Amon (7 page)

“It will take me some weeks,” Amon told her. “But I’m sure you’d prefer your own house to living in the hotel.”

Nettie swallowed hard. So it was really happening. She nodded slowly as she took the cup and saucer from Newton. “Yes, I’m sure I would. And Mrs. Upton does have a fine kitchen.”

“That she does,” Amon agreed. “But I’m sure you’d want your own. In the meantime, Mrs. Upton can give you cooking lessons if you wish …”

Her eyes flashed. The last thing
she
needed was cooking lessons, but he didn’t know that. The real question was, did she want him to? Maybe it was better that he thought her domestically inept. Wouldn’t he ask questions if he saw what she could do in the kitchen, or the speed with which she could clean and organize? “I’m sure I could do with a few lessons. They would be most helpful.”

Newton glanced at her but said nothing. He didn’t have to; he knew how it must have galled her to say the words. Instead he took a sip of tea – and played along. “I have every confidence that by the time you two are married, my sister will have learned everything there is to know from Mrs. Upton and will be most pleasing in the kitchen.”

Nettie nodded and took a bite of biscuit …
cookie
, they called it here. A lady of her supposed station ran a household, rather than work in it. What would Mr. Cotter think if he found out he was marrying a glorified servant? Would he still want to marry her? She knew well that no one in England would, save another servant or a man so desperate they’d marry anyone of noble lineage – the Clinton Moresys of the upper class. And even most of them had wanted nothing to do with her. Not when she was a by-blow, the product of a fleeting tryst between her mother and that no good Thackary Holmes.

She closed her eyes against the thought. To think that a man she’d never met could have ruined her life so thoroughly.

Six

Mr. Cotter shook hands with Newton one more time, bowed to Nettie, then left the room. She stared at the door after he’d closed it and went cold. “So that’s it, then,” she whispered to herself and stood.

Newton came up behind her. “Yes, it is.”

She spun to face him. “Is he agreeable?”

“What do you mean, ‘agreeable’?”

“Do you like him? Do you think him a man of good standing? What about his character?”

“That, dear sister, will be your job to find out.”

Nettie took a step back. “
My
job? Why does it have to be
my
job? Didn’t you find out anything while I was downstairs?”

“I found out he’s willing to marry you,” he said calmly. “And he’s quite adamant about keeping that Mr. Moresy from your person. As there will no doubt be times I can’t be by your side to do so, Mr. Cotter will see to it.”

Nettie sighed in exasperation. “You know nothing about him.”

“True. But obviously our relations do, or they wouldn’t have chosen him for you.”

Nettie sat in the nearest chair. “Well, there’s some comfort.”
Though not much – I don’t really know
them
, either …

Newton took the chair next to her. “We must be practical in this. I want you to marry a man who will be a good husband for you, one that will treat you with respect. If this man is willing to marry you simply to protect you …”

“That’s another thing – why is he doing so? Maybe he thinks we’re rich.”

“I doubt people here care about such things as dowries.”

“Of which I have none,” she was quick to point out.

“All the more reason to believe he’s a man of character and his word. He knows this Mr. Moresy is no good and wasn’t about to let him near you.”

Nettie brushed at the skirt of her dress. “I know. It’s just that, marrying a complete stranger …”

“Which is why the two of you will court. Now stop worrying – we have to figure out how you and Mr. Cotter can spend some time together.”

“We
were
spending time together until you showed him to the door,” she said, one eyebrow raised in accusation.

Newton rolled his eyes at her. “It wouldn’t have been proper for the two of you to start courting this very minute. A man needs time to think about these things.”

“Think about things?” she said with a laugh. “What has he got to think about?”

“Clearly, dear sister, you know nothing of the opposite sex.”

“I know what it’s like to empty their chamber pots, cook for them, clean for them, serve them, do their laundry, start the fires in their houses for them …”

“… but this isn’t like that. You’re not trading our grandfather for this man. Mr. Cotter wants to marry you.” He leaned toward her in his chair. “Give the gentleman a chance to prove his worth.”

“Prove his worth? What are you talking about?”

He sat back with a heavy sigh. “Egads. You really don’t know, do you?”

“Know what?”

“Men want to be able to woo a woman, to prove to her that he’s worthy of her love.”

Nettie sat and gave him a blank stare. “What have you been reading lately?”

“You may not have paid attention to those around you growing up, but I did. I’ve seen with my own eyes what it’s like between a man and a woman, how a man vies for a woman’s attention. Or the other way around.”

“Did you?” she asked incredulously. “What were you doing? Peeking through windows?”

“I did nothing of the kind and you know it!” Newton shot back, annoyed.

Nettie giggled. “I suppose you’re referring to old Mr. Thompkins and Miss Bundy.”

Now it was Newton’s turn to be amused. “Yes, yes I am. Mr. Thompkins did everything in his power to woo that woman. It was a miracle she finally gave in.”

“
Gave in
? Did she pity him, then?”

“On the contrary, it became a great game between the two of them. I think she was tired of spending her nights alone and wanted his company all the time. So she married him.”

“I’ll play no such games with Mr. Cotter,” Nettie stated matter-of-factly.

“I don’t expect you to. What I do expect is for you to remain a lady and not drive him away.”

Nettie set up in her chair. “I’ll do no such thing!”

“Won’t you?” he asked, his eyes narrowed in suspicion.

“Of course not … I … well …” she stammered. “If you’re referring to Benjamin Hopkins …”

“I am. He too would have made you a fine husband, but then you had to go and chase him off.”

“He left of his own accord, I had nothing to do with it,” she said innocently.

