The trip to the bank and the land office was quick and rewarding. Before noon the next day, Jacob Bowman was declared to be part owner of the land around Falls Creek.

“We need to give it a good name,” Cole told the other two. “Something strong and memorable.”

Jacob and Alex gave it some thought.

“Grandview Ranch?” Alex offered.

Cole gave a little nod. “Hmm. Maybe. Or how about Stony Creek?”

They tossed a few more names about before Jacob asked, “Fellas, I think it already has a name, one that people know. Can we just call it Falls Creek Ranch?”

The other two men grinned a little and then nodded. “Yeah, it's a good name,” Alex conceded. “No need to get fancier than that.”

Jacob enjoyed the company of the younger men. He knew that they were hard-working and eager to get settled so that they could marry their sweethearts.

“How are Maddie and Christina? I haven't seen them in a while.”

Cole spoke up first. “Maddie's fine health-wise, but she sure is wound up about the wedding. I know she's excited, but whenever I ask a question, she nearly takes my head off. Of course, a minute later, she's sorry and begging me to still marry her.” He chuckled a little. “Like I would change my mind. It would take a whole lot more than a tetchy mood to turn me off her.”

The other two laughed.

“Christina is a bit envious, I think. She hasn't exactly been hinting around for a proposal, but I can tell she thinks we're ready for the next step.”

Jacob was amused. “And you? I mean, it's not my place to say anything, but seeing as there aren't many women around...”

Alex laughed. “Well, it's partly my upbringing, I guess. No one back home gets engaged unless they've been courting for at least a year.”

Both Cole and Jacob gave him dubious looks.

“You're not in New York anymore,” Cole informed him seriously. “And Christina might think you're hesitating for a different reason.”

Alex suddenly pulled on his horse's reins and stared at the two of them. “Really? But...but she knows that I, uh, well, how I feel.”

“Lots of men out here,” Jacob teased. “You wouldn't want to give any of them the idea that Christina is available, would you?”

Panic filled his face. “You don't think... But who else would... She would never...”

Jacob stifled a laugh as Alex urged his horse into a run as though afraid Christina might find another man to love before they returned from town.

“Well, that certainly lit a fire under him,” Cole commented with a laugh. “But it serves him right. You shouldn't let a good woman dangle like that.”

The two of them trotted beside one another. “Yeah, I agree. Especially since there are so few of them out here, fewer still as pretty as Christina.”

“Do you ever think about it?” Cole asked.

“Think about...Christina?” He was rather surprised by the question.

“What? No! I mean, well, getting married and all that. Robert and Mary Campbell's daughter is nearly of age,” he said, referring to the owners of the general store.

Now it was Jacob's turn to be shocked. “What are you saying? The girl is no more than sixteen!”

“She's nearly eighteen, actually. And lots of women around here marry that early.”

Jacob shook his head. “I'm going to be thirty-one soon. That doesn't seem right to marry a girl nearly half my age.”

“Well, what about asking Christina and Valerie if they have any friends back east? Maybe even Kate knows someone...”

“Thanks for thinking of me,” Jacob cut him off. “But if it's meant to be, I'll find my own wife.”

He wasn't angry, but he didn't like the idea of anyone finding him a wife.

“Yeah, you're right. Sorry. God will provide someone for you when the time is right, if it's meant to be, that is. Or maybe you're not even interested? Women sure do complicate things.”

Jacob didn't want to get into yet another discussion about God and His will for their lives, so he pounced instead on the other part of what Cole said.

“But in a good way. I had a girlfriend back home for a while, but when Carl invited me to come out here, we had to break it off. We kept in touch for a few years, but I couldn't ask her to marry me and live with me in my brother's house.”

“Well, what about now?”

Jacob shook his head. “She married over five years ago and already has a few children. My ma keeps me informed.”

“Well, you never know what God's planning. There could be a woman coming that we've never even heard of.”

An image of Rosa popped into his mind. He didn't feel right talking about her just yet. It was a bit arrogant to make assumptions and he didn't want to disrespect her in any way, so he just enjoyed the idea of her.

