The Tycoon's Sister

by Jenna Brandt

  The stranger reached out a hand to her. “Here, let me help you up.”

  “No, thank you. I can handle this myself,” she stated in a huff, choosing to push herself up off the ground rather than to accept the man’s help.

  It was a mistake though, because her hands ended up sinking into the thick, murky mud that was all around her. She struggled against it, trying to get free, but it only made her sink further into the substance that was determined to cling to every inch of her.

  “Are you sure about that?” George asked with a chuckle, causing her to glare up at him with an infuriated look. “If I leave you to your own devices, you might very well stay in there until the mud dries up. That’ll be a couple of days, by the way,” he added with a smirk.

  “Fine,” she snapped out, “you can help me, if you insist.”

  The stranger reached out and lifted her up by the forearm. The way he did it, it was as if she were no more than a feather. He must be very strong to be able to do that.

  Once she was upon her feet, her eyes shifted up to meet the man’s. They were a lovely shade of coffee with a hint of honey in them. They were the type of eyes a woman could get lost in, but Elizabeth shook the idea from her head. She wasn’t about to get infatuated with a man from Silverpines, especially one who from the appearance of his mud-covered boots, to his grimy pants and shirt, worked as a livery hand. Falling for this stranger was strictly out of the question.

  What were the chances that the new woman from church would end up falling into his proverbial lap? Even with every inch of her covered in mud, she was still the most gorgeous woman he had ever seen, though her personality could be much improved.

  “Is anything broken?” he inquired with concern.

  She shook her head. “Physically I’m intact, but my ego is rather bruised. I swear, I’m a much better rider than that.”

  “From the looks of your saddle, it wasn’t the riding that caused the damage as much as the person who applied the tack. You should fire your groom.”

  The woman averted her eyes as her cheeks tinged pink for a second time. “The groom didn’t do it. He was nowhere to be found, so I took it upon myself to add the necessary gear.”

  “Well, that explains it. I’m betting you’ve never had to do a lick of work for yourself in your whole life,” George pointed out.

  As soon as he said the words, he regretted it. She quickly stepped back from him giving him a withering look. “You don’t know one speck about me, sir, and I resent you implying I can’t manage to take care of myself.”

  “I would say my helping you out of the mud would prove otherwise,” he countered with his own irritation rising at her inability to be grateful for his help. “You still haven’t said thank you by the way. Are you not taught where you come from to thank a stranger when they help you?”

  “You think I should thank a rough-handed livery worker for doing his job?” she shrilled out, placing her hands on her hip. “Aren’t you here to help your customers?”

  “I don’t see any customers to speak of,” he retorted.

  Giving a small shrug, she turned around, reached out for the reins of her horse, and handed them to him with a haughty attitude. “Now that I’m out of the mud, I can finish what I came to do. I’ll be back later to get my horse.”

  “You’re going around town looking like that?” he asked with disbelief. A small snicker escaped him as he imagined the disdainful looks she would get if she was foolish enough to do so. “I wouldn’t advise it.”

  “I don’t need the advice of a dull, half-witted livery boy,” she snapped with fury sparking in her chocolate eyes.

  “For the record, I’m not a boy, but a man, and you shouldn’t talk to anyone the way you just did, let alone a stranger who could take it wrong and react poorly.”

  Her eyes grew round with fright as she stepped back even further from him. She glanced around the enclosed wooden building, as if realizing for the first time she was alone with a strange man she knew nothing about. She then seemed to get a second wind of defiance as she pushed back her shoulders, flipped her loose curls over her shoulder, and shouted, “You shouldn’t threaten me. My brother is Harrison Holt, the richest and most powerful man in Silverpines! You’re lucky if I don’t tell my brother how you’ve treated me today.”

  “Go ahead. I’m not afraid of any man, let alone Harrison Holt,” George growled out, not liking the fact she thought to try to intimidate him with idle threats.

  “Are you sure? He could ruin you, run you out of town, or at the very least have you thrown in jail for accosting his sister.”

  “I did no such thing,” he yelled in anger.

  “You were rather rough with me when you helped me up out of the mud. I wouldn’t be surprised if I have a bruise on my arm from where you grabbed me,” she tossed back at him. Giving a dramatic pause, she finally added, “But, for your sake, I don’t need another scandal at the moment. I will wait outside while you fix my saddle, and then I will be on my way.”

  Not wanting to argue with her further, he gestured for her to go wait. Never had he seen a prettier woman who could be more outrageously obnoxious and contrary. He couldn’t wait to be rid of her.

  Once she was out of his sight, he set about fixing the saddle. He made sure it was good and secure, not wanting for her to have one more thing to blame him for. She seemed to be the type to throw a tantrum every time she got a bee in her bonnet.

  After several minutes of making sure every piece of tack was correctly secured, he escorted the mare outside and returned her to her owner.

  “How much do I owe you?” she inquired, pulling out her purse.

  George shook his head. “I don’t want your money. I just want you out of my hair.”

