Hunter's Moon (Hunter Family Saga; Half-Moon Ranch 1) (24 page)

"The place has gone through several owners. The
last one had some trouble with rustlers."

"So I heard," Brent said.

"It drove him under, so he needed to sell. Thanks
to Edmund, I got the place for a good price."

"What did you use for money?" Brent demanded.

"Edmund took care of that, too. I took out a loan,
but that's no problem."

"You didn't." Brent's jaw locked in anger as his
hands clenched into fists at his sides.

"I did. I'm going to make the Half-Moon the
most successful ranch in Texas," he said with pride.

Brent was beyond fury.

Ten years... For ten years he'd worked from
dawn to dusk-and sometimes longer-to get the
ranch out of debt.

And all for nothing. Pa was at it again.

"How could you do this? Didn't any of what I've
done over these last ten years mean anything to
you?" He was holding himself under rigid control.

"You did what I would have done," Jack said dis missing his argument. "You worked hard and held
on to the ranch. Now it's time to start thinking
about the future. It's time to make it grow again."

"How much did Edmund loan you?" he ground
out, needing to know the full truth.

"I don't know."

"You don't know?" Brent was appalled.

"I signed the papers, and Edmund said he'd take
care of it like he's always taken care of the banking
end of things for me."

"Don't you think it's time you put your trust in
me and my judgment about the ranch-instead of
Edmund's?" Brent asked in a cold, harsh voice. "He
could have repossessed the ranch while you were
locked up serving your time!"

"But he didn't,'-' Jack countered.

"Because I made the payments on time!"

They faced off, glaring at each other.

"It's my ranch," Jack answered, refusing to admit
to Brent that he might be right.

"That I saved," Brent stated, then turned his back
and walked out.

He was glad that Crystal was already in the
buckboard. He climbed up beside her and drove off.

"See you later," Abby called as they left.

Crystal waved good-bye to her, but Brent didn't
respond. He concentrated solely on his driving.

Abby wondered what had happened between
him and Papa to so darken his mood. Whatever it
was, it must have been ugly. She went back inside to see if she could find out what had occurred.

"Is something wrong?" Crystal, too, realized
Brent's mood was drastically different.

"Nothing that I shouldn't have been expecting,"
he said, a note of bitterness in his voice.

"Do you want to talk about it?"

"Talking about it won't change anything."

"No, but I'm a real good listener."

He managed to smile at her then, knowing she
truly cared and was just trying to help. He explained
what his father had done. "After I take you back to
the boardinghouse, I'm going to see Edmund."

"Will it do any good? Will he listen to you?"

"I think maybe I wasn't forceful enough when I
talked to him before. This time I'll make sure he
listens. Maybe there's still some way to stop the
purchase."

Brent saw her safely home. Anne was there to
meet her, so they had no opportunity for another
kiss. Crystal was very sorry, but she had her
memories of the early afternoon to last her through
the week. As she watched Brent leave, she hoped he
would be able to work things out with the banker.

Brent left her and went straight to Edmund's house.
Iona answered his knock and he was a bit stunned by
how drawn and haggard she looked.

"Brent, what are you doing here?" Iona asked.

"I need to talk to Edmund, if he's around."

"Come on in. He's in the study," she said,
holding the door wide for him to enter. "Go on in
and see him."

"Thanks."

Brent had been in their house before and knew
the way. He knocked only once on the door, and
at Edmund's call, he entered. Edmund was sitting
behind his desk looking very confident and
secure.

"Why, Brent. This is an unexpected pleasure."

"I hardly think my visit here is unexpected, Ed mund," Brent said tersely. "And I know it's no
pleasure under these circumstances."

"What's wrong?" Edmund asked innocently.

"You know damn well what's wrong!" Brent
approached his desk and stood before him, his rage
evident in his expression. "I asked you not to make
any new loans to my father! I told you that I wanted
to keep the Half-Moon out of debt!"

"Ah, so Jack told you about the deal we got on the
Sullivan property."

"Pa didn't tell me anything until after I found out
from talk down at the Lone Star!"

Edmund shrugged as if it were of little importance
where he'd learned of the sale.

"Jack wanted to expand the ranch, and I knew
that property was for sale. It seemed a good
arrangement for all involved," he explained easily,
but, sensing Brent's fury, he slipped his hand into
the desk drawer where he kept his gun.

"That property has been for sale for quite a while,
and it's worthless to us! The Half-Moon doesn't
need that land. We're already big enough."

"Well, the ranch is even bigger now."

"Cancel the deal."

"The sale was finalized. It's done."

"Why, you...!" Brent was ready to throttle him.

Edmund drew out his gun and aimed it straight at
him. "Get out of here now, Brent. You come any
closer and I'll be forced to use this on you."

Brent stopped. "So that's the way it is?"

"Yes," Edmund replied smoothly.

Brent stared at the man who was supposedly a
family friend and then looked down at the gun in his
hand. "Thanks for being such a good friend. I'll
remember this."

"So will I," Edmund responded.

Without another word, Brent turned around and
left.