“Yeah, you never know what's going to happen.”

“You look a little better,” Rosa informed her sister in the late afternoon the next day. She'd been plying her with as much protein as she could. First there had been bacon and eggs for breakfast and then a thick beef stew for lunch. Now, she was preparing a pork chops for dinner.

“I feel pretty good,” Elise replied with a bright smile. “But that could be from having you here. It's such a joy to see you again.”

Rosa gave a quick nod. “I'm glad to be here.” She said it easily enough, wanting to convince her sister that it was true. Of course she was happy to see Elise again, but now after the initial excitement had faded a little, she wondered what her life would look like. If Elise were to recover completely, what would her place be? She would happily help her sister look after her children, but was that all God had in store for her?

“I sent John to tell the others at Triple Range that you arrived. They'll want to meet you as soon as they can.”

“The others?” she asked, her brow quirking as she refilled her sister's coffee cup.

“Yes, the other women. There are quite a few of us out here, and several young women, not exactly your age, but close enough. You won't be without friends if you don’t want to be.”

“Oh, I see.” She knew her sister was trying to be kind, but Rosa wasn't comfortable with the idea of meeting new people, at least not right now. What would American women think of her? Would they see her as a threat the way other women had back home?

“It won't be a big party, but I was thinking that we could host a dinner on the weekend.”

“A party?” she repeated, a frown creasing her brow. She had missed what her sister was saying and recoiled from the idea. “That isn't necessary.”

Elise raised her eyebrows. “Since when does a party have anything to do with need? We're being good neighbors. Also, out here, we're very close. It's the only way we can survive. We depend on each other and care about one another. My friends would feel very upset if they found out my sister was here and I didn't introduce them. Anyway, it's too late. I've already sent John to tell them. If you don't like it, that's just too bad.”

It wasn't hard to see that Elise was feeling perturbed about her reluctance, and Rosa was actually a bit annoyed at herself too. Why was she being so petulant about meeting the neighbors? Perhaps it was because she felt she was being put on display and was worried that there would be too many questions she either couldn't or didn't want to answer.

“Fine, but I hope no one expects that this is a kind of debutante ball where I will be presented for examination by all the eligible bachelors.”

She heard the bitterness in her voice and wondered at it. Why was she so resistant to meeting men? It wouldn't be hard to let them know that she had no interest in marriage. She'd prepared herself for the life of a spinster when she was taking care of her parents, and now she would continue on as she helped her sister with her children.

“Oh, but I've already planned for the men of Triple Range and Crawford Ranch to have a race from one end of the property to the other in exchange for your hand!”

Rosa felt the blood rush to her head, and she was nearly about to shout when she realized her sister was teasing. “Elise! Don't say such things.”

Tears welled up in her eyes, but she turned away quickly before they could fall. Somehow her sister's joke had touched on a nerve, a raw emotion that she hadn't given voice to or known still existed.

Deep down in her heart, she did want love, a husband and a family, but it was too late. She was no longer fit for such a life.

“Ah, dearest sister, I'm sorry. Of course I would never do such a thing. I just think that you're worrying over nothing. Everyone will be happy to meet you, and if there is a young man who catches your eye...”

“What should I do about that? I can't have a young man, Elise. I'm nearly thirty and single, and I will remain such unless there is some old, grizzled man who wants to take on a woman well past her bloom.”

The shock on Elise's face was more than she could bear. Throwing down the spoon she was holding, Rosa fled from the kitchen and raced upstairs. Hot tears poured forth as she flung herself on the bed. She had no idea why she felt so sensitive.

But then she knew. Meeting Jacob today had stirred her heart, but it was useless. A young man such as himself could never be with a woman over thirty. She was sure there must be some sweet girl in town who was pining away for the likes of such a man. Her cool manner when she met him was a show to protect her heart from his rejection. After all, if she showed him that she had no interest, then he would be incapable of hurting her the way so many had before him.

And she never wanted to feel that kind of pain again.