CHAPTER TWENTY ONE
Penny sat at the table with Howard and Sally. “Jake, please stop pacing and sit down. We’re all nervous, but you’re making me feel ready to explode.”
His reply was halted by the two men entering the house.
Howard called, “We’re in the kitchen, Boys.”
For the first time she’d known him, Caleb looked less than perfect. On top of that, he wore a frown. “What treasure trove do you have to show me that’s so all-fired important it can’t wait until later this evening?”
Howard held up the gold bar. “Bet this will get your attention.”
His mouth agape, Caleb dropped onto a chair. “You mean it’s real? I didn’t believe Jake when he called, but it’s real?”
Bart took the gold from his father. “We’ve looked over every inch of this ranch. Where the hell did you find this?”
Jake glanced at his father, then at his brother. “Cave on the slope the other side of the cemetery. We didn’t count them, but there are crates of these. Some hold silver.”
Bart passed the bar to Caleb. “Cave? I don’t remember a cave there.”
Howard said, “Oak tree roots and a giant cactus blocked the entrance. Wouldn’t have noticed it without the map Penny’s father left.”
Jake stared at Penny. “Why didn’t you know the cave existed?”
“There used to be barberry bushes there. Daddy said leave them as a hedge to discourage the cattle from climbing up to the cemetery. Even though we only had five graves to look after, I did as he asked.”
Howard sent Caleb a piercing stare. “Now what do we do? We don’t want our names given with news of the discovery and we sure don’t want treasure hunters and the press at the door—or digging holes on the ranch.”
Caleb appeared to mull over the problem. “You’ll have to sell this to one of those gold and silver brokers. You’ll need to hire an outside expert to make sure you get the true value of the metals. Then, you’ll have to fork over almost half of it to Uncle Sam. After that, you can decide what you plan to do with what’s left.”
Jake glanced at each person. “I vote we form another foundation and give funds to various causes.”
Bart looked at Jake. “Like what? You have something in mind?”
Jake shrugged. “Guess that depends on how much the treasure is worth.”
Caleb picked up the gold bar. “Depending on how many boxes of these there are and how pure, you’re looking at many, many millions.”
Penny hesitated but decided she had as much right as anyone to an opinion. “Could you call the foundation the Harmon Terry-Earl Knight Foundation?”
Jake smiled at her, sending warmth to her core. “Good idea. As to what the foundation funds, I was thinking of things like a children’s wing at the hospital, maybe a neo-natal unit, too. And, some comfortable recliners for people sitting up with their folks while they’re in the hospital would be nice.”
Bart leaned back in his chair. “If this is worth as much as the legend says, you could build an entirely new hospital and have plenty of money left.”
Howard held his hands palm out in front of him. “Hold on, Boys. Let’s don’t be spending the money until we know how much we’re dealing with here. You know what they say about counting your chickens….”
“Good idea, Uncle Howard. We have to keep this quiet until I can get things lined up and arrange to have the crates taken to be valued. I’ll start on it first thing tomorrow.”
Howard scooted his chair away from the table and stood. “I’m hungry. What say we go into town for dinner? We can dang sure afford it.”
Caleb got to his feet and shook his head at his uncle. “You have to remember there will be no discussion of this outside this house. None, nada, zero. Got it?”
Howard shrugged and sent his nephew a cutting glare. “I didn’t just fall off the turnip truck, you know?”
Jake laid his hand on his father’s shoulder. “Caleb wasn’t insulting you, Dad. I reckon he meant that reminder for all of us.”
Bart looked from one person to the other. “Can we all fit in a car?”
Penny seized the chance. “Sally, why don’t you ride with Howard and I’ll go with the other guys?”
Everyone stared at her. Obviously, they thought she’d lost her mind. All except Sally, whose eyes lit with humor.
Sally asked, “Will I need my purse?”
Howard looked at his son. “Naw, Jake is buying.”
“Thanks, Dad. Well, since I’m going to be host, shall we go? I suggest the Angus Palace. That all right with everyone?”
“Sally and I will meet you there.” Howard escorted Sally toward the door.
When Penny, Bart, and Caleb were in Jake’s car, Jake met her eyes in the rear view mirror. “You wouldn’t be matchmaking, would you?”
She grinned. “I might. Do you mind?”
He started the car and they eased in behind his father’s car. “I can’t imagine why you pushed those two together is all.”
“If all Knight men are as dense as you then it’s a wonder there have been so many generations. Have you never noticed that Sally is in love with your father?”
Bart turned from the front passenger seat to stare at her. “Are you serious? What makes you think so?”
“She admitted she’d been in love with him since a few weeks after she came to work here. I’ve no idea how he feels about her, but at least she’ll have a chance to talk to him alone.”
