Birdie and Jack looked at each other like they weren’t sure it was a good idea.
“You said Sheriff Draven took them to the jail. It will be safe enough to go to Hugh’s house. I know he still isn’t sure about marrying me. So maybe if I do something nice for him, it will help him make up his mind.”
The sympathetic look Birdie gave her told Minnie she’d won. Birdie knew of Minnie’s developing feelings for Hugh. Given her own recent success in love, she wouldn’t deny Minnie a chance at happiness.
“All right. But let Jack walk you there. And stay there until Hugh returns.”
Minnie nodded. “Of course. I just want to make Hugh happy.”
The smile Birdie gave her made Minnie feel guilty. She’d write as soon as it was safe. But even that silent promise didn’t make her feel better about misleading her friend. Still, as she gathered her things, Minnie did her best to act normally.
Once Jack left Minnie at Hugh’s house, Minnie quickly hung the curtains, not wanting to waste any time. She could see the mail wagon at Birdie’s preparing to leave Noelle, so she had to hurry. After rummaging through Hugh’s desk, Minnie found some pen and paper, and wrote him a quick note, apologizing for the inconvenience, and asking him to beg Birdie’s forgiveness on her behalf. It wasn’t much, but it would have to do.
Minnie slipped out of the house and, careful that no one noticed her, climbed into the back of the mail wagon, situating herself underneath the bags of mail. Though she knew she must have taken several breaths in the time it took for the wagon to be on its way, Minnie didn’t breathe easily until she’d felt the creak of the springs for several minutes.
It was a terrible thing, leaving behind such good friends. But how else was she to protect them? How else was she to avoid such a terrible fate? She’d heard whispers about the woman one of the men had hurt. Angelique. Hugh’s friend.
The wagon stopped. Minnie lay very still, waiting to get underway again. She could hear the rustle of the flap in the back. Apparently, the wagon would have more stops before heading over the pass. Hopefully she wouldn’t be discovered, but if she was, maybe the driver would be sympathetic to her situation.
“Minnie?” Hugh’s voice startled her. “I know you’re in there. I read your note. Please, come out.”
How was she supposed to refuse him?
She moved to the bags of mail that had been covering her.
“I can’t marry him,” she said.
“I know.”
The pained look on his face sent a glimmer of hope to herMinnie’s heart.
“What are we going to do?” she asked.
“I don’t know,” he said, letting out a long sigh. “But your note scared me to death. I can’t lose you. And yet, without your father’s approval, I can’t keep you.”
She hated that he spoke the truth. Especially because he wore every bit of his torment on his face.
“Can we figure this out together?” he asked. “Will you trust me enough to find a way to help you that doesn’t ruin us all?”
Given that she’d already been trying to do so, Minnie wasn’t sure what other options they had. “What if there isn’t one?”
Hugh shook his head. “There must be.”
“And if there isn’t?”
Maybe she was a fool to push the issue, but if there was any chance she would end up married to Lord Milliken, then she had to stay on this wagon.
Standing up straighter, he gave her a look that spoke of a deep promise. “Then we leave together. I don’t want to leave Noelle and abandon my friends, but if it is our only option, then we’ll go. There’s a man in town who wants to buy my land, and though I hate to do it, I’ll sell it to him, and along with what I have saved up, it will be enough for us to hide. But let us pray it doesn’t come to that.”
His voice shook as he spoke, and Minnie realized just how much he feared there wouldn’t be a way for them to be together and remain in Noelle. Would it be worth it? Thinking about Birdie and Jack, Minnie would like to hope that she and Hugh would share the same happiness. But what if they were making a terrible mistake? Was she ruining Hugh’s life just as much as she was ruining hers?
Hugh turned to her. “For now, we’re going to let everyone think you succeeded in leaving. There’s a place you can hide at my house if someone comes looking for you. You’ll have to stay hidden, even more than you did at the freight office. Are you willing to do that?”
She was willing, but what if she was wrong? Still, Hugh had to have some faith that things would work out between them to take such a risk.
“Yes.”
Hopefully she hadn’t made the wrong decision.
Chapter 9
The Eighth Day of Christmas
January 1, 1877
Hugh hated lying to his friends. But when he and Minnie had returned to town the day before, he’d taken Minnie to a secret storage room under his living quarters. He’d put it there for times when they had a great deal of gold and didn’t want to draw anyone’s attention to it. He kept the room a secret even from Charlie. And now, he was glad.
He had just gone to his work area to make sure no one was around before letting Minnie out again. Though he’d given her items for her comfort, she had to be going mad down there. As soon as he knew it would be safe, he’d go down and visit her, and bring her some breakfast. However, as he entered his office, he could see Draven at the door.
“Good morning,” Hugh said, opening the door. “Any word of Minnie?”
The sheriff gave him an odd look. “Nope. I just figured I would come to check on things.”
The other man stepped into the shop and looked around. Hugh didn’t know what he was looking for, but there would be no sign of Minnie here. She’d left the note on his desk, which Hugh had already shown him, and he’d taken.
“Not much to check on.”
Draven looked at the door to his living quarters. “I could use a cup of coffee.”
