Free Bound For Eden by Tess Lesue Page A

his husky voice.
    â€˜Going once to the stranger,’ Jackson called, letting the silence hang, before he called out again.
    Alex shifted restlessly, scanning the crowd to see if anyone would bid.
    â€˜Going twice to the stranger . . .?’
    Gideon spat a stream of tobacco juice through a self-satisfied smirk, and Alex’s stomach twisted. She’d be damned if she’d let that little weasel win the horse.
    â€˜Another ten,’ she called out, her voice clear and strong and, to her ears at least, entirely feminine.
    Every head in the yard turned her way. She pulled her hat lower over her eyes.
    â€˜And five!’ Gideon sounded a little sour.
    Was he close to his limit? Alex wondered hopefully.
    â€˜Fifteen more!’ she bid, deepening her voice, and tucking her chin under to ensure that her face was completely hidden by the brim of her hat.
    â€˜And five.’ Gideon sounded real surly now.
    â€˜Twenty!’
    â€˜What are you doing?’ Luke’s voice demanded, close to her ear. ‘You can’t have that kind of money.’
    â€˜And five.’
    She heard the cold rage in Gideon’s voice and she knew she had him.
    â€˜Fifty!’ she hollered, her voice breaking.
    A hubbub broke out. The horse must have set some kind of record with a price like that!
    â€˜Going once to the boy by Slater . . .’
    â€˜This ain’t a game,’ Luke warned her, taking her arm in his hard grip. She shook him off.
    â€˜Going twice . . .?’ Jackson looked inquiringly at Gideon.
    Gideon narrowed his eyes as he stared across the yard. He spat a stream of tobacco juice and then sneered, turning to leave. His brothers trailed him. Alex took a deep shaky breath as they left the yard.
    â€˜Sold, to the boy!’ Jackson mopped at his brow, feeling quite overwhelmed by the profit he’d just made.
    â€˜What are you, crazy?’ Luke demanded.
    â€˜You said he was a good horse,’ Alex said weakly, suddenly feeling the enormity of what she’d done. Had she really just spent nearly all of their money on a horse ?
    â€˜Is that our horse now, Alex?’ Adam asked excitedly.
    Alex couldn’t bring herself to answer. ‘I think I need to sit down.’ She looked around for the nearest seat. There weren’t any. Her knees were trembling and she was a little worried she might faint.
    â€˜My boy!’ Jackson declared, approaching them with his arms wide, and his smile wider. ‘May I say you got quite a bargain today.’
    Luke snorted.
    â€˜That horse there is a one in a million animal.’
    Alex looked over at the stallion, which was being led towards her. She swallowed hard. What on earth was she going to tell Victoria?
    â€˜I have the papers here, if you have the money . . .?’
    Alex fumbled for the bag of gold. Did she have enough with her? Victoria still had some of it. She opened the leather bag and peered in, but her vision was a little blurred and all she could see was the dull sheen of gold. Gold that was no longer hers.
    â€˜Would you mind—’ her voice was shaking, so she paused for a moment to clear her throat and collect herself. She held the bag out to Luke. ‘Would you mind counting out Mr Jackson’s money for me?’ She pressed the bag into his palm and he looked at her curiously.
    â€˜I just need a moment . . .’ Alex stumbled off, heading for a measure of privacy behind the stables. Once she was there she threw up.
    â€˜If I were your sister I’d tar the hide right off you.’
    She groaned. Why had he followed her? The last thing she needed right now was for the most beautiful man in the world to see her bent over the dirt and horse dung, emptying the contents of her stomach. ‘Go away. I thought I told you to pay Jackson.’
    â€˜I did. He’s busy chomping down on all your gold, checking if it’s real or not.’
    â€˜It’s real.’ Although Alex felt a