by Everly West
Eva left the room in a whirl of silk and disappeared into the bath room. Levi turned to his uninvited guests. "I think that should be enough evidence that my wife is not distressed nor is she trying to escape."
"Yes, I think I've seen...all I need to,” the sheriff said. “Mr. and Mrs. Delacroix, would you please follow me? It's very clear your daughter is where she wants to be, and I don't appreciate being led here under false pretenses. This is a family matter and any dispute should be settled between you in private. Now let's go before I decide to lock you both up for trespassing."
"Now you see here, Sheriff—" Henri turned on the sheriff "I'm not leaving until I get my daughter out of this den of iniquity."
"Henri. Please stop,” her mother begged. “You are making a fool of yourself. It is clear to me Eva is where she wishes to be and I'm certain Mr. Copper won't mind producing that marriage certificate. Now, let's go home. This is all very troubling for me. I had no idea she had such strong feelings for Mr. Copper here."
Levi watched Eva's mother dab at her eyes with her handkerchief, then turn on her heels and lead the way down the hallway to his front door. The sheriff stood aside and waited for Henri to follow.
"I swear, you flea bitten stray mutt, you have not gotten the best of Henri Delacroix. Just because you've managed somehow to fool the citizens of Laramie, doesn't mean I don't see you for what you are—a lying con artist.
"I have no idea how you convinced my daughter to go along with this plan of yours, but I can assure you she will come to her senses at some point and I'll be there with great satisfaction to watch your downfall."
Levi didn't like that the man was getting a bit too close to the fact he had tricked Eva, but not like the man thought. He had no doubt the pompous ass would be overjoyed to enlighten Eva if the opportunity should present itself.
"Let's go Mr. Delacroix. You've worn out your welcome here." The sheriff gave Eva's father a look that said, “I'm done and so are you.”
Levi watched the man struggle with his decision. He was an arrogant man, but he wasn't a stupid man. At least, not enough to go up against the experienced lawman.
Henri gave him one last “go to hell” look and then he spun on his feet and walked down the hallway, his footsteps hard and angry. Levi heard his front door slam and he let out a sigh of relief.
"Are they gone?" Eva's voice called to him from the private bathing room.
"Yes. They are gone. You can come out now. There's nothing to be afraid of," he assured her.
"I wasn't afraid, at least not for myself. I feared if my father's ire grew, he might shoot you dead."
Levi laughed. "He's not stupid enough to shoot an unarmed man in front of the sheriff, now is he?"
Eva didn't answer right away. He looked at her in surprise. "You don't think too highly of your father, do you? What has he done to you over the years to make you fear him so?" Levi wanted to know, but then again, he didn't for fear his anger would force him to do something to the man they would both regret.
"I know my father. He's not a kind nor considerate man. Would he shoot you in front of the lawman? Probably not. He wouldn't want to sully his hands. Would he hire someone to shoot you in the back? I wouldn't put it past him, Levi."
"Then I will just have to watch my back." He smiled at his beautiful bride, hoping to ease her fears.
Eva nodded in agreement. "I suppose we will eventually have to produce that marriage certificate if I know my father. Now I can see why your friend took such care to make our marriage look real."
Levi's guilt poked his sense of fair play. Eva had trusted him. What would she think when she learned the marriage really was genuine?
"I think we should hold out until the last possible moment to produce the document. That will give you time to campaign and win that congressional territory seat and give me time to make my plans of escape."
"Escape? Don't say that in front of your father. He'll have me hanged for kidnapping." Levi joked but Eva's words emphasized her determination to leave. What would he do then? What could he do but tell her the truth, and that was a day he would put off as long as possible?
Chapter 9
Eva bathed and dressed for her first day as a married woman. She couldn’t wait for today’s meeting of the Ladies Club of Laramie. Her friends would be astounded to hear the news. And then they would absolutely swoon when they heard it was Levi she was married to.
