by E. E. Burke
She elbowed him for mocking her. “I believe I told you yesterday, I find many things about you admirable.”
“Good. I couldn’t ask for a better gift than to be in your good favor.”
Coming from someone else, that might’ve sounded like empty flattery. But she knew Charlie meant it. He’d already shown he took into consideration her thoughts and her feelings…and even her pleasure.
Being this close to him heightened her awareness of the physical pull between them. Around Charlie, she felt more alive, yet also more vulnerable. He’d awakened something elemental and primitive, a force she’d never known, which must’ve lain dormant within her. The thought of losing control scared her to death. If she gave into her longings, what would happen?
She could fall in love with a man who didn’t love her in return, that’s what could happen!
This time it wasn’t the cold making her tremble.
“You’re slowing down. Are you tired? Here, I’ll carry you.”
“Good heavens, no.” She stopped him as he tucked the odd candlestick under his arm, apparently intending to scoop her up. Fear gripped her and she backed away.
His expression softened. “Don’t be afraid.”
“I’m not afraid.” But oh yes she was. She was terrified of her own weakness, which had gotten her into trouble before, and would again, if she continued to stay with him for the remainder of the day. Even one more hour would be too long. “I’ve been distracting you from your work,” she insisted.
"What? You asked me to show you the mine." Confusion flickered across his face, and then his brows gathered. “You can’t leave now, not after you gave me your word.”
Breathing hard, she took another step backwards. “Only because you pressed me. I see no reason for us to spend more time together.”
“No reason? I can think of a good reason.” He had her in his arms before she could gasp. Pulling her against him, he covered her mouth with a fierce, demanding kiss.
Chapter 8
Charlie’s frustration dissolved the instant Penny’s lips softened beneath his, and she began kissing him in return, like she intended to steal his soul. He would gladly offer it up; it wasn’t doing him a bit of good anyway. He fitted her body tighter against his, finding it much easier to show her without words a very good reason for them to remain together.
She tore her mouth away. “No! This is wrong.” Planting her hands on his chest, she pushed, but this time he was ready, and didn’t budge.
“It isn’t wrong, and you aren’t getting away,” he whispered and drew back her hood so he could kiss her ear.
“Let go!” Her heel came down hard on his foot, surprising him with the pain.
“Dang it!” He hopped on one leg, but before he could grab her again, she whirled away, her cloak flapping as if she’d sprouted wings as she fled down the path leading into town. For a woman who’d fallen off a mountain only yesterday, she appeared very spry today, or else her eagerness to get away from him had overcome any lingering discomfort.
Charlie flexed the toes on his aching foot. He’d done exactly what he said he wouldn’t do and had pushed her too fast. Still, he couldn’t be implicated as the sole transgressor; Penny had returned the kiss, quite passionately…until he’d crossed the line. If she found the thought of marrying him so distasteful, he’d damn well let her go. She wasn’t the only one reluctant to wed again, and there had to be an easier way to get a railroad.
As he limped on and was passing the stamp mill, he spotted the land agent stooped over at the side door, and hesitated in disbelief when he saw Percy messing with the lock. Charlie could think of no reason the railroad agent would need to be inside the building. Forgetting the pain in his foot, Charlie walked silently over to stand behind the other man. “Is there something you need, Penworthy?”
Percy whirled around, looking surprised…and a bit guilty. “Ah, no. I was just seeing if you’d returned. Rumor has it you escorted one of our mail-order brides back to the depot. Frankly, I’m surprised that you, of all people, would break the deal we had.”
Charlie’s already touchy mood soured further. “I don’t break deals.”
“Yes, well, we agreed to twelve marriages, and I’m not sure Kinnison’s will count since he isn’t living inside the town limits.”
“Zeke Kinnison got married?”
“Late last night to the matchmaker.”
What a stroke of luck.
“There’s no reason his marriage shouldn’t count. He does pick up his mail in Noelle.”
