Bride by Arrangement

by Karen Kirst

  “Revenge. Isaac built Harper into a thriving city. When the railroad came through, he lobbied for them to choose Harper.” Pippa shrugged. “They chose Cowboy Creek, and Harper went bust. Isaac died a broken, disillusioned man.”

  “So you’re saying that D.B. came here to foil Noah, Will and Daniel’s success?”

  “Yes, that’s right.” Her hazel eyes took on a speculative gleam. “I guess printing unflattering articles wasn’t getting the job done, so he sent for Prudence to aid him in more drastic measures. I’m not sure what their connection is, but I’m going to find out.”

  “How are you planning to do that?”

  Bolting to her feet, Pippa threw out her arms and bowed. “Pretending to be other people is my profession. I’m going to transform myself into Prudence Haywood and trick D.B. into confessing.”

  Disbelief stole her breath. “You’re taller than her. Less curvy. Your hair’s the wrong shade.” Getting up took some effort as her queen’s costume weighed a ton. Maneuvering the voluminous skirts, Grace went to her friend. “If D.B. is the culprit, he’s a dangerous man, Pippa. And cunning. How will you convince him?”

  “We’re going to do it at night. I’ll be wearing a hat with a decorative veil. Prudence wouldn’t want anyone to recognize her, so he won’t be suspicious about my attire. I’ll disguise my voice. Don’t worry. I have the training and skills to pull this off.”

  “I can’t believe Noah agreed to this.”

  “He didn’t want to. I’d gone to the office in search of Gideon. He wasn’t there, but I overhead Will and Daniel sharing their frustrations. I offered my services and, as they were out of ideas, they reluctantly accepted.”

  “Does Gideon know what you’re planning?” Grace asked.

  Her first hint of disquiet became visible. “Not yet. I’ll tell him this evening. He’s taking me to the Cattleman for dinner.”

  “He won’t like it.”

  Instead of her standard flippant reply, she said, “This will be a chance for him to show whether he trusts my judgment or not.”

  “Promise me you’ll be careful.”

  “I promise.” Her expression brightened. “Grace, will you be here with me while I prepare? It would be much more fun if you were here.”

  “I’ll have to arrange for someone to watch Jane and Abigail.” While she wanted no part of this daring scheme, she had a duty to support her friend. “When?”

  “Tomorrow night.”

  “I’ll be here.”

  As she changed into her regular clothes, Grace prayed and asked God to keep His hand on her friend. She hoped this wouldn’t prove to be a costly mistake.

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  Where was Grace? How was she doing?

  Surely the twins were wondering where he’d been these past few days. Did they miss him as much as he missed their happy smiles and unconditional love?

  Stop thinking about her, he ordered himself for the hundredth time. Nothing good can come from dwelling on your biggest mistake.

  “Sheriff Burgess.”

  Noah halted outside the hotel’s entrance. Old Horace and Gus were waving him over to their usual spot in front of Booker & Son. He sighed. Now that he’d seen them, he couldn’t very well ignore their summons.

  Traversing the light morning traffic, he stepped onto the boardwalk and welcomed the awning’s shade. It was going to be a scorcher.

  “Morning, gentlemen. What can I do for you?”

  “How ya like living at the Cattleman?” Gus peered up at him.

  Old Horace snickered. “Never thought I’d see the day a man allowed himself to get run off his own land by a female.”

  Noah’s disagreeable mood soured further. “What do you need, gentlemen? I’ve got work to do.”

  He still couldn’t believe he was allowing Pippa Neely to do his job for him. But he, Will and Daniel had had zero success ferreting out D.B.’s secrets. Her plan had struck them as sensible at the time. She’d been so convincing. But the more he thought about her scheme, the less he liked it.

  Gideon’s late-night visit to his room had underscored his unease. The normally easygoing train rep had been irate and visibly disturbed by the thought of Pippa exposing herself to danger. He’d blamed Noah for ruining what was supposed to have been a romantic evening culminating in a marriage proposal. Instead, he and Pippa had engaged in a stunning row. She’d accused Gideon of not trusting her. He’d accused her of being reckless. The lovebirds had parted on bad terms.

