Page 21 of Inventions of the Heart

Zane closed his eyes, then they popped open. “So, girl geniuses, what am I supposed to do with all this gold without causing mayhem?”

Michelle and Jilly shared a long look. They seemed to be communicating without words ... sister magic or something. But he knew what they were both doing was thinking while they stared through each other.

“I wanted to see what we were dealing with,” Michelle said. “Is this a huge strike that’s going to require years,possibly a lifetime, of managing? Or is it a pocket that could be dug out, and Zane could be done with it?”

Nodding, Jilly said, “No way to be sure of that yet. If it’s a pocket, you’re not to the end of it. It’ll be a nice pocket. Tens of thousands of dollars, Zane. You already seem like a prosperous man, but now you’re going to be rich.”

“I’ve got enough cattle to last a lifetime. Enough money, too. What am I going to do? Buy more land and more cows? Buy fancier guns and horses? Hire more servants and cowhands?” Avenge his sister’s husband?

That was in his head day and night.

“I guess you could build a bigger house.” Jilly grinned mischievously. “I’d be glad to help you.”

He surprised himself by smiling back, then looking at Michelle, probably for a little too long. A man who didn’t need a thing, who’d soon fill his pockets full of gold. He probably could marry Michelle.

Tearing his thoughts away from that, he looked at the gold. “We’ll dig awhile. A few more days, but I can’t come every day.” He glowered at Michelle. “If I could be sure you’d be safe, you could come out alone. There is a trail you can ride that no one in the cabins would see.”

Michelle almost wiggled with pleasure.

“I saidifI could be sure you were safe. I’ll have to think more about that. After a few more days digging, we’ll know if it’s a big strike or not.”

Frowning, he added, “I need to do something about Annie. She’s willing to just walk away from her ranch, give it all up. But that’s her grief talking. I can’t let a land grab and the murder of three men stand and call myself an honorable man.”

Michelle said quietly, “Don’t start a fight you can’t win, Zane. You can take care of Annie and Caroline here. I heard your sister say powerful men are siding with the tyrant who is behind the land grab and murders.”

He looked right in her eyes. Dark, lively blue. Her hair pulled back into a bun, but after a morning of gold mining, curls had escaped and danced around her neck and over her ears.

“Aren’t you and your sisters involved in a plot to take on a tyrant? Weren’t you all willing to risk everything by jumping in a flume and riding down it to escape him?”

“You’re right. Look into it, then, but be careful. Don’t just go charging down there, guns blazing. Find out what you’re up against first.”

Nodding, Zane said, “Jilly, you’ve got to go back to the cabins, or one of those builders will be up here wondering where you’ve gone. Michelle, it’s time for us to get back to gold mining.”

Jilly looked mutinous for a few long moments.

“You want to dig for gold, too, don’t you?” Zane asked.

She gave a sullen shrug. “Sure I do.”

“How long until the cabins are done?”

“Three days.”

“And you ladies can both handle a gun?”

They both smiled.

“You two really resemble each other.”

Michelle looked at Jilly. “We are as different as can be. We have completely different hair and eye color.”

Jilly piped up. “I’m taller. And smarter.”

Michelle whacked her in the arm with the back of her hand. “Jilly’s got those dreadful freckles while my skin is pure as cream.”

Jilly laughed.

“Those smiles,” Zane said. “Especially when you’re getting your own way.”

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