it seems we've let dinner burn!'
She swung around, then looked back.
'Well, isn't anyone hungry?'
And Tess realized she was starved.
She glanced at Jamie. She was still amazed, still in shock. But Kristin
Slater set a hand upon her arm.
'Come on! I promise you, things will start to look more reasonable after
a good dinner and a full night's sleep!'
Jamie shrugged.
Tess felt herself gently pulled along. Dinner. The perfect end to the.
perfect day?
Chapter Thirteen.
They had just reached the table when Jon Red Feather came in with Hank.
Tess let out a startled, joyful cry and raced to Jori, giving him a
fierce hug.
'You did come back! You made it out, and you came back!'
'Of course,' he told her.
'Someone had to be here to welcome the Slaters. I mean, this is
practically a tribe. Have you realized that yet?'
'A tribe!' Kristin said indignantly.
'Sit down, Jon, and watch your tongue, if you will. Jamie, by the way,
you should marry this girl before you find out that you've got
competition on your hands.'
Jon laughed, and Tess flushed. She wasn't sure about Jamie's reaction.
Kristin Slater started calmly doling out food into the numerous plates
on the table. It was a good thing it was a big house.
Uncle Joe, you would have loved to have seen this! she thought.
'If everyone would come sit down,' Malachi said, pouting wine into the
glasses around the table, 'I think that Jon has something to tell Tess
and Jamie.'
'Yes, I do, as a matter of fact.' Jon walked to the table and picked up
a glass of wine. He smiled at Tess and Jamie. 'Cheers,' he said, raising
his glass to his lips.
'Will you all please sit!' Cole said emphatically.
Tess sat at her own dining table--as she had been so politely orderedl
Jamie sat beside her, and they stared at Jon, who looked at them.
'I have discovered why von Heusen is so particularly eager to seize hold
of your land, Miss. Stuart.'
Tess gasped, and she and Jamie stood.
'Why?' Tess demanded.
Jon smiled, swirling his wine.
'The railroad.' 'Oh, my God!' Jamie said, sinking into his chair.
Tess stared at him. He obviously understood completely what was going
on, but she didn't have the least idea.
'What?'
'Miss. Stuart,' Cole Slater told her, drawing out a chair and sitting
back in it, 'the railroad is coming through here.
That means that this property is going to go sky-high in value. If you
wanted to sell some land straight, it would be worth a small fortune.'