“Of course.”
Hugh led him into the room, looking around to make sure nothing was out of place, even though he’d been very careful to make sure there wasn’t any sign of Minnie in the room.
He went to the stove and grabbed the pot that had already been simmering.
“I see I interrupted your breakfast,” Draven said, pointing at the plate on the table.
He’d already eaten, because he’d been afraid that someone would stop by and see multiple dishes. At least he was right in cleaning up after himself before preparing something for Minnie.
“It’s all right. To be honest, I’m not that hungry, worrying about Minnie. Would you like some? There’s plenty to share.”
“Just the coffee,” Draven said. “But don’t let me keep you from eating. Pearl made me a nice meal this morning, and I’d hate to see yours go to waste.”
Hugh took a bite, and his stomach immediately complained in response. Then he set his fork down. “I just don’t have much of an appetite.”
Hopefully, he could get rid of him quickly so Minnie could eat. They’d had a filling supper, but she had to be hungry.
“We’ll have more to worry about soon enough. I received word from Arthur Coveney. He and Lord Milliken are coming to get Margaret personally. I’m not sure what we’re going to do now that Margaret is missing.”
Draven looked at him expectantly, like he knew that Hugh had something to do with Margaret’s disappearance.
“Show them her note. I think it’s clear enough that she left, and why.”
The suspicious look didn’t leave his face. “Jack and Birdie feel terrible. Birdie is nearly beside herself with worry over Margaret’s safety. I’m surprised you didn’t go after her.”
“You didn’t, either. We both know that by the time her note was found, it was too late to try to head over the pass. A man would get lost in the dark.”
Draven stared at him. “So why didn’t you go after her this morning?”
“How am I supposed to know which train she’s gettin
g on?”
“There aren’t many trains, and you know it. What’s really going on?”
The answer to his question wasn’t as simple as it seemed. He couldn’t tell the man the truth, not with Minnie’s father on his way. But he also couldn’t lie to his friend any more than he already had.
“You know more than I do. Just let me know how I can help with Coveney, and I’ll do it.”
Draven shook his head. “You can start by telling me where his daughter is.”
“If I knew, I would tell you. But I don’t.” It wasn’t exactly a lie. After all, Hugh didn’t know exactly where Minnie was in the storage room. She could be on the little pallet she’d made up for herself as a bed, or she could be sitting on a chair.
“This is a dangerous game you’re playing,” Draven said. “I hope you know what you’re doing.”
He stood, and drained the rest of his coffee. “But just so you know, if Coveney decides to file charges, I can’t help you. At least, if you tell me the truth now, maybe we can figure a way out.”
But there wasn’t a way out. That was the problem. Especially not if both Coveney and her fiancé were coming.
“Thanks for the warning. Let me know when they arrive.”
Hugh walked Draven out and watched as the other man headed down the street. The rest of the town seemed to be going about their usual business, which was a good sign. At least Hugh hoped.
He locked the door then went back to his living quarters where he locked that door as well. He was grateful for the curtains Minnie had hung, which gave him a little more privacy. He took the plate and use the secret trapdoor under his bed to get to her.
She had a small lamp and was using it to read. But when he came down, she closed her book and smiled at him. “I was starting to get worried.”
“Sorry. Draven came to see me.”
“I heard. What are we going to do about my father?”
Hugh still didn’t know. But hopefully, something would present itself. He handed her the plate he’d prepared for her. “I’ll talk to him when he gets here, see what I can do about changing his mind. Maybe he won’t be as intent on having you marry Lord Milliken knowing the lengths you’ve gone to avoid it.”
“I doubt it,” Minnie said between bites. “I think he’ll mostly be mad that I defied him. But I suppose it’s worth a try.”
He sat with Minnie for a while, enjoying her company as she ate. It would be nice to have her here with him always. Although it would be even better if she could have her out in the open. He hoped they could figure out a solution soon.
As Minnie finished her breakfast, Hugh heard footsteps in front of his door. “I should go. It sounds like I have visitors.”
He took her plate and climbed up out of the room, careful to make sure it didn’t look like anything had been disturbed.
Before going to the door, he put the plate in the basin. When he peered out the window, he saw Charlie standing there.
He let Charlie in. “Do you have any new ore for me to look at?”
“Not at the moment. I’m here about Margaret. If you know where she is, you have to produce her. We don’t want Coveney thinking we stand against him.”
Surely someone would be an ally. Minnie was safe for now, but how much longer could Hugh keep her there without people figuring it out?
“As I told Draven, I’ll do everything I can to help.”
Charlie looked as doubtful as Draven had, but Hugh had made a promise to Minnie, and he had to help her. “Have you talked to the cook at La Maison? She was friendly with Minnie. Maybe she knows something.”
“I don’t have time to go chasing down people who might to know something about Margaret. I’m looking at the man who probably knows everything.”
He supposed he did make it a little too obvious, at least where his feelings were concerned. Still, he wasn’t going to give her up without a fight.
“Then I’ll go talk to her. If Coveney and Lord Milliken are truly on their way, we’ll need to see to their comforts anyway. I’ll see what arrangements can be made for them at La Maison while I’m there.”
