Lucky Creek Lady

by Shirley Kennedy

  Laurie returned to her desk and watched as Tom showed Darcy the ledgers. He didn’t have to say much. All he had to do was point out the discrepancies. Clearly, Hugh had been stealing from the Monarch Mine. When Tom finished, he discreetly declared he had business to attend to and left the office.

  “Will you help me, Laurie?” Darcy sounded dead serious. “I want to go over the ledgers again, make sure I’ve got this right.”

  Feeling sick inside, Laurie sat by as Darcy bent over the ledgers, examining each closely. When he closed the cover to the last ledger, he shook his head in disbelief. “My God, the man stole thousands. No wonder Sam was broke. Did your father ever say anything? Wasn’t he suspicious?”

  “No, never. I knew he used to worry that the mine wasn’t paying off like it was before. Apparently, it was Hugh who…” She had to stop a moment. This was so painful, having to reveal the shocking things Hugh had told her in confidence, but if ever there was a time for honesty, it was now. “Hugh told me our father was responsible for the big decrease in profits. He told me how Father gambled every night at the Gold Spike and had lost a fortune.”

  “At the Gold Spike?” Darcy frowned with puzzlement. “That’s crazy. I never saw Sam there, and I live there.”

  Had her brother been lying? She might as well tell Darcy all of it. “Hugh said Father was carrying on, as he put it, with the owner of the Gold Spike, that Mrs. Wagner, I believe her name is.”

  “With Lucille?” Darcy looked highly amused. “I assure you Mrs. Wagner was not ‘carrying on’ with your father.”

  She almost asked how he could be so sure, then thought better of it. She already knew how. Darcy and Mrs. Wagner were the ones carrying on. This only confirmed what she’d suspected when she saw them in the hotel lobby the night before Valeria’s hanging. She could pursue the subject, but at this moment, his relationship with the widow was the least of her worries. “It’s hard for me to take this all in. I’m greatly relieved it wasn’t my father who did those awful things. I could never quite believe he could be unfaithful to Mother, but Hugh had me almost convinced. Still, it’s awful to know my brother is a crook. I’m embarrassed that a member of my family could do such a thing.” She had to stop and swallow over the lump in her throat

  “This must be hard. I’m sorry you have to hear this about your brother. It must come as quite a shock.”

  “It’s hard, but I’ll survive.” Nothing more need be said concerning a subject so painful. She’d never admit it, but she wasn’t as shocked as he might think. She’d always loved her brother, but she’d grown up resenting the relentless way he teased her. The times he stole her toys out of sheer meanness and broke them or hid them away. His greediness, always making sure he had the biggest piece of cake, candy, or whatever it was. When she complained, Hugh always came back with I was just teasing. Can’t she take a joke? Their parents always took Hugh’s side. They’d glare at Laurie as if she were to blame. Add to that his lack of grief when his wife died, his indifference to his children. No wonder he’d lined his pockets at the family’s expense. He’d always put himself first, so why should she be surprised? She rose to leave. “Time to go home. I’ll be fine.”

  He stood and took her hand in his. “You realize Hugh can never come back.” His eyes brimmed with sympathy.

  “I know.” Such a tough man, hard as nails sometimes, but his wholehearted compassion spread like a warm blanket around her and gave her comfort. “Then I’d better stay for a while, since I’m familiar with the time sheets and all.”

  “I’m surprised.” He gripped her hand tighter. “I thought you could hardly wait till Hugh got back so you could return to Philadelphia.”

  “Of course, I’m anxious to get back, but there’s really no rush.” Had she really just said that? She could still correct herself. On second thought, I’m dying to get back to the man I’m madly in love with, so you’ll have to find someone else. But somehow the words wouldn’t come out, not when the touch of his hand, the warmth of his compassion sent a surge of yearning within her. His quick intake of breath, the brief flare of desire in his eyes, told her he felt the same. For the briefest of moments, she was sure he’d take her in his arms, but the moment passed, and Darcy pulled back and dropped her hand.

  “That’s fine, then,” he said. “I’ll stop by tonight and give Hugh the bad news.”

