Teresa Bodwell by Loving Miranda Page B

sister.
    She captured both of Mercy’s hands. “No.” Miranda shook her head. “He doesn’t want Jonathan.”
    Mercy closed her eyes and pulled in a deep breath. “I was afraid he’d come to take him away.” She blinked to clear the tears from her eyes, but she didn’t release Miranda’s hands. “I was prepared to send Jonathan away a year ago. I thought it was right for him to be with his kin. But now . . .”
    “But now you’re his mother.” Miranda completed the thought that seemed to have caught in Mercy’s throat.
    Her sister smiled. “We love him.”
    “Anyone can see that.”
    “Mercy?”
    Miranda startled at the sound of Thad’s voice. For a big man, he walked quietly.
    “Sweetheart, are you all right?” He took Mercy’s elbow and guided her to the porch.
    Miranda hadn’t noticed the color was gone from Mercy’s face. She protested, but allowed Thad to help her into one of the rocking chairs on the porch. Thad knelt before her, caressing a cheek. “What is it, honey?”
    “I’ll be fine in a minute.” She took a deep breath. “I was afraid. . . . I thought Mr. Lansing wanted to take our Jonathan away from us.”
    Thad turned to Miranda. “Did he say something to you?”
    Miranda watched Thad’s eyes. The look of tenderness was unmistakable. Nothing like the fierce expression Benjamin had cast upon her. She sat on the second rocking chair, next to Mercy, and tried to find the words to tell them.
    “No.” Miranda took a deep breath. “He doesn’t want the child. He’s interested in the inheritance.”
    “There’s nothing left but the land,” Thad said.
    Mercy nodded. “If he wants the things from the house . . .”
    “No.” Thad stood. Miranda shivered at the savage look on his face. “The few things we were able to salvage belong to Jon. I won’t see anything taken from him.”
    Miranda held up her hand. “What Ben said was that he wanted to be certain Jonathan keeps his inheritance. If you can find a way to assure him of that, he will leave you be.”
    “And if we can’t?” Mercy jumped to her feet.
    “Then . . . he said he will fight the adoption.”
    Mercy stepped off the porch, looking down the road Lansing had taken. “If it’s a fight he wants—”
    Thad wrapped an arm around her and pulled her against his chest. “Don’t fret, honey. We have taken nothing from the boy. If that is honestly Mr. Lansing’s concern, then our interest is the same as his. In a week, the judge will sign those papers and no one will take Jonathan from us ever.”
    Miranda came up to stand next to her sister. “Jonathan is your son now, Mercy. Judge Jensen will see that and do the right thing.” If Ben Lansing thought he could stop the judge from granting the adoption, he was wrong. Miranda had no idea what she could do to prevent him, but she would find a way. Of that, she was certain.
    Mercy nodded, blinking back tears. “What about the five thousand he says we owe him?”
    Her sister didn’t need to finish the thought. The ranch was solvent now, barely. But they couldn’t possibly have five thousand dollars in cash. If Ben Lansing demanded payment, they had no way of paying him.

Chapter 7
    Fort Victory had no real hotel, but the saloon did have rooms to let. Benjamin had been tempted to ask the lovely Spanish proprietress whether an extra fee could lure her up to his room. Fortunately, his good sense intervened. Rita probably would have thrown him out on the street at such a suggestion. A pity. He needed something to distract him from the pretty little lady with the bright blue eyes and sunshine smile.
    Ben spun around at the light rap on the door. For an instant he imagined it was Miranda coming to see him. He opened the door to find Rita’s young servant with the hot water he’d requested. She set the pitcher and towels down, made a quick curtsy, and left the room without a word, being careful not to come within arm’s length of Ben.
    He glanced in the small mirror that