“This way,” Mr. Kerr said, and motioned toward a nearby door.
Simon followed Carrie’s father into the study. Across the room a large desk sat proud with papers piled neatly on top. To the right, a large bay window overlooked the street, and to the left two chairs faced the fireplace with an ornate oak side table in between.
Carrie’s father took a chair and motioned for Simon to do the same opposite him, so he followed suit. “If you’re here for my daughter, I’m afraid you’re too late.”
Nausea hit Simon’s stomach like a train to a deer on the tracks. She couldn’t be promised to anyone else. She’d spent the last few months with him. They were meant to be together. Heat at the base of his neck caused the skin beneath the collar of his shirt to itch.
Thomas.
“I’ll be honest with you, sir, I did come for Carrie. I’ve never met a woman quite like her, but I also came to make you a business offer.”
James scooted to the edge of his chair and squinted. “I’m listening.”
“I find the need to take on another position in life, and it’s been brought to my attention that you have a business for sale.”
James frowned and sat back in his chair, shaking his head. “I don’t know where you heard that, but you’re mistaken.”
Carrie’s father stared hard, his face unreadable as the moment stretched. Simon wasn’t about to let him intimidate him with the silence. He lifted his head and sat back to mimic the older man’s body position. “I’ll make it worth your consideration.”
Sam Hill, the man kept the silent intimidation tactic strong until Simon struggled to maintain an air of confidence. Mere seconds before Simon would have given in, James shook his head. “I’m not selling.”
“I can offer you a price well above what it’s worth.”
“No.” He shook his head again. “This business is my life. I’ll not give it away, no matter the price.”
Blast! The man emanated pride—apparent by the hard way he stuck to his lie, even though Simon knew he needed help. “Well, then, would you consider taking on a partner? I could buy half the company and bring in a few new clients to sweeten the pot.”
Good Lord, where was he going to get new business from?
James pressed his lips together, his elbows resting on the arms of the chair where he sat. His eyes slid over Simon as though to size him up. “You’ve been through more than a man could take, and lived. So you’re a hard man, and hard men make good businessmen. But I’ve heard rumors of your character in town, and I’m not impressed with what I hear. How do I know you aren’t going to bilk me?”
“I may have been a little on the wild side in my younger days, but I’ve never cheated anyone. Especially out of their money.” Simon adjusted his seat and leaned forward, resting his arms on his knees. “I’m not the man I was years ago. You’re right about one thing: the cougar attack did change me, but it was Carrie who showed me who I was as a man. What I’m doing isn’t just for me, it’s for her. I don’t know who you’ve promised her to, but I can guarantee you that I can bring a lot more to you than whoever it is.” Especially if it was Thomas. “I can help you build your company stronger, and I will love and provide for your daughter until the day that I take my last breath.”
The look in James’s eyes grew cold. “So you’re the one?”
“The one?” Simon sat upright, confused at the man’s sudden change in mood.
“You’re the man who ruined my daughter?”
“I beg your pardon?” Simon’s heartbeat sped up, and sucking in even the smallest of breaths grew difficult. Thomas. Simon held back a roar at the thought. If the little weasel had ruined his chances with Carrie, he’d take great pleasure in strangling the fool until his eyes bulged. “Where did you hear that?”
“Where is not important. Are you or are you not the man who compromised my daughter and any future she may have had?”
“If you’ve gotten your information from the man who was in here before me, you should know he has spent the entire summer vying for Carrie’s attention and has failed miserably. He will stop at nothing to get what he wants. Even turning Carrie’s own parents against her, apparently.”
“Does he lie? I’ve yet to hear you deny the claim.”