  Placing her purse back in her skirt pocket, she pressed her lips together. She shifted her stance several times, opening and closing her mouth, as if she were debating what she was going to say. Instead though, rather than giving one more departing insult, she simply took the reins of her horse, mounted the mare, and took off in the direction from which she originally came.

  As George watched her disappear out of sight, he realized that he had never been so disappointed in meeting someone. Ever since church, he had wondered if he had the chance to meet her if there would be a spark. To his ever-loving regret, there was; however, it was just the opposite kind any man in his right mind would want. She was a spitfire; a spoiled, bratty, rich one at that. She was trouble George didn’t need in his life.

  Chapter Three

  Christmas Eve arrived, ushering in joy for everyone but Elizabeth. All she could think about was all the grand parties she was missing back in Boston while being stuck in Silverpines. What she wouldn’t give to be dressed in her finest ball gown and dancing with a handsome man. Right now, she should be eating the most decadent chocolates and appetizers while sipping the finest champagne in all the country. Instead, she was shoved onto a couch surrounded by a bunch of strangers. Willa insisted all of her family come for the evening, and they were to include all of the servants in the festivities too! What kind of lunacy was that?

  Willa entered the parlor, wearing a pretty red dress and a merry smile to match. “I thought we would have one more guest tonight, but since he hasn’t arrived, I think we can make our way into the dining room.”

  Everyone stood to their feet and started to make their way into the other room. Elizabeth was one of the last to go, and so, when the knock at the door came, she was present to hear it.

  “Is anyone going to get that?” she asked, but realizing everyone else was in the other room, it was clear she was on her own. “I can’t believe I have to answer the door now, too. I might as well be a servant myself,” she mumbled under her breath in disapproval.

  She flung the door open, ready to reprimand whoever was on the other side for being late. Her words left her when she recognized the man from the livery. What on earth was he doing here?

  “Aren’t you going to welcome m
e in?”

  “I would, if I could fathom a reason for you being here,” she stated snidely.

  “I was invited,” he explained, pushing past her to enter the house.

  “By whom?” she asked with indignation. “I highly doubt anyone around here would invite you to our Christmas Eve celebration.”

  What a nightmare this Christmas was going to be compared to her past ones. Never in all her life would she imagine sharing her holidays with farmers, servants, and livery workers.

  “That isn’t very nice to say to our guest,” Harrison said, coming into the room. “He is indeed welcome here.”

  “You invited him?” Elizabeth asked with shock.

  “Yes, Willa and George were friends back in Rockwood Springs. He doesn’t have any family here in town, so we invited him to join us. I didn’t think I needed to run my guest list by you. Is there a reason you seem to be unhappy about my choice?”

  Elizabeth glanced from her brother to George, then back again. She wanted to say she didn’t want the livery worker there, but then she would have to explain to her brother how they met. She was certain that wouldn’t go over well with Harrison, since she blatantly disobeyed his orders.

  “No, it’s your house and your party. You can invite whomever you please,” Elizabeth deferred, realizing it was better to not make a fuss and risk exposing their connection.

  “Everyone just went into the dining room, George. Why don’t you join them while I speak with my sister for a moment?”

  George nodded, then left the entry hall, and disappeared around the corner.

  Harrison turned his attention to his sister, frustration clearly written all over his face. “I understand that you’re unhappy with the situation, Elizabeth, but it will do you little good to take it out on everyone around you. I think it would be a good idea to get to know some of the people here in Silverpines.”

  “And why would I do that? I’m not going to be here long enough for it to matter,” she quipped back.

  “Elizabeth, I think you are under the wrong impression about the situation. I didn’t want to get into this until after the holidays,” Harrison said with a sigh.

  She didn’t like the way her brother was acting, or the fact that it seemed like he knew more about her situation than she did. What wasn’t he telling her? “What are you talking about? You can’t say something like that and not finish it. How am I mistaken?”

  “There are no plans for you to return to Boston,” Harrison stated bluntly.

  “You have no idea what you’re talking about. It might take a month or two, but everything will blow over. Why else would Aunt Gerty send Kate with me if I wasn’t to return home?”

  “Once you are settled in here, I’m to send Kate back to Boston. Her stay is only temporary.”

  “Her stay,” Elizabeth repeated in shock. She swallowed a couple of times, trying to force the lump of fear down in her throat. “Does that mean my stay isn’t temporary? Does Aunt Gerty not want me back?”

  “She wrote to me and said she thought it would be best if you stayed here. You won’t be returning to Boston, Lizzy,” Harrison explained, reaching out to gently pat her back.

  Elizabeth jerked away. “Don’t do that. Don’t try to minimize what is happening to me. My whole life is in Boston: my friends, my women’s group, my horses. What am I supposed to do here?”

  “You’ll have to start over, Lizzy, which is why it’s important that you stop being so mean to everyone around you. These are going to be your friends and neighbors for the foreseeable future.”

  “I don’t care what I have to do, but I will be returning to Boston,” Elizabeth declared. “Aunt Gerty isn’t the boss of me. I have my own means and can take care of myself.”

  “If you return, you’ll be turned out of every respectable house and establishment. Too much damage was done to your reputation, Lizzy. Your only choice is to stay here and start over.”

