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town and every property and business in it. Except for this place.”
Luke and Jed exchanged glances but it was Jed who spoke first as
he juggled a piece of hot dumpling in his mouth.
“That why your man ran out on you?”
Now Jed received Hannah’s icy stare.
“Jacob had no choice. He had to go, or lose everything.”
Remembering Hannah’s earlier meeting with McCabe, Luke said,
“Seems like he’s done that anyway.”
“No, he hasn’t,” she hit back quickly. “He’s still got another four,
no, three days before he calls in the debt.” Despite the stubbornness in
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Hannah’s Gold
59
her tone, a tremor vibrated at the back of her throat. Luke sensed her
fear that she was another day closer to her impending fate.
“And how long has he been gone?” He, now, watched her
swallow hard, trying her best to be brave. Again, fear seemed to
emanate from every pore.
“Nearly a year,” she said quietly. Her earlier defiance seemed to
be dissipating fast.
“Hmm! Cutting things a bit fine then?” Jed said ironically, as he
joined in the conversation.
Luke watched Hannah’s reaction. He, now, saw despair lurking
behind her tough facade. Clearly, the woman was in big trouble, and,
he quickly decided, he wasn’t going to skirt around the subject any
longer. He sensed her panic that Jacob wasn’t going to make it back,
after all. It was time for an answer.
“So, what’s this deal you’ve made with McCabe?” he asked
gently.
On the journey back to the ranch, their conversation had veered in
the general direction of his work on the cattle drive and the more
mundane task of organizing his bath and fresh clothes. She’d
deliberately steered clear of any reference to the incident with
McCabe once she’d thanked him for his help. Now, he wanted to
know. How else would he be able to help her? It seemed it was long
overdue for someone to take the wind out of McCabe’s sails.
“My deal has nothing to do with either of you,” she stated coolly.
She dropped her fork onto her plate. “You’re just passing through.
You’ll be gone in the morning and Jacob will be back before McCabe
has a chance to call it in.”
“From what I saw earlier, it seems he’s anticipating calling it in
early,” Luke replied, gently. If he couldn’t browbeat an answer out of
her, then he’d try it in a calm, persuasive voice. She’d tried to sound
convincing but she didn’t fool Luke. Her voice was full of dread and
apprehension. “It also seems that no one in town is prepared to stand
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60
Cindy Crane
up to him, including this Jacob of yours, judging by the length of time
he’s been away.”
Luke watched her work her jaw and then clamp her teeth tightly
together. As she drew in a long, noisy breath, her nostrils flared.
Screwing her fingers into tight fists, her knuckles went white against
the dark tabletop. “I’ve just told you. It’s none of your damned
business.” She spoke her words clipped and short. They were full of
venom.
She sprang to her feet. Her chair clattered noisily backward onto
the floor. She stood for a moment glaring down at the pair of them.
Then, with six purposeful strides, she made her exit through the
outside door and stomped noisily down the wooden steps from the
veranda onto the baked earth below.
The two brothers exchanged looks of concern. Jed nodded silently
for Luke to follow after her. Luke knew Jed was right. After getting
her all fired up like that, it was up to him to sort things out and get a
straight answer. It certainly puzzled him. There was obviously no love
lost between Hannah and this McCabe, so why should she be willing
to go to the slaughter for something another man was responsible for?
He shook his head as he set off in pursuit.
Women.
Why were they always so damn difficult to fathom?
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Hannah’s Gold
61
Chapter Twelve
The light faded fast. Night chased the remainder of day across the
sky and pinned it against the horizon. Just a thin strip of blue and pink
lingered.
Luke made out Hannah’s silhouette by the corral. Her shoulders
were hunched and her hands covered her face. A horse harrumphed
and snuffled over her. She was crying. But it wasn’t full-wail crying,
the sort that Rose had done when he’d exposed her plans to trap Jed
into a sham of a marriage. No, this was silent crying. Not a sound
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