MB01 - Unending Devotion (11 page)

Vera stepped away from the smoking stove and raised an eyebrow at her.

Lily pulled back. “So how’d Frankie do today?”

Vera’s other eyebrow quirked. “I thought Frankie was with you.”

“Of course not.” Lily eyed the dining room again and the assortment of men seated around the tables, but she didn’t catch sight of Frankie. An odd, feathery worry tickled her insides. “I told you we were leaving Frankie here. It would cause too much trouble to take her into the camp with us.”

Vera pushed a pan of half-browned potatoes to the back of the stove, away from the heat. The lines in her face tightened. “I haven’t seen her all day. So I thought you changed your mind and took her with you.”

Lily’s heart clattered to a stop. Had Frankie stayed in their room all day? Maybe she’d been too scared to come out by herself.

But even as Lily clomped through the kitchen and dining room and made her way up to the room she had gladly shared with the young girl, the tickle of worry turned into a twist of dread. Over the past two days, Frankie had proven herself to be a hard worker, jumping in and helping Vera with any chores that needed doing.

In fact, Lily had been secretly hoping the Hellers would decide to keep Frankie there, give her employment, and make her into the child they’d never had. If they didn’t, she knew Molly May down in Midland would take her. But she’d wanted her rescue efforts to benefit both the Hellers and Frankie.

Lily did a quick search of her room. Frankie’s carpetbag was there and her personal items still neatly arranged among the disarray of Lily’s belongings.

After scouring the hotel from top to bottom, the yard, stable, and every possible corner and closet, Lily finally returned to the kitchen.

“I can’t find her anywhere.” Panic had begun to stiffen each muscle in her body. “And nobody has seen her all day.”

Vera paused above a tub of murky water, a tin plate in one hand and a greasy rag in the other. “I’ve got a bad feeling about this.”

“Bad feeling about what?” Connell strode into the kitchen, his dirty dishes stacked into a perfect pyramid. He looked from Vera to her. And the concern that radiated from his eyes calmed the wild pattering of her heart.

“Frankie disappeared.” Maybe Connell would be able to help her find the girl.

His brow furrowed. “Did anyone see James Carr around here today?”

Lily recoiled at the mention of the man’s name. “You don’t think Carr came back to get her? Not after you paid him?”

“I wouldn’t put it past the man.”

Vera shook the water off the plate in her hand and added it to the stack that had already received a dunking in the dishpan. “I didn’t see Mr. Carr, but I had to give Jimmy Neil a good scolding this morning for showing up in the dining room half drunk.”

Lily held in a shudder at the thought that Jimmy had dared to step foot inside the Northern Hotel. What reason could he have had for coming back?

Connell crossed the kitchen and dumped his dishes into the washtub. They sank past pork chunks, soggy bread crusts, and a scattering of half-smashed beans.

“I hate to say it,” Connell said, “but I’m betting Carr came back and took what he thought was his.”

When he lifted his eyes to hers, the regret she saw did nothing to reassure her. He wasn’t planning to give in to Carr, was he? Not now. Not after they’d already stood their ground. “If you think Carr has her, then we best be on our way up to the Stockade to get her back.”

Connell folded his arms across his chest and leaned against the tall worktable covered with piles of slimy apple peels. “We can’t just march up there and get her back, Lily. It doesn’t work that way.”

“If Carr kidnapped her and is forcing her to prostitute herself against her wishes, then you better believe we can demand he let her go free. We’ll get help from the sheriff—”

“Not in this town, you won’t.” Vera wiped her chafed hands on a soggy gray towel. “Mr. Carr has the sheriff tucked away in the itty-bitty pocket of his fancy coat.”

“Vera’s right,” Connell said. “We won’t get any help from the law. In fact, there’s probably not much anyone could do to make Carr release Frankie.”

“Well, we’ve got to at least try. Right?”

Vera’s shoulders slumped. And Connell didn’t say anything.

“You’re not scared to go up there, are you?” Lily asked, frustration creeping in and tingeing her voice.

“Of course I’m not scared,” Connell retorted. “But I can’t chance hurting McCormick Lumber any more than I already have.”

