He nodded warily.
“Then for the convenience of my family, I’m willing to do it until such time as either Hugh returns to work, or the new vein starts to pay off and you can hire someone else. It shouldn’t take long, do you think?” She sat back, the picture of composure, and looked him in the eye. For once, he seemed to have lost that maddening self-control of his and was doing a poor job of hiding his astonishment. Good. For some perverse reason, she was enjoying the sight of the always-so-sure-of-himself Darcy McKenna at a loss for words. “Well, Mr. McKenna?”
For a long moment, he remained silent, then got an amused look in his eye. “I’ve never hired a woman before.”
“There’s a first time for everything, isn’t there?” Someone else must be talking. She couldn’t believe what she’d just said, but the bare facts gave her no alternative. Unless the Monarch stayed open, the Sinclairs would be living on charity, and that would happen over her dead body. Mother couldn’t help. Neither could Ada. It was all up to her. She held her breath while she waited for his decision.
Finally, after a long, silent moment, he shrugged and nodded. “As long as you know what you’re getting yourself into.”
“I’m not sure that I do, but I’ll soon find out, won’t I?”
“It’s only until Hugh comes back.”
“Of course.”
“Any time you regret your decision, you have only to tell me.”
“Fine. I assume you agree.”
Except for the slight raise of an eyebrow, he’d shown no surprise, but he must be astounded that he’d actually hired a woman. She smiled at him pleasantly, so he could see how at ease she was. “You won’t regret it.”
He rose to leave. “I’ll have the papers drawn up tomorrow.”
He bid Mother and Ada good night. Laurie accompanied him to the door. Maybe the truth would dawn on her later as to what a reckless, foolhardy thing she’d just done, but for the moment she brimmed with confidence and a touch of satisfaction that for once Darcy hadn’t seemed quite so sure of himself. “Good night, sir. My family and I are grateful for your generosity in paying off our loan.”
“I’m not a generous man, and you needn’t thank me. I wouldn’t have made the offer had I not expected a handsome return from that gold mine of yours.”
“When should I start?”
“You’re sure?” Disbelief still lingered in his eyes.
“Very sure.”
“Why don’t I show you around first? Give you an idea of what you’ll be doing.”
“Fine with me.”
“In that case, I’ll meet you at the Monarch at seven o’clock tomorrow morning.”
“That’s awfully early.”
“We don’t work banker’s hours in a mine.”
“Could you make it eight o’clock instead? I’m asking because it will take me a while to walk up there.”
“But why can’t you—” Realization lit his face. “Your stableman’s been dismissed, and you don’t know how to hitch the horses, do you?”
She opened her mouth to defend herself, but why should she? Since when was a lady supposed to know how to perform such a task? Even so, she’d better explain. “I never had the need to hitch my own horses. That’s what we had a stableman for. If he wasn’t around, my father and brother took care of such things.”
He broke into a knowing, absolutely maddening smile, as if he’d been right, that she, spoiled and pampered all her life, wasn’t capable of doing anything remotely resembling actual labor and considered herself too good to try. “Understandable. That’s why I’m wondering if you might wish to reconsider your decision to work at the mine.”
“Absolutely not.”
“Then would you care to learn how to hitch the horses?”
He had her trapped. Cornered. Only one response could she give. “I suppose…why not? We have the wagon, the landau, and the curricle. If I could just learn how to hitch up the curricle, I suppose I could manage. All I need is to find someone to show me how it’s done.” Whom she could find, she had no idea but would worry about that later. Right now, all she cared about was not letting this annoying man get the best of her.
“I’ll be here at seven in the morning to show you. Good night.” He gave her a quick salute and turned away.
