by Renee Ryan
No, letting Mary know his story was not a safe option at this point. Much as he’d like to, there was too much at stake.
“Is that what you’re doing in Leadville? Working for Jasper’s father?”
He didn’t like the way her eyes narrowed at the question.
“No,” he told her honestly. “I’m here in pursuit of Ben.”
She gave him a look similar to what she’d given him every other time the other man’s name came up. “Why?”
If she was in on Ben’s schemes, the truth would only serve to make things harder for him. But surely nothing could make Mary more hostile than she’d already been.
“He robbed a bank in Century City, and I aim to bring him to justice.”
Easy enough to share the gist of what was going on. Harder to read the expression that crossed her face, which darkened, but just as quickly turned back into the stone mask that matched her name.
“So you’re a lawman?”
Not anymore. But that was a shame he couldn’t face.
“No.”
She looked doubtful, chewing on her lip ever so slightly, almost imperceptibly, except that he’d somehow gotten to know the very fullness of her lips. What kind of cad was he, thinking of her in this way?
“How much is the bounty on his head?”
“None.” Because he’d botched the job too badly to get the evidence on Ben.
“Then why do you care?” she snapped, turning away and leaning in toward the other girls.
Yes, Mary’s reactions to his investigation of Ben definitely held an air of suspicion. He tapped her on the shoulder.
Mary turned, and the other girls giggled. Definitely not helping diminish the mistaken impression that he was Mary’s beau. But he couldn’t afford to fight fair. Not with all the money to be stolen in Leadville. Not with his reputation on the line. Not with the women Ben kept abusing. He’d make it up to Mary. Somehow.
“What Ben’s done is wrong. All I want is to find out what you know about him because there might be something in that knowledge, no matter how insignificant you believe it is, that can help put him in jail.”
Her face softened for a moment but then hardened again. “There’s nothing I can tell you. I knew him in Ohio, before he came to Colorado. He left Ohio before I did, and we hadn’t spoken from then until he showed up last night at the church.”
Will stared at her and examined her expression for any sign of prevarication. “He claimed you were engaged. Last night, you looked every bit the happy couple.”
That part might have been an exaggeration. Through the cheers and Ben’s loud proclamations, Mary looked like a rabbit caught in a snare. Will had replayed the scene in his mind over and over, trying to figure it out. She’d looked just as miserable with Ben as she had when Will questioned her about him. Which would almost have convinced him that Mary would be an ally—except that Daisy had told Will over and over that she wanted nothing more than to escape Ben’s clutches.
The wagon hit a bump, jostling everyone and sending Mary nearly into his lap.
“Easy there.” He tried to steady her, but Mary jumped again.
“I’m fine.” She glared at his hands, then smoothed her skirts. “As for my supposed engagement to Ben, it’s a misunderstanding that will soon be cleared up.”
Her voice shook as she explained her status with Ben. Will didn’t need his aching bullet wound to tell him something was definitely not right with Mary. But how could he get her to trust him? And how would he know to believe her?
The wind picked up, blowing tendrils across her face and stirring something inside Will. Was he stepping into a trap by thinking that somehow Mary was different? That his feelings for her were different?
“I can help you with that,” he told her quietly. “Help me, Mary. And I’ll help you.”
The words echoed dangerously in his brain as he recalled saying that exact phrase to Daisy. Of course, he’d been trying to help Daisy escape her work as a barmaid, where she’d claimed to fear that Ben was pushing to get her to work above stairs, as well. Surely this was different.
But Mary remained stiff, straightening beyond her already perfect posture. “I don’t need your help. I don’t know anything about Ben robbing a bank. So, please, leave me alone. It’s going to be hard enough to maintain my reputation as it is. Don’t make it worse for me.”
