'Richard, Tabitha is an old friend. She meets with me when I want her to and so, I may tell her of you and Gina whenever I feel like it. But of what good will that do me?' Ansley laughed again.
Gina had many things she wanted to tell Ansley, but she also feared because he had mentioned Tabitha's name. Gina knew if her secret with Richard got to Tabitha, then it was truly over for her. Tabitha was the town's rumor bag. She was surely going to tell anyone that had ears.
'You do not need to do something so foolish,' Richard said, 'what is it you want?'
Ansley could have asked for wealth, or cattle, or even Richard's ranch in exchange for his silence but instead, he said:
'I want to lay with the girl. I must have a taste of what you have gotten.'
The words Ansley spoke rang in Gina's ears. She found Ansley too irritating to want to lay with him. She found it better to roll in mud than to let Ansley touch her the way Richard did.
'I shall not lay with you, Ansley!' Gina said.