Disappointment wrapped around her like a heavy cloak. Apparently, if anyone was going to do something, she’d have to be the one to do it.

“I guess I’m left with only one option.” She spun out of the kitchen into the pantry. “I’ll have to be the one to go and get her.” She stomped toward the back door and banged it open.

As she rushed outside, a gust of wind slapped her cheeks.

“Where are you going?” Connell caught the door before it slammed shut, and he followed her outside.

A hill of dark clouds had pushed in with the growing darkness. She pulled her coat tighter and started toward the front of the hotel, trying to ignore the long shadows of the evening that reached out to haunt her. “I’m heading to the Stockade to see if Frankie’s there.”

“You can’t go up there by yourself,” he called after her.

“I’m certain God would want me to do whatever I can to rescue the girl, even if it means going by myself.” She picked up her pace, and her boots sloshed through the muddy snow that remained after the past week.

She made it only a half a dozen more steps before Connell’s hand gripped her upper arm and dragged her to a stop. “I won’t let you go.” He spun her around so that she had no choice but to face him.

“How dare you? What right do you have to stop me?” She jerked her arm and tried to break away.

But his hold didn’t budge. “I probably don’t have any right to stop you.”

She tugged again, this time harder. “Then leave me alone.”

He wavered, almost as if he would let her go, but then with a growl he yanked her against his body. The strength of his grip held her captive. But the hard width of his chest against hers and the nearness of his face—only inches away—held her in greater captivity.

For a long moment she couldn’t breathe, couldn’t move, couldn’t think. The crashing thud of her heartbeat and the soft rasp of his breath filled the space between them. His gaze lingered upon her cheek, her chin, her other cheek before moving to her lips.

Spring butterflies awakened in her stomach, and she couldn’t keep from studying his mouth, so close, so warm, so firm. But the boldness of such an inspection sent embarrassed heat through her, making her want to duck her head.

“Lily,” he whispered. His eyes turned into a forest at midnight. “I just don’t want anything to happen to you. I can’t let you go up to the Stockade. It’s too dangerous.”

The dreadfulness of what had likely happened to poor Frankie crashed over her again. “
Too dangerous?
Then all the more reason I need to go rescue her.” The girl was probably shaking in absolute terror and praying to God for a deliverer—if it wasn’t already too late.

Connell shook his head in protest.

“Imagine if Carr had kidnapped me instead,” she said quickly. “I’m just as innocent as Frankie. What if he held me captive and forced me to do the unimaginable?”

Connell’s breath was warm against her skin. His grip around her upper arms grew tighter.

“I made a vow to God long ago,” she whispered, “that I would never turn away from anyone or anything that needed rescuing.”

His dark gaze probed her, and the seriousness of his expression told her that he wasn’t taking her words lightly, that he was trying to understand her position.

Could he see into her heart to her needs? Her passion? Her own losses?

She quivered. She’d never been in such close proximity to a man before. His body was solid and his arms strong. She could almost hear the pounding of his heartbeat against her own.

Her breath stuck in her chest. She knew she ought to back away and put a proper distance between them. But there was something exciting about being in his arms.

For an instant a light flickered in his eyes that said he was thinking the same thing. But just as quickly as the spark ignited, he wrenched her back and set her an arm’s length away. Then he folded his arms across his chest and tucked his hands under his armpits, almost as if he were pinning them there in an attempt to keep from reaching after her.

A gust of cold wind struck her, and she hugged her arms against her body. A strange mixture of disappointment and relief swirled through her.

“I’ll go up there,” he said.

“You will?”

He nodded. “I’ll see if I can find out what happened to her.”

Hope sprang to life, along with something else—something she couldn’t define—something that made her want to throw herself back against him and feel the solidness of his chest and arms again.

“But only if you promise you’ll stay here.” He leveled his gaze at her. “Promise you won’t go anywhere near the Stockade. Not now. Or ever.”

“I promise I’ll go back inside the hotel and wait for you.”

He studied her face for a long moment.

She couldn’t promise him she’d never go near the Stockade. Because the truth was, she’d go inside the pit of hell itself in order to find Daisy.

“All right, then.” He glanced toward the Stockade. Through the growing darkness the sharp points of the fence were like fangs waiting to capture anyone who came near.

