Days before, Morgan had a surprise meeting out in the hotel, but that one unexpectedly turned out in his best interest, offering him a gift that he could have only dreamed of receiving. The idea of this upcoming meeting, however, caused his stomach to churn and his heartbeat to accelerate. After the things he had heard about that man, dealing with him in person was one of the last things on his list. Unfortunately, if the proposal to Indiana were going to happen, he had to make sure that Cade Hollway was not going to become a problem.
And he was certain that the marriage to Indiana would in fact happen. All he had to do was to tell her his feelings for her. How could he have been so stupid as to mention marriage without mentioning love? No wonder Indiana had been so upset. What a fool he was! Yet she had admitted her feelings for him.
“Good day, sir. Is there anything I can get for you? Perhaps our new blue blazer drink?” the tall, well-dressed bartender asked. He wore a white shirt that was hugged tightly by a dark vest, his long necktie tucked safely underneath it.
“No, thank you. I am meeting a gentleman here,” Morgan replied. As good as the idea of a cold drink sounded, he knew that he needed to keep a clear head around someone like Cade Hollway. At least if the rumors about him were true.
“Very well, sir. Please let me know if you change your mind,” the bartender said, walking away to attend to some other customers.
Morgan turned in his stool, glancing around the spacious establishment to see if Mr. Hollway had come in without being noticed. Where could he be? After several quick passes, he was sure about one of two things: either his guest had yet to arrive, or he was already hidden somewhere amongst the sea of patrons.
Just then, a warm sensation prickled the back of Morgan’s neck, startling him from his thoughts. He whipped his head around to see a large, imposing man glaring at him. His large, bushy mustache stood like a lifeless caterpillar above his upper lip, but it wiggled when he spoke. “Well, good morning, Mr. Chase. I see that you received my message,” he said.
The unnerving smile on his face sent chills down Morgan’s spine as he watched him closely, but the smell coming from his mouth was even worse. Had he already been drinking? If so, he had to have been at it all morning so far. The stench of his breath alone might have been bad enough to cause the hotel to be evacuated. With his heart racing even faster now, Morgan glared back at Cade and flashed his own smile. “Ah, I was hoping that I hadn’t missed you. Please, have a seat. I saved this one for you,” he said, gesturing to the stool beside him.
Cade scoffed, a howling sound. “I don’t think that was necessary, but thank you anyway.” He plopped down on the stool and then spun himself around, stopping when he finally caught Morgan’s attention.
“So, might I ask what you called me here for?” Morgan said, interrupting Cade’s moment of childish fun.
“Well…” Cade started, his voice trailing off as his beady eyes still burned their gaze into Morgan’s skin. “I heard that you might be making a mistake. You know, it might be a good idea to search for another instead,” he said, his voice quiet, but stern.
Morgan stared back at him, his mouth falling open. “Excuse me? What are you speaking about?”
Just then, Cade’s face twisted, his eyes widening as his mouth went slack. He leaned forward and whispered, “You know exactly why we’re having this meeting. It is about Indiana White. You cannot marry her.”
Taken aback by the imposing presence of such a repulsive man, Morgan shook his head in defiance. “I cannot? Says who? I am a grown man and I shall do as I please,” he said, his voice much louder than Cade’s had been.
“You can surely do as you’d like, but not when it involves someone else’s property!” Cade said, almost spitting his words.
Morgan’s eyes nearly went crossed at hearing such an undignified remark. “I am sorry, but Miss Indiana does not belong to you. She is a grown woman who can do as she pleases as well, and from what I’ve heard, you aren’t her first choice,” he said.
Cade leaned back on his stool, crossing his arms as he scowled at Morgan. “How preposterous is this?” he exclaimed, his voice much louder than it needed to be.
“I’m sorry?” Morgan said, unsure to what he was referring.
