Violet closed her eyes. The situation had no solution. From the way it sounded, Claude’s men had been instructed to bring in her and Hyacinth or kill Father.
She couldn’t sit back and let them murder Father. But she still wasn’t willing to hand herself or Hyacinth over…
Could Father pay off the debt in increments? But where would he be able to find work? And even if someone in the area were willing to hire him, would he gamble the money right away and then cause even more problems?
Even if so, she had to suggest the option. Claude could have Father work for him in some capacity until he earned back what he owed.
Yes, that’s what had to happen. Father had to make himself a slave to Claude—if necessary—until the debt was paid. Surely Father would be willing to do that if the option were presented to him. She had to believe that some part of him still cared about her and Hyacinth enough that he would do the right thing.
With determination stiffening her spine, she rose, fixed her crutch under her arm, and started down the hallway toward the front door.
Sterling wouldn’t like her getting involved in the negotiations. But she needed to offer the idea as an option.
“Where are you going?” Hyacinth whispered behind her, already on her feet.
Violet tried to pick up her halting pace, which wasn’t easy with the crutch. But she didn’t want Hyacinth close enough to impede her efforts and was at the front door within seconds.
“You can’t go out—”
Violet swung the door wide, then stepped outside onto the porch.
There, in the middle of the ranch yard, stood a burly man with a scarred face, her father positioned in front of him like a shield. Her father’s hatless head hung low, but she could see enough to tell that his face was bruised and battered, both eyes swollen nearly shut, his lips cut and bleeding, and a rope with a slip knot already dangling from his chafed neck. His clothing was stained and rumpled, as if he’d been wearing the same outfit for days.
Violet couldn’t hold back her gasp at the sad state her father was in, and tears quickly sprang to her eyes.
The fellow holding her father shifted his attention to her. “You the daughter?”
From the window above, Sterling said something, and Beckett called out too. But she was too focused on her father and his dismal condition to listen.
Her father lifted his head in her direction. He barely had the strength to look at her, but somehow his gaze connected with hers. “I’m sorry.”
“Come on out here, darlin’.” The scar-faced man beckoned to Violet. “It’s you and your sister for him.”
As angry as she was with her father for all his mistakes and the ways he’d failed to protect their family, she couldn’t stand back and watch these men hang him in the closest tree.
Behind her, Hyacinth stood stiffly, probably just as appalled by the sight of their father.
“We can make this nice and easy,” the man said. “No sense in dragging this out more.”
The fellow was right about that. Violet had to bring an end to the problems today. She couldn’t run away from them any longer, no matter how much she wanted to.
19
Sterling’s pulse thundered with dread, and he couldn’t get his feet to work fast enough to carry him down the stairs.
“Violet!” Fear strangled his voice. “No, Violet!”
He was too late to keep her from going outside, but he had to prevent her from doing something foolish, like handing herself over to Claude’s men in exchange for her father.
From midway down the stairs, he could see Beckett had already moved from the parlor to the front door.
“Get them back inside,” Sterling roared as Beckett lunged outside. “Get them in now!”
Sterling stumbled down the last of the steps, and as he raced to the door, Beckett backed inside with Hyacinth struggling in his arms.
“Let go of me, you oaf!” Her eyes flashed murder at Beckett. “I’m not leaving Violet out there by herself.”
Sterling pushed past the two, only one thought filling his head. He had to get to Violet. That was all that mattered.