He’d spoken in such a commanding manner she didn’t think to argue. “Goodnight, McKenna,” she called after him and watched as he returned to his horse and swung into the saddle in that fluid, graceful manner of his. The truth struck hard as she watched him ride away. What had possessed her? She’d been born and raised in a genteel world where only persons of the lower class performed manual labor. How could she have ever considered working at an ugly, muddy mine far removed from civilization? Worst of all, she’d be forced to deal with Darcy McKenna, one of the most irritating men she’d ever met. Or so she kept telling herself.
There was something about him she found… What was the right word? Intriguing? Fascinating? Oh, surely not. Brandon Cooper was intriguing and fascinating. Darcy McKenna? A complete mystery. Tough and unfriendly. Never opened up. Kept all his feelings to himself. If he liked her, she wouldn’t even know. Good lord, how could she even wonder such a thing, especially about a man she had no interest in, whatsoever?
A gloomy atmosphere awaited when she returned to the parlor. Despite the good news concerning the loan, her mother and sister were engaged in a grim discussion concerning money. The notes they’d found in the boot would stretch only so far, and they must conserve it. At least for the time being they’d have to cut expenses to the bone. That meant Valeria, too, must go. “How can we do without her?” Mother bleakly inquired. “I’ve never cooked in my life, and neither have you girls.”
“I’ve never so much as boiled water,” Ada said. “I’ve never put wood in the stove.”
Laurie reminded them how lucky they were that thanks to Darcy McKenna, the loan to Dominick would be paid in full. “As for the rest, lots of people manage without servants. Remember, it’s only temporary. That new vein will soon make us rich again. It’s only a matter of time.”
Laurie’s optimism didn’t impress Mother in the least. She still looked grim. “I dread telling Valeria we’re letting her go. You know how she is.”
“I’ll take care of it.” Laurie, too, dreaded telling their cook she’d been dismissed, but she’d do whatever had to be done.
“And what about you, Laurie?” Mother inquired. “Whatever possessed you to say you’d work at the mine? It’s most unseemly for a lady like you to be engaged in that type of activity.”
“We’re not in Philadelphia anymore,” Laurie replied with a gentle smile. “Before this is over, I predict we’ll be doing lots of unseemly activities. We’ll manage, though. I’m sure of it.” She’d given herself the perfect opening to give them her latest news. “Speaking of activities, here’s a new one. Mr. McKenna will be here at seven tomorrow morning. He’s going to show me how to hitch up the curricle.”
“You?” Ada burst into laughter. “However will you manage? You don’t know the front of a horse from the rear.”
Laurie picked up a pillow from the couch and tossed it at her sister. “Never fear, I’ll manage all right.”
“And what about Mr. Darcy McKenna? Do you think you can manage him, too?” Ada asked.
Sometimes her sister was wiser than she thought. “He’s the least of my problems. I’ll be dealing with him only because I have to.”
And that, of course, was very, very true.
Chapter 6
Laurie awoke in the morning finding herself eager to start the day. How odd. Instead of dreading the very thought of spending long hours in a place she detested, she was actually looking forward to this new turn her life had taken, kind of like a new adventure. Only temporary, of course. Darcy McKenna wasn’t a man who easily showed his emotions, but when he ta
lked about the new vein of gold they’d found, excitement sparked in those extraordinary eyes of his. He couldn’t hide it. With any luck, the mine would soon start paying off again—maybe better than before—and she’d soon be heading for Philadelphia.
As for learning how to hitch up the horses, this was all part of the new and necessary path she’d chosen. Of course, she could do it. Lots of women knew how to hitch a horse and carriage, and soon so would she. So, what was the proper attire for working at a mine? Nothing frivolous. After careful consideration, she chose the plainest dress she owned, the dark blue bombazine that buttoned nearly to her throat. She fixed her hair in a bun, foregoing the usual curly tendrils she usually arranged to dangle around her face. Confident she’d dressed appropriately she went downstairs.
