Betina Krahn (28 page)

Dear heaven—it was a fortune!
Her
fortune.

The papers made a swooshing sound as they slipped from her hand, hit the desk, and scattered. She looked up, caught in a maelstrom of conflicting images and memories, seeing their unusual history in an ugly new light. Bear roaring at her during their first meeting, then becoming the gentleman when he learned who she was; Bear worming his way into Robbie’s confidence with his stories; Bear conveniently rescuing her … carrying her when she
fainted, lecturing her, kissing her, keeping her shameful secrets, and then stepping in to save her from three grasping fiancés. The more she recalled, the worse it seemed. The evidence was irrefutable. Bear had gone through the motions of marriage vows with her … used his considerable carnal skill to lure her to put her trust in him … pretended to treat her with care and tenderness … even refused the wedding gift she offered him … all the while planning and maneuvering to finance his railroad with her affections.

“Did you think I wouldn’t find out?” she asked, her voice choked. “Or did you expect that by the time I learned of this, you’d have your precious railroad and it wouldn’t matter?”

“If you’ll let me explain—”

“Explain?” she said, trembling all the way to her knees, feeling as if she’d been broadsided by a Baldwin Ten Wheeler. “I believe those papers say it all, McQuaid. You needed money for your railroad and you were clever enough to marry yourself a fortune. A bank account with a bustle. A damned
soft touch
.” She started for the door, but he grabbed her by the arm and held her.

“I meant to talk to you—to make you a businesslike proposal—”

“When?” she demanded bitterly, refusing to look at him. “Before or after your lecture on how my fiancés would steal me blind?” Tears welled, burning her eyes. “Before or after you ‘rescued’ me and then demanded that I marry you in payment? Before or after you made certain I couldn’t say the word ‘no’?”

Pain-spurred anger billowed beneath her shock, bringing with it a surge of energy. She managed to jerk her arm from his grip and headed for the door.

“Diamond—” He recovered in time to make it to the doorway ahead of her and plant himself in her way. “Look,
I was an idiot and a coward for not facing you with it,” he said, blanching as if the admission were ground from his very bones. “But I’m not a thief. If you’ll just listen to—” She looked up with her eyes blazing and tears burning down her cheeks and he stopped dead.

“Don’t you have some papers to sign?” she said, her voice raw with pain.

Scorched, he released her.

As she reached the center of the hall, she shouted for Hannah, Hardwell, and Jeffreys. Within seconds, her lady guardian and butler were rushing down the stairs and in from the front portico in a frantic state.

“Have Ned bring the coach around
now
. And help him load this mess into it,” she ordered furiously, swiping tears from her red-streaked cheeks. “Bring a wagon around, too, if you have to—I want all of this out of here—as soon as possible. Hannah”—she turned to the startled elder lady—“please … would you clear McQuaid’s things out of the master suite?” She halted and stiffened, struggling to keep from breaking down. “Be sure to get everything. I don’t want
anything
of his left behind.”

“Just what in blazes do you think you’re doing?” Bear demanded, towering like a thundercloud in the doorway behind her.

“Helping you leave. That was what you were planning to do, wasn’t it? Leave?” She started for the library, but he intercepted her at the stairs.

“We have to talk, Diamond.” Seared pride filled his voice with compelling smoke. “I know this must seem low-down and conniving, but I swear, I never meant it to be. I never wanted to take anything from you. I’m going to pay back every penny. This is a business loan, pure and simple.”

“There is nothing pure
or
simple about what you have done, Barton McQuaid,” she said, swallowing back the sob
rising in her throat. “I want you out of my house and out of my life.” She wrenched free and stabbed a finger toward the front doors. “Go back to your precious Montana and build your damned railroad … if there is such a thing as the Montana Central and Mountain. Go!” She poured her pain and anger into one final command before she stalked into the library. “
And don’t come back.
”

Hardwell came running from the morning room just in time to see Diamond storm into the library and slam the door with enough force to rattle the walls three floors up.

Bear looked around and found Hannah, Hardwell, Jeffreys, Mrs. Cullen, and several parlor maids staring at him in alarm. Into that charged scene bounded Robbie, his face ruddy and his eyes alight and searching.

“What happened?” he asked with his usual artlessness. “Somebody die or somethin’?”

Jolted from his shock, Bear barreled down the hall to the library and banged on the door with his fist. “Come out of there, Diamond. Let’s discuss this … at least listen to me.” There was no response, so he banged again. Harder. “Open up, dammit!” he shouted. “You can’t stay in there forever!”

But the silence on the other side of the door said she intended to give it a try. He stalked back to the dumbfounded Jeffreys.

“Get me a hammer and a steel chisel.” When the butler hesitated, Bear specified: “
Now!
”

Minutes later, everything was in tumult. Bear was taking a hammer and cold chisel to the hinges of the library door; Hannah was clearing out the master suite while wringing her hands; Hardwell was trying in vain to catch Robbie and haul him to his room; and Jeffreys and the servants were scurrying to pack the coach while craning necks and straining to catch a glimpse of what was happening between the newlyweds.

Then the last hinge was yanked out and tossed aside. Bear half lifted, half dragged the massive oak door from the opening and slammed it against the wall.

“Have you gone mad? Tearing the house apart?” Diamond was standing in the middle of the room, her arms clamped around her waist as if she were holding herself together. Her eyes were red and her chest was heaving with spasms left by dying sobs.

Bear had never felt such volcanic fury, despair, or guilt in his entire life—much less all in the same moment. Half an hour ago he had had everything he had ever wanted and more: the money, material, and equipment to build his railroad … his own private railroad car … a beautiful and loving wife to come home to when his railroad was done. But now, seeing her standing there with her heart breaking … believing that none of what he had said to her or done with her was real … that he had used and was now discarding her … he felt as naked and resourceless as he had at sixteen when he was banished from the only home he’d ever known.

