Wyoming Solace Chapter One

Historic Western 64,000 word novelPublished 3/2017 by Dark Mountain Books Previously published 12/2008 by Liquid Silver Books 8/2012 by Samhain Publishing Editor: Linda Ingmanson

Wyoming, 1895 She fled civilized Virginia for the windyplains of Wyoming, but the hard work ofrenovating her old family ranch was exactly howElise Vickerson planned to find solace.She had spent too long as her husband'spunching bag. Striking out on her own shows herhow strong she is...she doesn't need aman! Except the cowboy next door has herthinking... Cody Campbell has proof that thedilapidated Vickerson ranch belongs to him,but he'll have to wait until his father's return toshow his prickly neighbor that she's wasting hertime fixing up a ranch house that he planned tolevel. Elise would do best to ignore herhandsome neighbor, but in his arms she feelssomething new. Safe. Knowing that her pastwould eventually catch up to her, safety andsecurity with Cody was a dream she couldn'tafford to entertain.

I could not put WYOMING SOLACEdown! WYOMING SOLACE is a “read- at-one-sitting” story full of suspense and revealing thetraumatic results of abuse. My heart went out tothe young woman so deprived of warmth andlove; instead forced to endure torture. Do NOTmiss WYOMING SOLACE or you will regret it. Alanna Coca did a beautiful job onbringing out the emotion in her characters and inme. You will feel Elise’s heartache in certainchapters. Cody is a hero after my own heart. Heis definitely your cowboy – One to protect you. Ijust loved it!

WYOMING SOLACE is an emotionalread…The descriptions of the land were vividand I could imagine myself there. Thecharacters were all complex and little by little wewere shown their true selves. This is a spell-binding tale that keeps youreading. It’s beautiful, heart-wrenching andsurprisingly funny by turns. Cody is a true hero,and you sooo want him to get the girl. Mary Eliseis a feisty heroine determined to make a freshstart. Jonathan-the-devil’s-spawn (can I say thatin a review?) did not destroy her spirit. And youfind yourself wishing for their HEA with all yourheart.

Prologue Mary Elise curled on her side, the quiltpulled up to her ears, too afraid to move.Even the nocturnal songs of crickets andfrogs were eerily absent tonight. Only herbreathing and the ticking clock on her bedsidetable permeated the thick atmosphere. Asusual, only one lamp remained lit in theparlor, and the meager light barely reachedthe bedroom where Mary lay anxiously. He should have been home by now. She stared at the clock and wentthrough her mental checklist. Clothing andundergarments that were ostensibly sent out

for alterations or repairs months ago werenow packed and ready. Money she’dstockpiled penny by penny was in thedrawstring pouch, safe and sound in its hidingplace in the hall closet. Her former butlerDaniel Keane had oiled the two pertinentdoors in the house; they opened and closedwithout a sound. Squeaky floorboards werementally mapped out, and after weeks ofpractice, she could navigate around the housesilently even in the dark. Jonathan’s huntingdog was deep in sleep, thanks to the powerfulsedative she’d added to the brute’s water dish.He would be quiet throughout the night. Most importantly, the train tickets werepurchased, and Daniel was waiting.Everything was ready. She glanced at the clock. Three thirty.The train would leave in an hour. Daniel hadtimed the trip, and it took exactly seventeenminutes on horseback from their meeting

point to the train station. If she didn’t leaveby four o’clock, they wouldn’t make it. Couldshe leave before he got home? Once again,she dismissed that idea. That would never work. She couldn’tchance meeting him on the way out the dooror near the depot. No. If he wasn’t home inthe next ten minutes, she’d have to light thelamp in the den window to signal Daniel.They’d have to plan for another time. Itwould mean at least another twenty-sevendays. There were very few passenger carsscheduled during the night, and taking a trainin broad daylight was out of the question. She blinked back the tears. Months ofplanning, all for naught. Even tonight’sweather was cooperative; without a star in thesky and no moon, the shadows were pitchblack. There wasn’t even a breeze. It was perfect. Almost. It wouldn’t work without

