by Diane Darcy
A couple of men approached Grace and he didn’t like that at all. He straightened from the wall and decided it would be a good time to announce the opening tournament. At least it would distract those fools from talking to his girl.
His girl?
He’d think about that later.
Plus, the announcement would have the added benefit of irritating the widow.
“Attention everyone! I want to announce that Wednesday night at 6 o’clock we will be hosting an opening tournament here at the hotel. It will be only one dollar to join in. And the stakes are low.”
There were a couple of groans at that last comment.
Luke smiled. “Come and join the fun.” The more he thought about the idea, the more he liked it. Besides getting the good folks of Orchard City off his back for not being able to afford the higher priced main tournament, and irritating the widow, it had the added benefit of being a trial run for the tournament itself.
Mrs. Braxton walked forward and stood beside him. “If you are going to make an announcement, I’d like to make one of my own.” As usual her voice carried and everyone quieted. “On Wednesday night, at 6 o’clock, we will be having a social. There will be dancing, food, and fun. We would hate for anyone to miss out. Unfortunately, anyone participating in the gambling tournament that night will definitely miss out on the dance. In fact, they shall be forbidden to attend. Such a shame.”
Luke barely refrained from glaring at the widow. Why did she always have to be so irritating? He thought about changing the time and date, but she would only do the same. Anyway, he’d already posted notices in the surrounding communities. So fine. He wouldn’t reschedule, and the event was on. But so was the challenge.
He raised a hand. “And just so everyone knows, the first beer at the tournament on Wednesday night is free.” He turned to the widow, “and what is that you’re serving? Lemonade?”
As a cheer arose up, Mrs. Braxton shot him a haughty look and walked over to Mrs. Simpson. The two of them turned as one and walked back out the wide front doors. Grace followed.
As he watched her walk away she looked back over her shoulder at him.
He hadn’t even had the chance to talk to her, blast it.
Chapter 14
On the night of the social, Grace stood outside, taking in the churchyard activities. She wasn’t looking for Luke, she assured herself. It was simply that they’d been setting up for the party the last few hours, and so she was admiring the results of their hard work. That was all.
Everything did look pretty. Tables lined the outside wall and were covered in beautiful lace tablecloths, flowers, ribbons, and plenty of delicious desserts. Chairs, some already occupied, lined the far side of the grass.
A fiddler played and couples danced in the open space in the middle, while others sipped lemonade or chatted on the sidelines. It seemed as if everyone was having a good time. And all right, Grace finally admitted to herself, she really wished Luke was there to enjoy it with her. To tease her and make her laugh. To dance with her and pull her into his arms.
So far, they hadn’t had to turn any gamblers away, and Grace was quite sure the widow was disappointed. No doubt, the men hired to oust gamblers were, too. They stood, ever watchful, ever ready to expel evildoers if necessary. In fact, they looked like they just might be anticipating the task.
There were some strangers in the crowd, reminding her she was still a little nervous about the murderer. The general consensus was that the girl at the saloon had been murdered by a spurned lover, but Grace couldn’t seem to let it go, so she watched the men closely. She was, after all, the only one who’d seen the man who attacked Penny.
Would she recognize him if she saw him face-to-face? Her doubts on the matter gnawed at her, leaving her unsure and anxious.
Elizabeth Rowland and Margaret Stewart approached before Grace noticed them and could retreat. She offered a pleasant smile to hide the lack of welcome.
“Hello,” Elizabeth said. “Are you having a good time?”
“I am.” Grace drew in a breath and made an effort to be civil.
“Wonderful,” Margaret said, her smile patently insincere. “I suppose you’re miserable because the mayor isn’t here?”
That was so close to Grace’s earlier thoughts that her gaze slid to the ground before answering. “I’m sure we’ll enjoy ourselves just fine without the mayor.”
“If you say so.” Elizabeth smirked at her. “I suppose you’ve heard all about the mayor’s wife?”
