If Mary weren’t still looking for Emma Jane, she would have glared at her friend. Just because it was what her ma did didn’t make it right. And it certainly wasn’t how Mary was going to live her life. If she couldn’t have an honorable man, then she wanted no man at all.
“Have you seen Emma Jane?” Mary finally stood on one of the hay bales to see if she could catch a glimpse of the other girl.
“She’s probably out using the necessary. I saw her go out a while ago.”
Mary had seen her leave as well, but she’d assumed the other girl had returned. “That was hours ago. She hasn’t come back in?”
Polly patted the straw next to her. “How would I know? I’m here to take a break from always watching everyone else and making sure they’re out of trouble. You should be, too. Come tomorrow, we’ll be back at the Lassiters’ making sure all the little ones stay out of trouble. Knowing Maddie’s frustration with Daniel’s escapades, I’m certain that she’ll have taken to her room by then.”
Polly was probably right. Mary sighed. Part of her younger brother Daniel’s problem, she was sure, was all her fault. Why hadn’t she brought her courtship with Ben out into the open so that Daniel could have a male’s influence with their pa and Joseph gone?
Because Ben had insisted, that was why.
One more thing that had, in hindsight, rankled about their relationship. There had been so many signs that everything wasn’t on the up-and-up. But she’d ignored them.
Just as well that she hadn’t allowed Ben to influence her younger brother. The poor child would have been corrupted—maybe on his way to living a life of crime.
Something she had to be mindful of as Will approached. He’d been so kind, so compassionate and, were she to be honest, so many of the good things that had been lacking in Ben.
But even Will’s kindness would not extend to accepting the truth about her role in Ben’s misdeeds.
“Are you ladies settled for the night? It’s time for the men to head to where we’ll be sleeping, so I want to be sure you have everything you need first.” Though he spoke in the plural, Will’s eyes remained focused on her.
Mary shook her head. “I’d like to be, but I haven’t seen Emma Jane anywhere. I’m sure I won’t sleep a wink until I know she’s got a comfortable place to sleep.”
“I’ll take a look,” he said, already glancing around the barn. “I’ll even get Jasper to help. I’m sure that’ll bring a smile to her face.”
Mary wished he wouldn’t tease about Emma Jane’s fixation on Jasper. But if she took him to task, it would only fuel Polly’s belief that there was something between Mary and Will. And from the weight of Polly’s eyes on her, the other girl’s mind was already turning.
Plus, she was getting mighty tired of everyone speculating on other people’s relationships. Emma Jane was pursuing Jasper. Half of the ladies in the barn were. It didn’t make it right to make remarks. Just as it wasn’t right for everyone to be remarking on her and Ben—or her and Will, for that matter.
But as Mary glanced at the expectant gazes of Polly and Rachel, she knew it wouldn’t be that easy.
As much as she’d like to go with Will to search for the other girl, it would only serve to create further talk Mary was loath to have to explain away.
“Thank you, Will. I’m sure Emma Jane will appreciate the effort on her behalf.”
Then, without looking at him, a fact of which Mary was quite proud, she sat on the spot Polly had indicated.
“All right, girls, what would you like to know?”
Polly and Rachel giggled and glanced in the direction of Will’s retreating back. Mary forced herself to not groan. She’d almost rather face Will’s questioning than talk to these two.
“You’re truly not engaged to that other fellow?” Rachel looked intently at Mary, as if she could somehow whittle out a truth Mary had not yet revealed.
“Absolutely not. We broke things off in Ohio, then he left town in search of his fortune. Him showing up here in Leadville is the first I’ve spoken to him since. I’m sure he’s only here because of the family’s silver mine.”
At least that was a truth she could reveal. As for his character and all the reasons why she could never marry a scoundrel like Ben, well, those were things she had to keep private.
Rachel gasped. “He’s a fortune hunter, then?”
Finally Polly seemed to get the idea as she nodded sagely. “Of course. I should have known. Now that you’re wealthy, he sees himself a bride who can give him a life in style.”
Her friend sobered, and a sad look crossed her face. “I suppose...” Then she looked away.
Was Polly thinking of the man who’d used her so harshly?
Mary touched her friend’s arm. “I’m sorry if I made you think of the past. But surely you can see why marrying a man like Ben would be intolerable.”
“What other option is there?” Polly said, her voice thick and murky. “We all say we dream of honorable men, but it doesn’t seem they exist.”
“I shan’t marry.” Mary straightened and looked at both girls with utter seriousness. “If a man isn’t honorable, then I want no part of being his wife.”
She looked down at the straw around her. Her brother was an honorable man. So, too, was Frank. But, out of every man in her acquaintance, how could she only know of two?
“Easy for you to say,” Polly grumbled. “Rachel and I don’t have the benefit of owning our own stock in a mine. At some point, we’ll need to find a man to support us. I’ve been a burden on my family for too long.”
Mary understood. She’d thought that very thing until she’d met Ben. Of course, Mary had always tempered it with the thought that her family needed her to take care of them. Still did.
Polly, at least, had both parents living.
“And we’re not getting any younger,” Rachel added. “Every week, some new, pretty young thing moves into town and takes up one of the few remaining decent men in town.”