Her clipped tone made him realize how different the situation was. Daisy had never been a lady. But Mary…not only was she a lady, but by all accounts, she was a lady with standing. Building on their father’s first discovery, Mary’s brother was mining one of the richest veins of silver found in Leadville to date. Mary was an heiress of significant worth. Even though the fortune would be enough to tempt any man, the women of the community still refused to accept any woman who failed to follow proper standards of behavior.
Will’s brain started to spin. What if Mary had been honest with him? What if things really had been over between her and Ben? Could Ben only be chasing her because he wanted access to her fortune? Marrying a fortune would surely be easier than stealing one.
The wagon rumbled over a number of rocks, making it too noisy to carry on a normal conversation. Will leaned closer to Mary. “If Ben’s after your fortune, he’ll go to no end to get it. Even if it means ruining you in the process.”
Mary’s face blanched, and he knew he’d hit his mark.
“I hadn’t considered…” She uttered the words so softly that he almost didn’t catch them. A lone tear trickled down her face.
Though he wished he could dry it himself for being the one to suggest the painful truth, Will merely pulled a handkerchief out of his pocket and handed it to her.
“If you don’t help me, you may have no other choice but to marry him.”
You couldn’t fake the level of horror on Mary’s face.
“Will Lawson!” Polly’s shrill voice interrupted any chance he had of gaining Mary’s cooperation. “Whatever have you said to make my friend so upset?”
Mary glared at him with such malice, he knew he was right back at square one. She’d made it clear that she wanted as little attention drawn to her and the situation as possible, and here he’d created the kind of scene she’d probably wanted to avoid.
“I, uh…” Will looked at Mary, who shook her head.
Mary dabbed at her eye, then handed the handkerchief back to Will. “I’m not upset. Something caught in the breeze and got in my eye, that’s all.”
Polly didn’t look convinced. Moreover, the other ladies had turned their attention to the scene.
“Truly, I’m fine,” Mary said with more calm than he’d thought her capable of with the way her hand shook. “But Will here was just telling me how he knew Jasper in Denver.”
All the girls giggled, and Mary smiled at the pretty redhead next to Polly. “You should ask him about their time together. I’m sure he has all sorts of tales that would interest you.”
The girl’s face turned the shade of her hair, and Ben knew that the only way to salvage his chance with Mary would be to play along and regale the women with tales of Jasper Jackson. Only he didn’t know anything that would excite a woman beyond the fact that he was a nice enough guy who played a good game of billiards.
Still, if that was what it took to put Mary back at ease, then that was what he had to do.
“Jasper,” he called to the gentleman at the front of the wagon. “These ladies here would like to hear about our times in Denver. Any particular tale you’d like me to tell?”
His old friend glanced his way, and recognition dawned on him. “Will? How are you? Why didn’t you tell me you’d come to town?”
Jasper quickly picked his way through the wagon to join him. The other man clapped Will on the shoulder and addressed the women. “Ladies, you won’t meet a finer man than my friend Will Lawson. I was just telling someone about him the other day and how he’d saved my father from being robbed.”
Will’s stomach sank as Jaspe
r launched into a tale of Will’s heroism. It had been happenstance that day, him riding down the street at the same time Mr. Jackson was being held up. Will had been fast on the draw and managed to get a shot off that had wounded the bandit and given Mr. Jackson the space needed to get away. Of course, in Jasper’s version…
“Hey! I didn’t kill anyone. And there was one man, not ten.” Will gave his hearty denial of the exaggerated story.
“You still saved my father,” Jasper admitted jovially.
With Jasper’s hearty endorsement, it was clear to Will that he hadn’t yet heard of Will’s disgrace. Which should have been reassuring; only, it served to make Will feel more like a fraud. What would his friend think of him once he knew how far Will had fallen?
That would be resolved easily enough—as soon as he brought Ben to justice. He stole a glance at Mary, whose expression lacked the mistrust he’d come to expect from her. Could Jasper’s endorsement be the ticket he needed to get Mary to open up?