If anything, it would at least keep everyone from continually stopping by. While he knew Minnie was hidden from view, the room had not been built with the intention of hiding a person in there. If she could hear everything being said, if she made a noise, someone might hear her.
“Let me walk with you. On our way, you can tell me how things are going at the mine.” As they exited, he was careful to lock the door behind him. Hopefully it would deter anyone from entering and looking for Minnie on their own. He’d like to think that Charlie and Draven would never do such a thing, but then, Hugh had never thought he would have to lie to them either.
As they walked toward La Maison, Charlie filled him in on what had been happening at the mine. Nothing new or promising to report, but it was good to be kept up-to-date on things. Fortunately, it was a short walk, so he didn’t have to continue feeling guilty for long.
When Hugh entered the building, Arabella accosted him almost immediately. “Where have you been? Why haven’t you been seeing to my comforts?”
“Why are you still here? I thought I made it clear I wanted nothing more to do with you.”
“And I told you that I won’t be leaving without you. The family needs you.”
“My place is here,” he said, wondering if that would still be true after Coveney’s visit. Even though Hugh had no desire to ever return to England, he had to consider it a viable option if he couldn’t convince Minnie’s father to call off her wedding.
Arabella gave one of her famous little pouts. “I need you.”
There had to be more to her story than she was giving. And while he ordinarily wouldn’t have had the patience for dealing with her drama, an idea hit. If she were to tell Coveney about what an important family they all were, even though Hugh’s title was technically useless, it might be enough to impress the other man and consider Hugh’s suit.
“Forgive me,” he said, turning on his old charm. “I haven’t been as attentive to you and our family’s needs as I should have been. Tell me what is going on, and how I can help. I have a little time before Margaret’s father arrives to fetch her, and I hope you will assist me in entertaining him.”
A wide smile filled her face. “She is going home then? And you are not marrying her?”
Oh, he would be marrying her, all right. But that was a part of his plan he couldn’t yet admit to. “I believe that is what her father wants.”
She gestured toward the parlor. “Then let’s discuss how to impress Mr. Coveney, so the wedding will still happen. It wouldn’t do for him to think that his daughter has been living in such horrible conditions. The groom might cry off if he knows how she has been compromised. But don’t you worry, I will make sure they understand that everything has been proper, and that I have been a most excellent chaperone.”
Playing on her need to get Margaret out of the way would make Arabella proud of how underhanded it was, if she wasn’t the one being taken advantage of. But the more she rolled out the red carpet to impress Mr. Coveney, the more he might be willing to look upon Hugh as a prospective suitor. She was sure to go on and on about what an important family they were, and she was equally certain to put out her hopes for Hugh becoming the future duke. Only in this case, he wouldn’t argue.
She went through the room, making small adjustments as she hummed to herself. Then she stopped. “But where is Margaret? She must be here so that I can demonstrate what an excellent chaperone I’ve been.”
And that was the trouble. How could he bring Minnie out into the open at the risk of his plan failing? And what would his friends think if they knew he’d been hiding her all along?
“Leave that to me,” he said. “I’m going to have a word with Milly.”
Arabella made a noise. “That figures. Milly has been horrible to me this whole time. I overheard her telling Margaret she would help her hide, but you have to convince her
that Margaret needs to return to our room so that it’s all proper. We cannot afford the appearance of impropriety.”
Hugh nodded, then took his leave. When he entered the kitchen, Milly was there, and not at all happy that he’d entered her domain.
“You’re not welcome here.”
“Minnie needs your help.”
Milly looked startled, but then she wiped her hands on her apron. “In what way?”
“Her father and fiancé are coming. She’s in hiding right now, and I’m supposed to produce her. I can’t hand her over to them. But I need her here for my plan to work. I just don’t know what I will do if my plan fails.”
A thoughtful look crossed her face. “I told you I have a hiding spot. If things go bad, I can put her there.”
Then she gave him a knowing look. “Where is she now? I heard she’s gone missing. Charlie is furious because he thinks you had something to do with it. I didn’t think you had the guts, so I’m happy to be wrong.”
“I can’t say. I’m still trying to work out how to produce her with the least amount of fuss.”
Was that respect on her face? “I’ll tell everyone she’s been with me. Get her here, and I’ll take care of the rest.”
At least that was one problem solved. And hopefully a potential solution if Coveney was not impressed by Hugh’s title.
“All right,” he said. He started to leave, then stopped and looked at her. “What changed your mind about me? And why are you so eager to help her?”
“You called her Minnie. Plus, you wouldn’t be hiding her if you didn’t care for her. As for why I’m helping her, out of all the Society ladies I’ve ever known, Minnie has been the only one to treat me with respect. When I was a little girl, my mother worked in a house with a mistress like Minnie. She was kind to me, but her husband was a cruel man, and she often protected me from him. And when it was clear that he had his sights on me with bad intentions, she found me a safe place to go. Life hasn’t always been good to me, but I’ve never forgotten that woman’s goodness, and someone as good as Minnie deserves to be helped.”
The Lord: The Tenth Day (The 12 Days of Christmas Mail-Order Brides Book 10) Page 10