Rugged and Relentless (22 page)

“What if I don’t?” The shorter, more muscular man didn’t seem concerned. “Seems I traveled here to be near the ladies.”

“If you don’t, the pleasantries end here.” Evie made a show of turning toward her cohorts. “We’ll return to the house and let these gentlemen return you to the train, where you’ll be more comfortable until you find a town more to your liking.”

Cheers sounded behind them, reminding Evie of the more than a dozen ornery men who hung on every word. She’d all but finished the job of running the newcomers out of town for them.

A great, bellowing laugh sounded over the cheers as Mr. Williams threw back his head in a show of mirth Evie suspected was more show than mirth. But respect shone in his eyes when he looked at her and took a step back—a smaller one than he’d taken forward but a concession nevertheless. “Very well, ma’am.”

“What made you change your mind, Mr. Williams?” Naomi’s voice, usually throaty and full, sharpened with suspicion.

“Things might not be usual here in Hope Falls,” he explained, “but at least they’re interesting. I don’t plan on leaving until I learn more about it—and about the beautiful women who rule it.” Somehow he managed to include all four of them in an admiring glance while his men nodded their agreement.

Grumbles and mutters sounded from behind them as the men realized they’d been thwarted—newcomers would be welcome. Evie wondered how many of them realized they’d all forfeited dessert that night—a boon, considering she’d be cooking from the house kitchen, which simply wasn’t equipped for mass baking anyway.

“In that case, allow me to introduce”—Evie raised a brow in silent acknowledgment as she named their champions—“Mr. Creed and Mr. Riordan. Should you have any questions, they’re the ones to ask. Direct any requests regarding supplies to them, and they’ll bring the matter to our attention if need be. They’ll also instruct you in town rules. And, should you decide not to
follow those rules, they’ll escort you from Hope Falls.”

“With our assistance,” the Gent swiftly seconded, with rousing support from the remaining men. No one wanted to be left out of the opportunity to toss someone else out of town.

A grudging nod from Williams preceded two more congenial ones from the pair behind him, who seemed almost like a set of matched horses. Perhaps they worked as a team? Less pleasant were the measuring looks given Mr. Riordan and Mr. Creed.

She refused to look at Mr. Creed, refused to let him think she’d admitted defeat in accepting his help, refused to seek any support for her decisions from the man who’d belittled them. His opinions on what was best for the other women mattered. His opinion of her did not.
I won’t let it
.

“We’ve set things up as follows.” Lacey took over, as she should. The town belonged to all of them, and every man who wandered through needed to esteem them equally. “We’ll provide room, board, meals, and the opportunity to further our acquaintance until we’ve chosen our husbands.”

A glower from Mr. Creed silenced a swell of hopeful murmurs about lunch when Lacey mentioned meals, making Evie glad she’d baked ten pans of corn pone that morning while the men ate, then set two massive pots of Brunswick stew to simmer at the house. Better still, she’d had the foresight to lock the pie safe so none of the men might try to steal a snack before dinner.

Once things quieted down, Naomi added the final stroke. “In return, we ask you to help lay the groundwork for the Hope Falls Sawmill Company. Every other man knows these conditions and has agreed to them. The question is … will you?”

The pair behind Williams glanced at each other, shrugged, and each gave a single nod, but Williams took longer to make his decision. His gaze ran over everything in town and evaluated the trees beyond before taking stock of the people around him. The men didn’t seem to concern him much. The women did.

“Four women standing here, so why do only three of you want
husbands?” It seemed he’d noticed a lack of wedding bands during his scrutiny. “And which woman isn’t available?”

“One of us”—Cora lifted her chin as she answered—“already has a fiancé and thus isn’t looking for a husband. Which one of us that happens to be shouldn’t make a difference to you.”

“It matters very much, ma’am—you’ll forgive me for not using proper address, as we’ve yet to be introduced. No man wants to set about courting a woman when she’s taken.” Craig Williams shook his head. “And some men know right away which women they’re willing to court and which they won’t be.” His eyes ran down the line of them once again. “I’m one of those kinds of men who knows his own mind and doesn’t change it.”

Incredible! He’s saying that if the woman he most likes the looks of isn’t available, he’s not interested in any of the other three
. Evie stewed, refusing to name Cora.
Doesn’t he realize it’s not for him to waltz in and choose but for us to wade through and select which man we’ll accept? He doesn’t deserve Naomi or Lacey!

“In that case, it’s best you move along.” Clump stomped forward, his irate appearance causing her to wonder where he’d been before. “Mr. Draxley’s still talking with the conductor, so the train’s still here. I know ‘cause I went to see about getting you some milk, Miss Thompson. I remembered what you said last night about making shortbread instead of somethin’ else on account of having no milk. Hoped they might be carrying some, but they didn’t have any on board today. Sorry ’bout that.”

“Thank you for your thoughtfulness, Mr. Klumpf.” Evie favored him with a smile, hoping to ease his disappointment. “And for mentioning Mr. Williams has time to catch the train.”

“Oh no.” A wolfish smile gleamed her way. “See,
Miss Thompson
, Mr. Klumpf over there wouldn’t be trying to bring you any gifts if you already had a fiancé.”

“Miss Thompson does have a fiancé!” Dodger—Evie could already tell it was Dodger—shouted that bit of information. No one added a single word of clarification either.

Evie couldn’t stop a smile over his clever phrasing—a smile that made Mr. Williams’s brow furrow as he began to rethink.