Simon rolled his shoulders to stretch the taut muscle forming in the middle of his back. His legs grew restless, and he fought the urge to shake them free of the sensation. What was he supposed to say to the man? He could lie and tell him they’d never so much as touched, but there was a chance he’d see right through the lie. The other was to confess, and risk Carrie’s reputation and anger. Goddammit! Thomas was the only person who knew about them, or suspected he knew something about them, and the only person who’d visited her parents. So he had to be the chiseler who’d aired Carrie’s personal affairs. Was that why he’d come down the mountain? To ruin any chance Simon had with Carrie?
“I think that’s something you need to take up with your daughter, but I can tell you Thomas is not one to be trusted. If he’s the blowhard you’ve promised Carrie to, you need to pull back now while you can.”
“Are these the words of a jealous man or a businessman?”
“These are the words of a man who adores your daughter. One who is willing to do whatever he has to in order to persuade you to give me your daughter’s hand in marriage.”
James peered down at him through his wire-rimmed glasses. “Anything?”
Simon answered with a single nod.
Carrie’s father frowned. “Okay, Mr. Sanders. You bring me a big fish client, and one hundred hides, and I’ll take you on as a partner.”
Simon leaned forward. “And Carrie?”
“If you can do that, you can have my blessing to wed my daughter. If not, she goes to the man I’ve promised her to.”
“Even if she doesn’t want to marry another man?”
James gave a large belly laugh. “Carrie’s mother is in bed with the vapors because of the recent news of her irresponsibility. Once my daughter returns, she doesn’t have a choice as to whom she marries. Not unless she plans to shuck out on her own. No longer a Kerr.” James shook his head. “No. She’s a good girl. Once she returns and discovers what she’s done to her mother, she’ll do whatever she needs to do to save this family’s reputation.”
Simon pinched his mouth shut to stop the retort burning the edge of his tongue. What sort of father willingly sacrificed his daughter to the first man who asked for her just to save the family name? And that was the man he was casting in his lot with.
But if he wanted Carrie, he had no choice. He’d find the clients, and the hides. He had to for Carrie’s sake. His stomach churned. What would Carrie think of what had transpired here today? Would she be mad at him for treating her like a business deal? More than likely. The better question was, would she forgive him? Simon held his hand out for the man to shake. “You have yourself a deal.”
Still with the frown plastered to his face, James stood. “Splendid. I’ll give you one month to get me the goods. Otherwise she’ll be married to the other man I’ve promised her to as soon as she returns from her little adventure.”
Simon nodded as he stood, and he followed the man to the door. “Best have your lawyers write up the contract, because I will not fail.”
Finally, the man smiled, but one of those business smiles that didn’t reach his eyes. “Good. I’ll count on it.”
Simon said his goodbyes and left, glancing at the sun to gauge the time as he hurried down the dusty street. The train would pull out of the station any minute, and he was scheduled to return with Aunt June and the locomotive.
With no time to waste, he ran. Before long the train horn blasted and filled the air around him. With luck he’d make it before the engine took off down the tracks. As suspected, the rail cars jerked as he rounded the building to the platform. Aunt June’s wor
ried face stared out at him from within the second-to-last boxcar. He counted the strokes of the wheels against the track to time the jump. As his intended car slid by, he leapt, barely landing inside the car as Aunt June pulled him in—as if her tiny hands could prevent his large frame from tumbling under the wheels.
He stood and dusted his hands as the car slowly picked up speed. “I can’t stay. I came to tell you to have Wall give me a few more days—”
Aunt June shook her head, cutting him off from his next words. “There’s a fire.”
“The chute?” His senses focused on the older woman’s words, but he wasn’t too concerned. The chute had caught fire before, and they always managed to put out the flames.
Her face grew grey like the ash from the fire in question. “The forest.”
Simon stilled.
The dry season turned every branch, every leaf on the mountain into tinder for a fire.
“We got a wire a few minutes ago from the Mill,” she said.
“Where’s Carrie?”
Aunt June bit her lower lip before she spoke. “Chances are she’s with Beth and Garrett. Don’t you worry, they’ll protect her.”
