How Miss West Was Won

by Lexie Clark

  Chapter 10

  Eli tossed a piece of wood onto a pile and then wiped the back of his hand over his brow. There were several more logs that needed to be split, and it was getting close to dark. If it hadn’t been for so much work to get done before snowfall began in the next few weeks, he would have given up work for the day and gone up to the house to see how Cordelia felt.

  He was worried that last night had left her sore. But the way she cuddled up next to him during the night had been perfect; no, perfect wasn’t the word, it was more like incredible, spectacular, amazing. Those words fit what he had felt as her warm body lay against his.

  He had wanted to take her again this morning, but he was afraid that it would be too much for her to handle. He’d never taken a virgin before last night, and her reaction, the look of pain on her face, had worried him. But she had kept her hands on his body, acted like she wanted to continue.

  “Hey, sleeping beauty, get with it,” Stuart said from the other side of the woodpile. "I’m not going to be out here in freezing weather finishing this job because all you want to do is daydream about your wife.”

  Stuart picked up a log and started to work on it, and Eli did the same. As he worked this time, he wondered not about Cordelia, but about Constance. There had to be some way to get the woman to leave. He just had to figure it out. As he finished up a good stack of wood, he heard his name.

  A glance in the direction of the house showed Cordelia walking his way. There was a spring in her step, and it made him smile. She waved, and he waved back. Behind him, he heard Stuart laugh.

  “You took her to your bed, didn’t you?”

  “Shut up,” Eli replied. Then he turned to his cousin. “Is it that obvious?”

  “Yup. You’re both pretty happy today. I have to say, though, that I’m surprised it happened, especially after I witnessed the spanking the other night.”

  “Me, too,” Eli replied. He planned on talking to her about it tonight. They could ride his horse back to the ranch together and maybe they could talk about it then.

  When she drew near, she reached up and brushed her lips against his cheek. “If that was for my benefit, remember I know the truth,” Stuart yelled out. He swung his ax into a log and let it go. “I’m going back to the house. It’s late, and I’m hungry. See you two later.” He mounted his horse and took off in the direction from which Cordelia had just arrived.

  When he was gone, Eli leaned over and kissed Cordelia gently. “Good evening,” he said, keeping his voice low. “How are you feeling?”

  “A little sore,” she said. “I thought a walk would do me good. Actually, I went into town with Melody this afternoon to work on the dress. I just got back.”

  Eli frowned. “You took the wagon by yourself?”

  “No, Melody had come out with the dress, and I rode back in with her. After that, I had the gentleman at the stables give me a ride back.”

  Eli laughed. “If you’re talking about Buck, he’s really just a kid.”

  Cordelia shrugged. “Either way, he got me back here before evening fell.”

  Eli leaned closer to her. “I love the way you talk, all prim and proper.”

  Her face grew red, and he reached out and touched her cheek. “I meant to take care of the sheets this morning, but when I woke up, Mrs. Dunlap had already done so. She’s used to waking me up with coffee so I can get to work. When she didn’t find me, she figured where I was and let me sleep.”

  Eli watched as Cordelia sighed heavily. “We need to talk about last night.”

  “We do,” he agreed. “I’m sorry if I caused you pain. It was a first for me, too. Sleeping with a virgin, I mean.”

  The redness on her face deepened. “Eli, I am not sure what prompted me to come to your bed last night. I was shocked at myself, truthfully. I do not know whether we should continue with our late night… activities.”

  Eli felt as if she had slapped him. “You didn’t enjoy it.”

  She chuckled nervously. “I enjoyed it immensely. But we have to remember that I am only here for a while, and there is always the chance of pregnancy.”

  Eli frowned. He had to admit that had not crossed his mind. “There are ways to prevent a child,” he said. He didn’t want to add that after last night, he had hoped she would stay for a while. He had enjoyed having her here. Her company was stimulating, and her smile made him hard. It might sound crude, but it was the truth.

  “We should not do it again,” she said.

