Sarah knew she was bungling this and immediately wanted to tell him to use that patience she knew he had. "Very well, if you want me to tell you right here by the train instead of the café down the street, that's fine. I want to go to your ranch..."

She found herself in his arms being swung around in a circle. She was giggling at the same time she pushed on his chest to make him put her down.

"I'm trying to explain," she said as she tried to stop grinning. She straightened her clothes looking around to see if anyone had seen that, while he stood there with obvious pleasure.

"So far, I'm pleased with what you're saying, Miss Sarah. Please, continue," he said with formality making her look at him through her long lashes. He winked and another smile popped out on her face.

"You're incorrigible," she said with laughter. "As I was saying, there are a couple of reasons why I didn't tell my parents about your desire to court me. Mostly, I feared my father would say no and not allow me to come with you at all. If he agreed and you stayed here, he would insist we have a chaperone at all times, likely my mother.

"I knew better than to take a chance on him saying no—and as to a chaperone, especially my mother, she would have been a huge hindrance to a courtship. When you meet her, you will understand exactly what I mean. She enjoys visiting with company." Frank's lip twitched while his eyes filled with amusement.

She wasn't sure what he thought was funny about that. "Allow me to give you an example of what our courtship would be like. We are about to go to dinner and my parents would find the action acceptable since you have arrived to escort me to Texas. However, if my father knew you wished to court me, our plans to have dinner without a chaperone would not be acceptable. He would want to keep an eye on me. That's why we can't tell them. I am not a child, Frank. Nor do I wish for them to treat me like one." Her hands rose to her hips and rested there daring him to disagree.

"Oh, I agree. You are definitely no child."

"Good. Then you'll understand why I refuse to allow my father to choose my husband for me or make demands on you in order to see if you live up to his expectations. This is another reason why I am glad you live in Texas. We'll have all the time we need to learn about each other. Besides... it's a more sensible approach. We can spend time with each other in that environment and learn what our life would be like together."

At that statement, he rolled his palm up while his lips pursed together. "That's sensible. You see, that land and I are part of the package. I wouldn't want to give up everything for a woman who couldn't love me enough to accept my choices."

What he said was true. "Just so you know, I don't care much where I live just so it isn't here. What does matter is teaching. I love children and..." She paused because his grin grew with each thing she said. Her eyes closed at the thought of how he had interpreted what she'd just said. I'll be just fine living at your ranch and I'd love to have your children. Lord, there was something about Frank that made her brain stop reasoning out what she said.

"Your offer to build a schoolhouse if we get married means a lot to me."

"I'm glad you've thought this through. As to your father, you know him better than I do. Perhaps if he saw a possibility in our relationship..." she shook her head vigorously. "You don't think he'd consider..." Her head still shook a hard no. "Not even after we spend the summer together?" Another definite no. "Yet he'll still allow you to leave with me?"

"Yes, unless he changes his mind. He can be unpredictable if things don't work out the way he intends them to. I don't wish to stand here and explain my father to you now. But he did ask others for information about that area of Texas, I'm not sure why. He also checked the route I would be traveling.

"After Gil wrote to tell him I would not be escorted to Fort Worth, because the Rangers didn't leave the state, Father decided the train would be safe enough for me to travel that far alone. All I needed to do was find one of the Rangers going to Sweetwater and ride on that train. From there, I would travel alone by stagecoach to Clear Creek. Your brother had assured Father that one of you would come for me once I wired my arrival date."

The shock on his face brought her finger to his chest. "I know how to shoot and planned to travel with a gun. Besides, traveling by train is fairly safe. At least, Father thinks so.

"By the way, Frank, how come you didn't mention that Lori was engaged to a mountain man in your last letter?"

He would not allow a change in topic to prevent him from expressing his opinion of the travel plans he had been fortunate enough to halt. "It's a damn good thing I came to get you. You should have wired me concerning this idiotic plan that allowed you to travel alone!" She frowned, but he glared right back at her.

"Sarah, your safety is important to me—but we'll discuss this further after I hear what other problems have cropped up. It sure didn't take long for Gil to spread the news about Lori. Lordy, he's as bad as... placing an ad in the daily."

"You were gonna say a woman—weren't you?"

His eyebrow shot up. "You expect me to fess up to that?" he asked. "I've known gossip to spread like a wildfire from women who didn't have a clue to whether their tittle-tattle was true or not and the same for elderly men." He watched the way she nodded agreement with disgust. "We can talk about Lori over dinner and discuss the trip. Where's the café?"

She pointed. He whistled for his horse and offered her his arm, which she took. Together, they walked down the boardwalk with his horse following. Frank covered her hand for only a moment before letting his hand drop by the gun on his hip. She had seen other men do the same in Fort Worth. It was as if there was a need to be ready at the first sign of trouble. But in the college town of Lawrence, there were few who carried a weapon.

