Chapter One

It was almost dusk before Nick and Heath arrived at their destination; a small ranch house not ten miles from the boundaries of their own ranch. They two ranches were actually connected by a dirt path that ran between them. Nick and Heath had ridden hard, as their friend Adam Hamilton had sent word through his great granddaughter, Margaret, that, as he would not be around much longer, he wanted to see them. "I wish I knew that earlier; I wouldn't have worried about working today!" Nick had barked when he heard the news.

It was still hard to believe the man was on his deathbed. After all, he'd been around for what seemed a hundred years and cheated the grim reaper more times than anyone Nick and Heath knew. As they drew near the home, they could see Margaret standing on the porch.

"Hello, Maggie." Nick leaned forward in the saddle and gave the young black haired, brown eyed beauty a concerned smile. "How is he?"

"Not good," she nodded towards the barn. "Why don't you and Heath put your horses in the barn and then come right in. Grandfather's asked for the two of you more than once since I sent you word."

"Will do," Nick said as he straightened back up and turned his horse toward the barn. Heath gave their friend a small, crooked smile and followed Nick. Once their horses were taken care of, the two brothers made their way back to the Hamilton home. Margaret had left the front door open and could be seen sitting in a room that sat on the other side of the living room; its door was also propped open.

Nick and Heath entered home and glance around. The couch that sat against the wall to their right was partially filled with clothes that needed folding while the two chairs and the table that sat against the wall to their right had various items. If nothing else had told them how close to death Adam Hamilton was, the unfolded clothes and knick knacks on the chairs and table would have. Margaret was a much better housekeeper than that. If her grandfather wasn't so bad off, the room would have been spotless.

"Come on in," Margaret stood up and motioned them to enter her grandfather's room. As they entered, the young woman left.

A very bald, thin and sickly looking Adam Hamilton looked into the eyes of Nick and Heath as one sat down beside the bed, while the other stood at the foot of it. Adam couldn't help but smile. He counted them, along with the rest of their family, among his most treasured and trusted friends. His smile grew a bit wider as he remembered the day Tom and Victoria had Jarrod and Nick to his ranch for the first time, and the day Nick had brought Heath. Adam would have loved to see all four brothers, only Eugene had had a chance to study over in Europe and jumped at the chance. Jarrod had married and was also away; on his honeymoon. Still, Adam was glad Nick and Heath had come in time and said as much. "It's good to see you my friends." He lifted his fingers towards Nick, as he was the one sitting and closest to the bed. Nick, seeing the movement and knowing the old man was too weak to actually lift his hand, picked it up.

"So you're gonna actually leave us, huh? Thought you were too ornery for that," Nick did his best to smile, even if he was fighting to keep his emotions in check.

Adam gave a low chuckle and grinned. "Guess someone up there needs another cowhand." He chuckled again as he looked over the many years he'd walked upon the earth. After he stopped chuckling, Adam began talking. "I want you to have the majority of this land." The old man looked at the two visiting brothers, not surprised to see a look of shock that spread over their faces. He had expected it.

"What about your sons?" Nick asked after he looked at Heath, who had a concerned look on his face. Nick was sure his blond haired brother was concerned there would be trouble if Adam gave the land to someone outside his family. Neither one of them wanted that.

"Neither of my sons are ranchers, nor do they wish to become one. I have already given them a small portion of land to sell if they choose. They know I am giving your family the rest of it."

"What about Maggie?" Heath asked. "This has been her home since she was born; she loves the place." He knew it to be true; he'd seen it from the first time he'd met her.

For a moment their friend said nothing. When he did speak, his voice was low and soft. "I have left her this house and enough land to have a nice sized yard and a garden. Of course, she will have a right of way to the road. I have left her enough money to live on while she gets on her own feet. However," he said as he looked toward the door and then back at his friends, "I would appreciate it if you would stop in and check on her now and then. She is a strong one, only since her parents died and, with the period of time she was at school, she refuses to leave this land; she will be alone."

"Don't you worry 'bout it." Nick assured his dying friend, "One of us, or our mother or Audra will be glad to come over on a regular basis and keep an eye on her."

Adam, whose eyes had been full of anxiety for Margaret, relaxed. He continued looking at Nick and Heath as he thanked them and then closed his eyes. They might have thought he'd passed on only he started speaking. "I have lived to be almost a hundred; I have a good ranch and I'm rather comfortable when it comes to money, but you know what? It wouldn't matter at all if I didn't have my integrity intact. If living this long, and having the wealth I do, meant giving up that; my integrity that is, I'd rather have died a whole lot sooner than I am." Adam quit speaking, and his eyes remained closed.

Nick and Heath both went to reply that they agreed only to realize that the old man had finally slipped into an eternal sleep. With the realization, Heath turned and walked out of the room saying he was going to talk to Maggie. Nick stood up and walked over to the window where he could see the corral and barn. He couldn't help but shake his head. He'd give all the land his friend had just given them back if Adam could just open his eyes and rejoin them. Only when Maggie hurried into the room and knelt down by her great grandfather's bed did Nick leave the room, feeling she needed to be alone with the man that had been known as Adam Hamilton.

The moment he appeared in the living room, and shut the door behind him, Heath, who was standing in the doorway looking out over the Hamilton ranch asked, "Ten to one his family doesn't know he's just given us the land. That is, no one but Maggie and his two sons." Adam's sons weren't the greatest in the communication department.

Nick walked slowly through the living room until he was looking through the window. He thought on Adam's two sons, and he thought on the men's sons. "I wouldn't doubt it; though, I'm not afraid of his sons or most of his grandsons even when they do find out."

Heath didn't have to ask what Nick was getting at. He knew. "Ya think his grandsons, Paul and Tyrell will try to get the land from us?" He asked as he turned his head to look at his brother.

Nick nodded slowly and then sent shivers down Heath's spine as he said, glancing over his shoulder, "I think they'll try to get all the land, no matter the cost."

"Not without a fight they won't. They're not touching Maggie or this land." Heath stiffened. "They'll have to go through me first."

Nick's eyes turned into steel as he re replied with just as much conviction as Heath had in his voice, "They'll have to go through both of us."

Heath said nothing as Nick's words did not surprise nor shock him. Though, if anyone had asked him, Heath would have admitted he hoped it would not come to that.