Lucky Penny

by Catherine Anderson

  David stared beyond her out the window, the passing scenery nothing but a blur. “No, you’re not wrong. There was a woman, but it wasn’t—”

  She cut him off to say, “With the marriage annulled, you would be free to marry her, David, and have other children. You’re so wonderful with Daphne. You’d be such a fabulous father. Even if it makes you furious with me for mentioning it again, I can’t help but feel I must out of fairness to you. She is not your child. And when you finally come to realize that, you’re going to resent me and her for ruining your life.”

  A burning sensation crawled up the back of David’s throat. “Are you finished?”

  She searched his gaze. “Yes, quite finished. Just never let it be said that I have withheld the truth from you or that I set out to hoodwink you.”

  He laughed, the sound bitter even to his ears. “God knows I’ll never say that. You’ve told me your truth a dozen times. Enough. All it does is infuriate me. I’ll never believe that child isn’t mine, and I’m not about to have her live in Denver. So get that idea out of your head. I’ve offered you an alternative. Take it or leave it.”

  “Pretending to be a happily married couple? What if I say no, David? What if I believe such a charade will never work?”

  “All I know is, I’m not parting company with my daughter.”

  “And neither am I.”

  Disgruntled, David shifted on the seat, moving his hat from one knee to the other. “Then we’re at loggerheads. If you can accept the No Name dress-shop idea and a pretend marriage, maybe we can work at making it a real marriage over time. In the end, it will be best for Daphne if her parents are able to give her a real family.”

  Still embarrassed about the kiss they had shared last night, Brianna watched the passing landscape for a moment before speaking. “On the subject of working toward making this a real marriage, I must warn you that I want no part of marital intimacy. Without love or at least some measure of genuine desire on both our parts, it would be debasing. I will never be with a man simply to keep up appearances.”

  He said nothing, and his continued silence finally forced Brianna to look at him. His eyes twinkled with humor, which was at least an improvement on the anger she’d seen in them moments ago, but she had the uneasy feeling the joke was on her.

  “May I ask what is so funny?”

  His firm mouth tipped into a grin as if he harbored a hilarious secret he wasn’t willing to share. “You have my word that I will never press you for intimacy unless there is love or at least some measure of genuine desire on both our parts. With that agreed upon, can we move ahead with the dress-shop idea and pretending for a while?”

  Brianna couldn’t see that she had another choice. “So long as we both agree on the intimacy stipulations, I suppose we can give a life of pretense a try,” she conceded.

  Satisfied with Brianna’s response, David stretched out his legs and settled back with his hat over his eyes to take a nap with his daughter. Problem was, he couldn’t sleep. Brianna wanted there to be love in the relationship, and he wasn’t sure anymore what love was. He’d definitely enjoyed that kiss last night and would happily go for seconds, but that was only lust. Or was it? She was a beautiful woman. More important, though, she challenged him at every turn, amusing him one moment, infuriating him the next, and at times filling him with tender feelings he’d never experienced with a female.

  All his adult life, David had clung to the hope that he’d one day find a woman who brought pure magic into his heart, someone who elicited all-consuming emotions within him—someone with whom he could laugh and cry—someone who could fill his world with love and contentment. Was it possible that he might find that magical something with Brianna when he’d failed to find it with Hazel Wright? David thought maybe so. Brianna was like spiced wine, heady and tempting in a way the schoolteacher wasn’t.

  Maybe I’m losing my mind. The thought made him grin into the bowl of his hat. On the surface, Brianna was the epitome of a well-bred lady, but under that cool, oh-so-proper exterior, she was stubborn, willful, and hot tempered. He’d always hoped to find a malleable, tractable woman—someone sweet and easy to get along with. Life with Brianna would be like riding on a runaway stagecoach, one dip and jostle after another. And when she wasn’t in a temper, she was so damnably decorous all the time, the type to freeze a man out during and after a quarrel instead of giving vent to her true feelings. Last night, he’d pushed her into giggling and acting silly, but that wasn’t the norm for her, and, damn it, there was more to marriage than having sex. David wanted a wife he could laugh with, someone who wasn’t afraid to cut loose and forget about propriety sometimes. He wasn’t sure Brianna could do that without a lot of prodding, and over time, prodding her constantly would get old.

