Page 46 of Inventions of the Heart

They rode along quietly while Michelle figured how to organize a gold mining business from the ground up. Or rather, organize the blank account book. She found herself eager to begin.

ZANE RODEUP TO HIS RANCHto see a strange horse, along with a loaded packhorse, hitched to the rail at the back of his house.

It’d been a long ride, and he hadn’t slept much last night. A thought that put a smile on his face. He was tired to the bone. But the horses put him on edge, though no henchman working for Benteen would come riding onto the place with a packhorse.

His hand resting on his gun, he kept his eyes open, looking all around, as they rode toward the hitching post.

Riding in slow ended on a scream.

Zane threw himself off his horse and charged the back door. He slammed inside to find—

“Josh?”

Annie and Beth Ellen were hugging him. Caroline must’ve decided she liked having another uncle because she was the one screaming.

Just as Zane and Annie matched with their dark hair, the two blonds in the family were a match, except Beth Ellen was a little thing and Josh a great strapping man.

Zane’s heart slowed until it was close to normal. Thenhe charged at his brother. “Josh, great to see you. It’s been what? Two years?”

“At least.” His baby brother, who was every inch Zane’s height and built solid as any schooner, grinned and let go of his sisters to give Zane a hug that nearly crushed him. Years on a ship had turned Josh’s muscles to iron.

“My ship went all the way around Cape Horn—that’s what they call the southern tip of South America—up to New York, then, for the first time ever, I signed on to go to London. Shipped around there awhile, went to Paris and Rome and Cairo. And on around Africa, all the way to India. Then we sailed on across the Pacific to San Francisco. I hopped off to come and visit you instead of setting out again.”

“Wow, London. Paris. India. Josh, you’ve traveled the world. I want to hear all about it.”

“I can talk for days with all the stories I’ve got saved up. But what I most need to say is, after traveling far and wide, I finally realized I was searching for a life I wanted more than home, and there wasn’t any such thing. I’m home to stay, Zane.”

Zane hugged him hard enough to break a rib. Then Annie was crying and shoving Zane out of the way.

All four of them together. And here to stay. Zane watched Josh swing Annie in a circle, and it put a smile on Zane’s face that was big enough it hurt a little.

Michelle and Jilly came in last. Jilly with a grin on her face. Michelle shaking her head at the chaos.

Zane reached out a hand to Michelle. She came on in and took it, Jilly just a step behind her. “It’s a good thing we’ve had so many people move out of the house.”

“Move out?” Josh’s brow furrowed. “And who are these two women?”

“I’ve got plenty to tell you, too, I reckon.” Zane raised the hand he had joined with Michelle’s. “This is my wife, Michelle. Next to her is her sister Jilly.”

“Pretty.” Josh looked from Michelle to Jilly and back. “Welcome to the family, ladies.”

Michelle grinned like she was apt to do and said, “Welcome back to the family, Josh.”

“Just so you know,” Zane added with a wink, “they’re both smart, really smart. Or so I’ve been told.”

Gretel had a hot meal waiting. They washed up and sat at the table. The Hart family was beaming.

Michelle and Jilly seemed happy enough listening to the Hart siblings chatter, though Zane figured it would be hard for them to keep up.

But then Josh started talking about India, and Jilly knew more about it than he did. And when he talked about Paris, Michelle started speaking French.

MICHELLE FELL INTO BED EXHAUSTEDthat night. The long ride, the long night before, the hectic but lovely reunion with Zane’s brother ... She was having trouble keeping her eyes open.

She was in the same room she’d occupied when Jarvis had broken in. Jilly slept next door to Michelle as she always had in the housekeeper’s apartment.

Josh had been fully alerted to the trouble.

All three of Zane’s siblings had taken over the upstairs, along with Annie’s daughter, Caroline.

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