arrived in town last night. Joe might have won, but only because of his rival’s bad luck.
Was that fair? Did the question of fairness even matter?
Hadn’t crushing Benteen’s pride by saving his life been enough to balance the scale?
Joe could think of only one way to resolve the question.
“I have a proposition,” he said. “Hear me out.”
“I’m listening.” Benteen’s eyes narrowed. The color had returned to his face, but he still looked like some wild mountain man who’d wandered in from a blizzard.
“What if we were to buy the ranch together, as partners? That way, Florence would get her money right away. We could even put in something extra for her.”
Benteen’s eyebrows met in a scowl. He shook his head. “I don’t see the advantage to that. I need that land—all of it—to run my cattle next spring.”
“The thing is, this way would give us time,” Joe said. “If, by spring, you need the land more than I do, you could buy me out. Or I could do the same with you. Meanwhile, neither of us would have to tie up the full amount. Florence would get her money, the ranch would be protected from other buyers, and we wouldn’t have to fight over it now.”
“Well, I don’t know. . . .” Benteen wiped a trickle of snow melt off his face.
“Damn it, Benteen. I won, fair and square. I’m doing you a favor. Which would you rather have, half a ranch or none at all?”
Benteen hesitated for the space of a long breath, then sighed. “What the hell? I’m too tired to argue. Let’s go to the bank, get it done, and go home.”
They left change for their coffee on the table, walked out of the hotel, and went next door to the bank.
The counter for the land office was in the rear of the building, the young clerk a stranger. “What can I do for you, gentlemen?” he asked.
“We’ve come to purchase the Blaise Ransom ranch property,” Joe told him. “His widow left the signed papers here. We’ll be buying it jointly.”
The clerk frowned behind his thick glasses. “I know the parcel you’re talking about. But I’m afraid it’s just been sold. The new owner is in the manager’s office right now, signing the papers and transferring the funds.”
Joe glanced at Benteen. The man looked as if he’d been gut kicked. “What the hell . . . ?” he muttered.
Joe managed to find his voice. “Can you tell us who the buyer is?” he asked.
“Certainly.” The clerk glanced at a paper in front of him. “The new owner of the Ransom property is Mrs. Amelia Hollister Dollarhide.”
Joe felt the shock like a stab in the back. Before he could recover, the door to the manager’s office opened, and Amelia stepped out. Dressed in a stylishly warm sable coat and a smart little hat, she nodded as she passed Joe and Benteen.
“Gentlemen.” She gave them a knowing smile, walked to the front of the bank, and out the door.
A long beat of silence passed. Then Benteen threw up his hands. “To hell with her. To hell with it all. Come on, Dollarhide. As a thanks for saving me, I’ll buy you breakfast. Then we can hit the road.”
* * *
Joe pulled the sleigh up in front of his house and turned the horses and rig over to a stable hand. Half-frozen, bone-tired, and bear hungry, he mounted the front steps. The drive home from Miles City, with a side trip to let Benteen Calder off at his home, had used up the rest of the day. He hadn’t eaten since the breakfast he’d shared with Benteen at the hotel. All he wanted tonight was a good meal, a hot bath, and a warm, loving woman in his bed.
Sarah came out onto the porch, a woolen shawl around her shoulders. The savory aroma of roast beef drifted through the open doorway before she closed it behind her to keep the heat inside the house.
Joe mounted the steps two at a time, stomped the snow off his boots, tugged off his gloves, and opened his coat. Sarah flew across the porch to nestle against him, warming him with her body as he wrapped the front of the coat around them both.
“My stars, you’re freezing!” she said.
He laughed, his arms tightening around her. “But not for long. You always know how to warm me up.”
Her arms stole around him under the coat, pulling him tight against her. “Did you buy the ranch?”