Percy sniffed and pulled a hankie out of his pocket. “That only makes eleven. What about the twelfth couple?” Percy’s brow furrowed. “And don’t expect us to accept another one of those prostitutes as a last-minute substitute. Draven and Pearl don’t exactly fit the description of respectable couples.”
“The deal was twelve marriages. Don’t try to back out now; you’re the one who championed this idea!”
“I’m not backing out. I’m just making the requirements clear, one of which is you have to come up with another bride and marry her.”
“Me? Since when did this deal depend on me tying the knot? You just made that up.”
“No, it was part of the original agreement, and I would know, considering I’m the one who drew up the document.”
“Document? I don’t remember signing anything. Chase, the double-crosser, had ordered him a bride. Fortunately, the preacher married that one, and those two were a better match anyway. “Besides, Chase married Felicity.”
“He isn’t the mayor.” Percy straightened the round spectacles. “If you don’t think you can come up with a bride, my uncle’s offer is still good. Should you accept his bid, I’m sure he’ll waive the requirement for you to marry.”
Ah. Now it made sense, and why Percy had been so eager to get behind this particular bandwagon. He probably thought it was the cleverest scheme he’d ever cooked up; force a man who had forsworn marriage to get married, or sell out.
But even marriage would be preferable to giving the railroad control over the mine and the town.
Charlie’s lips stretched into a smile. He’d go find Penny and talk some sense into her, but if that failed, he’d had no choice but to carry her back up to the cabin where they would finish what they both had started.
“Give your uncle my regards, and invite him to the wedding tonight.”
Percy’s scrunched his face in puzzlement. “What wedding?”
“Mine.”
“Mornin’ pretty Penny.” Old Gus tugged the brim of his low cap and got to his feet.
When Penny had arrived at Peregrines’ Post and Freight, the owner’s grandfather was seated at his usual spot on the left behind the postal counter. She’d hoped she might find Birdie at her place on the right in front of the shelves where her fabrics were neatly stacked.
Birdie would know all about what was going on in town, but Grandpa Gus? Not so much. However, it appeared from a quick look around the empty office the elderly Mr. Peregrine had been left in charge—unless his grandson Jack was in the back working in his carpentry shop.
“Good morning, Mr. Peregrine.”
“Call me Gus, or Grandpa Gus. We ain’t strangers.” Gus gave the counter an enthusiastic slap, which made Penny’s nerves jump. “How’s married life treatin’ you?”
Oh heavens, his memory. Birdie would’ve told him what happened.
“Thank you for asking, but I’m not married.” Had she stayed with Charlie, she didn’t doubt she would be married, probably before the sun had set, which was why she had to leave. For his sake, as well as hers. Given her run of bad luck, the mine would dry up entirely the day after she spoke her vows.
“Ah, you’ll be needin’ yer mail.” Gus started checking slots stuffed with letters and papers.
“No sir, I don’t have any mail.” Who would write? Her family was gone, and her closest friends were all here in Noelle.
“I’m looking for Birdie. Jack’s wife.” The
older man might need reminding.
“She went…” Gus’s scrunched his face into even more wrinkles as he stroked a long rust-colored beard. “Now…where did she go?”
“Never mind, I can ask someone else.”
“No wait! I remember now; she’s gone to deliver a dress.”
“That’s very kind. She’s so talented.” Penny wished she had half the skills Birdie possessed. She stopped to admire a day dress in burgundy velvet trimmed with matching lace. Beautiful, but not practical for where she’d be going to work. Plain gray wool would be more fitting.
“Miss Aggie has a beau,” Gus informed her. He winked as if he’d just let out a secret.
Poor Agatha’s troubles were certainly no secret, not after her suitor had publicly rejected her. But to Penny’s knowledge, no one else had stepped up to ask for the elderly widow’s hand. Apparently Gus hadn’t heard, or else he’d forgotten.
Penny tried for a tactful, but true, response. “I believe her groom requested a different bride.”
Gus gave a dismissive wave. “Aw, she didn’t want him anyway. She’s got somebody new.”
