Page 2 of The Forever Cowboy (Noble Ranch #1)

“But, Claude—”

“Your money or your daughters.”

Father didn’t respond.

Violet swallowed hard past a sudden lump in her throat. Father loved them. He wouldn’t hand them over to Claude.

Hyacinth sat up now too, her body stiff.

The silence stretched.

“Well?” Claude asked irritably.

“You’ll treat them respectfully?” Their father’s voice held resignation.

The anger inside Violet fanned hotter. Was he really giving in to Claude’s demand? What kind of Father would do such a thing? Even if he was desperate.

“Bring them over tomorrow,” said Claude as the front door squealed open.

“I’ll try.”

“If you don’t bring them, I’ll send Tiny to fetch them.”

A second later, the front door closed, and the house fell silent.

“Violet?” Hyacinth huffed out a breath loaded with frustration. “What should we do?”

“We’re not working as dancing girls. That’s for sure.”

“I would rather die.”

“Me too.”

At their father’s footsteps plodding up the staircase, Violet flopped back and tugged Hyacinth down beside her. Would he come and check on them? If he knew they were awake, maybe he’d try to talk to them tonight about his deal with Claude.

“Pretend to be asleep,” Violet whispered as she yanked the covers back over them. Then she situated herself so that her back was facing the door, and Hyacinth did too.

A few moments later, Father’s footsteps creaked in the hallway and then stopped outside their room. He paused and knocked.

Violet stiffened and could feel Hyacinth do the same.

The door clicked open, revealing a stream of light from his lantern.

Violet tried to breathe evenly and act like she was asleep.

Father was quiet, probably watching them. Then he sighed and closed the door.

Hyacinth began to move, but Violet stopped her with a touch to her back. They lay motionless until Father’s bedroom door closed and the springs of his bed groaned under his weight. Even then they waited.

All the while, the anger flamed inside Violet.

They never should have listened to Father’s plea to return to Colorado.

They should have stayed in Williamsburg, Virginia, and used the last of the money to rent their room in the boarding house another month or two.

Surely they could have found domestic work or teaching jobs in addition to the seamstress work they’d been taking in.

That’s what Mother, on her deathbed, had instructed Violet to do.

Now, with winter closing in, they were stuck in the high country of Colorado.

The passes had already been difficult to traverse when they’d come by coach from Denver last week.

With the past week of additional snow in the higher elevations, the traveling would be even more treacherous, if not impossible.

They might be stuck in the high country, but Violet refused to be stuck with Father and his horrible arrangement with Claude. If Claude sent his men, she and Hyacinth would refuse to go with them. No one could force them to become dancehall girls, could they?

As much as Violet wished she could resist her father and any other man who pressured her to do something, she knew she was as weak as her mother in that regard. Mother had always let Father talk her into doing what he wanted, and Violet couldn’t chance staying and letting Father do the same to her.

The best course of action was for her and Hyacinth to leave home. They had to get away from his influence and his persuasive ways, at least until he came up with another plan to pay off his debts—one that didn’t involve them.

But where could she and Hyacinth go?

Their mother had always been reticent and had kept to herself—probably because she’d been embarrassed by Father’s gambling. As a result, they’d rarely mingled with people anywhere they’d lived.

It wasn’t until they moved to Breckenridge that Violet had started to make more of an effort to socialize, mainly because she’d been longing to meet a man and begin a life and family of her own.

Although she’d never been good at making friends, she’d forced herself to go out to local events. That’s when she’d met Sterling Noble.

Oh, Sterling.

Her insides ached any time she allowed herself to think about him and their failed wedding, when she’d ruined things. There had been many times during the summer when she’d missed him and wondered what her life would have been like if she’d followed through with marrying him.

Unwanted images from that day months ago, in April, threatened to race through her mind, but she quickly forced the thoughts into the dark corners where they belonged. She had to focus on the current predicament.

The problem was that no one in Breckenridge or the rest of Summit County liked her. In fact, they resented her just as much now as they had before she’d left Colorado. That had become clear from the looks she’d received during her first day back in town.

The truth was, she had no one to turn to. She had no money to go anywhere. And she had no idea how to protect Hyacinth the way she’d promised Mother she would.

Was there anyone, anyone at all, who would be willing to help her? Anyone who cared about her even just a little?

A memory pushed to the surface—a memory of Sterling the night he’d proposed marriage at the miner’s cabin.

His caramel-brown eyes had peered up at her in the candlelight.

They’d shone with a love so tender she’d quaked at the intensity.

Yes, she’d been scared that night and had turned down his proposal.

But his love had been so unforgettable and real and deep that she’d accepted his proposal a week later.

Surely he hadn’t lost all his love for her over these past months. Maybe he wasn’t so horribly angry with her for kissing another man on their wedding day and jilting him. Would he help her if she went to him and explained her situation?

No, she couldn’t. Not if she had a shred of dignity left. After running away from him and the love he’d offered, she couldn’t grovel at his feet and beg him for help, could she?

Everything inside her protested going to him. What if he refused to see her? What if he told her to go away? It would be so humiliating. Then again, she’d humiliated him on their wedding day, so maybe she deserved the same in response.

Besides, Hyacinth despised Sterling—claimed he should have done more, and blamed him in part for the failed relationship. Hyacinth would definitely not want to have Sterling’s help.

Violet buried her face in her pillow and wanted to cry out her frustration along with the resentment toward Father that she could no longer ignore. He should be protecting and providing for them. But had he ever?

“We have to go tonight, Violet,” Hyacinth whispered. “Now, while Father is asleep.”

Violet pushed up and listened. Father’s faint snores rattled from the room across the hallway.

Hyacinth was right. Even though the night was dark and cold, they had to make their escape while they still could. But where could they go that Father—and Claude—wouldn’t be able to find them?

Her mind raced again, trying to come up with more solutions. But there was only one. Even though it was a terrible option, she didn’t know what else to do.