Chapter 8 - THE BET REVEALEDAlden claimed the letters were forged and accused Clara of staging the discovery for the land.
Then Thomas arrived.
The young man had left the Denver hospital against medical advice and traveled with the deputy who brought Alden’s written threats.
Pale but upright, Thomas entered the cabin holding a leather folder.
“These are signed by him,” Thomas said. “He threatened the doctor, the bank, and my sister.”
Clara rushed to him, torn between anger and relief.
“You should be in bed.”
“I have spent enough time letting you stand alone for me.”
Sheriff Rowe compared the signatures. Alden’s face became rigid.
Julian turned on his father.
“You said there was no proof.”
“There would have been none if you had found the key when I told you.”
The confession was small, but everyone heard it.
Even Elias.
Alden realized his mistake and moved toward the door. The deputies blocked him.
Clara stepped into his path.
“You made me believe this was a cruel joke.”
“It was useful that you believed it,” Alden replied.
“You threatened my brother so I would spy on an innocent man.”
“I gave you a choice.”
“No,” Clara said. “You placed two people I loved on opposite sides of a knife and called it a choice.”
She removed the wedding ring from her finger.
Julian smirked, mistaking the gesture.
“At least the marriage is finished.”
Clara looked past him to Elias.
He stood near the hearth, holding Silas’s letter.
He had every reason to distrust her. He had married a stranger sent into his home by his enemy.
Yet when the danger came, she had protected his papers, repaired the warning bell, and placed herself between him and armed men.
She walked to Alden and set the ring on top of his debt note.
“The wager is finished,” she said. “The marriage is not yours to end.”
Then she picked up the note and tore it in half.
Alden laughed.
“The debt remains.”
Thomas opened his folder.
“Not after the bank discovered you forged Father’s renewal signature. The manager has frozen every account connected to your land office.”
For the first time, Alden had nothing to say.
The sheriff arrested Alden and Julian on charges of fraud, intimidation, conspiracy, and unlawful entry.
The hired men were taken as witnesses.
Before dawn, the storm weakened, and the prisoners were led down the mountain beneath a sky turning silver.
Clara and Elias stood together in the doorway.
May you like
Neither reached for the other.
But neither stepped away.
