Give me 2 minutes to make myself presentable. She disappeared back into the alcove. The three men looked at Silas with expressions he'd learned to read years ago. Pity mixed with mockery. The particular look men give other men who've failed at something basic like choosing an appropriate wife.
You actually went through with it, Pete said, trying for a joking tone and missing. Married the giant S. "We're not married yet," Silas said tightly, finishing with his boots. "Smart man," Frank said. "He was the oldest of the three.
A Chinese immigrant who'd worked his way up from railroad labor to ranch ownership through sheer determination. Normally, Silas respected him, but right now Frank was looking at him with something close to pity. Still time to reconsider before you're legally bound to that." Silas felt anger kindle in his chest, hot and defensive. That is a woman with a name and more courage than any of you showed when you didn't bother helping track down the men who killed my brother.
The silence that followed was sharp enough to cut. Tom's face reddened. Pete looked away. Frank at least had the decency to look ashamed. That was uncalled for, Tom said finally.
Was it? Silas replied. You've been neighborly enough when it suited you, Tom. But now you're standing on my porch making jokes about my business when you should be worried about your own cattle. Norah reappeared properly dressed now, her hair pulled back severely.
She looked each man in the eye as she passed them, her gaze steady and unintimidated. Shall we go, gentlemen? Your cattle won't gather themselves. They rode to Tom's ranch in awkward silence. Silas and Norah in his wagon, the three men on horseback ranging ahead.
When they arrived, the damage was evident. Tom's fence had indeed been trampled, rails broken, and scattered, and his cattle were spread across two pastures instead of one. In the middle of the chaos stood thunder, looking pleased with himself and not at all repentant. "There," Tom said, pointing. "Your bull.
Now get him out of here before he does more damage." "I'll handle it," Norah said, climbing down from the wagon. "Ma'am, I don't think Pete started." But Norah was already walking toward thunder, that same calm confidence she'd shown yesterday. Her hands loose at her sides and her voice starting that low, steady hum.
The bull's head came up, his ears swiveled forward. When Norah was 10 ft away, Thunder walked to her like a dog called home. She grasped his halter. When had she put a halter on him? Silas didn't remember Thunder wearing one yesterday and led him toward the broken fence.