Jonathan. This wasn’t the first time he’dthwarted his plans. It would be perfect someother day. She gave in to a desolate whimper. The hollow sound of horse hooves onthe cobblestone driveway stifled her self-pity.A door closing and footsteps—James thestableman scrambling to care for the horse.He had to have been sitting awake, waitingfor Jonathan’s arrival as well. Elise braced herself, but there were nowords exchanged. Jonathan rarely spoke tohis servants except to dole out orders orchastise them in some way. When he wasoverly aggravated, he would light into hishired help without provocation. Silence was agood sign. Uneven footsteps crunched on thegravel as Jonathan stumbled onto the porch.He was mumbling. Humming? She smotheredher excitement. After seven years of marriage, Maryknew Jonathan’s moods well. He returned

home either angry or happily inebriated.Violent relations always accompanied theformer, but she stood a chance with the happydrunk. If she feigned sleep, breathed veryquietly and kept very still, she might even belucky enough to avoid his urges altogether. She checked the clock again. Therewas time. Even if he did force himself on her,she’d live through it; she always did.Afterwards, she would just have to wait forhim to slip into unconsciousness. Shewhispered a quick prayer before he enteredthe house. She counted each footstep. He enteredthe washroom and chuckled. The childishgiggle seemed so innocent, yet knowing theman as intimately as she did, she knew itcovered a thoroughly evil thought. It madeone wonder what wicked plan he wasconcocting, but she couldn’t afford the timeor distraction to speculate tonight.

Water splashing. His belt bucklejangled while he walked through the lavatorydoor and across the hall to their bedroom. This was it. Her heart beat with such force he hadto be able to hear it, but she didn’t move. Hewalked across the room to stand right in frontof her. Though she dared not open her eyeseven to slits, she knew his waist was mereinches from her face. She could smell him.Cigar smoke mingled with whiskey, the odorof his own body, and the unmistakable scentof cheap perfume. For long moments, he stood still. Washe watching her? Studying her? Could he tellthat she was awake? Please let him be drunk enough. I justneed to pull this off. One last time. Breathe in, exhale. Deeply. Perfectlytimed. Not moving from his place beside her,

he began to undress. He fell against the bedonce, jarring the mattress with what musthave been an elbow. He chuckled again. Stillshe didn’t move. When he regained hisbalance, she heard his trousers hit the floor,belt and all. After another nerve-rackingpause, he flipped the quilt off her and lightlycovered her breast through her chastenightgown with his long, thin hand. Then hesqueezed. She bit the inside of her cheek torefrain from crying out from the pain. Shecouldn’t. She refused to even swallow the bilethat rose to her throat while she heard himrubbing himself grotesquely just inches fromher nose. He cursed, chuckled and evenmumbled something about Annie’s thighsbefore roughly pushing away from her. Shemumbled and readjusted her head on thepillow. He snorted, a disgusting sound thatusually accompanied a sardonic roll of his

eyes, but then he moved away. She listened,scarcely believing that he’d let her go. Hecrossed the room and poured whiskey fromthe decanter on his bureau. If she allowedherself to show any emotion right now, hersmile would be enormous. The same sedativethat kept the bird dog happily slumbering wasnow swirling inside Jonathan’s stomach. He threw himself onto the bed besideher, causing the mattress to lurch. His armwent around her like a meat hook anddragged her against him. She was relieved tonote that he still wore his long underwear,and he wasn’t aroused. Still, he pumped hiships against her and snickered crude detailsabout his evening with Annie into her ear.And then, just as she thought he might forget,he whispered, “Good night, dear Mary. Itwon’t be long now.” As usual, and as was his intention, herblood turned cold. She should be accustomed

to his debasement. The promise of her deathwas a nightly ritual. He used it to ensure herloyalty. Her submission. Her resolve slipped.If something went wrong tonight, she’d paywith her life. She bit her lip until she tasted her ownblood. The minute hand ticked slowly as shecalmed her racing heart. I’ve been preparingfor months. Everything is in place. I can dothis. Torturous moments passed before hebelched, cursed, and then flipped himself overonto his stomach, leaving one hand clampedover her breast. The next prayer Mary gave was that ofthanksgiving. Only very rarely did he comehome without forcing himself on her. Hemust have won a few hands of poker at thesaloon tonight, enough to afford him a whoreand a jovial mood. Mary could have kissedthis mysterious Annie. It couldn’t be more

