But the thought of his bride standing in her beautiful wedding dress kept him moving along the safer available route.
He imagined her smiling when she saw the documents.
He imagined holding her hand while the minister pronounced them married.
He imagined how relieved she would feel knowing that the bank no longer held the mortgage over her home.
He never imagined she would spend the afternoon believing he had abandoned her.
When he finished explaining, the smokehouse was quiet.
The woman looked down at the papers.
Then toward him.
Her eyes were swollen from crying.
“Why didn't you tell me?”
The rancher lowered his head.
“I wanted it to be a surprise.”
She stared.
He continued.
“And I thought you'd refuse to let me help.”
Her expression tightened.
“Perhaps I would have.”
He nodded.
“I know.”
She looked toward the property documents.
Then whispered, “You made a decision involving my home and our money without asking me.”
The words struck him.
For a moment, he almost defended himself.
He wanted to explain that the debt was now gone.
That he'd protected the land.
That he'd acted out of love.
But then he looked at her.
The beautiful woman who had spent years fighting to maintain control over her life was sitting before him with tears on her cheeks, holding papers she had never expected to see.
The result was generous.
The secrecy had still hurt her.
He took a breath.
“You're right.”
She looked surprised.
He continued.
“I should've spoken to you.”
Her lips trembled.
He moved closer.
“I was so determined to prove I didn't want your property that I forgot something important.”
“What?”
He looked into her eyes.
“You deserved to be part of every decision concerning it.”
The woman began crying again.
He nodded slowly.
“I'm sorry.”
She reached toward him.
He took her hand.
For several minutes, neither spoke.
Then she looked down at the documents.
“Is there truly no agreement requiring me to marry you?”
He shook his head.
“None.”
“No transfer to your name?”
“No.”
“No promise that I must repay you before I can make decisions about the land?”
He shook his head again.
“I didn't take a new mortgage or secure a debt against it.”
She studied him.
He continued.
“The land is yours. I wanted the debt gone whether you married me or not.”
Her expression crumpled.
She leaned forward.