"My father made some poor investments. When the panic of '73 hit, he lost everything. He couldn't face the disgrace." She swallowed hard. "After the funeral, the creditors took what was left. I remembered my uncle had gone west years ago.
A letter to Prosperity confirmed he'd struck silver, but had recently died." "So, you came to claim your inheritance." Kieran nodded. "Took courage making that journey alone." "It was that or become a governess," Catherine said with a small smile. "And I've never been particularly good with children." Kieran chuckled. "Well, there's plenty of opportunity out here for a woman with spirit." The trail began to climb, winding through stands of pine and aspen. An hour after leaving town, they crested a ridge, and Kieran pointed to a clearing ahead where rough wooden buildings clustered around what was clearly a mine entrance.
"There it is," he said. "The Silver Lady." "The Silver Lady," Catherine repeated. "That's what Jacob called it." Kieran explained. "Said she was fickle but generous when she was in the mood." They rode into the clearing and Catherine took in the small cabin, the shed that housed mining equipment, and the tunnel entrance reinforced with heavy timbers. It looked abandoned but intact.
Kieran helped her dismount, his hands lingering at her waist a moment longer than necessary. Catherine felt a strange flutter in her stomach at his proximity, the scent of leather and pine that clung to him. "Let's check the cabin first." Kieran suggested, tethering the horses. The cabin was simple but solid, one room with a bed, table, chairs, and a pot-bellied stove. Dust covered everything, but otherwise it seemed in good repair.
"Jacob lived here when he was working the mine." Kieran explained. "It's not fancy, but it's sturdy." "It's better than I expected." Catherine admitted, running a finger along the table. Next, they examined the equipment shed. Mining tools hung neatly on the walls, picks, shovels, hammers, lanterns. A small ore cart sat in one corner, its metal wheels slightly rusted.
"Everything looks to be here." Kieran said. "Jacob was methodical about his tools." Finally, they approached the mine entrance. Kieran lit a lantern before they entered, the flame casting dancing shadows on the rough-hewn walls. "Stay close." he warned. "The main shaft is safe enough, but I don't want to go too deep without proper checks." The tunnel sloped gently downward, the air growing cooler as they descended.
Wooden supports braced the walls and ceiling every few feet. About 50 yards in, Kieran stopped and held his lantern higher, illuminating a vein of dark rock shot through with gleaming silver. "There's your silver," he said softly. "Jacob's last strike." Catherine stared at the metallic threads running through the rock. This was her inheritance, this dark hole in the ground with its hidden treasure.
It seemed both miraculous and daunting. "How do I even begin?" she whispered. "One step at a time," Kieran replied. "First, we get Tom Bailey out here to check the supports and make sure everything's safe. Then hire a crew.
Within a week, you could be pulling ore." The confidence in his voice steadied her. "You make it sound possible." "It is possible," Kieran assured her. "Jacob did the hard part finding the vein. Now, it's just about getting the silver out." They returned to the surface, blinking in the bright sunlight. Catherine looked around at the mine, her mine, with new eyes.