perfect. She risked a peek at the clock. Tenminutes until four. Even if she had to waitfifteen minutes more before slipping out, shewould still make it. Just as she knew that thesun would rise in a few hours, she knewDaniel was waiting on the corner of the citypark with a change of clothes, her fewbelongings, a borrowed mount, and mostimportantly, a new identity. She would leavehere with nothing but the nightgown shewore. And the money. Lord, don’t forget themoney! The minutes passed interminably.Jonathan’s breathing slowed to deep andsteady, but still she waited for the telltalesnore. Only then did she find the courage toslowly slip from beneath his arm. When thatworked without interrupting his breathing,she continued the motion and inched off the

bed. She was ready with an explanation as towhat she was doing out of bed, but he didn’tstir. She left her slippers and robe at the footof the bed and tiptoed through the bedroomdoor. Now her heart beat double time and soloud in her ears that it terrified her with thethought that she wouldn’t be able to hear himif he approached her. She tried to swallow,but her mouth was too dry. There was noturning back. She picked her way through thehallway, reached into the closet and found thethick purse of money. At the front door, MaryElise Stanton paused, listened, thanked God,and disappeared.

Chapter One Mary Vickerson silently chanted her newalias from St. Louis to Cheyenne, horrified that she’dforget to answer to Elise Keane. She almostconvinced herself that Mary Stanton no longerexisted as she studied the bustling city that rolled pasther window. She made it. After four exhausting days onthe train and an overnight layover in St. Louis, herdestination was before her, along with the uncertaintyof the next several months. She reached into herwaistband, again checking the purse of money she’dhidden for so long. “’Tis truly a city!” Daniel’s comment broke through herthoughts. Her friend’s weathered face was lit with awide grin, his blue eyes twinkling with excitement.The apprehension coursing through her wavered a bitwith that expression. At any other time in her life, shewould have been just as thrilled to be on this trip, but

she knew their difficult journey had only just begun.She sucked in a steadying breath and gave Daniel ashaky smile before turning back to the window. “It’s certainly grown since I was last here.”She was more than a little relieved to find that therewasn’t any snow on the ground. Granted, it was earlyJune, but Wyoming winters could stretch well intothe months of spring. Few of the framed canvasstructures that she remembered as a girl were stillpresent. Now, brick and stone buildings lined thestreets. She’d never forget the train ride that hadtaken the Vickerson family away from Wyoming solong ago. She’d been twelve. Her mama’s health haddeteriorated, and the local doctor suggested a loweraltitude, higher humidity and the most advancedmedical facility near Carolyn Vickerson’s hometownin Virginia. They’d left ranching to prolong her life,and thankfully, she’d lived almost eight years longer.Her father Edward continued to make annual trips outwest until his health took a bad turn as well. Twoyears ago, when the V-Bar’s caretaker died, Edwarddecided to sell the livestock and close the ranch. Theloyal cowboys were given severance and moved on,the homestead was sealed, and Edward was

heartbroken. He’d told her it was a business decisionhe’d had to make, but it didn’t make it any easier toclose the home and leave the land that he loved. Elise liked to think her coming here wouldmake her father happy, even if the purpose of hervisit was to sell the property. The train hissed and screeched, slowing to astop. The wooden boardwalk of the gray brick depotfilled with new travelers and those greeting theincoming. With an excited murmur, passengers intheir car gathered their belongings. Daniel took her hand in his, giving it anencouraging squeeze. She smiled. He’d been herservant since she could remember and was now morea friend and confidant than hired help. Now, with hismustache almost grown in, he barely resembled herold butler. Elise had insisted that the facial hair gavehim a distinguished air. It shouldn’t be too difficult to maintain thepretense that they were a married couple. Thedifference in their ages shouldn’t turn too manyheads. Older men married younger women all thetime. The fact that they knew each other so wellwould help. She would be comfortable on Daniel’sarm in public, and as far as what went on inside the