Chapter Six
The party arrived at the picnic location near Soda Springs, and Mary couldn’t help but notice how the other young ladies had gathered around Will and Jasper. Once Jasper had filled their heads with tales of Will’s heroism, he’d gained estimation in their eyes.
Mary sighed and helped Rachel spread one of the blankets they’d brought for the excursion.
“Have you ever had the water here? It’s like drinking a real soda.” Rachel pointed to the spring a few yards away.
“Let’s go before the others crowd in.”
Nodding her assent, Mary followed the other girl down a well-worn path toward the soda spring. When they reached the water, Rachel handed her a cup and together they dipped them into the water.
As Mary drank, the bubbles tickled her nose. The water had a tangy flavor she found quite refreshing.
“It’s good, isn’t it?” Rachel grinned as she refilled her cup. “The others can gawk at Jasper and Will all they want, but they’re wasting their time.”
“Because we’re drinking all the water,” Mary said, taking another sip.
Rachel shook her head. “There’s plenty of water for everyone. What I meant was that Jasper has never shown an inkling of interest in any one of us, and as for Will…” She looked around slowly, then back at Mary. “Will only has eyes for you. I see him looking over here, watching you.”
Almost as if Rachel could predict the future, Will chose that moment to break free from the crowd and head in their direction.
“See?” Rachel looked mighty puffed up over her proclamation. “It’s a good thing I already have my heart set on someone else. Otherwise, I might not forgive you for stealing the heart of one of the few worthwhile eligible bachelors in town.”
Mary frowned. “But I’m not—”
“Oh, no. Don’t try to argue. We all noticed how he monopolized you on the ride over.”
So much for trying not to draw too much attention to herself. More specifically, to her and Will.
Rachel continued, “What I don’t understand, though, is last night, when mother came home from helping serve the meal to the miners, she said your fiancé arrived. It was quite the to-do, from how she tells it. Such a dashing man, and yet here you are, having secured the interest of another.”
Wasn’t it Sir Walter Scott who said, “What a tangled web we weave, when first we practice to deceive?” So much of her world was mixed up all because of a secret romance gone awry.
“It’s a long story,” Mary told her. “The truth is that I broke off my engagement some time ago. And Will is not my beau. He’s—”
One more thing she couldn’t explain. Apparently, he wanted to bring her former fiancé to justice. But at what cost? Would her aid in proving Ben’s guilt also put her behind bars? Will looked so determined in his desire to see Ben punished. What would he do if he knew her involvement?
“Well, I don’t know what he is,” Mary finally said. “I met him on the street yesterday when he saved me from being accosted by a group of drunken miners. Since then, our paths keep crossing, and I—”
She what? Was growing to like him more at every moment? And with that like, growing to fear his reaction when he knew the truth? Mary tried not to sigh, but she simply couldn’t help it.
Fortunately, her sigh was all Rachel needed. “It sounds so romantic.”
Only if one thought a hangman’s noose was romantic. Did they hang accomplices to thieves? Or was Will a thief himself?
Will was almost upon them. “I see you two have already been drinking the water. Is it as good as everyone claims?”
“Here you go.” Rachel thrust her cup into Will’s hands. “You two enjoy. I need to finish getting the rest of the picnic things ready.”
Before Mary could argue, Rachel was off, leaving her alone with Will.
“I’m sorry about that,” she said.
“I’m not.” Will bent down and filled his cup. “It gives us a few moments alone to finish our conversation from the wagon.”
Precisely what she didn’t want. Will had a point in his observation about Ben being enticed by her fortune. He was probably even right that he’d stop at nothing to marry her. If he was willing to rob good people of their money, ruining someone like her wouldn’t be beneath him.
If she wasn’t already ruined.
“You don’t understand the position I’m in,” she said by way of explanation.
“Then help me understand.”
