Marriage Deal With the Outlaw & the Warrior's Damsel in Distress & the Knight's Scarred Maiden : Harlequin Historical August 2017 (9781488021640)

by St. Harper George; Fuller, Meriel; Locke, Nicole

  “Good. Still unlocked.” Zane kicked it open and led the way inside with his burden over his shoulder. Castillo latched it behind them and rushed up the steps to the back door.

  The door led into a servant’s hallway. A girl he vaguely recognized screeched when he forced the door open and stumbled inside. She dropped the pile of linens she’d been holding and rushed away from them toward the front of the house, no doubt going to alert her mistress. That meant they’d have only a few precious moments alone with the man before Glory found them.

  “This way.” Castillo led them to a storeroom off to the left and shut the door behind them. Zane set the man down onto a crate of bottled whiskey. In the light, Castillo could see the man was young, probably around twenty. The flesh around his eye was already beginning to swell, but he was alert as he looked back at them, fear making him tremble.

  “Who the hell are you?” Castillo demanded.

  “J-Johnson, Rob Johnson.” He gave them an insolent glare as he spat a mouthful of blood onto the wooden floor.

  Zane shrugged when Castillo looked at him to see if the name meant anything to him. Castillo wasn’t able to place it amongst the lowlifes they’d met over the past several years, but then again, it wasn’t a very memorable name. “Do you know who I am?” Castillo asked.

  “No, didn’t ask.” Johnson drew forward a little as he gave Castillo a closer look.

  “What’s that mean?”

  When Johnson just glared, Zane reached forward and grabbed a handful of his shirt, nearly pulling him all the way up to his feet. “Better start explaining yourself real quick, boy.”

  Johnson’s eyes widened as he looked from Zane to Castillo and back again. “I meant that I was told to follow this one.” He nodded at Zane, who still held him. “He’s been staying at the brothel here, and I was told to watch him and follow him.”

  “Who told you this?” Zane asked. “Glory?”

  The man’s eyes widened and he shook his head. “Fella I met over at the Alhambra.” The Alhambra was a saloon just a few blocks over, nearer the edge of town. It was said that men went into that hellhole and never reappeared. “Gave me twenty dollars to take the job. Said he’d give me fifty if I could deliver the Spaniard to him.” He tilted his chin up toward Castillo. “You’re the Spaniard, ain’t you? The fella said he wanted you dead or alive, and the big fella here would lead me to you.”

  “What man?” Castillo asked. There must’ve been something menacing in his voice, because Johnson began to quake.

  Before Johnson could answer, the door swung open and Glory stood framed in the doorway. Her dark-red hair was piled artfully on her head and she was dressed like she’d just stepped from the most elegant salon in Paris in a gown of black silk with an underskirt of pinstripes in gray and white. She looked like an elegant lady, but her eyes were blazing with fury. “What are you doing?” For all its anger, her Southern accent put a cultured slant on her words.

  “Do you know who this man is?” Castillo asked.

  She narrowed her eyes at Castillo, as if considering if she would deign to answer him, but after a moment looked at the man Zane was still holding. “No. Now get him out of my house. All of you, out.”

  Zane dropped the man, who landed hard on the wooden crate of whiskey bottles. The bottles wobbled and clinked together inside the crate. “You’re saying you didn’t hire this man to follow me?” Zane asked.

  “What? No, of course not.” Glory drew herself up to her full height, which was still short of Zane’s chin even though she wore heeled shoes.

  “I told you,” the man said, drawing everyone’s attention back to him. “A man hired me.”

  “What is going on?” Glory demanded.

  “This ass was following us. Trapped him in the alley and he attacked Cas.” Zane explained without looking away from the man. “Who hired you?”

  The man shrugged. “I didn’t catch his name.”

  “A man hired you to kill me and you didn’t ask his name?” Castillo raised his voice.

  “Didn’t say I didn’t ask, just that I didn’t know it. He wouldn’t tell me. He paid me twenty dollars. Looked like he was good for the rest.”

