She stared at him, her mouth half open. Then she started to laugh.
She glanced up and realized that Hawk had reined in just ahead of her and was staring. To her surprise, he said something to Sloan in the Sioux language. Sloan nodded.
“Skylar, come this way,” Hawk commanded.
She narrowed her eyes, not liking the tone of his voice. Sloan, at her side, lowered his. “You’re heading into Gold Town. We’re moving on through with the cattle.”
She rode around to catch up with Hawk. He didn’t speak to her, but nudged Tor into a hard canter. She followed behind him.
The entire ride into town was kept at a hard, brisk pace. She was weary when they arrived, stiff when he lifted her down. He barely set her upon the ground before heading for the office of Henry Pierpont, attorney-at-law.
Inside, Hawk spoke to the law clerk and ushered her past the young man. Henry greeted them both with surprise and pleasure, asking what he could do for them.
“I need to send a wire to my bank in Maryland with instructions to pass another wire through to a young lady in that city. Wire first to Harley Gander at my bank, and please see to it that a hundred dollars is sent as soon as possible to…” He glanced at Skylar, one brow arched. “To a Miss Sabrina Connor. My wife will give you the address.”
Skylar shook her head, addressing Henry. “Any correspondence, from the service here and from the Maryland bank, should address Miss Sabrina Connor through Jim Pike, Pike’s Inn, Baltimore.”
“As you wish,” Henry said. “I’ll get my assistant busy on the papers immediately. I’ll need your signature, Hawk. It’ll just be a minute.”
He left the room.
“Why can’t you send this money straight to your sister?” Hawk demanded.
“Mr. Pike will be certain that Sabrina gets the money.”
“Pike’s Inn—it’s where my father died, right?”
“Yes.”
“Where we were—married?”
“Yes.”
“I should remember it well!” he mocked.
“I’m really sorry that all of this has so inconvenienced you!” she hissed. “You’ve got to remember, I didn’t even know that you existed!”
“And I didn’t know about you. What an amazing marriage!”
“Again, I’m sorry,” Skylar grated. His temper this morning was such that she might have imagined the few moments of gentleness he had offered her last night. She wasn’t going to lose her own temper, though.
He was right. She was coming to know her husband very well, and though she knew he definitely had his honor, she didn’t want to light a match to his very volatile temper until this transaction was completed.
When Henry returned to the room, he cleared his throat uncomfortably. “Hawk, er…”
“Ah, there was another matter you wished to discuss,” Hawk said.
“Yes,” Henry murmured.
Men. They seemed to have a private way of communicating without words, Skylar thought somewhat resentfully. Her husband was instantly upon his feet. “Let me see that my wife is comfortably settled over a meal, and I will return to discuss this matter with you.”
“I’m really quite all right,” Skylar said. She smiled sweetly. “It would distress me so, milord husband, to dine without you.”
“Indeed?” Hawk countered dryly. “I’m afraid it would distress me to think of your being bored and taxed by matters that are not your concern. Come, my dear.”
The words were politely spoken, but his grip upon her arm to help her rise was so determined that she nearly cried out. “You can thank Henry now for his speed and competence in wiring the money. Few men can attend to such matters with such swift discretion.”
She smiled. “Thank you, Henry.”
