by Connie Mason
Before Chase left for Dawson, he told Rusty about the gold he'd found and showed him the sizable cache gleaned from the dwindling mound of gravel near the creek bank
"Looks damn prornisin'," Rusty said excitedly "I'll be interested in what the assayer has to say "
"That's my first stop in Dawson We've done it. Rusty Somethin' tells me we're both gonna be rich as kings I can't wait to get back here and begin diggin' for that rich vein "
"Go to Dawson, son, talk to Maggie, do what ya gotta before ya return Now that I'm here, I'm willing and able to do my share "
The stem-wheeler steamship Susie was due in Dawson City some time in June, 1898 She earned starnpeders, saloon girls, whores, wives, and media representatives—in addition to mining supplies, food, and clothing She was to remain in port a week before returning to Seattle and San Francisco via St Michael, Alaska Though Chase still hadn't arrived in Dawson, Maggie realized it was long past time to return to civilization and her job at the Seattle Post-Intelligencer Surely Chase would come before the Susie left Dawson, Maggie reasoned, so she purchased her ticket that afternoon, although it was nearly two months before the ship's expected arrival With the ticket clasped tightly in
her hand, Maggie became sadly aware that she might never see Chase again
"Are you certain you want to leave1?" Scott asked when Maggie revealed her plans to return to Seattle aboard the Susie
"Positive," Maggie replied with firm resolve "It's time I got back to my job Mail forwarded from Skagwayjust recently reached me My editor received my first two articles mailed from Skagway and urged me to return to Seattle "
"I don't want you to leave, Maggie "
They stood in the hallway outside Maggie's door, having just returned from a leisurely supper
"Can we go inside, Maggie1? I'd like to talk to you "
"We've said everything there is to say, Scott We will always be friends, but nothing you can say will prevent me from leaving "
"What about McGarrett? I thought you were waiting for him to return from Eleven Above "
"I expect he'll show up before I leave," Maggie said with quiet conviction
It broke Scott's heart that Chase had such little regard for Maggie's feelings "Please, Maggie, let me come in for a moment Perhaps I can cheer you with stones about my childhood If they won't cheer you, maybe they'll put you to sleep "
Despite her somber mood, Maggie bestowed a brilliant smile on Scott, opened the door, and ushered him inside her room
Chase McGarrett strode down the upstairs hallway of the Dawson Arms, his steps light and springy, his spirits soaring He had reached Dawson mere hours ago, and his first stop had been the assayer's office, where he learned the gold he had accumulated was of the highest quality Once he found the vein, it could yield up to $5000 a day That alone was cause
for celebration He had bathed and shaved and was now on his way to see Maggie, eager to tell her of his good fortune and make passionate love to her until exhaustion claimed them He knew he was late in coming to Dawson, but Maggie had given her word she'd still be here He couldn't wait to see the look in her amber eyes when he told her he was rich After a year or two of working the claim, he and Rusly would have all the money they'd ever need Enough to make his heirs rich No, he corrected, pained, there'd be no heirs—not with Maggie as his wife There'd be no children to claim his wealth
As he neared Maggie's room, his steps faltered Chase recognized her immediately, standing in the hall She was even more beautiful than he remembered But at the moment she had eyes only for the man standing so close that their bodies were nearly touching Scott Gordon made a handsome picture in his colorful uniform—tall, broad of chest, slim of waist, and obviously in love with Maggie Chase was trying to decide whether or not to make his presence known when Maggie bestowed a beguiling smile on the Mountie, took his hand, and led him inside her room Chase waited ten minutes, and when Scott did not reappear, he turned on his heel and fled, ending up in the nearest saloon, where he proceeded to drown his sorrows
Two hours later Chase was still sober He wanted Maggie so desperately, the resulting pain rendered the alcohol he consumed impotent Not even his good fortune seemed important without Maggie to share it with He left the saloon walking aimlessly along the muddy street, when he spied Scott entering his office Had he been with Maggie all this time1? Chase wondered bleakly Suddenly he knew he had to see Maggie and leam for himself if the Mountie had stolen her from him
Determination rode Chase and he hurried his steps Perhaps he was doing Maggie a grave injustice with his wild conjectures He desperately needed Maggie to tell him she still cared for him, that it wasn't the Mountie she wanted Within minutes he was rapping softly on Maggie's door at the Dawson Arms
Already undressed for bed in nightgown and robe, Maggie couldn't imagine who was knocking on her door at this time of night Then her eyes fell on the hat resting on the chair Scott must have forgotten it when he left earlier She smiled, amused by Scott's forgetflilness, especially when in her presence She always seemed to rattle the poor dear man Picking up the hat, she opened the door, holding it out as if in offering
"Were you so rattled you left pieces of your clothing behind1?" Maggie teased archly "No, darlin', I'm never too rattled to leave without my clothes " "Chasel You're herel"
"Obviously you were expectin' someone else " He looked pointedly at the Mountie hat "Your lover, perhaps1?" The grim lines of his face revealed his pain and disillusionment
"What are you saying1?"