Simon slammed his fist into the metal wall of the boxcar. Pain erupted from his knuckles all the way up his arm, but he didn’t care. Carrie was in the middle of a raging fire alone, and he had no way to know if she’d been caught in the blazing inferno or if she’d escaped. He couldn’t lose her. Not now. Not after everything she’d done for him. Not after he’d given his heart to her.
Chapter 19
Carrie coughed in her sleeve and fought her way through the haze toward the railcar. Night threatened to overtake the land while the fire heated the air around her. The fading light, combined with the smoke, made it impossible to see more than a few feet in front of her. Sweat trickled down her spine, one droplet after another, as she lugged her bag of possessions toward where she thought the train stood waiting.
Garrett had ordered her to hurry ten minutes earlier when he’d come into camp with the news of the decision to leave. They’d settled down after a somber supper when he’d entered camp and told the entire crew to hurry to the railcars so they could get to safety. They needed to escape down the mountain before the fire. From the feel of the heat around them, they might be too late.
Nots barked from where Carrie had placed her in the bag. She’d packed up her small parcel of belongings as the train horn blasted a warning. She ran. The last thing she wanted to do was miss the only chance she had of getting off this godforsaken mountain alive.
Within a few breaths, the blurred sight of the train in the distance loomed before her. Another blast, and she ran up the steps to Beth and Garrett’s caboose. She set her bag down near the door and clutched her stomach as the train blasted the horn again. She grabbed the doorjamb to steady her as she caught her breath and found Beth peering out the window at the gray abyss.
“Where’s Garrett?” she asked.
“Up front with the men. He gave me strict orders to stay here.”
Carrie motioned toward the smoky haze outside. “How’d the fire start?”
“I don’t know. There was no storm, so it wasn’t lightning,” Beth answered. “Plus, we haven’t used the chute.”
Carrie nodded as the train horn sounded once more. Nots barked at the noise and wiggled in the bag, fighting for freedom. “Stay still.” Carrie bent down to try and hold her pup as the little creature broke free and bolted for the stairs.
“Blast!” Carrie shouted, and started to follow.
Beth caught her by the arm as the train jerked forward. “The train is leaving!”
Carrie flicked a glance at her pup, who followed the rails toward the engine. “She moved toward the front of the train. I’ll grab her and jump on one of the railcars with the men.”
“Fine, but I’ll watch you. If you don’t get onboard a car, then shout and I’ll yank you back on the caboose.” Beth bit her lip like she was apt to do when nervous.
With no time to waste, Carrie leapt from the caboose and ran after Nots.
The dog weaved in and out of the wheels as they picked up speed. Carrie’s mouth ran dry and her heartbeat chugged faster than a runaway train as she followed, bending down as the pup ran in front of her, only to miss the little scamp by a fingertip.
Nots ran in front of her again, and she reached out toward the side of the train as it moved faster past her. She grabbed the pup as a long piece of metal from a boxcar sliced through the flesh in her arm. Blood began to fall. Nots wiggled from her hands, and she let the pup go as panic assailed her chest at the sight of her arm.
“Carrie!” She made out Beth’s voice above the roar of the train on the tracks and looked up in time to see Beth’s hand extended as the end of the train grew closer.
Carrie searched the ground for Nots, but the animal had gained a few feet from where she now stood. She could make it. She had to.
Using all the speed she could muster, Carrie ran and snatched up the pup and rushed back as quick as she could to catch the train as Beth’s hands grew farther away.
“No! Beth!” she screamed when she realized she didn’t possess speed enough to catch the caboose. Tears fell hard down her face, and she didn’t bother to squelch them. She stopped running, clutched Nots in her arms, and bent over to try and stop the vomit threatening to expel at the thought of burning in the fire.
She sobbed, and glanced up in time to see Beth leap from the speeding caboose and roll on the ground to come to a stop.
Carrie ran to her dearest friend as she swiped at her tears. “What in Hades are you doing? Garrett told you not to leave the caboose.”
