Love Inspired Historical July 2015 Box Set: The Marriage AgreementCowgirl for KeepsThe Lawman's RedemptionCaptive on the High Seas

by Renee Ryan

  Mary could almost hear what was coming. All of the Logan family’s planning, despite Emma Jane’s change of heart, had come true. The accusation of being alone all night with Jasper would be enough to force a marriage.

  Out of the corner of her eye, Mary saw Will and Jasper walking past, having been out to check on the wagon and to be sure the roads were clear enough to travel. They’d been stuck at the Spruce Lakes Resort for a week, waiting for the storm to subside, then the snow to melt. The hope was that they could return to Leadville today.

  Mary tried to signal Will to go away, only he seemed to take it as an invitation to enter. Bringing Jasper with him.

  The sound of boot steps brought Mrs. Logan to attention. Mary knew the moment Mrs. Logan recognized Jasper.

  “You debaucher!”

  Jasper took a step back. “Ma’am?”

  “You know perfectly well who I am. I’m Mrs. Percival Logan, and you, sir, are the evil man who stained the reputation of our beloved daughter. We will not allow this injustice to continue a moment longer.”

  More footfalls sounded in the entryway.

  “Ah, there they are.” Mrs. Lewis’s cheery voice greeted them all, a stark contrast to the steam rising from Mrs. Logan’s body.

  Given the amount of contriving Mrs. Logan had gone to in order for her daughter to be compromised by Jasper, Mary had to admit that the woman’s acting ability would rival anything found on any of the stages in Leadville.

  “Emma Jane! My angel!” The booming voice, Mary supposed, had to come from Mr. Percival Logan himself. “Tell me you’re all right.”

  Mary glanced at Will. Was it her, or had she been inserted into one of those novels Polly liked to pick up in the bookshop?

  Though the words were directed at Emma Jane, Mr. Logan’s attention was on Jasper. “You must marry her to blot this horrible stain on my precious daughter’s reputation.”

  Will gave Mary a look as if to tell her to stay out of it. He was right, of course, but it seemed so utterly wrong that poor Emma Jane had to suffer her parents’ schemes when nothing untoward had happened.

  “Sir, I can assure you—” Jasper looked as pathetic as he sounded. He knew as well as everyone else in the room that, although he had not taken advantage of Emma Jane, she would never be able to hold up her head as a respectable woman again. Unless Jasper married her.

  “I’ve already spoken with your father,” Mr. Logan said shortly. “He has agreed to make reparations.”

  Jasper’s lips moved, as though he was swearing under his breath. Mary didn’t condone such language, of course, but she didn’t blame him for being upset. He hadn’t done anything wrong.

  “Father, no.” Emma Jane tried to stand, but her mother blocked her path. “We did nothing wrong. I got lost in the woods, and Jasper saved me. If it weren’t for Jasper, I’d be—”

  “Your reputation would at least be intact,” Mrs. Logan snapped.

  Did her parents really think Emma Jane better off dead than having spent a night in the wilderness with a man?

  Emma Jane began to sob quietly. Mary had heard Emma Jane cry before, but never like this. A wailing Emma Jane was an awful sight indeed, but this defeated woman whose whole body shook with the weight of her parents’ disdain was too much.

  Mary stood. “Nothing improper happened. Jasper wasn’t the least interested in Emma Jane, nor Emma Jane in him. They shouldn’t be forced to marry when they did nothing wrong.”

  Mrs. Logan peered at her. “And who might you be, that you would argue with your elders?”

  Mary tried not to shake. “Mary Stone. I’ve been with Emma Jane the entire time.”

  The intensity of Mrs. Logan’s stare deepened. Her lips curled with greater unpleasantness. “That name does little to recommend yourself to me. Not with the scandal your family is involved in. I can hardly fathom why you’d think yourself an appropriate companion to my daughter. If anything, your influence further necessitates my daughter’s marriage.”

  “The Stones are a well-respected family in Leadville. They own some of the most productive mines in the area.” Will’s voice held an edge to it that startled Mary.

  Mrs. Logan’s gaze didn’t leave Mary’s face. “Then you haven’t heard.”

