“Lye-Lye!” Cassandra cried. “What on earth has gotten into you?”
Luke had no difficulty intepreting the canine’s message and jerked his hand back. Dogs, he knew, weren’t as easily fooled as people. Lycodomes obviously recognized a low-down toad when he saw one.
As Luke straightened, he made a mental note to get rid of the huge, mangy beast at the first opportunity. He didn’t need or want the added frustration of a canine running interference between him and Cassandra.
The dog growled again, more softly this time but no less threateningly. Luke shared the sentiment. Silent war had been declared.
With an embarrassed little laugh, Cassandra said, “Well, as you can see, I’m not entirely without an escort.”
Luke had noticed that, yes. Woe to the man who dared to accost her. Lycodomes would probably rip his balls off.
Pushing to her feet, Cassandra placed a hand on Khristos’s shoulder and extended her other to Luke. “We’ll say good-bye to you here, Mr. Taggart. It really isn’t necessary for you to walk us all the way home. In the miners’ district, the streets aren’t paved, you know, and there are no sidewalks. The mud might ruin your shoes.”
Luke was well aware of the deplorable conditions in the miners’ district. Yet Cassandra stood before him, extending her hand as if she wore silk and was the grandest of ladies.
“I couldn’t care less about my shoes. But I do need to see my attorney, as I mentioned earlier, and the sooner I roust him out of his bed, the sooner I’ll get home to my own.” Grasping her slender fingers, he bent slightly at the waist. “Until tomorrow morning at ten, then?”
“Shall I give you directions? I wouldn’t want you wandering about looking for our house.”
Calling the place a house was an overstatement. Luke had already sent his man of affairs on a scouting mission to learn which shack the Zereks lived in. He knew for a fact that it was a tiny little structure with a roof that boasted more holes than shingles. “I’ll have no problem finding you,” he assured her.
As she started to turn away, Luke called her back. “You will remember your promise to me, won’t you?”
Letting her brother and dog walk on a ways without her, she fixed a puzzled gaze on Luke. “Promise?”
“Not to worry,” he reminded her. “About anything. You’ll trust me to take care of everything?”
She flashed a smile radiant with gratitude. “Mr. Taggart, aside from my papa and brothers, I honestly can’t think of a single person I trust more.”
Luke gazed after the ragtag threesome as they walked away. Long after they faded into the darkness, he remained standing there, a slight smile touching his mouth. So she trusted him, did she? That was good.
That was very, very good.
FIVE
Despite the chill of the September morning, a feeling of warmth hung over the unpaved street like a cozy quilt. As Luke strode along, head bent to watch for mud puddles in his path, he heard bees buzzing in and out of the nearby bushes and birds chirping on the tree limbs above him. Not to be outshone, some hens in a tumbledown chicken coop between two miners’ shacks clucked and fluttered their wings every time the wind gusted.
Soon winter would embrace the mountains, but for now sunlight dappled the sodden earth, the patterns dancing in dizzying splendor. Luke took a deep breath, sorting out the smells that drifted to him: frying bacon, the faint odor of sewage, baking bread. In the distance, children laughed, and then a dog began to bark. This was Cassandra’s world, he realized. He had no doubt she would thank him for taking her out of such squalor. A beautiful girl like her deserved to live in a mansion, surrounded by fine things.
A smile curved his lips as he anticipated her soft cries of gratitude. His body stirred as he thought of allowing her to express her gratitude between the silken sheets of his bed.
Sidestepping a puddle of dun-colored mud, he quickened his pace. Once he’d made up his mind to take action, he never allowed anything to stand in his way. And he had definitely made up his mind about Cassandra Zerek.
The Zerek house wasn’t even a decent shack, Luke thought as he drew to a stop before it. Only about twelve feet square, the dwelling’s roof sagged pitifully on each side of its peak, and the chimney pipe looked to be in perilous danger of falling through. He stood there staring, not quite able to believe his eyes. Things had been bad when he lived down here, but nothing quite as awful as this. Jim Briesen, the landlord of the mining district, ought to be shot for charging people rent for these structures. Hell, from what he’d heard, the man was all but gouging the lifeblood from his tenants.
