by C. J. Archer
"It was spectacular," I said, as Bristow brought in a tray of tea things. "You should have come, Duke."
"And watch some actors pretend to catch Indians and ride around shooting off their guns?" He straightened the newspaper with a flick of his wrist. "I got better things to do."
"They're not actors. The Indians are real Indians, the riders can ride like they were born on horseback, and the sharpshooters didn't miss. You should have seen Annie Oakley and Buffalo Bill. They were amazing. Tell him, Willie. You enjoyed it by the end, I know you did."
She sniffed. "It was all right. Weren't nothing special, Duke, but it made me think of home. In a good way, mind."
"Mrs. Bristow and I saw it on our day off," Bristow said, handing me a cup. "We thoroughly enjoyed it."
It was difficult to keep a straight face as I pictured the very upright butler and housekeeper gasping in awe at the feats of American cowboys and Indians. Sometimes he seemed more proper than Miss Glass.
"It ain't my thing," Duke said. "But poker tonight will be good. Actors or not, they're American and I could do with some good old home-grown company."
"What about me and Cyclops?" Willie cried.
"I said good company."
Willie removed her boot and threw it at him, hitting his shoulder. Duke just smiled.
The Prince of Wales was filled with Americans, mostly men, none of them with an Indian or Mexican heritage. One of the few women present eyed me with a narrowed gaze, as if I were an oddity. She was about to turn back to her companions, standing around a table, but caught sight of Willie. One corner of her mouth lifted in a smirk.
Willie didn't notice. She was looking for Emmett. We found him seated in a cloud of cigar smoke at the back of the pub, playing cards with two other men. He beamed upon seeing us.
"Glad you came." He shook her hand, then took mine and kissed the back of it. "And this must be your two friends."
Willie introduced Cyclops and Duke, and Emmett shook their hands too.
"Where are you from?" Emmett asked.
"California, mostly," Duke said, "but we've been all over."
"You're a sharpshooter?" Cyclops asked.
Emmett smoothed his mustache with his thumb and forefinger. "Sure am, but I can't give you a demonstration. You'll have to come and see the show for that." He laughed and clapped Cyclops on the shoulder. "Bill Cody don't give away nothing for free."
"Where are you from?"
"All over, like you."
"What else do you do?" Duke asked.
Emmett balked. "Nothing. The show takes up all my time."
"What did you used to do, before you became a sharpshooter for Buffalo Bill's show?"
Emmett's gaze flicked between Cyclops and Duke and back again. "What's this, an interrogation? Are you lawmen? Because I've got nothing to hide. Ask me anything."
Cyclops put up his hands in surrender. "Just curious about how a man gets into this line of work."
Emmett's shoulders relaxed. "He buys William F. Cody a drink and chews his ear off about how he can shoot a tobacco tin off a log at sixty paces until Cody can't stand it no more and gives him a chance."
"Is he here?" I asked, looking around, only to find that several of the men were staring at me. I moved a little closer to Cyclops.
"Bill's too important to drink with us." Emmett patted the empty chair beside him. "Sit down, Miss Johnson, and play poker. Let's see if you can keep that lucky streak going. You remember Danny, don't you? Danny Draper?"
The younger man from earlier in the day looked as if he'd had too many drinks already. A modest stack of coins piled up in front of him as he hunkered over a deck of cards. "Five card draw," he said as he shuffled. "That all right with you, Miss?" He set the deck in front of Willie.
She cut the deck, tapped the top for good luck, and smiled. "Fine with me."
One of the men at a neighboring table offered me his chair and I reluctantly took it. I would have preferred to stand to see more of the room, particularly the woman I'd seen upon entering. She had a familiar look about her, but I didn't recognize her face.
Duke and Cyclops stood behind me. Neither had been asked to join the game. After the first round, Duke ordered ales for himself and Cyclops, and a sherry for me.
