"Come and join us, " he suggested.
Grace frantically nodded. Jessica's gaze was directed on Cole. He
looked irritated and out of sorts, and she thought it was because she
had interrupted them.
"No, thank you. I'll just go back upstairs for a little while."
"We insist you join us." He wasn't going to take no for an answer. He
stood up and pulled out the chair adjacent to him. Daniel also stood
and asked Grace to sit down.
The two women exchanged a look before complying with the request.
Cole then took over the questioning. "Grace, you're planning to leave
Rockford Falls tomorrow, aren't you? " "Yes, I am, " she answered.
She folded her hands on the tabletop and tried to look composed. "How
did you know I was leaving? " "Just a hunch, " he answered dryly.
"Where are you headed? " "Colorado."
"Jessica told us she was also headed to Colorado, " Daniel
interjected.
"Yes, that's right, " Grace said. "We're going to be traveling
together."
"Did you come to Rockford Falls together? " Cole asked.
Grace smiled. "Good heavens, no. I came from London, England, several
months ago. I stopped in Kentucky, Missouri, and Kansas before I came
here. I was looking for property, " she thought to add.
"Property? " Cole asked.
"I'm hoping to start a ranching business, " she explained. "I'm
looking for good grazing land . . . " "For the cattle she's going to
purchase, " Jessica interjected. "Yes, for the cattle, " Grace
agreed.
"But then Mr. Wells's family decided not to sell the property, "
Jessica said.
"Who is Mr. Wells? " Cole asked.
"The gentleman I corresponded with from London, " Grace said. "I had
heard through friends who knew him that he wanted to sell his land and
that it was just what I was looking for."
"But it wasn't? " Cole asked.
"Oh, it was, " Grace answered. "Acres and acres of lush green land.
It was as perfect as my friends had claimed. I had already made an
offer sight unseen from London, but when I arrived in Kentucky to sign
the official papers, I found out that poor Mr. Wells had passed on.
His son refused to honor his father's promise."
"Grace saw an advertisement in the Rockford Falls Gazette for available
land near Denver, and we're going there together to look at it."
"Do you know anything about raising cattle? " Daniel asked.
"No, but I plan to hire men who do know how, " Grace answered. "And I
will learn how. I know it's going to be hard work, but I'm not afraid
of it." Cole was trying not to let Grace see how appalled he was.
"Ma'am, running cattle is a backbreaking business." He was diplomatic
in his caution.
Daniel was blunt. "Are you nuts? You can't run a cattle ranch. "
Grace's spine stiffened. "No, I'm not crazy, and I assure you I will