Luke stepped up onto the porch—at least, what served as a porch. It was made from a few planks of low-grade lumber nailed to disintegrating joists. Making a fist, he rapped lightly on the door, half afraid it might fall off its hinges. From within the shanty, he heard something scrape the floor, followed by muted footsteps and the creak of floorboards giving under someone’s weight. An instant later, the door swung open.
Cassandra. A vision in a brown wool dress every bit as ugly as her blue one, she stood with one hand pressed to her slender waist, the other clasping the door frame. This morning she wore her hair caught up at the crown with a red ribbon, the glossy sable curls tumbling in artless abandon. The style revealed the sweet curve of her slender neck and accented her oval face. Her eyes, more vivid a blue in contrast to the drab brown dress, seemed to dominate her features even as a radiant smile curved her lips.
“Mr. Taggart, won’t you come in?” Her voice was low and rushed as she extended the invitation with all the elegance of a princess beckoning a guest into her palace.
“It looks as though you survived the night well enough,” Luke observed.
“I remembered what you said and tried not to worry,” she said softly. “It helped immensely, and I even managed to get a little sleep.”
Luke stepped across the threshold, his gaze moving swiftly over the one-room shanty’s interior. It was a pathetic sight. A makeshift table, with upended buckets serving as chairs. Water-soaked walls made of rough wood. A puncheon floor that had been patched with mismatched lengths of board. He cringed at the thought of her living like this. They had tried to cover the wide cracks in the walls with newspaper, but he could still see daylight. When winter came, the place would be freezing, with icy wind whistling through the gaps to assault her delicate skin.
“Do be careful, Mr. Taggart,” she cautioned, gesturing at a pan of water on the floor. “The roof leaks a bit, I’m afraid.”
A bit? As her voice trailed away, he heard a cacophony of dripping that sounded like an entire orchestra of off-key and slightly muted xylophones. As far as he could see, there were more leaks than there was roof, and given the fact it had stopped raining outside, he could only stare in amazement.
As if reading his thoughts, she glanced at the sagging ceiling boards. “The water seems to pool up in the attic. It, um, takes a while between storms for all of it to drip through.”
“I see.” More than she knew, he added silently.
Wiping her palms on her skirt, she hurried to the stove. “I hope you enjoy tea.” Her voice had a high-pitched, quavery note, as if she were unbearably nervous. She glanced back at him. “I’d offer you coffee, but we’re out.”
“I like tea fine.”
Luke stood there, feeling like a weevil in a flour sack. He wished he knew how to put her at ease.
“Cassandra,” he began, then stopped. The smooth words he’d planned suddenly seemed wrong. He cleared his throat, searching for an alternative, but before he could speak, she whirled around, clapped a hand to her forehead, and rolled her eyes. “Heavens! I’ve totally forgotten my manners, not even taking your coat or offering you a chair.”
As far as Luke could see, there wasn’t a chair to offer. As for his jacket, he had no intention of staying long, and when he left, he hoped to take her with him. “I’m fine, Cassandra. Just tend to the tea and stop worrying.”
She wrung her h
ands as he straddled a bucket and sat down. Luke angled a glance up at her and winked. “You know, it wasn’t very long ago that I lived down here in the mining district. Just one row over, in fact. I’ve done my share of sitting on buckets, and my roof leaked a little, too.”
“It did?” She looked vastly relieved. “For some reason, I pictured you always living at the other end of town in that big, beautiful, white house.”
It was a beautiful house, and he was tempted to tell her now that she’d soon be living there with him. He shifted on the bucket, trying to get positioned so the sharp bottom rim didn’t bite into his ass or, God forbid, something more essential.
As she turned back to the stove, he took the opportunity to study her home more closely. Despite the air of penury, the shack had been made livable, no doubt by Cassandra’s clever hands. A chipped vase filled with greenery from the hillsides served as a centerpiece on the table. Lining the walls were four cots, each neatly made, with embroidered pillows tossed here and there to make them look less utilitarian. A fire crackled cheerfully in the rusted belly of the stove. He could almost picture the Zereks gathered at this table of an evening, the cozy glow of a lantern illuminating their faces.