  Gus pushed his boot off the planks and set his rocker moving. “We saw a suspicious individual last night, Sheriff.”

  Old Horace spit a stream of tobacco juice. “He was lurking around. Peering in windows. Asking questions. Suspicious, I say.”

  Impatience gripped him. “Did he do anything unlawful?”

  “Nope.”

  “Not that I saw.”

  He kicked up a shoulder. “Then my hands are tied.” He made to leave.

  “He weren’t no drover,” Gus called after him. “This feller was a highfalutin businessman. Tall. Dark hair slicked back off his face.”

  “Fancy suit,” Horace chimed in.

  “Had a gun on him. I saw the pearl handle when his jacket gaped open.”

  Noah tipped his hat up. “Now, that I can do something about. Firearms aren’t permitted within town limits. I’ll keep my eye out for him.”

  “You’re a right good lawman. I don’t care what anyone else says.” Old Horace spit again.

  Grimacing, he bid them good day. He didn’t need the old codgers to remind him that his reputation wasn’t quite as sterling as it had been. You have only yourself to blame. You should’ve marched Grace Longstreet straight to the hotel that very first day. Muttering under his breath, he headed for the jail, not at all in the mood to deal with Xavier’s needling and sarcastic remarks.

  The day should’ve dragged. But one minor catastrophe after another kept him hopping from one place to the next, and before he knew it, the clock chimed six. He left Daniel’s office at the stockyards and was passing beneath the opera house marquee when he came face-to-face with Grace.

  As lovely as usual in a sunflower-yellow dress, she stopped short when she noticed him, her gloved hands knotting at her waist.

  “Noah.” Her forehead creased. “I didn’t expect to see you. I, ah—”

  The ice encasing his heart had begun to melt the moment he saw her. He couldn’t let himself soften. Couldn’t give in to the voice insisting he forgive her. Or at least give her a chance to defend her actions.

  “What are you doing here, Constance?” He deliberately used the false name. “Oh, I forgot. Grace.”

  She paled. “I came to see Pippa.”

  “She’s busy,” he said brusquely. “You’ll have to see her another time.”

  “She’s expecting me.” Her chin lifted a fraction. “I know about your plan.”

  Noah glanced about to make sure no one was listening. This far end of Eden Street was deserted at the moment.

  “You shouldn’t be here.” He fisted his hands at his sides. “You’ll only distract her.”

  Her lower lip trembled. Lifting a hand to him, she whispered, “Noah, please. Won’t you let me at least try to explain?”

  He nodded. “I would like for you to tell me something.”

  “Anything.” Surprise brightened her eyes, along with hope. Wasted hope.

  Schooling his features into an unyielding mask, he said, “When exactly are you planning on leaving? ’Cause I’d like to have my house back.”

  Blinking rapidly, she dipped her head, hiding from his hard stare. He felt like an ogre, but the anger and humiliation were like a raging inferno inside.

  “I’ll let you know tomorrow,” she said in a small voice. “I
’m going to purchase my tickets first thing.”

  He would not ask where she was going.

  * * *

  He didn’t care where she was going, Grace acknowledged with a pang. He just wanted her gone.

  She shouldn’t be surprised. She’d tricked him about her past and her identity. No way would he believe she’d tumbled in love with him.

  Being this close to him was agony. His bright blue eyes were as cold as Lake Michigan in the middle of winter. It was as if he were staring down one of his captured outlaws, someone despicable, someone without honor. For a soldier who’d risked his life for his convictions, a rancher-turned-lawman who brought the lawless to justice, her deception must be particularly difficult to comprehend, much less forgive.

  “Will you ever accept that I’m sorry for what I did?”

  His mouth flattened into an unforgiving line. “I accept that you’re sorry for getting caught.”

  Grace nodded, unable to speak past the emotions crowding her chest. She left him standing on the boardwalk and was almost to the set of double doors when he spoke.

