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1
Lillian Bradley sat astride a large red mare, gazing out at Texas’s rolling hills, counting the cattle for a third time. Someone was stealing her cows.
With a sigh, her eyes roamed across the land she loved. All this acreage, cattle, goats, horses, and even a bunch of chickens, but they were all she had. Lily was alone.
Yellow fever had raced through her family, killing everyone but herself. Alone, she didn’t understand how she had survived, but here she was with a large ranch and no one to help her with the many chores and responsibilities.
Some days, it was more than a body could bear, but she refused to give up.
Dust rose in the distance and she watched as a rider rode toward her. As the stranger drew closer, a groan rose in her throat. Jim White of the Big W Ranch, her neighbor, was coming for a visit. Rather an offer.
The man owned the largest spread in this section of Texas and was known for his shady deals, swindling, and even his prostitutes.
Pushing her long blonde curls back, her hand came to rest on the rifle she had become accustomed to being at her side.
He pulled his horse up beside her. “Good morning, Miss Bradley. How are you today?”
She turned and gave him an irritated frown. The wind blew her blonde hair into her face and she brushed it back. “Someone is stealing my cattle.”
“I’m sorry to hear that,” he said. “You know, a pretty young woman like yourself shouldn’t be worrying over lost cattle.”
“Maybe not, but yellow fever didn’t give me much choice.”
Her mare shimmied nervously, her paws dancing, eager to get away.
“Let me buy the ranch from you. Or even better, have you considered my son Matt? You are of marrying age. We could combine our land together into one big family ranch.”
Like hell. She would shoot herself before she’d marry his weasel son.
“Thank you, but I’m not selling my family’s land. Their deaths will not be in vain. As for marrying your son, no thank you.”
It was all she could do to keep from screamingoh hell no. Not Matt White, a mean, cussing, tobacco spitting boy who knew his father would always get him out of trouble.
Mr. White’s face turned red and his lips pressed into a thin line, but she didn’t care. “A young woman should not be running a ranch.”
“And yellow fever should not have killed my family.” She sighed and turned to him. “For the last six months, I’ve taken care of this ranch and I plan on continuing. Need to find a new helper since Mr. Garza disappeared.”
The man was like family and she was so disappointed he left her when she needed him the most. For nearly fifteen years, the man worked on the ranch and then one day, he just vanished.
“Miss Bradley,” Jim said, his voice coaxing and gentle. “I could take the worry off your hands. You would be free to be the young woman you long to be.”
It was true that she pined to have a carefree life again. One where all she had to worry about was helping her mother with dinner or the laundry. Where her grandmother baked a cake every week. Her grandfather and she went fishing when the weather permitted. But those days were gone. Stolen from her by a hideous disease.
“I’m so glad you came by, Mr. White. If you know anything about who might be taking my cattle, tell them I’m a fine shot with a rifle and I will not hesitate to kill them. Also, if you see my helper, Mr. Garza, tell him I would like to talk with him about increasing his salary.”
Often times, she worried something had happened to Mr. Garza. Because she didn’t think he would have left without saying good-bye. At least, she hoped not.
“Will do, Miss Bradley. You think about my offer. I’m willing to give you top dollar for your ranch.”
Top dollar, her ass. The man was a known cheat and would not give her anything for the Sweet B Ranch. Over the years, her father had complained how when times got bad, Ole Jim was there to steal the property for little or nothing from the ranchers in dire straits.
“Good day, Mr. White.”
It was a clear signal for him to leave. She had an appointment with the banker later today and she needed to be riding into town but would wait until he was out of sight. Though she doubted he would do something, she could see him setting fire to the house to force her to sell.
The man was a vulture of the worst kind. Preying on the weak and, right now, she was in his sights.
What she needed was a husband. Someone to help her with the ranch. To keep rustlers from cutting the fence and stealing her herd. Someone to fill the house with love and laughter. Someone to help her create her own family.
