Love Inspired Historical July 2015 Box Set: The Marriage Agreement\Cowgirl for Keeps\The Lawman's Redemption\Captive on the High Seas (51 page)

Silas? Rose was mad about losing Silas to Annie? Was it wrong to be relieved that her sister wasn't accusing her of greater sins, of which Mary was indeed guilty?

“Rose...” She softened the look she gave her sister. “That had nothing to do with Silas marrying Annie. She was the only child of the family who owned an adjacent farm. Their fathers wanted to combine the farms and expand the holding. Silas was always going to marry Annie.”

“It was me he loved,” Rose wailed. “He told me so by the cottonwood behind the church. Silas carved our initials in it to seal the promise of our unending love. He didn't bring Annie there, he brought me, and he kissed me, and he said he'd love me forever.”

Tears rolled down Rose's face. “I was supposed to meet Silas so we could run away together. But you were late getting home from taking the eggs to town. You said you were delayed helping Mrs. Burdoch's lame horse. Now I know it was a lie. You were meeting him. And since I missed my meeting with Silas, he married Annie instead.”

Nothing Mary said would convince Rose of the truth. She
had
been helping Mrs. Burdoch. Ironically, it had prevented her from meeting Ben—the first time they'd planned on running away together. Unlike Silas, Ben had been more patient. Who would have thought that one lame horse could wreak so much havoc?

If Mary could kiss that horse, she would. It had saved her from making the biggest mistake of her life even worse.

“Rose, you were there when Mrs. Burdoch brought over the pie to thank me for helping her. It's true that I did lie to meet Ben on a number of occasions, but that wasn't one of them. I'm sure Silas was meeting you to tell you that the wedding had been arranged, not to run away with you.”

The sting of her sister's hand against her cheek was wholly unexpected. It should have hurt more, but as the side of her face throbbed, it felt almost good to finally receive some of the punishment Mary deserved.

“You know nothing of my relationship with Silas. Just as I knew nothing about your beau. And now you sit here telling me that Silas never loved me because you're so smug about having a man track you down. I hope you remember at every happy moment of your life with him that it came at the expense of mine.”

Rose turned and ran out of the house. Mary took a step toward her, but Polly reached out a hand to stop her.

“Let her go. She needs time.”

Mary turned to face her friend. “How much of that did you hear?”

“Most of it.” Polly shrugged. “If she'd done more than slap you, I'd have stepped in. But she needed to get it out. She's been nothing but angry and bitter since she got here. Now I know why.”

And here Mary had thought it was about having to accept an illegitimate sister. Maybe Nugget was the least of their problems. As much as Mary thought she'd been listening to her siblings, perhaps she'd been making a lot of assumptions.

“I had no idea.” Sure, she'd seen the flirtatious glances in church, but with everyone knowing that Silas and Annie had been promised for just about forever, Mary had assumed it to be meaningless. If only her sister had been more forthcoming, perhaps her heartbreak could have been prevented.

Of course, Mary herself hadn't been all that forthcoming, either. She'd never been as close to Rose as she had been to their brother Joseph. When Joseph had left to search for their father, she'd kept her own counsel about things she'd usually have talked with him about.

“You and Rose will work things out.” Polly gestured to the pile of dishes they had yet to wash. “How about we get to work, and you can tell me all about this beau of yours?”

Her friend gave a wicked grin, then splashed her with some water. “All this time you've had a secret engagement and didn't even tell me!”

If Mary thought that facing her angry sister was hard, this was going to be an even tougher conversation. Rose was right to hate her for her deception over Ben's courtship. Though her sister was wrong about Mary's part in her failed romance, she was all too correct about the damage Mary's absences had done.

How could she tell Polly the truth? It was something that would make Polly turn from her in disgust.

So much to atone for. An entire lifetime wouldn't be enough to earn absolution for her sin. Mary had already made up her mind to take on most of the burden of raising her younger siblings so that Joseph and his new wife, Annabelle, had the chance to raise their own family without the burden of their siblings. They deserved a chance at happiness. Especially Joseph, who'd worked so hard to keep the family together. Hopefully, Mary would find a way to extricate herself from whatever mischief Ben was cooking up without causing even more damage to her family.

But just as she put her hands in the dishwater, Mr. Lawson passed by the kitchen window, sending her a meaningful glance. He hadn't forgotten their meeting. She watched as he strode purposefully toward Frank.

