The Widows Choice by Hildie McQueen

of the people who lived there and worked for her were more than just hired help. They were her friends, her family.
    Jerrick pushed back from the table.  "I certainly appreciated the entertainment, Joe.  Misses Charlotte, as long as Rafe and I are here, we'll do what we can to protect you from that Winfrow fellow.  But you should consider speaking to the sheriff about it."
    "If it comes to something more than subliminal threats I will.  The sheriff is aware of Winfrow.  The two men don't care for each other, which is a good thing.  And thank you..."
    "Call me, Jerrick, please."
    She looked from his friend to Rafe and smiled.  "All right, but if I'm to call you by your first names, then do the same.  Please call me Charlie."
    Rafe wasn't ready to leave, so he accepted coffee when Mary Ellen offered to pour.  He knew it was getting late, yet he wanted to spend a few more moments in Charlie's company.
    Joe grumbled about things that needed to be done, wood cut for a new pigpen, mending the fence on the west side of the property and such. All the time Joe spoke he listened and every once in a while commented.  The old man looked to Rafe and frowned.  "I hope you don't plan to be leavin' too soon.  There's still much to be done and I haven't gotten any other responses to the notice I put in town."
    It occurred to him how strange that it was so hard to find workers.  "I don't understand how can one man stop men from working.  Don't they need to feed their families?"
    Mary Ellen huffed.  "Winfrow has money.  He either pays them or threatens them if they try to work here.  He wants Charlie to fail.  For this ranch not to thrive, so he can swoop in and buy it."
    Charlie gave him a pointed look.  "I'd rather give it away than sell it to that man."  There was vehemence in her voice.  "He's never going to have Horseshoe.  I'll burn it to the ground first."
    It was irrational that one man could hold families back based on threats.  "Aren't there any other people around who can stand up for you?"
    "The McKade's try," Joe said holding his cup up for Mary Ellen to refill.  "They got land of their own to look after, but they make rounds every once in a while.  The family owns most of the land on the other side of Winfrow.  They are a big bunch, so the coward doesn't bother with them much."
    Rafe began to get the picture of what life in Colter Valley was like.  For the most part, the townspeople lived a good, peaceful life.  The ranchers, however, were part of a hierarchy and dealt with power struggles and competition.  Charlie was caught in the middle of what looked to be one man's attempt to become the rancher with the largest land mass and herds.  In addition, the man wanted Charlie. She was Jessup Winfrow's ultimate prize.
    Now that he had decided to live here, he'd join the game, but his ultimate goal would be for peace within his new community.  Unfortunately, it seemed it meant he'd have to find a way to deal with Jessup Winfrow.

Chapter Eight
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    M ary Ellen felt a physical loss as soon as Jerrick Black left the room.  Not that she had any aspirations of ever garnering the attention of a man like him.  Admittedly, not only was Jerrick astonishingly handsome, but he was a few years younger than she.  Through conversations and such, she'd gathered he was twenty-six.
    About to turn thirty, she was past marrying age and although she considered options for marriage, could never bring herself to marrying any of the men who lived in Colter Valley and had shown interest. 
    Unlike a dazzling beauty like Charlie, she was pretty enough, more pleasant of face.  The last three years, she'd garnered men's attention and even a couple marriage proposals.  Yet in spite of wanting a family of her own, children and a husband, she'd not been able to bring herself to accept.  Her heart was set on romance and in her opinion it was the most important factor for a successful marriage.
    The room