How Miss West Was Won (10 page)

She would not change what just happened for all the treasures in the world.

* * *

When Cordelia woke the next morning, Eli was gone. She knew he would be, because when he got out of bed, when it was still dark outside, he had kissed her gently and told her he would see her that evening. There were quite a few things that needed to be done on the ranch, he told her, and he knew she had things to finish before Saturday’s party.

The thought of the party made her want to crawl under the covers and stay there. With the things that were happening, Cordelia was sure people would show up just to gawk. They would want to see Eli’s wife, and his second wife. They had to figure out a way out of this mess, and soon.

She was just about to give in to the temptation to sleep some more, when there was a knock on the door, and it swung open. Mrs. Dunlap stood there, a frown on her face.

“I need you downstairs,” she said, her voice gruff. “You have two visitors, one a very nice little girl who said she is making a party dress for you. The second is… her.”

Cordelia held the covers close to her chest, hoping it would hide the fact that she was naked. She thought about the bloody sheets in Eli’s room, and how she needed to take care of them before Mrs. Dunlap saw them.

“Um…” Cordelia ran her fingers through her hair. As she moved, she noticed a twinge between her legs. She knew it was from where she and Eli had played last night. It was not an acute pain, but it did hurt when she moved. “Tell Constance she is not welcome here, and to leave. Eli is not here to speak with her.”

“She has come to see you, or so she says,” Mrs. Dunlap replied.

Cordelia let her gaze wander to the door between the two bedrooms. “Um…”

“I’ve taken care of things in there,” Mrs. Dunlap said. “I’m glad to see the two of you are finally acting as husband and wife.”

“Um…” Was that the only thing Cordelia could say this morning? “How did you—”

“I was not fooled by your earlier ploy,” Mrs. Dunlap said. Then her voice lowered. “By the way, the soreness will lessen as the day goes by.”

“Thank you,” Cordelia said, softly. “Tell the ladies I will dress and that I will be down there shortly.”

“Should I offer them refreshments?” Mrs. Dunlap asked.

It was on the tip of her tongue to tell the housekeeper to offer something to Melody, but not to Constance. But that would only start more troubles.

“Yes, you can offer them refreshments.”

Cordelia could hear Mrs. Dunlap muttering as she closed the door, but Cordelia could not make out what the housekeeper was saying.

It took Cordelia almost an hour to get up, clean herself properly and then dress. By the time she got downstairs, she noticed that Constance was pacing the library. Melody sat in Eli’s chair near the chessboard. She was studying the pieces as she clutched a parcel in her lap.

“Mrs. Bannister,” Melody said quickly, standing as she said the words. “It’s good to see you.”

“It’s about time,” Constance said, and Cordelia noticed that her English accent was fainter than it had been. “How dare you keep me waiting?”

Those words were more pronounced.

“How dare you show up uninvited?” Cordelia said. “What do you want?”

“I want to speak with you.” Constance glared at Melody. “Alone.”

“I am sorry, but that is not possible,” Cordelia said. She crossed to the tray Mrs. Dunlap had set out. There were glasses, a pitcher of lemonade and some cookies. “I have an appointment with Melody, but not with you. If you wish to speak, now is the time to do so, because there will be no private time.”

Cordelia could tell by the look on Constance’s face that her words had hit the other woman hard. But she did not care. Cordelia did not care about Constance. The only thing that mattered was that the other woman went back to England.

“Very well,” Constance said. “I want to know what it will take for you to leave.”

“Leave?” Cordelia laughed. “Why would I leave my husband?”

Especially after last night, Cordelia thought. The bond that they now shared said she would protect Eli at all costs, which meant that she would have to double her efforts in ridding the area of Constance.

“You are committing adultery,” Constance said.

Fornication, maybe, but not adultery, Cordelia thought. “Constance, Eli and I were married, in person, by a pastor.”

“Really?” Constance put her hands on her hips. “Because the pastor here does not remember performing the ceremony.”

The little witch, Cordelia thought. She has been questioning the people around the town.

“We were married in Denver,” Cordelia said.

“By whom?” Constance asked.

“None of your business,” Cordelia answered. “Now, my question to you is, what will it take to get you on the next train back east, and then on a boat to England?”

“I will not leave, nor lose,” Constance said. “You need to remember that.”

“It seems to me that I am living with my husband and you are staying in a hotel,” Cordelia said. The urge to slap the other woman was strong. “You need to remember that the next time you decide to make demands.”

The anger that crossed Constance’s face made Cordelia fight back a smile. She turned her gaze slightly at a movement in the doorway. Mrs. Dunlap stood there, a large wooden paddle in her hand. Cordelia wondered if she expected to spank Constance or if she planned on protecting Cordelia if things turned violent.

