Wilder Than the Rest: MacLarens of Fire Mountain (22 page)

They were on their second cup of tea when Eva touched Mollie’s arm and nodded toward Thomas’s office. He was just leaving, walking away from the downtown area at a brisk pace. The two women hurried to catch up, pausing once or twice to look into a nearby shop when he would stop to speak with someone. It didn’t take long for them to realize he was headed into the heart of Chinatown.

******

Pierce arrived at Georgiana’s beautiful home overlooking the harbor, stepped from the carriage, and stopped to take in the magnificent view. It was a clear, sunny day, and he could see what appeared to be hundreds of ships in the bay. He glanced down the drive to the street in time to see another carriage pull to a stop. Lee Hatcher.

He turned when the front door opened. A tall, slender gentlemen greeted him, took his hat, and asked that Pierce follow him into the dining room where Georgiana waited.

“Pierce, it’s good to see you. Apologies for canceling our last appointment, but it couldn’t be helped.” She stayed seated, lifting her hand so he could take it and brush a kiss across the back.

Pierce pivoted at the sound of the door closing then turned back to his hostess.

“Not an issue, Georgiana. I know you keep a busy schedule. I’m thankful you had time this morning.” He took a seat next to her, noticing that she wore a lightweight dressing gown, which covered a sheer chemise underneath. It was something a woman would wear for breakfast with her husband, not for a married man who’d come at her invitation.

“Please, have some breakfast. I know this is a later hour than you’re used to, so you must be famished.” She sipped tea while picking at the eggs on her plate and watching her guest take a couple of bites then set his fork down. “It doesn’t suit you?” she asked.

“The breakfast is fine, but the reason I came has nothing to do with food.” He relaxed in his chair, ready for his work to begin.

Georgiana shifted in her chair, allowing her dressing gown to part a few inches, exposing her creamy skin. “And what would you like, Pierce, if not food?” Her voice had turned low and sultry as she reached out a hand to stroke the top of his.

“Perhaps friendship.” He leaned forward and wrapped his free hand around hers.

“I think we can work something out.” Her voice was husky, anticipation clear on her face.

“And information,” Pierce continued, never taking his eyes off hers.

“Information?”

“Yes, such as your association with Thomas Traxton and William Hardy.”

The expression on Georgiana’s face turned from desire to stunned surprise as she snatched her hand from his and sat back in her chair.

“I have no idea what you’re talking about. Thomas and William are friends, that’s all.”

“Oh, come now, Georgiana. Although you and I have just met, it’s no secret that the three of you share a strong dislike for the policies of the current president.”

“As do many people.”

“Does their dislike extend to secret meetings the way yours does?”

Georgiana stood and walked toward the door. “I don’t know what you’ve heard or what you’re accusing me of, but I think it’s time you leave, Mr. MacLaren.”

“Of course.” Pierce stood and bowed slightly. “Let me know if you change your mind.”

Georgiana stared at the closed door. No one knew of the twice a week meetings in Chinatown she attended with a group of people dedicated to changing the current policies. They were small in number, and perhaps a little more vocal and active than others who were unhappy with the president and more organized in their efforts to make change occur. However, they did have one advantage that other groups of dissenters might not—a man on the inside.

Georgiana dashed to her room, changed, and called for her carriage. She needed to let the others know of her strange meeting with Pierce MacLaren.

Chapter Nineteen

Lee watched as Pierce’s carriage left the Grayson property. He hadn’t been in the house long, indicating to Lee that the meeting to fluster Georgiana and push her to action may not have gone as well as he’d hoped. He continued to watch, hoping the woman would make a move. He didn’t have to wait long.

Georgiana came sweeping out the front door and stepped into her waiting carriage. Lee followed as her driver turned toward the downtown district, making good time on the uncrowded residential roads. Travel became slower as they approached Chinatown and the dense late morning traffic. Her carriage stopped. She stepped down, looked around, and then began walking down a narrow, crowded street.

Lee followed at a discreet distance, assuming Pierce had done his job, flustering the woman enough to lead him to the answers they sought.

******

Chaz checked once more around the corner of the alley where he hid to see if Georgiana Grayson was still in sight. She had stopped at the front of the same shop William Hardy had entered. She looked around. Satisfied she hadn’t been followed, Georgiana walked into the shop.

Within moments, Lee followed, and seeing Chaz, joined him around the corner.

“Is Hardy already inside?”

“He is,” Chaz replied and scanned the front of the street once more. That’s when he spotted Thomas Traxton a block away. “Stay back.” He moved an arm across Lee’s chest, emphasizing his words. “Traxton is walking toward us.”

They waited until the man had entered the same shop as Georgiana and Hardy then searched the street for Eva and Mollie. The women joined Lee and Chaz moments later.

Mollie looked around. “Where’s Pierce?”

“Right here,” an out of breath Pierce said as he came to a stop next to them. “I had my driver follow Lee’s carriage. Thought I’d lost him a few blocks back, then I spotted the ladies.” He nodded at Eva and Mollie.

Noticing that their group of five was beginning to garner attention, Lee pointed to an area of the alley further from the street where they’d draw less notice. “Grayson, Hardy, and Traxton are inside. Someone needs to find out what they’re doing.”

“I’m the most logical,” Chaz offered. “Pierce can’t, as Georgiana would recognize him, and the ladies appearing would seem more out of place than a lone man. Besides, none of those inside know anything about me and it’s doubtful I’d be recognized. If needed, I’ll make it appear that I stumbled onto their gathering and see what happens.”

Lee agreed and watched as Chaz walked toward the front of the shop.

“What now?” Mollie asked. She wasn’t comfortable with Chaz going in alone, even though there was no indication that the meeting could turn violent. She still doubted that all of their work would uncover anything besides a group of intense, vocal citizens planning how best to move someone else into the White House after the next election.

