But she had learned that questions were dangerous in the Ashford household.
Her father answered questions with threats.
Her brother answered them with laughter.
And the creditors who came to their door answered them by taking whatever they could find.
So Rosalie had packed one small trunk and prepared to leave.
The wedding took place beneath a gray winter sky in the little church at Coldwater, a frontier settlement surrounded by pine forests, rocky hills, and miles of snow-covered grazing land.
Gideon Rook arrived alone.
At thirty-eight, he was a tall, powerfully built man with dark hair, a short beard, and an expression that made people uncomfortable. His coat was old but carefully maintained, his boots clean, and his gloved hands steady.
He owned the largest ranch north of the ridge.
He also could barely hear anything.
The townspeople had turned that disability into a collection of ugly stories.
Some said Gideon had lost his hearing after killing a man.
