His face turned red. “Well, I assure you I don’t sleep alone every night.”
She grabbed her mail. “Does that mean you have a lady friend or that your dog sleeps with you?”
She hurried from the shop. Drat the man. She shouldn’t have let her temper cause her to be rude. But, she’d rather be alone forever than with someone like him.
The days dragged in sameness until she received a letter from her cousin. She almost ran home so she could read it in privacy. Inside her room, she opened the correspondence.
Dear Mina,
I can’t wait for you to arrive! Pack everything you ever want to keep and bring as many trunks as necessary. I guarantee you will never want to leave once you’re here!
Take the train to Fort Worth, Texas. If you decide to stay overnight to rest there, don’t stay near the train depot. Go further away where the hotels are more respectable. In Fort Worth, you have to change to a stagecoach to reach Palo Pinto. I hate that you have to ride the stage. I warn you, don’t wear a bustle for that part of your journey. The stage ride is tedious and tiring.
You’ll be glad you tolerated the exhausting ride once you’re here and I introduce you to several eligible men. I have one in particular picked out that I think you’ll like—or maybe love! Bert told me to make introductions and not to interfere further. But, I’m so excited that I can’t help thinking of playing matchmaker.
By the way, we have plenty of room for you! Not that it matters because I imagine you’ll be married as soon after you arrive as you wish. I hope you’ll come immediately. Send me a telegram telling your arrival day.
Love,
Cindy
Chapter Two
Austin Wright faced the two men. “There is no way you can strike gold in this place. You’ll ruin the water and kill everything with four legs for miles and miles.”
Otto Davis rolled the cigar to the other side of his mouth. “We found flecks of gold already. You think you can keep it to yourself.”
Austin would like to throttle these two. “Flecks. There are flecks in the dirt. You could gather all the flecks in Palo Pinto County and wouldn’t have enough to buy a meal at Betty’s Eatery.”
Bill Ferguson stabbed a forefinger at Austin. “Bailey showed us there was gold here when he leased us the mineral rights. He said he was just too old to work the mine.”
Austin knew he was talking to two greedy idiots. “He salted the mine. Now he gets the lease money for his retirement while you ruin a way of life for everyone around.”
Davis took his cigar from his mouth. “Why would he do such a thing? He’s supposed to get twenty percent of the gold. You’re sore ’cause we’ll get rich and you won’t have nothin’ but your cows.”
“I won’t have cattle or a ranch if you ruin the water. By the time you get discouraged and realize I’m right and pull out, you’ll have already ruined ranching around here and killed the wildlife. I’m trying to stop you before you do any damage.”
Ferguson picked up his rifle. “Well, you had your say. This is private property and you’re trespassin’. You can git.”
“I’ll be seeing you again. Count on it.” Austin got on his horse and rode for town.
In Palo Pinto, he headed for the law office of his friend Bert Kennedy.
Bert looked up from papers on his desk when Austin walked in. “Hey, Austin. You look upset. Still worried about those gold miners?”
“I’ve worked too hard for too many years to let a couple of idiots ruin me.” He paced back and forth in the small office, slapping his Stetson against his leg. “I know for a fact Colin Bailey salted the cave before he showed it to them. One of my men heard Bailey laughing about it before the old coot left.”
“Sit down and take a deep breath. I’d hate to lose a good friend to apoplexy.”
Austin plopped down in a chair facing Bert’s desk and fought for calm. “You’ve got to look into this for me, Bert. There has to be something I can do legally. If there’s not, some of the ranchers are going to take matters into their own hands.”
Bert held up a hand. “I didn’t hear that last part. I’ll get started on it right away. First, though, I have to go with Cindy to meet the stage. You remember I told you her cousin was coming today. She arrives in a little while so I wish you’d hang around and meet her.”
He didn’t admit he’d remembered Cindy’s cousin arrived today or that he was curious about her. “That must mean she’ll have trunks you want me to help tote.”
Bert grinned. “You bet. I also want you to meet her before any other bachelor does.”
Austin rubbed the back of his neck and had second thoughts. “I get your drift, but I don’t know. This isn’t a good time to take on any new responsibilities until this mine thing is settled.”
Bert leaned back in his chair and met Austin’s gaze. “A pretty, unmarried woman is not going to sit around and wait until it’s convenient for you. Men will be buzzing around her right away. You’ll have to get in and stake your claim early.”
As seldom as an unmarried woman showed up in town, Austin knew his attorney friend spoke the truth. “I reckon you’re right. I admire your wife and children and would like the same situation for myself.”
The door opened and Cindy entered. “Hello, Austin. I’ve come to steal Bert to meet my cousin’s stage. Are you
