Klondike’s Price
Copyright© 2026 by Heel
Chapter 4: The Miner’s Cabin
The miner’s name was Bill Harcourt, and from the moment he opened the door, Vanessa knew he wasn’t the kind of man she’d met in Dawson’s saloons. He stood broad and solid, snow melting on his shoulders, his eyes kind and unguarded — the sort of man who still believed in decency even in a land that had forgotten it.
Vanessa hadn’t come for kindness. She had come for his gold.
Still, when she saw the firelight behind him and smelled the stew on the stove, her plan wavered for a heartbeat. Then the wind howled across the frozen hills, and she remembered the cold emptiness of the road behind her. So she forced a weak smile, clutched her shawl tighter, and let her voice tremble just enough to draw his pity.
“Please,” she whispered, “I’ve lost my way.”
Bill stepped aside without hesitation. “Come in, miss. You’ll freeze out there.”
Inside, warmth surrounded her — the soft hiss of the fire, the scent of pinewood and tobacco. He gave her tea, a blanket, and silence. Vanessa watched him from beneath her lashes, noting the pouch at his belt, the rifle near the door, the small box on the shelf where he sometimes dropped bits of yellow dust.
She told him a story — not the truth, but one that sounded like it. He didn’t question it. Men like Bill wanted to believe the world still held gentle souls. Vanessa could play that part easily.
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