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.Anger crept out of that bottomless pit where all his emotions were stored and encircled him, round and round, bringing with it the urge to take his flint knife and plunge it deep until there was nothing but death.He shook his head, trying to chase these feelings away, but they clung to him like leeches from a swamp.How could he? Ben thought.How could Edward think of selling all of this?The sound of horses approaching brought a chill in the air, despite the heat.Ben peered out the window and saw Edward on Almighty, along with Sam Turner and Mason, both on horseback.Edward spoke to Tom and Mitchell, gesturing with his hands, while Billy tried his best to keep Midnight Storm settled from the excitement of being around the other horses.Finally, Billy pointed a finger at the house, and Edward quickly turned his head, looking at Ben dead on.He dismounted, stomping his boots on the dry ground, and headed toward the house.Chapter 26Ben stepped onto the porch and braced himself, keeping his fingers close to the handle of his flint knife.Edward smooth, svelte strides reminded him of the black mountain lion stalking its prey.Sam Turner lumbered behind, looking portly in his tight waistcoat, and Mason stood near the horses, wearing a terrified expression.Ben almost felt sorry for him.“Shouldn’t you be in the barn shoveling?” Edward asked, stopping a good three feet away.Sam stopped as well, flanking Edward on his left side.“I don’t work here anymore,” Ben replied, lowering his Stetson on his forehead.“I work for Isaac Richardson.I’m here on business with Miss Raeford.”“Business?” Edward chuckled as he made eye contact with Sam.“What business do you have with her?”“Well, I came here to tell her about you,” Ben said, as he stepped off the porch and glared at Edward, “and the plans you have for Fairington.”“You don’t know anything about my plans for Fairington,” Edward snapped.“I know you want her to sign something that says if she marries you, you have the right to sell this place to satisfy your Charleston creditors.”Edward moved closer and squinted under his hat.Ben could barely make out the deep brown of his eyes that appeared empty and dead.“I don’t know where you get your information.”“I got it straight from you.You plan to do to her what you did to my mother.Trick her into giving you what you want.Force her even.”The kitchen door slammed shut, and Angelina stepped onto the porch.“Edward, is that true?”“Don’t believe a word this heathen says, darling,” Edward said, not tearing his gaze away from Ben’s.“They’re liars, every last one of them.His ma acted like she didn’t understand English, when she understood everything.She knew that land had to come to me.His daddy owed me money, and he didn’t have near enough to pay things off.” His glare widened so that he barely blinked.“There were no tricks and no force.”“Now you’re the liar,” Ben said, his voice deepening and his hands clenching into fists.He felt his chest expand and his arms pull away from his sides like the feathers of a rooster defending the chicken house.“I was there.I saw what you did.”“All right, gentlemen, how ’bout you come on in the bunkhouse and discuss matters real calm-like.” Tom strode toward them and stood between Edward and Ben, looking back and forth between the two.“No need to bother Miss Raeford with your disagreements.”“Calm-like?” Edward mocked.“This man just slandered my good name, and all because his daddy didn’t know how to manage his affairs.So I’m not going to be calm, and I’m not going into your bunkhouse.” He pointed a finger at Ben.“You’re gonna take that back.”“I won’t!” Ben hissed.“Gentlemen!” Tom interrupted.The horses whinnied and neighed at the tension filling the air.“You plan on selling Fairington?” Angelina asked, her face flushing a deep red.“Darling, I’ve already told you, I’ve got big plans for Fairington—same as you.Together we’re gonna make it the best horse farm around.”Something in Angelina’s eyes looked different from what Ben had seen on other occasions when Edward spoke such flattery.This time, there was doubt.Seizing the moment, he grabbed her arm and pulled her toward him.“Meet me at the farm.Tonight,” he whispered, his lips brushing against her ear.“Don’t you touch her!” Edward roared.“Boy, you better git on outta here,” Tom muttered under his breath.Ben released Angelina and let out a loud Cherokee cry directed straight at Midnight Storm.The stallion reared its head and rose up on its hind legs, breaking away from the hitching post.Billy tried to grab the bridle, but the horse was too fast for him.It trotted over to where the men stood and nuzzled up to Ben.In one swift motion, he leapt onto Midnight Storm’s back and grabbed the reins.“You’re not going anywhere, you hear? Not till we have this out, right here and now!”Ben returned Edward’s stare, all the while speaking softly to the stallion in his native tongue.Suddenly, Midnight Storm rose up on its back legs once more and pawed the air, snorting wildly.“No, sir.It’ll have to wait till next week—at the Challenge.”Tipping his hat toward Angelina, Ben squeezed the horse with his knees and cantered toward the barn.As he rode past, he smiled at Billy’s wide-eyed gape and Mason’s stunned expression that masked a glimmer of satisfaction.Ben knew that somewhere deep inside, the old man was laughing, just as he was.“I do declare, Ella,” Edward said through a mouthful of food, “this is the best chicken pie I’ve ever eaten.”Angelina cringed at Edward smacking his lips and shoving another forkful of food into his mouth, as if nothing had transpired with Ben just an hour ago.For someone who appeared regal on the outside, he displayed the manners of a field hand on occasion, especially when it came to fleshly appetites.She looked to Jessie, hoping for an ally to quickly end this meal, but her sister played along with his antics, making polite conversation.“Ella is the best cook in the county,” Jessie gushed, turning her attentions from Sam Turner to Edward.“Much better than Clara Wilcox, in my opinion.And her chicken pie recipe is top secret.She won’t even let me or Angelina in the kitchen when she’s fixing it.”“What you don’t know won’t hurt ya,” Ella said, spooning another dollop of pastry and chicken onto Edward’s plate.“Eat up, now, Mr.Millhouse.You’re too thin.Beulah’s been tellin’ me how you won’t eat a thing.”“’Cause she doesn’t cook like this.And what’s this Mr.Millhouse?” he asked playfully [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]