“Why?” Rowan shot the word out.
“Because I need it.”
“This is my cabin. I built it.”
“On my land.”
Rowan tried to keep his temper in check. Who did this upstart think he was?
“Your father gave me the land around it and let me build on it.”
“Where’s the paperwork?”
“It was a gentleman’s agreement. Your father and I shook hands on it.”
“That counts for nothing in a court of law. You’ve got no proof.”
“Your father told you about the arrangement.”
“Did he?”
“Of course, he did. I’ll write to him.” Even as he said the words Rowan knew it would be useless, George was ill with his memory failing. If only he had listened to Bob and insisted on getting something in writing straight after he got back from Aunt Gertie’s funeral.
“What do you want the cabin for, anyway?” He knew he would dislike the answer even as he asked the question.
“For Dorothea’s sister and brother-in-law. Ian is going to help me run the place.”
“He knows all about ranching, does he?”
“No, but you can show him.”
“Me! I have to give up my cabin and move to the bunkhouse for your brother-in-law? Show him how to be a rancher, then you make him foreman? What do you take me for? An idiot?”
He had been trusting and stupid enough to impart his knowledge to Edward, who now thought he knew nearly everything about ranching. Once he taught the brother-in-law how to run the place, Edward would take great delight in getting rid of him. He had always resented the closeness George and he had shared. This friendship was going to cost him dearly.
“If I refuse to leave my home?”
“I’ll get the sheriff and have you forcibly removed from my property.”
“This is wrong, Edward and you know it. I stayed with your father when times were tough. I could have moved on, yet I didn’t.”
“Things are different now. I own the ranch and I will run it as I see fit.”
More likely ruin it, Rowan thought. “I’ll take you to court.”
“You won’t have a hope. I’ve already spoken to my attorney.”
“Yeah? Who?”
“Ian, my brother-in-law, is an attorney and he says…”
“I don’t care what he says.” Rowan knew he didn’t have a leg to stand on but would never give up without a fight. After all the years he had worked here. The blood sweat and tears he had expended with George in the early days, was worth nothing to this little upstart.
“Ian will be coming here in two weeks. Have your things packed and moved to the bunkhouse or we’ll be burning anything left behind.” He swung around and swaggered off.
Rowan was glad he wasn’t wearing his guns, otherwise he might have been tempted to use them. George, how could you do this to me? Like me, you were too trusting, believing your treacherous son was a man of honor.
He made himself a cup of coffee. He had never been a drinking man after living for years with a vicious drunk, but had there been a bottle of whiskey handy, he would have downed the lot. He should have realized after he got back from the funeral things were changing. How could he not have noticed? No way would he be staying on here if he couldn’t keep his cabin. He didn’t mind sleeping in the bunkhouse with the boys, it was the principle of the thing, which galled him.
Thank goodness he had insisted on putting his brand on the cattle he ran here. It had been a point of vanity at the time to encircle the initials RC and make it his own brand, now it could be a financial savior.
He had less than two weeks to find somewhere to live. Well, he could find somewhere to live in town for a while, as long as he didn’t let pride stand in the way. It was humiliating to be cast aside like a worn-out boot. There were a couple of small ranchers who would be glad to earn extra cash by letting his cattle graze on their pastures for a while. He had some savings although not enough to buy a decent spread around here.
Colorado was a good place to live and he had no desire to move to another state. He had to either work on a ranch for someone else or buy a place of his own. Ranching was the only skill he had.
***
The next morning Rowan saddled up and rode to town, still feeling so mad he could bite himself. To think Edward had the audacity to go over to the bunkhouse and tell the men he would be shifting back there, once Dorothea’s relatives arrived. Hank, who had worked at the ranch nearly as long as he had, came over and told him about it. A couple of years ago he had confided in Hank about George giving him the land for his cabin. Hank had not been there when he and George had shaken hands on the deal, so as a witness he would be virtually worthless.
He was still fuming when he marched into the sheriff’s office.
“Howdy, Rowan. What can I do for you? You look like you lost a dollar and only found a dime.
In a few words he told the sheriff what had happened. “I was thinking of getting an attorney to fight that miserable piece of…”
“I’d be hopping mad if it happened to me. To be honest, I don’t think it will do you any good getting an attorney. You’ve got nothing in writing. No witness to say they heard George give you the land. Unless George is able to write and say so.”
“I doubt it would carry any weight now. He’s a
