She Came to Claim Her Grandfather’s Ranch With Two Children — The Poor Rancher Offered Them a Home
Chapter 7
The next morning, Anna found Elias repairing the children’s wagon.
“You fixed it.”
“Mostly.”
“You don’t have to.”
“I know.”
She smiled.
“Why do you always say that?”
“Because I want you to know.”
She sat beside him.
“You really think I can stay?”
Elias looked at her.
“You already are.”
Anna was quiet.
Then she said:
“I’ve spent years believing I was unwanted.”
Elias stopped working.
“Why?”
“My husband’s family blamed me after he died.”
“For what?”
“For leaving him.”
“You left an abusive man.”
“He told everyone I had ruined him.”
Elias looked at her.
“You survived him.”
She looked away.
“Sometimes surviving doesn’t feel like winning.”
“No.”
He returned to the wagon.
“But it means you’re still here.”
That afternoon, they rode to the far boundary.
Anna saw fields stretching toward the river.
“This is beautiful.”
“It was.”
“What happened?”
“Neglect.”
Elias pointed toward the fence.
“My grandfather kept everything running.”
“Why didn’t your family?”
“My father believed the land belonged to us.”
Anna looked at him.
“And you?”
“I think land belongs to whoever cares for it.”
She smiled.
“That sounds like my grandfather.”
They spent the afternoon repairing fence posts.
Matthew helped.
Rose collected wildflowers.
For several hours, there were no threats.
No Crowe.
No forged papers.
Just work.
That evening, Anna cooked supper.
Elias entered the kitchen.
“What smells so good?”
“Stew.”
“You’re spoiling me.”
“You’re the one who offered us a home.”
He looked at her.
“It’s your home too.”
She froze.
He realized what he’d said.
“I mean—”
“I know.”
The children laughed from the other room.
Later, after they were asleep, Anna and Elias sat outside.
The stars were bright.
“Do you ever regret helping us?” she asked.
“No.”
“Even if I lose the ranch?”
“You won’t.”
“How do you know?”
“Because we’ll prove the truth.”
She smiled.
“There’s that word again.”
“What?”
“We.”
Elias looked at her.
“Yes.”
Neither spoke for a while.
Then Anna rested her hand beside his.
Their fingers touched.
Neither moved away.
The moment was interrupted by the sound of hooves.
A rider approached.
It was the county sheriff.
He dismounted.
“I need to speak with you.”
Elias stood.
“What happened?”
“Crowe filed a complaint.”
“About what?”
The sheriff looked at Anna.
“He says she’s trespassing.”
Anna’s face went pale.
“He also claims the ledger is stolen property.”
Elias’s jaw tightened.
“That’s a lie.”
“I know.”
The sheriff looked exhausted.
“But I have orders to seize it.”
Anna stood.
“You can’t.”
The sheriff lowered his voice.
“If I refuse, Crowe will have me removed.”
Elias understood.
Crowe controlled the law.
The sheriff whispered:
“You have one day.”
“One day for what?”
“To produce proof of ownership.”
He mounted.
Then turned back.
“Find the original deed.”
After he left, Anna looked at Elias.
“Where is it?”
Elias thought of the letters.
The ledger.
The hidden room.
Then he remembered something.
His grandfather had once forbidden anyone from entering the old family cemetery.
“There’s one place we haven’t searched.”
The cemetery.