  “What did he look like?”

  “Dressed like a dandy and had real soft hands. Talked like he was better than me. Figured he was from one of them mining companies. What’d you do to piss him off?” Now that Glory was here and obviously not on their side, Johnson seemed to have rediscovered his courage.

  “What color was his hair?” Zane asked.

  “Hard to tell. He was wearing a hat, but what I saw was white,” Johnson answered.

  Derringer. Castillo’s blood ran cold at the confirmation. Derringer was probably in his early fifties, but he’d had a headful of the purest white hair that Castillo had ever seen. They’d figured he’d dyed it, since he was trying so hard to hide, but apparently not. It wasn’t absolute confirmation, but Castillo knew in his gut the man was Derringer.

  “How were you supposed to meet him to collect your money once you had me?” Castillo asked.

  “He said to ride south and he’d find me.”

  Castillo nodded toward the hall and Zane turned. Johnson started to get to his feet, but Zane turned back toward him. “Sit down and stay there. We’ll be right outside the door. If you break one bottle, I’ll put a bullet through your skull.”

  Johnson blanched and nodded as he sat back down. Glory backed into the hallway, and Castillo and Zane followed her out, closing the door behind them. “I don’t like this brought into my house,” Glory said as soon as the door shut. She kept her voice low so it wouldn’t travel down the hall or through the walls to the high-society gentlemen eating a late-night dinner in the various dining rooms on the ground level. “I don’t allow guns in here or men like that creature.” She jabbed a finger at the storeroom.

  “Apologies.” Castillo inclined his head in mocking deference. “I had nowhere else to take the man who was trying to kill me.”

  She took in a deep breath, and her voice was calmer when she spoke again. “Who is after you this time?”

  Castillo debated how much to tell her. He didn’t completely trust her, but he did need her as an ally in this. “His name is Derringer. He’s the man who killed my grandfather.”

  She nodded. “I haven’t heard that name before. Now I understand why Mr. Pierce has been my guest the past couple of days.”

  Zane flashed her a grin. “Your charming company is always reason enough to stay.”

  She rolled her eyes and pointed toward the storeroom. “You all have to go. I can’t risk the law knowing he’s here. And I can’t have you here if someone is looking for you. I’m sorry, but I have to protect the women who live here.”

  “Sorry, pretty lady, we can’t leave. He stays until we know what’s going on.” Zane crossed his arms over his chest.

  “You cannot stay.” She forced the words out through gritted teeth.

  “You have a spy,” Castillo said. “If Zane stays he’ll help you figure out who it is.”

  “I don’t have a spy,” she said.

  “You do,” Zane said. “Someone went through my room.”

  She sighed and crossed her arms over her chest, mimicking Zane’s stance. “That was me. I was in your room. I knew something was going on and you weren’t telling me what it was, so I went through your room to try to figure it out,” she admitted. “You should know I didn’t find anything except a sketch pad full of drawings many would consider obscene.”

  Zane didn’t say anything to that, but he smiled—a real smile—the skin around his eyes crinkling.

  “Let Johnson stay, Glory. Just until after the wedding, then we can move him out to the ranch. We can’t keep him there with all the guests arriving. Zane will stay here and keep an eye on him.”

 
“I’d be willing to offer any other…” Zane paused and allowed his gaze to travel down her body “…services you might need.”

  “Keep your breeches on, cowboy.” Then she looked at Castillo. “Fine, he can stay until the wedding, but Zane watches him and is responsible for him. You pay for any damage he causes, and you owe me big after this—all of you, and that includes Hunter.” She moved her finger between them both. “Take him down to the cellar. I have to get back to my guests.”

  She turned to go but stopped and turned back. “And I won’t have anyone killed here in cold blood. If he’s hurt or conveniently disappears, I will contact the sheriff.” With that, she swept down the hallway and disappeared through the door that led to the main part of the house.

  “It has to be Derringer.”

  “Bennett was no coincidence,” Zane agreed. “Don’t worry. I’ll keep asking around and see if I can get anything out of Johnson in there.”