"The Prince of Wales came to see our show," Emmett said as he inspected his cards. Unlike Danny Draper, he didn't seem to mind conversation while playing. It certainly wasn't affecting his game, going by the winnings piled up in front of him. "He spoke to us. He seemed like a nice fellow but his accent was real funny. Like he had a mouth full of marbles. 'How do you do,'" he mimicked in a terrible version of the upper class English accent. "'Nice to meet you. You Americans are the most intriguing characters.'" Emmett chuckled and threw down a card. "No offence, Miss…"
"Steele," I said.
"No offence, Miss Steele, but you English are real strange."
"Amen," Willie said.
Emmett glanced at his replacement cards and pushed some coins into the middle of the table. "It's not just the accent. Everyone's so polite all the time. Just yesterday, a boy picks my pocket and apologizes to me before running off."
I almost believed him until he threw his head back and guffawed. Several people turned around, shook their heads and looked away again. The woman I'd seen earlier strode toward us, scowling.
"You making a nuisance of yourself again, Emmett?" she asked.
Emmett signaled her to come closer but she stayed put. "Annie thinks it's the weather here that affects the English, don't you, Annie?"
Annie? Was she Annie Oakley? It explained why she looked a little familiar. I'd seen her perform in the show. I couldn't see her face from the grandstand but this woman was petite like Annie Oakley. I was too shy to ask, however.
"Why the weather?" Cyclops said.
"The cold makes everyone stiff," she said.
He laughed softly.
"Watch out for Emmett," she said to Willie. "He's got a knack for winning."
Did she mean he cheats? Cyclops and Duke must have thought the same because they eyed one another and then turned to Annie. She walked off and the crowd soon swallowed her.
"Ignore her," Emmett said. "She thinks I cheat, but I swear, I'm just lucky. You can check my pockets if you want." He stood up to show us he hadn't slipped a card beneath him then turned out his pockets. All empty. Duke even checked under the chair. There were no spare cards stuck to the bottom.
"Sit down," Danny growled. "He don't always win," he said to Willie. "He's just on a lucky streak tonight."
Willie showed them her cards. Three of a kind. "Not anymore." She grinned as she raked in her money.
Danny groaned. Emmett merely chuckled. "I better start concentrating," he said.
They played a few more rounds and I grew increasingly bored. I spotted Annie Oakley by the bar, talking to the only other woman in the room, a pretty blonde who couldn't have been more than twenty. Annie looked about thirty with long brown hair that fell past her shoulders, and a short but trim figure.
I was considering how best to approach when she saw me and beckoned me over.
"Sorry to interrupt," I said, sounding like a breathless girl at her first dance. "I just wanted to say how much I admired your show today."
"You saw it?" Annie put her hand on her friend's shoulder. "Then you would have seen May. She's also a sharpshooter."
"Pleased to meet you," I said. "My name is India. India Steele."
The pretty blonde named May bobbed a curtsy.
"She ain't the queen," Annie said. "You don't have to curtsy to her."
May blushed. "It's the accent," she said. "I feel like I got to bow and scrape to everyone here then scrub their floors." She giggled and bit her lip.
"I'm just an ordinary Englishwoman," I said, and once again I realized that wouldn't be the case for much longer. I was about to marry the heir to a title. When Matt inherited it, I would be Lady Rycroft. It was so absurd that the first time I'd realized, I'd la
ughed until I cried. I no longer cried but I often wanted to laugh.
"Who're your friends?" Annie asked me.
"The big one is Nate, but everyone calls him Cyclops. The other is Duke."
"And the woman?"
"That's Willie."
"She dresses like a man," May said in a soft voice.
"She hates corsets and dresses," I said.
"So do I but I don't wear trousers."
"She can wear what she likes," I said, wanting to defend Willie. "She answers to no one but herself."
"Yes, but—"
"She's lucky," Annie cut in. "Not too many women can do as they please, unless they've got an understanding husband, like me." Her gaze drifted off to a group of men talking quietly around a table.
"You should take to wearing trousers then," May said with a smile and nudge of her elbow. "They'd look well on you. Or is he not that understanding?"