“Sorry? For what? Being the bane of my existence all of a sudden?” Cade said, almost growling. “The absurdity of you and that girl is fascinating. If I wasn’t so keen on taking her back home with me, I might just leave you both to each other. There seems to be just about the same level of decency in you and her, anyway. Might be a good match,” he said, chuckling to himself as if his jokes were not rude and inconsiderate—yet they most certainly were in Morgan’s eyes.
Morgan’s frustration was growing just as quickly as his self-control was waning. “Did you ask me to meet you here just to make indecent remarks like that? Can you not just be a man and speak your mind? What is the point of speaking in riddles?”
Cade sighed, his arms dropping to his sides as he leaned forward. “Indiana was promised to me. Her mother arranged for our marriage and I’ve kept my part of the deal. People speak so poorly of me sometimes, but they always fail to put themselves under that same level of scrutiny. Peculiar thing, isn’t it? Double standards and all that,” he said with a laugh. “But, with that being said, do you truly think breaking our deal is the most honorable thing to do?”
“I’m not worrying about what’s noble or honorable,” Morgan replied, “I’m worried about making sure you don’t hurt someone that I care about deeply.”
Just then, Cade’s face seemed to light up. It was almost like he had instantaneously come up with the solution to all of his problems. “Oh,” he said, his voice breaking off before he spoke again, adding some clarification to his excitement. “So that’s why you’re trying to swoop in and save her from me? Because you love her?”
“What?” Morgan shot back, completely caught off guard by the comment. “I said no such thing. Her family and my uncle’s family go way back. I care about her, but I wouldn’t call it that.”
“Wouldn’t you?” Cade said with a sneer, tilting his head slowly.
Morgan looked back at him and sighed, covering his face partially with the palm of his hand. He was completely put off by just how cold and callous the man seemed to be. The look on his face alone was enough to instill hostility and hatred in the purest of people. “How I feel has no bearing on any of this, not our conversation, not the outcome of it, and not even the agreement of marriage that was rescinded. You should go back to Texas and find yourself a new bride.”
As the words left his lips, Morgan almost wished he could take them back, but sometimes the truth was just as sharp as knives and daggers. It might hurt, but someone had to put Cade in his place, because it sure didn’t seem like anyone ever had before.
“Go back to Texas? Empty-handed? You must be daft! Are you going to reimburse me for the long trip here, my time away from the ranch, and every other expense I’ve incurred, all for nothing?” he asked, his eyes glowing with fury.
Morgan could not believe the audacity of such a fool. “You came here with a chance to marry a beautiful, wonderful woman and squandered it away by being the kind of man that you are. There might be some women that would sell their souls to someone like you for luxury and financial stability, but I will not allow Indiana to become one of them.”
Cade stared back at him, his smile slowly growing until it stretched from ear to ear. Then, his lips parted and laughter filled the air. “So, that’s why Deborah chose you,” he said.
“Chose me? What do you mean?”
“I know that you met with her recently. She is the one that is setting up this entire ruse, isn’t she? That two-timing…” Cade said, his voice trailing off as he leaped off his stool and began pacing back and forth.
“Do not speak ill of the lady,” Morgan said, his voice flushed with the anger that he had been holding back since the meeting began. “I do not know what you’re talking about, but she had not
hing to do with my decision to ask Indiana to marry me.”
Cade stared at Morgan. “Hide your secrets, and bury them while you’re at it, but I’ll still find them. I came here to give you a chance to be the bigger man and walk away. Indiana was promised to me first, so unless I decline the offer, that still stands.”
“And where do you suppose you will find a court or a magistrate that will entertain such a petty notion? Marriage arrangements are not guaranteed by the laws of men. You should just cut your losses while you can and salvage this little trip of yours,” Morgan said, his voice stern and full of passion.
“Hmm,” Cade mumbled. “Perhaps you have a point there. Maybe I really should just chalk it up as a loss and go away.”
Unsure whether or not he was toying with him, Morgan tilted his head and raised an eyebrow, hoping for an explanation. There was no way that Cade was suddenly just willing to drop it. He wouldn’t have called the meeting or shown up if it was something that he didn’t consider important. “I do have a point, but I doubt that you can see it.”
