Victoria pondered just how well that would go down with Cole. She couldn't imagine the man she knew accepting the assistance of his wife's father in remodelling the ranch to suit the personal tastes of one of the richest men in the territory.
"And that is where you come in, Ms. Carr," Lucius said narrowing his gaze on Victoria. "I believe you have had a chance to assess Mr. MacAllan in your capacity as a matchmaker. You understand that I only agreed to your involvement on the recommendation of the Ladies Society. Your credentials were described as impeccable."
Victoria could just imagine how hard her mother, in her role as a key figure in the Ladies Society, had worked to get Victoria involved in this whole affair. Now the thing seemed like a poisoned chalice.
She was being asked to recommend a man as a prospective husband. The same man she had once loved and who now, clearly, still loved her. Did she still love Cole?
Before yesterday she would have emphatically answered in the negative. After their time in the cabin, however, something had stirred in her heart, something which had taken her completely by surprise.
She'd thought her time in Helena had erected a barrier between herself and the past she'd left behind. A door behind which she could leave a part of herself and move on to a new, independent life. But Cole had shown her that there was still a part of the younger woman she'd been. It was a piece of her past which was lurking inside, waiting to be awakened by Cole's tender touch.
"I only agreed to become involved on the assumption that all parties would be honest and truthful with me, Mr. Carter," she said. "I am accustomed to carrying out my business in a manner which ensures that everyone involved is satisfied that the truth is being held as the high standard we all maintain."
Victoria looked at Lucius and saw his eyes darken.
"Are you suggesting that there is some aspect to all of this which is in any way untruthful?"
Victoria glanced around the well appointed furniture of the room, feigning a casual authority. "Not as such. But, in the years I have been engaged in the business of ensuring unions which are satisfactory, I have developed what you might call a sensitivity to when I am not being given the full facts," she said looking fixedly at Lucius.
Lucius exhaled and she could see that he was trying to contain some irritation at her words. "Well. If you feel that way, perhaps you might not wish to continue in your capacity as a matchmaker for my daughter," Lucius said.
Victoria shook her head. "I'm afraid that's out of the question. I have given my word to Lucy that I will conduct myself for her benefit, to the best of my ability."
Victoria raised herself up erect and tucked her chin firmly. "When I make a promise I am accustomed to keeping that promise. I'm sure a man of your standing appreciates the importance of keeping one's word," she said, locking her gaze on Carter's burning gaze.
"Of course, Ms. Carr. I understand that you would want to continue to act for the benefit of my daughter."
There was the distant sound of the doorbell. Carter looked up. "I wonder who that might be? No-one has arranged to call."
A servant came to the door of the sitting room. "Mr. MacAllan here to see you, sir," the grey haired, elderly man announced.
Carter's eyes brightened. "See him in," he said to the servant. "Well. It looks as if we might get some answers that might go some way to alleviating both our doubts, Ms. Carr," he said.
Moments later Victoria heard the sound of Cole's boots clattering on the wooden floor of the hallway. When he appeared at the door, hat in hand, forehead sweat covered from what must have been a hurried ride to the Carter residence, Victoria tried to wrest her gaze from Cole.
"Good to see you, Cole," Lucius said going to shake Cole's hand.
Cole glanced rapidly at the seated figure of Victoria and his face visibly paled. "Ms. Carr. I had no idea you'd be here," he said starting to turn. "Perhaps I should come back later, when it's more convenient."
Carter grasped Cole's elbow. "Nonsense. You're not interrupting anything at all. In fact Ms. Carr and I were having quite the discussion about yourself and Lucy. Weren't we, Ms. Carr?" Carter said turning to Victoria.
Victoria felt her legs become weak even as she remained seated. A chill made it's way up her spine and she seriously considered the quickest way to make her excuses and leave.
Cole gave Victoria a querying look. Victoria shifted her eyes away from his gaze, momentarily lost for words.
Carter guided Cole to the seat immediately opposite Victoria. She could see that Cole's initial consternation at finding her in the Carter residence had been replaced by a determination to hide any emotion at her presence. Cole's blank expression seemed even more disconcerting to Victoria than his previous disbelief.