“Perhaps you should leave, Constance,” Cordelia said. “Your efforts to throw me out of my own home are not going to be successful today.”

Constance’s gaze narrowed. “Maybe not today, but at some point I will see you gone from here. And I will be in your place. And it will be soon.”

Constance pushed past Cordelia and exited the room. Soon, the front door slammed. Cordelia hurried out and watched as the English woman climbed into a carriage. The conveyance soon took off.

Cordelia wondered what Constance had been doing before Cordelia arrived downstairs, but then she remembered that Melody had also been there. She went back into the library. Melody was sitting in her chair, her eyes wide. Mrs. Dunlap was nowhere to be seen.

“I’m so sorry you had to witness that, Melody.”

“She’s quite an actress,” Melody replied.

Cordelia frowned. She had thought Constance was many things, but never an actress. “What do you mean?”

“I saw her on the stage, in London, about four years ago,” Melody said. “I was young, and my father took me to the city when he had to conduct some business. He took me to a play, and that lady was the star, although I can’t remember her name.”

Cordelia sank into the chair opposite the young Irish woman. “Are you sure?”

“Positive,” Melody said. “I remember that I fell in love with the dress she wore, and I wanted one just like it. It was a soft lilac color, and had a beautiful bustle on it. I asked my father for one, but he said it was much too expensive.”

Her words made Cordelia feel as if she might faint. Had someone hired Constance to play the part of a woman who was supposed to marry Eli?

“You are quite positive?”

Melody looked offended that Cordelia had questioned her again.

“Forgive me, but this is so…” Cordelia stood and started to pace. She needed to find the truth about Constance. “But you cannot remember her name?”

“No, but I remember the name of the play,
Aphrodite’s Garden
. It was about a woman who married her lovers, killed them and then buried them in the garden. She was doing it for money. It was a murder mystery, very intriguing.”

Cordelia’s thoughts spun. She needed to verify things before she said anything to Eli, and there was only one person she knew who could help her: Mr. Tuttle. He had contacts in London, and she could wire him and ask him to see who had starred in
Aphrodite’s Garden
four years ago.

“Melody, you have been a wonderful help. Now, let me try on that dress you have made to see if it needs any alterations. After that, we shall eat lunch, and then I will accompany you back into town.”

Melody smiled as Cordelia laid out the plans. She handed Cordelia the package, and Cordelia asked her to accompany her to the bedroom so she could try the costume on. But her mind was not on the afternoon, it was on what would happen after, and if she could actually prove Constance had been hired to try and move into Eli’s life.

The real question was who had hired her. And why.

Eli tossed a piece of wood onto a pile and then wiped the back of his hand over his brow. There were several more logs that needed to be split, and it was getting close to dark. If it hadn’t been for so much work to get done before snowfall began in the next few weeks, he would have given up work for the day and gone up to the house to see how Cordelia felt.

He was worried that last night had left her sore. But the way she cuddled up next to him during the night had been perfect; no, perfect wasn’t the word, it was more like incredible, spectacular, amazing. Those words fit what he had felt as her warm body lay against his.

He had wanted to take her again this morning, but he was afraid that it would be too much for her to handle. He’d never taken a virgin before last night, and her reaction, the look of pain on her face, had worried him. But she had kept her hands on his body, acted like she wanted to continue.

“Hey, sleeping beauty, get with it,” Stuart said from the other side of the woodpile. "I’m not going to be out here in freezing weather finishing this job because all you want to do is daydream about your wife.”

Stuart picked up a log and started to work on it, and Eli did the same. As he worked this time, he wondered not about Cordelia, but about Constance. There had to be some way to get the woman to leave. He just had to figure it out. As he finished up a good stack of wood, he heard his name.

A glance in the direction of the house showed Cordelia walking his way. There was a spring in her step, and it made him smile. She waved, and he waved back. Behind him, he heard Stuart laugh.

“You took her to your bed, didn’t you?”

“Shut up,” Eli replied. Then he turned to his cousin. “Is it that obvious?”

“Yup. You’re both pretty happy today. I have to say, though, that I’m surprised it happened, especially after I witnessed the spanking the other night.”

“Me, too,” Eli replied. He planned on talking to her about it tonight. They could ride his horse back to the ranch together and maybe they could talk about it then.

When she drew near, she reached up and brushed her lips against his cheek. “If that was for my benefit, remember I know the truth,” Stuart yelled out. He swung his ax into a log and let it go. “I’m going back to the house. It’s late, and I’m hungry. See you two later.” He mounted his horse and took off in the direction from which Cordelia had just arrived.