“I see something, something very clear,” Cade replied. “But that something is for me to worry about. Again, this meeting was not for my benefit. I was merely extending you a courtesy.”
“A courtesy?” Morgan repeated, his chest tightening as he waited for Cade’s next response.
“Yes, that is exactly what it is. Well, I suppose some might rather refer to it as a warning,” he explained, walking toward Morgan and stopping just inches away.
“Oh, so you’re warning me now?” Morgan tried not to flinch at the man’s breath.
Cade smiled and winked, almost sending Morgan into a rage. He could almost feel his blood boiling as beads of sweat pooled on his forehead. “If that’s what you want to call it, so be it. To me, it’s just some friendly advice. Stay away from my future wife.”
Morgan sighed, looking down to rid himself of the agitation that threatened to overwhelm him. When he glanced back up at Cade, he spoke slowly and softly. “If I ever meet the lucky lady, I would be happy to stay away from her. Indiana on the other hand, is not yours and never will be.”
Cade grabbed the collar of his shirt with both hands and tugged on it, fixing the wrinkles that had overtaken it. “I have some things I need to tend to today, so I must be going, but thank you again for our lovely meeting. And please, don’t forget: stay away from her, or you’ll wish you had.”
Restraining himself with every ounce of willpower he could muster, Morgan watched as Cade walked away from the bar and disappeared back into the maze of guests and hallways. The bar right then was just as loud as it had been when he had arrived, but now he sat in the silence of his own mind. Even the magnificent etchings and sculptures that lined the bar seemed sullied somehow by the exchange that he had just experienced. As he jumped off the stool and headed back toward the lobby of the hotel, he wondered if there was any validity to the foolish man’s warnings.
Chapter 16
Morgan felt something was wrong as soon as he received the message from the young man. “Please hurry. Mrs. Deborah White requires your presence immediately.”
Morgan grabbed his cloak and followed the young man into the street. The streets were dark and the lamps which hung from the front of the numerous bars did little to dispel the gloom. Bustling people brushed past, many of them drunk and disorderly.
The messenger was hurrying and Morgan was hard put to keep up, given the poor visibility. Guard dogs barked loudly, and one or two were howling eerily. It was an uncanny sound.
“Why are we going this way?” Morgan asked the messenger.
“It’s a short cut,” he answered curtly.
At that very moment, Morgan knew that something was wrong. He swung around, just as Cade emerged from the dark. Morgan struggled in vain to hold his breath. Cade had a strong, unpleasant body odor, due no doubt to a lack of bathing.
“Thanks for coming.” Cade’s tone was as unpleasant as his appearance. “Turn around.”
Morgan turned around, expecting to be hit on the back of the head or even shot, but Cade merely jabbed him in the back with his gun. He soon found himself in another back street, opposite a bar. It was easier to see here, the stars being able to shine in the open space, unhindered by crowded awnings, but the residence itself was dark.
Cade handed the messenger the gun and unlocked the door. He stood back and waved the gun at Morgan. “Go in,” he said.
Morgan walked in—he had no choice but to obey.
“Not too bright are you, walking into an obvious trap!” Cade’s tone was one of blatant gloating.
Morgan walked back over to the door, but stepped back when he was hit by a burst of foul breath. Even in the dim light, Morgan could see that Cade was supremely smug.
“Enjoy your time here while it lasts. What a shame you won’t be able to come to my wedding,” Cade cackled, and then left with the messenger.
So that’s what this is all about, Morgan thought. With me out of the way, Cade thinks he will be able to marry Indiana. Why didn’t he have me murdered instead? He must have his reasons. I wonder what he’s up to?
Morgan walked around his tiny room. It was damp, smelly, and horrible in every way.
* * *
Indiana was anxious—Morgan had not arrived that afternoon for dinner. Deborah had sent a messenger to the hotel, and Indiana had waited with bated breath for the messenger’s return.