“Are you daft?” Beth stood tall and dusted her pants. “I would never leave you behind in the middle of a forest fire. Garrett will come back for us.”
Carrie coughed as smoke entered her lungs. She covered her mouth with her sleeve.
“Let’s go.” Beth grabbed her arm and ran.
“Where?” Carrie asked as she followed her friend.
“Garrett will come for us, but we need to find a way down the mountain. It might be hours before he finds out we’re missing.” Beth studied the mountain and took a deep breath. She sucked on one finger and stuck it high in the air. “The winds are blowing this way. If the breeze doesn’t change, the fire will be here before Garrett.”
Unable to hold her vomit back any longer, Carrie lurched over and released the bile burning her throat. What had she done? Put not only her life in danger, but her dearest friend’s as well. She was a mudsill. What sort of person puts everyone they love in jeopardy?
“Better?” Beth asked.
When Carrie nodded, Beth grabbed her hand and towed her behind as she ran toward Aunt June’s cabin. She skidded to a stop next to a shipment of supplies that had been unloaded from the returning train the night before.
“Help me!” Beth tugged at one of the bateaus that had returned to camp with the load but not yet been taken to the lake.
Carrie coughed again. She tucked Nots down the front of her bodice to keep her secure while she worked, and reached down to heave the front of the boat. She shuddered, unable to hold back her tears further. If her situation wasn’t such a dire one, she might have stopped to appreciate the strength she possessed. One she never thought she’d have, but now wasn’t the time. Now she needed to figure out how to stay alive. She followed Beth’s direction as they made their way through camp toward the lake.
They’d made it past the cold campfire ring when Beth dropped her side of the boat. “Hold on.”
Carrie set her side down and stood huffing as her friend disappeared into Aunt June’s house. A few minutes ticked by before Beth emerged. She tossed a long rifle out the door and struggled under the weight of a crate as she took laborious steps outside and set the box down. She stopped to kick the door shut and yanked out a wh
ite sheet of paper from the crate. With a knife she pulled off of the nearby serving table, she stuck the paper on the door, then beckoned Carrie with a wave of her hand. “Come here!”
Carrie ran toward her. Beth plucked the gun off the ground and held it out. “Put this in the boat.”
Nots wiggled in the front of her blouse as she grabbed the gun and returned to the boat. It wasn’t hard to figure out Beth had formed a plan. She possessed a mind clear enough to gather supplies before they left. If Carrie had been left alone, God only knows what she would have done. Certainly not had the good sense to grab a weapon and what looked like a crate full of food, let alone figure out another escape route from the burning inferno up the mountain slope. Carrie more than likely would have hidden in the cabin and curled up into a ball until someone rescued her or she’d gone down with the camp.
Behind her, Beth lugged the heavy crate to the boat and set it in the bateau. She grabbed the front once more, so Carrie heaved up her side but rearranged her grip. Her fingers strained under the extra weight, but she clutched the edge as tight as she could to keep it hovering over the ground. “What’d you do?”
Beth peered over her shoulder at the knife and paper. “I left a note in case Garrett comes back for us. I also grabbed us some supplies.”
“What are we doing? Staying in the middle of the lake until help comes?” Carrie couldn’t hide the desperation in her voice, and frankly didn’t want to. The last few minutes had been the worst moments she’d ever experienced. Even worse than when she spotted Simon riding into camp slumped over the saddle in front of Wall. His body covered in blood, and what skin she could see ghost white.
“We’re getting off this mountain,” Beth answered, and faced the trail.
It was all too much for Carrie. She was a town girl. Not cut out to be a forest-dwelling cook. Perhaps Victoria was right after all. She needed to go home. Find a life where she didn’t wake up every morning wondering what sort of disaster awaited her. Or perhaps even death. She needed to find her security elsewhere. Not on the mountain.
Wild Passion Page 20