Once they were safely back inside the barn, Greta took the pup from the girl. He wiggled only a moment before the energy left his body, and he released a noisy half yawn, half whine. Astrid, too, stifled a yawn. The horse-riding lessons had taken their toll, and she needed to lie down.

Greta tugged her sister toward a shadowed corner where a mound of hay could provide a cushion and hopefully a place to remain safe during Brawley’s visit. She bit her cheek to keep from scolding Astrid and pulled her sister down next to her.

“Greta,” Astrid said through another yawn, “Brawley sure sounds an awful lot like the fella who robbed our stagecoach.”

“Hush now.” Greta pressed a finger against Astrid’s lips. It was pretty clear Brawley wasn’t part of the Crooked-Eye Gang. How could he have been with his missing eye? None of the gang members had been wearing eye patches. At least not from what she’d seen through the slits in their sacks.

“You’re not welcome here.” Wyatt was responding to something Brawley had said about the nature of his visit. “It’s late. Go on home.”

“Heard about your bargain with Steele.” Brawley persisted, his tone hard, almost bitter.

“That ain’t any of your business.” Wyatt’s voice was just as hard. “I said to go home.”

Stroking the pup, Greta lifted a silent prayer for Wyatt and Judd’s safety. She’d seen the way Wyatt could shoot, and he claimed he’d learned from Judd, who was even better. Regardless, she didn’t want a gun battle tonight or the chance of anyone getting hurt.

Brawley released a short laugh. “Reckon if Steele’s willing to give you a loan on a herd of Shorthorns in exchange for you marrying and starting a family, he’d do the same for me.”

Greta sat up, and her fingers stilled. What had Brawley just said? That Mr. Steele had given Wyatt a loan for cattle in exchange for marrying her?

She swallowed hard against a sudden tightening in her throat. It couldn’t be true.

“That ain’t how it is,” Wyatt said.

“I’d have done the same thing in your place. Might as well get a wife and cattle all in one deal.”

Deal? The knot inside slipped lower into her stomach and cinched hard. Was that what she really was to Wyatt? A part of some kind of deal?

Her thoughts returned to the night she’d first met him, how reluctant and nervous he’d been to propose. He mentioned that Mr. Steele had been the one to suggest he approach her. But he never indicated he’d done so to gain the cattle deal.

“What do you want, Brawley?” Wyatt asked. “Why are you here?”

“Tell Steele to offer me the same thing.”

“Go on and ask him yourself.”

“I did, and he said no.”