ruined his life, she shouldn't expect him to let go of his revenge...and to free her.

Pat walked into kitchen as she ladled the gravy on top of the beef, potatoes and beans.

"Smells good." His voice was quiet as he walked over to inspect what they had cooked.

"I'm sorry we had to wake you from your nap, but I hope the food makes up for it." Sabrina said with a smile as she picked up the tin dish.

"Let me." Pat grabbed the two plates from her and walked them over to the small kitchen table.

Sabrina smiled slightly at the older man before picking up the third dish and following after him.

"You seem at home in a saloon." Lincoln remarked to her as he sunk down into a chair and she sat opposite him.

"I was practically raised in one, Father carted me across the country-side for as long as I can remember. I took my first steps in one and teethed on leather gun holsters. Father said my first few words were not very polite." She explained as she picked up a fork and stabbed it into the small piece of beef.

"You don't seem like a woman who would cuss...but given your upbringing I'm surprised it's not every second word." Lincoln said around a mouthful of food.

"I CAN cuss. I just don't like to." Sabrina said with a shrug before digging into the food before it turned cold.

"What happened to your Ma?" Pat questioned her after a few bites of his meal.

"Look at you being so talkative." Sabrina teased in response. "I don't know who my mother is; Father doesn't remember which saloon wench I came from." She mumbled sadly at that as she pushed the food around her plate. She wanted nothing more than to belong to a proper family...with people who loved her and cared for her.

For once she was thankful as both men fell quiet and she could finish the meal without the hurt of her past resurfacing.