home they would share unaccompanied, none wouldbe the wiser. Of course, Amelia, the true love of Daniel’slife, had constructed a trip to visit her sister in NewYork City while Daniel accompanied his charge toWyoming. Amelia made it a point to mention toanyone who would listen that Daniel would be withher. No single female traveler boarded the train inVirginia, just Mr. and Mrs. Patrick O’Hare. WhenDaniel and Elise Keane disembark in Wyoming, anytrail behind them would surely be cold. And Mary Stanton would be gone forever. Elise watched the last of her fellowpassengers trudge down the metal stairs and onto thegravelly terrain. She rubbed her quivering stomachand took a deep breath. “I’m a little nervous.” “It’ll be fine, love.” Daniel’s brogue grewthicker whenever he turned on the charm. “Ye’ll see.We made it this far, haven’t we? The hardest part willbe remembering to address you by your middle name.You’ve always been Mary to me. I hope I don’t makeany mistakes. Maybe this mustache will be moredifficult. It’s itching like mad.” Daniel comicallyrubbed the prickly white whiskers.

She smiled and clutched her friend’s hand.After a few cleansing breaths and a count to twenty,she stood, steadying herself on her shaky legs. Withher small bag in her hand, she turned to him and gavehim another tremulous smile. Surely nothing aheadcould be as scary as what she had left behind. The duo stepped off the train, blending inwith the crowds of people making their way into thedepot. Women brushed by, outfitted in the rich-colored skirts and high-necked shirtwaists that werefashionable in Virginia. Thankfully, Elise wouldn’tlook too out of place. The last thing she wanted to dowas draw attention. Once inside, Daniel studied the large roomwhile they waited for their parcels. “This is a verymodern depot, isn’t it?” Dark porcelain tiles coveredthe expanse of the floor. The wooden benches andwalls were stained to a rich, dark ash. Large archesdivided portions of the space. The high ceilings didnothing to mute the roar of conversations around her.With her stomach already nervous, the chaos settledin and churned its contents until waves of nauseaprickled her throat. She breathed deeply through hermouth, trying to stave it off. Daniel’s wide grin andbusy eyes committing the experience to memory

comforted her. He made this into a wonderfuladventure for them both. She was so glad he’d comealong. She wouldn’t have had the nerve to do italone. She touched his forearm to gain his attention. “I can’t thank you enough for this,” shewhispered. “I’ll be forever in your debt.” Daniel laughed. “It was my pleasure. I onlywish I could have seen his face when he realized thatyou’d left. He deserved to be taken down a notch, andby a slip of a girl to boot!” Elise shivered. She certainly didn’t want toknow how Jonathan had reacted. It frightened her toeven think about the effect her desertion would haveon him. His anger was surely spent on the othersshe’d left behind. Daniel’s hand on her shoulder brought herattention back to him. “I’ve watched you grow from awee lass into a fine young lady. I’m proud to be apart of your brilliant plan for freedom.” “You haven’t been in my employ for almost ayear, Daniel. How will you ever enjoy yourretirement when you’re always coming to myrescue?” “Perhaps that’s why I’m seeing you to yournew life—to get you out o’ mine.” He bumped her

elbow with his, and she playfully nudged him back,lightening the mood. The depot’s waiting area seemed to groweven more crowded until a whistle blew, signalingthe arrival of passenger luggage. Daniel fought hisway through the throng and dragged out his suitcaseand Elise’s chest. Pathetically small for having herentire existence inside, but then she’d packed onlyitems necessary to survival and nothing more. He setthem at her feet. “Now you wait here. I’ll see about aride.” He worked his way to the front desk, where aharried man sat shuffling paperwork and passengers. Elise took several steadying breaths. Thisjourney was the promise of freedom, the gift ofempowerment. Wyoming wasn’t some far-off land; itwas her childhood home. She knew it almost as wellas Fredericksburg. Her father had loved to relate stories of hisbeloved home in Wyoming. Her favorite was that ofLouisa Swain, the first woman to cast a vote, andshe’d done it here, in Laramie City, Wyoming. It hadbeen over two decades ago, in 1870, yet Elise felt asisterhood. Women were even serving on juries inWyoming courtrooms. This had to be the mostforward-thinking state in the Union. If there was