She had trusted him … taken him into her home and her bed and her well-guarded heart. In these last three days he had managed to penetrate her defenses enough to glimpse the passionate, loving woman at the core of her. He had seen her, known her, as no one else ever had. It didn’t matter that he hadn’t intended her harm … that he had honestly believed he was helping her as well as himself.
She
didn’t believe any of that. He’ll—she didn’t even believe he was building a railroad! If he walked out that door and stepped onto that train by himself, she would never believe it.

He stared at her beautiful Montana-sky eyes, now reddened and filled with pain. He saw her chin quiver and dropped his gaze. It fell on something near her feet. There, on the Persian carpet, lay the little green and gold Pullman
car … the one she had given to him as a wedding gift. One corner was crumpled and the top had broken open, spilling the miniature contents across the rug.

He closed his eyes, and when he opened them again, it was to one simple and desperate possibility.

“So, you think I gulled you into marriage just to do you out of some money,” he declared hoarsely. “You don’t believe there is a Montana Central and Mountain Railroad. Fine. Then you’ll have to come with me to Montana and watch me build it.” He moved toward her. “Get your things.”

“I’ll do no such thing.” She stiffened and stepped backward.

“You’re coming with me, even if I have to carry you kicking and screaming.” He advanced again. “Now get your things.”

Anger boiled up inside her. He wasn’t content to just take her fortune and play her for forty kinds of a fool—he had to personally control and humiliate her. For the first time in years, she used the word she had worked diligently to cull from both her life and lexicon.

“
No.
”

All movement stopped in the hall. A murmur went through the servants at that monumental occurrence, and Hardwell and Hannah stared in shock at one another, wondering if they had heard correctly. She repeated it.

“
No
. I’m not going anywhere.
Non
, nay,
nein
, and just plain
NO
!” He just stared at her, and she snapped, “Are you having trouble with the concept?”

Of all the damned times for her to begin saying no! The lines were drawn in the sand and there was nothing for him to do but to enforce his manly edict.

“I said, I’m going to prove to you that I’m not a thief, a huckster, or a common crook. Get your things. You’re coming with me.”

“
No.
” She huddled back, her resolve growing and hardening with each repetition. It was getting easier for her to say no; he had no time to waste.

On impulse he lunged forward, planted his shoulder in her midsection, and hoisted her up onto his shoulder. She screeched and flailed for balance and began a tirade composed of one word.

“
No-no-no-no-no-no-no-no-nooooooo!
”

He headed with her for the front doors and managed to trundle her outside, despite her kicking and pounding on his back and grabbing the door frame as they passed. Desperately, she called to Hardwell, Hannah, and even Jeffreys—none of whom were equipped to challenge the towering Westerner’s actions. In mounting panic, she called to Robbie to go for help.

Instead, her young charge came running after them, yelling, “Can I come, too, Bear? Let me come, too!”

“Some time out West might do you a world of good,” Bear said vehemently. “What do you say, Diamond?” He halted at the carriage door and gave her upturned rear a resounding swat. “Shall we take him with us?”

“
Nooooo!
”

Bear glanced at the boy with a fierce grin.

“Climb aboard.”

Locked in the small but lavishly appointed “necessarium” of what was once her own private railroad car, Diamond pounded on the door until her hands were sore and demanded release in every language known to her.

“If I let you out, will you behave like a reasonable person?” Bear called through the thick mahogany door panels.

“No!”

When they were under way, he tried again. “Ready to cooperate, yet?”

“No!”

“Aren’t you getting a bit warm in there?” he asked still later.

“No!” She opened her blouse, raised her skirts, removed her petticoats, and rolled down her stockings. She’d rather cook than capitulate.

“How about some food? Hungry?” he called to her later.

“No!” She wrapped her arms tightly around her growling middle.

Late in the afternoon he was back again. “We just bought some lemonade at the last stop. Aren’t you thirsty?”

“No.”

Neither did she want a chair, a blanket, a pillow, or any supper. And no, she
still
wouldn’t promise not to try to escape and return to Gracemont if he let her out.

After dinner the quiet settled in and for the rest of the day all she could hear was the clank of cars coupling, the monotonous clack of wheels against the rails, and the occasional screech of brakes as they slowed for stations.

The necessary was large enough to permit her to pace a step or two, had a small window high on the outside wall for ventilation, and was supplied with fresh water in the form of an ornate brass and copper cistern hanging in one corner. But the only places to sit were the stool and the floor, and the only thing to do was listen to the world going by as she counted the
fleur de lis
on the wallpaper. Seven hundred thirty-two. She counted them six times.

As night fell, she piled her petticoats on the tiled floor and propped herself in the corner, too exhausted even to cry. Her last glimpse of herself in the small mirror over the washbasin had revealed that her eyes were swollen, she had lost half of her hairpins, and her skin was red from the brine of her tears.

Why was he doing this? He already had a small fortune in hand, and he could plunder a good many more of her assets before she could get the wretched law courts to move against him. What was the point of hauling her out to Montana against her will? What more did he want from her?

Bear Sat in the elegant central parlor of the private car, the next morning, staring at the door to the necessary. Despite the full-sized brass bed in the sleeping compartment, despite the damask sheets and down pillows and the lulling sway of the car, he had hardly slept a wink in the
night just past. More than once he had gone to the door, put his hand on the key, and stopped just short of opening it. His dread of now having to face her must have shown in his face, for Robbie looked over from his seat by the windows and shook his head.