No declaration.
But afterward, Caleb began looking forward to the sound of her voice.
And Evelyn began keeping the barn door open whenever the weather was warm enough, hoping he'd find a reason to stop by.
In April, Victor hosted a dinner for several wealthy ranchers and investors from Cheyenne.
Evelyn was ordered to attend.
Not invited.
Ordered.
Victor wanted her present because one of the guests had known Henry Hart and might appreciate hearing stories about the original ranch.
Evelyn wore a beautiful dark-green silk dress her mother had helped design years earlier. It had been altered carefully to fit her present body, with a graceful neckline, broad sleeves, and embroidery along the bodice.
Her hair was pinned into a soft arrangement decorated with small silver combs.
When she looked in the mirror, she thought she looked beautiful.
Then she remembered the last formal dinner she'd attended.
The whispers.
The laughter.
And the way wealthy men sometimes treated her appearance as permission to say things they would never have dared say to another woman.
She nearly stayed in her room.
Then she remembered her father's voice.
Never let somebody else's cruelty convince you that you don't belong at your own table.
So she attended.
Victor received her with a smile that made her uneasy.
“Ah, Evelyn.”
She nodded.
“Mr. Harrow.”
He looked over her dress.
For a moment, his expression became mocking.
“You've certainly made an effort.”
Her cheeks grew warm.
Then she answered.
“It's a dinner.”
He smiled thinly.
“Indeed.”
The guests gathered around a long table in the main dining room. Several had traveled from distant ranches, and the conversation quickly turned toward cattle prices, railroad expansion, and land speculation.
Evelyn listened with interest.
She knew more about those subjects than Victor expected.
When one investor mentioned a freight rate she believed was incorrect, she politely asked whether he meant the previous season's tariff or the revised schedule.
The man looked surprised.
Then admitted she was right.
Victor's expression tightened.
A little later, another guest praised Harrow for acquiring Willow Creek during a difficult financial period.
Evelyn looked toward him.
Victor smiled.
“Henry Hart was an excellent cattleman, but not the most disciplined borrower.”
Several men laughed politely.
Evelyn felt her hands tighten.