Chapter 8 - Cyrus Reed Wants His Property Back
Hannah stared at the certificate.
“No.”
Elizabeth took it.
Her hands began shaking.
“This is false.”
Daniel examined the seal.
“Whitcomb.”
The scheme became clear.
Whitcomb had fabricated a marriage between Cyrus and Elizabeth.
If accepted as legal, Cyrus could claim marital rights over Elizabeth's property—and perhaps Hannah's inheritance.
“He didn't sell me to get rid of me,” Hannah said.
Daniel nodded grimly.
“He sold you because Jacob's payment created evidence that Cyrus considered you his ward, not his daughter.”
Jacob understood.
“And now he wants the certificate to say he was Hannah's legal stepfather.”
“Exactly.”
Hannah felt sick.
Every bargain had concealed another bargain.
Every lie covered another.
“What do we do?”
Daniel looked at the original deed.
“We find witnesses.”
“After eighteen years?”
“One may still be alive.”
The minister who married Daniel and Elizabeth.
Reverend Josiah Crane.
He lived three days north.
Jacob prepared to travel.
Hannah joined him.
This time nobody suggested otherwise.
They traveled through freezing nights and long days.
Something changed between them.
The kiss remained unmentioned.
Yet it was everywhere.
In the way Jacob offered coffee.
In the way Hannah smiled when he pretended not to watch her.
On the second night they sheltered in an abandoned line cabin.
Only one bed.
Jacob immediately took the floor.
“You'll freeze.”
“I've survived worse.”
“So have I.”
“Hannah.”
“Jacob.”
He sighed.
She smiled.
They shared the bed fully clothed, separated by a rolled blanket.
Neither slept much.
At dawn Hannah said, “You haven't touched me.”
“You noticed.”
“Cyrus said you bought me for your bed.”
“Cyrus says many things.”
“Don't you want me?”
Jacob went still.
“That isn't a fair question.”
“Why?”
“Because wanting something doesn't create a right to take it.”
Her throat tightened.
Nobody had ever explained desire to her that way.
She reached across the blanket.
Their fingers touched.
Nothing more.
It was enough.
They found Reverend Crane.
He was eighty-one.
And terrified when they mentioned Cyrus.
“Yes,” he said. “I married Elizabeth Reed and Daniel Vale.”
“Can you testify?”
He looked toward the window.
“If Whitcomb knows I'm alive, he'll kill me.”
Jacob said, “Then we keep you alive.”
Crane agreed.
On the journey back, they saw smoke.
Mercer Ranch.
Jacob drove the horses nearly to collapse.
They arrived to find the barn burning.
Samuel and Caleb carried buckets.
Margaret fought the flames.
Elizabeth screamed Ruth's name.
“Where is she?” Hannah shouted.
“Inside!”
Hannah ran toward the barn.
Jacob caught her.
“No.”
“Ruth!”
“I'll get her.”
He disappeared into smoke.
Seconds stretched.
Then a minute.
Hannah couldn't breathe.
Finally Jacob emerged carrying Ruth.
His sleeve burned.
Hannah beat out the flame.
Ruth coughed but was alive.
Jacob collapsed to one knee.
Hannah threw her arms around him.
He held her.
This time neither pretended it meant nothing.
Then Samuel shouted.
A rider was approaching.
Cyrus.
Alone.
He stopped beyond rifle range.
“I came to negotiate!”
Jacob stood.
“No.”
Cyrus shouted toward Hannah.
“You want the truth about your land?”
“I already have it.”
“No, girl. You've got papers.”
He lifted something.
A small wooden box.
“You want proof?”
Daniel appeared.
When he saw the box, his expression changed.
“Where did you get that?”
Cyrus smiled.
“Thomas Bell gave it to me.”
Margaret stepped forward.
“Thomas would rather die.”
“He did.”
Cyrus opened the box.
Inside was a human finger bone wearing a signet ring.
Margaret screamed.
“Thomas.”
Cyrus laughed.
“You want the rest of him? Bring Hannah to the old mine tomorrow.”
Jacob raised his rifle.
Cyrus turned his horse.
Before riding away, he looked back.
“Oh, and Hannah?”
She stared.
“Ask your mother what she did the night Thomas Bell died.”
Then he disappeared toward the mountains.
Hannah slowly turned.
Elizabeth was crying.
“Mama?”
Elizabeth backed away.
“What did he mean?”
Daniel stared at her too.
Elizabeth whispered, “I never told you everything.”
“What did you do?”
Elizabeth looked at Margaret.
Then at Hannah.
“I was there when Thomas Bell died.”
Margaret's face changed.
May you like
Elizabeth swallowed.
“And I was the one holding the gun...”
