Lori Connelly Read Online Free Page B

tears. Evie knelt down, picked up Ben’s hat and pressed it to her stomach. Although she wanted to believe he was fine, the bad feeling in her gut persisted.
    “Yes,” Her tone calm, perhaps a little flat.
    “Shall we?”
    Evie nodded then turned, started back toward home without waiting for a response. “What do you want?” She winced as her question emerged sharp, boarded on rude. “Sorry,” she took a breath then tried again. “What would make us square?”
    His tone terse, “I return the horse. You return my money.”
    “How much would that be?”
    His companion named a sum that caused her heart to skip a beat. A lump formed in her throat. “I’m not sure I have that.”
    “I understand your husband spends a lot of time at The Bucking Pony.” His tone held a note of pity.
    Her cheeks heated. “What if you kept the horse?”
    “It’s not worth what I paid.”
    “I wasn’t suggesting that it was,” Evie cleared her throat, swallowed the urge to cry. “I was thinking we could work out something for the difference?”
    They walked without speaking for a couple minutes. The quiet undisturbed save for sounds from the horse Mr. Talbert led. Leather creaked, metal jingled and hooves delivered soft thuds against the ground. He took so long to respond her belly hurt.
    At last, he answered simply, “That’s acceptable.”
    “Thank you.” Unwilling to risk saying anything that might change his mind, she held her tongue until they reached her home, “Please excuse me a moment.”
    Evie entered the cabin, leaned the rifle against the wall beside the door and moved to a shelf by the fireplace. Doubt crept in. She paused a second. They’d always kept their money in the large clay jar. Inside should be coin from the sale of Spice and she hoped from the bag she’d seen that morning. One hand crushed Ben’s hat as she reached out with the other, removed the lid.
Empty.
    She tried to ignore reason but the stark truth sank in slowly. His hat fell from her nerveless fingers.
    He’d left her with nothing.
    Anger and frustration rose up and muted the worry. Evie wanted to scream or kick something hard yet did neither. The effort to restrain emotion caused her to tremble. It wouldn’t do for Mr. Talbert to see her throw a fit through the open door.
    Pride stiffened her spine. Shoulders back, chin up, Evie stepped back out into the harsh light of day. She looked over at the animal that grazed only yards from the barn. Her eyes closed a second. She owned little of value other than Daisy.
    “Would you consider taking the cow?”
    “The cow?”
    His incredulous tone caused anxiety to well up. Rigid with tension, Evie broke out in a cold sweat. She forced words out past stiff lips, shame ashes in her mouth. “I’m sorry. She’s about all I have. I could throw in a couple chickens.”
    “No,” he studied her awhile. “The cow will be fine.”
    Mouth dry she gave him a quick nod then marched over to the barn. She grabbed a halter and a length of rope. The cow stood placid while she readied her to go. Minutes later Evie handed Daisy over to Mr. Talbert as she blinked rapidly to hold back tears.
    “I’m very sorry about your son, Mr Talbert, about everything.”
    “I believe you are. Your husband on the other hand,” He swung up into his saddle, “Well ma’am, out here we consider a man only as good as his word.”
    Evie winced at the verbal jab but remained polite, “Thank you for accepting the trade.”
    “There seemed little other choice.”
    Heat crept up her neck.
    “I could stay until the sheriff comes back, if you need.”
    Composure held by a thread, her smile stiff, forced, “That won’t be necessary.”
    “Are you certain ma’am?”
    “I’ll be fine, thank you.”
    “Very well,” his tone clipped, his brown eyes filled not with the irritation she’d expected but pity, which felt worse. “Good day Mrs. Rolfe.”
    Tense, she watched William Talbert ride away at a slow pace set to