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Hattie smiled. “I’d like to meet her someday, Sam.”
“I don’t know if she’d come here and live…” Sam said aloud, amazed that he could put into words what was troubling him so.
“Does she love you?”
“Yeah…I think she does.” Sam sighed.
“Do you love her?” Hattie laid a hand on his.
“More than I want to admit.” Sam eyed Hattie.
“Then you should ask her, give her the choice,” Hattie confirmed.
“But she’s a woman of means, Hattie. She has more money than I could count,” Sam explained. “Why would she give up all that, to come here?”
“So, what has money to do with how she feels?” Hattie asked.
“Have you ever once been sorry you fell in love with Lee?” Sam asked, staring into his beautiful sister’s eyes.
“Not once!”
Sam nodded silently. “She’d have so much to give up.”
“Would she? Remember one thing Sam, a woman thinks with her heart first, no matter who she is. If she really loves you, she won’t hesitate to come…” Hattie got to her feet and stared down at him. “Ask her Sam, for both your sakes.”
Sam smiled.
Chapter Eighteen
It took two weeks to get everything packed up to go, but Riley helped Miss Tilda do it and all the girls were for it. When they arrived at the ranch, it was deserted. The door swung open with the wind, batting against the frame of the door as it opened and closed. The barn door was open too. No one was there. She figured the Sheriff had done his job and she was rid of Harry once and for all. Feeling the freedom of moving about her ranch once more, she mentally assessed what she might need in the way of supplies, as Miss Tilda and the girls went to work on cleaning the place out. There wasn’t a cow or horse on the property. Harry had taken everything, it seemed. She had learned her lesson, this time she would really size the men up before she hired them. She’d go on her gut feeling about them and hope she was right.
Within a couple of days, she had notices posted on tree trunks all over the valley about the girls being there. She had visited enough neighbors to know she had a lot of work ahead of her, there were a lot of questions by the ranchers and all were eager to see them get settled on her ranch.
She found a makeshift grave in the cemetery and figured someone must have buried Gordy. The lone wooden cross looked forlorn. She’d buy him a stone; he deserved at least that much.
“Sorry Gordy, I should have been there for ya.” She shook her head and let a tear fall.
Friend acquainted himself quickly of the property and followed her about.
The sunflowers still bask in the sun, as she sighed heavily of losing her beautiful roses she had planted last year.
Things were not the same anymore. Gordy was dead, her cattle gone, not a hand on the place. It looked so different to her now.
A couple of days later, she was cleaning out the kitchen when she heard voices, she wondered if Miss Tilda had come down early. But to her dismay when she came out, she ran right into Harry.
“Well now, lookie here. Miss Riley isn’t dead after all,” Harry snarled as his partner came inside behind him. They were both drunk.
Jarvis pulled his gun and Harry approached her. “We thought you was dead.”
“Not hardly.” Riley swallowed hard as Harry pulled his gun on her and pointed it at her.
“That’s too bad, ‘cause we was getting to like it here.” Harry laughed.
“I see you made yourself at home and made a mess of the place,” Riley fumed.
“Well now honey, if we’d have known you’s a comin’ we’d have cleaned up better.” Harry winked at Jarvis.
“Get out Harry, and don’t come back,” Riley ordered. “Get out before they throw you in jail where you belong.”