Where was Valeria? Laurie had hoped to find her already there, but she hadn’t arrived yet. Too bad. Laurie hadn’t looked forward to telling her she’d been dismissed and was eager to get it over with. She fixed her own breakfast. By the time she finished, it was nearly seven o’clock. She threw on a light wrap and walked to the small stable that stood behind the house. The heavy wagon Hugh and Father used for their work stood inside, along with the six-seater landau, used when the entire family went for an outing, and the light, two-wheel curricle. The sight of the landau brought her nearly to tears, remembering Father sitting tall and proud in the driver’s high seat as he drove his family to church on Sundays. Who would drive them now? Perhaps she’d better learn to hitch up the landau and wagon, not just the curricle. Not today, though. One would be all she could handle.
The stable had always been the exclusive domain of the men in the family and she’d never paid much attention to the family’s two horses, Brownie and Prancer. During these past few days, the servants had seen to it that the horses were fed and the stable cleaned, but now? Dear Lord, she hadn’t thought it through. With the servants gone, not only would the three women of the household be doing the cooking and cleaning, they’d also be feeding the horses and shoveling out the stable. Problems she would deal with later.
Darcy had already arrived and was busily laying out the gear he’d collected from inside the stable. He looked up when he saw her. Unsmiling, all businesslike, he gave her a nod, obviously his version of a friendly greeting. “You want the curricle, right?” She nodded. “Watch carefully.”
Dutifully, she stood and watched while he led the horses from the stable, tied them to a post, and picked up a brush. “What are their names?” he asked.
“That’s Brownie and that’s Prancer.”
“First you always want to brush the horse.”
She watched as he gave Brownie a thorough brushing, complete with commentary as he went along. “You don’t want a piece of dirt left that might irritate the horse,” he muttered as he brushed. “Make sure you don’t miss anything.” When he finished, he stepped back, held out the brush to her, and declared, “Now it’s your turn. Let’s see how you do with Prancer.”
For the first time ever, she was about to handle a horse all by herself. The whole idea of it scared her, to put it mildly. What if this animal suddenly bucked? What if he kicked her? Never mind. Look confident, like she hadn’t a care in the world. She took the brush. “Don’t help me. I must learn how to do this alone.”
“Fine.”
At least he wasn’t laughing at her. Mustn’t make a mistake. Concentrating on everything he’d told her, she brushed Prancer and found that despite her fears, the horse remained docile, not seeming to notice she was there. She made doubly sure she’d brushed every inch of that horse before she stepped back and asked, “How’s that?”
“Fine.”
“What’s next?”
“Next, you hitch the horses to the carriage. First we’ll go over the name of each piece of gear.” He pointed at and described the various parts of the horse gear she’d seen all her life and never paid the least attention to. As he described each piece, she listened carefully, silently repeating each name, making a point to remember it. When he was done, he said, “All right, now you’re going to harness the horses.”
God help her, she would do this right if it killed her. Under his direction, acutely aware of his sharp eyes upon her, she began to harness Brownie and Prancer. Harness, traces, straps, cinches, head stalls. The collar, bridle, and bit. Never had she been so intent on anything in her life. When she’d got to the breast plate, she circled it around Prancer’s chest with exquisite care. “Not so high it would cut into his windpipe,” he said. “Nor so low it obstructs the horse’s movement.” There, she’d done it just right, she knew she had.
When she finished, he awarded her a quick “Good enough,” and pointed to the curricle in the stable. “Time to roll it out.”
She entered the stable. Facing the curricle, she picked up the shafts. Stepping backward, she gave a hefty tug. The thing wouldn’t budge.
“Need some help?” he called.
“No, I do not.” Bracing herself, she tried again but still no movement.
“Are you sure?”
“Positive.” By God, she’d move this buggy or die in the attempt. Taking a deep breath, gathering every bit of strength she possessed, she pulled with all her might. Her hands slipped. Before she even knew what happened, she had fallen backward and now sat plopped on the ground, her skirt hiked up to her knees.
He stepped forward, frowning with concern. “Are you all right?”