Why had Cole come to see Lucius Carter? She found one other question that had rushed into her awareness. She immediately tried to push it away, but it was insistent and demanding.
Victoria looked across at Cole and asked herself a question that she wasn't sure she wanted the answer to.
Had Cole MacAllan come to ask for the hand of Lucy Carter?
CHAPTER NINE
"To what do I owe the pleasure of this visit?" Lucius asked. Cole looked across at Victoria and wondered what he'd gotten himself into. Her amazing blue eyes regarded him carefully. There was a mixture of curiosity and suspicion in that look, and he didn't like it one bit.
"Yes, Mr. MacAllan," Victoria said. There was a definite and noticeable edge to her voice. "Would it be anything to do with the proposed marriage to Lucy?"
Cole grasped his hat so hard he felt the rim crush in his grip. "It certainly has to do with the suggestion, if that's what you mean," he said, unsure whether he should continue with the original plan he'd figured out before coming to the Carter residence.
Ever since Victoria had left the ranch the day before, he'd been thinking of her the whole time. He'd gotten no sleep the previous night, and Mrs. Stone had given him short shrift when he'd tried to talk to her about his dilemma.
And what a dilemma it was.
The time he'd spent with Victoria in the cabin had left him feeling shaken and exhilarated both at the same time. He hadn't believed his luck when the rain had fallen. It had given him the chance to have something he'd dreamed of for a long time. The opportunity to be alone with Victoria.
The brief moment of guilt he'd felt at taking advantage of the rain to spend some time alone with her had been wiped out by the sheer joy he'd felt at being with her.
But he'd made a real mess of talking with her. He knew that. He'd tossed and turned in bed the whole night recalling the stupid way he'd spoken to her, the dumb questions that had put her on the spot. When it came down to it, the only thing that mattered about the time in the cabin was the realization of just how much she still meant to him.
And, even more important, Cole had discovered something that had taken him by surprise.
It was how much it looked like he still meant to Victoria.
There was no hiding that fact, although she'd done a pretty good job of trying to conceal how she'd been feeling the whole time they'd spent in the cabin. But he was sure now. More sure than he'd ever been.
Victoria Carr still had feelings for Cole.
And that fact had made his heart sing and his determination grow by the minute.
"Have you had a chance to consider what we discussed at our last meeting, Cole," Lucius said dragging Cole's attention back to the spacious sitting room.
Cole looked across at Victoria and saw her frown at the mention of his last meeting with Lucius. It was obvious that she knew nothing about it. And that was just as well, as far as Cole was concerned. Because at that last meeting Lucius had made things pretty clear to Cole. Absolutely clear.
And that was why Cole was at Carter's house. Because after the way he'd felt the day before and after he'd seen the look in Victoria's eyes when he'd told her how he felt, Cole was determined to do the only thing that any man with integrity would do.
"Is there something I haven't been made aware of?" Victoria asked glancing up at Lucius who'd taken his position at the fireplace.
"Nothing that has any real bearing on the discussions of marriage," Cole said.
Lucius frowned at Cole. "Really? I would have thought our discussion had everything to do with the happiness of my daughter," he said.
Victoria looked at Lucius. "In what way?"
Lucius turned to Cole. "Am I right in saying that you've come today to discuss my daughter?"
Cole nodded. "Indeed I have, Lucius."
Victoria's eyes narrowed. "Is there some kind of proposal you have in mind, Mr. MacAllan?" she asked. Cole saw her begin to shift nervously in her seat. She grasped the side of the chair and fussed briefly with the heavy fabric of her dress.
"Well, not exactly a proposal."
Lucius jammed his hand into his waistcoat pocket. "If it's not a proposal, then what is it, Cole?"
Cole stood up, raising himself to his full height so that he was looking down on the smaller figure of Lucius. Cole cleared his throat. "Lucius. I've been giving this whole situation some thought. Real hard thought."
