Chapter 20: The Stockgrowers' Hall

Boone's POV

The stockgrowers' hall held a hundred and forty members that Monday, and I had never seen it so full.

I stood at the back by the coat rack with my hat in my hand.

Ray sat in the second row with Annie on one side and Brooke on the other.

Constance sat across the aisle, alone.

Her three friends from church had found other seats.

The chairman rapped his gavel and read the motion.

It asked the association to remove Ray Sorley from its board for dishonorable conduct toward a woman in his employ.

"The motion was brought by Mrs. Kell," he said. "Mrs. Kell?"

Constance stood and smoothed her skirt.

She spoke for four minutes, and she was very good.

She said the word "decency" six times, and "that poor cook" three.

When she sat, a few men nodded.

"Mr. Sorley," the chairman said. "Do you wish to answer?"

Ray stood slowly, using the chair for his knee.

"No, sir," he said. "It's all true."

The hall stirred.

"I didn't claim my girl," he said. "I paid for her, and I hid her. If you want me off the board, I'll go."

He sat.

I watched Constance's shoulders relax.

She thought she had won.

"I'd like to speak," Brooke said.

She was on her feet.

The chairman glanced at Ray and then at Constance.

"The floor is yours, Miss Ansley."

Brooke walked to the front of the hall, past a hundred and forty ranchers who had known her mother's name for thirty years and hers for ten minutes.

She turned and faced them.

She looked small in the grey light, and her voice was not loud.

"I found out Ray was my father when I was sixteen," she said. "I kept it. I told myself I'd wait for him to tell me."

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