She smiled at herself in the vanity mirror in the enormous bedroom she shared with Levi as she put the finishing touches to her hair. How many times had Levi been the topic of conversation among the ladies of The Laramie Ladies Club?
Her friends often gushed over Levi's rakish good looks, trying to pry secrets about him from her because they knew she and Levi were good friends.
The ladies loved that air of rebellion about him. Eva had to admit he had impressed her more than once by his good looks and charming manners. He might be the orphaned son of a con artist, but he had made his own mark in this world and quite the mark it was.
Money and swoon-worthy good looks made Levi a very sought after bachelor. Until now. She should feel badly for taking him off the market—or rather for pretending to take him off the market, but a part of her was quite pleased that her friends were going to be so impressed that she managed to capture the handsome bachelor, even if their marriage was a farce, her friends didn’t have to know that.
A twinge of jealousy pinched her heart as she thought of all the ladies who would be clamoring to take her place when the truth was revealed that he wasn't really her husband. Her thoughts revisited Levi’s comment about last night being the first time he shared his bed with his clothes on. Did that mean there was a special someone waiting for Levi to be a free man again? If there was someone in Levi’s life, he had never mentioned her. Not once. Surely if there were someone, he would have told Eva about it?
Right now, she had a hold on Levi, but when the truth came out, he would be fair game. Again.
She shook the thoughts away. What business was it of hers what Levi did? She would be far away pursuing her own life. And yet she could admit to herself she wished things could be different between her and Levi Copper—
"Mrs. Copper. Eva? I'm here to gather the breakfast dishes." Mary's voice called to her from the hallway.
"Mary, please come in. I'm almost ready to go downstairs and face the music, so to speak, with the good citizens of Laramie, but I need some help with my necklace. Would you be so kind as to help me fasten it?"
"Of course. I'd be happy to help you."
Mary stepped inside the bedroom and came to stand behind Eva. Eva handed her the two ends of her necklace and sat straight to give her access to her neck.
"Thank you so much, Mary. I really couldn't have done this without—" Eva heard Mary sniffle. She looked at the woman's face in the mirror. Her eyes were red and swollen as if she had been crying for quite some time.
"Mary? Is there something wrong?"
"Please don't worry yourself about me, Eva. I'm just a fool who has made a terrible mistake it seems." Mary burst into tears.
Eva turned and pulled the young woman down next to her on the vanity bench. "Mary? What is it? Tell me, please. Perhaps I can help," Eva offered.
Mary hid her face behind her hands. "No one can help me now," she murmured through her tears.
"Oh nonsense. What can be so bad? Tell me and we will put our heads together. Everything will be alright, I swear it," Eva promised, even though she had no idea what the matter was.
Mary shook her head in denial. "I fear it will never be alright again, for you see—" She hesitated and then crumbled into a fresh round of sobs and hiccups.
Eva was at a loss. Until she knew of the problem, she could do nothing to help the poor woman. "Now, now. It can't be that bad. Just tell me what it is, please Mary."
She uttered another hiccup and a snuffle, then she wiped her nose and eyes with her apron. Eva remained quiet to give her time to gathe
r her courage. Finally, Mary looked up at her, eyes swimming in tears. "I fear my beau is not the man I thought him to be. He and I...we...I thought he loved me. I let him...you know, do things that only married people should do. And now..." Mary's words drifted off as if she couldn't bear to say anything more.
"Well, that isn't any reason to be so upset. Perhaps he will propose to you soon and everything will be right as rain," Eva offered by way of explanation.
Mary shook her head. "You don't understand. He told me he couldn’t afford to get married."
Eva nodded. "I see. And you think he has changed his mind altogether?"
"I'm sure of it." Mary sniffed.
"How can you be so certain, Mary? Perhaps he just needs a little more time to—"
Mary jumped up off the vanity bench and frantically paced in front of Eva. "But that's just it, Eva. I don't have more time. I'm...going to have a baby and I need a husband now."