  “Grace?”

  Her glove slipped from the brass knob. “Yes?”

  “Don’t stay long. Go back to the ranch and stay there until this is over.”

  Escaping into the darkened opera house, she sucked in deep breaths in an effort to subdue the crying fit threatening to overtake her. She couldn’t let Pippa see her distress. Noah was right about one thing—she couldn’t afford to distract her tonight.

  When she was confident she had herself in hand, she made her way along the aisle and behind the stage to the dressing rooms. An impassioned male voice drifted to her.

  “It’s not that I don’t trust your acting abilities. I’ve seen your performances, and you’re a fine actress. I’m worried, that’s all. I can’t lose you, Pippa.”

  Grace hesitated on the threshold. Gideon and Pippa were sharing a private moment.

  “I overreacted,” Pippa admitted, affection evident in her voice. “I don’t want you to worry. The men will be close by, listening for the confession. They’ll leap to my rescue if need be.”

  “I’ll be there, as well.”

  Knocking on the door frame, Grace took a few halting steps into the room, the smells of velvet, perfume and musty air blending together. “I’m sorry to interrupt. I can come back if you’d like...”

  Gideon put distance between himself and Pippa, clasping his hands behind him. With his blond hair brushed off his forehead and dressed in his dove-gray suit, he looked ready to whisk his lady away to a romantic spot.

  Seated at her dressing table, Pippa turned a half circle on the cushioned bench. “Grace, hello. I’m so glad you came.”

  Concern eclipsed her reluctance to intrude. Pippa was stunning, as always, but a closer look revealed beads of perspiration on her brow and a tightness to her jaw.

  “Are you nervous?”

  “I’m never nervous,” she denied, only to grimace.

  Gideon put a hand on her shoulder. “What’s the matter?”

  “I—” She gulped and clutched her stomach. “I don’t feel...” Bolting to her feet, she lurched through a door. The sound of her retching was undeniable.

  Gideon started pacing. Grace kept her gaze on the door. When Pippa came out minutes later, she was weak and trembling.

  Assisting her to the bench, Gideon brushed a stray lock behind her ear, tenderness in the touch. “Is this normal before a performance?”

  “No. I’m afraid it’s something worse,” she moaned.

  “What?” he grew alarmed.

  “I’ve felt nauseous since I woke. I think the coleslaw I ate last night made me sick.”

  “I didn’t eat the coleslaw,” he said.

  Burying her face in her hands, her words were muffled. “Be glad. I thought it tasted sour but ate it, anyway.”

  Grace went and crouched before her. “You can’t go through with the masquerade.”

  “She’s right.” Gideon rubbed Pippa’s back. “I’ll let Noah know what’s happening. We can reschedule.”

  When she raised her head, the black liner around her eyes had smudged and half her lipstick had rubbed off. She looked like a bedraggled doll. Poor Pippa.

  “D.B. knows he’s being investigated,” she said. “What if he bolts?”

  “That’s not your priority right now.”

  “What if this is our only chance?”

  Grace glanced at the pots of makeup littering the table. “I’ll do it.”

  Both of them stared at her like she was insane Pippa was the first to recover her voice. “You’re not an actress. You lack professional training.”

  She crossed her arms. “You said I could give you pointers.”

  “Why would you offer to take her place?” Gideon’s eyebrows met over his nose. “It’s not without great risk.”

  “If D.B. is guilty, he deserves to be punished.” When the train rep continued to regard her, she revealed the true reason. “This town is everything to Noah. It’s his home. His sanctuary. I’ve spoiled that. Doing this for him is a small way for me to make up for my actions.”

  Pippa looked pained, whether due to the conversation or her illness, Grace wasn’t sure. “I don’t know, Grace. It’s a noble offer, but—”

  “Please? Let me do this for you. For Noah. For Cowboy Creek.”

  After an interminable silence, Pippa slowly nodded. “I’ll help you get into character.”

