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He stalked away and Portia said, “I really should be allowed to shoot him, you know.”
“I know, darlin’. Maybe next time.”
On the ride home, she was cuddled into his side. “Tell me something about yourself I don’t know.”
He paused and thought. “I was in a Mexican prison for three years.”
She stiffened and looked up. “What? Why?”
“I was caught in bed with a don’s wife.”
“Really?” There was such a marked inflection in the word, he began to worry if maybe he should’ve offered up something simpler like how strawberries gave him hives.
“You knew she was married?”
“I did.” Anxious to know what she was thinking, he waited for her to say more, all the while hoping she wouldn’t demand he stop the buggy and tell him the wedding was off. Granted, he probably should have said something about it earlier, but it never came up.
“Are you going to be unfaithful to me at some point, Kent?”
There was such seriousness in her tone it broke his heart. He felt like he’d failed her in a deep and profound way even though he hadn’t known he’d be in love with her someday. “No, Duchess. Never. I was young and stupid back then. Did all my thinking below the waist instead of above my shoulders. I love you too much to hurt you that way.”
As if attempting to discern the truth she studied him for a bit longer. When she finally resettled herself against him he let out an unconsciously held breath.
“I guess I should be thankful you were truthful and that her husband didn’t shoot you dead.”
“I certainly am.”
“What happened to the wife?”
He shrugged. “I don’t know.” Rumor had it that the don purchased her a new carriage and enough jewelry to outfit a queen as a way of atoning for neglecting her while he spent his nights with his various mistresses, but Kent didn’t know if it was true or not. “Now, your turn. Tell me something I don’t know about you.”
“Had I a gun yesterday, I would’ve shot Edward Salt dead.”
Concern flared and he pulled back on the reins to stop the horses. “Explain.”
So she did, and when she was done, parts of him smiled at her humorous description of Salt rolling on the ground in misery, but others, the parts that loved her and needed to protect her wanted to find the bastard and kick his ass into next month. “If he even looks at you again, he’ll have me to answer to.”
“And if I ever catch you in bed with another woman you’ll have me to answer to.”
Keeping his smile hidden he replied, “Yes, ma’am.”
Kent, Rhine, and Matt set out at dawn to meet up with David Neal and the other members of the newly formed posse at the Blanchard place. As they rode, Rhine told Kent his lawyers had successful squashed Charlie Landry’s bogus claim of ownership. “So if you still want the land, it’s yours.”
“I do. Oliver tells me I have an inheritance coming so hopefully it will be enough to meet your price.”
“There won’t be a price.”
“What do you mean?”
“Eddy and I have decided to give the land to you and Portia as our wedding gift.”
Kent stopped his horse. “Why?”
“Because we can.”
Kent met Rhine’s eyes and tried to make sense of the startling offer. “But what about your wanting to own that land?”
“I’d rather give it to you and Portia.”