Edmund followed him to make sure he was gone.
Only when Brent had ridden off did Edmund return
to the desk and put the gun away. He sat back down
and thought about what had just happened.

And he smiled.

Edmund's smile faded when he heard Iona in the
hallway. Fortunately she had gone back to her room
when Brent arrived. Edmund hadn't wanted her to
hear any of what had transpired between them.

"I just wanted to say good-night, Edmund," Iona
offered as she stood in the study doorway.

Edmund could see that she was unsteady on her
feet and knew she'd been drinking while she was in
her room. He stood up and walked around the desk.
"It's early, dear. I thought you'd keep me company
for a little longer tonight."

Iona's expression brightened at his words.

Edmund was filled with disgust by her drunken
state, but forced a smile as he went on, "I was
thinking about the letter you received from Juliana a
few days ago."

"Oh, yes. Juliana is doing so well. She's in
Saratoga, New York, visiting her late husband's
family, you know." Iona smiled as she thought of
her daughter. "Who would have thought that my
Juliana would be so well traveled at such a young
age?" She gave a shaky laugh. "I was worried
when she married Harlan Rains. He was so much
older than she was, and so sophisticated. I
thought..." She shrugged. "Well, it doesn't
matter what I thought, does it? It all turned out
well in the end."

Iona gasped and her eyes widened as she realized
what she'd just said. "Oh, my-I didn't mean it was
good that Harlan died. He was a fine man, and he
left Juliana a rich woman. Of course, money isn't
everything, and I'm sure she wishes he were still
alive. I just meant-"

"I know what you meant." Edmund cut her off
impatiently, tired of her endless ramblings. "I was
thinking you could answer her letter tonight, and I
could post it tomorrow for you."

"That's so kind of you, Edmund." She paused,
then continued in a softer voice, "I know your
relationship with Juliana was difficult. Juliana can be
a very stubborn girl, and I know she tried your
patience sometimes. I want you to know I appreciate
your forbearance."

"She's your daughter, so of course I love her."

"Oh, Edmund."

The charade sickened him, but he continued. "About the letter... We can write it now at my
desk, if you feel up to it?"

"Oh, yes," she responded, brightening at the
thought. "I'd like that."

Moments later Iona was seated at Edmund's
desk, pen in hand, writing the letter as he dictated
it.

My dear Juliana,

I was so pleased to hear you're doing well.
I'm proud of your accomplishments. I enjoy
hearing about the interesting people you have
met and the places you have visited while
staying with Harlan's family.

I am well and so is Edmund. We live a busy
life. Our work at church is very satisfying.

Everyone in Diablo asks about you and
sends you their regards. They enjoy hearing
about your adventures almost as much as I do.
Edmund and I look forward to your next letter,
and we send our love.

Sincerely,
Mother

Edmund waited until she'd finished writing
before asking, "Is there anything I left out that you
want to add?"

"No, the letter is fine the way it is."

"Go ahead and address the envelope," he
encouraged.

He sealed the envelope moments later and set it
aside. Iona got up and went to him.

"You can go on to bed now, dear. I have an
appointment to keep. I'll see you in the morning."

The disappointment in her expression was so
obvious, Edmund almost laughed out loud. His lips
twisted into a sneer as he watched her move
unsteadily back down the hall toward the bedroom.
He knew she had wanted him to make love to her
tonight, and he shuddered at the thought of
touching her.

Edmund watched Iona until she had disappeared
into the bedroom and closed the door behind her.
He'd mail the letter tomorrow, and when Juliana
received it, she would read her mother's glowing
report of her happy life. Juliana would stay in
Saratoga, where she belonged.

The weeks that followed passed in a blur for Brent.
He was beyond anger, and he was almost beyond
caring about the ranch. As his father had told him
numerous times, Jack owned the place and he could
do what he wanted.

Brent kept himself busy breaking stock. He tried
to come to grips with what he'd learned, but there
was no way he could reason his way out of this.

His father had done the unthinkable-he had put
the ranch back in debt. And he'd done it without
even asking him. Brent felt doubly betrayed, for
Edmund had made the loan to his father after he'd
specifically asked him not to.

Brent knew he was the driving force behind the
Half-Moon. He had been for ten years. The men
looked to him for leadership. Yet he had been help less to stop his father from putting the ranch in
jeopardy again.

He was tempted to leave-to just pack up and
ride away. Night after night as he paced alone in the
cabin, he thought of making a new life of his own
away from the Half-Moon. But each morning as
dawn cast its golden glow over the land, Brent knew
he couldn't leave. He loved the ranch too much. The
Half-Moon had been his life for too long. He
couldn't forsake it now.

If he stayed, at least he would be there to fight to
keep it going. He had saved the Half-Moon from his
father's stupidity once. He could do it again.

Brent thought of Edmund and knew he could
never look at him the same way again. It seemed his
uneasiness about the man had been justified.
Edmund was no friend of the family-not after
making that loan to his father and then pulling a
gun on Brent.

Only the time he spent with Crystal kept Brent
from even darker despair. The memory of her smile
and her kiss left him counting the days each week
until he could get back into town to see her.

Tomorrow was Saturday, and he couldn't leave
for Diablo soon enough.