  Even so, he found himself growing more attracted to her with each passing second. And if that wasn’t a fine how-do-you-do, he didn’t know what was.

  Sitting across from her daughter, Brianna sought sleep as well, with no more luck than David was having. Her thoughts were centered on the problems that could arise in a sham marriage. More than once, she’d glimpsed masculine appreciation in his eyes when he looked at her, and she would never forget that kiss last night. He seemed perfectly willing to keep his hands off her right now, but what if he changed his mind later? The marriage document in his saddlebag would make his taking of her legal. Having been single all her life, Brianna was no expert on the baser natures of men, but she suspected that their physical needs were far more urgent than those of women. How could he hope to be happy and content in a platonic relationship?

  Emotionally drained, Brianna removed her hat and fingered the looped emerald ribbons at the crown. She’d never possessed anything so fine. In the convent, colorful garments had been forbidden, and all but the most subdued pieces of jewelry had been frowned upon. Adornments, the nuns had called them. Proper young ladies wore nothing ostentatious. As a girl, Brianna had yearned for a bright red dress and patent leather slippers studded at the toes with diamonds. That seemed so silly to her now. As an adult, she’d come to appreciate just having clothing, no matter how drab it was.

  Even so, she loved this emerald gown. Slipping her palm over the fine-grained silk, she smiled dreamily, wondering for a fleeting moment if God hadn’t guided David to Glory Ridge. Whether he was Daphne’s father or not, he offered the child everything that Brianna had always yearned to give her. Would it be so evil of her to simply accept this good fortune and say nothing more to David about the truth? He grew furious each time she brought it up, so why couldn’t she simply acquiesce and keep quiet?

  Because she felt so guilty, she decided. He was revamping his whole life around a child that wasn’t his, possibly even forsaking marriage to a woman he really loved. She’d tried several times to be honest with him, though. In the end, when the harsh truth smacked him between the eyes, he wouldn’t be able to say that she’d been anything less than forthright. Let it go, a small voice whispered in her mind. Pray about it, have faith, and all will be well. Ah, Sister Theresa, whispering to her again, Brianna thought. A very wise woman, that nun, for no matter how Brianna circled it, the dress-shop idea had its appeal and would be the best arrangement for Daphne.

  It would, in fact, be nearly perfect. With David as her father, she would have a family—a grandmother, uncles, aunts, and cousins. She’d be loved and never want for anything. David had become her father in every way that counted. Daphne adored him, and he adored her.

  With a sigh, Brianna settled back on her seat and let her eyes drift closed. There were so many possible pitfalls in David’s plan, though. What if someone in No Name discovered that their marriage was a sham? That would be utterly devastating for Daphne. And it would be wearing on both Brianna and David to live a lie, day in and day out. He would be consigning himself to a loveless future without a real wife to warm his bed. And when he discovered that he wasn’t really Daphne’s father, what would become of her and Daphne then?

&nb
sp; It was a bridge she would cross when she came to it, she supposed. She and Daphne had survived before and they could do it again. Until then, Brianna would be like a leaf, blown this way and that by a wind over which she had no control. Pray about it, have faith, and all will be well.

  Their train pulled into Denver at half past three in the morning. Brianna, nearly blind with exhaustion, was relieved beyond measure when David decided they should get rooms at the hotel and postpone the last leg of their journey to No Name until the next day. Using the hotel telephone, he called Ace to arrange for their transportation. They were to be at the train station by noon, which would give them at least a few hours to rest before leaving the city.

  David went to a saloon up the street to see if he could get food because all of them were hungry. He returned with steak sandwiches and a quart bottle of apple juice, which they could drink from water glasses in their rooms. Brianna answered his knock, gratefully accepted the cold fare, and bid him a hasty good night. She had learned her lesson the previous evening and didn’t linger in the doorway, fearing he might kiss her again if she gave him an opportunity.

