Chapter 16The road to Ogden, wet with the melting snow, was fraught with harsh nights and treacherous pathways. The wind bit at their faces and whipped at their horses. The rations they brought with them were enough to last, but they could barely manage a fire in the evenings to keep warm, much less to cook with. Some days, the winter winds were so unforgiving, Violet wouldn’t be surprised if they’d gone in circles. But no act of nature compared to the heavy weight on their hearts. Violet almost preferred the raging winds to the eerie silence. Simply put, no one felt like talking in Rory’s absence. It didn’t feel right, not having him with them. Sharing a saddle, asking a question, or perhaps coming back from a hike with a few fresh rabbits. They were incomplete, and the imbalance was stag