Cole glanced down at Victoria. There was something about the way her wide eyes were looking up at him that made him feel a rush of resolve to do what he'd come to do. He'd already decided what had to be done and seeing the look of surprised hope on her features gave him an extra jolt that he was suddenly determined not to waste.
Cole turned his attention back to Lucius who was peering at Cole, lips tight and brows furrowed.
"What have you got to say, Cole?" Lucius murmured.
Cole could see that Lucius was one step ahead of him. The man hadn't achieved what he had in life by being stupid. One thing Cole knew about Lucius Carter was that the man was always ready for the worst.
"I've been giving the entire matter of your suggested marriage between myself and Lucy a great deal of thought. And I felt I had to come here today and tell you that I cannot, under any circumstances, agree to such a union," Cole said, punctuating his last remark with a curt nod of his head.
There was a heavy silence in the room, broken only by the ticking of the clock in the far corner.
Cole glanced down at Victoria and saw her mouth open, the lower lip moving with a faint quiver.
Cole heard Lucius Carter take in a deep breath and then clear his throat. The man turned away and looked into the mirror above the fireplace. In it's reflection Cole could see the the color of Carter's cheeks change to a tinge of red. But he could tell that the man was trying to exert control over himself, judging by the sudden tightness in the broad shoulders.
Cole looked quickly toward Victoria and saw that her expression had softened. Gone was the previous businesslike expression of cool, indifference. It had been replaced by a look which struck him as one of restrained delight. There was still confusion in her eyes but he could see the corners of her mouth had creased with the beginnings of an involuntary smile. Seeing that made Cole feel emboldened, encouraged to deal with whatever Lucius Carter might do.
Carter turned and stood face to face with Cole, his eyes cold and dark. "Am I to understand that you are turning down the opportunity to marry my daughter?"
Cole stood firm and set his gaze on Carter's eyes. "That's exactly what I'm saying. I appreciate the consideration but I'm afraid recent circumstances make it absolutely impossible for me to accept such a proposal. Even if it has come through the good work of this fine young lady here, in Ms. Carr," Cole concluded gesturing toward Victoria with his hat.
He saw Victoria stifle a smile with a raised hand to her mouth.
Carter's eyes flashed between Cole and Victoria. Cole worried he might be putting two and two together, but the scowl on the man's face suggested he had other things on his mind. Cole wondered how Carter was going to react.
Carter paced the long, floral decorated rug, his hands behind his back. He turned and pointed at Cole. "I suppose I have to thank you for your honesty in rejecting my daughter," he said.
"It's not so much a rejection as a polite way of turning down a kind offer."
Carter smiled, his gaze burrowing astutely into Cole's eyes. "However you describe it I find myself in an awkward situation," Carter said in a calm tone. He turned to Victoria. "Don't you think it's odd that Mr. MacAllan comes to the conclusion he has, immediately after you become involved in the arrangement of what would be an ideal marriage for all parties. Although, not perhaps ideal for you, Ms. Carr," Carter concluded.
Cole saw Victoria stiffen in her seat. "What are you suggesting, Mr. Carter?" she said firmly.
"Nothing in particular, Ms. Carr. Only that I am disappointed that the outcome of my daughter asking you to help her seems to have been the exact opposite of what she desired," Carter said. "Instead of persuading Mr. MacAllan of the merits of my daughter, you seem to have fixed the idea in his mind that my beloved Lucy is not worthy to be his wife," Carter asserted with a sneer.
"I can assure you it was none of my doing that Mr. MacAllan came to the conclusion matrimony was not for him at present," Victoria said. "I was planning to express my doubts to you on that score, after my initial assessment of both Mr. MacAllan and Mr. Edwards. However, it seems Mr. MacAllan has rather preempted me."
"How very convenient," Carter said snidely.
Victoria stood and composed herself quickly, fixing the hang of her skirt. "Are you seriously suggesting that there has been something improper in the way that I have conducted myself," she demanded.
Carter said nothing, merely shaking his head slowly.
"It was my view that both Mr. MacAllan and Mr. Paul Edwards are both fine individuals in their own right. And that there were merits in both men's claim to become husband to your dear daughter."