  Because it was so late, there was no hotel staff on duty to bring up tubs, so she and Daphne settled for spit baths. Brianna made short work of getting herself and the child dressed for bed. Then they sat on the edge of the mattress to eat. Brianna had just taken a bite of sandwich when a tap came at the door.

  She set aside her food and crossed the room. “Who is it?”

  “David. I forgot to get some juice.”

  “Oh.” Brianna quickly opened up. “I’m sorry. I didn’t think.”

  He stepped in, holding an empty water glass. Brianna poured him a measure of apple juice and then stared up at him, uncertain what else to say.

  He smiled slightly. “Thanks. The sandwich is dry with nothing to help wash it down.”

  She followed him back to the door and watched as he stepped out into the hall. “Good night again,” she said.

  “Good night. Be sure to lock up tight.”

  After finishing her meal, Brianna turned off the electric light, which was a novelty to her, and then joined her daughter in bed. Her last thought as exhaustion blacked out her mind was that on the morrow she would accompany David to No Name and meet his family. She had no doubt that they would welcome Daphne into their fold, but how would they feel about her—a wicked woman from David’s past who’d gotten pregnant with his child out of wedlock?

  She was too tired to worry about it. David could deal with his family, blast it. She was only a leaf blowing in the wind.

  Chapter Sixteen

  B

  rianna was awestruck by the sumptuous appointments in Ace Keegan’s passenger car. The seats with curved armrests were upholstered in dark green, cushiony leather that felt as soft as butter to the touch. Instead of planks, intricately patterned rugs of green, burgundy, and deep gold cushioned the floor. At one end, a hand-carved mahogany bar was stocked with different kinds of spirits, soft drinks, glasses, and an icebox filled with chilled snacks. Daphne enjoyed a sarsaparilla, slices of cheese, and an orange before curling up on the sofa for a nap. Sitting beside David in one of the armchairs, Brianna sipped a glass of sherry while he partook of a fine whiskey.

  “Your family must be very influential in No Name,” she observed.

  “I guess you might say that.”

  The realization struck her that David was a powerful man in his community, undoubtedly as respected in his own right as he was well connected. She stared for a moment at his badge, which represented authority and dominance few men attained in their professions. As much as she’d come to trust him on the prairie, she knew things would be different now. What if he changed his mind about their agreement and insisted on a real marriage? She would have no one to turn to for help.

  “You feeling okay, Shamrock? The motion of the train isn’t making you sick, I hope. With fewer cars, there’s a little more movement, I reckon.”

  “No, no, the car is lovely. I’ve never traveled in such luxury.”

  “Ace doesn’t spare coin when it comes to comfort,” he told her. “His home is simple in layout, just a ranch house, but it’s got all the conveniences possible. Joseph and I have followed his lead. Esa is still toying with the idea of modernizing his place.”

  Brianna suddenly remembered her question to David right before his shootout with the three ne’er-do-wells, and to distract herself from other, far more unsettling thoughts, she decided to follow up on that. “I’ve read stories about a gunslinger named Ace Keegan,” she said, forcing a smile. “Surely we’re not discussing the same man.”

  David turned his tumbler, studying the amber contents. “Will you fall over in a dead faint if I say we are?”

  Brianna did feel momentarily lightheaded. If David wasn’t joking, then his family was far more than simply influential; at least one member was downright dangerous. “The Ace Keegan I read about once killed three men with one bullet.”

  “That was a freak accident. He shot the first guy, and then the bullet ricocheted to kill the second one. I think Ace fired another shot to kill the third fellow, but I could have my facts wrong. We don’t pay those novels much mind because they’re usually so far-fetched. The truth of what happened never makes for quite as good a story.”

  Brianna set aside her glass of sherry. “So your older brother is the Ace Keegan.”

  “Yes, gunslinger and gambler turned family man. He never wears his Colts now unless he’s forced to. He’s a good man, Brianna. I think you’ll like him. Just know up front that nothing nettles him more than the outrageous stories told about him in those damned dime novels.”