When he was gone, Eli leaned over and kissed Cordelia gently. “Good evening,” he said, keeping his voice low. “How are you feeling?”

“A little sore,” she said. “I thought a walk would do me good. Actually, I went into town with Melody this afternoon to work on the dress. I just got back.”

Eli frowned. “You took the wagon by yourself?”

“No, Melody had come out with the dress, and I rode back in with her. After that, I had the gentleman at the stables give me a ride back.”

Eli laughed. “If you’re talking about Buck, he’s really just a kid.”

Cordelia shrugged. “Either way, he got me back here before evening fell.”

Eli leaned closer to her. “I love the way you talk, all prim and proper.”

Her face grew red, and he reached out and touched her cheek. “I meant to take care of the sheets this morning, but when I woke up, Mrs. Dunlap had already done so. She’s used to waking me up with coffee so I can get to work. When she didn’t find me, she figured where I was and let me sleep.”

Eli watched as Cordelia sighed heavily. “We need to talk about last night.”

“We do,” he agreed. “I’m sorry if I caused you pain. It was a first for me, too. Sleeping with a virgin, I mean.”

The redness on her face deepened. “Eli, I am not sure what prompted me to come to your bed last night. I was shocked at myself, truthfully. I do not know whether we should continue with our late night… activities.”

Eli felt as if she had slapped him. “You didn’t enjoy it.”

She chuckled nervously. “I enjoyed it immensely. But we have to remember that I am only here for a while, and there is always the chance of pregnancy.”

Eli frowned. He had to admit that had not crossed his mind. “There are ways to prevent a child,” he said. He didn’t want to add that after last night, he had hoped she would stay for a while. He had enjoyed having her here. Her company was stimulating, and her smile made him hard. It might sound crude, but it was the truth.

“We should not do it again,” she said.

“Are you speaking logically, or from the heart?” It was an honest question, one that he wanted answered.

“Logically,” she said.

Eli took a step toward her. “Does that mean that, in your heart, you want to do it again?” The rapid rise and fall of her breasts gave him his answer, but Eli wanted to hear the words come out of her mouth. “Answer me, please.”

“Yes,” she said, her voice soft. “How could I not want to do it again when it was so… incredible?”

Eli didn’t want the words to go to his head, but they did. His chest felt like it swelled. “Then think about it before you make a final decision,” he said. “We will be careful, and if there is a child, you can…”

The words ‘you can stay here’ were about to slip out of his mouth. He closed them off quickly, because he was not sure how Cordelia would feel about staying at the Four Fours.

She didn’t push him to finish his sentence, and Eli wasn’t surprised. Instead, she cleared her throat, something he noticed she did quite a bit when she was about to start a new subject.

“Constance came to the house today.”

That shocked him. “What did she want?”

“To know what it would take to get me to leave,” Cordelia replied. “I told her it was she who should be leaving.”

“She came out here on her own?”

“Yes.” Cordelia looked around her, and Eli wondered if she was making mental notes for her story, the one that she was going to write when she left Colorado. “She arrived at about the same time as Melody.”

“Interesting,” Eli said. “You don’t think they are in things together, do you?”

“Absolutely not,” Cordelia answered. She sounded almost angry as she continued, “Melody is a sweet little girl while Constance is a conniving little… beast.”

Eli nodded. Then he looked up at the sky. “We need to get back to the house for dinner and bed. It is getting late. We both have a busy day tomorrow, and then the party is the next day. It will be even busier.”

Cordelia nodded. He walked to his horse and took up the reins. He mounted easily, and then directed the animal in Cordelia’s direction. Once he was beside her, he offered his hand.

“I’m not very good at riding a horse, especially one this large,” she said. “Perhaps I should walk.”

There was no way he was going to let that happen. Eli reached out and took her hand. “Grab the saddle horn,” he said as he lifted her in front of him. He could feel her fear, the way it made her body tremble as he settled her on the saddle. “Relax,” he said. “If you fear the horse, he will know it. The best thing to do is to take a deep breath and remember that I am in charge of this animal, and I would never allow anything to happen to you.”

“Thank you,” she said, her voice trembling. She had a death grip on the saddle horn. Eli wrapped his arm around her waist and settled her against his chest.

“Take a deep breath.” She did, and he could still feel her tremble. “Take several more,” he said. She did as he asked, and as she continued to do so, he felt her shoulders relax just a little.

When she was not as tense as she had been, he flicked the reins and they started to move toward the house. The more they rode, the calmer she became.

As they neared the barn, Eli knew that he would have to have her again tonight. He wasn’t sure, though, that she felt the same way. He needed to find a way to get past her earlier objections, but how? It was definitely something he would have to work on; and what pleasurable work it would be.