  He’d broken the spell and turned strictly business again. So would she. “Thanks, but I’ll tell him myself as soon as I get home. It won’t be easy, but the sooner he knows, the better. I’ll tell him in private. I don’t want Mother and Ada to know yet, although I guess they’ll find out sooner or later.” The passionate moment had ended, if, indeed, it had ever happened in the first place. She went to the coatrack to retrieve her bonnet. Placing it firmly on her head, she remarked, “I hope Hugh takes it well.”

  “Look, I don’t know your brother as well as you do, but I’m guessing there could be trouble. Let me handle it.”

  “No, I’ll be fine.” She took up the ribbons of her bonnet and started to tie a bow under her chin.

  “Are you sure? Sometimes it’s hard to see into the heart of a man. You might find more darkness than you thought was there.”

  She finished tying the bow and gave it an extra firm tug with both hands. “You mean Hugh? He’s greedy and arrogant, but otherwise harmless. He’d never hurt anyone. I dread telling him, but it has to be done, and I’m the one who’ll do it.” She gave him a determined nod and left for home.

  * * * *

  After Laurie left, Darcy settled at his desk and disgustedly shoved the ledgers aside. He’d never liked Hugh, thought him weak and conceited from the first time he met him, and that wasn’t all. More than once in his life he’d met a man who set off subtle warning signals in his gut—made him not want to turn his back, check where he’d put his money and his gun. Hugh was such a man. Because he was also a Sinclair, Darcy had kept his mouth shut, but the truth was, he hadn’t trusted Hugh from the day he met him. So, fine, he should be grateful he’d seen the last of Hugh Sinclair and no longer need deal with him. But something didn’t sit right. Why hadn’t he been more persistent? He should have told Laurie he’d take care of informing her brother he was no longer welcome at the Monarch Mine. She might be his sister, but he couldn’t get past his suspicion that Hugh Sinclair was a man full of vengeance and hate, and anyone who crossed him did so at their peril, and that included Laurie.

  Good God. Darcy leaned back in his chair and gazed in exasperation at the ceiling. He couldn’t get his mind off Laurie Sinclair. Holding her hand a while ago, it was all he could do to keep from taking her in his arms again, like that night at the hotel when he’d let his feelings get out of control. Somehow, he suspected she wouldn’t have minded if he had, but he must be wrong. She still loved the bug man. If she didn’t, she would have said so. Or would she? He’d never understood women and wouldn’t pretend to now. And besides, since when had he ever driven himself nearly crazy wondering what a woman was thinking?

  But all that didn’t matter. Laurie Sinclair belonged to another man. Of course, he would honor that. Any other course of action would be despicable. In future, he must guard what he said to her, how he acted toward her. He’d be friendly, but only to the point politeness required.

  Chapter 15

  Since Laurie started working at the Monarch, she looked forward to the end of the day when she could relax and play with Mathew and Maryanne, eat dinner, and give her family the latest news and gossip from the mine. Not today. As she drove home, the more she thought, the more she dreaded her upcoming confrontation with her brother. Lately it seemed all he ever talked about was returning to the Monarch. How would he react when informed he couldn’t come back? Would he be shocked? Angry? Would he deny everything? What if he confessed what he’d done and begged for a second chance? But he doesn’t deserve one, she thought bitterly. All her life she’d looked up t
o her older brother, despite his teasing and meanness. Now she saw him for the man he really was: devious, dishonest, without an honorable bone in his body. He could never be trusted and could never come back. And why would he want to? Father had been easy to fool, but she’d wager either Darcy or Tom, both sharp-witted and shrewd, would soon catch Hugh in the act if he tried to steal again. As of yesterday, she was seeing her brother in a different light. Who knew what he’d try? One thing for sure. He had to be told now, the sooner the better, and no second chance.

  Laurie arrived home to find Ada in a high state of repressed excitement. Kenvern would arrive at seven o’clock. She was ready for him, having obtained a copy of McGuffey Reader, the one for fourth grade, as Laurie had recommended. “Do I look all right?” Ada’s hair swung prettily away from her shoulders as she twirled around in her best blue muslin dress. Her eyes sparkled. A rosy glow flushed her cheeks.