Grace really didn’t want to discuss the subject with these two so, hoping to head them off, she quickly said, “Yes. I understand he was married and that she died in childbirth. It’s a very tragic story.”
“Yes, it is,” Margaret spoke up. “She was, and no doubt remains to this day, the love of his life.”
Grace knew she was being warned off and simply responded with a stare. It worked on her charges in New York, and it worked just as well here.
Margaret’s gaze dropped and Elizabeth’s face soured. “He couldn’t help but love her, poor dear. Everyone did. She was so very special, you see. She could sing, she could dance, she could throw a party that would be talked about for months afterward!”
Grace barely refrained from rolling her eyes. She supposed Luke’s wife could also walk on water and make butter from air. She wasn’t an idiot. She understood what these girls were trying to do. Burrow under her skin and undermine her confidence.
Margaret chimed in. “And she could cook like an angel. The mayor was so excited when she was expecting his child. It was a little boy. He never even drew a breath. Mayor Carrington will never be able to feel about another woman the way he felt about her. You do understand that, don’t you?”
“If I didn’t before, I certainly do now.” Grace’s tone was frosty, stern.
Margaret looked uncomfortable, but Elizabeth smirked. “Good. We felt it was our Christian duty to let you know. We do so hate seeing you wasting your time.”
“That’s very kind of you. I’m sure your intentions are most pure.”
Elizabeth’s expression turned ice cold and she opened her mouth to say something more when three men walked toward them. A sweet smiled parted her lips instead. The tallest man grinned at Grace. “Would you ladies like to dance?”
Grace would have danced with a three-legged dog at that point, just to get away from the girls, so she gladly joined in the reel, dancing to the tune of the lone fiddle.
Afterward, she danced with a couple of other men, and then spotted Mrs. Simpson waving her over, so she excused herself to see what she wanted, glad to have a short break.
“Grace,” Mrs. Braxton gestured toward the gentleman at her side. “I’d like you to meet Mr. McKinley. He works for The Pullman Company out of Chicago. And this is my guest, Miss Carmichael.”
Tall and muscular, Mr. McKinley had sandy hair, a pleasant expression, and wore nice clothing. His brown eyes stood out, long dark lashes accented by dark brows. Handsome and wealthy-looking, Grace wasn’t surprised by Mrs. Braxton’s introduction or the smitten expression on Mrs. Simpson’s face. “How do you do?”
“Miss Carmichael.” He lifted her hand and kissed the back of it.
She started, and her eyes widened in surprise. His stare made her just the slightest bit uncomfortable, but why should it? Men back home had never really looked at her, but since she’d arrived in Orchard City it seemed they all stared all the time. She should be used to it. “What brings you to town, Mr. McKinley?”
Before he could answer, shouts and whoops filled the air and Grace turned along with everyone else to see Luke and his fellow gamblers racing toward the party.
Luke opened his arms wide. “We’re here!”
Grace had never seen the widow move so quickly. She surged forward to block Luke’s path, but when she did, about ten men walked around her in a tide and she couldn’t restrain them all.
The men blocking entrance to the gamblers, grappled with a couple of
them but couldn’t contain the rest flowing around them. This looked like a well-planned invasion.
“Mrs. Braxton? What would you like us to do?” The man speaking looked game, but Mrs. Braxton threw up her arms and gave in with a dour expression.
“Forget it, Lyle. I don’t want this to turn into a brawl. Let them in.”
He looked relieved and Grace didn’t blame him. Half the newcomers were already dancing with ladies, and she was thankful it wasn’t going to turn into a clash.
Mrs. Braxton’s lips pressed tight. “I’m going to water down the lemonade.” She stormed away to do just that.
A cowboy she recognized from the pie shop walked toward her with a big grin on his face and Luke rushed past him and whisked her away.
“Hey! I was going to dance with her!”
Luke grinned down at her. “She’s dancing with me instead.”
