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“Because if I were to accept Ferg’s terainst you, he could steal ht out from under me”
“A lawsuit? Good God, Rose, would you really have taken ry
“I still plan to Whatever you did to alter that deed and get it recorded in your nainal deed, I should be able to prove it!”
“You can’t do that on your own And a laon’t be cheap Where will you get the money?”
“I told Ferg I’d think about it It wasn’t a no I just have to figure out a way to protect ”
Bull took a long, slow sip of his coffee His arresting blue eyes were surprisingly calm “Rose, why do you think I asked you to this nice breakfast this ?”
Rose stared at him “I don’t really know, do I? Suppose you tell me”
“I have a business proposition for you”
“What do you want fro up in Rose’s mind This man had already stolen her land How could she trust him now?
“Right noant you to fill your plate again and eat your breakfast while I talk And no interrupting Understand?”
“All right” Rose was still cautious, but what did she have to lose by listening? Taking her ti with a couple of sausages and another buttered biscuit with homemade jam If Bull could wait, so could she Besides, she really was hungry And if things didn’t go well here, who could say when she’d have another chance to feast on Bernice’s cooking?
Bull finished his coffee and leaned back in his chair “Here’s what I’ on to that parcel—two things I insist on keeping First, I must have access to the creek water for Riuarantee that no Prescott can ever get his filthy hands on that property If I allow you to deal with Ferg Prescott, I could end up losing both Whatever it takes, I can’t allow that to happen”
His words ignited a spark of interest in Rose But she willed herself to keep silent and focus on her breakfast When it ca with Bull, the less she appeared to care, the better
But what if he was about to offer her a coht quickened her pulse But she swiftly disood to be true
“I adrandpa meant to leave you the land,” Bull said “But if I hadn’t stepped in and taken it over when I did, the Prescotts would have found a way to steal it, and you’d have no hope of ever getting it back”