by Aileen Fish
Finally, his flamboyant prince’s coat grabbed her attention, and her gaze flew to his face. His attention was aimed right at her. He smiled wide, and a dimple on his right cheek flashed.
To say the man was handsome wasn’t doing him justice. Ashton Lee was incredibly good looking. His hair was a deep, dark brown and—as she’d already experienced while running her fingers through it—a very soft texture. His eyebrows weren’t overly bushy as some men she’d met, but Ashton’s were—dare she say—nearly perfect. In fact, if she were truthful, he was more perfect than she had expected. Were men like this real? Or was he just putting on a farce for tonight’s event that made him act like a true prince?
Before Nicole knew what was happening, her relatives dragged her from one couple to the next, making introductions until she stood in front of General Babcock and his wife. The middle-aged man’s hair was thinning and receding like most men his age, but his mustache and crop of beard only on his chin were much too thick. To look at him now, it was hard to believe he served as a general in the war and was a respected man. Did he even know that stealing tax money from the government was against the law and he’d get arrested? Sad to think he’d done so much in the war and became a great man, only to sink to this criminal level.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you,” Nicole said as she curtsied.
“The pleasure is all mine.” The general puffed his chest as his gaze ran up and down Nicole’s length. “Many men have asked me about your identity tonight. I’m sure your aunt and uncle will be very busy this week with all the calling cards you’ll receive.”
She laughed lightly. “Oh, I’m sure you are exaggerating, General Babcock. There are many more women at this party who are prettier, I assure you.” She quickly turned to the general’s wife. “It’s nice to meet you, Mrs. Babcock. You have a lovely home.” Of course, now Nicole knew how the woman’s husband could afford to keep his family in such luxuries.
“Thank you, Miss Bastian. I must confess, there has been one man in particular who came around asking about you.” The plump, middle-aged woman grinned. Her rouged cheeks grew darker.
Nicole’s heart raced, wondering if she knew who that man might be…or at least hoping it was Ashton Lee. “Indeed? Who was asking about me?”
The older woman scanned her gazed across the crowded ballroom. “I can’t see him now, but I believe you have danced with him.” Chuckling, she shook her head. “He was dressed as a prince—so very dashing, if I must say.”
Happiness spread through Nicole. “Oh, Prince Charming?”
The others in her circle laughed loudly. Mrs. Babcock nodded vigorously. “Yes, that’s the man. He asked me the strangest question, though.”
“He did? What was it?” Nicole arched an eyebrow.
“I don’t know why, but he was inquiring about my housekeeper’s name, Mrs. Johnston.”
Panic gathered in Nicole’s chest, making it hard to breathe. Ashton had told her the servant’s name was Mrs. Hemsworth. So why was he asking Mrs. Babcock about it? Something didn’t seem right, and Nicole’s gut instinct told her to be cautious. She always followed her feelings, and right now, they told her that Ashton wasn’t being very truthful with her. But why? Indeed, she needed to find out by meeting him in town tomorrow and digging deeper into his secrets.
Chapter 4
Ashton sat behind his desk, staring out the window of his office at Conrail Railroad. It was still too early for people to walk from shop to shop on the streets. The sun started to peek in the horizon with splashes of red and yellow blending with the light-blue sky. The scenery was so peaceful; he could stare at it for hours. He always enjoyed the early mornings. Except the bright sun would soon bring people from their homes, and disrupt his solitude.
Today was no exception. Only one thing was different. He couldn’t stop smiling.
Although he was at work, he couldn’t keep his mind on his job. In a few hours he’d venture farther into town in hopes of seeing a specific woman. Anticipation kept him from getting much sleep last night, especially when remembering the kiss he and Nicole had shared. The kiss wasn’t long enough, and if he had his way today, he’d give her the kind of kiss he’d wanted to give her last night.
After the excitement of the kiss was over, he’d have to discover why she had lied about the Babcock’s housekeeper. What was Nicole really doing upstairs in the general’s study?
From outside the window, loud, upset voices boomed through the air. He rose from his chair and looked out. Two policemen stood near the office, talking with Glynn and Steven. Glynn shook his head as he rubbed his forehead, and Steven barked orders at the policemen as he waved his hands in frantic gestures.
Taking long strides, Ashton hurried out of the office and stepped on the boardwalk. All eyes turned toward him. “What’s going on?” he asked.
“Another train robbery,” Glynn grumbled.
Frustration rose in Ashton’s chest. “The government money was stolen again?”
“Yes,” Steven snapped.
Sighing heavily, Glynn raked his fingers through his thick, light brown hair. “If these thieves can’t be brought to justice, the government is going to stop using our railroad to send their items.”
Up until now, there had only been two train robberies in the last six weeks. This one made three. Ashton was surprised the government had used them at all this third time. “That’s true. We need to find out who these thieves are and stop them.” He switched his focus to one of the policemen. The older looking of the two, had streaks of white in his black mustache. “Have you found any leads?”
The man shook his head. “These bandits are calculating. It’s like they know that some of the depots are not patrolled.”
“Any witnesses?” Ashton asked.