As they were already dancing, she didn’t feel there was much she could do about it. She just hoped Mrs. Braxton wouldn’t blame her. She knew she was supposed to stay away from him, but with him looking so happy, his dark eyes sparkling with mischief, he really was difficult to resist.
Not only that, but with Elizabeth and Margaret looking on, he was doubly hard to resist. She didn’t say anything, didn’t want to give him that satisfaction, but she did continue to dance.
If her heart thumped with excitement when he pulled her close enough to feel the warmth of his body, well, that was hardly her fault, was it?
His plan had worked beautifully. It hadn’t taken long for some of the men to lose at cards. After that, talking the losers into leaving the hotel to crash the party had been easy—with the added benefit of getting the extra men away from those still in the game. He’d left Gabe and Sawyer in charge and rushed over to claim Grace.
He smiled at Grace and twirled her around once.
She narrowed her eyes, though she couldn’t quite quell her smile. “Enjoying yourself are you?”
“Of course. I’m dancing with the prettiest girl in town, aren’t I?” He couldn’t help a smile when she blushed.
“What I should have said is what are you doing here? You know you gamblers aren’t allowed.”
“How can I stay away when I could feel you, just down the road, waiting for me to ask you to dance?”
She rolled her eyes at him. “That was asking?”
“You mean I was wrong? There wasn’t the smallest part of you that hoped I’d come by?” When he teased a smile out of her, he grinned and swung her around, and when she laughed, he did too.
“You just didn’t like being banned from the party; admit it.”
He shrugged. “What can I say? I never did like being told what to do or that I can’t have something.” He swung around, moved her between couples, and guided her between two chairs to pull her around the corner. That quickly, they were alone.
She looked startled by the sudden change in location. “What do you think you’re doing?”
He didn’t say a word, just pulled her close, bent his head and gave her a quick, hard kiss.
He raised his head, studied her stunned expression, then lowered his head to kiss her again, gently this time. Her lips were smoother than petals, silky and soft. It didn’t take her long to respond, and when her arms lifted around his neck and she pressed her body closer, fierce satisfaction swept through him.
He deepened the kiss, palmed the back of her head with one hand and slid his other down her back, tightening, squeezing her closer. He wanted more. More kisses, more of her body straining against his, just more. He pressed kisses against her neck and she turned her head to the side to give him better access.
“I love that,” she whispered, shivering.
Barely able to think, he considered her reputation. Anyone could come around the corner at any moment. He pulled away and, breathing harshly, stared down into her beautiful, flushed face. Maybe tarnishing her reputation wouldn’t be such a bad thing? She might have to marry him, then.
The thought shocked him enough that he let her go and he backed away, suddenly chilled.
They stared into each other’s eyes.
Until the tournament was over, he needed to remember she was the enemy. She might even be kissing him to sway him to her way of thinking. It might even work. After everything was back to normal would be a better time to explore this growing attraction between them.
“What is it?” She asked.
“Nothing.” He took a deep breath. “I’d better take you back.” He’d better do just that before he did anything foolish.
Her look of disappointment just about did him in. He wanted to drag her back into his arms, continue to press kisses to her mouth, her throat, and anywhere else she’d let him. Instead, he took her hand, pressed a kiss to the back of it, and pulled her around the corner and back into the party.
Fortunately, no one looked their way and no one seemed to have noticed they’d gone missing.
Over the next hour, he watched her dance with other men. He didn’t like it, but he didn’t know what he was going to do about it just yet.
“What are you doing?”
Luke looked up to see Gabe approaching. “Is the tournament finished up?”
“Yes. Butch Hardison won the twenty-dollar pot. He’s only nineteen, so some of the older men wanted a rematch, but Sawyer kicked everyone out.”
“Sawyer did? Not you?”
“I wanted a rematch too,” he replied wryly.
Luke chuckled.
Gabe glanced around. “I thought I’d have a harder time getting in here.”
