The American Heiress Brides Collection

by Carter, Lisa; Davis, Mary; Dietze, Susanne

  Father stopped and turned. Uncle Dillard followed suit.

  “We’ve spent the better portion of a year up here, and if we can get all our assets in order, I think it’s time to head home.” Father sighed and offered his arm to her and looked toward the mountains. “Although, I will be sad to leave this beautiful land. But there is business at home to attend to.”

  She nodded. “You’re right. But I’ve certainly enjoyed Alaska and its quiet.” Even though Uncle Dillard knew the reality of the Abbot family dynamics all too well, Father was correct to steer the conversation to neutral ground.

  The Abbot businesses always interested her, but something about the gold mines excited her on a new level. Maybe it was the risk so many had taken—giving up anything and everything to come to this unknown land and stake a claim. Or maybe it was that overnight a man of no means—young or old—could turn into a rich man. So different from anything she had known in Denver. And since she was a woman, she could never go off on such an adventure—and didn’t need to—but it was still interesting and exciting.

  Back at home, in Colorado, the wealthy class had nothing to do with the lower classes. Old money and new money never mixed. It just wasn’t done. But here in Alaska? It didn’t seem to matter. Not one bit. And with the Abbots investing in mines all over, they’d be helping others attain their dreams as well. If only it were appropriate for a single, young woman of means to stay on and supervise her father’s ventures. Then she could stay. And not go home to the torturous attitudes of her sisters. But then, Father would have to deal with them on his own.

  She wouldn’t inflict that punishment on her worst enemy.

  Father pulled her along. “Let’s get something to eat. I find I’m quite ravenous.”

  “I agree.” Uncle Dillard pointed his cane toward the hotel. “We can wrap up the final details. I’ll plan to stay a few weeks to assure the equipment arrives in good order, and then I can always hire a supervisor for you. Someone who can be on-site each day.”

  “Good, good.” Father nodded and walked up the stairs to the porch of the simple establishment. “I already have a man in mind. We’ve met a few times, and I’ve had him thoroughly checked out. Let’s go meet him together and we’ll offer him the job.”

  Uncle raised his eyebrows. Mary Margaret was just as shocked to hear Father already had a candidate, but Arnold Abbot never left anything to chance. His businesses had grown because he was always one step ahead.

  “Well, then. We have a plan.” Uncle Dillard gave her a smile. “The firm will send up a suitable representative to run the office here. Once he’s in place, I will make sure he’s in good order before I head back to Denver.”

  Mary Margaret released her grip on her father’s elbow and allowed the men to get a few steps in front of her. As she turned, she took in the view of the Coast Mountains and sighed. Sometimes it was harder than others to be the only sensible daughter in the family.

  If only she’d been born a boy. Then she could stay in Alaska for as long as she wanted. And if she’d been born a boy, Father wouldn’t be dealing with the nastiness from Martha’s and Mabel’s husbands.

  But alas, here she was. A girl. And she loved being a girl—except for maybe corsets. If she could be a fine lady like her mother had been, she’d be happy. But what if she never married?

  A shiny glint caught her attention from down the street. Something behind the bank?

  The crack! of a pistol made her jump off the stairs to the ground.

  Pinging sounded from above her head.

  “Stay down, Mary Margaret!” Father’s voice bellowed from the porch.

  Covering her head with her hands, she wondered if she’d be leaving Alaska after all.

  Chapter 2

  Charles Delaney removed his thick leather gloves and used them to wipe at the dust on his trousers. Today of all days, the new owner of the mine was coming to visit. And while Charles had great news to share with Mr. Abbot, the mine had draped him in at least a half inch of dirt and grime. Not the best way to greet him.

  Checking his timepiece, he exited the mine and realized there wasn’t any time to worry about his appearance. Abbot and his lawyer would arrive at any moment.

  Jasper—his right-hand man—waved at him and ran up from the tunnel. “Exciting news, ain’t it, Charles?”

  Horses brought a wagon up the road to the mine.

  With one last slap at his clothes, Charles smiled. “Indeed, Jasper. Especially with the new owner.” He clasped his friend’s shoulder. “New equipment will help us get to that vein in no time.”