  If Mary could have described the look on Mrs. Logan’s face, it would have been that of someone absolutely smug and self-righteous, worse than anything she’d ever seen on anyone before. How could someone be so positively evil?

  “Heard what?” Please, don’t be Daniel again, she prayed, knowing that her prayers couldn’t change anything that had already happened, yet she couldn’t help wanting to defend her poor little brother.

  A smile twisted the edges of Mrs. Logan’s lips. “Why, your sister has run off with some man. And they’re staying in one of those—” she mouthed the words “—houses of ill repute.”

  “That’s not possible.” Mary glared at Mrs. Logan. “I’m sure you’ve gotten the story wrong. My family helps with Pastor Lassiter’s charitable works, and it often involves visiting those places, to give aid to the women.”

  If Emma Jane wanted to be rid of such a horrible family that would spread such foul words, Mary would do everything in her power to help, including giving the poor girl some of her own fortune to find a new place to settle and start over.

  “It’s true,” Mr. Logan said, his voice just as smug as his wife’s. “I saw Pastor Lassiter there myself, begging someone named Rose to please come home.”

  Rose. Mary’s heart shattered, and she sank back into her chair. She’d hurt her sister with her selfish desire to find love for herself. They hadn’t parted on the best of terms, true, but surely Rose wouldn’t have preferred one of those places to their family. Rose was a good girl.

  “It had to be a misunderstanding,” Mary said quietly. Rose simply wouldn’t do something so rash.

  “I heard tell that the man Rose was with is a notorious criminal.” The smile remained firmly at Mrs. Logan’s lips.

  Which was when Mary knew it was true. Ben. It had to be Ben. That man could talk a woman into just about anything. He’d talked Mary into violating so many principles. Except giving up her virtue, of course. But Rose… Mary had often scolded her sister for being too flirtatious. And if Ben had stopped by the house with Rose there and Mary gone, Rose’s flirtations could have easily turned into something Ben took advantage of.

  A tear trickled down Mary’s cheek. If only she’d been honest with her sister. If only she hadn’t been so afraid of getting in trouble with the law that she’d been willing to tell her family and Frank what Ben was about.

  “Ah,” Mrs. Logan said with some satisfaction. “See there? She knows it’s true.”

  “Enough!” Jasper’s voice echoed through the room. “Mary and her family are innocent here. Mary has been nothing but kind and a good friend. Both to Emma Jane and me. You will malign them no further. I’ll marry Emma Jane.”

  Mary looked up at him, barely able to see through the tears that threatened to spill in earnest. “Jasper, you—”

  “It’s the right thing to do. Emma Jane and I know the truth. But if I don’t marry her, these people and their pernicious tongues will only ruin more lives.”

  He stepped forward and handed Mary a handkerchief. Then he turned to the Logans. “The Stones are dear friends of mine. I’m marrying your daughter. I will not tolerate further evil talk of my friends or my future wife. You will be kind, or I will spend every last penny ruining your lives.”

  Mrs. Stone glared at Mary. “But her sister is a—”

  Jasper held up a hand. “If you finish that sentence now, or ever, you will not see a dime of my money.”

  “You don’t have to marry me,” Emma Jane said quietly. “You’ve done more than anyone else has ever done for me.”

  Jasper’s eyes misted. “Your mother’s right. If I don’t, your reputation will never recover. Mine won’t be as bad, but I’ll still never be allowed to set foot in many of the homes in Leadville.
Like it or not, we must marry.”

  He turned toward Mr. Logan. “If you will accompany me to Mr. Lewis’s study, we can go over the details of the wedding. Given the circumstances, I’m sure you’ll understand why it won’t be an elaborate affair.”

  “But it must be!” Mrs. Logan’s screech burned Mary’s eardrums. “My daughter’s wedding should be the societal event of the season.”

  At least here, the Logan family’s plans would be foiled. Jasper looked at her coldly. “You, madam, have no choice in the matter.”

  He turned and stomped out of the room, Mr. Logan trailing behind him.

  Mrs. Logan turned and flopped onto a couch. “Why, I never.” Then she turned her attention back to Mary. “And you—”

  “I would watch your words, Mrs. Logan.” Will glared at her with a deep ferocity. “I plan on remaining here, and I will report every word you speak to Jasper. Your family does not deserve his kindness.”

