I had succumbed to complete apathy. Edward would have to borrow more money to rebuild the barn. It would be enough to make mortgage payments impossible. Wingdale and/or Gamble would snap the mortgage up, dispossess us, and knock down Ambledown. In my mind, I saw us—Nora, Edward, and myself—walking forlornly down the road, into oblivion. This dismal prospect occupied my mind when the sound of heavy male footsteps invaded the hallway. Edward’s voice could be heard above the others. “The luckiest thing is that I decided to leave the horses out in the pasture tonight. You mentioned yesterday at lunch, Jack, that it was your custom to leave them out in summer. Maybe that is why I did it. Pity Belle was not out too, but Chloe used her this afternoon and had her stabled.” “Where is Chloe?” Gamble’s voice asked, rather angrily, or at least impatiently. “I expect she is ...” They rounded the arch into the saloon. “Here she is, waiting for us,” Nora said. The three of them looked like coal-miners.