  Castillo nodded. “I can’t stay. Remember the girl from the train? She’s a Hartford. She was at the ranch when I got there.”

  Zane cursed under his breath. “She recognized you, I assume?”

  “Yes. It’s a long story, but now I have to pretend to be a suitor so she won’t tell anyone.”

  At this confession, Zane threw his head back and laughed. Castillo didn’t find it particularly funny, but something about the laughter was contagious and he chuckled.

  “That’s rich, brother.” When he finally stopped laughing, Zane said, “Can’t wait for the whole story. I hope you know what you’re doing.”

  Castillo wanted to say that he did, but he couldn’t. The truth was that Carolina had barely left his thoughts the entire ride into town, and—if he was honest—he was looking forward to seeing her tomorrow. Instead of commenting on that, he said, “I need to get back to the ranch and let the boys know what’s happening.”

  Zane nodded. “Let me know if you need my help.”

  “Many thanks, as always, brother.” Castillo clasped his arm and then made his way through the large house. Since he didn’t have a captive with him, he took the hallway to the front door. He’d rather walk the main road and avoid dark alleyways for the rest of the night.

  Unfortunately, there was a group of men in the foyer, looking as if they’d just arrived for a bit of late-night entertainment. They were taking off their coats and handing hats dripping rain to a couple of maids. Castillo barely spared them a glance, as he had no time for conversation tonight and he’d not spent enough time in Helena to make social acquaintances.

  The butler murmured “Good night, Mr. Jameson,” as he opened the door for him. At the words, one of the new arrivals swung his head around as if recognizing the name. Castillo caught a glimpse of light brown hair and a thin, pale face. He didn’t recognize the man, so he kept walking. He needed to ride home tonight and meet with the men about increasing the numbers on watch.

  CHAPTER TEN

  Castillo was a little late for breakfast the next morning. When he walked into the dining room, he noted that Caroline sat with the Bonham girls and Emmy’s younger sisters, but their conversation stopped as soon as he walked in. The oldest one, Amelia, gave him a timid smile and leaned over to whisper to Carolina, who blushed and glanced back at him. She wore her hair in a simple braid this morning, which made her seem young and carefree, a juxtaposition with the fiercely intelligent woman he was coming to know. Did she know how beautiful she was? How young and innocent she looked sitting there with those girls? She was all of those things in one.

  He smiled at her, but it was just another reminder of why he needed to leave her alone. All night he’d relived that kiss they’d shared, but there couldn’t be another one. And he needed to remember to call her Caroline; to call her anything else was too personal…too intimate.

  Breakfast was a buffet like the day before. He walked over and grabbed a plate, aware of the eyes on him as he made his choices.

  “You fancy him, don’t you?” Amelia mock whispered.

  Castillo only barely restrained himself from turning around to see Caroline respond. Of course she’d say yes.

  “Yes, I fancy him very much,” Caroline answered. It was part of the game, but he couldn’t stop himself from glancing over, and her expression didn’t look like part of their arrangement. She genuinely looked pleased to see him. Her eyes were deep pools of blue, saying far more than her words.

  Continuing to uphold his role as suitor, he walked over to her when he’d finished piling his plate with food. “Would you do me the honor of joining me, Miss Hartford?”

  “Of course, Mr. Jameson.” As she rose, the girls erupted in a chorus of giggles. Caroline rose with her bowl of berries and led the way to the two places at the end of the table recently vacated by Emmy and Hunter, near Tanner, her father and aunt, who smiled at them with interest.

  Castillo set his plate down and pulled out her chair for her. After she’d settled herself, Castillo took his own seat and greeted Tanner. Tanner looked back and forth as if just noticing there could be something between Castillo and Caroline. “You seem taken with our fair Caroline.”

  “I am.” As he said it, Castillo realized it was true. He didn’t know her. Not really. He knew he liked the way she looked and he liked the way she’d handled herself, both on the train and then again the night when he’d tried to threaten her. She’d held herself together and faced both situations with calm assertiveness. He respected that.