  Something in Will’s defense of her made the dam holding back Mary’s tears break. They ran freely down her face, and the truth crashed over her in wave after wave. Jasper’s staunch support did little to change the fact that Rose had done the unimaginable, and it was all Mary’s fault.

  *

  Will wished he could offer some comfort to Mary, who’d dried her tears with a handkerchief but stared at the fire as though she wished it would swallow her whole. But with the way Mrs. Logan stared at him, he knew any kindness he offered would be misconstrued.

  “It’ll be all right,” Emma Jane said quietly, patting Mary’s hand.

  Mary squeezed Emma Jane’s hand back. “I should be comforting you. We’re in a fine mess, aren’t we?”

  Emma Jane looked as if she was about to say something, but Mrs. Logan swooped in. “I will not have this.”

  Giving Will a cold look, Mrs. Logan continued, “I may not be able to speak what I think, but that doesn’t mean I will allow my daughter to be under the influence of someone who thinks that marrying the most eligible bachelor in Leadville is worthy of comfort.”

  At least married to Jasper, Emma Jane would have the freedom to talk to Mary again. Jasper would make sure of it, Will was certain.

  Poor Jasper. Will had warned his friend that his antics would land him at the business end of a shotgun someday. But Emma Jane wasn’t a bad sort. Sure, she made a lousy first impression. But she grew on a person. Jasper could do a lot worse than Emma Jane Logan for a wife.

  Though he wasn’t sure he could find worse in-laws than Mr. and Mrs. Percival Logan.

  Jasper reentered the room, Mr. Logan at his heels. “We’ll return to Leadville as soon as possible. Mrs. Lewis is having their man get the horses ready for travel. None of us have much in the way of belongings, so we will be leaving shortly.”

  “Surely you don’t expect us to travel with—” Mrs. Logan glared at Mary.

  The woman couldn’t possibly be serious. The accusations were about Mary’s sister, not Mary, and they hadn’t even proven to be true.

  Jasper met Mrs. Logan’s glare with a fierce look of his own. “You and your husband will ride back in your carriage with Emma Jane. Mr. Lewis needs to go into town for some supplies, so Will, Mary and I will ride in the wagon with him.”

  “But you should be riding with us, so we can get to know the man who’s stealing our daughter.”

  “I have business to attend to with Will. There will be plenty of time to get to know each other after the wedding.”

  The Jasper Will knew would have made a joke here, but the tightness around Jasper’s jaw made it clear this was no laughing matter. Jasper had often joked about marriage being akin to facing a hangman’s noose. Now on his way to the executioner, Jasper didn’t have anything to laugh about.

  Jasper looked at Will. “Come, help me with the horses.”

  Knowing Jasper, he was probably ready to explode at the inhumanity of the situation. Will didn’t like it, either. Perhaps they could find a way out.

  Will followed Jasper out to the blessed fresh air. Though the ground was still muddy, it was far better than being inside with all the tension.

  “Are you really going to marry her?”

  “I don’t have much of a choice. It was bound to happen someday. Emma Jane saved my life. If saving her reputation means giving up my freedom, then I guess I owe her.”

  Will hadn’t much considered marriage much for himself. Sure, there had been the craziness with Daisy that almost had him thinking along those lines. But he’d learned a valuable lesson in not trusting the fairer sex. Thinking you were in love only addled your brain, and if you weren’t careful, you could get shot. Literally.

  Truthfully, he had nothing to offer a woman. No wealth, no home, no respectability.

  “Emma Jane’s not too bad,” Will said lamely.

  “No, she’s not.” Jasper blew out a breath. “I don’t know how I’m going to handle her family. Her father spoke of wanting to return to family back East. I’m hoping, with enough money, I can stick them on a train and be done with the lot of them.”

  Cold, even for Jasper.

  “Won’t Emma Jane miss them?”

  Jasper shook his head. “Doubtful. When we were stuck in the mine, Emma Jane made it clear that she wanted nothing more than to be free of her controlling mother. That’s why she pursued me so fiercely. To think I pitied her.”

