Gideon looked toward the charred barn.
“Not tonight.”
“Gideon.”
“Mabel—”
“What did you know?”
He closed his eyes.
Then he reached into his shirt.
From beneath it he pulled a leather cord.
A ring hung from it.
Mabel recognized the ring immediately.
Nathan’s wedding ring.
The world stopped.
She stared.
“No.”
Gideon’s voice broke.
“I found Nathan.”
Mabel stepped backward.
“You told me you didn’t know him.”
“I didn’t know he was my brother.”
“You found him where?”
“Three months ago.”
Her face emptied.
“The wagon accident.”
Gideon nodded.
“I was riding south. Found the wreck before anyone else.”
“And he was alive?”
“For a few minutes.”
Mabel made a sound.
Gideon’s eyes filled.
“He gave me the ring.”
“Why?”
“He said, ‘Mabel.’”
Her knees weakened.
“He said my name?”
“Yes.”
“What else?”
“Three girls. Cinder Creek. Cross.”
Gideon swallowed.
“I thought he meant bring you here. Find a man named Cross. Me. But he died before he could explain.”
Mabel slapped him.
The sound cracked through the night.
Gideon did not move.
“You knew my husband’s last words.”
“Yes.”
“You had his ring.”
“Yes.”
“And when I stood at your door—”
“I recognized your name.”
“YOU LIED TO ME.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
His voice dropped.
“Because I was a coward.”
Mabel’s tears came hot.
“You married me.”
“Yes.”
“While carrying my husband’s ring around your neck.”
“Yes.”
She struck his chest.
Again.
Again.
He let her.
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
“Because that first day, I wasn’t certain. Harlo could have been anyone. Then the girls came into the house. You came into the house. Every day I told myself I’d tell you tomorrow.”
“You let me fall in love with you.”
“I know.”
“You let my daughters call you Papa.”
“I know.”
“I trusted you.”
“I know.”
His voice cracked on the words.
“And I was terrified that if I gave you that ring, I would lose all of you.”
Mabel stared at him with anguish.
“You had no right.”
“No.”
“None.”
“No.”
Gideon removed the cord.
He placed Nathan’s ring in her palm.
Then stepped backward.
“The ranch is half yours by law. Maybe more after the court looks at Nathan’s documents. The house is yours as long as you want it.”
“What are you saying?”
“I’ll leave.”
She stared.
“You’ll leave?”
“I won’t make you live with the man who lied to you.”
He turned.
Mabel watched him walk toward the remaining horses.
Every instinct screamed at her.
Anger.
Grief.
Love.
Betrayal.
Nathan’s ring lay in her palm.
Then Annie spoke from the porch.
“Mama?”
Mabel turned.
All three girls stood there.
Clara was crying.
“Is Gideon leaving?”
Mabel couldn’t answer.
Annie looked at the ring.
Then at Gideon.
“Papa gave it to him.”
Mabel froze.
“What?”
Annie wiped her eyes.
“Papa used to say if he ever died, he hoped someone kind would find us.”
Mabel stared at her.
“He told you that?”
“Once.”
Annie hesitated.
“There’s something else.”
She ran inside.
Returned with the final folded paper from the box.