  “Thank you for the warning. I don’t believe it would be wise to nettle Ace Keegan.”

  David threw back his head and barked with laughter. “You can nettle him all you like. He’d never harm a hair on your head, and that’s a fact.”

  Once in No Name, David rented a buggy from the livery to drive them out to Ace’s ranch. Brianna had hoped to postpone meeting the Keegan and Paxton clan until tomorrow, but David nixed that with, “No way. They’ll all be gathered at Ace’s place, and the women will have a huge meal prepared to welcome you. If we don’t show up, they’ll be sorely disappointed.”

  Brianna was unaccountably tense. Out on the prairie, she’d been completely alone with David, except for Daphne, and she’d come to trust him in ways she’d never trusted another man. But this was different. He was taking her into his world, he was her spouse, and at the back of her mind, she kept returning to the reality of her situation, namely that husbands had absolute power if they chose to exercise it. They were the kings of their households, and in many cases, wives were treated with little regard. She didn’t believe David would turn suddenly autocratic or consider her to be a possession, but way deep down where she couldn’t rationalize her way past it, she felt uneasy and vulnerable.

  Daphne bounced on the buggy seat between Brianna and David, so excited to meet David’s family that she was nearly beside herself. Brianna supposed that for the child it was indeed a momentous occasion. Daphne had never had relatives, none that acknowledged her, anyway, and now the little girl suddenly had a host of them. It was Grandma Dory this, and Aunt Caitlin that, and she pestered David relentlessly to go over the names of everyone else so she wouldn’t forget.

  When Brianna saw buildings in the distance, she turned to straighten Daphne’s clothing and tidy her hair. “Remember your manners, now. Wait until you’re properly introduced before addressing the adults, and once inside the house, you mustn’t ask for anything. If you’re offered something and you’d like to have some, what do you say?”

  Daphne wrinkled her nose. “I say please, that sounds wonderful, and thank you very much for offering.”

  David flashed Brianna a grin over the top of the child’s head. “Shamrock, you’re in for a big surprise. We aren’t a family that stands on ceremony. Just relax, okay? None of them bite.”

  Brianna
couldn’t relax. She was about to meet people who had every reason to stand in judgment of her and might also resent her for ruining David’s life. As the house came into view, she made tight fists in her skirt, straightened her shoulders, and lifted her chin. No matter what they said or did, she would face them with pride.

  A little dark-haired boy Brianna guessed to be a bit over three was the first to spot the buggy. He tore across the front veranda, shouting, “Unco David, Unco David!”

  “Little Ace,” David said. “Going on three and a half, and full of mischief.”

  Brianna thought he was adorable, with olive skin, shoe-button eyes, and a shock of pitch-black hair. He was dressed in a blue pullover shirt, denim knickers bloused at the knees, black stockings already smeared with dirt, and sturdy little black boots.

  David drew the buggy to a halt, looped the reins, and set the brake. Lucy, tethered to the back of the conveyance with Blue and Acorn, let loose with a happy hee-haw. The mule clearly recognized her surroundings and knew she was almost home. The geldings joined in with shrill nickers to voice their excitement, too.

  Just then an extremely tall, jet-haired man in jeans and a blue chambray shirt stepped out onto the porch, holding the screen ajar behind him to offer passage to a beautiful, slightly built redhead in a blue-checked gingham day dress. In her arms, she held a raven-haired little girl who was chubby and darling in a lacy pink frock.

  “Ace, his wife, Caitlin, and their youngest, Dory Sue, named after my ma,” David supplied. He leaped from the buggy and circled the matched set of blacks to come around and help Brianna down. “And there comes Joseph with his wife, Rachel, and Little Joe.”

  Brianna was so startled by the sight of Joseph, who from a distance appeared to be a dead ringer for David, that she lost her footing on the step. David caught her around the waist to keep her from falling and swung her easily to the ground. At his touch, Brianna’s breath caught. Was it only her imagination, or was David acting more proprietary than he ever had before? “Calm down, Shamrock. It’s just my family, you know? They’re happy to have you here.”