"Do you always answer the door in your night-clothes'?"
"No, I—"
"Oh, Maggie, couldn't you wait for me1? Did you have to take Gordon as a lover1?"
Maggie was stunned She opened her mouth to fling back a scathing retort, but approaching footsteps and loud voices forestalled her Glancing down the hall, she saw two men laughing and talking and recognized them as the miners who had the room directly across from hers She didn't want them to see her in her nightclothes arguing with a man outside
her door Chase sized up the situation immediately and slipped inside the open door, closing it firmly behind him
"I don't know if I want you in here, thinking the way you do," Maggie said tartly She couldn't believe Chase would read something more into her innocent relationship with Scott Didn't he love her enough to trust her1? Apparently not, or he'd never make those ridiculous accusations
"What am I supposed to think1?" Chase said sourly, flipping off his hat and tunneling long fingers through his hair, revealing his agitation "I came to tell you my good news and find you alone in your room with Gordon "
"How do you know that1?"
"Damnation! I've got eyes I saw you draggin' him inside I waited ten minutes before I gave up and left"
"You should have waited fifteen minutes," Maggie remarked, her voice ripe with disgust "Oh, Chase, must we argue1? You're the only lover I've ever had or wanted Scott has been a wonderful friend, but he's not you "
"You welcomed him readily enough to your room," Chase observed acidly
"Only because I trust him to act like a gentleman "
"Can you deny he wants you1?" Chase challenged Why in the hell were they trading insults when all he wanted was to love Maggie endlessly1?
"Scott asked me to marry him, but I refused He knows I love you "
Hearing Maggie say those words took all the wind out of his sails "Oh God, Maggie, I don't know what got into me When I saw you with Gordon, invitin' him into your room. Host the good sense I was bom with I was so dang jealous I wanted to kill him for dann' to touch what was mine "
"Am I yours. Chase?"