"Ooooh." Now Eva understood the situation. The poor woman had given her heart and body to the man and he had betrayed her trust.
"What does your father say? Have you told him?" Eva stood and held Mary in place by her shoulders.
"I don't have a father. Or a brother. Or anyone who gives a damn about me. So, there is no one to champion me, Eva. No one at all."
Suddenly, a thought came to Eva. "That isn't so, Mary. I know of someone who will champion you. I know someone who is decent and caring and will not allow anyone to mistreat you."
Mary studied her face, her brows wrinkled in confusion. "Who? I don't know anyone who would go out of their way to help me."
"I do. Follow me." Eva grabbed her silk shawl and her reticule. She pulled Mary by the hand down the hall to the front door.
"But Eva—" Mary protested.
"Don't you worry yourself one bit, Mary. It isn't good for the baby and it isn't necessary." Eva pulled a somewhat reluctant, very confused, Mary behind her down the stairs to the first floor. She stopped the first employee she could find. "Excuse me. Can you tell me where I can find Levi—um, Mr. Copper?" she asked.
Mary pulled her hand out of Eva's. "Oh no, Eva. You can't tell Mr. Copper about this. He'll fire me for sure."
"Nonsense, Mary. Mr. Copper will not fire you. Now come along."
"But Eva, you don't understand—"
The employee looked between Eva and Mary, then shrugged his shoulders as if he wanted no part of it.
"He was in the poker parlor last I saw him, ma'am," the man answered before hurrying off.
"Eva, please. I'll manage somehow. Please don't tell Mr. Copper—"
"Don't tell Mr. Copper what?"
Eva whirled to see Levi standing behind her and Mary.
"Oh Levi. I'm so glad to have found you. It seems we have a problem, or rather Mary has a problem and we need your help."
"Of course. You have my undivided attention." He looked back and forth between her and Mary as if trying to gauge the problem beforehand.
"Is there some place we can speak. In private.” Eva asked. She knew Mary would not appreciate her problem to be openly discussed with every chance of a random hotel guest eavesdropping on their conversation.
Levi frowned. "We can meet in my office if you wish."
"That would be perfect." Relief flooded Eva's body and she felt herself relax. It wasn't that she doubted Levi would help, but now she was certain everything would be alright.
Levi ushered her and Mary down the hall in front of him, stopping at a closed door on his right. He unlocked it with a key he pulled from his pocket and ushered them inside.
"Please take a seat and tell me what has you so upset. Has someone done something to you, Eva?"
Eva took one of the chairs in front of Levi's massive desk and pulled Mary down in the chair next to her.
"No. It isn’t me. It’s Mary. You see, Levi, Mary—" Eva started to speak.
"Please, Eva. Please don’t say anything more," Mary pleaded.
Levi looked at them both but remained quiet.
"Levi, Mary has had some news that is quite upsetting and since she doesn't have a father or a brother to champion her, I told her you would."
Levi's frown creased his brow. "I would—what?"
"Champion her, of course." Eva smiled an encouraging smile at Mary who seemed to shrink before her eyes.
"Champion her?" Levi cut his eyes to Mary. "Mary, what has happened that you need a champion? Has someone been disrespectful to you in some way?"
"No, sir. Eva is mistaken—"
"Nonsense. Enough of that, Mary. Levi is here to help you. Tell him what has happened."
But when Mary refused to answer, Eva answered for her. "Levi, Mary had a special beau who has jilted her."
Levi sat still looking between the two women. When he didn't answer, she supposed she would have to spell out the situation more clearly.
"Mary is with child and when she informed the man she believed to be in love with her, he ran for the hills. I explained to her that there is no need to worry because, although she has no family to speak up for her, you would be happy to do so."
Relieved to have the situation out in the open, she sat back and breathed a sigh of relief, certain that Mary could now relax as well.
She watched Levi turn to Mary. "Is this true, Mary? Are you with child?"
"Yes, Mr. Copper." Mary snuffled against her apron and refused to look at either of them.