Frank could not be told the truth, particularly now that Mary knew Ben still had Aunt Ina's brooch. Of all he had taken, the brooch had cost Mary the most. Aunt Ina had been merciless in her accusations of Mary, Rose and their other siblings. She'd even snatched the spectacles off poor little Bess's face, demanding to know if her brooch had been sold to pay for them. It hadn't been Mary's doing at all. Their Sunday school teacher, Miss Beverley, had noticed Bess's reading troubles. When Mary confessed it was due to Bess needing spectacles they couldn't afford, Miss Beverley had purchased them and told Mary she wished to remain anonymous. So, Mary had said she'd taken on extra work to purchase them. At the time, Mary had thought herself so smart, because saying she'd taken on extra work had given her more excuses to go meet Ben.

If she could take it back, she wouldn't have lied about those spectacles.

But wishing didn't solve the problem of having to meet Mr. Lawson. Mary glanced over at Polly, who was hard at work doing her share of cleanup. She'd never lied to Polly and didn't want to start now. When Ben had left town, Mary had promised herself to never lie again.

How was she supposed to keep her promise and keep her secrets?

“You've barely touched the dishes.” Polly caught her gaze, then looked down meaningfully at the pile. “You're worse than useless now that your beau is back in town. Combine that with your disagreement with Rose, and I'd just as soon do all the work myself for all the help you're being.”

Mary swallowed. “I'm sorry.”

This was the point at which she should have confessed, but her throat tightened.

“Don't be. We all have our days. Go get some air and I'll finish up in here. You've done my share of the chores a time or two.”

The weight should have fallen off Mary's shoulders, but it only seemed heavier. Polly was being a true friend. And Mary had nothing to offer her in return. At least not while the troubles with Ben hung over her.

Chapter Three

M
ary joined Mr. Lawson and Frank in the yard. Ordinarily, Mary would never dream of interrupting one of Frank's conversations, but this was no ordinary discussion.

“Mary!” Frank smiled warmly at her. The gesture only made her feel worse.

“Good evening.” Mary tried to think of a reason for having interrupted the men, but her mind went blank. It was as though all of her excuses had been worn out with Ben.

“Mr. Lawson was just telling me how welcome you made him feel at tonight's dinner.”

She glanced over at Mr. Lawson, who smiled innocently. Oh, he wasn't innocent at all. He was a conniving, manipulative snake who—

Was making her miss the rest of what Frank said about their conversation.

“I'm glad he told me, Mary. You know how I feel about you girls wandering the streets of Leadville alone. There are too many unsavory elements, and I'm extremely grateful Mr. Lawson came to your assistance. Had someone of less exemplary character been present, you might not have fared so well.”

Mary closed her eyes and took a deep breath before opening them again and looking at Frank. “Trust me, I learned my lesson, and I am very grateful for Mr. Lawson.”

Mr. Lawson gave a small smile. “Please. It's Will. I was more than happy to render assistance.”

Unfortunately, Frank smiled back. “Of course. We don't stand much on ceremony in these parts, do we, Mary?”

Her only option was to give a polite nod. Referring to Will as Mr. Lawson had been the means of keeping him at a distance. Now even that was being taken from her.

Why was everything in her newly safe world being turned upside down?

Frank twisted his head toward some men entering via the back gate, giving Mary enough time to catch Will's smirk. Could a human being be any more insufferable?

“If you'll excuse me—” Frank turned his attention back to them “—I need to take care of this.”

He didn't wait for a response but immediately went over to the men at the gate. Though Mary was used to the pastor's business, she turned to Will to give an apology for the abruptness.

Will seemed to sense what she was about to say and held up a hand. “I understand perfectly. He's a good man, your pastor.”

Some of the tension fell off Mary's shoulders. “He is. He's done a lot for our family.”

“Once he finds out the kind of man Ben is, he'll never consent to your marriage.”

Mary swallowed. On one hand, she was counting on it. On the other hand, she had no idea how to let Frank know without letting her own secrets be known.

“You seem like a nice girl. You have a good family. A pastor who is loving and kind. I'm sure whatever you are mixed up in with Ben, if you come clean now, they will support you through it.”

Easy for him to say. He had no idea what she'd done. Moreover, if he knew the kind of man Ben was, he would know that whatever she had done wasn't anything a person admitted to. So, that left the question of who Will Lawson was and why he was so interested in Ben Perry.

“What's it to you? You said you came here looking for Ben. Well, you found him. So, go about whatever business it is that you have with him, and leave me out of it.”

