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Authors: Maverickand the Lady
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his hands up in the air. “Okay, it could have happened. But I’m saying it didn’t. And you’re short one hell of a lot of cattle to call this place a ranch!”
Martie backed up slightly, then rigidly stood her ground, hooking her thumbs into her pockets. “We’ve had some problems. That’s why I couldn’t pay the loan. We lost half the herd to hoof-and-mouth, and the government ordered some of them killed before it could spread around.”
“A viral disease that didn’t spread around, did it?”
“No …” Martine said slowly. “But why would it have spread around from here? We were quarantined; I followed all the government instructions to the letter.” She shook her head. “What are you saying?”
He shrugged. “Hoof-and-mouth on only your ranch, but no contaminated feed in the area. A virus can be injected. I think Mr. Lander had a hand in all this. There were too many fences down on this place, too many strange coincidences. For one, that loss of cattle was ridiculous, it should never have happened to just your herd. He didn’t want you to be able to repay that loan.”
Martine paused, feeling as if a little of her breath had been stolen away. It was possible. “Okay. Maybe what you’re saying is possible, but how do I prove it?”
“You don’t—now,” Kane said a little bitterly. He planted his hands on his hips and stared up at the sun, centered in the sky. Then his eyes became riveted to hers again. “That leaves me curious all over again. Either you really did do something to that man or he was exceptionally keen to get his hands on this particular property. Which was it, Martine?”
She stared at him for a long, speechless moment, feeling her temper soar. When she spoke, her words were like chips of ice. “You might have lent me some money, Mr. Montgomery, but I’ll be damned if I’ll stand here on my own property and listen to any kind of veiled accusations from you!”
She spun about on her heel but was so angry that she had to grope blindly for Cheyenne’s trailing reins.
His fingers were suddenly winding around her arm, pulling her back to meet him. She stared at him furiously; his features remained as intense, his eyes as probing.
“I’m sorry, Martine. I just have to know.”
“You’re sorry, and you’re still interrogating me?” she demanded hotly.
“Yes,” he said. She saw that the shields were over his eyes again; they were narrowed and piercing enigmas.
“What difference does it make?” she asked as she tugged her arm. “You’ve saved the day. The hero rode in, and all is well. I owe you the money now with no strings attached, remember?”
He released her and crossed his arms over his chest. “All right, Martine, have it your way. The papers are on the desk if you want to look them over and have them checked by your attorney. Why don’t you go do that now?”
“I will,” she said coolly, and for the first time in her life, she had trouble setting her foot in the stirrup to straddle Cheyenne’s back.
His hands clamped around her waist despite her gasp of protest, and she found herself seated, staring down at him.
“And while you’re at the desk, you’d better check around for cattle prices. You’ve got to increase this herd or it will be worthless.”
“Don’t be ridiculous,” she told him. “I can’t go out purchasing cattle right now. My account is cleaned out. You should know that,” she snapped dryly.
But he wasn’t looking at her anymore. He was gazing at the distant hills, and it seemed he was oblivious of the fact that he had angered her.
Perhaps he was aware, she thought resentfully, but figured it just didn’t matter.
His eyes met hers again. “Never mind. Leave it to me. I’ll do the purchasing.”
“With what?”
He appeared mildly amused. “I’ll rob a train,” he told her, and at her thunderous expression and the spark in her eyes he laughed. “Seriously, I’ll buy the cattle with my own funds.”
“What
Martie backed up slightly, then rigidly stood her ground, hooking her thumbs into her pockets. “We’ve had some problems. That’s why I couldn’t pay the loan. We lost half the herd to hoof-and-mouth, and the government ordered some of them killed before it could spread around.”
“A viral disease that didn’t spread around, did it?”
“No …” Martine said slowly. “But why would it have spread around from here? We were quarantined; I followed all the government instructions to the letter.” She shook her head. “What are you saying?”
He shrugged. “Hoof-and-mouth on only your ranch, but no contaminated feed in the area. A virus can be injected. I think Mr. Lander had a hand in all this. There were too many fences down on this place, too many strange coincidences. For one, that loss of cattle was ridiculous, it should never have happened to just your herd. He didn’t want you to be able to repay that loan.”
Martine paused, feeling as if a little of her breath had been stolen away. It was possible. “Okay. Maybe what you’re saying is possible, but how do I prove it?”
“You don’t—now,” Kane said a little bitterly. He planted his hands on his hips and stared up at the sun, centered in the sky. Then his eyes became riveted to hers again. “That leaves me curious all over again. Either you really did do something to that man or he was exceptionally keen to get his hands on this particular property. Which was it, Martine?”
She stared at him for a long, speechless moment, feeling her temper soar. When she spoke, her words were like chips of ice. “You might have lent me some money, Mr. Montgomery, but I’ll be damned if I’ll stand here on my own property and listen to any kind of veiled accusations from you!”
She spun about on her heel but was so angry that she had to grope blindly for Cheyenne’s trailing reins.
His fingers were suddenly winding around her arm, pulling her back to meet him. She stared at him furiously; his features remained as intense, his eyes as probing.
“I’m sorry, Martine. I just have to know.”
“You’re sorry, and you’re still interrogating me?” she demanded hotly.
“Yes,” he said. She saw that the shields were over his eyes again; they were narrowed and piercing enigmas.
“What difference does it make?” she asked as she tugged her arm. “You’ve saved the day. The hero rode in, and all is well. I owe you the money now with no strings attached, remember?”
He released her and crossed his arms over his chest. “All right, Martine, have it your way. The papers are on the desk if you want to look them over and have them checked by your attorney. Why don’t you go do that now?”
“I will,” she said coolly, and for the first time in her life, she had trouble setting her foot in the stirrup to straddle Cheyenne’s back.
His hands clamped around her waist despite her gasp of protest, and she found herself seated, staring down at him.
“And while you’re at the desk, you’d better check around for cattle prices. You’ve got to increase this herd or it will be worthless.”
“Don’t be ridiculous,” she told him. “I can’t go out purchasing cattle right now. My account is cleaned out. You should know that,” she snapped dryly.
But he wasn’t looking at her anymore. He was gazing at the distant hills, and it seemed he was oblivious of the fact that he had angered her.
Perhaps he was aware, she thought resentfully, but figured it just didn’t matter.
His eyes met hers again. “Never mind. Leave it to me. I’ll do the purchasing.”
“With what?”
He appeared mildly amused. “I’ll rob a train,” he told her, and at her thunderous expression and the spark in her eyes he laughed. “Seriously, I’ll buy the cattle with my own funds.”
“What
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