  He ventured out into the bright sunlight to meet the party and couldn’t keep his smile from widening. All his hard work would pay off. Big-time. This wasn’t his last resort to “find his fortune.” No. He’d done the research. Knew these mountains. Took on the challenge. Patience and old-fashioned manual labor won the day.

  A well-dressed man descended from the wagon.

  Charles reached out a hand in greeting. But the other man lifted his hand up to the wagon, and all Charles could see was a blur of white. His eyes hadn’t adjusted to the brightness of the day yet, and whatever or whoever held the guest’s attention blinded him. He closed his eyes for a moment and wiped at them with the back of his hand.

  It didn’t help. Hazel eyes looked at him from under an enormous hat and parasol. He blinked.

  “Mr. Delaney, I presume?” The man’s voice made him abruptly shift his gaze.

  Charles nodded.

  “May I introduce you to Miss Mary Margaret Abbot.” The older gentleman reached out a hand. “I’m Mr. Dillard, one of the Abbot family lawyers.”

  Charles nodded and shook the man’s hand. Why was there a lady here? He cleared his throat. “Thank you for coming, Mr. Dillard, Miss Abbot. I apologize for my appearance, but it has been a prosperous day.”

  “I’m glad to hear it.” But Mr. Dillard didn’t smile. “Miss Abbot’s father is the new owner and investor in this mine and several others in the vicinity. But I’m afraid he’s taken a bit ill, so we are here to speak with you on his behalf.”

  “I’m sorry to hear Mr. Abbot is under the weather.” The blinding white glow beside him was a bit too distracting. “Why don’t we head over to the shade. We have a makeshift office set up.”

  As they walked, Charles wondered what would possess a woman to wear white when she was headed to a mine. Didn’t she have any sense?

  Mr. Dillard spoke up before they even sat down. “I’m afraid we don’t have a lot of time today, Charles. Let me be frank.”

  “Please do.”

  “Mr. Abbot believes that you and your friend Jasper are the best. Honorable men, hardworking, and honest. We’ve done a lot of digging around in your past and find you to be a suitable candidate. All of that to say, Mr. Abbot would like to hire you as the manager of his mines up here in Alaska, and then Jasper can be the foreman under you or whatever position you think would be best. It’s a large task. Multiple mines—twenty at least. But we are willing to offer you large percentages of the profits for a job well done.” He pushed a folded piece of paper to him. “We’d like this taken care of today.”

  Charles opened it and studied the numbers. “This is quite the offer, Mr. Dillard.” More than he’d imagined, and it was a bit of a shock. Was this some sort of trick? Or a test? He continued to look down at the paper. “I’m impressed, but I must ask … why the rush?”

  A huff sounded to his right. He’d quite forgotten about the white-ensconced guest.

  “It’s quite simple, Mr. Delaney.” Miss Mary Margaret Abbot’s smooth voice startled him. “My father chose you after much deliberation. Now an offer has been made to you. One that will not be repeated.” She stood up—looking quite perturbed even in her angelic, puffed-sleeved getup. “Do you accept the job, or not?”

  The gall of such a man. Here, he’d been offered a small fortune to work for her father, and he wanted to know the rush? Why, if she weren’t a lady, she’d bop him on
the nose with her parasol this very moment. Mary Margaret winced at her angry thoughts. What was it about fatigue and stress that made her so unreasonable?

  Uncle Dillard heaved a great sigh. “Mr. De—”

  “I accept.” Steely gray eyes bore into her own. “I apologize for my question, Miss Abbot, and I accept the generous offer.” Something in his stare made her soften a touch.

  Well, maybe she had judged him too harshly, but she didn’t have time for this. Not when her father lay in the hospital. She straightened her shoulders and held his gaze. “Thank you, Mr. Delaney. Mr. Dillard will handle the contract.” His scrutiny unnerved her. Not ugly. Not spiteful. Not angry. But solid. Sure. Steadfast. Even sitting down, the man was so tall he was almost eye level to her full height of three inches above five feet.

  With a whirl and a nod, she headed back to the wagon. The sooner she was back at Father’s side, the better. She could tell him to rest assured that all would be taken care of—by honorable men.

