The Lone Rancher - By Carol Finch Page 0,43
her new wardrobe and her new life in Texas. Her world was going up in smoke!
Adrianna leaped to the ground, then raced off to fetch a bucket. Men were dashing about, splashing water on the existing wall of the house, trying to prevent the entire structure from catching fire.
“Boston!” Quin’s voice rose in the air, followed by another formidable rumble of thunder.
She spun around to see him, still in his formal attire, tossing a lasso over a smoldering rafter. He yanked—hard—before the rope caught flame. The charred lumber collapsed into a pile—away from the walls of the house. Adrianna rushed toward him, then skidded to a halt when glowing embers settled over both of them. For a moment, she thought her hair had caught on fire. That’s all she needed, a bonfire in the windblown coiffure atop her head.
“Hold on to this rope while I toss up another one,” Quin barked as he handed her the trailing end of the first lasso. He glanced at her quickly, his silver eyes reflecting the devastating flames. “I swear to you that I had nothing to do with this, Boston. I didn’t undermine your ranch. It’s likely a stroke of bad luck caused by lightning.”
As if to emphasize his point, lightning crackled nearby and thunder exploded overhead once again.
Adrianna flinched but then she gritted her teeth and dragged the smoldering lumber farther from the north wall of the house before the rope burned completely in two.
“Do you believe me, Boston?” Quin asked before he hurled the loop of the rope, snagging another piece of burning lumber. “I wouldn’t do this to you. I’d sooner burn down my own house. And why not? My family has no use for it. But you and your family made this house a home.”
Adrianna heard the torment in Quin’s deep baritone voice. The cruel tale Preston Van Slyck had spread around town had come as a bitter blow to Quin. He was holding himself personally responsible for his sister’s woes and he was angry with his two brothers for allowing it to happen. They should have contacted him so he could have helped…or at least been prepared for ugly gossip.
In addition, he believed Adrianna suspected him of starting this devastating fire that had destroyed the new addition that would become her private living quarters.
“I know you aren’t to blame,” she assured him as she grabbed hold of his rope to help him tow the peak of the smoldering rafters away from the existing house.
His broad shoulders slumped. “Thanks, Boston. Whatever it takes, my men and I will help make this right.”
“Confound it, what awful luck!”
Adrianna lurched around to see Rosa, Lucas and Dog racing toward them. Lucas was out of the carriage in a single bound to lend assistance to Quin. Rosa hopped to the ground while Dog remained on the seat, still wearing his sparkly bow tie, staring at the dwindling flames.
“I’m so sorry,” Rosa commiserated as she hugged Adrianna close. “You can stay in my apartment. It will be a mite cramped with you, Bea, Butler and Elda, but we can set you up at Morning Glory Boardinghouse or at Château Royale Hotel tomorrow night. And don’t fret if your clothing is damaged. You can have anything of mine and whatever will fit that’s hanging on the store racks. Same goes for your employees.”
Adrianna’s breath hitched. “Thanks, Rosa.”
She cursed herself when tears filled her eyes. Most everything could be replaced, she reminded herself. Her adopted family was safe. Her dream might have gone up in smoke but she could rebuild….
Her thoughts scattered when rain poured down in torrents, soaking everyone in a matter of minutes. Adrianna stared heavenward and sent up a silent prayer for the divine assistance that doused the remaining flames.
When Quin and Lucas signaled that it was safe to enter the house, Adrianna hurried inside to light a lantern. The smell of smoke penetrated the area, but the furniture and drapes appeared to be intact.
Butler scuttled in behind her, then veered toward the safe in the office. “Addie K., fetch one of your hat-boxes,” he commanded hurriedly.
Frowning at the odd request, she bounded upstairs to grab a few essential garments and the hatbox. When she returned, Butler waited with a stack of papers and banknotes.
“It isn’t a safe, of course, but no one will know the money and financial ledgers are tucked in this box.”
Adrianna managed a smile. “Brilliant, Butler. If vandals show up, they won’t find anything important, thanks to you.”
Butler crammed