She Arrived as a Mail-Order Bride—Before She Could Leave, a Cowboy Said, “She’s Mine.”
Chapter 6
They rode through the night.
Samuel kept Eleanor behind him whenever the road narrowed.
Jacob followed.
When the house finally appeared through the trees, it was silent.
Too silent.
The front door hung open.
Samuel dismounted.
Eleanor touched his arm.
“Don’t.”
He looked at her.
“I have to.”
“I mean don’t go inside first.”
She pointed toward the barn.
Smoke curled from beneath the roof.
Samuel ran.
The barn was already burning.
Jacob shouted for buckets.
Eleanor lifted her skirts and ran toward the well.
The three of them fought the fire until dawn.
They saved most of the animals.
But Samuel lost half his hay, tools, saddles, and winter feed.
The barn stood blackened against the sunrise.
Samuel said nothing.
Eleanor expected anger.
Instead, he turned toward the house.
“Is the ledger safe?”
She nodded.
“It is.”
“Good.”
She stared at him.
“Your barn burned.”
“I know.”
“You lost almost everything.”
“I know.”
“And you’re asking about the ledger?”
He looked at her.
“If that book proves Carter stole your father’s land, then the barn can burn.”
Eleanor’s eyes filled.
“You shouldn’t have to choose.”
“I didn’t.”
Samuel stepped closer.
“I chose you.”
She looked at him.
“Why?”
His answer was quiet.
“Because somewhere between the day you arrived and the day you called this place home, I stopped thinking of you as the woman who came to marry me.”
He took her hand.
“I started thinking of you as the woman I couldn’t bear to lose.”
Eleanor’s breath caught.
She had imagined many things when she answered his letter.
She had never imagined this.
She touched his cheek.
Then kissed him.
It was brief.
Almost shy.
But when they separated, neither looked away.
Jacob cleared his throat.
“Not to interrupt.”
Samuel sighed.
“What?”
“There’s something else.”
Jacob handed him a letter.
Samuel read it.
His face went still.
“What is it?”
“Carter’s summons.”
“From the sheriff?”
Jacob nodded.
“He says the hearing is tomorrow.”
Eleanor looked at the burned barn.
“Tomorrow?”
Samuel folded the letter.
“Yes.”
They had one day to prove the land had been stolen.
One day to find the missing original deed.
One day before Carter could seize the property.
Eleanor suddenly remembered something.
“My father.”
Samuel looked at her.
“What about him?”
“He left a trunk when he died.”
“Where?”
“At my stepmother’s house.”
“Maryland?”
She nodded.
Samuel stared toward the horizon.
That was hundreds of miles away.
They had no time.
Then Jacob spoke.
“Maybe not.”
They looked at him.
“I know a man who traveled with your father.”
“Who?”
“Old Reverend Hale.”
Samuel frowned.
“The preacher?”
“He’s living near the river.”
Eleanor’s heart began pounding.
“My father knew him?”
Jacob nodded.
“And Reverend Hale may know where the original deed went.”
Samuel saddled his horse.
Eleanor followed.
He turned.
“You stay here.”
“No.”
“Eleanor—”
“I’m coming.”
“It’s dangerous.”
“So is being married to you.”
For a moment he simply stared.
Then he smiled.
“Fair enough.”
They rode toward the river.
Behind them, the burned barn smoked.
Ahead waited the truth.