Not what he had expected, he realized, then frowned as he tried to remember the image he’d carried in his head whenever he thought of the life Cassandra must lead. Relentless dreariness, he guessed.
Memories tried to slip through the dark curtains of his mind—memories he quickly shoved away. By the sweat of his brow and a streak of incredible luck, he’d become a rich man. Anything he wanted was his for the taking now, including this girl—and by God, he was going to have her.
He felt no trace of guilt. Although he would be taking her away from her family, he was doing her a definite favor. He would give her everything her heart desired—not only a lovely home to live in, but luxury beyond her dreams.
Finished setting out the tea, she placed the kettle on to boil, then turned to join him. As she took a seat across from him, she folded her small hands on the table, her gaze direct and guileless. Not that he believed, even for a moment, that any woman from this part of town could be that innocent.
Cassandra was, however, incredibly lovely, and he’d settle for that. Skin like cream. Thick, dark lashes. A full, rose-pink mouth that begged to be kissed. And eyes a man could get lost in. She had a countenance that was as eye-catching as it was unforgettable.
“Well,” he finally said, “shall we get down to business?”
“Business?” she echoed.
Luke waved a hand. “A manner of speaking. As I told you last night, I have a plan, and after discussing it with my attorney, I’ve decided it may be workable. All that remains is for you to agree to it.”
“What sort of plan?”
Sparing no words, Luke reminded Cassandra that her father and brother were in jail for an extremely serious offense. “As you said last night, claim jumpers are often shot where they stand or, if not that, sentenced to lengthy terms in prison. But given your father’s story about the man named Peter Hirsch, I’ve decided to be lenient.”
She closed her eyes for a moment. When she opened them again, that worshipful look he’d noticed last night was back in her gaze. “I never really doubted you would be, Mr. Taggart. You’re just that kind of person.”
Luke smiled slightly. So far, so good. “After consulting with the marshal and my attorney,” he went on, “I’ve decided to fine your father and brother each in the amount of five hundred dollars. In addition, both of them will have to serve a three-month stint behind bars. Under the circumstances, I feel that is letting them off lightly. Very lightly.”
Cassandra grew pale. Lips quivering at the corners, she averted her gaze, then finally looked back at him. “Mr. Taggart, please don’t think I’m ungrateful, for I know you’re being very lenient indeed. But you’re talking about a thousand dollars, all totaled. To people like us, that’s a staggering sum of money. There’s no way my papa and brother can pay such an amount.”
Luke held up a hand. “Please, just hear me out. As I said, I’ve got a plan. For the last few months, I’ve been searching for a paid companion. Now that I’ve gotten to know you, I’ve decided you would be ideal for the position.”
“A ‘paid companion’?” she questioned with a puzzled frown. “I’m not sure I understand what you mean.”
Luke had expected her to be offended at first and possibly even to balk, so he wasn’t unduly alarmed by her stricken expression. He flashed another smile. “Whether I hire you or end up hiring someone else, I’m prepared to offer a very generous wage, Cassandra, so I don’t want you to think that this is a charitable gesture on my part. I’m willing to pay five hundred a month, plus board.”
“Five hundred?” she repeated dazedly.
“Yes, five hundred. At the end of one year, when I and my paid companion part company, I will bestow a twenty-thousand-dollar settlement on her. If you agree to take the job, you’ll be able to pay off your father’s and brother’s fines in only two months. For the remaining ten months of our agreement, you’ll be able to keep the five hundred each payday, to save or spend as you wish.”
“I see,” she said faintly.
“If you’re interested,” he went on, “I will, of course, insist that you sign a contract that will bind you to the agreement for the period of one year.” He shrugged. “I apologize for complicating the relationship with legal documents, but I don’t have a lot of faith in verbal agreements. Experience has taught me that people seldom honor their promises unless they are bound to do so in writing. That is not to say you would break your word, mind you. I’ll just feel more comfortable with all the terms spelled out in writing and signed by both of us.”