* * *

Cordelia clutched the saddle horn; she was thankful it was there for her to hold onto, but she was more thankful for Eli’s strong arm wrapped around her waist. It made her feel safe and secure, something she had not felt in quite some time. They were nearing the house now. She could see Stuart standing on the porch, talking to Mrs. Dunlap. The housekeeper looked worried, and it sent a bolt of tingling doubt up Cordelia’s spine.

“Something’s wrong,” she said. Behind her, Eli muttered his agreement. He changed directions, heading toward the house. When they were at the posts, Stuart came to help her down. Eli dismounted and threw the horse’s reins over the railing.

“What’s happening?” he asked. Cordelia could hear the tension in his voice. Was he expecting something horrible?

Mrs. Dunlap twisted her apron in her hand. “I went to my home for about half an hour. When I came back, it was obvious someone had been inside. The pies I was making for the party were on the floor, and someone went through your desk, Eli. I don’t know if things are missing. I’m so sorry. I might have been gone longer than I thought… I… I’m sorry.”

Eli was already heading up the stairs. She heard him mutter, “Constance,” under his breath. But Cordelia knew better, and she told him so as she mounted the steps behind him.

“We followed her into town,” she said. “I saw her carriage when Melody and I arrived, and I do not think she could have gotten back here and left without being seen.”

Cordelia struggled to keep up with Eli as he made his way into the library, and over to his desk. He sat down and started to go through drawers.

“It doesn’t look like anything is missing,” he said after he’d searched them all. “What could she have been looking for?”

“I do not think it was her,” Cordelia repeated.

“Why are you defending her?” Eli said. He turned his head toward her, his eyes flashing anger.

“I told you I went into town today,” Cordelia said. “I saw her there. There is no way she could have gotten here.”

“Why not?” Eli stood. “You did.”

Cordelia felt as if he had slapped her across the face. “What are you saying, Eli? You think I am the one who searched your desk?”

“No, what I am saying, Cordelia, is she had time to get here, just the same way you did.”

There was no way she was going to give ground on this. “Then where is she now? If she followed me here, where is the carriage she came in, or the horse she rode?”

“Mrs. Dunlap,” Eli called out. “Please come in here.”

The housekeeper appeared in the doorway. She looked as if she were going to cry. Stuart was next to her. He put a comforting arm around her shoulder, and she seemed to calm down.

When Eli spoke again, his voice was calmer. “Did you see a carriage, or a horse in the area either when you went to your house, or came back here?”

“No, Eli, I didn’t.”

Eli started to click his tongue over his teeth. Cordelia watched as he started to pace the room. “Someone came in from the back way, which means it was someone who probably knows the land.”

“The back way?” Cordelia asked.

“This is a large spread,” Stuart said. “There are a few paths that lead to the creek and some other areas towards the woods. From there you can get to the main road. Someone who knows the land would know to use that. It would mean less time out in the area where they might be seen.”

Cordelia thought about this for a few moments. “Who would know that?”

“Anyone who has been here a few times,” Eli said. “Most people would just come in the front gate, like Constance did this morning.”

The room fell silent and, after a few moments, Cordelia looked from one person to another. Then, she said, “Do you think we should take those paths to see if there are signs of recent travel?”

Eli shrugged. “It probably wouldn’t hurt, but you wouldn’t be able to prove anything by it; unless they are still there.

Cordelia had not thought of that. “Perhaps it isn’t such a good idea, then.”

“It’s a great idea,” Stuart said. “I’ll go and get my mount. Eli, saddle up and be ready.”

Both men exited the room so quickly that Cordelia did not have a chance to ask what ‘be ready’ meant. She went to the doorway, where Mrs. Dunlap stood just off to the left. The housekeeper looked as if she would break into tears at any moment.

“This is not your fault, Mrs. Dunlap,” Cordelia said. “I think there is something going on here, something that ties back to Constance. We just have to figure out what it is.”

The two women walked toward the front of the house. Eli was just coming down the stairs, and Cordelia was shocked to see he had a gun belt strapped to his hips; he also had a shotgun in his hand. She supposed she now knew what Stuart meant by ‘be ready’. “Let me go with you,” she said, speaking before she truly thought it through.

“We’ll be riding fast, and I don’t think it’s such a good idea for you to come along,” Eli said. He started speaking again, very quickly. “Not that I think you would slow us down, but—”

“You do not have to explain,” Cordelia said. “You are right, it will be best if I stay here with Mrs. Dunlap.”

He was at the bottom of the stairs now. Cordelia took a step toward him and put her lips on his. When the kiss broke, she whispered, “Be careful.”