The messenger had returned to inform them that Morgan was nowhere to be found, but had not checked out of the hotel. Deborah had then sent a message to Charles Walton.
A worried Charles himself was now standing in the villa’s reception room, speaking to Deborah and Indiana. “I just can’t understand what’s happened to him. I’ve been to his hotel suite, and all his things are there. It’s like he’s vanished off the face of the earth. I’ve asked around and no one has seen any sign of him. Cody’s out looking for him now.”
Indiana wrung her hands in despair. She had trouble breathing, and gasped for air. She had thought things over, and had realized that Morgan indeed must have feelings for her. Why had she acted so hastily and in such an unseemly manner? She could not wait for the first opportunity to set things right with Morgan, but now he had vanished without a trace.
Just as she thought things couldn’t get any worse, Mr. Cade Hollway was shown in. He was clean for a change.
“I have some news of Mr. Morgan Chase,” he announced, and Indiana’s heart missed a beat.
“Yes, what it is then?” Charles could not conceal his impatience nor his dislike for Cade.
“It is a little unsavory for the ladies.” Cade leered at Indiana.
“Oh my dear Mr. Hollway, please speak forthrightly, as this is a matter of some urgency,” Deborah said.
“If you insist, my dear. I do, however, feel embarrassed to speak of such matters in front of ladies.” Cade did his best to look uncomfortable. “My good friend Morgan Chase came to me with a delicate problem late last night. He was caught with the wife of…” Cade hesitated, “well, I must not name names, and he needed to hide. He was unable to return to his hotel room, being in fear of the husband, so came to me late at night. I advised him to leave town and not return.”
“That’s not true!”
“Indiana! Apologize to our guest at once.”
Cade held up his hand. “There’s no need, Mrs. White. I do understand how upset Indiana must be to hear this awful news. Young love and all that.”
It was clear to Indiana that Charles also realized that Cade’s story was untrue, and she was distracted for a moment by wondering what Charles would do.
Charles finally spoke. “I’ll get to the bottom of this—mark my words!” He said goodbye to Indiana and Deborah, shot Cade a dark look, and then left.
Cade sniggered. “That was awkward.”
Deborah agreed. “Yes, Mr. Hollway, poor Mr. Walton must be horribly embarrassed. He is the uncle of Mr. Chase, you understand.”
�
�Mother, Mr. Chase wouldn’t do such a thing!” Indiana protested.
Deborah turned on Indiana, her face furious. Indiana did not care. She was terrified for Morgan’s sake. Whatever has happened to him? she wondered. Has he met with foul play?
Cade spoke before Deborah could say any more. “Let us put this nasty business behind us and forget that my dear friend Morgan Chase ever existed, for his sake as well as yours. I should like to invite both of you to dinner tomorrow evening.”
Deborah accepted happily, while Indiana glared at Cade. He’s obviously done something to Morgan. I hope he hasn’t had him murdered. Surely even Cade wouldn’t go that far?
“Indiana!”
“Yes, Mother?”
“Didn’t you hear? Mr. Hollway asked if you would be so kind as to walk him out.”
“Oh, yes, Mother.”
Cade and Indiana walked out into the entrance courtyard. As soon as they were away from Deborah, Indiana hissed at Cade. “What have you done with Morgan?”
Cade laughed, and then spoke in hushed tones. “I have him hidden away somewhere special. He’s safe, for now, but if you refuse to marry me, I’ll have him killed.”
Indiana stopped, and stared at Cade in disbelief. “I’ll tell Charles!”
“I’m sure he already suspects.” Cade laughed harshly. “He’s not as gullible as Morgan. But let me make this very clear. If you tell anyone at all, I’ll have Morgan killed at once. I only have to give the signal. The one and only way for you to guarantee his safety is to marry me.”
Indiana Goes West (Mail Order Brides of Pioneer Town, Book 1) Page 7