anywhere in the world where a woman could standon her own and begin a new life, Laramie had to bethe place. Just a few hours now, and she could relax.She sat stiffly on one of the long benches thatreminded her of a church pew. Across from her, asmall boy slouched next to his mother. His tatteredhat sat crookedly on his head, and he picked at aseam on his knickers. The boy stared unabashedly atElise. She grinned back and waved, trying to coax asmile. He tugged at his mother’s sleeve andwhispered something into her ear. Suddenly, Elise’s blood drained to her toes.She focused on the tops of her boots. There’s no waythat the child could know who you are. The mothercouldn’t recognize you either. It’s just a boy. You’refar from Virginia. You’re safe. Breathe. Her heart raced until Daniel returned. “‘Tis our lucky day.” He beamed. “Seems arancher just down the road from your place is in townon business. Chances are he’ll give us a ride.” Elise’sjaw dropped, and she stared at Daniel. That wouldsave them at least ten dollars! She’d planned to hireor even purchase a horse and wagon.

“That’s wonderful, Daniel. It certainly beatswalking.” “Aye, and you wouldn’t have got me far onfoot, my dear.” Daniel grinned and grabbed hold ofboth pieces of luggage, waving off her attempts tohelp. Elise followed him outside, where riderskicked up dust, reminding her of the novelty of hernew home. With her head down and pulse stillpounding in her ears, she checked her coin purse yetagain. “That’s him.” Daniel led her across the streetto where a stocky man loaded packages into the backof a wagon, which shook with each addition. A plaidshirt covered his broad shoulders, and he’d pulled hiswide-brimmed hat low over his brow. His short darkcurly hair jutted out from beneath. He gave the horsetethered to his wagon an affectionate pat on her hindquarters. “Almost done girl. Hold on.” “Pardon me.” Daniel set their luggage down.“Are you Mr. Silverton?” The man spun on his heel and squarely facedthe two. A dark-eyed gaze bounced between the twoof them, settled on Elise for an uncomfortable lengthof time, then returned to Daniel. He clamped a

toothpick between his molars and bared his teeth inan easy smile. “Yes, sir. Thomas Silverton. What can I dofor ya?” “I was told you might be driving near the V-Bar ranch. We were hoping you could give my wifeand me a ride. “ “Well, sure. The V-Bar borders the Campbellplace. It’s on my way…uh…” Thomas moved thetoothpick from one side of his mouth to the otherwith his tongue. “Did you say the V-Bar? Are yousure that’s where you wanna go?” The man’s apprehension concerned her. Wasthere something wrong with the ranch? “Yes, sir, theV-Bar. It’s my father’s ranch; I’m here to see it sold.” Thomas’s mouth dropped open, leaving thetoothpick balancing precariously on his bottom lip.His gaze slid from Elise to Thomas a few timesbefore he closed his mouth into a smile. “Uh, sure Ican drop you two off. I just have a thing or two topick up, and we’re on our way.” He tossed theirluggage into the back of the wagon as if the heavycases were nothing more than feather pillows. Daniel introduced himself, shaking Thomas’shand heartily.

“And I’m Elise.” She offered her hand aswell. Fumbling a bit, Thomas took it in his. Elisesmiled at his discomfort and shook his callused grasp. “You’ll…uh…prob’ly be wantin’ to pick upsome supplies. I’m sure the V-Bar’s plumb empty.”They stepped over the narrow ditch that ran along thelength of the street and entered the tall woodenstructure, with “Freund and Bro’s” painted in curvingscript above the door. The store overflowed with the aromas ofcoffee grounds, tobacco and the gritty dust blown infrom the street. It took a moment to adjust to the dimlighting. Many of her fellow train passengers pickedthrough tables full of merchandise, replenishing theirprovisions. Men in the back corner argued over thebest cigar, and three boys bounced from one foot tothe other, waiting for their turn to buy sweets. She and Daniel picked out a few staples.Flour, sugar, yeast and some dried beef. Thanks tothe railroad, there was even a small selection ofproduce, including oranges from California. Shepicked out a few of the best, then filled a bag withpotatoes. The rest would have to wait until a returntrip to town. Money wasn’t a problem, thanks to herrecent inheritance, but without knowing the length of

