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“Then please excuse me.” She headed for the open library door with Rosie at her side.

“Please don’t let them keep me here in Texas without you,” Rosie whispered. “I’m all grown up now. Twenty-three is old enough to tell them what I want even if ... even if I’m not as smart as they are.”

Emma smiled and looped her arm with Rosie’s as they started up the stairs. “You are plenty smart, Rosie. I won’t leave you alone. I promise. If they won’t let you come with me, then I will remain here with you.”

“Thank you, Emma. I love you so much.” Rosie gave her a sideways hug. “Oh, why don’t I go tell the cook to send someone up with tea? He might have cakes too.”

Rosie did love cake, and Emma couldn’t help but chuckle. “I think that would help my mood considerably.”

Colton shook his head at Ernest. “Don’t you think that was a little uncalled for?”

“I’m concerned about our railroad. She now owns the majority control.”

“Emma’s not foolish. She’ll listen to counsel. She knows how we feel about the railroad.”

Walter got to his feet and poured himself a drink. “Why did you let Tommy make such a change to his will?”

“How was I to stop him? He was determined to leave everything to Emma. If I didn’t draw up the will, he would have had someone else do it.”

“Well, you could have done it without witnesses. That way you could have changed it,” Walter declared. “She doesn’t deserve to have his fortune.”

“She loved him and married him. They planned a future together. I believe she deserves it as much as you do.” Colton sat back down and refolded the will.

“Do you suppose she’s with child?” Ernest asked.

“Why don’t you just run upstairs and ask her?” Colton’s sarcasm was more than evident in his tone. “I’d like for Emma to give you what you have coming for being so rude to her.”

“It’s not rude,” Walter said, coming back to where he’d sat for the reading. “It’s just pragmatic to know whether or not there’s a baby. After all, they did get married rather quickly, and that other woman claimed to be pregnant. At least she had the decency to end her life.”

“Walter, I pity your wife and children. You are utterly without feeling. Tommy put Miss Mikkelson in a very bad situation. Her options were not many. As for Emma and Tommy, they had been talking about a wedding since last summer. I hardly see it as a rush to the altar.” Colton knew his brothers were worried about Emma’s control over the family railroad.

Especially now when they were in negotiations with the Southern Pacific to sell it.

Her signature would be required in any dealings they had regarding the family’s rail line.

He had his own concerns, but what was to be done now?

“But she could cause us trouble, especially since she isn’t of a mind to remain here where we can control her.”

Colton might have laughed at his brother had it not been such a serious matter. Walter did well to give a pretense of controlling his own family. The idea of him controlling Emma was too ludicrous to imagine.

“She’s a sensible woman. If you would have spent any time at all with her, then you’d know she’s also quite insightful. I’ll speak to her about our plans when the time is right.”

“But she’s leaving for Cheyenne. It will break all connections.”

“Not exactly,” Colton replied. “She wants to take Rosie with her.”

“Let her.” Walter tossed back his drink. “She’s nothing but a burden to all of us. I was delighted when Tommy said he wanted Rosie to live with them.”

“Yes, let her take Rose to Cheyenne. That way we’ll remain tied together. You would have to make frequent trips to see to it that Rose was being well cared for.” Ernest sounded quite enthused.

Walter put his empty glass on Colton’s desk. “Yes, yes. That would be perfect, and even better, what if you were to show interest in Emma as time went on? Woo her and then marry her? You could then ensure that the family things Tommy inherited as well as the stocks would remain in our control.”

“I’m not marrying Emma for control of her railroad stock.

” Colton did his best to remain calm, but he had to admit that the idea of courting Emma was ever in his thoughts.

His brothers had no idea of him being in love with her, however.

He’d gone out of his way to keep Emma at arm’s length for fear Tommy might see how he felt about her.

“But Walter makes a good point. You could marry her and solve everything. Good grief, we’re not asking you to fall in love with her, but as the leader of this family, and an unmarried one at that, you could solve all of our problems. The railroad and our plans for it could be placed on hold while you convince Emma that you have fallen in love with her.

It shouldn’t be that hard. After all, she needs to be comforted.

” Ernest studied his fingernails for a moment.

“Women are easily manipulated if you know what you’re doing.