  “Are you speaking logically, or from the heart?” It was an honest question, one that he wanted answered.

  “Logically,” she said.

  Eli took a step toward her. “Does that mean that, in your heart, you want to do it again?” The rapid rise and fall of her breasts gave him his answer, but Eli wanted to hear the words come out of her mouth. “Answer me, please.”

  “Yes,” she said, her voice soft. “How could I not want to do it again when it was so… incredible?”

  Eli didn’t want the words to go to his head, but they did. His chest felt like it swelled. “Then think about it before you make a final decision,” he said. “We will be careful, and if there is a child, you can…”

  The words ‘you can stay here’ were about to slip out of his mouth. He closed them off quickly, because he was not sure how Cordelia would feel about staying at the Four Fours.

  She didn’t push him to finish his sentence, and Eli wasn’t surprised. Instead, she cleared her throat, something he noticed she did quite a bit when she was about to start a new subject.

  “Constance came to the house today.”

  That shocked him. “What did she want?”

  “To know what it would take to get me to leave,” Cordelia replied. “I told her it was she who should be leaving.”

  “She came out here on her own?”

  “Yes.” Cordelia looked around her, and Eli wondered if she was making mental notes for her story, the one that she was going to write when she left Colorado. “She arrived at about the same time as Melody.”

  “Interesting,” Eli said. “You don’t think they are in things together, do you?”

  “Absolutely not,” Cordelia answered. She sounded almost angry as she continued, “Melody is a sweet little girl while Constance is a conniving little… beast.”

  Eli nodded. Then he looked up at the sky. “We need to get back to the house for dinner and bed. It is getting late. We both have a busy day tomorrow, and then the party is the next day. It will be even busier.”

  Cordelia nodded. He walked to his horse and took up the reins. He mounted easily, and then directed the animal in Cordelia’s direction. Once he was beside her, he offered his hand.

  “I’m not very good at riding a horse, especially one this large,” she said. “Perhaps I should walk.”

  There was no way he was going to let that happen. Eli reached out and took her hand. “Grab the saddle horn,” he said as he lifted her in front of him. He could feel her fear, the way it made her body tremble as he settled her on the saddle. “Relax,” he said. “If you fear the horse, he will know it. The best thing to do is to take a deep breath and remember that I am in charge of this animal, and I would never allow anything to happen to you.”

  “Thank you,” she said, her voice trembling. She had a death grip on the saddle horn. Eli wrapped his arm around her waist and settled her against his chest.

  “Take a deep breath.” She did, and he could still feel her tremble. “Take several more,” he said. She did as he asked, and as she continued to do so, he felt her shoulders relax just a little.

  When she was not as tense as she had been, he flicked the reins and they started to move toward the house. The more they rode, the calmer she became.

  As they neared the barn, Eli knew that he would have to have her again tonight. He wasn’t sure, though, that she felt the same way. He needed to find a way to get past her earlier objections, but how? It was definitely something he would have to work on; and what
pleasurable work it would be.

  * * *

  Cordelia clutched the saddle horn; she was thankful it was there for her to hold onto, but she was more thankful for Eli’s strong arm wrapped around her waist. It made her feel safe and secure, something she had not felt in quite some time. They were nearing the house now. She could see Stuart standing on the porch, talking to Mrs. Dunlap. The housekeeper looked worried, and it sent a bolt of tingling doubt up Cordelia’s spine.

  “Something’s wrong,” she said. Behind her, Eli muttered his agreement. He changed directions, heading toward the house. When they were at the posts, Stuart came to help her down. Eli dismounted and threw the horse’s reins over the railing.

  “What’s happening?” he asked. Cordelia could hear the tension in his voice. Was he expecting something horrible?

  Mrs. Dunlap twisted her apron in her hand. “I went to my home for about half an hour. When I came back, it was obvious someone had been inside. The pies I was making for the party were on the floor, and someone went through your desk, Eli. I don’t know if things are missing. I’m so sorry. I might have been gone longer than I thought… I… I’m sorry.”