"Damn right"
"Then prove it Show rne how much you want me Make love to me "
She released the belt on her robe and let it drop to the floor Then her hands moved to the buttons at the neck of her prim nightgown
"No, let me," Chase said, his voice husky with need as he shoved her hands aside
One by one h
e released the tiny buttons, his fingers clumsy and shaky The gauzy material parted, and he shoved it past her shoulders, baring them to his lips His mouth was warm and moist on her flesh, and Maggie shivered in delight His lips slipped lower, his tongue caressing the valley between her breasts Then the nightgown lay in a puddle at her feet, and Chase drew the nipple of one breast deeply into his mouth, laving the erect tip with the moistness of his tongue—nipping, teasing, now sucking strongly
Maggie moaned, feeling the results of his tender torment deep in her groin Abandoning those luscious snowy mounds. Chase dropped to his knees, grasping Maggie's buttocks, holding her still as he parted the curling hairs at the apex of her thighs with his tongue and probed gently Maggie stifled a shriek as Chase used his considerable skill to drive her to the edge of ecstasy Sliding his tongue along the tender slit, he located the tiny nub of her femininity
"Chase, please, I can't stand itl"
"Hang on, darlin', you're almost there Don't hold back, let it come " His fingers dug into the soft flesh of her buttocks as he renewed his efforts, savoring the honey-sweet taste of her passion with the abandon of a man drunk upon the most exotic of wines
And then she was there, showing him her joy, sobbing and crying out, pulling him closer—closer still No one, absolutely no one, could make her feel like this but Chase She felt herself floating, suddenly
aware that Chase had swept her off her feet and was carrying her to the bed Anxious for the touch of his bare skin against hers, Maggie began tearing at his clothes
"Easy, darlin', don't be greedy " Chase grinned with wicked delight "We got all night, and the next, and the next, until I go back to the goldfields Oh, baby, I've missed you I nearly lost rny mind from wantin' "
"Show me, love, show me how much you want me "
With consummate skill and tenderness. Chase slowly roused Maggie to passion again while she rediscovered the secrets of his body She tasted the texture of his skin, savored the tart saltiness, inhaled the musky odor or his desire
"Now, Chase," she begged, dragging her nails sharply against his back
The resulting shock caused him to plunge hard, sheathed completely with his first thrust, her moist depths taking all of him Vivid waves of light pulsed through her with each stroke "I've never felt anythin' so damn good," Chase groaned as if in pain "So tight, so warm, so—" A moan swallowed the rest of his words
"Harder, Chase, harder " She wanted, needed, to feel his strength pounding against her womb "Are you sure1? I don't want to hurt you1?" "I'm sure You won't hurt me "
Their coupling was wild, tender, abandoned Chase rode her mercilessly, then changed their positions to allow Maggie the pleasure of setting their pace They mated like animals, neither satisfied with tepid passions, each driving the other to heights never before attained It ended with an incredible climax that left them both shaken and unable to talk for several long minutes
"You're magnificent," Chase said, still awed by what he had just experienced "Damnation, Maggie girl, you plumb wore me out"
"I hope not, love, it's still early," she teased, sliding her hand down the length of his thigh
"Just give me a few minutes, baby, and I'll try not to disappoint you "
A comfortable silence settled over them until Maggie said, "You mentioned something about being rich I assume you found more gold "
"You won't believe it, darlin', but with each shovelful of gravel more nuggets appeared , The assayer said they are of exceptional quality and likely to yield a fortune before the vein runs out We're rich, Maggie, rich I can buy more land, purchase mares and studs, and have the best damn horse ranch in Montana It's like a dream come true "
"You love Montana, don't you1?" Maggie asked with a strange sadness
"It's beautiful, Maggie—you'll love it too " He grew so excited talking about his hopes and dreams that he failed to see that Maggie had become quiet and withdrawn Chase spoke glowingly about Montana while failing to take into consideration her love of writing and need to fulfill her desire to be needed and useful
Stung by Chase's utter disregard for her needs, Maggie realized that no matter how often she proved herself, it was still a man's world, insensitive to a woman's needs and desires Chase naturally assumed Maggie wanted what he wanted without asking her opinion
"Montana is a wonderful place to raise—horses," he amended lamely He had started to say children but realized abruptly that with Maggie there'd be no children Maggie thought nothing of the pause, having already forgotten she had told Chase she was barren
"Chase, are you asking me to marry you1?"
Chase looked truly stunned " 'Course we'll get married, darlin' I don't plan on stayin' up here more than a year or two and then we can—"
"A year or two I What ami supposed to do till then1?"
"I thought you'd come up to the cabin, spend the summer "
"Wouldn't it be somewhat crowded—you, me and Rusty1?"
Chase frowned "I hadn't thought ofthat I reckon it's best anyway that you stay in Dawson I'll try to visit once a month or so It won't be so bad, Maggie," Chase assured her eagerly "When we leave here, we'll be rich "
"I'm going back to Seattle, Chase I've already purchased my passage The Susie is expected in Dawson in a few weeks " "Whatl Don't I mean anythin' to you?"