“The widow gave in. Just don’t drink the lemonade.”
“Watered it down, did she?”
“Yep.” Luke’s eyes had wandered to Grace again, dancing with one of the strangers in town. He tilted his head toward the dancers. “Is there any chance I can get you to arrest every single man who dances with Grace?”
Gabe grinned and slapped Luke on his back. “I wish I could help you out, but I can’t. She’s promised me the next dance, and I don’t want to miss it.”
Luke grimaced. “Figures.”
The next day, Grace was in Mrs. Braxton’s garden with Minnie. From the looks her friend was shooting her, she had something on her mind.
They both waited until Mrs. Phillips brought out some of the best sherry, compliments of Mrs. Braxton. When the older woman left, Minnie poured both of their drinks into the fancy crystal goblets.
They both took a sip, and Minnie’s eyes practically sparkled. The moment of truth had arrived.
Minnie lifted her goblet, admiring the amber liquid as she swirled it around. “Delicious.”
Grace watched her friend suspiciously. “I have to agree. We had some of the good stuff in New York, but nothing like this.”
Minnie put her glass down with a snap. “Now to business. I saw you kissing Luke last night.”
Grace could feel hot color racing into her cheeks. “You saw that?” She couldn’t help but wonder who else might have seen.
“It looked thrilling! Give me all the juicy details!”
Grace shook her head. “My lips are sealed.”
“Oh, come on. You can’t keep something like that to yourself. Besides,” Minnie shot her a sly look. “I doubt they were sealed last night.”
“Minnie!” Grace shot her an exasperated glare. “As I said, there’s nothing to tell.”
“Well, if there’s nothing going on between the two of you, then I suppose you don’t want to know who else I saw getting friendly with Luke last night.”
Grace’s spine straightened as her breath caught. “Who?” The question shot out of her mouth before she could think better of it.
Minnie waved a nonchalant hand in the air. “It was probably nothing, so there is probably nothing to tell.”
Grace’s hands clenched upon her knees under the pretty wrought iron table. She leaned forward. “Minnie! You’d better tell me every single thing you know right now!”
Minnie l
aughed. “Fine. He was dancing with Mrs. Tanner. She’s only about thirty years older than him, but she still has it in her.”
Grace rolled her eyes. “Stop teasing me.”
“Then tell me about the kisses!”
“It was just the one kiss, and then we went back inside and he didn’t have anything to do with me for the rest of the night.” A thought occurred to her. “Maybe I’m not very good at kissing?”
Minnie laughed. “I’m sure you’re fine at kissing. Maybe you’re just so good it scared him off.”
Grace rolled her eyes again. “Be serious.”
Minnie took another sip of her sherry. “I noticed you were speaking to Elizabeth and Margaret. What did those two troublemakers have to say?”
“Only that Luke’s wife was so wonderful that someone such as me could never replace her.” Grace didn’t even try to keep the sarcasm out of her voice.
Minnie laughed. “You can’t hold a dead woman in your bed at night.”
“Ew.”
Minnie started to giggle.
Grace took another sip of sherry. “What do you know about her? His wife, I mean.”
Minnie shrugged. “Not much. She was really pretty. And her clothes were beautiful. She kept to herself in that big house and sort of gave the impression that she was better than everyone else.”
Grace thought about that big house. It made her feel uncomfortable. Insecure. Anxious. “So you don’t know anything else?”
Minnie took a big drink, then smiled. She poured them both more sherry. “Oh, who am I kidding? I know all the juicy details.”
“So spill them.”
Minnie leaned forward. “Luke’s wife was gorgeous, well-connected, and rich. She was a debutante from San Francisco.”
Grace felt her heart squeeze.
She knew all about debutantes, and she knew all about the upper-class. How was Grace supposed to compete with wealth and privilege? She’d never been able to in the past, so what would be different about the future? Nothing, that’s what.
What if Luke did take her to wife?
What if she told him the truth, and he still wanted her?
