is beautiful."
"That she is."
"I came here to offer you a deal."
Nic paused. "I'm listening."
"Allow me to court her, and I let you out tonight, right now."
Nic let out a scoffing laugh. "Or else what? You'll keep me here
forever? No judge will tolerate that." He looked up at the sheriff
then, unable to keep the challenge from his voice.
"No," the sheriff said, still playing with the keys, rolling them
around and around the ring. "But the judge agrees with me and
General Palmer. We abide no drinking nor brawling. We don't keep
brawlers in jail, but we have on occasion escorted them to the edge
of town and persuaded them never to return."
Nic rose, unable to stop himself.
"You and I got off on the wrong foot, brother," the sheriff went
on. "I'm hoping we can get past that. Frankly, I'm looking to settle
down, have a family." He inserted the key in the lock and turned it,
intently watching Dominic between the bars. "I'd like to see if Moira
and I get on."
"My sister is not thinking of settling down yet. Our father does
not wish her to take a serious suitor. Her mind flits from one fanciful
thing to the next-and that includes men." He shook his head. "No,
if it's a wife you're seeking, I'd look elsewhere."
The sheriff grinned and stood beside the open door. "Even wild
horses can be tamed, in time."
"Moira is not a brute animal, a filly to be broken."
Reid cocked his head. "No. She's definitely more than that. But
she needs a strong man's hand to guide her."
"Yes, her brother's."
"With some shaping, she shall be magnificent."
"Indeed she will," Dominic said. He bit into his tongue until
he tasted blood and rather than challenge the sheriff further, looked
away. Use your brain as well as brawn, Nic. Brain as well as brawn.
"So as I see it," the sheriff said, looking in at him, "you're at a
crossroads, Mr. St. Clair. Stay here, make a life, build the bookshop,
take part in the wealth that is to be Colorado Springs. All I ask is that
you grant me permission to call upon your sister. I'll write to your
father, ask his permission to formally court if we get on."
All at once, Nic could see the way out. He could grant Reid
Bannock to call on his sister. But there was no agreement for anything
more. Moira or Father can refuse him.... She had certainly toyed with
many other powerful young men as a favor to their father-and he
always managed to extricate her from the courtship before it went
too far. Could they not do that once more now? Here?
His breathing came more steadily now and a tiny smile edged at
his lips. He reached out a hand and Reid shook it, each man staring
the other in the eye.
As Dominic walked past the deputy and exited the building, he
gave way to a full grin. Sheriff Reid Bannock had permission to call
upon his sister. How would he like it when he discovered that only
chaperoned visits and excursions were sanctioned by the St. Clairs?
Chapter
9
The next morning dawned cold and bright. As was the routine, every
able patient assembled in the main parlor downstairs, watching as
stable hands saddled horses. Ten or more patients rode in the morning,
into the hills and canyons that lined the city's edge; the other half
went in the afternoon, returning just before dinner. Every other day,
a larger group-but not all-rode out for the entire day, often not
returning until after nightfall, but usually bringing back a string of
fish or a freshly killed deer to be gutted, skinned, and carved into fat
venison roasts.
It was part of the therapy at the sanatorium. Long draughts of
fresh, mountain air, air so dry that it made their noses bleed. But it was
plentiful and clean. Exercise, as much as they could tolerate, building
muscles long dormant as they battled to breathe. Given the countless
canyons and old Indian trails at their disposal to explore, it was easy to
keep the patients' attention on the path and off of their own breathing. Then hale amounts of food,
"That she is."
"I came here to offer you a deal."
Nic paused. "I'm listening."
"Allow me to court her, and I let you out tonight, right now."
Nic let out a scoffing laugh. "Or else what? You'll keep me here
forever? No judge will tolerate that." He looked up at the sheriff
then, unable to keep the challenge from his voice.
"No," the sheriff said, still playing with the keys, rolling them
around and around the ring. "But the judge agrees with me and
General Palmer. We abide no drinking nor brawling. We don't keep
brawlers in jail, but we have on occasion escorted them to the edge
of town and persuaded them never to return."
Nic rose, unable to stop himself.
"You and I got off on the wrong foot, brother," the sheriff went
on. "I'm hoping we can get past that. Frankly, I'm looking to settle
down, have a family." He inserted the key in the lock and turned it,
intently watching Dominic between the bars. "I'd like to see if Moira
and I get on."
"My sister is not thinking of settling down yet. Our father does
not wish her to take a serious suitor. Her mind flits from one fanciful
thing to the next-and that includes men." He shook his head. "No,
if it's a wife you're seeking, I'd look elsewhere."
The sheriff grinned and stood beside the open door. "Even wild
horses can be tamed, in time."
"Moira is not a brute animal, a filly to be broken."
Reid cocked his head. "No. She's definitely more than that. But
she needs a strong man's hand to guide her."
"Yes, her brother's."
"With some shaping, she shall be magnificent."
"Indeed she will," Dominic said. He bit into his tongue until
he tasted blood and rather than challenge the sheriff further, looked
away. Use your brain as well as brawn, Nic. Brain as well as brawn.
"So as I see it," the sheriff said, looking in at him, "you're at a
crossroads, Mr. St. Clair. Stay here, make a life, build the bookshop,
take part in the wealth that is to be Colorado Springs. All I ask is that
you grant me permission to call upon your sister. I'll write to your
father, ask his permission to formally court if we get on."
All at once, Nic could see the way out. He could grant Reid
Bannock to call on his sister. But there was no agreement for anything
more. Moira or Father can refuse him.... She had certainly toyed with
many other powerful young men as a favor to their father-and he
always managed to extricate her from the courtship before it went
too far. Could they not do that once more now? Here?
His breathing came more steadily now and a tiny smile edged at
his lips. He reached out a hand and Reid shook it, each man staring
the other in the eye.
As Dominic walked past the deputy and exited the building, he
gave way to a full grin. Sheriff Reid Bannock had permission to call
upon his sister. How would he like it when he discovered that only
chaperoned visits and excursions were sanctioned by the St. Clairs?
Chapter
9
The next morning dawned cold and bright. As was the routine, every
able patient assembled in the main parlor downstairs, watching as
stable hands saddled horses. Ten or more patients rode in the morning,
into the hills and canyons that lined the city's edge; the other half
went in the afternoon, returning just before dinner. Every other day,
a larger group-but not all-rode out for the entire day, often not
returning until after nightfall, but usually bringing back a string of
fish or a freshly killed deer to be gutted, skinned, and carved into fat
venison roasts.
It was part of the therapy at the sanatorium. Long draughts of
fresh, mountain air, air so dry that it made their noses bleed. But it was
plentiful and clean. Exercise, as much as they could tolerate, building
muscles long dormant as they battled to breathe. Given the countless
canyons and old Indian trails at their disposal to explore, it was easy to
keep the patients' attention on the path and off of their own breathing. Then hale amounts of food,
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