  Eli was already heading up the stairs. She heard him mutter, “Constance,” under his breath. But Cordelia knew better, and she told him so as she mounted the steps behind him.

  “We followed her into town,” she said. “I saw her carriage when Melody and I arrived, and I do not think she could have gotten back here and left without being seen.”

  Cordelia struggled to keep up with Eli as he made his way into the library, and over to his desk. He sat down and started to go through drawers.

  “It doesn’t look like anything is missing,” he said after he’d searched them all. “What could she have been looking for?”

  “I do not think it was her,” Cordelia repeated.

  “Why are you defending her?” Eli said. He turned his head toward her, his eyes flashing anger.

  “I told you I went into town today,” Cordelia said. “I saw her there. There is no way she could have gotten here.”

  “Why not?” Eli stood. “You did.”

  Cordelia felt as if he had slapped her across the face. “What are you saying, Eli? You think I am the one who searched your desk?”

  “No, what I am saying, Cordelia, is she had time to get here, just the same way you did.”

  There was no way she was going to give ground on this. “Then where is she now? If she followed me here, where is the carriage she came in, or the horse she rode?”

  “Mrs. Dunlap,” Eli called out. “Please come in here.”

  The housekeeper appeared in the doorway. She looked as if she were going to cry. Stuart was next to her. He put a comforting arm around her shoulder, and she seemed to calm down.

  When Eli spoke again, his voice was calmer. “Did you see a carriage, or a horse in the area either when you went to your house, or came back here?”

  “No, Eli, I didn’t.”

  Eli started to click his tongue over his teeth. Cordelia watched as he started to pace the room. “Someone came in from the back way, which means it was someone who probably knows the land.”

  “The back way?” Cordelia asked.

  “This is a large spread,” Stuart said. “There are a few paths that lead to the creek and some other areas towards the woods. From there you can get to the main road. Someone who knows the land would know to use that. It would mean less time out in the area where they might be seen.”

  Cordelia thought about this for a few moments. “Who would know that?”

  “Anyone who has been here a few times,” Eli said. “Most people would just come in the front gate, like Constance did this morning.”

  The room fell silent and, after a few moments, Cordelia looked from one person to another. Then, she said, “Do you think we should take those paths to see if there are signs of recent travel?”

  Eli shrugged. “It probably wouldn’t hurt, but you wouldn’t be able to prove anything by it; unless they are still there.

  Cordelia had not thought of that. “Perhaps it isn’t such a good idea, then.”

  “It’s a great idea,” Stuart said. “I’ll go and get my mount. Eli, saddle up and be ready.”

  Both men exited the room so quickly that Cordelia did not have a chance to ask what ‘be ready’ meant. She went to the doorway, where Mrs. Dunlap stood just off to the left. The housekeeper looked as if she would break into tears at any moment.

  “This is not your fault, Mrs. Dunlap,” Cordelia said. “I think there is something going on here, something that ties back to Constance. We just have to figure out what it is.”

  The two women walked toward the front of the house. Eli was just coming down the stairs, and Cordelia was shocked to see he had a gun belt strapped to his hips; he also had a shotgun in his hand. She supposed she now knew what Stuart meant by ‘be ready’. “Let me go with you,” she said, speaking before she truly thought it through.

  “We’ll be riding fast, and I don’t think it’s such a good idea for you to come along,” Eli said. He started speaking again, very quickly. “Not that I think you would slow us down, but—”

  “You do not have to explain,” Cordelia said. “You are right, it will be best if I stay here with Mrs. Dunlap.”

  He was at the bottom of the stairs now. Cordelia took a step toward him and put her lips on his. When the kiss broke, she whispered, “Be careful.”

  “We will. Stay here with Mrs. Dunlap, and have some food ready for us when we get back. I’m going to be starved.” He kissed her again, and then went out the door.

  She was nervous as she crossed to Mrs. Dunlap. The older woman was visibly shaken, and Cordelia did not want to say or do anything that would upset her more. “We should go to the kitchen and have some tea while we wait for them to return.”