“I’m fine.” She burst out laughing and held out her hand. “Help me up, please, and I hope you enjoyed the view.”
Blank-faced and without comment, he pulled her to her feet. Had the man no sense of humor? “Stand back. I can do this.” She got a firm grasp on the shafts again. The wheels moved! Only a few inches, but enough that with another tremendous tug, they started to roll. Grasping the shafts firmly, she backed out of the stable, teeth clamped to contain an unladylike grunt. She didn’t stop until she reached the proper spot behind the horses. She dropped the shafts, caught her breath, and in a miraculously steady voice remarked, “You said the shafts go through the tugs on both sides, if I remember correctly.”
“Right.”
The heartless man showed not the least appreciation for the tremendous effort she’d just made. No applause, no “good work,” no nothing, and that included his stony-faced reaction at her generous display of leg when she fell backward. Actually, she hadn’t wanted him to notice how mightily she’d struggled, but that was beside the point. She finished without a problem. Success! Surely, he must see what a capable person she was, even if he didn’t care to admit it. That she’d hitched two horses to a carriage all by herself was a major achievement in her life. Inside, she glowed with pride. Outside, she gave a careless shrug. “So, is that all there is to it?”
“Just about. Of course, hitching a wagon is different, but you managed the curricle all right, so you won’t have any trouble.”
That was about as close to a compliment the man could give, so she’d better not expect anything more. “Then shall we proceed to the mine?”
“Want to do the driving?”
Just when she was savoring her success at harnessing the horses, hitching the carriage, now she was supposed to drive, too? Her heart sank. Only one answer could she give, though. “I’ve never done it before, but how hard could it be? Of course, I shall drive.”
After a slight hesitation, he came close to actually smiling. “That won’t be necessary. You’ve had enough lessons for one day.” He nodded toward his horse. “I’ll tie Champ to the curricle and do the driving. That is, unless you object?”
“Either way is fine with me.” She accompanied her remark with an uncaring flip of her hand. Vastly relieved, she climbed to the high-perched seat and waited as Darcy tethered his horse behind and settled beside her. He would never know how unsure of herself she’d been, how she’d nearly given up, coming close as a gnat’s leg to admitt
ing she wasn’t capable of doing a simple task performed by thousands of people every day. Only her pride had saved her from complete humiliation, but he didn’t need to know any of that.
When they started for the mine, Darcy gave her the reins, told her how to use them and taught her a few simple commands. Then he took over, and they chatted the rest of the way. He did most of the talking, describing what he needed to start up the Monarch again, and how he would go about it. She could tell from the excitement in his voice that here was a project that sparked his interest. “I want to hire as many Cornish miners as I can,” he told her.
“That’s fine, but I hear they’re a crude lot.”
“Yes, they are, but they’re the best there is. If you’re going to work at the mine, you’ll have to get used to them. You think you can manage?”
“Why would you think I couldn’t?”
“The way you were raised. That fiancé of yours, for instance. Fine manners, I’d wager. Smart. Well educated. No doubt a paragon of virtues rolled into one.” He slanted an inquiring glance. “Isn’t he?”
How odd that a man who in many ways seemed rough and unpolished would use a word like “paragon.” Sometimes he surprised her. Even more surprising, why was he so interested in what Brandon was like? If she didn’t know better, she’d think he was jealous. “How did you guess?” she asked, feigning great surprise. “Brandon is all of that and more.” That wasn’t enough. She couldn’t resist one more little jab. “He’s a wonderful man in every respect. I can hardly wait to get back to him.”
Darcy said no more, and they rode the rest of the way in silence.
The Monarch Mine had looked ugly enough to begin with. Now that it was muddy, trash-strewn and deserted, it looked even more depressing. Laurie had paid little attention before, but when she walked into the ramshackle office, she looked around with new interest. This was where she would work, if only for a short time, and she’d better pay attention. Darcy followed her in. After a quick look around, she inquired, “So what am I supposed to do?”
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