“Just the same ones,” the other officer answered as he scratched behind his ear. “The people in the mail car are the only ones who see them, and just like the last robbery, they reported one man wearing black clothes with a black handkerchief around his neck.”
Steve grumbled. “Only one man, and yet, there are two guards. How is one man able to steal the money when the odds are not in his favor?”
The police officer shrugged. “We asked the guards this very question, and they say the man wasn’t suspicious when they first saw him. They claim the man drugged them.”
“Drugged them?” Ashton gasped. “With what?”
“The guards didn’t know. But they vaguely remember him wearing black and a red bandana around his neck.”
Steve threw up his hands, muttering something under his breath as he paced the area around them. He wasn’t a very large man—more thin, in fact, but his stubborn temperament made up for his size.
“Was anybody hurt?” Ashton wondered.
The older of the two policemen shook his head. “As long as the guards do what they are asked, nobody gets hurt. This bandit is just there to take the money being sent to help rebuild the south. He doesn’t go into any other railcar, either.”
“Something needs to be done about this, and quickly!” Glynn snapped as he pointed his finger at the policemen. “I will offer a reward for the capture of these criminals. We cannot lose the trust of the government because of these robberies.”
“I agree.” Steve nodded. “And I’ll match the reward that Nickerson makes.” He turned his focus to Ashton. “Are you with us?”
“Of course I am,” Ashton said with a hard nod.
The older policeman released a heavy sigh, folding his arms across his chest. “Fine. I shall post it in the newspapers.”
“Thank you,” Glynn muttered. “What price shall we say, men?” His attention switched between Steve and Ashton. “One thousand a piece?”
Steve nodded. “Yes.”
“That’s a good amount.” Ashton raked his fingers through his hair.
The younger policeman gasped. “That’s a lot of money, Mr. Nickerson.”
Glynn lifted his chin and stood in a stubborn stance with h
is arms folded across his bulky chest. “Indeed, it is, but I’m serious about stopping these thieves, and nowadays, money talks louder than anyone I know.”
The policeman took Glynn aside and wrote down what needed to be said in the newspapers. Sighing heavily, Ashton followed Steve inside the office and over to his own desk, plopping down on the chair. “I don’t know if this will be enough,” he said softly, mainly to himself than to his friend.
“What won’t be enough?” Larson asked as he sat his slender body behind his desk, kicking his long legs to the side.
“Money.”
“Why don’t you think the money will be enough?”
Ashton shook his head. “I don’t know, but I have a feeling the police are going to have a hard time capturing this man. From what they have described in each robbery, we’re dealing with a professional. This one man dares to take on two guards? That doesn’t sound right in my book. But what worries me even more is that someone is going to get hurt…or even killed before this is over.”
“Yes, I fear that might happen, as well.”
Rubbing his chin, Ashton stared out the window in deep thought. There had to be some way to assist the police. Although Ashton had never truly been allowed to be an adventurous person, he’d do anything to help bring justice to these criminals no matter what it took.
Slowly, anger welled within him. Growing up, he’d been pampered by his wealthy parents. Even in school, his mother had the vapors if he came home from school with a tear in his breeches. Because of the way they coddled him, the other children in school would tease him endlessly. He learned to fight with his fists, but he was still fearful his parents would find out, and his father would use his power and money to buy off the family in order to leave Ashton alone.
If only his father had known that his actions only made the children hate Ashton more.
When the war started, he was eighteen years old and wanting to fight for the north. His parents would not have it. His father drilled into him that their family name meant everything. His father owned the largest bank in New York, and he convinced Ashton that he was needed to help at the bank. His father would do anything to keep power and prestige. Still, Ashton had wanted to fight with the other boys his age.
Once his mother discovered his desire to fight, she cried and made him feel guilty for wanting to leave. He was their only child. If he died in the war, they’d have nobody. She went on to explain that he would indeed die because unlike all the boys he’d gone to school with, he was pampered and kept out of harm’s way all of his life. In the army, there would be nobody to protect him.
Although Ashton hated it, he obeyed his mother and stayed home. He’d wished he had a backbone to stand up to his parents, but he hadn’t. It wasn’t until a few years ago when he’d learned that his father had paid someone else to go in Ashton’s place…and the man was shot and killed the first month out.
Bunching his fists, Ashton gritted his teeth in irritation. He’d hated his father for doing that, but the old man stood up for his cause, stating that Ashton needed to help with the bank and continue the family name.
He’d been saving his money and investing it in many different things, just as his father had taught Ashton, and when he read that Conrail Railroad was looking to bring on another business partner, he decided to stop following his father’s shadow and do something for himself. Remarkably, he had convinced Nickerson and Larson that he’d make the best partner.
It surprised him when his father didn’t get upset. Instead, the old man couldn’t be prouder of his son. Ashton remembered feeling angry at the way his father took the news. Ashton actually wanted some kind of confrontation with him. He wanted a chance to finally stand up to his old man. Unfortunately, that chance never arrived because his father died a month later. The doctor thought it was a heart attack.
Frowning, Ashton closed his eyes. No wonder he’d not felt like a real man before. Lately, he’d wondered if he even knew how to make it through life by himself. Little did Nicole Bastian know, but her kiss had evoked feelings in him he’d never had, and made him ponder his life in a more meaningful way.
