Page 127 of The Ranger

Belle let out a long sigh. “A simple courtship would be so much easier.”

Makama rolled her eyes. “Trust us, we know.”

Sadie and Honoria entered through the back door. Honoria crossed the kitchen to the hall and looked toward the front door. “Did they... have a good time?”

“We think so,” Vale said with a smile. “Who knew a little shared silence could be so effective?”

“Didn’t they speak to each other?” Sadie joined them at the table. “How can Maida get to know him if he doesn’t talk to her?”

“They talked,” Makama said. “And they had a water fight.”

Sadie smiled. “Ah, I see. Maida loves the water. She and Duncan went swimming down there all the time up until a year ago when he started spending more time with Sam.”

Honoria rejoined them. “Maida seems to enjoy his company.”

Makama and Vale exchanged a look. They didn’t dare tell them Maida spent most of the afternoon snuggled against Markhel sleeping like a baby. They both did, as Makama and Vale kept watch. This was how things were supposed to go. So long as Markhel continued to keep his heart open and let her in, they could get this wrapped up by the barn dance. Speaking of which...

“Do you need help with the barn this week?”

Sadie smiled. “Yes, lots of it, and I know who we should volunteer to clean it.”

25

Colin, Harrison, and Major looked at the cattle grazing below. They’d brought their horses to a stop atop the rise that overlooked a huge expanse of land. Below them, Logan and his sons Owen and Martin looked for strays while Colin’s youngest son Sam along with Weston Snow cut cattle out of the herd to drive to another part of the ranch to graze.

Colin studied them a moment, his eyes darting to his Harrison and Major now and then. Both were still upset about Maida and Markhel, but he wasn’t sure what to do about it. He thought after a day or two, they’d cool off. But they might need a lot longer than that, and once they got around to accepting the situation, it might be too late. Their reluctance to allow Markhel to court Maida could have been a stall tactic to give them more time to figure out how to rid themselves of the unwanted suitor. Maybe he should have another go?

He cleared his throat. “I say, Harrison, what can I do to help you feel better about all of this?”

Harrison stared straight ahead. “I wouldn’t mind talking to Duncan.” He inclined his head in Colin’s direction. “If Makama is who she says, he’ll confirm it. Isn’t it convenient that she’s here and he’s not?”

“He makes a valid point, Colin,” Major said. “Me, I’d like to speak to Jefferson and Lorelei. Thackary too. Even if this Markhel is all he says he is, then what will that mean for my girl?” He brought his horse around so he would face Colin. “I’m having trouble believing any of this. Maybe what we saw was a trick of the light, or something you and those oversized upstarts did to fool us.”

Colin shook his head in dismay. “Why are you being so stubborn? Seeing is believing.”

Major’s eyes narrowed. “I don’t know what I saw. A couple pairs of pointy ears. So what? For all we know they’re actors.”

Colin stared at the cattle grazing in the distance, and the land that helped build their empire. “And if you did speak to Jefferson and Thackary, what then?”

“Then I guess I’d have to listen. You produce them for me, and I’ll consider letting this Markhel court Maida.”

“What?” Colin snapped. “My good man may I remind you that you already gave him permission? He’s seeing her today.”

“That doesn’t mean I can’t put a stop to it,” Major drawled.

“He’s right, Colin,” Harrison said. “And I can’t blame him. I can scarce believe that you, my own brother…”

“Along with Duncan,” Colin was quick to point out.

“Very well,” Harrison conceded. “Along with Duncan, which by the way only makes it worse, could deceive me is like this.”

Colin rubbed his tired eyes with one hand. “This is not as horrible as you two seem to think.”

“Isn’t it?” Harrison said. “Great Scott, man, you want us to marry Maida off to someone that’s not even human!”

“So youdobelieve he’s not from around here?” Colin backed his horse up to get closer to Harrison. “Jefferson and Thackary are happy. They’re in love. And yes, their wives are not completely human. In fact, Lorelei isn’t human at all.”

Harrison shook a finger at him. “Yes, and there it is. Didn’t it bother you that your son was with someone that wasn’t like us?”