Sam laughed at her as she made a face and reminded how sturdy she was.   What she said about the ranch surprised him though.  Somehow he’d gotten the idea . . . apparently falsely. That it was a family birthright.  He pondered that information and he nodded and rubbed his chin with his gloved hand.  That brought other possible scenarios to mind . . . and motive.<br/><br/>“I know how sturdy you are Darlin . . . I ain’t questioning that at all. Dang nab it.  Listen I’ve never been in love . . . not like this anyway . . . and I dang sure have never got married . . . so pardon me if I want to take care of you some.  Since the heats not bothering you . . . apparently, and you’ll only give me a piece of grief later anyway if I’m not workin’ . . . let’s ride on.  Only I’ve an idea I’d like to check out.  We can do it from a distance through my scope.  It won’t take long I figure.  Is there a vantage point a bit higher where we might see the place from a vantage point above this god awful desert?”<br/><br/>He stood in his stirrups and surveyed the horizon as he spoke to her.  Sam was looking for higher ground closer to them than the ranch was.  He sat in his saddle and took up his canteen took a couple swallows of the tepid water, wiped the spout with his hand when he was done and handed it across to her.<br/><br/>“Pregnant or not Irene . . . this desert heat can suck the moisture right out of you.  It doesn’t taste bad, but it’s a might warm.”<br/><br/>He watched her and grinned.  He surely had his hands full with his bride, and he was just fine with that.  God but he surely had it bad for her.  He lifted his hat from his head and wiped his forehead again with his sleeve and the inside band of the hat with his bandana.<br/><br/>“Now don’t take offense honey . . . but you wanna wear my hat for a spell?  It’ll keep the sun out of your eyes and off your beautiful face.”  He chuckled.  “Besides it ain’t likely that we’ll come upon anyone else out here.”<br/>