  The driver helped her climb back up into the freight wagon, and she looked down at her gown. Brown and black dust covered the hem. Why did she insist on wearing such frippery? Tears burned at the corners of her eyes. Because this was Father’s favorite gown on her—he said it made her look like an angel. And he desperately needed an angel right now. And a miracle.

  The past two days had been a nightmare. After the shots at the hotel missed them all by mere inches, Father was convinced that someone had tried to kill them. And he didn’t have to think too hard to figure out who it was. Mary Margaret’s sisters both married unsavory men against their father’s advice. All along, they’d been after Father’s money and the Abbot empire. Over the years, they’d revealed the depths of their greed to Mary Margaret as they maneuvered and weaseled every way possible to inherit a portion. And their subtlety wore off ages ago. Bolder than ever, her brothers-in-law would stop at nothing. Even murder?

  The thought sent a chill up her spine. But didn’t they know Father’s will was ironclad and they had no place in it? She shook her head. All this time, she’d prayed for the men to give up. She thought Father would outlive them all. Even though they’d escaped the bullets, the attack sent Father into a frenzy, which resulted in a heart episode. The doctors weren’t sure when or if he would regain his strength.

  A tear escaped and slipped down her cheek. What would she do if something happened to Father? What if he didn’t recover?

  Uncle Dillard returned to the wagon, and she turned her head. The man had seen too many of her tears already. Now she had to be strong. Not only for Father, but for the Abbot assets. Uncle explained at the hospital that her father’s directions were explicit. If anything happened to him—sickness or death—she needed to take the reins until he recovered or for the rest of her life. The responsibility weighed heavy upon her, but she could do it. Besides, she wasn’t married—nor was she likely to be anytime soon. After watching the disastrous marriages of her sisters, she’d become wary of men. And with good reason.

  “It’s all settled.” Uncle Dillard patted her hand. “Delaney is a good man. Honorable and decent. We can trust him.”

  “I’m glad. I’m sure that will relieve some of Father’s stress.” She turned to face him. “I apologize for being so short. Do you think Mr. Delaney was offended by my behavior?”

  He chuckled. “Don’t you worry about that. If anything, I think you impressed the man by not being a simpleminded, entitled female. He understood you were all about the business. And I explained to him the stressors that have caused the family grief recently.”

  “Good.” Mary Margaret leaned toward the driver. “Please take us back to the hospital.” She looked back to Dillard. “We just need to get Father well enough to endure the trip home, and then I will deal with my sisters and their husbands like they should have been dealt with long ago. Family or no, they will no longer be allowed anywhere near Father or the Abbot holdings. This was the last straw.”

  Mary Margaret held Father’s limp hand. In the few hours since she’d left his side to attend to business, he’d worsened. His cheeks were gray. “Father, please. Hold on. We just need to help you get your strength back.”

  The slightest shake of his head appeared to wear him out. “No … It’s my time.”

  “Father, don’t say that.”

  “I love you … Mary Margaret.”

  “I love you, too.” There was no way to hold back the tears.

  “God has been … good to me. And I get to see your mother ….” A smile lifted his lips in a small curve.

  “Oh, Father. What will I do without you?” The pair had been a team for so long now, she couldn’t bear to think of life going on without him. Pain ripped through her chest.

  “Trust in the Lord, Mary Margaret. He will guide you.” Father’s voice gained a touch of strength. His eyes focused on the wall behind her. “I’m ready.”

  Uncle Dillard moved to the other side of the bed and nodded. “Go in peace, Arnold.”

  Father’s smile grew as her tears intensified. His focus no longer resided on this world. This couldn’t be the end. Could it?

  A gentle squeeze on her hand and then a long last breath.

  He was gone.

  Her father, mentor, and best friend. Dead.

  Mary Margaret collapsed over the body of the man she’d loved more than any other human being and sobbed.

  Chapter 3

  On his lunch break, Charles studied the papers Mr. Dillard gave him during their meeting. Under the canopy of trees outside the mine, he’d set up a small tent and left the front flaps open. He didn’t mind the mist and rain that most people around the Juneau area thought of as dreary. Feeling the wind and rain on his face with the scent of spruce in the air was far better than the closed-up, musty environment of the deep mine shafts.