their stay, they’d have to budget. The plan was fourmonths, yet it all depended on the condition of theranch. It could take years. Elise shoved the thoughtaside before she drowned in the desolation. Shewouldn’t last years; Jonathan would find her beforetoo long. She counted on the fact that he believed theranch had been sold long ago. Surely if her father'swill had surprised even her, Jonathan had to becompletely fooled. But she couldn't take anything for granted. Crossing herself, she sent a quick prayerheavenward. Thomas loaded the purchases into the wagonand grinned. “Y’all ready?” Daniel assisted her ontothe wooden plank in the front of the wagon. “If thisain’t comfortable, you can ride in the back on themblankets. It’s a long, bumpy ride, I warn ya. If I’d’aknown I’d have passengers, I would’a brought a morecomfortable wagon.” Elise smiled. “This is just fine, Mr.Silverton.” “Thomas. We aren’t that formal hereabouts.On the other hand, I wouldn’t be asking just anyonein town for a ride.” Thomas settled in his seat and

grabbed the reins. “There’s more than a few unsavoryfolk here too. A mite more than you two are prob’lyaccustomed to. Not so long ago, Laramie was moreor less lawless. It’s better now, but still…” His wordsfaded, his brow furrowing. Fear of discovery drained the blood fromElise’s face. She glanced at Daniel, her eyes wide. “A beautiful horse you have here,” Danielsaid, clearly changing the subject. “Ah, this is Camille.” Thomas grinned withpride, then turned back to the business of driving thewagon. “She’s spoiled rotten. She knows that goingto town gets her a basket full of zucchini, so she’sgonna be hard to slow down on the way home.” Hesnapped the reins, and the wagon jerked forward. Elise wasn’t sure she’d ever be able to relaxagain. Even seventeen hundred miles from herhusband, she still checked over her shoulder as thewagon ambled through the streets. Thomas didn’t seem to notice herpreoccupation. He pointed out a few landmarks ontheir way through town, naming each tall brickbuildings that lined Front Street. The Bank ofLaramie stood on one corner, facing one of manysaloons, which even in the middle of morning had

clouds of smoke and jaunty music billowing from thedoorway. The crisp mountain air held none of thehumidity that oppressed Virginians this time of year.Elise even felt comfortable removing her gloves asthe wagon jostled through town and past the last ofthe shade trees. “What’s that building, Thomas?”Elise pointed to a large, pinkish stone building acrossthe river, surrounded by a tall wooden fence. “Wyoming Territorial Prison. It’s a busyplace.” He squinted in the sun. “‘Course now thatWyoming’s a state, they’re talkin’ about movin’ theprison somewhere else.” Elise scrutinized thecomplex, searching for a sign of life. “See thatwooden building sticking out from behind the prison?That’s the broom factory. The prisoners make prettygood brooms there to earn their keep and sell ‘em allover the country. Best keep clear, though. There’sbeen men escaping from there since it was built in‘72.” She couldn't see how escape would bepossible over the tall wooden fence and towers ateach corner housing at least one armed deputy. Shewatched the complex until it disappeared from view. Minutes dragged into an hour. The prison was

the last building they’d seen. There were very fewtrees, isolated to groves around the winding river tothe south. Otherwise, not much obstructed thehorizon, just vast empty plains. They were headedtoward a mountain range with snowcapped peaks thatgrew more majestic with each mile they traveled. Asthe men conversed, Elise focused on the barrenlandscape. Could she do this? She’d be isolated frommost of civilization, able to rely only on herself. AndDaniel, she amended. Daniel would be there. She’dgiven up checking the road behind them. Not onlywas she worried about raising suspicions, butThomas’s wagon kicked up so much dust it didn’tsettle for a mile, leaving little to see. The heat grew uncomfortable, but it was a dryheat, and as Daniel had said earlier, nowhere near asoppressive as Virginia summers. A constant briskbreeze cut across the open fields. Still, droplets ofunladylike perspiration gathered on her nape andcleavage. Disregarding propriety, she released the topbutton from her high-collared shirt. Time passed slowly, but the conversation wascomfortable. Thomas described his job at theCampbell place, which neighbored the V-Bar. Hespoke of Alan Campbell and his son Cody, who was