  Ada had always called herself the plain sister. She could never be considered beautiful, but to Laurie’s delight, today she was. “You look absolutely gorgeous. Have you told Mother?”

  “Yes, and she said she was going to retire to her room directly after dinner.” Ada sighed. “She’s not happy.”

  “We’ll worry about that later. I must go upstairs and talk to Hugh.” He was all Laurie could think of right now, and the more she thought, the angrier she got over what he’d done. Father, the whole family, had trusted him so completely they’d ignored all the signs: his fancy suite of rooms at the Egyptian Hotel; sporty new clothes; the way he’d gone around acting like a rich mine owner when in reality he worked for his father at a mine that was about to go broke. She’d wondered how he was able to afford all the luxuries, and now she knew.

  She found Hugh out of bed, dressed and sitting in his room reading. He smiled and got up when she knocked and came in. “Ah, there you are,” he said. “Another hard day at the mine? You look tired. Come in and have a seat. I’m thinking of coming down to dinner tonight.” He gingerly placed a hand on his left rib cage, the one that had suffered the most damage. “Definitely better. Tomorrow I might even go for a beer at the Gold Spike. I’ll be back at the mine before you know it.”

  Hugh could be charming when he wanted to be, like now, and that made her mission all the more difficult. She had an urge to flee but quickly suppressed it. She’d be a coward if she backed out now. She sank to a chair, returned no answering smile, and solemnly announced, “I’ve got to talk to you. It’s a matter of great importance.”

  “Really? Oh, my.” Hugh got that familiar teasing little smirk on his face, the one that implied nothing she said could be taken seriously.

  She had planned on softening the blow by giving him a way out. Maybe she was wrong. Maybe he had an explanation. But not now. For the first time, she found his superior attitude beyond annoying. It had become intolerable. He’d always talked down to her and Ada, treated them like his two sweet but empty-headed younger sisters. She never thought to protest. Weren’t women supposed to be empty-headed? She used to think so, but not anymore, and found herself drained of all sympathy. “I’ve bad news for you, Hugh. You won’t be coming back to the Monarch Mine.”

  He must have been surprised, even though he retained his expression of complete unconcern. “And why is that?”

  “Because you were stealing the company blind.” She could have gone on, but she’d said what needed to be said, and sat back to wait for his reaction.

  Other than a stone-cold stare he had no reaction, at least not one she could see. After a long, chilling pause, he softly inquired, “And what makes you think I’m a thief?”

  Ready for his question, she proceeded to give him as complete an answer as she could. The altered accounting ledgers. The conflicting report concerning the daily amount of ore produced. Hugh’s high-living style when their father was complaining they were nearly broke. Her anger grew in the telling until she couldn’t hold it back. Rising from her chair, she stabbed a finger at him. “You complained about the high-graders stealing our ore. Now it turns out you were the worst high-grader of them all, stealing I-don’t-know-how-much from the Monarch, and that’s not all. You lied to me when you said Father was gambling all the family’s money away when all the time, it was you. How dare you! That man cared for you, loved you, and look how you repaid him.”

  He sat quietly through her increasingly angry discourse, his expression unchanged. When she finished, he shrugged indifferently and inquired, “Anything else?”

  “Yes, something else. Why did you tell me Father was carrying on with that woman who owns the hotel when he did no such thing? I think you did it out of meanness and spite, just to make me feel bad.”

  A half smile crossed his face. “Ah, so you’ve been talking to your dear friend, Darcy McKenna. Did he tell you he’s also one of Mrs. Wagner’s frequent visitors? Her favorite lover, from what I understand. Does that not break your heart?”

  She almost gasped but caught herself. Hugh’s shrewd eyes never missed a thing. Careful though she’d been, she should have known he’d spot her attraction to Darcy. But she couldn’t let him distract her. She’d gone too far to stop now. She took a deep, calming breath and lowered her voice. “To make this easier for all of us, I want you to return to your suite at the Egyptian. You’re well enough now, so that shouldn’t be a problem.”

  Hugh’s eyes narrowed. “This is my home. You can’t kick me out.”