  When they were seated, with cups of tea sitting on the table before them, Cordelia once again told Mrs. Dunlap that what had happened was not her fault. “In fact, we should be happy you were not here. What do you think would have happened if you had heard a noise and gone to investigate? There is every chance whoever had come into the house would have hurt you.”

  Cordelia was shocked to see the change in the woman’s expression. Whereas she had been nervous before, Mrs. Dunlap’s features now tightened with anger. “If they think they can, let them try.”

  Cordelia smiled. Obviously she had said the right thing, which caused Mrs. Dunlap to not want to be a victim. Cordelia took a sip of her tea. There were things she wanted to know about Eli and his family, but she was not sure exactly how to approach the subject. But then she decided the direct approach was the best way. “Tell me about Eli’s parents, his brothers, and how they died.”

  Mrs. Dunlap turned to her, and the expression on her face was one of instant sorrow. “He hasn’t told you?” She sounded surprised, but then the older woman shook her head. “I suppose he hasn’t. It has been hard on him. Many people in town gossip about Eli, because he is the only one of his family to survive.”

  Cordelia took a sip of her tea before she spoke again. She did not want to seem too eager. There was something going on here, something that required someone, as yet unknown, to hire an actress to try and become Eli’s wife. After a few moments, she spoke again. “I am not sure what you mean.”

  Mrs. Dunlap sat across from her. “Eli was supposed to be with his family when they died, but he decided to stay home at the last minute. Many people have… gossiped… that he caused the accident to get the land away from his father, and in turn, his brother.”

  This was information she had not heard before. “How did they die?” The sadness that crossed Mrs. Dunlap’s face made Cordelia want to wrap her arms around her to help erase her pain.

  “It was an accident,” Mrs. Dunlap said. “They were on their way into Boulder, and went over the side about halfway there.”

  Cordelia knew the spot the housekeeper was talking about. It was a very steep area, an
d the curve was sharp. The first time she had taken it, when she was with Eli and Stuart, the drop-off had frightened her.

  “It took them days to recover the bodies,” Mrs. Dunlap said, her voice shaking. “Eli was beside himself with grief. Stuart finally pulled him out of it months later. It was Stuart, actually, who kept the ranch going while Eli was… indisposed.”

  Cordelia thought about Eli’s cousin, who did not seem to have a serious bone in his body. Despite his tendency to turn everything into a joke, she had no trouble imagining him taking control of things to make sure nothing untoward happened while Eli was grieving. “People thought Eli had something to do with the accident?”

  “Yes,” Mrs. Dunlap said, her tone now angry. “They said his staying home was suspicious. He just wanted to get some work done.”

  Cordelia had no problem believing that. If there was one thing she had learned about Eli, it was that he was always working. “What about the situation with Constance? How did that come about?”

  Mrs. Dunlap shook her head. “Eli was shocked to learn about it, and frankly, so was I. It seems so unlike his father. But there has to be a story behind the agreement. Unfortunately, we may never know what it was, what with Mr. Bannister being dead and all.”

  Indeed, Cordelia thought as ideas raced through her mind. There was a great deal they needed to learn, and the only way to do it was to put it all down on paper and fill in the blanks. She would do that in the morning, when she usually wrote in her journal. Finding out the truth of things was uppermost in her mind right now. Something was off here, and Cordelia was determined to find out what it was.

  She and Mrs. Dunlap enjoyed another cup of tea, and were thinking of having a third when the door opened and Eli, followed by Stuart, came inside.

  “What did you find?” Cordelia asked as soon as they had seated themselves at the table.

  “Some boot prints, and toward the river, some hoof prints,” Eli said. “They were fresh.”

  Cordelia’s heart skipped a beat. She needed to tell Eli what Melody had told her about Constance. But then again, it would be best to wait for a reply to the telegram she had sent Mr. Tuttle that afternoon. If she had the correct information, they could figure out the exact nature of the situation.