worried look. “What if he is dead? What will we do without a pa?”
Hannah had asked herself this question many times over but hadn’t allowed herself an answer. “I don’t know.” She hated to sound so defeated. She wanted answers as much as he did.
Glancing across the yard, Hannah felt a sense of relief that William was occupying Marty. She had cried for some time but had calmed when William took her in hand. It surprised Hannah, but at the same time she didn’t resist his actions. If Marty could be comforted by Mr. Barnett, she would count it a blessing.
“Will we have to leave Texas?” Andy asked.
Again, Hannah had no answers. She thought of Mr. Lockhart’s offer of marriage. If all of her family were dead, what else could she do but marry someone, and do so quickly?
Hannah pushed back Andy’s hair. “I don’t know, Andy. I plan to seek counsel and to pray. I hope you’ll pray, as well. God has the ability to take this situation and work it out to His glory. I don’t know where that will take us, Andy, but we have each other.”
“But you could die, too. You could have died when the Comanche came. Mr. Barnett said it was foolish.”
Hannah held her opinion of Mr. Barnett’s comments and gave a sigh. “It was foolish, Andy. But I felt compelled to do it. I suppose it was one of those things that if I’d had time to think about, I would never have done it.” She knelt in the dirt and took hold of his forearms. “But you don’t have to worry, Andy. I’m not planning to die anytime soon.”
“But nobody plans to die, Hannah.” Andy frowned. “It just happens. You said so yourself when you were talkin’ to me about Ma. You said sometimes these things just happen. I remember it.”
Hannah nodded. “And so they do. But, Andy, please don’t live in fear of such a thing. I can’t promise that I’ll never die, but I do promise to make certain there is provision for your care and Marty’s. You don’t need to be afraid that you’ll be left alone.”
She wasn’t at all sure how to fulfill that promise, but Hannah intended to get an answer to that problem right away. If all else failed, she would marry Mr. Lockhart. If only for the sake of Andy and Marty.
The last thing I ever wanted was a loveless marriage , she thought, then shook her head. No, the last thing she wanted was for any harm to come to her siblings. She was determined to protect them at all costs, even if that meant marrying a man she didn’t love . . . and probably never would.
Herbert Lockhart seethed. How dare William Barnett interfere in his plans? How dare he demand Lockhart leave the ranch? He wasn’t the owner—he had no say there. Yet Hannah had let Barnett order him about.
He pounded his fist on the desk. “I’ve worked too hard to have this fall apart now.”
The paper in his hand was proof of that. He had worked hard to forge John Dandridge’s signature, but the result was worth the effort. Looking from the forgery to the original, Lockhart had to admit he couldn’t tell the difference.
Each page bore the title of “Last Will and Testament,” and each revealed the supposed wishes of John Dandridge. The only difference was that Herbert Lockhart had manipulated the document for his own benefit, rather than that of Dandridge’s children. He couldn’t help but smile at the thought of Dandridge’s ranch and monies coming to him. If he played his cards right, he would have it all.
The front door to his office opened, and Lockhart was surprised to find Nelson Pritchard. “Nels, what brings you here?” Lockhart asked, quickly putting the pieces of paper in a drawer.
“You hear that William Barnett is back in town?”
“I did. I also saw it with my own eyes. I was out at the ranch just yesterday. He’s out there acting like the cock of the roost.”
“He’s awfully high and mighty for a traitor. I tried to warn Miss Dandridge, but she didn’t seem overly concerned.”
Lockhart leaned back
Hannah had asked herself this question many times over but hadn’t allowed herself an answer. “I don’t know.” She hated to sound so defeated. She wanted answers as much as he did.
Glancing across the yard, Hannah felt a sense of relief that William was occupying Marty. She had cried for some time but had calmed when William took her in hand. It surprised Hannah, but at the same time she didn’t resist his actions. If Marty could be comforted by Mr. Barnett, she would count it a blessing.
“Will we have to leave Texas?” Andy asked.
Again, Hannah had no answers. She thought of Mr. Lockhart’s offer of marriage. If all of her family were dead, what else could she do but marry someone, and do so quickly?
Hannah pushed back Andy’s hair. “I don’t know, Andy. I plan to seek counsel and to pray. I hope you’ll pray, as well. God has the ability to take this situation and work it out to His glory. I don’t know where that will take us, Andy, but we have each other.”
“But you could die, too. You could have died when the Comanche came. Mr. Barnett said it was foolish.”
Hannah held her opinion of Mr. Barnett’s comments and gave a sigh. “It was foolish, Andy. But I felt compelled to do it. I suppose it was one of those things that if I’d had time to think about, I would never have done it.” She knelt in the dirt and took hold of his forearms. “But you don’t have to worry, Andy. I’m not planning to die anytime soon.”
“But nobody plans to die, Hannah.” Andy frowned. “It just happens. You said so yourself when you were talkin’ to me about Ma. You said sometimes these things just happen. I remember it.”
Hannah nodded. “And so they do. But, Andy, please don’t live in fear of such a thing. I can’t promise that I’ll never die, but I do promise to make certain there is provision for your care and Marty’s. You don’t need to be afraid that you’ll be left alone.”
She wasn’t at all sure how to fulfill that promise, but Hannah intended to get an answer to that problem right away. If all else failed, she would marry Mr. Lockhart. If only for the sake of Andy and Marty.
The last thing I ever wanted was a loveless marriage , she thought, then shook her head. No, the last thing she wanted was for any harm to come to her siblings. She was determined to protect them at all costs, even if that meant marrying a man she didn’t love . . . and probably never would.
Herbert Lockhart seethed. How dare William Barnett interfere in his plans? How dare he demand Lockhart leave the ranch? He wasn’t the owner—he had no say there. Yet Hannah had let Barnett order him about.
He pounded his fist on the desk. “I’ve worked too hard to have this fall apart now.”
The paper in his hand was proof of that. He had worked hard to forge John Dandridge’s signature, but the result was worth the effort. Looking from the forgery to the original, Lockhart had to admit he couldn’t tell the difference.
Each page bore the title of “Last Will and Testament,” and each revealed the supposed wishes of John Dandridge. The only difference was that Herbert Lockhart had manipulated the document for his own benefit, rather than that of Dandridge’s children. He couldn’t help but smile at the thought of Dandridge’s ranch and monies coming to him. If he played his cards right, he would have it all.
The front door to his office opened, and Lockhart was surprised to find Nelson Pritchard. “Nels, what brings you here?” Lockhart asked, quickly putting the pieces of paper in a drawer.
“You hear that William Barnett is back in town?”
“I did. I also saw it with my own eyes. I was out at the ranch just yesterday. He’s out there acting like the cock of the roost.”
“He’s awfully high and mighty for a traitor. I tried to warn Miss Dandridge, but she didn’t seem overly concerned.”
Lockhart leaned back
Similar Books
