I’ve lost.”
All she’d lost? Guilt began to swim around with his hopelessness. He’d taken the land from beneath her nose, and he might not even be able to keep it. What right did he, an outlaw, have to hoard land when this woman’s whole future lay ahead of her?
He grabbed the horn of his saddle and pulled himself up. When he turned his horse around, he spied Miss Huxley squeezing her brother’s hand. She bent her head and mumbled. Cort’s throat tightened.
Lord, what should I do? I just want some time.
Maybe he could buy some time? He clicked his tongue and tugged the reins. The horse approached the two siblings. Miss Huxley stood as Cort dismounted. An awkward silence passed between them. She stroked his horse’s mane while he tried to form words.
“You know, this is an awful big chunk of land for a man to live on by his lonesome.” He gritted his teeth. “I’m not even going to stay long. It’d be vacant for most of the time.” He swallowed hard.
How yellow can a man be to give all this up for a chance to hide?
“It’s your land. You can come and go as you wish.” The longing in her eyes ignited an ache in Cort’s chest. She wanted to run horses. She wanted it badly.
“What if it wasn’t my land? I mean, what if I let you...” Cort expected he would regret his next words. “What if I just worked a piece of it until I leave? What if you registered the land in your name?”
Miss Huxley narrowed her eyes. “What are you saying, Mr. Stanton?”
“One hundred and sixty acres is big enough for both of us, is all. What if you let me lease the land from you? Maybe one day, if I stay, I’ll buy a parcel of it. But until then, all I’d want in return is a chance to work it. I am a pretty decent farrier once you’re stocked with horses.”
Miss Huxley’s lips parted. She blinked several times before whispering, “You’d give it to me?”
“Sure. Doesn’t seem right that I keep it all to myself when I might—” Cort cleared his throat. “I’ll be away more than I’d be working it.” And sooner than later if that surveyor recognizes when I go to town.
“I—I don’t know what to say.” She clamped her mouth shut. Her lips grew thin as she frowned. “What’s in it for you, Mr. Stanton?”
* * *
Every hair on Aubrey’s arms stood up on end. In the distance, a covered wagon blurred in and out of vision as she considered all that Mr. Stanton might be saying.
Giving up his land? And offering it to her?
He took a step closer. “I just want to work the land, Miss Huxley. Every decent man enjoys hard work. I might be long gone before winter, anyway.” He gazed across the plains over her shoulder. “Have you ever wanted to run away and not be found, Miss Huxley?”
The cowboy searched her face with such intensity, she wondered if he could see into her heart and know that she didn’t want to be found, either.
“That’s why I’m here, Mr. Stanton,” she half whispered. “But how can I trust you?” They’d spoken of their secrets last night. But he had never revealed his. What secret could be so big that a man would give up a piece of land?
“I promise you, all I want is honest work. I am a gentleman and a hard worker. You have my word.” He took his hat off and placed it over his heart. A tousled mess of dark hair was slightly smashed on his head. Moist brown curls framed his suntanned forehead, and his emerald eyes sparkled.
Against every beat of her overactive heart, she wanted to believe this man. Why was that? Both dubious men in her life, her pa and Ben, forced her to believe that trust was an ideal more than a virtue. How could she be tempted to give it to this stranger? If his generous gift wasn’t the exact thing Aubrey had placed her heart’s desire on, then she would turn and run the other way.
But now this handsome cowboy waved his property flag in her face, even offering to help her get the ranch started. Agreeing to such an arrangement wasn’t as much a matter of trust as a matter of business. Wasn’t it? There wasn’t a boomer in all of Oklahoma who wouldn’t take such an offer as this. Maybe she could ignore the fact that he had secrets. This was her only chance to continue with her plan.
“It’s a deal.” She pushed her chin to her neck, smiling while tears slid down her cheeks. Mr. Stanton held out his hand. She shook it. “You might have something to hide, but whatever it is, it has made me a brand-new landowner today.” She squeezed his hand. His face beamed even in his own loss.
“You can thank the horse for getting me here just in time.” Mr. Stanton winked. “Guess it’s a good thing you ran on foot after all.”
Aubrey slipped her hand away. No need holding on to him any longer. She shouldn’t entertain him any more than a rattlesnake on the toe of her shoe. Even if he was her first tenant and employee, exchanging as few words with him as possible would help keep him from becoming a distraction or a future regret.
Mr. Stanton offered his hand once more and helped her onto the horse. Her heart leaped at the thought of riding to the land office to officially register the land in her name. But she spotted Ben’s collapsed body beneath her makeshift tent and gasped. She had nearly ridden off and left him with a practical stranger.
“Don’t worry about him. I’ll be sure to dodge any flying fists.” Mr. Stanton winked again, an unnerving habit, to say the least.
A wave of nausea stopped Aubrey from acknowledging his jest. Could she really leave her brother with this man who hid something big enough to give up one hundred and sixty acres?
He closed his hand upon hers as she gripped the reins. “Miss Huxley, you have my word. And if that doesn’t mean anything to you, you can rest assured that I won’t do anything unworthy with such a window to the heavens as the Oklahoma sky.” He cast his tender green gaze upward. A warm smile revealed a dimple beneath his stubble.
She might be leery of him, with his hidden motives for giving up his land, but he’d been a noble refuge twice yesterday—on the way to purchase horses, and last night, around the fire as he read his Bible and discussed their secrets. Perhaps his secret was the very thing that gave Aubrey this sweet providence?
“Very well, Mr. Stanton.” She breathed in the hot prairie air. “I’ll hold you to it.” Patting the horse and clutching the reins, she squinted upward. “May that window above remain wide-open,” Aubrey mumbled as they trotted along.
When she arrived at the land office, she stood among hundreds of people eager to register their land in the already thriving town of Alva. She couldn’t believe the haggling that was already taking place among settlers who had just run the race of their lives. Tents were set up just like at the camp before the run—saloon tents, lawyers and even a doctor tending to many men and women who’d been injured in the shuffle. Aubrey was able to speak with him about Ben and he had said he’d follow her home after the town’s first church service tomorrow morning. Although she was glad to leave behind the chaos in town, Aubrey was also thrilled to be counted among these settlers who were not lazy about making life here and making it quick.
Aubrey galloped most of the way back. She hadn’t planned to spend so much time away, and her anxiety was heightened as she thought about Ben. When she approached the grove of