"I love you, but you're taking it for granted that I want the same things you do I don't know if I'll like Montana I want to have a say in where well go and what we'll do Is that so wrong1?"
"But Montana is my home," Chase said tightly "A wife goes where her husband leads It's always been that way Dammit, I love you, Maggie—why are we arguin' like this1? I'd much rather make love to you again "
"Then do it," Maggie said with quiet conviction
"Will you stay in Dawson and wait for me1? You can write your newspaper and resign Or maybe they'll agree to accept your articles from here by mail for as long as you choose to stay But once we return to Montana, I see no reason for you to continue workin' We'll have all the money we need "
"I like to work Writing has been my life for so long I'm not certain I can stop I don't want to spend my days in useless pursuits "
"Do you call bein' my wife useless1?" Chase was beginning to grow angry Why was Maggie being so damned obstinate when obviously they loved each other1? "What do you want me to say1? That I'll give up ranchin' and my way of life to embrace yours1? I can't do that, Maggie There has to be a compromise someplace, and if there is we'll find it"
"When1? In a year or two when you're ready to leave the Yukon1? I can't sit idle that long. Chase I have to go back to Seattle I owe it to the newspaper They financed my trip up here quite generously "
"I can't bear for you to be so far away," Chase admitted, "though I can understand why you don't want to stay in Dawson " "Then you agree that I should return to Seattle1? When you've gotten your fortune out of Eleven Above, I'll be waiting "
"Will you, Maggie1? Or is this merely an excuse to get nd of me1? I'm just an uneducated cowboy, not good enough for the likes of you Has Gordon offered you somethin' better1?"
"Leave Scott out of this I told you I love you What more do you want1?" "Is it Montana you're resistin', or the notion ofgivin' up your job1?"
Put that way, Maggie was forced to delve deeply into her heart for an answer "My job is important. Chase, but there's more to it than that I'm not sure either of us is ready for this kind of commitment Your wanting to wait a year or two before we're married proves that your claim takes priority over our love I might actually like Montana, but I'm uncertain enough about it to doubt our future together I love you. Chase, I want no other man, but perhaps it's wise to allow us a year apart to make certain "
"You think I don't know what I want1?" Chase sputtered angrily "No, Maggie, it's more than that, there's somethin' you're not tellin' me Either you
stay inDawson and quit your job or you return to Seattle and forget rne It's as simple as that"
"You're giving me an ultimatum1
?" Maggie gasped, stunned "Please, Chase, don't do this to us I told you I'd wait for you, forever if need be "
"In Dawson1? Or at the claimsite1?"
Sadly, Maggie shook her head, realizing they had reached an impasse that could split them for all time Til be in Seattle, Chase You have my address "
"Oh, baby,' why does it hafta be like this1? I love you so damn much it doesn't even matter that you're barren We can adopt children to leave my fortune to"
"Barren1?" Maggie asked stupidly Suddenly she recalled telling Chase she couldn't bear children so he wouldn't worry about making her pregnant It could very well be the truth, she reasoned, for she hadn't conceived in all their times together Maybe she was too old to have children "But, I—"
"No, enough has been said We'll discuss this tomorrow I'm plumb worn out from arguin' Let me love you again Our whole world seems to be fallin' apart, and nothin's real but here and now and you in my arms "
"Oh, God, Chase, I'm so afraid," Maggie sobbed, clutching desperately at this man who had taken over her life
Why did everything seem to be conspiring against them1? The riches Chase hoped to find beneath the ground, her responsibility to the newspaper, the year he wanted them to wait before they married, giving up everything she knew and loved to settle in Montana—the list seemed insurmountable A realist, Maggie always knew love wasn't easy, but she thought that if two people truly loved each other, things would work out She had a sinking feeling that she and Chase were about to put her theory to the test
"Don't be frightened, darlin', trust me Somehow we'll work out all our problems," Chase promised "Perhaps you'd better go. Chase We both have some thinking to do "