now running the ranch, and the cowboys in hischarge. Elise remembered the Campbells. Alan was arobust rancher who seemed to tower over Elise’sparents, but his easy smile had made him her favoritevisitor. She’d never forget the way he would twirl heraround until her leather slippers flew off her feet. Hewas the uncle she’d never had. Alan’s son Cody hadbeen little more than a teen when she’d last seen him.He wasn’t nearly as personable as his father. Would he remember her? Elise imagined he'dbe surprised to see her back in Wyoming after allthese years. Although they hadn’t been the best offriends as youngsters, she'd spent more than a fewevenings in the Campbells’ company. Elise lost herself in the fond memories, onlyreturning to the conversation when Thomas answeredDaniel’s questions about the land, weather patternsand the best place to buy supplies. He told them ofthe recent drought which cost his ranch hundreds ofhead of cattle. “It was said that you could cross thestate by jumping from one carcass to the next.” Elise shuddered when she pictured thehorrifying scene. As primitive and raw as the landmight be, she could see how it might draw an

adventurous soul. Like Father. “Not much farther now.” Thomas pointed to agrove of trees ahead and to the right. “The V-Bar isdown in there. It’s been closed up for a long time, soI’m not sure what it looks like.” Elise glanced at Daniel. Daniel winked. “As long as it has a roof, it’lldo.” The wagon bumped down toward the trees.Elise held on to her seat while desperately peeringthrough the foliage to find the house. It was bigger than she’d remembered. Thewhite paint had begun to flake away, revealing thegray wood beneath. She added a new coat of paint tothe agenda. It was all on one level, but Elise rememberedan attic. The windows were closed off with shutters,and weeds had grown through the slats of wood onthe porch, almost obscuring the front door. “Luckily, it’s hidden from the main road;otherwise, squatters would have it for sure.” Thomasslowed Camille to a blessed stop. “We’ve sent ourmen down here every once in a while to check on it.As a courtesy to your daddy.”

Elise jumped down from the wagon, tooexcited to wait for either man to assist her andrelieved to be free of that wooden seat. She walkedfrom one corner of the home to the other, avoidingthe tangled overgrowth and pine cones. The exteriorfared better than she could have hoped. Pulling openthe shutters, she found the windows were all intact,but they needed a good scrubbing. The last time she’d been here, the V-Bar wasa busy ranch with hired hands and full corrals. Now,all was quiet. As the dust from their wagon settled,the sweet, familiar smell of sage emerged. Elise pulled the key from the string aroundher neck and made her way through the weeds on theporch to the front door. It creaked in protest butfinally opened. Inside, the room was dark and musty. Eachpiece of furniture had been covered with a whitesheet, now gray with dust. The kitchen was to theleft, on the far side of the house; a small den openedto the right of the entrance. There were threebedrooms down the hall. “Ahh, Elise. It’s in good shape!” Daniel setthe supplies on the dining table and walked throughthe main living area, itching his new mustache and

winking down at her. “It’s much better than I imagined. He did agood job closing it down.” She ran a hand over theback of the sofa. A wistful smile crossed her face.Edward Vickerson had been the last person in thishome. He’d been the one to cover the furnishingsthree years ago, and she would be the one to revealthem today. Thomas set their luggage inside the frontdoor. “Y’all sure you’re staying?” Now that she’d seen the relatively goodcondition of the V-Bar, Elise chuckled in relief. “Yes,Thomas, we’re staying. Thank you so much for theride and all your help.” She pulled a few bills fromher pocket, but he refused, swearing it was notrouble. “Then please stop by the next time you’reout. I make a delicious stew.” Thomas put the toothpick back between histeeth and nodded. “That sounds very nice, ma’am. I’lldo that.” Daniel walked him to the door, and Elisewaved from the window. Thomas was their lastconnection to the outside. Once he left, they were ontheir own. She closed her eyes, forcing her fingers to