"Sarah, there aren't any towns between Sweetwater and our ranch, much less a hotel. That stage doesn't travel directly to Clear Creek. It stops at the stage's midway house for the night, which is three hours west of our town. Sometimes, the passengers have to share a room with others at these places. I'm not sure how clean they are either."

He saw her face take on a look of horror. "The good news is that the travelers are fed a hot meal. But it's little better than trail food." He stopped and took her hand. "The problem with the stage is the danger. Unless they have hired gunmen to ride with them, there's a good chance of being robbed since travelers always carry money or gold with them. This is why I decided to escort you."

"Good Lord." It was a shock for her to learn this had been her father's choice for her. Had he known? If not, why hadn't he checked? She worried her bottom lip while she considered the situation. "Will we be any safer traveling alone?"

He didn't think traveling alone was ever safe. "If we leave soon, I'll wire Jacob at Ranger Headquarters to wait in Fort Worth for us. Someone in Sweetwater can arrange for us to use a wagon to make the trip more comfortable for you. I'm afraid that a carriage around those parts wouldn't be found. Ever sleep under the night sky before?" She sucked on her bottom lip while shaking her head. "Don't worry, sweetheart, I'll make a bed for you in the wagon. Will that satisfy you?"

"I trust you to protect me, Frank." She tugged him towards the door of the café. "But it would be best if Father wasn't told about this either. He would prevent me from leaving."

"Sarah, hold up. How soon can you be ready to go?"

"By tomorrow, I suppose. I've already packed a bag."

A smile spread across his face knowing she had planned this. "Where's the telegraph office?"

"Back towards the train depot, why?"

"There's quite a lot for us to discuss, Darlin', but I need to send my brother a telegram so he doesn't leave town." He looked around and had doubts creep in about Sarah choosing him for a husband. He sure hoped she would find something about the ranch she liked... starting with him. They could work on the rest. "If you're sure about coming with me to the ranch..."

"Yes, Frank. I want to come with you. Go ahead and send the wire. I'll meet you at the café. It's the one with the checkered curtains in the window."

"Yeah, I see it. One more thing, do you ride?" He asked while considering an alternative.

"Yes, I ride, but I don't have a horse, I have a bicycle." When he began laughing, her eyes turned to flint. "Do you find it laughable?" She asked with an edge to her voice.

He knew arguing about what a lady wore was foolishness, much less what she did. "I imagined you peddling your bicycle across a pasture for two days to get to the ranch, while I rode behind you pulling a packhorse stacked with your bags of clothes. I couldn't help but laugh." He watched a grin spread across her face as she shared his humor. "If you could do that, you're better than me. It's hard enough on a horse."

"I doubt I could make it that far," she admitted.

"Would you care to walk back with me to the telegraph office?"

"No, you go ahead. I'll get us a table and send a note to my parents. Don't worry, Frank, the owner is a friend of mine and we visit quite often." He gave her a nod and whistled for his horse. She watched as he swung his body into the saddle and race towards the depot. She couldn't help but admire him.

Sarah went inside the café and waved at Rose who was busy cooking. She stopped at the counter that separated the kitchen from the tables and jotted a note to her parents. Her friend gave a plate of food to the young woman she had hired to serve, and then wiped her hands on the apron to come and talk.

"Did you get out of having dinner with your father?" Rose asked with a wicked grin.

Humor had Sarah fighting a grin when she glanced at the yellow scarf with bright orange flowers wrapped around her friend's dark hair. "It helps that I've been watching for Frank to come in on the train. Father has allowed me to eat later."

"That was good of him," she said with sarcasm. Rose waved a finger at the note and said, "Tell me about that."

"Frank came in and we plan to eat here." She saw Rose look around the room. "He went to send off a telegram to his brother. I want Grant to take the message to my mother so she knows I won't be eating at home."

Rose called her son from the back room and he came in a hurry. Upon seeing Miss Sarah, he stopped to greet her. She smiled and stooped down holding a shiny copper coin at eye level. "I have a job for you."

The boy stared at the coin with eagerness in his eyes and then looked back at her. "What do you want me to do, Miss Lawrence?"

She handed him the note. "I would like for you to take this to my house and give it to my mother at the back door. She'll be in the kitchen cooking. Do you remember where I live?" He bobbed his head and stuck out his hand. She handed him the note along with the coin and he rushed out the door. She knew he would use his penny to stop for candy before he came back.

Rose laughed at the reaction of her son. "His bike is out back but I swear he could run and get there just as fast. You want the house special?"

"Please. I'll go and take that table in the back before there are no tables left. You're busy tonight." She went and took a seat facing the door. While she waited, she considered how she would tell Frank about her father. So far, he understood only a few of the obstacles.