“I’m staying here,” Lee said. “I’d like the three of you to go back to the house and wait. We’re already drawing more attention than I’d like. Besides, it’s unlikely more than two people will be needed to handle anything Chaz learns.”

All three hesitated before doing as Lee instructed.

******

Chaz entered the store and began to look around, picking up one item then another, in an attempt to appear as any other customer. A man, who Chaz assumed to the owner, scurried up, asking if he could help.

“I’m to meet a friend here. William Hardy, do you know him?”

“Yes, yes. Mr. Hardy. He is with the others.” The owner began to escort Chaz to the back when another customer walked in and the man excused himself to walk up front.

Chaz took the opportunity to disappear into the back, closing the door behind him. He saw no one in the small room although whispered voices filtered through a curtain several feet away. As he got closer he could make out one female voice, who he assumed to be Georgiana, and three or four male voices. Chaz tried to pull the curtain aside enough to see who was in the room then stopped when he saw the closest person was a mere two feet away.

“He’ll be here in a couple of days. That’s when we’ll learn what’s being planned.” The voice was deep, raspy. Chaz didn’t believe he’d heard it before.

“That doesn’t give us, or Wang Tao, much time,” Georgiana said.

“Wang Tao will need little time to organize his group. A day, maybe two.”

“And if our source doesn’t show up?”

“He will. His message indicated this was the best opportunity to achieve our goal.”

“And we’re certain the others won’t join us?”

“They’ve made it clear that, although their beliefs are the same as ours, they can’t risk publicly demonstrating their discontent. They’ve provided money, now it’s up to us to get our message out.”

Georgiana and Thomas glanced at each other, aware that only three in the room were aware of what would happen once their source gave the signal. They were more than a vocal group of malcontents, so much more.

“There’s something else,” Georgiana said. “Pierce MacLaren visited me and mentioned my meetings with William and Thomas. I have no idea how he found out about us or if he means to cause us trouble.”

“Really, Georgiana. What can one man do against a group of committed citizens?”

“I don’t know that he plans anything, Thomas. However, I thought it best that you all know he is aware of our meetings. It seems odd, given that he is new to the city.”

“I will do what I can to check further into his background, however, our time is short. There may be little we can discover before our plans go into effect.” Thomas rubbed his jaw between his thumb and forefinger, wondering if MacLaren was more than he seemed.

The group stayed silent, leading Chaz to believe they were ready to adjourn.

“My recommendation is that we all keep watch for him. If you find him following you, let me know.” It was the owner of the deep, raspy voice. “If there’s nothing else, I suggest we leave and wait for further word from our contact.”

Chaz wasted no time exiting the back room, nodding to the shop owner, and slipping out the front door to find Lee.

“Let’s go.” Chaz started walking at a brisk pace up the alley and away from Chinatown.

******

“I don’t know, Lee. From what Chaz is telling us, it appears to be a group of unhappy citizens, nothing that would warrant our involvement. Perhaps this has been a waste from the beginning.” Pierce sat with his arms on his knees, hands clasped.

“Except for the mention of the man who appears to be their leader,” Lee responded.

“I have two concerns.” Eva stood behind a chair, her hands grasping the back. “First, the comment about this being the best chance to achieve their goal. What goal is that? Second, Wang Tao’s group.”

“Who is Wang Tao?” Mollie sat near Pierce, absorbed in the details Chaz had provided.

“He’s a well-known Chinese organizer. Highly vocal in his opposition to the law against Chinese immigration. He and his son came to America several years ago. Now, he is unable to bring his wife and daughters to the States. If he leaves, odds are he won’t be allowed back in.” Lee had met Wang once, understood his frustrations and his desire to see the law overturned.

“Is his group capable of violence?” Pierce had little knowledge of the regulation or its impact on the Chinese community.

“Any group can turn violent, given the right motivation,” Lee answered. He lowered himself into the chair behind the desk and leaned back. “The large sum of money collected would seem to be targeted toward the candidate the contributors support in the next election. We’ve uncovered no information to believe otherwise.” He thought for a moment. “The president will be in San Francisco soon. It now appears that the activities of Hardy’s and Wang’s groups are to take place during that visit.”

“And the man leading their efforts is to arrive shortly beforehand.” Chaz pulled out a cheroot and rolled it between his fingers. “I don’t know. It seems as if we are simply chasing our tails.”

“Perhaps, but we’re here and there’s no reason not to carry this through until the end of the president’s visit. I’ll get a message to Noah. Until then, we wait.” Lee stood to leave. “Chaz, I do believe it would be wise to continue to watch Thomas Traxton. Something about him doesn’t seem right. I wish I could identify what.”

“I agree. I’ll stay on the man and let you know what I find.”

******

Pierce walked into the offices of Taylor-Dunnigan then continued down the hall to find Drew working on final purchase agreements with Miss O’Connell for the property Louis planned to buy. He took a seat and waited for his cousin to finish, nodding to his assistant when she looked over at him.

“That’s it, Miss O’Connell. I’d appreciate it if you’d make these changes and send everything to Mr. Dunnigan.”

“Of course, Mr. MacLaren.” She looked at Pierce. “Is there anything you need from me, Mr. MacLaren?”

“Not right now, thank you.” Pierce watched her leave the office, remembering the first time he’d met her, when he’d wondered if she were single. It no longer mattered. He’d accepted his feelings for Mollie, now all he had to do was convince her to share a life with him in Fire Mountain.

“Look at you,” Drew drawled, his eyes taking in the suit and tie Pierce wore. “Didn’t know you owned anything so fancy.” He chuckled even though he wore essentially the same outfit when working for Dunnigan.