“Really? Who?” she asked, humoring him.
The older man’s golden eyes gleamed. “Guess.”
Agatha’s advanced years alone would preclude most offers, considering the local male population had an average age of less than thirty. None of the men were close to Agatha’s age, except for— Penny gasped. “Oh, my goodness! You?”
“She’s the reason I’ve been falling asleep with my head on the postal counter. It was all those late night meetings with my Aggie. We been seein’ each other on the sly,” he said with a teasing smile. Then he slapped the counter again. “Don’t tell anybody!”
This news was certainly timely.
“All right. I won’t tell, but you’d best not wait too long to ask for Aggie’s hand. The town needs two more couples to marry, and she might get away from you!”
Gus chuckled. “That gal does move fast. But she says she’s not in a hurry to make up her mind.”
What on earth was she waiting for?
Penny sighed. The older couple might not tie the knot in time.
“Say, how’re you getting along with yer new husband?”
Oh no, not again.
She gave him a gentle smile, determined to handle his befuddlement with kindness. “Thank you for asking, but I don’t have a husband. Mr. Powell left town; maybe you hadn’t heard.”
“No, I heard. I’m talkin’ about Mr. Hardt. Woody told me you and him went off together to the train station. Since you came back, I thought you must be married.”
Penny blushed to the roots of her hair. She shouldn’t have assumed Grandpa Gus had lost his marbles. He’d drawn the obvious conclusion, considering the facts. Everyone else would assume the same thing when she waltzed back into town, especially after she’d been gone all night and half the day. How was she going to explain her way out of this one?
“Mr. Hardt did offer me a ride to the train station, but a situation arose, and we had to return.” She hated covering up for him, but to reveal the whole truth would result in certain ruin and compel them to marry, even if nothing had actually happened between them. “He’s very busy up there at the mine.”
Gus left his seat and came around the counter; his walking stick remained propped in the corner. Apparently, Birdie had been right. He didn’t need it. He went over to the shelves where Birdie’s fabrics were displayed, apparently searching for something. Maybe his mind had wandered again.
But then he began to speak. “I always did think you and Charlie Hardt were a better fit. He needs a tenderhearted, loyal woman, and you need a man who’ll treat you with kindness, and who’ll be generous with his praise and appreciate you.”
Penny was shaken to the core. She had underestimated the older man’s insightfulness.
“Mr. Hardt has been very kind,” Penny acknowledged. In fact, recalling how he’d praised her body made her slightly breathless. Though he might not particularly appreciate her at the moment. “But he has no desire to marry.” He’d only offered her marriage for the purpose of meeting a deadline, after all.
For her part, she had already pledged her loyalty to three men previously, and look where that had gotten her. Two were dead and one had fled. She had no reason to believe things would get better if she gave her heart to a man who didn’t really want it in the first place. There had to be some other way to help him save the town.
“Ah, here it is!” The older man pulled something down from the shelf and brought it around to her. “I knew it was up there somewhere.” He offered her a folded square of lace, which she recognized as the veil Birdie had made for her. The same one she’d given back. Her name had been written on a piece of paper and pinned to the fabric.
Penny touched the delicate lace, but then gently pushed his hand away. “Tell Birdie I very much appreciate her thoughtfulness, but I don’t think I’ll be needing a veil.”
Gus shrugged and put it back where he found it. He pulled a stool up to a table strewn with leather fragments and picked up his awl. “Well, if you don’t need anything, I’ll get back to work.”
Penny turned away, her mood even lower than when she’d arrived. “Goodbye, sir.”
“Watch yer footing on the way out. Jack fixed the porch step, but life is still slippery for the stubborn.”
The porch step in front of the freight office might be less slippery, but the wide boards placed between buildings weren’t so Penny watched her footing as she stepped to the next board. The planks had been put down for the convenience of walkers who needed to get from one place to the next without stepping in the filthy slush made from churned up snow, manure, and hot ashes thrown into the street to keep it from icing over.
