Her saddle leather creaked as she dismounted.

“What?” asked Cole. “You wanted to shoe the horses?”

The woman smirked as she led her chestnut horse forward. Then her smile turned friendly and she stretched her hand out to Sydney. “Katie Erickson. Cole’s sister-in-law.”

Sydney reached out to shake the woman’s surprisingly strong hand. “Sydney Wainsbrook.”

“Nice to meet you,” said Katie. She glanced speculatively at Cole for a split second before returning her attention to Sydney. “And what brings you to Blue Earth Valley?”

Sydney took in Cole’s determined expression and decided she had little to lose. “I’m here to marry Cole.”

He sputtered an inarticulate sound.

But Katie shrieked in delight and her horse startled. “So you were holding out on us.”

“She’s only after the Thunderbolt,” said Cole, planting the metal stand with disgust.

But Katie’s attention was all on Sydney. “How long have you known him? Where did you meet?” Her gaze strayed to Sydney’s bare fingers. “Did he propose yet?”

“I proposed to him.”

“She’s after the Thunderbolt,” Cole repeated. “She’s a con artist.”

“I’m a museum curator. I want to display the Thunderbolt. But I really am willing to marry him.”

“She’s-” Cole threw up his hands, turning to pace back to the horse. “Forget it.”

Katie called after him. “Don’t be so hasty, Cole. It sounds like a good offer. And you’re not getting any younger, you know.”

He muttered something unintelligible.

Katie laughed, turning back to Sydney. “From a museum, you say?”

“The Laurent.”

“In New York?”

“Yes.”

Katie’s reaction to the proposition wasn’t nearly as negative as Cole’s. Maybe she would listen to reason. Maybe she would even have some influence over her brother-in-law.

“I was planning to display the Thunderbolt temporarily,” said Sydney, keeping her voice loud enough to be sure Cole would hear. “It would only be a loan.”