And now…now he wanted to prove to someone, even if it was to himself, that he was a real man. That he could do what real men did. A man who could handle challenges, and a man he could be proud of.
“What are you thinking about over there?” Steve asked after several moments of silence.
Ashton snapped out of his thoughts and looked at his business partner. “I’m trying to think of what I can do to help the police.”
Steve rolled his eyes. “There’s nothing we can do here, unless you want to return to New York and work out of that office.”
“I’ll do what I have to do,” Ashton said quickly and assuredly.
“Well, I suppose one of us should return to New York City, at least until the thieves have been caught.”
“Then that’s what I’ll do.” Ashton stood, his legs pushing back his chair until it hit the wall. “I’ll pack my things tonight and leave by tomorrow afternoon. I’ll hound the police until we catch the criminal, and I won’t rest until it’s done.”
Gradually, a smile pulled on Steve’s mouth—something that didn’t happen often. “Good for you, Lee. I’m happy to see you’ve grown a backbone.”
Although the comment was meant as praise, Ashton felt the hint of an insult behind the true meaning. But Larson was correct. Ashton had never shown his business partners that he had a backbone, only because he had never had one.
But starting today, he would prove that he did. He’d make them proud to be their friend. And, he’d let one certain woman know that he was truly a Prince Charming.
~*~
The morning passed too slowly for Nicole, and she wanted to scream with frustration. Of course, now that the whiskey-ring fraud case was over for her, she literally had nothing to do but sit and wait for the next assignment. Or, in this case, wait for the morning to pass so she could come up with some excuse to go into town.
She couldn’t let her relatives know the reason she wanted to go shopping. For certain, her aunt and uncle would be watching her closely if they knew she was somewhat interested in Mr. Ashton Lee.
Silently chuckling, she shook her head. All right, so maybe she was more than somewhat interested in him. The fact that she hadn’t stopped thinking about last night at the ball told her she was definitely infatuated with the charming man who knew how to kiss her until she was breathless. Never had her heart beat so hard, or had she felt the urge to stay in a man’s embrace like she had with him.
She’d lain awake after retiring for bed last night, just staring at the dark walls in her room as her mind went back over everything she and Ashton had said, every touch, and especially, every time her heart skipped a beat. Even though she hadn’t gotten much sleep, she was still up at the crack of dawn, hoping the morning would pass quickly so she could ride into town and see him.
She had wandered through the house, and even outside, wanting something to do that would keep her mind occupied. Reading didn’t even help. She’d started writing a couple of letters to her father and brother, but found her mind drifting off several times, unable to concentrate.
Never had she felt such restlessness, and the more restless she was, the more upset she became. This was certainly a different emotion for her and she wished she could go back to feeling normal once again. Yet, she caught herself smiling, and daydreaming, and yes, even laughing much more now than she ever had.
A loud knock sounded on the door, and she jumped in her chair. Her uncle had allowed her to use his study while she wrote letters to her father and brother. She had closed the door as not to be disturbed.
“Come in,” she called.
The door opened and a familiar head poked inside. She hitched a breath and leapt out of her chair. “Gordon!” She widened her arms and met her brother in the center of the room, giving him a hug. “What are you doing here?” Suddenly, worry filled her chest and she pu
lled back. “Were you able to deliver the package safe and sound?”
He winked and squeezed her hands. “You doubt my ability to do my job?”
Relieved, she shook her head. “No. It’s just that your surprise visit worried me for a moment.”
“I gave the package to Father and he will take it to President Grant.”
Suspiciously, she narrowed her gaze on her brother. “Then why are you here?”
He glanced behind him toward the hallway and closed the door. She walked with him to the sofa and sat down.
“We’ve been given another assignment from the President,” he said in a lower voice.
Dread washed over her. “So soon?” Couldn’t she enjoy a little vacation? If even for a few days?
He nodded. “Unfortunately, the President wants this to be our top priority now. Apparently, a train has been robbed. This train was the one the government uses to send money to Georgia to help rebuild the old south. We need to find out why they are being robbed.”
“Oh, dear. It sounds very important.” She frowned, knowing her time with Ashton Lee would be very limited. “When does President Grant want us to start?”
“Father will be back in New York by the end of the week. You have that long to relax before joining us at the townhouse.”
That wasn’t too bad. At least she had a few more days to get to know her prince. “Fine. I’ll be there by the end of the week as well.” She glanced at the closed door. “Have you said anything to Uncle Michael about this?”
“All I said was that Father would return home at the end of the week, and he wants his children there with him for much needed family time. Our uncle agrees with Father.”
Smiling, she shook her head. “That’s a good excuse. I swear, you can convince people of anything. Sometimes I wish my brain worked as quickly as yours.”
He threw back his head and laughed. “You certainly have a quick wit, my dear sister. If half the women I meet were as intelligent as you, I might find one to marry.”
She blurted out a laugh. “Really? You don’t want some dimwitted female as your wife? If you married someone who actually thought for themselves, they might argue with you—and win.”