  But he didn’t know her. He didn’t know what she wished for beyond becoming a physician. He didn’t know why that goal was so important to her. What had pushed her to break the mold she’d been given and become something else? He didn’t even know basic things like what she liked to eat or how she’d spend rainy days back in Boston, so he couldn’t quite understand why he kept thinking about her. He only knew that he wanted to know the answers to all of those questions. So, yes, he was taken with her.

  Her father gave him a quizzical look. Castillo shifted as he forked a bit of ham into his mouth. He wasn’t certain what that look meant. It wasn’t quite disapproval—he was familiar with that look and the subtle disgust that accompanied it. This look was confusion. It didn’t matter to Castillo if her father liked him—his end of the bargain was upheld either way—but he found himself wanting to make a good impression on the man.

  This was madness. The perfect nonsense of the moment struck him. This courtship was fake, but he actually quite liked sitting here with her by his side. Would it be so far-fetched if he actually did court her? Of course it would be. She’d return to Boston and her plans to further her education, and once Derringer was taken care of he’d go back to Texas and what was left of the ranch. He’d need to rebuild his grandfather’s dream.

  How in hell was he supposed to court her and stay away from her at the same time?

  The girls finished their meal and shuffled out of the room, leaving the five adults in solitude. Tanner waited for them to go before saying, “It’s a pity Caroline will be going back to Boston for the autumn classes, so she can’t stay longer.” He smiled, giving Caroline a wink.

  “It’s not a pity. She’ll make a good physician,” Castillo said. He couldn’t resist a quick glance at her father and Prudence to gauge their thoughts.

  Her father nodded his agreement. “That she will. An excellent physician.”

  Prudence gave Caroline a barely perceptible nod in Castillo’s direction, as if she were giving her approval of him. It made him almost feel guilty that this was a ploy.

  “Well, now, that all depends.” Prudence’s words were so unexpected that they all paused and took note of her. She waited until she had everyone’s attention before continuing. “No one doubts for a minute that our sweet Caro will be a capable and talented physician, but there is a question about her actually getting the chance to prove herself.”

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nbsp; Samuel huffed out a breath and focused his attention on folding and refolding the napkin in his lap. Caroline went still next to Castillo. Prudence just smiled, bringing her cup of tea to her lips, waiting for someone to take the bait.

  Tanner had been looking from one person to another as if trying to figure out the missing piece to the puzzle and finally asked, “What do you mean? I thought she was starting her medical training in September?”

  Castillo almost smiled in admiration at how the woman had brought the subject to a head. Instead, he took a bite of ham to hold it in.

  “That is the plan, yes, but her parents have decided that it’s best if she marries before school. She’ll attend pending the state of her nuptials.” Prudence explained.

  Tanner looked from Prudence to Caroline—who hadn’t moved a muscle since her aunt had begun talking—to Samuel. “Is this true, Samuel? Will she not be attending if she’s not married?”

  To his credit, Samuel looked suitably conflicted about the whole thing. “Her mother and I have spoken at length about this issue. We feel that it’s best for her to marry sooner rather than later.”

  Caroline shifted then, a small movement Castillo probably wouldn’t have noticed had he not been so attuned to her. She was uncomfortable. Without thinking, he reached over and clasped the hand in her lap with his own. She stiffened in surprise, but after a moment, she squeezed his fingers.

  “Can she not attend and look for a husband at the same time? Or do you have someone in mind already?” Tanner asked.

  “We have a couple of options.” Samuel shrugged. “You don’t understand, Tanner. You have sons, not daughters. We have to make sure she’s taken care of. Her mother and I are getting older. What if we have difficulty finding a husband for her after she graduates?”

  “Oh, Father.” Caroline stood, flinging her napkin down on the table. “You really don’t think I can take care of myself, do you?” Before her father could answer, she hurried from the room.

  “Samuel, this is hardly appropriate conversation for the dining table,” Prudence admonished, rushing after her niece and leaving the men to an awkward silence.