unclench from the folds of her skirt. She’d preparedherself for this for months. Everything was goingaccording to plan. You can do this. It isn’t fear you’re feeling;it’s excitement. You are in charge. You control yourlife now. Little by little, contentment replaced heranxiety. “We’d best hurry. Not much daylight left.”Daniel began digging through the drawers on thehutch in the dining room. He found some candles andgas lamps. He lit them and began the chore ofuncovering and dusting. Elise began with the bedrooms, alreadylooking forward to the first untroubled night’s sleepsince she’d married. “Are you serious?” Cody stormed across theroom to the window facing east. His boot heelspunctuated his outburst. Thomas shrugged, his gaze landingeverywhere but on Cody. “What are they doing here? We bought the V-Bar. The deal has been finalized.” Cody kept hisvoice low, but he spoke through his teeth to control

his rising temper. His mind went back to the last timehe’d seen Edward’s daughter. Mary Vickerson. She’d been a dainty child, very proper. Thefew times he’d seen her, she’d been following hermother around in one of those frilly dresses, scowlingat the dust that would invariably cover her polishedshoes. But it had been years; she was just a childthen, a few years younger than he. She would have tobe in her late twenties now. He tried to picture thatgirl running the V-Bar ranch. True, it was considereda ranch only in the most rudimentary terms. Therewasn’t a living thing there for her to breed or care for,no crops to tend. The land had been abandoned fortoo long. The amount of work it would take to bringthe V-Bar back to life would be too much for two,even disregarding the fact that one of the two was awoman who would likely faint at the sight of abroken fingernail. “Who was the man?” “Daniel, uh…Keane, if I remember right.”Thomas squinted in thought. “Her husband?” “Yup. At first I thought it was her father. He’sold enough.” “No, Mary’s father’s name is Edward. We’ve

been corresponding for the past year through letters.He didn’t mention sending her here to sell the—” “Who’s Mary?” Cody spun to face Thomas. His blatantperplexity was so honest that Cody couldn’t comeback with the comment on his tongue. “Mary Vickerson, Edward’s daughter.” Hemoved closer to the sofa to read Thomas’sexpression. “What name was this woman using?” “She called herself Elise.” Thomas’s facepinched in thought. “Did he have another daughter?” “No.” He wouldn’t have forgotten a name likeElise. Was this an imposter? An opportunist whoknew of the V-Bar’s vacancy? “There was only onedaughter.” Strange that the charlatan wasn’t smartenough to use Mary Vickerson’s name. Had Edward mentioned his daughter’s trip?He raked fingers through his hair. Dammit, hecouldn’t remember. He’d put the letters out of hismind after the deal seemed to be final. He wouldhave remembered had Edward mentioned sending hisdaughter out to Wyoming to oversee the sale of theV-Bar. He cursed again. The V-Bar. His father’s latest project. If he was wrong

and these newcomers hired a crew to renovate theproperty, it would drive up the price, making the dealless than sweet. He stalked from the room and slammed thedoor of his study behind him. When was the lastletter he’d received from Edward Vickerson? It couldhave been months. He pulled open the drawer thatcontained the stack of letters. Edward would havesent some sort of notice if the plans had changed.Truthfully, Cody hadn’t given the V-Bar muchthought since late winter. Not since his father left forTexas. Whoever this Elise was, he’d stop her. Atelegram to Edward Vickerson would be top priority.Cody tore the den apart, looking for that deed. Hehadn’t ever actually seen it, but he remembered theconversation with his father regarding the news. Ithad been mentioned as a side note over dinner onenight. He even remembered the “Great, we’ll work onit when you get back” response he’d mumbledaround his mouthful. Cody sat down to scrawl a note. He couldspare one cowboy to ride the message to thetelegraph in town. He’d get to the bottom of this.