  “Now you’ll have to pity yourself.”

  Finally, a grin tugged at the side of Jasper’s mouth. “You’re telling me. I plan on staying as far away from the in-laws as possible. Which means…”

  Will knew that gleam in his friend’s eye. It had gotten Will into a number of scrapes when they were in Denver, and it had popped up lately when they spoke of Ben.

  “I can’t have a married man endanger himself by chasing down a gang that’s not afraid to shoot to kill. I was fortunate to survive.”

  The grin faded from Jasper’s face. Finally the other man saw some sense.

  “Even if the man Mary’s sister ran off with is Ben Perry?”

  It was like being gut-shot all over again.

  Of course the savvy Jasper had put two and two together as Mrs. Logan had gleefully shared Mary’s family shame. Ben would do anything to get what he wanted, even if it meant taking advantage of a good woman like Mary. And if Mary wasn’t available, her sister.

  Will had done it again. He’d allowed his focus on a woman to get in the way of pursuing a case.

  Worse, another innocent woman’s life was ruined because Will hadn’t found a way to put Ben behind bars.

  “How bad is it?” Will finally asked, ignoring the tightness in his chest.

  “Mr. Logan said that Rose ran off with Ben and they’re living in sin above The Pink Petticoat. Pastor Lassiter tried to get her to come home, but Rose says she’s in love, and she and Ben are going to get married.”

  At least they weren’t married yet. The very worst thing for Rose would be marrying the scoundrel. Sure, her reputation would suffer for her mistake in allowing herself to be taken in by Ben, but it would be far better than being chained to him for the rest of her life.

  Hopefully, he could convince both the good pastor and the aspiring bride of the fact. Not to mention the bride’s sister.

  Mary had been willing to risk her own life to marry Ben to protect her family, but would she force an innocent girl down that path?

  No. Mary had seemed horrified at the idea of Emma Jane being forced to marry Jasper. And she’d seemed horrified at the idea of a future with Ben.

  Maybe now, Mary would be willing to help him.

  He just wouldn’t allow himself to get caught up in feelings for her. She wouldn’t distract him from his primary purpose—taking down Ben Perry.

  They’d save her sister, find a way to get Ben in jail, and then Will would walk away. No attachments, no hard feelings. Ben Perry had ruined the last life he was going to ruin.

  Chapter Fourteen

  The wagon jostled along the still-muddy ruts of
the road, preventing Mary from any coherent thought.

  Why had Mary been so selfish as to think that she could have some time away from home? Why had she forsaken her family for a friend? She’d been utterly useless in helping Emma Jane out of her situation, but perhaps if she’d only gone home with Polly, this crisis would have been averted.

  “It’s going to be okay,” Will said softly as he scooted next to her. “I’m going to do my best to get your sister safely home. Jasper has promised to help.”

  Mary didn’t look at him. “There’s not much you can do if she’s already ruined. I should have been there.”

  “And done what? If Ben’s as determined to get at your family’s fortune as he seems to be, you’d be ruined in her place.”

  This time, she stared at him. “Which would have been my due, for introducing that serpent into my family’s bosom. I made poor judgment in associating with Ben, and for all of my mistakes in dealing with him. Rose is innocent.”

  But as she protested Rose’s innocence, she couldn’t help but remember the sting of Rose’s hand across her cheek. Though it certainly was Mary’s due, such actions were completely unbecoming of the kind of women they were brought up to be.

  “Rose is capable of making her own decisions.” Will’s jaw set firm as he stared at her.

  A thought Mary had also had. The other, more sinister, reason lurked in the shadows of her mind. “What if she’s not with Ben of her own accord?”

  Her question silenced Will, as though he’d also thought of that possibility. Everyone, it seemed, knew what a bad man Ben Perry was. So how was it that she could have been so easily duped by him in the first place?

  “The account Jasper heard would indicate she was with him willingly. But I suppose we won’t know for sure until we are there and learn the truth for ourselves.”

  Truth was miles away, leaving Mary too much time to consider and think the worst.

  “I know you don’t like me asking, but maybe it’s time you told me the full details of your involvement with Ben. There might be something in your story that can help your sister.”