"I see. And was this ‘union’ against your will?"
“No, Mr. Copper. Me and Charley have been sweet on each other for quite some time now. Our relationship is a mutual agreement.”
Levi nodded and walked to a big safe in the corner. Eva watched him work the combination and open the iron door that must have been a foot thick. She was shocked to see stacks and stacks of cash lined up in neat rows on the shelves. She had never seen so much money in one place.
Levi took out a stack of bills at least an inch thick, counted them, and then closed the safe door turning the handle and spinning the combination to lock it into place. After testing the handle to make certain it was locked, he turned and came around to the front of the desk. He leaned against it and studied Mary for a moment before he spoke.
"Mary, I want you to take this money. You will need it in the coming months to make a place for you and your child."
Mary burst out into a new round of heartfelt sobs. Eva didn't understand what was happening.
"Don't cry, Mary. This money will help you take care of your child. In the meantime, Levi will hunt down the man who did this to you and make him—"
"I will not." Levi's words were quiet and matter-of-fact.
"What do you mean, you will not? Of course you will. You will take hold of this ne'er do well and hold him accountable for what he has done to our poor Mary."
"Eva. Mary knew the consequences of her actions. She knows the rules and she broke them."
"You can't be serious. The woman was taken advantage of, made promises to, by a man she trusted."
She saw Levi wince, but he didn't give in. "I'm sorry, Eva. I know you want to help Mary, and the best I can do is to give her the means to take care of herself until she can find another job."
"Another job? What are you saying, Levi? You’re going to let Mary go, just when she needs her job and her place here now more than ever? Why would you do such a thing, Levi? How could you do such a thing?"
Levi didn't answer her. Instead, he turned to Mary, "You knew the rules, Mary. I'll give you a good reference, but I have no choice but to let you go."
* * *
Levi knew Mary and his bartender were close, he just didn't know how close until now. Mary's news was an unfortunate turn of events, but it wasn't his doing and Eva needed to understand that running a business required tough decisions. And this was a tough one.
Mary took the money. "Thank you, Mr. Copper. You are most generous. I—tried to tell Eva how things were, but—"
Mary curtsied and left the room, closing the door quietly be
hind her. Levi kept quiet for a moment to give Eva a chance to come to grips with the situation before he spoke.
"Eva—" he began.
"How could you do this, Levi? How could you set that poor girl out without a second thought? What about the man who did this to her? Where is his punishment?"
"He will be dealt with, but you keep saying he did this to her. She was a willing partner if I understand the situation correctly," he explained.
"He told her he loved her, but all he wanted was—" Eva stopped short, her face pinked.
"I know what he wanted, Eva. And maybe he does love her and things will work out between them, but that's their business. Not ours."
"He used her, Levi. Can't you see that? He professed to love her, but he lied. And now, her trust in the man she gave her heart to is shattered. She will never be the same. Not ever again."
Levi hated to hear those words spoken from Eva's lips. It was almost as if she were predicting the future. Their future. And yet, he truly did love Eva. Could he convince her of his love when she learned of his deceit?
"Eva, we don't know the whole story. And, in my defense, I have made it very clear to all of my employees when I hire them that what they do on their own time is their business—as long as it does not interfere with their work on my time."
Eva didn't answer him. Instead, she sat staring at her lap where her fingers twisted a lace-trimmed handkerchief.
Levi watched his beautiful wife. He knew her gentle heart was in the right place, but she was naïve when it came to just about everything. Her parents had sheltered her and kept her sitting on a shelf until the right man came along that would benefit her father's purse or his aspirations. Levi grimaced. He had done neither.
Perhaps he could offer her a new life entirely, something that would give her a more permanent place in his life. Something that would make her a part of not only his life, but his world. The idea took root and before he knew it, he was making the offer.
"Eva, I know this is all very upsetting to you and I am truly sorry about Mary and her situation. But I can assure you, these rules were not made arbitrarily. There is a past reason for every present rule."