Carter's eyes narrowed. "And that is your professional opinion?" he said with more than a tinge of sarcasm.
Cole stepped close to Victoria. He could see her hands shaking as she gripped onto the fabric of her skirt. She was clearly trying to steady herself against the suggestions of impropriety being levelled at her by Carter.
"As it stands Mr. Edwards still has much to recommend him," Victoria said, her voice shaking slightly.
"How unfortunate for Mr. Edwards that I don't concur," Carter said lowering his head.
Cole could see the distress on her face. Looking at Carter he saw that the man seemed to take some relish from making Victoria as uncomfortable as possible.
Cole took a step and placed himself between Victoria and Carter. The other man noticed the move and fixed Cole with a look that bore more than a hint of challenge. Victoria touched Cole on the arm. Cole looked down at her arm and let it rest there.
Cole peered at Carter. "You and I have history, Lucius. And I know you want my ranch," he said. "Why you want it, I don't know."
Carter tried to object but Cole stopped him with the raising of a hand. "You tried to buy me out once before and I turned you down. Heck, I think I might be just about the only man in these parts who has turned down an offer from you."
Carter's features froze into an angry rictus.
"But, listen good, Lucius," Cole said leaning his face close to the Carter's. "I am not for sale. Neither is my ranch," he murmured. And then he held up his hand and pointed to a finger. "And neither is my ring finger for sale. Not any more," Cole said with a grin, trying to contain the powerful urge to glance over toward Victoria.
Cole locked eyes on Carter, hoping that the man would react in some way. But he knew that Carter's intelligence was too keen to allow that to happen. Cole was more worried about Victoria. She'd obviously been surprised at the vehemence displayed by Carter. It had been no surprise at all to Cole. He'd seen the man's temper on display on many an occasion at cattle sales. Carter was a hard bargainer and not a man to cross lightly.
Cole knew he'd taken a gamble coming to Carter's home and giving him the news. But there had been nothing else for it. If Cole was to have any chance of winning Victoria, the
n this was merely the first step. And he knew that.
Cole turned to Victoria. "If our business is concluded here, I suggest that we bid good afternoon to Mr. Carter and be on our way," he said to her. "Wouldn't you agree, Ms. Carr?"
Victoria looked into Cole's eyes and he could see the gratitude in her gaze. It gave him a jolt of satisfaction to see that look.
"I think that's a very good idea, Mr. MacAllan," she agreed, going to her seat and lifting up the small handbag she had laid down by the side.
"Before you go Cole, I only have one thing to say to you," Carter said with a wry grin. Cole felt a chill as he looked at the man's face. There was a strange kind of certainty there which made Cole feel ill at ease.
Carter took a step closer. "I've heard what you've said." He looked at Victoria. "And I've expressed my disappointments to Ms. Carr. However, this is how it's going to be."
Cole stood still as Carter leaned his head closer. Carter glanced from Cole to Victoria.
"If my daughter isn't engaged to be married within twenty-four hours then here's what's going to happen. I'll make sure you never sell another head of cattle in this territory. Ever. You know I can make that happen," Carter said with an animal grin and steady, dark eyes.
"You can't do that," Cole argued.
"You know I can. I've done it before to other men more deserving than you," Carter said.
Victoria thrust her head between the two men. "That's an outrageous threat," she declared.
Carter turned to her. "It's not a threat. It's a statement of fact." Carter ran his eyes up and down the length of Victoria's figure making her stiffen awkwardly.
"Now see here, Carter," Cole said raising a hand. "We'll have none of that here. Ms. Carr has only tried her best to ensure your daughter got married."
"And I'm sure she can bring her business to a satisfactory conclusion," Carter said. "For your sake, and for the sake of my daughter."
Victoria reached out and seized Cole by the elbow. He stared at her in disbelief as she tugged on his arm. "We'll be in touch, Mr. Carter," she said, ignoring Cole's look of incredulity.
Cole's Montana Bride (Sweet,clean Western Historical Romance)(Montana Ranchers and Brides Series Book 7) Page 8