  She could feel tears forming in the corner of her eyes, but she refused to cry. She blinked them away and steeled herself, wanting to make her point clear. “I don’t want to stay. I hate it here.”

  “You only hate it because you won’t give it a chance. If you tried, you’d find Silverpines is a wonderful place to live. The town is filled with good people, but you won’t know that until you stop punishing everyone around you. You need to grow up, Lizzy, and stop acting like a spoiled child.”

  Her brother’s words stung, making her ashamed of how she had been behaving since her arrival. He wasn’t wrong. She had been deplorable. She gripped her hands in front of her, squeezing them in chagrin. “I’m sorry I’ve caused you to think so little of me.” Not wanting to discuss her situation further, she brushed past her brother and added, “We should rejoin the others for dinner.”

  The meal passed with everyone around her conversing, laughing, and enjoying the dinner. Elizabeth wanted to participate, but she couldn’t muster the spirit to do so. The news that her life was now forever changed made her feel despondent. She had no idea that one tiny mistake would ruin her whole life. What was she going to do now that returning to Boston was out of the question?

  At the end of the meal, Harrison stood to his feet and lifted his glass in the air. “I want to thank everyone for joining us tonight. This is not only my first Christmas in Silverpines, but my first Christmas with my wife, Willa, in our new home. We are so happy each of you are here with us to celebrate Christmas Eve. Let’s toast to family and friends.” Everyone around the table lifted their glasses and echoed the cheer, clinking their glasses together. “Is everyone ready to head into town in order to sing carols around the town Christmas tree?”

  The group nodded, standing up from their seats and making their way out of the dining room. George made his way over to Elizabeth’s side, then leaned over and whispered, “You were awfully quiet during dinner.”

  His close proximity allowed a good whiff of his heady scent. It reminded her of the forests back home where she often rode her horses. She was tempted to inhale deeper but thought better of it in case he could tell she liked it. Instead, she pushed away the troubling appeal he held for her and said, “Is that what people like around here? Demure women who know their place by not saying a word?”

  “I’m not sure where you got that idea. I’ve always found myself attracted to a woman with a backbone,” he revealed. “I wouldn’t want to be with a woman who didn’t know how to have her own opinion.”

  “I’m sure you’re the exception, not the rule,” Elizabeth sighed. “Though women have received more freedoms in the past few decades, we still have so far to go to be treated as equal.”

  George tilted his head to the side, his brows raising up in surprise. “Is that what you want, to be equal?”

  “Yes, more than anything. I have my own money, but everyone around me acts as if I’m incompetent of managing my inheritance, or myself for that matter. My aunt insists I need a husband to oversee my affairs, my brother doesn’t think I can venture out of the house without a chaperone, and society as a whole thinks I’m capable of handling little more than a child.”

  “I never thought about that,” George admitted. “I would hate to be underestimated like that. I’m sorry you have to put up with that sort of treatment.”

  “It’s why I so adamantly believe in the women’s suffrage movement. I spent a great deal of time going to meetings and participating in rallies while I lived in Boston. I want to be able to make decisions for myself, not have my whole life run by others.”

  Before George could respond further, Willa poked her head back into the dining room. “Are the two of you coming?”

  They both nodded their heads, heading through the door. They grabbed their coats and hats and made their way outside. Everyone climbed into the waiting carriage, squeezing in to the two benches as best they could.

  A few minutes later, they arrived at the livery where George quickly put away the horses and the carriage. Harrison offered to tip him, but George refu
sed, saying it was the least he could do since he had George over for dinner.

  The group made their way over to where the giant Christmas tree was glittering with lit candles and glass ornaments. Children were running around, chasing each other in the snow leftover from the previous night while the adults were huddled together in various groups talking.

  The mayor moved in front of the tree, raising his hand to everyone to quiet down. “Good evening, my friends, tonight marks the arrival of our Lord, Jesus, who came down to earth for each one of us all those years ago. Let us remember that incredible gift tonight as we sing together in harmony.”

  A handful of the widows moved to take a spot by the mayor, holding books in their hands. They started the first verse of “Silent Night.”

  Several more songs followed. By the sixth one, fresh snow flurries started to fall around them as more townspeople joined the crowd to sing. The rising voices grew more beautiful with each passing song. Hearing all the wonderful parts from the basses to the sopranos out in the open of the night air was enchanting.

  George was standing close to her, their arms occasionally brushing across each other as they shifted their stances. Each time, a tingling sensation crept up Elizabeth’s arm, making her wonder what it would be like if he dared to actually touch her on purpose.

  By the end of the night, Elizabeth felt a little bit better about being where she was. The people of Silverpines knew how to celebrate Christmas Eve in a refreshing way, little fuss but lots of love and admiration. What was most surprising was that she actually enjoyed being around George as well. Perhaps her brother was right; staying in Silverpines didn’t have to be as bad as she first thought.

  George spent most of the previous night thinking about his time with Elizabeth Holt. She was definitely not what he was expecting, but as he got to know her (when she wasn’t being a complete snob), he witnessed a woman who could be downright endearing.