“Why did you ask Lucius to work in the mine?”
He flicked the match out, then tossed it aside. The scent of tobacco stung the air. “Maybe I thought Matt would have liked it.”
Determined, she put a hand to his face and turned it toward hers. “Why?”
“A feeling I had, that’s all.” Shifting away, he blew out a stream of smoke. “People usually have a reason for setting fires, Sarah. There was only one I could figure when it came to you. Somebody didn’t want you there.”
“That’s ridiculous. I hardly knew anyone at that point. The sheriff said it was drifters.” She curled her hands in her lap as she studied his face. “You don’t think it was.”
“No. Maybe Barker does, and maybe he doesn’t.
There’s only one thing on this land that anyone could want. That’s gold.”
Impatient, Sarah sat back on her heels. “But there isn’t any gold.”
“Yes, there is.” Jake drew deep on his cigarette and watched the range of expressions cross her face.
“What are you talking about?”
“Lucius found the mother lode, just the way Matt did.” He glanced at the glowing tip of his cigarette. “You’re going to be a rich woman, Duchess.”
“Wait.” She pressed a hand to her temple. It was beginning to throb. “Are you telling me that the mine is really worth something?”
“More than something, according to Lucius.”
“I can’t believe it.” With a quick, confused laugh, she shook her head. “I never thought it was anything but a dream. Just this morning, I’d begun to wonder, but-How long have you known?”
“A while.”
“A while?” she repeated, looking back at him.
“And you didn’t think it important enough to mention to me?”
“I figured it was important enough not to.” He took a last drag before crushing the cigarette out. “I’ve never known a woman who could keep her mouth shut.”
“Is that so?”
“Yes, ma’am.”
“I’m perfectly capable of keeping my mouth shut, as you so eloquently put it. But why should I?” There was no way to tell her but straight out. “Matt found the gold, and then he was dead.”
“There was an accident…” she began. Suddenly cold, she hugged her elbows. He didn’t have to speak for her to see what was in his mind. “You’re trying to tell me that my father was murdered. That can’t be.” She started to scramble up, but he took her arms and held her still.
“Ten years he worked the mine and scratched a few handfuls of gold from it. Then he hits, hits big. The minute he does, there’s a cave-in, and he’s dead.” “I don’t want to think about it.”
“You’re going to think about it.” He gave her a quick shake. “The mine’s yours now, and the gold in it. I’m not going to let what happened to Matt happen to you.” His hands gentled and slid up to frame her face. “Not to you.”
She closed her eyes. She couldn’t take it in, not all at once. Fear, hysteria and fresh grief tangled within her. She lifted her hands to his wrists and held on until she felt herself calming. He was right. She had to think about it. Then she would act. When she opened her eyes, they were clear and steady.
“Tell me what you want me to do.”
“Trust me.” He touched his lips to hers, then laid her back gently on the blanket. She’d given him peace early in the night. Now, as the night deepened, he would try to do the same for her.
Chapter Thirteen
“I’m feeling lots better, Miss Conway.” Alice took the tin cup and sipped gingerly.
She didn’t want to complain about her back, or about the pain that still galloped along it despite the cooling salve. The morning light showed her facial bruises in heart-wrenching detail and caused the girl to look even younger and smaller and more vulnerable. Though the scratches on her cheeks were no longer red and angry, Sarah judged it would be several days before they faded.
“You look better.” It wasn’t strictly true, and Sarah vowed to keep her patient away from a mirror a bit longer. Though the swelling had eased considerably, she was still worried about Alice’s eye and had already decided to drive into town later and talk with the doctor. “Try a little of this soft-boiled egg. You need your strength.”
“Yes, ma’am.” Privately Alice thought the glossy wet yolk looked more like a slimy eye than food. But if Sarah had told her to eat a fried scorpion she’d have opened her mouth and swallowed. “Miss Conway?”
“Yes, Alice?” Sarah spooned up more egg.
“I’m beholden to you for taking me in like you did, and I can’t-Miss Conway, you gave me your own bed last night. It ain’t fitting.”
Smiling a little, Sarah set the plate aside. “Alice, I assure you, I was quite comfortable last night.”
“But, Miss Conway-”
“Alice, if you keep this up I’m going to think you’re ungrateful.”
“Oh!” Something close to horror flashed in Alice’s eyes. “No, ma’am.”
“Well, then.” Because the response was exactly what she’d expected, Sarah rose. She remembered that the nuns had nursed with compassion tempered with brisk practicality. “You can show your gratitude by being a good patient and getting some more rest. If you’re feeling up to it later, I’ll have Lucius bring you down and we can sit and talk a while.”
“I’d like that. Miss Conway, if it hadn’t been for you and Eli, I think I’d’ve died. I was hoping… Well, I got some money saved. It ain’t much, but I’d like you to have it for all your trouble.”
“I don’t want your money, Alice.”
The girl flushed and looked away. “I know you’re probably thinking about where it comes from, but-” “No.” She took Alice’s hand firmly in hers. “That has nothing to do with it.” Pride, Sarah thought. She had plenty of her own. Alice was entitled to hers. “Alice, did Eli want money for driving you out of town?” “No, but…he’s a friend.”
“I’d like to be your friend, if you’d let me. You rest now, and we’ll talk about all this later.” She gave Alice’s hand a reassuring squeeze before she picked up the empty dishes and started down the ladder. She barely muffled a squeal when hands closed around her waist.
“Told you you didn’t need that corset.”
Sarah sent Jake what she hoped was an indignant look over her shoulder. “Is that why I couldn’t find it when I dressed this morning?”
“Just doing you a favor.” Before she could decide whether to laugh or lecture, he was whirling her around and kissing her.
“Jake, Alice is-”
“Not likely to faint if she figures out what I’m doing.” But he set her aside, because he liked the way the sunlight streamed through the curtains and onto her hair. “You’re mighty nice to look at, Duchess.” It was foolish to blush, but her color rose. “Why don’t you sit down, and you can look at me some more while I fix you breakfast?”
“I’d like to, but I’ve got some things to see to.” He touched her again, just a fingertip to the single wispy curl that had escaped from the neat bun on top of her head. “Sarah, will you let me have Matt’s journal?” Both the grief and the dread showed clearly in her eyes before she lowered them. During the night, after love and before sleep, she had thought of little else but what Jake had told her. Part of her wondered if she would be better off not knowing, not being sure.
But another part, the same part that had kept her from turning back and going east again, had already accepted what needed to be done.