Will looked at her with an intensity that made her want to hide like the little ones did when some of the rougher miners came to call on the pastor.

“Ben Perry is a bad man.”

She wished Will could have told her that a year ago. Of course she probably wouldn't have listened. Ben had preyed on her every vanity. Her every desire to be admired by a handsome gentleman.

“Why do you care what a supposedly bad man is doing with me?”

* * *

Will shouldn't care. In one respect, Mary was right. It was none of his business if she married Ben or not. And yet, he couldn't stand idly by as Ben ruined another life.

“You lied to me about severing your connection with him.”

Mary flinched at his words. “I did not. Ben's visit here tonight surprised me just as much as it did you.”

Actually, Will had noticed that. He'd also noticed how Mary bristled at Ben's attention and how she'd tried to remove herself from his grasp. But something wasn't right with the situation. With Mary's reticence.

“Then why did you announce your engagement?”

“
Ben
announced our engagement.” Mary's eyes flashed as she emphasized Ben's name. Will had to admit, Mary had really pretty eyes. Green with flecks of gold, so deep a man could spend hours mining them and still— What was he doing mooning over her? Hadn't he learned his lesson?

“Why did you go along with it? Why not tell everyone that you'd broken things off with him?”

“Didn't you hear me try to explain that it was over?” Mary's voice was littered with the angst of unshed tears. “But I—” She shook her head. “It doesn't matter. I'll figure something out.”

Will took a step closer. “I'll help you,” he said softly. “Let me help you.”

“If he is such a bad man, why would you involve yourself? Are you the law, with the power to do something about him being a bad man?”

“No.” Will's gut churned. It was still hard to face the fact that he had no legal authority. But if he could gather enough evidence, he could take it to the authorities, and they could finally put Ben where he belonged.

“Then why?”

“Because it's the right thing to do.” In so many ways, but most of them were things he couldn't make Mary understand. Ways he wasn't sure he understood himself. Ultimately, his gun had been the cause of an innocent man's death. Whether Will pulled the trigger or not, he bore some responsibility.

It was easier remembering that layer of guilt, and how he needed to bring closure to Eldon Wormer's family, than it was to look into the eyes of a woman as sweet and innocent as Mary.

Surely she was innocent.

But how was he ever to trust his instincts where women were concerned when he'd been so easily conned by Daisy? Her eyes had appeared innocent as well, and look where that had gotten him. Gut-shot and badgeless.

“In my case,” Mary said, giving him a tiny smile, “the right thing to do is walk away. I didn't ask for your help. I don't want your help. And I don't know anything about Ben that can be helpful to you.”

Her head turned, and Will realized that the pastor was making his way back to them. They wouldn't be able to talk freely soon.

“You didn't ask for my help earlier today, either, but I probably saved your life.”

As she turned to speak to the pastor, Will thought he might have heard her say “Perhaps you shouldn't have bothered,” but he couldn't be certain.

The one thing he was certain of, however, was that, based on the information he had about Ben's activities in the area, no matter what level of involvement Mary had with them, she was in for a world of trouble.

How else could he get her to talk? And would it be the truth? He wasn't sure he was capable of telling the truth from a lie any longer, especially when it came to a pretty woman.

Will returned to the Rafferty Hotel, noting that Ben wasn't in the saloon or in any of the public areas. He attempted to make discreet inquiries about the man, but no one seemed willing to talk.

When Will finally retired to his room, it was with a heavy heart. Locating Ben had been the easy part. Finding evidence against him—well, that might be as difficult as counting all the silver in this fine country.

Will hadn't been sleeping long when a scuffle outside the window roused him. He climbed out of bed and peered out the curtains. A group of men were arguing. Will sighed. Last night's sleep had been interrupted by the same.

But just as he started to let the curtain drop, one of the men turned, his face briefly illuminated by the coming dawn.

Ben.

As quickly as he could, Will dressed and headed out, hoping to catch up with the other man and ascertain his activities. When he exited the hotel, the other men had scattered, but Will caught a glimpse of Ben scurrying down Harrison Avenue.

He quickened his pace as Ben turned down State Street. The most notorious red-light district in the state, if not the country, and Will was going in without a gun or a badge. Fortunately, Ben entered the closest saloon, The Pink Petticoat.

Approaching cautiously, Will looked around to make sure he wasn't walking into a trap. It was probably safe, given how brazen Ben had been in the other saloon. Ben knew that even if Will wanted to, he couldn't do anything to stop him. But someday...things would be different.