I didn’t have any great love for my wife when we courted.

It was more financial benefit than romantic, and yet I convinced her of my undying passion for her.

If I can manage such a thing, I’m sure you can. ”

Colton could hardly believe what his brothers were saying.

He supposed had it been anyone other than Emma, he might have been less offended.

But knowing that marriage to her would fulfill his deepest desires made Colton feel awkward about the entire matter.

It sickened him to imagine using Emma in such a fashion.

“The matter is closed to further discussion. But I agree that it’s a good idea to allow Rosie to go with Emma to Cheyenne. They are very close, and given both are mourning Tommy, they will be good for each other. I know Emma will take good care of our sister—probably better than we do.”

“And you could go with them to Cheyenne and see them settled in,” Walter added, rubbing his beard. “Maybe stay on a little while just to make sure the transfer of funds and such goes without a hitch.”

Ernest got up and walked to the fireplace.

“And you could incorporate business. I’ve read that cattle ranching in the territory is picking back up after that bad winter.

Perhaps you should consider it as an investment.

Wasn’t Emma’s family involved in such things?

You could speak to her father about it.”

Colton felt guilty for even considering all that they were saying, but at the same time, it intrigued him. It was the perfect excuse to stay close to Emma. Perhaps in time he could convince her of his feelings for her.

“It’s not the worst idea,” he admitted. “I could look into those things with Emma’s help.”

Walter jumped up from his chair. “It’s settled, then. We’ll let Rosie go with Emma to Wyoming. Now I need to go. I have another meeting. Let me know when you have it all arranged, Colton.”

Later that night, Emma couldn’t sleep. Restless and hungry, she made her way downstairs. Chef Antoine always left things available for snacking, so she figured she could at least put an end to her hunger.

She found sliced roast beef in the icebox, as well as the cook’s horseradish sauce, and decided to make herself a sandwich. She had just brought the bread to the kitchen table when she heard footsteps in the hall.

Emma quickly checked to make sure her robe was properly closed and glanced up just as Colton entered the room.

“I heard a noise and figured to check it out.”

He was fully dressed, as though he’d not yet gone to bed. Emma wondered if he was missing Tommy as she was.

“I couldn’t sleep and wanted something to eat. Are you hungry? I was just about to make myself a sandwich.”

“I could definitely go for one, thanks.” Colton went to the stove. “I’ll work up the fire and put some water on for tea.”

“Could you also grab a couple of plates, please?” Emma returned her attention to slicing the bread.

“Tommy told me about coming down here for midnight snacks and how Chef Antoine got so annoyed at his messing things up for the next day that he started leaving food in a specific place for Tommy to eat.”

Colton brought her two dinner plates, then went to the stove.

“He did. As you probably found, there’s usually sliced meat and cheese in the icebox and bread in the bread box.

There are also cookies in several jars and a cake under glass on the far counter.

And one of the servants keeps a small fire going in the stove throughout the night.

That way it’s always hot for morning meals.

Antoine is quite insistent on no delays. ”

“That’s very accommodating. It’s a wonder Tommy wasn’t as plump as a partridge.”

Colton finished tending the fire, then went to the sink and filled the teapot. “He was always too busy to get fat. Our mother said he had more energy than all of the rest of us combined.”

“Well, I think we all know that Tommy was energetic and ambitious.” She thought of Stella and frowned. “Then again, sometimes I don’t think I knew Tommy at all.”

“I know he loved you.”

Emma was surprised at the gentleness of Colton’s tone. For so long he had been stern to the point of dismissiveness with her. “That’s kind of you to say. I believe he did love me in his own way.”

“Did you know about Stella? I mean, before the wedding?”

“No. Not in particular. I knew he was popular with the girls. The first time I met him he was surrounded by women all vying for his attention.” She smiled at the memory.

“I had gone to a party given by someone my sister was friends with at church. It was a garden party, and I remember the lush and beautiful flowers. They were everywhere. Roses as big as plates. It was like nothing I’d ever seen.

And there across the way was Tommy. He was laughing and telling some story.

The ladies were hanging on his every word. ”

“I’ve seen him like that too.” Colton brought the cups to the table and sat down.