Polly nodded sagely. “You’d do well to snatch Will up.”
Mary stared at her. “Did you not forget that we saw him on State Street only this morning?”
“Men have needs.” Polly’s well-used answer tore at Mary’s heart. Such men were not husband material.
“Then you can have him. I won’t tolerate a husband who visits such places.”
But something twisted in Mary’s stomach as she thought of Polly and Will together.
“Will’s not for me,” Polly said. “He doesn’t look at me the way he looks at you.”
Rachel sighed, as if she, too, had noticed the way Will looked at her and found it hopelessly romantic.
Only there was nothing romantic about the way Will looked at her. He wasn’t after her for romance. No, he wanted to know about Ben. His eyes fixed on her not because he harbored desire for her, but because he was hoping to ferret out her secrets.
“Well, I don’t want him,” Mary stated firmly. “The other girls can help themselves. Will Lawson isn’t the man for me.”
* * *
Will hesitated rejoining the girls as he overheard their discussion of his relationship with Mary. He shouldn’t be surprised, except that as Mary hotly denied anything between them, the back of his neck burned in a most painfully peculiar way.
He was not going to get attached to Miss Mary Stone. It should have been a relief to know that she had no attachment for him. Besides, he had bigger problems. His hunt for Jasper had turned up neither Jasper nor Emma Jane.
“Will!” Polly greeted him with an overeager smile. Given the bit of conversation he’d just overheard, he could only imagine what Polly thought of him. Something he should correct with the girls, but how could he let them know the truth of his visit to The Pink Petticoat without telling the whole story? For now, it was best to
let them think what they wanted to think. After all, it wasn’t as though he cared what Mary thought of him.
He gave Polly a slight nod and turned to Mary. “Not only is Emma Jane missing, but I can’t find Jasper.”
Mary’s brow crinkled, but before she could answer, one of the girls who’d been hovering gasped. “That horrid little tart!”
Mary turned toward the girl. “You don’t even know what happened to Emma Jane. She could be out there injured, or worse, and you’re afraid that she’s gone and stolen Jasper out from under you.”
“He doesn’t even like her,” another girl chimed. “He told me that he thought I was the fairest flower of them all.” She preened slightly. “I can’t help but be named Flora, you know.”
The first girl gasped. “That’s what he told me! You obviously were spying on us when he stole a kiss earlier tonight.”
“I always knew you were loose, Sarah Crowley.” Flora gave a final humph and stomped off, a couple girls trailing after her.
Sarah started to say something, but Mary finally spoke. “Enough. We don’t know that Emma Jane and Jasper are together. Last I saw Emma Jane, she was going to use the necessary, and that’s been quite some time ago.”
She looked toward Will. “When did you last see Jasper?”
“Near suppertime, I think.” Will tried to think if he’d seen Jasper since, but he’d been too focused on Mary to even think about his friend. Besides, Jasper needed time alone. And with all the kisses it seemed his friend had managed to steal, he’d probably needed plenty of room.
What was Jasper thinking? He hadn’t been so thoughtless in regard to a woman’s reputation in the past. As far as the accusation that he was off with Emma Jane, Will didn’t believe it for a moment. Not only was he clearly not interested, but Jasper wasn’t so mule-headed as to steal away with a woman so blatantly desirous of trapping him into marriage. Jasper was smarter than that.
The weight of Mary’s eyes on Will made him realize that he, too, had made a number of mistakes he was too smart to make. Like being so focused on Mary that he’d not paid attention to his friend or the fact that one of the women had gone missing.
“Did you look outside?” Mary’s voice sounded strained.
“Yes. I searched around as far as I could, and I called both of their names.”
“I wonder if Emma Jane was simply too embarrassed to answer, if she’s in distress of a personal nature. I should go check.”
The firm set to Mary’s jaw told him that it would do no good to argue, even though he’d found the outhouse empty. Plus, such a thing wasn’t mentionable in the presence of so many ladies.
“I’ll walk outside with you.”
“I think it’s best if I go alone. Her pride...” Mary didn’t need to finish her sentence.
“I’ll leave room for you to have some privacy. Besides, I still need to find Jasper.”
They walked out the door, and Will did his best to ignore the giggles of Polly and Mary’s other friend. Such silly girls. He’d had no time for pursuing ladies in the past because he couldn’t get past their giggles and the fact that they all seemed to be more vapid than he had patience for.
And then he’d met Daisy, and for a brief moment, he’d thought that things could be different. But he was wrong. Just because she wasn’t as vapid as the rest of the girls didn’t make her any better. In fact, it made her capable of a heinous crime.
So where did that leave Mary?
He watched as she strode earnestly to the empty outhouse. She made great show of walking around it, calling Emma Jane’s name.
All for nothing, of course.
The furrow in her brow had deepened as she returned to his side. “I can’t imagine where she might have gotten. Perhaps we should put together a search party.”
Will lifted his lantern. “Not only do we not have enough for all of us, but I don’t want to needlessly put anyone else in danger. With the rain, the paths are slippery, the land unstable. It’s best to wait until morning.”
“We can’t leave Emma Jane out here alone all night.”
