Millionaire Cowboy Heard Them Laugh at Widow’s Old Dress—His Next Move Silenced Everyone
Chapter 3
By dawn, half the county knew Silas Carter had defended the widow.
By breakfast, the story had grown.
Some said he had proposed marriage.
Others said he had bought her farm.
One woman claimed Margaret had deliberately worn the old dress to attract his attention.
Margaret heard none of it.
She was standing outside her farmhouse when Silas arrived.
The sky was pale.
Frost covered the grass.
Her young son, Daniel, stood beside her holding a wooden toy horse.
Silas dismounted.
Daniel stared at him.
“Are you the rich man?”
Margaret closed her eyes.
“Daniel.”
Silas smiled.
“I suppose I am.”
“How rich?”
“Rich enough to regret answering that question.”
Daniel considered this.
“Do you have a real horse?”
Silas pointed toward the chestnut gelding behind him.
“That one.”
Daniel’s eyes widened.
Margaret tried not to smile.
Then the sheriff appeared at the end of the road.
Six men rode behind him.
Silas turned.
“Stay inside.”
Margaret shook her head.
“No.”
“Mrs. Hale—”
“This is my house.”
The sheriff dismounted.
“Mrs. Hale, I have an order.”
Silas stepped forward.
“So do I.”
The sheriff looked at him.
“What order?”
Silas reached into his coat.
He removed a folded paper.
“A temporary injunction from the circuit court.”
The sheriff stared.
“You went to court overnight?”
“No.”
Silas handed him the paper.
“I sent a rider.”
The sheriff read it.
His face tightened.
“You can’t produce this that quickly.”
“I didn’t produce it.”
Silas looked at Margaret.
“Someone else did.”
The sheriff lowered the paper.
“Who?”
Silas smiled faintly.
“That’s something you should ask Edmund Voss.”
The sheriff looked toward the road.
Silas noticed something.
A man was watching from a distant hill.
He sat on a black horse.
Even from far away, Silas recognized him.
Edmund Voss.
Their eyes met.
Voss turned his horse and disappeared.
Silas folded his arms.
“This isn’t about land anymore.”
Margaret came beside him.
“What is it?”
Silas looked at the distant hill.
“Voss didn’t expect me to interfere.”
“Why?”
“Because men like him are accustomed to buying silence.”
Margaret looked at him.
“And you?”
Silas mounted.
“I’ve never been good at being bought.”