  Jotting down a couple of notes, Charles felt confident. The job was huge, but he was up for the challenge. For two days, he’d planned and figured and discussed all the ideas with Jasper. It would be a lot of hard work, but they were ready. His thoughts turned to lovely Miss Abbot. When she’d arrived in that beautiful dress, he thought she was like all the other rich women he’d met—all fluff and nonsense. But she’d been direct and to the point. Yes, even a bit sharp-tongued. But after Dillard explained, it all made sense. Sounded like she would be running things while her father was ill, and Charles looked forward to seeing her again. She was definitely not what he expected and unlike any other women he’d met.

  Horse’s hooves sounded along the cavern walls. Seemed at a fast clip, too. Charles put the papers down and went to greet whomever their guest might be.

  The sight of Mr. Dillard surprised him.

  The man dismounted and nodded. “We need to talk.”

  “Of course.” Charles walked toward his office and fought off the ominous thoughts crowding into his mind.

  “Do you have anywhere more private than that tent?”

  “I’m afraid not. But I doubt anyone will bother us here. They’re all deep in the mine.”

  Mr. Dillard looked around the small mining camp and nodded.

  “I have a bit of coffee I could offer you, but I’m afraid it’s probably cold.”

  The lawyer sat on a rickety stool and sighed. “I’m fine, but thank you for the offer.” He took off his hat and wiped his brow. “I’m afraid the news I have to share is grave.”

  “I guessed that.”

  “Before I tell you, I need your word that you will not, under any circumstances, discuss these details with anyone else. Not even Jasper.”

  “You can trust me, Mr. Dillard.” His heart raced. Was it all for naught?

  “I believe I can, Mr. Delaney. That’s why I’m here.”

  “Please, call me Charles.” He sat on the stump he’d been using for a stool and placed his elbows on his knees. “Best to just spit it out. I can handle it.” Could he?

  “Mr. Abbot is dead. His heart failed him two days ago. We will bury him tomorrow.”

>   He raised his eyebrows. Not at all the news he expected to hear. “I’m very sorry to hear that.”

  Mr. Dillard turned his hat in his hands. “Miss Mary Margaret Abbot—who you met the other day—will inherit everything. I helped draft the will, so I know it will stand. She’s a smart one and quite capable of running the companies. But her two younger sisters have husbands that have been trying to get their hands on the Abbot empire ever since they married into the family. Arnold knew all along and held them at bay, but I fear they have resorted to the worst of treachery.” He mopped his brow with his handkerchief. “One attempt was made to kill them both at the hotel where they were staying. It was actually the shooting that caused Mr. Abbot to lose his temper over the whole debacle and sent him into the heart episode.”

  “Will all this affect the mines, sir?” It had to. That was the only reason the lawyer would be there. Charles’s hopes sank to his feet.

  “Heavens, no. The mines will be just fine.” Mr. Dillard stood. “I’m afraid I’m not being clear. It’s not the company or your position that I’m here about. It’s about the safety of Miss Abbot.”

  “Miss Abbot?” The thought of her in danger kindled his anger. Who tried to kill her? “But I don’t understand. What does that have to do with me if it’s not anything about the mines?”

  “Let me start again. I believe Miss Abbot’s two brothers-in-law hired someone to kill her father. Now that he’s gone, I believe her life is in danger as well. If she dies before her thirtieth birthday, then the other sisters have a chance to inherit everything. But it’s even more complicated than that. Mr. Abbot isn’t even buried, and somehow the family back in Colorado is contesting the will. My office in Denver tells me that a judge has already read the will, and the sisters are saying since they haven’t heard from Mary Margaret in many months and she is out of the country that they can’t be sure she is even alive to inherit.

  “Now only a foolish judge would rule so quickly, but apparently, he has. Perhaps he’s even been paid off … it wouldn’t be the first time. My testimony to Mary Margaret’s well-being via telegram is unacceptable to him—so he’s demanded that Mary Margaret appear before him. And the deadline he has set is thirty days. If she doesn’t appear by then, he will consider allowing the family to contest the will. And it sounds like he’s already made up his mind. If Miss Abbot doesn’t get back to Denver as soon as possible, Arnold Abbot’s legacy could be destroyed.”