She Arrived as a Mail-Order Bride—Before She Could Leave, a Cowboy Said, “She’s Mine.”
Chapter 10
The man was Silas Vane.
Carter’s former enforcer.
He had no interest in land.
He wanted revenge.
Samuel had once arrested him for stealing horses.
Vane had sworn he would kill him.
When Samuel discovered him behind the barn, he did not draw his weapon immediately.
“Come out.”
Silence.
Samuel waited.
Then Vane stepped into the moonlight.
Eleanor saw him through the window.
Samuel motioned for her to stay inside.
Vane smiled.
“You always were brave.”
“And you always were stupid.”
Vane laughed.
“You think Carter lost?”
“He did.”
“You think this is over?”
Samuel drew his pistol.
“No.”
Vane fired.
Samuel fell.
Eleanor screamed.
Vane ran.
She rushed outside.
Samuel lay in the dirt.
Blood spread beneath his coat.
“No.”
He opened his eyes.
“Don’t.”
“You’ve been shot.”
“I know.”
She pressed her hands against the wound.
Jacob came running.
They carried Samuel inside.
The bullet had struck his shoulder.
Painful.
But survivable.
Eleanor refused to leave him.
For two days she barely slept.
On the third morning, Samuel woke to find her sitting beside the bed.
“You look terrible.”
She stared at him.
“You almost died.”
“I didn’t.”
“You could have.”
“But I didn’t.”
She wanted to be angry.
Instead she began crying.
Samuel reached for her hand.
“I’m sorry.”
She leaned against him.
“I hate you.”
“No, you don’t.”
“No.”
She smiled through tears.
“I don’t.”
News arrived that afternoon.
Sheriff Mason had arrested Vane.
Thomas Carter had agreed to testify fully.
The colonial court would investigate the fraudulent land grants.
Carter’s property had been frozen.
Samuel’s debt was dismissed.
Eleanor’s father’s land was restored.
But Samuel had one more problem.
His barn was gone.
His cattle feed was low.
Winter was approaching.
The house was safe.
But rebuilding would take months.
Samuel looked at Eleanor.
“I can sell the north field.”
“No.”
“We need money.”
“We can rebuild slowly.”
“You don’t understand.”
“I understand.”
She touched his face.
“We don’t need everything at once.”
He smiled.
“You’ve changed.”
“So have you.”
“How?”
“You used to think a house was something you had to defend.”
“And now?”
“Now I think you know it’s something people defend together.”
Samuel looked around the room.
The chairs.
The table.
The kitchen.
The little vase of dried flowers Eleanor had placed near the window.
“Home.”
She smiled.
“Yes.”
He reached into the drawer.
Then pulled out a small ring.
It was simple.
Silver.
Eleanor stared.
“I thought you were already my husband.”
“I am.”
“Then why the ring?”
“Because the first time you came here, you were marrying a stranger.”
He took her hand.
“I want you to marry me again.”
She laughed softly.
“This time?”
“This time because you know me.”
Eleanor looked at the ring.
Then at him.
“I do.”
She kissed him.
“I choose you.”
Samuel slipped the ring onto her finger.
Outside, Jacob shouted from the yard.
“Samuel!”
Samuel sighed.
“What now?”
Jacob called again.
“People are coming!”
Samuel frowned.
“How many?”
“Too many to count.”
Eleanor stepped onto the porch.
Down the road came wagons.
Neighbors.
Farmers.
Families.
They carried timber, tools, nails, feed, and food.
Samuel stared.
One man shouted,
“We heard your barn burned!”
Another called,
“So we’re building you another!”
Eleanor looked at Samuel.
He shook his head in disbelief.
“I didn’t ask them.”
“No.”
She smiled.
“You didn’t.”
