Chapter 17
Matilda's heart stopped.
She knew him instantly.
Thomas Bell.
The father who had raised her.
He climbed down slowly.
His eyes found Matilda.
“Mattie.”
She had not heard that childhood nickname in years.
Her throat closed.
Thomas took one step toward her.
She stepped back.
His face fell.
“You know.”
“Yes.”
He lowered his head.
“Then your mother finally told you.”
“She told me from the grave.”
Thomas closed his eyes.
Matilda's anger exploded.
“You helped destroy Elias.”
“I did.”
“You worked for Thatcher.”
“Yes.”
“You lied to my mother.”
“Yes.”
“You lied to me every day of my life.”
“Yes.”
Each confession hurt more than denial would have.
“Why?”
Thomas looked at Elias.
“Because I loved her.”
Elias's face hardened.
Thomas laughed bitterly.
“There. That's the pathetic truth.”
He looked at Matilda.
“I loved your mother from the day we were sixteen.”
Matilda's eyes burned.
“So you stole her?”
“No.”
His voice cracked.
“I tried.”
The honesty silenced her.
“I told myself Elias was dangerous. I told myself I was saving her.”
Thomas looked toward the burning boarding house.
“But mostly I wanted what belonged to another man.”
Elias stepped closer.
“She was never mine to own.”
Thomas flinched.
“You learned that before I did.”
Matilda's anger trembled.
“Why are you here?”
Thomas's face changed.
“Because Abigail sent men to Missouri.”
Elias stiffened.
“What for?”
“To find your mother's remaining papers.”
Thomas looked at Matilda.
“They didn't find them.”
“Where are they?”
“With me.”
He reached into his coat.
Sheriff Hollis drew his g/u/n.
Thomas froze.
Abigail screamed, “Don't let him open that!”
Everyone turned.
Thomas slowly removed a sealed packet.
Abigail's terror was unmistakable.
Matilda stared at it.
“What is that?”
Thomas answered quietly.
“The document Abigail's father spent twenty-three years trying to find.”
He handed it to Matilda.
She opened it.
Inside was not a mining deed.
It was a marriage certificate.
Elias Harrow.
Margaret Bell.
Her mother.
Matilda looked up.
“You were married?”
Elias nodded.
“Three months before you were born.”
Thomas whispered, “Which means every Harrow property taken after Elias's supposed d/e/@/th legally passed first to Margaret.”
Matilda understood.
“And after Mother d/i/ed…”
Thomas looked at her.
“It passed to you.”
Abigail backed away.
Matilda turned toward the mountain visible beyond town.
“How much?”
Thomas answered.
“Not just the old mine.”
His voice carried across the silent street.
“Nearly half of Black Ridge.”
PART 5 — THE WOMAN THEY CALLED WORTHLESS OWNED THE MOUNTAIN