"He'd allow it, it's Bill who wouldn't. I can hear the old man's voice now: 'There ain't no point having a lady sharpshooter in the show if no one knows she's a lady,'" she intoned in a deep voice.
May giggled again. "He'd still have me."
"You shot very well today too," I said.
"Not as well as Annie, but I ain't too bad."
"Willie's a good shot," I said. "So she tells me. They're all from the Wild West but have lived here for a few months. They're going to stay a little longer, although I suspect the winter might send them packing."
"Seems they like their poker," Annie said.
"They do. They taught me, but I don't find much enjoyment in it. I'm not very good."
"Don't tell Emmett and Danny that," Annie said, leaning closer. "They'll have you taking a seat and betting your savings away in no time."
"Annie!" May cried. "My husband's not like that, although you might be right about Emmett." She pointed at the poker players. "Danny's my husband." She suddenly stiffened. "Is he losing again? Christ, I'll wring his neck."
She went to storm off, but Annie caught her arm. "Let me offer some friendly advice, woman to woman."
May didn't look too pleased about lingering another moment, but she settled for glaring daggers in her husband's direction. It was lost on him, however. He didn't look up from his hand as he teased his bottom lip.
"Don't march over there, all angry," Annie said. "You got to be womanly about it. Try convincing him to go home with you for a little treat." She winked. "If you demand he leave in front of everyone and create a scene, he'll dig his heels in."
May sighed. "You're right. Perhaps I'll leave him for a few more minutes to see if he wins it back."
"You're thinking like him," Annie said with a shake of her head. "Don't do that. It's how gamblers go broke."
May made a mewling sound and looked as if she'd burst into tears. "I don't know what to do. I hate how he plays with Emmett all the time. Emmett wins more than he loses. Much more."
"He's got the luck of the devil, that's for sure."
Duke joined us, shaking his head. "We're going soon, India. Willie's almost lost it all."
"She never learns," I said on a sigh.
"At least she only gambles what she can afford to lose now."
He was right. Willie was better than she used to be, stopping herself when she reached her limit. She used to keep going until someone dragged her away or until she lost everything. Still, I wished she wouldn't gamble at all. She'd be in a terrible mood all night.
"Go on, then," Annie said to May. "You know what you got to do. And you two," she said to Duke and me, "take your friend home before she ends up like Danny, owing Emmett more than he can afford."
Duke didn't need to be told twice. Perhaps that was why he'd come over, to get permission to stop the game. It would seem Annie Oakley's permission was all he needed.
"Come on, Danny," May was saying when I reached the group of players. "That's enough now, let's go home." She stroked his cheek and pressed herself against him.
"Just one more round," he said, circling his arm around her waist and lowering her onto his lap. He nuzzled her neck. "One more, I promise."
She pulled away and shoved him in the arm. "It's always one more with you."
"The game's ending now," Duke said. "Willie, come on. We got to go."
Cyclops rose but Willie merely sighed as she stared at her hand of cards.
Emmett touched her arm. "Not yet, Miss Johnson. Stay a while longer. It's still early and we're having fun. Your luck will turn any minute now, I know it will."
"We have a big day tomorrow," I reminded her. "Matt's coming home."
"Then you go," Emmett snapped at me.
I blinked. "Pardon?"
"You heard me," he snarled. "You go home, Miss Steele. Miss Johnson can make up her own mind. I can see she's not the sort who takes orders from anyone, let alone the likes of you."
"The likes of me?" I echoed. I would have asked what he meant but I was too stunned to think clearly. Where had this ugly side come from, and so quickly too? He had a stack of coins in front of him, so he couldn't be worried about winning back any losses.
"Don't talk to India like that," Duke said, squaring up to Emmett.
Cyclops stood at his back, his one eye drilling into Emmett, a formidable presence that few would argue with.
Emmett stood slowly. Sitting down, he didn't seem all that big, but now he was standing, he was easily as tall as Cyclops, although not as broad. "Like what?" Emmett sneered. "Like she's a prissy school mistress?"
Willie shot to her feet and poked her finger into Emmett's chest. "Don't you talk to my friend like that. Take it back."
