Charcoal.” Raine
matched his resolute speed and caught up to him in no time. “What has come over
you?”
Cole didn’t turn around.
“What do you want, Raine?” Cole was not in the mood for one of his big brother lectures and he continued his strict pace up the hill.
“What do I want? What the hell has
gotten into you?” Raine tugged on his arm, effectively turning him about face. The rocks under Cole’s feet gave way and threw him off balance. He nearly fell
forward into Raine.
Regaining his footing, Cole glowered athis brother, his fists tightened at his sides.
“Nothing.” Cole’s teeth clenched tightlyand he breathed heavily through his nose.
“Is it Granddad’s will? I thought you
didn’t care about the money.” Raine
baited him and he knew it.
Cole didn’t respond. He could feel theheat rising in his face.
“Please, tell me you didn’t agree tomarry her because she’s McCallister’sdaughter. It won’t solve anything.”
“Go back, Raine. Shouldn’t you becharming the knickers off Abby’s friend, Lily?”
Raine’s fist slammed Cole in the mouth,just to the side of his chin, sending himsprawling onto his backside. Colepropped himself up onto one elbow andopened his mouth, trying to stretch histhrobbing jaw. He’d never been able tomaster the block of a left hook.
“Damn it, Cole.” Raine shook his handand walked in a short circle. “When did
you become so bitter?”
“She’s Alaric’s girl, Raine.” Cole slumped back onto the ground, relief washing over him at the admission. “He’d planned to come back here and marry her.”
“You mean Abby is...?”
“The one and only.”
A loud guffaw burst from an otherwise solemn Raine. “So, it wasn’t just some momentary lack of judgment that threw you at her feet. You’re taking his place.” Raine reached his hand out to a prostrate Cole.
“I didn’t intend on marrying the girl.” Cole took Raine’s offered hand and sat up. “I was just supposed to give her this and tell her he loved her. I swore I would
protect her. To make sure she was all
right.” Cole reached into his vest pocket and retrieved the bent horseshoe nail. He
held it aloft in his hand. “How the hell was I supposed to do all that if she was somebody else’s wife?” The calm in his voice hinted of exasperation and he knew it. He held the small trinket between his
thumbs and forefingers.
“This might complicate the job with McCallister.”
Cole nodded. “Can we talk about it later? I have a preacher to find and a woman to marry.” He pushed himself up off the ground, once again picking up the
course he’d left off with more determination in his step.
He left the dusty road behind to follow a small trail, carved by much use, through the tall, grassy hillside meadow. His
destination in sight, he stomped over the new morning glory and blue flax flowers that had crept onto the path. The small wooden cabin was set high above the city of Silver Falls. Back home the preacher had lived in a small room behind the church and Cole wondered why this parson had chosen to live so far away from his congregation.
The clouds were playing hide and seek with the sun and the wind vexed the trees
with its force. Cole looked up into the
sky. A storm was brewing.
He arrived at the front door to the
cabin. The windows were off their hinges and an odd stench came from the space below the door. Cole lifted his fist to knock, but froze before it touched the gnarled wood, and he dropped it to his
side. He turned back to look at Raine, who’d always been there for him and had taught him a lot over the years. Not quite as forcefully in the past, but he’d learned a lot from his oldest brother.
Concern etched Raine’s brow.
“I really don’t care about the money.” Cole couldn’t quite meet his brother’seyes
matched his resolute speed and caught up to him in no time. “What has come over
you?”
Cole didn’t turn around.
“What do you want, Raine?” Cole was not in the mood for one of his big brother lectures and he continued his strict pace up the hill.
“What do I want? What the hell has
gotten into you?” Raine tugged on his arm, effectively turning him about face. The rocks under Cole’s feet gave way and threw him off balance. He nearly fell
forward into Raine.
Regaining his footing, Cole glowered athis brother, his fists tightened at his sides.
“Nothing.” Cole’s teeth clenched tightlyand he breathed heavily through his nose.
“Is it Granddad’s will? I thought you
didn’t care about the money.” Raine
baited him and he knew it.
Cole didn’t respond. He could feel theheat rising in his face.
“Please, tell me you didn’t agree tomarry her because she’s McCallister’sdaughter. It won’t solve anything.”
“Go back, Raine. Shouldn’t you becharming the knickers off Abby’s friend, Lily?”
Raine’s fist slammed Cole in the mouth,just to the side of his chin, sending himsprawling onto his backside. Colepropped himself up onto one elbow andopened his mouth, trying to stretch histhrobbing jaw. He’d never been able tomaster the block of a left hook.
“Damn it, Cole.” Raine shook his handand walked in a short circle. “When did
you become so bitter?”
“She’s Alaric’s girl, Raine.” Cole slumped back onto the ground, relief washing over him at the admission. “He’d planned to come back here and marry her.”
“You mean Abby is...?”
“The one and only.”
A loud guffaw burst from an otherwise solemn Raine. “So, it wasn’t just some momentary lack of judgment that threw you at her feet. You’re taking his place.” Raine reached his hand out to a prostrate Cole.
“I didn’t intend on marrying the girl.” Cole took Raine’s offered hand and sat up. “I was just supposed to give her this and tell her he loved her. I swore I would
protect her. To make sure she was all
right.” Cole reached into his vest pocket and retrieved the bent horseshoe nail. He
held it aloft in his hand. “How the hell was I supposed to do all that if she was somebody else’s wife?” The calm in his voice hinted of exasperation and he knew it. He held the small trinket between his
thumbs and forefingers.
“This might complicate the job with McCallister.”
Cole nodded. “Can we talk about it later? I have a preacher to find and a woman to marry.” He pushed himself up off the ground, once again picking up the
course he’d left off with more determination in his step.
He left the dusty road behind to follow a small trail, carved by much use, through the tall, grassy hillside meadow. His
destination in sight, he stomped over the new morning glory and blue flax flowers that had crept onto the path. The small wooden cabin was set high above the city of Silver Falls. Back home the preacher had lived in a small room behind the church and Cole wondered why this parson had chosen to live so far away from his congregation.
The clouds were playing hide and seek with the sun and the wind vexed the trees
with its force. Cole looked up into the
sky. A storm was brewing.
He arrived at the front door to the
cabin. The windows were off their hinges and an odd stench came from the space below the door. Cole lifted his fist to knock, but froze before it touched the gnarled wood, and he dropped it to his
side. He turned back to look at Raine, who’d always been there for him and had taught him a lot over the years. Not quite as forcefully in the past, but he’d learned a lot from his oldest brother.
Concern etched Raine’s brow.
“I really don’t care about the money.” Cole couldn’t quite meet his brother’seyes
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