She chuckles softly, brushing the woman's cheek with a tender hand.

"No need t'look sheepish 'bout it. I don't mind."

Leaving Hildegard to slumber, she leads Mireille back to where Beaut is standing, ears pinned back. The mare is justly agitated, and requires a good deal of coaxing before she'll let Kate hold her reins. Mireille has a choice between a fine blue dress or a pale yellow one, and as they go through her saddlebags Kate gently speaks.

"If I've got my bearin's right, there's a town not too awful far from here. With a li'l luck, we could probably find us a door. However, whereas you might blend in jus' fine, gettin' Hildegard through a town without raisin' eyebrows an' alarms could be a thorny affair.

"I was headin' north'a here to a ranch — the owner used t'be a good friend of mine. I've got some delicate business t'attend to, an' I was hopin' he'd give me someplace t'stay. Maybe Miss Bar'll open up a way from there, maybe she won't. But if he's got the kinda land I hear he does, it'd be someplace safe enough for Hildegard until we figure things out."

Brow furrowed, she touches Mireille's arm.

"What say you?"