  She had no intention of backing down. How sad she’d lost all her sympathy for the brother she’d once idolized. “Mother and Ada have got to know the truth. If they don’t mind, then come for a visit any time you want. I won’t keep you away from your family, especially Mathew and Maryanne, who don’t see enough of you anyway. You’re lucky, Hugh. If you leave and don’t cause any more trouble, we’ll do nothing more, and you’ll get away with your thievery. Of course, you must agree never to set foot at the Monarch Mine again, or anywhere close.”

  His eyes blazed with sudden anger, but after a moment he answered pleasantly, “The Monarch is the least of my concerns. As soon as I’m able, and that will be soon, I have other plans.”

  “Like what?”

  He tipped his head and regarded the ceiling, as if pondering whether or not to tell her. “If you must know, for quite some time I’ve been organizing an expedition. I was, shall we say, out of funds when Father died, but I’ve recently come across a new source of financing.” A smile touched his lips. “Let’s just say I have obtained enough money for the expedition and am ready to go.”

  “Go where?” She couldn’t imagine what he had in mind.

  “I’m going to find the Lost Lake. Whoever finds it will be rich beyond their wildest dreams, and that, my dear, will be me.”

  “Are you serious?” She could hardly believe what she was hearing. “There is no Lost Lake. From what I’ve heard, those rumors have been going around for ages, and there’s nothing to them.”

  He regarded her smugly. “You don’t know what I know. Granted, the lake is nearly inaccessible, but others have found it, and so will I.”

  This was insane, but she didn’t care to argue. If he chose to go on a wild goose chase, it was no business of hers. She stood, ready to leave. “I don’t care what you do as long as you stay away from the Monarch.” She waited for his answer, but he remained silent, giving her a long, contemptuous stare. “Agreed?”

  He took his time, deliberately making her stand and wait an uncomfortable length of time for his answer. “I won’t be coming down for dinner tonight after all. You may tell Mei Ling she can serve me in my room.”

  He spoke in a tone cold and clear as ice water. Clearly, he was toying with her, hoping she’d humbly stand there begging for his reply. In the past, she probably would have, but not anymore.

  “Tell her yourself.” She left without another word, not bothering to close the door behind her.

  * * * *

&nbs
p; Mother had retired to her room by the time Kenvern Trenowden arrived. Cap in hand, so shy he could hardly speak, he looked as if he might bolt and run at any moment. Both Laurie and Ada went out of their way to put him at ease, and within minutes he began to relax and enjoy himself. As they sat at the kitchen table, Laurie watched with pleasure as her shy, reserved sister blossomed into a talkative, animated young woman who tossed her head flirtatiously and laughed with abandon. And who could blame her? Kenvern might be uneducated and simple-spoken, but with his roguish smile, booming laughter, and masculine good looks, he filled the room with his presence, if not the whole house.

  At first, Laurie took an active part in the lesson. She and Ada took turns as they went through the pages of the primer. Soon, however, she noticed that whenever she spoke, Kenvern had difficulty switching his gaze from Ada to her. And Ada could hardly keep her eyes off Kenvern. If nothing else, Laurie could take a hint. When she stood and announced she was tired and going to bed, she knew she hadn’t been mistaken. As she left the kitchen, she could have sworn Ada and Kenvern didn’t even notice she was gone.

  That night, she couldn’t sleep for thinking about Hugh. What nonsense about Lost Lake. What did he mean when he talked about “a new source of financing”? He couldn’t be serious and was just trying to throw her off. She kept seeing the expression on his face when she told him his theft had been discovered. It wasn’t just an angry look, it was a look full of cold fury, of evil intent, a look so threatening the thought of it sent chills up her spine. Darcy was right. She should have let him handle her brother. She’d been foolishly overconfident to think a few words from her would cause the arrogant Hugh Sinclair to meekly give in and agree to stay away from the Monarch. As yet, she hadn’t told Mother and Ada. They’d be crushed when they found out, especially Mother, who considered her only son to be the anointed one, the golden hope of the family. Sooner or later they’d have to know the truth, just not tonight. She’d gone through enough for one evening.