Gideon failed entirely this time.
He smiled.
Horace saw.
“May we speak privately?”
Abigail answered:
“No.”
His eyebrows rose.
“This concerns your husband.”
“Then he should probably stay.”
“It concerns his finances.”
Gideon looked at Abigail.
She stared back.
Something passed between them.
Gideon had told her the ranch carried debt.
Not details.
Not creditors.
Abigail slowly set down the pen.
“Sit.”
Horace did not appreciate being directed by his daughter.
He sat anyway.
Gideon remained standing.
Horace removed a folded document.
Placed it on the table.
“Crosswind note.”
Abigail read.
Principal.
Interest.
Maturity date.
Her stomach tightened.
Nine thousand four hundred dollars.
Due April fifteenth.
Creditor:
Whitmore Holdings.
She looked at Gideon.
“You owe my father?”
Gideon nodded.
“How long?”
“Four years.”
“Before we met.”
“Yes.”
“You never told me who held the note.”
“No.”
“Why?”
Horace answered:
“Because then you might have understood the marriage.”
Gideon’s expression hardened.
Abigail looked at Horace.
“What does that mean?”
Her father leaned back.
“Your husband needed time.”
“I offered terms.”
Gideon said quietly:
“He offered terms.”
Abigail looked between them.
“What terms?”
Horace smiled faintly.
“Marriage brought certain advantages.”
Abigail went cold.
“Dowry.”
“Yes.”
Gideon said:
“No.”
She turned.
Horace ignored him.
“Twenty-five thousand dollars.”
“Enough to settle this note and improve the ranch.”
Abigail stared at Gideon.
“You accepted twenty-five thousand?”
“No.”
Horace's smile disappeared.
Gideon walked to the desk.
Opened a drawer.
Removed a bank document.
Placed it beside the note.
Abigail read.
Twenty-five thousand deposited in an account under her name.
Sole access.
No withdrawal.
No lien.
She looked at Gideon.
“What is this?”
“Your dowry.”
“You didn't use it.”
“No.”
Horace snapped:
“That was not the arrangement.”
Gideon looked at him.
“It was your arrangement.”
“You understood perfectly.”
“I understood you intended to buy influence over my marriage.”
Horace stood.
Abigail did too.
“Sit.”
Both men looked at her.
“I said sit.”
Gideon sat.
Horace did not.
Abigail looked at him.
After several seconds, he sat.
She nearly smiled.
Power could be ridiculous.
“Father.”
“Yes?”
“Did you offer Gideon debt relief if he married me?”
Horace chose his words carefully.
“I indicated that becoming family would permit financial flexibility.”
“So yes.”