“I’ll be praying for you,” she said.

“Good. I’ll need it.”

Chapter
9

L
ily paced back and forth across the dining room until Oren barked at her.

“Sit down, girl, before you wear out my last nerve.”

She dropped to the nearest bench, perched on the edge, and drummed her fingers against the table. “He’s been gone for too long. What if Carr did something to him?”

Oren pushed his empty plate aside and reached inside his vest pocket for his pipe. He muttered under his breath, his overgrown mustache muting most of what he said.

“Don’t you worry about Connell.” Vera swiped at the table covering, brushing crumbs onto the floor. The stale scent of her overused dishrag lingered on every surface. “He’s strong. He’ll take care of himself.”

“I’m hoping he comes back with a broken arm.” Oren packed a pinch of tobacco into the bowl of the pipe with his thumb. “Then I won’t have to be the one to break it when he finally gets up enough nerve to touch Lily.”

“Oren!” Lily scolded through a smile. Good thing Oren didn’t know Connell already
had
touched her—even if it had only been brief.

“I see the way that man’s been looking at you,” Oren mumbled, adding another layer of tobacco. “Even a blind man could see that he can’t keep his eyes off you.”

Her inexperienced heart flushed with pleasure at Oren’s words.

“Connell McCormick’s a good boy.” Vera wiped her arm across her forehead, brushing her frazzled hair into greater disarray. “I haven’t met too many boys as good as Connell.”

Lily had to agree. She’d never known a man like Connell—someone so thoughtful and considerate.

“All I have to say is he’s lucky I haven’t poked out his eyeballs yet for all the liberty he’s takin’ looking at Lily.”

“He’s attracted to her,” Vera retorted, never afraid to give Oren the guff he deserved. “You can’t blame the boy. Lily’s probably the prettiest girl he’s ever laid eyes on.”

“Well, ’course she is.” Oren packed a last layer into his pipe.

Mr. Heller shyly nodded from his spot near the fireplace, where he was whittling on his usual stick.

Lily ducked her head at the words of praise. She wasn’t used to compliments. There hadn’t been much of anything but harsh words where she’d come from.

And was Vera right? Was Connell really attracted to her?

A small flame, like the one in the oil lamp hanging above the table, flickered in her stomach. Why would a man like Connell be interested in a girl like her?

But even as she tried to silently deny the validity of Vera’s declaration, she couldn’t keep her heart from warming at the thought of their encounter outside.

The door swung open and Lily jumped to her feet.

Connell stepped out of the blackness of the evening, and a blast of cold wind burst in with him.

She scanned him from his hat to his boots. The tension in her muscles evaporated. He was safe—not a scratch in sight.

He shoved the door behind him, fighting against another gust of wind. When it was finally closed, he swiped off his hat and blew out a long breath.

That’s when Lily realized he was alone.

Disappointment tumbled through her. “Where’s Frankie?”

His brow crinkled. And the sadness in his face only made her pulse patter faster.

“What happened?” She crossed to him, rubbing her arms to ward off the sudden chill.

His fingers fumbled with the edge of his hat. “She’s not there.”

“Really? Are you sure?”

“I’m positive.”

A whisper of hope wafted through her. “Then maybe she decided to leave Harrison. Maybe she took the train back to her home. Maybe she just didn’t know how to say good-bye.”

Connell didn’t say anything. Instead, his chin dipped and he stared at the brim of his hat, where his fingers twisted at the hard felt.

A cold shiver chased away the tiny voice of hope and left in its place a blaring warning. Something had gone wrong. Terribly wrong.

She took a step back, not sure she wanted to hear.

It was then Connell lifted his gaze and met hers straight on. “I’m sorry, Lily.”

Everything within her screamed to run to her room, bury her head in her pillow, and avoid the bad news. She’d had enough disappointments in her life, and she didn’t want any more.

Vera stacked the remaining plates into a wobbly pile. “So tell us what happened to the girl. Did Mr. Carr sneak in here and steal her right from under our noses?”

“I’m not sure how Carr managed to get ahold of her.” Connell’s voice was low. “But he did.”