Cassie had the stage driver leave her things at the station. She'd rent a horse at the livery in the morning and ride out to the ranch. She picked up a small valise and lifted her skirt as she stepped off the boardwalk into the dust. She dodged to avoid a pair of magnificent blacks pulling a buggy. Glancing up, she found herself staring into the eyes of Bordeaux.
"So," he said archly. "You decided to come back and talk to your father. It's about time you stopped acting like a child and..."
"I came back to get the twins," Cassie interrupted brusquely. "I told you how I felt about my father. My opinion hasn't changed. In fact, now I'm even more convinced I was right."
Bordeaux shook his head as he stepped down from the buggy. He wrapped the reins around the brake and stepped over to greet Darcie. He gave her a big hug and turned to Cassie with one arm encircling Darcie possessively.
"Cassie," he announced proudly, "I want you to meet the woman who..."
"I know," Cassie interrupted testily. "We've been on the same stage since Ashley."
Bordeaux shrugged and glanced down at Darcie. "I have something I need to take care of. Could you wait for me here, honey?"
Darcie looked confused as she smiled graciously. "Certainly. Shall I get a room at the hotel?"
"No, I won't be that long."
He turned to one of the men standing around the stage office and indicated Darcie with a wave of his hand.
"Tom, could you get this young lady's luggage and take her to the restaurant?" He smiled down at Darcie. "I'll meet you there later."
Without waiting for an answer, he turned to Cassie. Before she had time to protest, he scooped her into his arms and deposited her in the buggy.
"Put me down!" Cassie screamed. "You two-timing, lying..."
"Simmer down." He said mildly as he climbed into the seat beside her. "Sit still. You're making a spectacle of yourself."
He slapped the horses with the reins and they started out in the direction of the ranch. Her last impression of Darcie was a smiling face. Darcie was in on the entire facade.
Cassie clung to the seat to keep from falling out of the lurching buggy as Bordeaux took them out of town at a run.
She glared at Bordeaux. "What do you think you're doing?"
Bordeaux kept his eyes on the road. "Taking you to see your father."
"So you can collect your money?" she asked sourly.
"So you can see what a fool you've been," he answered coldly.
"Of all the..."