Hot-Tempered Hannah by Jo Grafford

Author:Jo Grafford [Grafford, Jo]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781944794156
Publisher: JG PRESS
Published: 2018-11-28T05:00:00+00:00

Chapter 6: One Extra Bride

“So what do you think? Do we have a solid claim on the Yellow Diamond Mine?” Hannah clasped her hands and leaned her elbows on their lunch table at the Pelican Roost, glancing at her husband for affirmation. Gabe sat beside her, puffing on a cigar, one arm flung across the back of her chair. She would never get tired of the sight of him in his black silk trousers and jacket. Her husband was one handsome cowboy.

Glory be, she could hardly believe her good fortune! Sitting there next to him like some queen popinjay in her pink and gold silk gown. They made a striking pair in their fancy get-up, though she couldn’t wait to shed her gown for trousers as soon as they returned home.

Judge Spolidora thumped his cane on the plank floor, making those seated around them jump. “It would help if you could produce the deed, but I’ll do what I can.”

“It’s gone forever,” she mourned. “Pa’s office was below ground. It was destroyed when the mine shaft collapsed on him and flooded the whole section. I doubt it was an accident, but I can’t prove a thing.”

“I’m sorry for your loss, madam. That I am. Eli Merrill was a good man and employed a lot of folks here in this town.” The judge thoughtfully scratched his chin. “As Merrill’s only living heir, you have a solid claim to his diamond mine. Certainly more solid of a claim than the squatters currently occupying it. It’ll do my heart a world o’ good to pen their eviction notice. The sheriff says he has a rider he can send out there with it today.”

Waiting for the rider to return from the mine after delivering the notice was painful. The hours ticked away like years. Hannah and Gabe returned home and changed clothes. Restlessly, they returned outdoors to lean on the porch railing of their rental townhouse. She felt far more comfortable in her trousers, boots, and top hat than she had in her dress. It was her first appearance in public in trousers. This time, she’d left her hair down. One long red braid trailed over her shoulder. Two ranchers they’d recently met waved at Gabe as they clopped past on their horses but merely stared curiously at her. At the last second before disappearing from view, one of them shouted a greeting, finally recognizing her.

It was a good four hours before the sheriff’s courier galloped back into town. He rode like a tornado was on his heels, clouds of dry dust billowing in his wake. Only when he drew abreast of them on Main Street did Hannah catch sight of the bullet holes riddling his hat. Red seeped from his shoulder.

Hannah leaped from the porch into the street. “He’s been shot!”

She and her husband ran with a small crowd of onlookers to help the gasping man down from his horse. They carried him to their front porch and laid him on one of the benches.

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