get some horse liniment and rub it on the sore spot. That'll take care of it."
âHorse liniment?â Conrad blurted. âI think not. I'll be back in a few minutes, Mother.â He left the middle office, walking gingerly, rubbing his butt, which was probably bruised from impacting with the floor.
Outside, the excited shouting was still going on.
âA new strike, Mrs. Browning?â a bookkeeper asked.
âYes. A big one. We'll be hiring again. And we need Mr. Owens. If he comes back in, pay him for the days he missed while hurt and put him back to work."
âYes, ma'am."
âI'll probably see him around town, ma'am,â Frank said. âI'll tell him to check back here."
âThank you, Marshal. Would you please step into my office? I'd like to speak with you for a moment."
âCertainly, ma'am."
In the office, behind a closed door, Vivian grasped Frank's hands and held them for seconds. Finally she pulled back and sat down in one of several chairs in front of her desk. Frank sat down in the chair next to her.
âIt's been a long time, Frank."
âAlmost eighteen years."
âYou know my father is dead?"
âI heard."
âFrank, I want you to know something. I knew within days that my father made up all those charges he was holding over you back in Denver. I also knew that you left to protect meâ"
âWater under the bridge, Viv. It's long over."
âNo. Let me finish. I did some checking of my own, and found out father had paid those detectives to falsify charges against you. I confronted him with that knowledge. At first he denied it. Then, finally, he admitted what he'd done. He hated you until the day he closed his eyes forever. He threatened to cut me off financially if I didn't do his bidding. I didn't really have much choice in the matter. Or, more truthfully, I thought I didn't have a choice. When I finally realized father was bluffing, it was too late. You were gone without a trace, and I was pregnant."
That shook Frank right down to his spurs. He stared at Vivian for a long moment. âAre you telling me that ... Conrad is my son?"
âYes."
Frank had almost blurted out, You mean to tell me that prissy, arrogant little turd is my son? But he curbed his tongue at the last possible second. He stared at Viv until he was sure he could speak without betraying his totally mixed emotions. âDid the man you married know this?"
âYes, Frank. He did. My late husband was a good, decent man. He raised Conrad as if he were his own."
âDoes the boy know?"
âNo. He doesn't have a clue."
âYour father had a hand in raising him, didn't he?"
âQuite a bit. He spent a lot of time back east with us. Several years before he died, father was with us almost all the time."
âViv, ah ... the boy...â Frank paused and frowned.
âDoesn't fit in out here? I know. He probably never will. He hates the West. He loves to ride. He's really very good. But he won't ride out here."
âWhy not?"
âThe way he rides, his manner of dress. He just doesn't fit in."
âHe rides one of those dinky English saddles?"
âYes."
âDon't tell me wears one of those silly-looking riding outfits."
âYes, he does."
âI bet he got a laugh from a lot of folks the first time he went out in public, bobbing up and down like a cork with a catfish on it."
Vivian smiled despite herself. âI'm afraid he did."
âI can imagine. Wish I'da seen that myself."
Viv's smile faded. âWhy'd you come here, Frank? To this town, I mean."
âOh, I didn't have anything else to do. Besides, I heard you were in trouble up here. Had a lot of silver to ship, and nobody would take it out for you."
âTons of it, Frank. Tons and tons of it. Worth a fortune. But getting it out of these mountains and to a railroad has proven to be quite a chore."
âHow many shipments have been hijacked?"
âSeveral. You have any ideas on how to
âHorse liniment?â Conrad blurted. âI think not. I'll be back in a few minutes, Mother.â He left the middle office, walking gingerly, rubbing his butt, which was probably bruised from impacting with the floor.
Outside, the excited shouting was still going on.
âA new strike, Mrs. Browning?â a bookkeeper asked.
âYes. A big one. We'll be hiring again. And we need Mr. Owens. If he comes back in, pay him for the days he missed while hurt and put him back to work."
âYes, ma'am."
âI'll probably see him around town, ma'am,â Frank said. âI'll tell him to check back here."
âThank you, Marshal. Would you please step into my office? I'd like to speak with you for a moment."
âCertainly, ma'am."
In the office, behind a closed door, Vivian grasped Frank's hands and held them for seconds. Finally she pulled back and sat down in one of several chairs in front of her desk. Frank sat down in the chair next to her.
âIt's been a long time, Frank."
âAlmost eighteen years."
âYou know my father is dead?"
âI heard."
âFrank, I want you to know something. I knew within days that my father made up all those charges he was holding over you back in Denver. I also knew that you left to protect meâ"
âWater under the bridge, Viv. It's long over."
âNo. Let me finish. I did some checking of my own, and found out father had paid those detectives to falsify charges against you. I confronted him with that knowledge. At first he denied it. Then, finally, he admitted what he'd done. He hated you until the day he closed his eyes forever. He threatened to cut me off financially if I didn't do his bidding. I didn't really have much choice in the matter. Or, more truthfully, I thought I didn't have a choice. When I finally realized father was bluffing, it was too late. You were gone without a trace, and I was pregnant."
That shook Frank right down to his spurs. He stared at Vivian for a long moment. âAre you telling me that ... Conrad is my son?"
âYes."
Frank had almost blurted out, You mean to tell me that prissy, arrogant little turd is my son? But he curbed his tongue at the last possible second. He stared at Viv until he was sure he could speak without betraying his totally mixed emotions. âDid the man you married know this?"
âYes, Frank. He did. My late husband was a good, decent man. He raised Conrad as if he were his own."
âDoes the boy know?"
âNo. He doesn't have a clue."
âYour father had a hand in raising him, didn't he?"
âQuite a bit. He spent a lot of time back east with us. Several years before he died, father was with us almost all the time."
âViv, ah ... the boy...â Frank paused and frowned.
âDoesn't fit in out here? I know. He probably never will. He hates the West. He loves to ride. He's really very good. But he won't ride out here."
âWhy not?"
âThe way he rides, his manner of dress. He just doesn't fit in."
âHe rides one of those dinky English saddles?"
âYes."
âDon't tell me wears one of those silly-looking riding outfits."
âYes, he does."
âI bet he got a laugh from a lot of folks the first time he went out in public, bobbing up and down like a cork with a catfish on it."
Vivian smiled despite herself. âI'm afraid he did."
âI can imagine. Wish I'da seen that myself."
Viv's smile faded. âWhy'd you come here, Frank? To this town, I mean."
âOh, I didn't have anything else to do. Besides, I heard you were in trouble up here. Had a lot of silver to ship, and nobody would take it out for you."
âTons of it, Frank. Tons and tons of it. Worth a fortune. But getting it out of these mountains and to a railroad has proven to be quite a chore."
âHow many shipments have been hijacked?"
âSeveral. You have any ideas on how to
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