Fully prepared for her to be outraged and to initially refuse his proposition, Luke fell silent, waiting for the storm to erupt. In the end, he would win. She would either agree to his terms, or her father and brother would be punished for claim jumping to the full extent of the law. He felt certain Cassandra would never allow that to happen.
She looked pensive and troubled but said nothing. Finally Luke could bear the silence no longer. “It’s a very generous offer, Cassandra. Three months in jail is hardly any time at all, considering the alternatives.”
More silence. She just sat there, staring at him, her blue eyes dark with shadows, her expression still stricken. Luke hadn’t expected her to take it quite this badly.
Propping his arms on the table, he leaned slightly toward her. “Cassandra, is my offer really that awful?” he asked carefully. “Just think what the alternatives are. If your landlord evicts you, which he most certainly will when you don’t pay the rent, this job could keep you off the streets.”
Her eyes slowly filled with tears. “Oh, Mr. Taggart,” she whispered shakily, “it’s not that I don’t appreciate the offer. It just breaks my heart that you feel it’s necessary to make it.”
Luke circled that for a moment, not entirely sure what she meant.
“When I used to see you on the streets, I always sensed you were lonely,” she went on, “but I never dreamed you were this lonely. As much as I appreciate your being so kind to my papa and brother, I can’t possibly take money for just being your friend. It would be like stealing.” She reached across the table to press her hand over his. “Don’t you see? It’s not necessary to pay me to be your companion. I’ll happily do it for free. We’re going to have to come up with some other idea.”
Luke felt as if the bucket beneath him had disappeared. Either this girl was the best actress he’d ever encountered, or she was pathetically dim-witted. He looked deeply into her eyes, which seemed to gleam with intelligence. He could detect no sign of artifice, just naivete and sweetness. Was it possible she truly didn’t understand the nature of his offer?
For the first time in his life, Luke experienced a wave of pure and unadulterated guilt. He quickly shoved it away, assuring himself such feelings were absurd. No one raised in the squalor o
f mining towns, with coarse and uncouth individuals coming and going at every turn, could be as pure of heart as Cassandra Zerek pretended to be.
No, he decided, she was simply trying to raise the ante. And very cleverly so. Most men were willing to pay all they could afford for the privilege of deflowering a virgin, and she apparently hoped he was one of them. Unfortunately for her, Luke had never been so inclined. Besides, he’d already offered her an astronomical amount of money.
“Cassandra,” he said with an edge of warning, “if this is your way of trying to haggle with me on the wage, I feel I’m already offering more than any man in his right mind would be willing to pay.”
Looking totally bewildered, she said, “Why would I try to haggle when I don’t think you should have to pay for companionship at all?”
He held her gaze for a long moment. “The position I’m hoping you will fill is going to be very demanding, and very much a job. Don’t think for a moment it won’t be. That’s why I offered such a generous wage to begin with. I’m sure if you think about it, you’ll agree it’s more than fair.”
“Frankly, I think it’s way too much.”
Luke sighed. He’d never been good at double-talk. “I like that word, frankly,” he said softly. “So let me lay it out on the table for you, hmm? Long before I saw you in the churchyard the other afternoon, I’d been toying with the idea of taking a live-in companion. You suit my requirements in every way. To be blunt, I’m bored with the company I find in the saloons and gambling establishments. The women there are”—he shrugged—“otherwise occupied much of the time. I suppose you’re right; I am lonely. At this point in my life, I’d like a lady friend who will devote herself exclusively to me. In return for monopolizing her time and energy—and I assure you, I will be very demanding—I am willing to pay a very generous wage.
“If you take the job, you’ll be expected to make yourself available to me at odd hours, usually at night, to accommodate my schedule. That will necessitate your living in my home. If I have free time during the day, I’ll expect you to cancel your own plans to facilitate mine. In short, if I require your services, I will expect you to drop everything and devote yourself entirely to me and my entertainment.”