“She’ll be fine.” Words meant to convince Mary, but even Will knew they probably weren’t true. The woman had gone into hysterics at getting wet. Mary was strong enough to tolerate being out alone all night, but she also wouldn’t have been so foolish as to get lost in the first place.
Who was he kidding? If it were Mary out there, he’d go after her.
Mary wasn’t supposed to be special.
“Go inside with the others. I’ll see if I can get Josiah Haggerty or his sons to help me look.”
“I’m not going to abandon her.”
“You’re not abandoning her. I’m going in your place.”
“But Emma Jane doesn’t trust you. Plus, her reputation will be ruined if she is alone with you.”
He raised a brow. “And your reputation won’t?”
“I don’t care about my reputation. Perhaps if you’re the one to ruin it, then Ben won’t have any reason to continue his pursuit of me.”
“You want me to ruin you?” His words were meant to shock her into reason. The look on her face told him he’d succeeded.
“I can’t just sit around dithering while Emma Jane is missing.”
She barely knew the girl, and yet, Mary was staking her honor on making sure Emma Jane was safe. Unquestioning loyalty. Was that what kept her from revealing the truth about Ben? Would that Ben were so loyal. His loyalty was only in advancing himself, without care to who he ruined in the process.
He needed to be careful. Gaining her trust was one thing. Getting attached was another.
“You won’t be dithering. You’ll be sleeping with the others, getting rest so that you can be of use to us in the morning.”
Mary appeared to consider his words. After all, they were of the kind of logic she was sure to appreciate. Her desire to be useful was something he admired about her. Surely he could find qualities to admire without sinking in too deep.
“I won’t be able to sleep a wink. I’ll be too worried about Emma Jane.”
Compassion. One more good quality that defined Mary. Had he ever noticed that in Daisy? He could hardly remember for the betrayal he’d suffered. He caught himself before he was steeped in memory. Perhaps he needed to not focus on Mary’s finer qualities, but on the qualities he found not so attractive. Like her connection to Ben Perry.
“You’re not equipped for a search in the dark. Sleep or not, you need to go back inside with the others.”
Mary squared her shoulders. “I don’t think you understand me clearly. I categorically refuse to go back inside until Emma Jane is found.”
Stubbornness. Now, that was a quality he could find to be lacking in her character. Only it didn’t bring him closer to solving the problem at hand.
“I can’t put you in danger.”
“If you go without me, I’ll go on my own once you leave.”
Not just stubborn, but downright mule-headed. Worse than mule-headed. Mary Stone was completely daft in her refusal to see sense in this matter.
The look on Mary’s face said that she’d brook no refusal. And maybe letting her search with him was an opportunity to talk to her and get her to open up to him about Ben without giving her the excuses to run off. But he needed to be mindful of her reputation—especially given the biddies in the barn who were already stirring up way too much talk for his comfort.
“If we can get Mrs. Haggerty or another lady to come with us, then fine. But I’m not risking your safety or your reputation to rescue a woman who didn’t have the sense to stay close in the first place.”
His answer appeared to mollify her, and his only hope in succeeding lay in procuring someone to chaperone them and save Mary’s reputation—and his heart.
Chapter Ten
Mary ate the breakfast Mrs. Haggerty provided as quickly as she could, trying to ignore Will’s smug eyes on her. Not only had Mrs. Haggerty refused to chaperone her in the search for Emma Jane last night, but Mr. Haggerty had joined in the discussion and insisted they wait until morning for the search. While they were wasting time eating breakfast, Emma Jane could already be dead—or dying.
None of the other girls seemed to care that Emma Jane was missing. Most of them seemed more put out that Jasper was also gone, and in the minds of a bunch of busybodies who didn’t have any facts, they were all certain Emma Jane had somehow absconded with the catch of the century.
Mary forced herself to take another bite, making exaggerated motions to show that she’d slowed down her pace. “I don’t care what the others say. I’m certain something terrible must have happened to Emma Jane.”
Will’s face darkened into an unreadable expression. “Saying it more often isn’t going to make a difference. We’ll find her. But we’ve got to do it right, or else we risk others being harmed in the process.”
Mary nodded slowly, his words clunking together in her brain. When had she become a ninny, wringing her hands and dithering about when it did no good? She’d done everything she could to get the rescue party moving, yet none of her efforts had done any good.
“I’m sorry. I feel so helpless right now, and Emma Jane must be cold and afraid. I can’t imagine how horrible it must have been, spending the night alone. If she survived...”
She was doing it again. “I should help Mrs. Haggerty clean up.” The first sensible thing Mary had managed to put together since they’d first discovered Emma Jane missing.
Mary walked past Flora and one of the other girls who’d been particularly nasty about Emma Jane’s disappearance.
“I’m sure Emma Jane kidnapped Jasper. Everyone knows she’s desperate to restore her family fortunes. A man like Jasper would never be interested in her.”
Mary’s skin prickled on the back of her neck. Flora had been nothing but nasty, and what did she know of Emma Jane? Certainly nothing to indicate a level of kindness or compassion. Merely mean-spirited gossip.
The Lawman's Redemption (Leadville, Co. Book 2) Page 10