No one seemed to notice as Will entered the saloon. With dawn upon them, most of the men were too far into their cups or sleeping it off to pay attention. Ben had already found a table and was in deep conversation with the men seated there. Will moved in for a closer look.

“See something that strikes your fancy?” A kitten-soft voice spoke into his ear as a woman wrapped her arms around him.

At first he didn't recognize the painted features. But something about her seemed familiar. “Daisy?”

The woman jumped at the name, then shook her head. “No, but for the right price, you can call me anything you want.”

Her voice was husky, as if she'd spent too much time in the smoke-filled room. She put her arm around him, turning him toward the stairs.

Will's face heated, and he pulled away. “Sorry. I think you got the wrong idea. You reminded me of my old friend Daisy. I can see I was mistaken.”

Something flashed across the woman's face as her woman-of-the-night expression softened.

“It's not safe to talk here,” the woman whispered harshly. She took his hand, then led him out a side door linking the saloon to another building.

“I think you've got me wrong. I just want—”

She turned and pressed her fingers to his lips. “I want the same thing. But if you don't come with me, we're both going to be in trouble.”

Clearly this woman knew something about the situation. Was this another one of Ben's games, designed to keep him from spying on whatever conversation was happening?

At this point, he wasn't sure who to trust. It was on the tip of his tongue to ask God, but that had never done him much good, either. For all the prayers he'd prayed, his father was dead, his mother was still suffering from consumption, Ben Perry was still on the loose, and Will had lost his badge. No, it was up to Will to make sure things turned out right.

Before he could make up his mind about what to do, the woman had led him into a room and closed the door behind them.

“What's your name?” he asked. “And what's this got to do with Daisy?”

Though the lamplight wasn't as dim as it had been in the saloon, it still wasn't bright enough to make out more of her features, especially with the curtains drawn tightly closed. Only enough to confirm that while she looked like Daisy, it was only a faint resemblance.

She reached into a drawer and pulled out a handgun, aiming it directly at him.

“I'll be asking the questions here. Starting with the ones you asked me. Who are you, and what do you know about my sister?”

Sister? At least it explained the resemblance. He took a step toward her. “Lady...”

With practiced movement, she cocked the gun. “Don't come any closer. Answer my questions, or I'll shoot.”

Will didn't move. She held the gun as if she knew what she was doing. Even though he couldn't see the look in her eyes, he was pretty sure she meant business. “With everyone around? They'd hear the gunshot. You'll hang for sure.”

“No one's going to hang a woman for defending herself against a robbery.” She gestured toward a chair in the corner of the room. “Sit. I can put a bullet in your skull faster than you can take a step to disarm me, so don't even try.”

Cunning, he'd give her that.

“My name is Will Lawson. I knew Daisy back in Century City. We were working together to bring down Ben Perry and his gang, but she betrayed me. The last I saw her, she was riding on the back of Ben's horse headed out of town.”

“Liar!” The woman took a step closer, making a point of getting him in her sight. “Daisy would have never willingly gone with Ben Perry.”

He could hear the doubt in her voice. “Then what are you doing here? It can't be an accident that you're in the same saloon.”

The woman loosened her grip on the gun. Not enough for him to feel safe in disarming her, but enough that he knew he could eventually talk her down. Especially if she hated Ben as much as he did.

“I knew Ben and his men back in Denver. Daisy disappeared from the convent school about the same time Ben was forced to leave town due to some unpleasant business. I'm a favorite of one of Ben's men, and he sometimes tells me things. Just nothing about Daisy. But I know they had to have taken her. They're working on a big score here in Leadville that'll keep them here for a while. This may be my only chance to find her.”

Information that matched what Will knew about Ben's activities shortly before arriving in Century City, including how Daisy had come to be with Ben in the first place.

But it still didn't answer the question about why Daisy had betrayed him.

While he couldn't offer the woman any comfort about Daisy's last known whereabouts, at least he could offer himself as an ally.

And maybe gain an ally for himself. Did the big score she spoke of have anything to do with Mary? Could this be the break he needed to take Ben down once and for all?

“We're on the same side,” Will told her. “I used to be a deputy in Century City. Daisy had told me that she wanted to get away from Ben. She sent me a note, saying she wanted me to meet her. While I was off trying to save Daisy, Ben and his gang robbed a bank. They fired me when Ben got away. I'm pretty sure the sheriff was on Ben's payroll, but I can't prove it.”

“So, what do you want with Daisy?”