Read Online A Grand Teton Sleigh Ride: Four Generations of Wyoming Ranchers Celebrate Love at Christmas by Elizabeth Goddard and Lynette Sowell - Free Book Online
Authors: Elizabeth Goddard and Lynette Sowell
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happened?”
“Abel Quinn showed up at Belle’s place, throwing his weight around. Turns out, Belle has no rights to the claim.”
“But she’s been there, even before Ham and Melanie died, and Melanie’s name was on the paperwork, too, wasn’t it?”
“Evidently not. Belle came by the house to talk to Mary and me, beside herself. I don’t see any resolution to this, unless there’s paperwork somewhere showing Belle could have at least half rights to the claim.”
“Nervy of him, showing up like that.”
“He’s putting her out, Zeb. Tomorrow.”
“Christmas Eve? Where she’s going?”
“She’s leaving Jackson. Gus Tolliver said she’s paying him to take her over the pass.”
“No. She can’t leave.”
“Well, she’s going to.” Jake paused. “I thought you ought to know.”
“Thank you. Thank you for telling me.” He turned the idea over in his mind. He ought to be glad Belle would be leaving, away from this setting she had no experience living in.
“So, what are you going to do about it?”
“Do?”
“Yes, do about it. Nobody’s blind to the fact you’ve taken a shine to her, and she to you. Poor Rosemary cried for a day when she realized it.”
Ah, poor Rosemary. “I’m sorry about your daughter, Jake.”
“She’ll be all right. I just pray she finds another man like you, Zeb. But you, you need to see about Belle. I admit I had my doubts about her staying. At first.”
“I agree with you there. I told her a long time ago she’d be better off leaving.”
“But now?”
“Part of me still thinks she’d be better off.”
“The first winter is always the hardest, you know.”
“I know. But I survived. You did, too.” Zeb shook his head. “I don’t know.”
“Well, you’d better know before tomorrow. Gus and Belle are pulling out at daylight, so she can get to the station in Idaho and get her a ticket east.”
Zebulon had been prepared to woo Belle Murray.
At a time like this, his decision had been transformed from wooing to something deeper.
Wooing Belle would have given them the opportunity to ease into what was blossoming between them. Yet to get Belle to stay would likely require something more drastic, and more permanent.
Belle had her trunk packed; it was all she’d brought with her and all she planned to take when she left. She wished she could unpack her memories and leave those as well.
She stood and faced the house her brother-in-law had built, small, snug, looking as large as a gnat when compared with the Teton Range. Their shelter might have been small, but oh, the view of God’s handiwork made a better backdrop than the finest home she’d ever worked in back East.
And because of Abel Quinn, she couldn’t keep it.
“Hire a lawyer,” the Smythes had suggested. But who could she find? She had no means to do so, and the papers she’d read over and over again told her she had no claim to the property.
She’d said her good-byes to them after selling Patch to Rosemary. Mr. Quinn had no rights to her horse, and judging by the condition of his own mount, she wasn’t sure how he’d treat him. She’d allowed herself a good cry after the Smythes had left with Patch. Now she couldn’t squeeze out another tear if she tried.
“I can’t help but think you’re making a terrible mistake,” Mr. Tolliver said as he loaded her traveling trunk onto the back of the wagon.
“I don’t see what other choice I have.” She shook her head. “I appreciate the trouble of you taking me. If I could wait until after Christmas, I would. But … it will make things all the more difficult, not to mention the weather is good today.”
“What about Zebulon?”
Belle hoisted herself up onto the wagon seat as gracefully as she could. “He told me from the very beginning, ever since losing Melanie and Ham, that I ought to leave. He was right.”
Part of her wanted to stay as long as possible, to have more time with the people she’d grown to care for, the
“Abel Quinn showed up at Belle’s place, throwing his weight around. Turns out, Belle has no rights to the claim.”
“But she’s been there, even before Ham and Melanie died, and Melanie’s name was on the paperwork, too, wasn’t it?”
“Evidently not. Belle came by the house to talk to Mary and me, beside herself. I don’t see any resolution to this, unless there’s paperwork somewhere showing Belle could have at least half rights to the claim.”
“Nervy of him, showing up like that.”
“He’s putting her out, Zeb. Tomorrow.”
“Christmas Eve? Where she’s going?”
“She’s leaving Jackson. Gus Tolliver said she’s paying him to take her over the pass.”
“No. She can’t leave.”
“Well, she’s going to.” Jake paused. “I thought you ought to know.”
“Thank you. Thank you for telling me.” He turned the idea over in his mind. He ought to be glad Belle would be leaving, away from this setting she had no experience living in.
“So, what are you going to do about it?”
“Do?”
“Yes, do about it. Nobody’s blind to the fact you’ve taken a shine to her, and she to you. Poor Rosemary cried for a day when she realized it.”
Ah, poor Rosemary. “I’m sorry about your daughter, Jake.”
“She’ll be all right. I just pray she finds another man like you, Zeb. But you, you need to see about Belle. I admit I had my doubts about her staying. At first.”
“I agree with you there. I told her a long time ago she’d be better off leaving.”
“But now?”
“Part of me still thinks she’d be better off.”
“The first winter is always the hardest, you know.”
“I know. But I survived. You did, too.” Zeb shook his head. “I don’t know.”
“Well, you’d better know before tomorrow. Gus and Belle are pulling out at daylight, so she can get to the station in Idaho and get her a ticket east.”
Zebulon had been prepared to woo Belle Murray.
At a time like this, his decision had been transformed from wooing to something deeper.
Wooing Belle would have given them the opportunity to ease into what was blossoming between them. Yet to get Belle to stay would likely require something more drastic, and more permanent.
Belle had her trunk packed; it was all she’d brought with her and all she planned to take when she left. She wished she could unpack her memories and leave those as well.
She stood and faced the house her brother-in-law had built, small, snug, looking as large as a gnat when compared with the Teton Range. Their shelter might have been small, but oh, the view of God’s handiwork made a better backdrop than the finest home she’d ever worked in back East.
And because of Abel Quinn, she couldn’t keep it.
“Hire a lawyer,” the Smythes had suggested. But who could she find? She had no means to do so, and the papers she’d read over and over again told her she had no claim to the property.
She’d said her good-byes to them after selling Patch to Rosemary. Mr. Quinn had no rights to her horse, and judging by the condition of his own mount, she wasn’t sure how he’d treat him. She’d allowed herself a good cry after the Smythes had left with Patch. Now she couldn’t squeeze out another tear if she tried.
“I can’t help but think you’re making a terrible mistake,” Mr. Tolliver said as he loaded her traveling trunk onto the back of the wagon.
“I don’t see what other choice I have.” She shook her head. “I appreciate the trouble of you taking me. If I could wait until after Christmas, I would. But … it will make things all the more difficult, not to mention the weather is good today.”
“What about Zebulon?”
Belle hoisted herself up onto the wagon seat as gracefully as she could. “He told me from the very beginning, ever since losing Melanie and Ham, that I ought to leave. He was right.”
Part of her wanted to stay as long as possible, to have more time with the people she’d grown to care for, the
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