His face was filled with such kindness that she was reminded of Frank and how he cared for those around him. Though she knew the pastor cared for the worst of the population and encouraged them to minister to the fallen women in their community, she wasn’t so sure that he’d be able to forgive her actions. If the pastor couldn’t forgive her, how could a man as ordinary as Will?
“With my brother on his honeymoon, I’m responsible for caring for my siblings. They need me. I can’t get caught up in some scheme to take down a man who’s as wily as they come. If something happened to me…”
Mary shook her head, then drained her cup. “I know you think it’s the way out, but I’ll find another. Even if it means ruining my reputation so that no one else will marry me. The important thing is to make sure my brother and sisters are cared for.”
Perhaps that was the price she’d pay for her vanity—remaining a spinster her whole life. None of the men had ever paid her a bit of attention, before Ben. That should have been her warning that Ben wasn’t on the up-and-up. Amazing what a little flattery could get. And how disastrous the results could be.
Mary started back to where they’d spread the picnic blankets, cognizant of the voices headed their way. She’d go back to the group and follow her original plan of getting to know her contemporaries.
“Don’t go,” Will said, catching up to her. “The others are almost here. I know you wanted to spend time with them, and here I am, monopolizing you with things you don’t want to talk about.”
Pausing to look toward the group heading for the spring, then back at Will, Mary knew there was no easy escape. Could Will’s olive branch be genuine?
A dark lock of hair had fallen over his forehead, giving him an innocence that made her want to trust him.
“Come on, Mary. We’ll call it a truce for now, and I promise, I won’t speak of Ben for the rest of the outing.” He held his hand out to her as though he were making a solemn business deal. She’d learned that such promises mattered none to Ben, but with Will, well, he was different.
She accepted his handshake, noting the firm grip of his fingers around hers. He treated her as an equal, and in his eyes shone trust and respect. It hit her again how stupid she must’ve been to trust in Ben. He’d been a selfish fop, something evident in his too-eager smiles, lazy posture and glib tongue. Will, on the other hand, was everything a man should be.
When he released her hand, it tingled from the absence of his strong presence.
“It’s settled, then,” he said. “Friends.”
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The warmth of the word made her insides churn as though she’d drunk a whole gallon of the soda water.
“Hello, lovebirds!” Jasper’s booming voice jolted her. “Sneaking away for a little private time?”
Mary’s collar suddenly felt tight around her neck, preventing her from any speech. Her face warmed, and she tried desperately to think of ice and snow and cold, anything to keep herself from betraying the disquiet inside her.
“Not at all. We just wanted to get some of this famous natural soda water before my gluttonous friend took it all.” Will gave a fake punch at Jasper, who dodged.
“I see we’ll have to go to one of the boxing matches at the Tabor Opera House one of these days. Sparring with you has always been a challenge, but wait until you see what the real pros can do.”
The other girls filed around them, giggling, she supposed, at the manly demonstration between Jasper and Will.
“Goodness,” Polly said, linking her arm with Mary’s. “You and Will seem awfully cozy for someone who denies that he’s her beau.”
Mary blew out a breath, wishing that she hadn’t made such a muck of her life that she could confide in her friend. Of all people, Polly might be the one who would possibly understand what it was like to fall for a man who was nothing but trouble. Polly’s former beau had turned out to be one of the thugs who’d kidnapped Mary’s sister and sister-in-law.
“For someone sworn to never give her heart away again, you sure have a lot of interest in my love life.”
They found their way to a grassy spot near the edge of the spring. “So, how about you let it drop, and let’s enjoy the water.”
Polly ignored the cup Mary held out to her. “I’m not very fond of the water. It has a strange aftertaste I’ve never gotten used to.”
The intense look Polly gave her indicated that she had no intention of letting the subject drop. Would that it were as simple as telling Polly that Ben was a bad man and Will determined to bring him to justice, the questions would cease. Polly would understand. But Polly would ask questions and want Mary to talk to the authorities. Authorities who would more likely than not arrest her.
