She stared at the coins.
No man had ever said that to her without expecting control afterward.
She bought something ridiculous with the first payment.
A blue porcelain teapot from St. Louis.
The cowboy opened the package.
“How much?”
She told him.
He stared.
“Say it.”
He looked at the teapot.
Then her.
“It’s very blue.”
She laughed for five straight minutes.
They used it every Sunday.
The deed remained in her trunk.
She never transferred the cabin back.
Neither did he ask.
That became important when autumn brought a visitor from Baltimore.
A man.
Well dressed.
Older.
The bride saw him first through the window.
Every bit of warmth left her body.
The cowboy noticed.
“What?”
She could not answer.
The man dismounted.
Walked toward the cabin.
The bride stepped backward.
The cowboy’s expression changed.
“Who?”
She whispered:
“My old employer.”
That was not the whole truth.
The man knocked.
The cowboy looked toward her.
“What do you want me to do?”
Not:
Who is he?
Not:
What did he do?
What do you want me to do?
The bride breathed.
“Stay.”
He nodded.
She opened the door.
The man smiled.
“There you are.”
The bride said nothing.
His eyes moved toward the cowboy.
Then the cabin.
“Well.”
He laughed softly.
“You did better than expected.”
The cowboy’s jaw tightened.
The bride spoke.
“Why are you here?”
“You left debts.”
“No.”
“You left obligations.”
“No.”
The man’s smile faded.
He looked toward the cowboy.
“She worked for me.”
The bride’s body went rigid.
The cowboy said:
“She says she doesn’t owe you.”
The man laughed.
“You believe everything she says?”
The cowboy looked toward his wife.
“Yes.”
That answer almost broke her.
The man stepped closer.
“You don’t know what she was.”
The bride’s face went white.
The cowboy did not move.
“I know what she is.”
The man smirked.
“And what’s that?”
“My wife.”
Then the cowboy looked toward her.
“If she wants to be.”
The man frowned.
The bride understood.
Even now.
Choice.
She stepped forward.
“I want you off my property.”
The man laughed.
“Your property?”
The bride walked to her trunk.
Removed the deed.
Returned.
Held it up.
“Yes.”
His face changed.
The cabin belonged legally to her.
Not her husband.
Her.
The man looked toward the cowboy.
“You gave this woman land?”
The cowboy answered:
“Yes.”
The man stared at him.
Then at her.
Something ugly entered his face.
“She’ll take everything.”
The bride smiled.
“I learned from experts.”
His hand moved.
Fast.
Toward her wrist.
The cowboy moved faster.