  * * *

  “This is going to work.” Daniel’s whispered reassurance as he crouched beside him in the dark testified to Noah’s nerves.

  He couldn’t shake the feeling of dread lodged in the pit of his stomach. Putting an innocent female’s life in jeopardy went against his Southern upbringing.

  “This was our only recourse,” Daniel spoke again, nothing more than a hulking shadow. “Relax, old friend. I can hear your bones rattling from here.”

  Noah nodded, the cold weight of his rifle a comfort. He and Daniel were the closest to the newspaper office’s rear porch. They were using the storage shed for cover, close enough to hear what was being said and to intervene if necessary. He prayed it wouldn’t be.

  Will was hunkered down several yards away, his own weapon at the ready.

  There was no way of knowing exactly who they were dealing with. Gideon had used his connection to the railroad to get a hasty reply on his query—turned out Prudence hadn’t bought a ticket. She hadn’t been on the train.

  D.B. was either covering for her, or he honestly believed the lies she told him.

  Please let it be the latter.

  His instincts told him D.B. was guilty. The man’s attitude toward them, his unflattering articles about the town, didn’t indicate a satisfied citizen.

  “Five minutes to go,” Daniel warned.

  “I’m ready for this to be over with,” Noah muttered, more nervous in this moment than when he’d faced down a couple hundred gray uniforms.

  Running footsteps behind them had his finger going to the trigger. Flattening against the shed’s exterior, he and Daniel did their best to blend into the darkness and gloom.

  The person approaching headed straight for them. Daniel sucked in a harsh breath.

  “Don’t shoot” came a fierce whisper. “It’s Gideon.”

  Noah’s muscles relaxed a fraction. Irritation sharpened his voice. “You shouldn’t be here.”

  He understood why Gideon had come. If the woman Noah loved was in imminent danger, no one would be able to keep him away. Thankfully Grace was at the ranch, safe and sound.

  As that last thought fully registered, he nearly dropped his rifle. Love Grace? Everything in him rebelled. He didn’t know Grace. He’d thought he’d known the woman called Constance. He�
��d admired her. He’d even admit that he’d cared for her. But these past weeks had been a mirage.

  An alluring, tempting mirage that he’d come close to buying as truth.

  Gideon’s uneven breathing sounded loud. Too loud. Any minute, Pippa was going to come walking along the street to knock on D.B.’s door, as planned. The man was risking the plan.

  “Pippa’s ill,” he panted, seeking shelter on the other side of Daniel.

  Disappointment crashed through him. He lowered his rifle. “So this was all for nothing.”

  “You don’t understand. Grace was at the opera house. She volunteered to take Pippa’s place.”

  Noah worked to make sense of what he was saying. “That’s ridiculous. She has nothing to do with this.”

  “You told her no, right?” Situated between Noah and Gideon, Daniel shifted in the dirt.

  Gideon’s pause spoke volumes. Noah’s heart hung suspended in his chest for long, excruciating seconds before exploding against his rib cage in a defiant rhythm. He eyed the vacant street. Denial ricocheted through his mind.

  “She insisted. We agreed it was the best alternative,” he finally admitted.

  “No.” He gritted his teeth. “I can’t believe she’d go through with something so dangerous.” The weathered boards bit into his back. His hands grew slick with sweat.

  All he could see was her face earlier that day outside the opera house. He’d willfully spoken with the aim to inflict pain. To hurt her as deeply as she’d hurt him. Judging from the misery and regret that had been present in her beautiful eyes, he’d succeeded.

  Daniel placed a hand on his arm. “We don’t know for sure that we have anything to worry about.”

  “You believe that as much as I do,” he retorted. “If the man was innocent, he would’ve come to us about the missive he received from Prudence.” The fake one they’d planted in his office late last night. “I’ve got to stop her.”

  “Too late,” Gideon murmured.

  The three of them froze as a black-clad figure came into view. Grace. A veil concealed much of her face. The pale hair peeking out must be a wig. Grace was shorter than Pippa, which put her closer in height to Prudence.