“My brother proposed before we journeyed out here.” Lacey jumped in, making it obvious that, for all her words about independence, her friend wasn’t above meddling. “Braden Lyman? He’s the principal investor in the mill, you see.”

“I see. Your brother, Miss Thompson’s fiancé, and …” Williams turned a questioning eye to Naomi, then Cora.

“Miss Higgins, cousin to the Lymans.” She offered no other explanation or attempt at conversation. Then again, Naomi didn’t approve of falsehoods in any form. Leaving out the relationship between Evie and Cora in an attempt to fool a man into thinking the wrong sister was engaged counted as one. Somehow …

“And you’re related to all this in what way?” Now less than amused, Mr. Williams’s tone took on a demanding tinge as he spoke to Cora. He suspected something, and Evie almost respected him for possessing enough intelligence to discern that much.

“I’m Miss Thompson’s sister.” Cora’s eyes narrowed.

“Yes, that makes all of us related in some way,” Evie agreed. “But that’s as it should be. Family supports each other and stays together. No matter where it leads.”

Her words struck him with the force of a falling redwood. Jake closed his eyes to lash down the memories jarred loose, but one tumbled free in spite of his efforts:

“Why don’t you come with me this time?” Edward invited, flipping his favorite good-luck talisman in the air. “It’s a good-sized profit we stand to make if this contract goes through, but the company owner’s skittish. Someone double-crossed him on the last deal, so he’ll need persuading.”

“You’re the persuasive one,” Jake joked. Eyes on the copper piece as it spun upward, he waited to snatch it out of the air just before it
hit Edward’s waiting palm. “That’s why you stick with the business contacts, and I handle operations.”

“So why is it you’re the one who’s made afortune of his own in side investments?” Ed watched as Jake removed the matching piece from his own pocket and began juggling the two small squares until they blurred into a single streak. He reached forward, but not to make a grab and see which one he wound up catching, as they’d done since their school days. No, this time Ed jostled one of Jake’s hand’s, neatly seizing both pieces and examining them before tossing one back
.

“You cheated!” Jake plucked it from the air and checked the side not embossed with a crown and fleur-de-lis. Sure enough, nothing but a surface worn smooth from centuries of use stared up at him. “You never cheat. Hand over the lucky one as forfeit.”

“Sometimes you try a new trick to get what you want.” Edward shrugged and tucked the lucky coin weight, its blank side marred by the gash of an axe blade, into his pocket. “You won’t come with me, and I’ve got a feeling I’ll need all the luck I can get on this trip. Besides”—his brother grinned—“we’re family. You can win it back the next time you see me.”

“All right, but you won’t keep it for long. Good-bye …” Jake couldn’t resist throwing one last jab at the older brother whose virtues so far outweighed his vices. “Cheater!”

The last thing he’d said to his brother, if only in jest. And now, thanks to Twyler, the way Edward would be remembered if Jake didn’t find justice for him. Only one part of Jake’s taunt that day had been true—Edward didn’t keep the piece long. The scarred metal square, passed to the firstborn Granger through generations, hadn’t been found among his possessions.

And now, here stood Miss Thompson, reminding him that family stayed together.
I didn’t go when Edward asked. I waited too long with Mother and Father, making pointless inquiries while the trail went cold after his death. “No matter where it leads,” she says, and she has no idea how right she is
.

Craig Williams’s eyes slitted as he looked from one woman to
the next—too clever to be allowed near them and too much of a suspect for Jake to let out of sight.

Family
… Miss Thompson said it herself. There wasn’t really a choice to be made. Jake could have kicked himself for how close he’d come to putting Williams on that train—and betraying Edward in doing it.

“So there are not one but
two
Miss Thompsons.” The man read people well and thought too fast on his feet to be trusted.

“Yep.” Jake slid a glance at Evelyn, who stiffened.

“And only one of them’s spoken for,” the intruder prodded.

“We’ve already explained that, Mr. Williams.” Evelyn—Jake thought it suited her better than “Miss Thompson,” which belonged to her younger sister—made a dismissive gesture. “At this point, you’ve managed to insult three of us and are still speaking in circles. Don’t you think it’s time to move on?”

Jake knew why a lot of the regulars began clapping. Her ability to avoid an outright lie and still address the pertinent issue deserved applause. More to the point, he itched to set Craig Williams on that train, where he couldn’t so much as look at any of the women. But Jake couldn’t let that happen.

“Yes, I do. I think it’s time to move to the point of all this, Miss Thompson.” Brown eyes gleamed with anticipation. “I notice everyone here’s very careful not to mention which Miss Thompson happens to be engaged, but they’re mighty eager to see the back of me. I’m thinking it’s your sister who’s taken.”

Jake could see the battle between her conscience and her will as she stood there, silent. Defiance flashed in her amber eyes, consternation showed in the way she nibbled her full lower lip, and pride kept her chin up as she made her decision.

“But you won’t lie. I like that.” Williams leaned forward—too smart to take a step but too brash to do nothing. He stayed put even when Jake shifted farther into his path. “And I like a strong woman who needs an even stronger man. You’re worth accepting the terms. I’m staying.”

“No, you aren’t.” Braden rubbed a hand over his eyes and stifled a groan. “You can’t stay because I won’t allow you to.”

“Well, at least you’ve moved on from the asinine nonsense about not
wanting
me to stay.” Cora leaned over to balance the tray across his lap then removed the plate she’d set atop the soup bowl—most likely so nothing spilled while she carried it.