Why had Grandpa Gus called her stubborn? She was simply being practical, wanting to find a way to help Charlie without committing both of them to an unwanted marriage.
“Look out!” A man grabbed her arms an instant before she walked right into him.
“Oh my! I’m so sorry!” She quickly backed up.
Hugh Montgomery swept off his hat and made a bow. “Forgive me, Mrs. Jackson, for not paying attention.”
“No, Mr. Montgomery, I wasn’t watching where I was going.” Penny adjusted her hood, which had fallen back in the mishap. “I beg your pardon.”
“Then under the circumstances I shall accept only half the blame.” He followed his apology with a smile. The venerable English lord tried very hard to fit in with the other men in the mining community. But no matter what he did, he still stood out like a polished gem among uncut stones.
Speaking of uncut stones…
“I have something here I would appreciate your opinion on.” Penny reached into her cloak pocket. Charlie had told her rock wasn’t valuable, but it wouldn’t hurt to ask the assayer to confirm it. Besides, as it had been a gift, she wanted to learn more about it. “Mr. Hardt said galena often contains traces of silver.”
“Yes, that’s true.” Mr. Montgomery took the rock and turned it in his hands. His gaze flickered over her briefly before he returned his attention to the chunk of lead. “Did he provide this, along with the explanation?”
A nice way of asking if she’d been with Charlie. The town wasn’t that big, and gossip spread faster than an epidemic. There was only one way to treat it, outside of a hasty marriage, and that was to admit to nothing and exhibit irreproachable behavior.
“We came upon a rockslide impeding the road near the other mine.” She chose not to explain why she’d been with Charlie, or the exact details about what had happened. “Mr. Hardt collected some of the rocks. That’s one of them, and I’m curious about its make up.”
The assayer examined the galena with a thoughtful frown. “The other mine?”
“The old one, on the other side of the mountain.”
Mr. Montgomery’s eyebrows lifted as if the news came as a surprise. “Did Mr. Hardt happen to accompany you to town? I have s
ome information he might be interested in.”
“No, he stayed behind.”
The Englishman’s enigmatic expression didn’t give away his thoughts, but Penny could guess. What a mess, and one that could’ve been avoided if only Charlie hadn’t deceived her.
“I do still plan to leave town. Early tomorrow, at the latest.”
“Ah, then I’ll see what I can do about testing this right away.”
“Thank you, I’d appreciate it.” She cast a quick look over her shoulder. Was that Genevieve on the way the Fulton’s store? The matchmaker would have some ideas for speeding up a wedding between Aggie and Gus—or would know what other options existed, if any. “Oh, I see Mrs. Walters, and I need to speak with her. You’ll pardon me if I hurry to catch her?”
“Of course.” Mr. Montgomery bowed, still holding the rock she’d given him.
“Give my best to Minnie.”
“Certainly.”
Penny hurried away, but her steps slowed as she drew closer to the store. She’d left without speaking to her friend, and even thought leaving a letter behind had been easier, it had also been cowardly. Genevieve might be angry, at the very least hurt, and rightfully so.
Nervous of her friend’s reaction, Penny anxiously peered through the window of the shop, but she sighed with relief when Genevieve saw her and her face lit up. The other woman waved and then rushed outside, and to Penny’s further surprise, embraced her.
Penny hugged her friend. “Oh Genevieve! I imagine you’re very cross with me. Will you forgive me for sneaking away?”
“My dear, I’m not cross, I am relieved. You have no idea how much I’ve worried.” Genevieve drew back, her hands still on Penny’s arms, her face damp with tears. “It is I who should apologize for pushing you into something you weren’t ready to accept.”
“You are more gracious that I deserve. I’m so glad you understand.”
“Well, you made a convincing argument, and your advice to look into my heart was exactly what I needed to hear to make me realize that—” Genevieve, always so full of confidence, cast her eyes aside, seeming uncertain. “I do have some news…”