Emmett grinned, revealing yellowing teeth beneath his moustache. "You going, Miss Johnson? Without even a fight? Come on, stay and play with me. I got a feeling your luck's going to turn."
"I ain't got no more money."
"Sure you do. A resourceful woman can always find more."
"What's that supposed to mean?" Duke spat.
Willie didn't need Duke to defend her honor. She was quite capable of tearing Emmett to shreds with a few select words. She poked her finger at him again. "The only reason I'd stay is so I can work out how you're cheating and expose you."
Hell.
The room silenced. The only movement came from the cigar smoke, swirling languidly up to the rafters.
Emmett slowly cocked his head to the side, like an automaton winding up. "I ain't a cheater."
Willie angled herself between Duke and Emmett, a fearless little figure. Or a stupid one. "I don't know how you do it, but I know you're cheating."
Annie came forward and caught Willie's arm. "Come away. Don't rile him."
Emmett laughed, a hollow, brittle sound. "Or maybe I'm just good."
"No one's that good or that lucky," Willie said.
"Come away now," Annie said, louder.
I took Willie's other arm and together we managed to get her out of Emmett's reach, although I felt her resistance with each step.
"If you were a man…" Emmett looked her up and down. "You've got balls, I'll give you that, but—"
Duke's punch slammed into Emmett's jaw so hard, Emmett fell back across the table and rolled onto the floor. Duke shook out his hand. "You're done insulting my friends."
Some of the men advanced, perhaps to get a better look or to help Emmett to his feet. Or perhaps to even the score. It was hard to tell. Cyclops took no chances. He grabbed Duke by the shoulders and ushered him toward the door. Willie and I followed. We passed a beautiful blonde woman of middle age, watching on with a wicked smile. She saluted Duke with her sherry glass.
I glanced back at the pub as we raced across the road, and almost turned around and went back in. I'd seen a face in the window. The face of someone I'd not expected to associate with a traveling troupe of American cowboys.
Chapter 2
Matt returned home the same way he'd left it a few days earlier—with a big smile and an embrace that lifted me off my feet. His aunt's response was
more understated but enthusiastic in her own way.
"Do try not to be so vulgar, Matthew," she said. "The servants are watching."
Bristow didn't raise an eyebrow as he held the door open for the footman to bring in the luggage.
Matt settled his hands at my waist. "I missed you," he purred in my ear.
"I missed you too." I linked my arms behind his head and kissed him lightly on the lips.
I caught sight of Miss Glass pinching the fingertips of her glove with brisk precision and a scowl. I kissed Matt again, lingering this time.
"Thought we heard someone," Duke said, coming down the stairs, Cyclops at his heels. They both shook Matt's hand and greeted Miss Glass politely. She offered them her hand. Duke took it and held it a moment, but Cyclops kissed the back. She smiled at him.
"It's lovely to be home," she said. "Bristow, bring tea to the drawing room. I'm in dire need of Mrs. Bristow's brew. The tea at the last inn tasted like pig swill."
"Matt!" Willie cried, trotting down the stairs. She flung her arms around him then gave Miss Glass an equally fierce hug.
"You haven't changed," Miss Glass said.
"You expected me to become a lady in four days?"
"One can always hope for a miracle." Miss Glass held out her hand to me. "India, accompany me to the drawing room. Tell me everything that happened in our absence."
We headed into the drawing room, the others following. "So they're really married?" I asked.
"They are," Miss Glass said. "It was a small, simple affair, after all the drama of the engagement."
Drama didn't quite describe the anxious days we'd spent trying to find a way to free Matt from his obligation to marry his cousin, Patience. In the end, it had taken scandalous information about Lord Cox to bribe him into proposing. A scandal I still hardly believed. How Lord Coyle had discovered it, I couldn't say, but if he had not, we would have been in a difficult predicament. I tried not to think about the debt I owed him. Tried not to think about all the things he could ask me to do to pay back that debt. One thing was certain—it would involve using my magic in some way.