Caleb chuckled. “You mean you two never noticed the way she looks at Uncle Howard when she thinks no one is watching? This is why I didn’t take my car even though it would have saved time for me. If I had, then Sally would have ridden in this one.”
Bart faced the front. “I’m poleaxed. Things around here keep getting more and more complicated.”
Jake sat stony-faced. “I’m afraid to think what will happen next. Aliens from outer space land on the lawn? A giant meteor crash into the front pasture?”
Penny looked out the window. “I think we can safely rule out those two, but the events since I woke up in a ravine have prepared me to expect the unexpected and to accept the inevitable.”
***
After Caleb had left and they had all gone up to their rooms for the night, Penny sat in her mother’s rocker. So many changes had happened recently they pushed her time travel to the back of her mind. Now she had time to sit and reflect on where she was.
Where indeed? She had accepted that she could never recover her ranch. Tears trailed down her cheeks. What would happen to her?
She had a job, but where was she to live? Jake tolerated her here now. When he married, his wife would not want another woman around. She closed her eyes and fought against the thought of Jake married.
A light rap preceded him opening the door. “All right if I come in? We need to talk in private.”
“Come in.” She braced herself. He was going to ask her to leave. She’d known this was coming, but that didn’t make her dread it any less. Hurriedly, she brushed tears from her face.
Jake strolled in and sat on her bed, placing him facing her and only a few feet from her. “Do you remember the other day when we were talking and you said you understood how much the ranch means to me because it had meant that much to you?”
Lips clamped into a line, she nodded. The ranch still meant the world to her but so did this man.
“Does that mean you’re giving up fighting for the ranch?”
“I can’t think of a solution that doesn’t hurt one of us. I realize no lawyer would be willing to represent me when he heard my story.” She met his gaze. “You’ve won.”
He braced his arms on his knees. “Penny, I have a solution which will work if you’re willing.”
She met his gaze. “What’s your answer?”
He dug something from his pocket and held it in his fingers. “If you and I marry, then we both own the ranch.”
Hope blossomed in her heart. “Are… Are you proposing?”
He looked at the ring, which looked old and expensive. White gold had a large center diamond surrounded by smaller ones. “This belonged to my great-grandmother. I never knew her, but it’s been passed down to me for my wife. Penny, I hope that will be you.”
After all that had happened to her, she couldn’t believe her dreams would come true. “You’re serious? You’re asking me to marry you?”
“That’s what I just said. Look, I know I haven’t courted you properly. Figure I’ve been hard to be around much of the time. We’ve had so much trouble that I’m always expecting a disaster.”
“You’ve had more than your share and then some. Why do you want to marry me? Do you just feel sorry for me?”
Jake took both her hands in his. “I’m not doing this very well am I? Guess I should confess I’ve fallen in love with you. I was already starting to fall when you were shot. Seeing you on the ground, wounded and bleeding, forced me to admit I was head over heels in love.”
“You have no idea how happy I am to hear that. I’ve been in love with you almost from the time we met.”
“Does that mean you’ll say yes?”
Penny brushed tears from her cheeks. “A hundred times yes.”
Jake caressed her cheek. “Don’t cry, Sweetheart. I want you to be happy forever. And I want us to be together forever.”
“These are happy tears. You’ve made me deliriously happy.”
Jake slid the ring on the fourth finger of her left hand. “You’ve made me the happiest man alive.” He guided her to sit in his lap then kissed her.
At first, his lips were gentle but soon his kisses grew fervent. She clung to his broad shoulders, reveling in the perfection of being with him.
He leaned back so he could look into her eyes. She might be inexperienced, but thanks to Molly’s guidance she was smart enough to know his eyes were dark with passion.
He said, “I hope we can wed soon.”
“Whenever you wish.”
He smiled. “I guess it’s too late to get the preacher out here tonight.”
She burrowed her head against his shoulder. “Remember when I was in the hospital and you lay beside me and held me? That was a wonderful feeling Jake. I don’t mean being shot but having your arms around me gave me a sense that everything would be all right.”
“Get in bed, Sweetheart.”
She rose from his lap and crawled between the cover. He took off his boots and lay beside her on top of the cover.
“You need to cover yourself with the afghan from the rocker.”
“I don’t think I’ll need it. You’d be surprised how warm I feel.” He snuggled up close to her with one arm across her waist. “Go to sleep Penny. We have a lot to do tomorrow and I have a surprise for you.”
“What kind of surprise?”
“If I told you it wouldn’t be a surprise. You’ll see tomorrow.” He pulled her close and buried his face in her hair.
Heaven couldn’t be better than this. She wished her daddy could have met Jake and have seen that she was happy with a good man. Somehow she knew Daddy was watching her from heaven and approved.