Newton raised an accusing eyebrow at her. “Didn’t you?”

“Oh, enough about Benjamin Hopkins. This is about Mr. Cotter.” She looked away. She wiped her palms on her skirt a few times before turning back to him. “I’m frightened, you know,” she said softly.

Newton leaned forward and put a hand on her knee. “I know. But I’ll be at your side as often as I can.”

“You do that and Mr. Cotter might not be as inclined to win my affections. Especially if you’re wearing a pistol.”

Newton sat back with a quiet laugh. Ever since they’d left England, he’d hardly been without one. He was also a very good shot. “I’ll keep it hidden under my coat, then.”

Nettie sighed once more. “Oh Newt, how did it come to this? Here we are in a tiny little town in the middle of nowhere on the other side of the world because … because …”

“Because I love you,” he said, his voice gentle. “Because I couldn’t stand by and watch the Baron marry you off to some … someone like that Mr. Moresy. And he’d have done it too, if only to get you out from under his roof.”

“To get the scandal away from him,” she said, her voice trailing off.

“We’ll make the best of this, sister, you’ll see. This isn’t hidebound old England. Remember what that fellow on the ship said – America is the land of opportunity!”

“Yes, I remember.” Suddenly her head shot up. “But after… after I’m married, what will you do?”

He shrugged. “Find an opportunity of my own, I suppose.”

“Oh, don’t be pert.”

He looked past her to the door. “I don’t know yet. But I’m sure I’ll find out when the time comes.”

* * *

Amon rode toward the Triple-C at a slow canter. He figured he had to tell Colin and Harrison that he’d changed his mind and spoken with Nettie Whitman’s brother. Soon they’d see if they'd suit, and within weeks, perhaps even days, he could be married. A tiny spark of excitement ignited within him, overlaying his usual calm.

The anger he’d experienced earlier was gone, as was the overwhelming need to protect her. Maybe it was because he wasn’t in her immediate vicinity, or because he knew her brother was perfectly capable of doing the job. And Clinton Moresy had been nowhere to be seen when he’d left the hotel. Clinton’s horse was gone, so Amon’s guess was he’d either ridden back to the men’s camp or scurried off to Mulligan’s for a whiskey or six.

He didn’t care where Clinton was, only that he stayed away from Nettie. She looked like she wouldn’t know what to do if Clinton tried anything foolish, or worse. He had to consider the possibility, and what he would do if he got locked up in a jail cell for killing the reprobate. Thankfully, today hadn’t called for it. Tomorrow … was another matter.

When he reached the Cookes’, Jefferson and his wife Edith were sitting on the porch swing of the main house, each with a cup of coffee in their hands. “Hello, Mr. Cooke,” Amon called as he rode up to the house’s hitching post. “Your boys wouldn’t happen to be around, would they?”

“Nah, they went to check on the stock down by the creek. They’ll be back come suppertime. You’re welcome to wait with us if ya want.”

“Speaking of which,” Edith said as she got up from the swing. “I’d best go help Belle and Sadie get it ready.” She turned to Amon. “Would you like some coffee?”

Amon dismounted. “Thank you, ma’am, that’s very kind of you.”

She nodded with a smile and went into the house.

“So the boys tell me you’re not the marryin’ kind,” Jefferson said as Amon tethered his horse then stepped onto the porch.

“That’s why I’m here, sir. Apparently I am.”

Jefferson smiled and sat a little straighter on the swing. “Are ya, now? Well, don’t that beat all? Changed your mind about the little lady?”

“Yes sir, I did. I’ve come to tell Colin and Harrison.”

“It’ll make them mighty happy. Poor Sadie and Belle were beside themselves when they came home after the sewing circle yesterday. I don’t mind telling ya, you were their first pick.”

Amon chuckled. “So I heard. It’s nice to know I made the top of the list, though I’m not sure what their requirements were for it.”

Jefferson motioned Amon to sit next to him. “It all comes down to a few simple things, really,” he explained. “A man’s got to have good character, which of course means ya don’t go out drinkin’ and gamblin’ every night, that sort of thing. And he’s got to have a heart.”

“How would your two daughters-in-law know about my heart? I might be the type to pull the wings off butterflies.”

Jefferson laughed. “They know you by your actions, son. They’ve seen the care you put into building Honoria’s cradle, how you helped out with the hotel, the things you do for folks around town. Why, everybody knows ya’ve made things for the Whites and not charged them, and everybody respects you enough not to take advantage of your generosity. If they got the money to pay ya, they’re gonna.”

Amon nodded slowly. “I just try to do what’s right, sir, that’s all.”

“That goes a long way with this family. Why, look at Duncan – he took his new wife and traveled halfway across the world just to do the right thing. We sure do miss him, though, and Cozette too. Heck, I even miss Mr. Berg.”

Amon smiled. “Oh yes, Mr. Berg. He was a presence, wasn’t he?”

“At his size, son, he was a lot more than that!”

“Has anyone heard from him?”

Jefferson shook his head. “We hear from Duncan now and then, of course, but none of us have heard from Mr. Berg and Maddie. We did get a letter from Mrs. Duprie, though.”

“The Countess?”

“Yeah, wasn’t that somethin’? To find out that woman was a countess and her daughter a princess? At times I still don’t believe it.”

“I can’t believe I took Harrison and Colin’s offer …”  Amon shook his head.

Edith came out of the house. “Here’s your coffee, and I brought some cookies too. Now if you men will excuse me, I need to go help get supper ready. Shall I set another place?”

Jefferson looked at Amon. “You’re here and supper’s only an hour or so off, you might as well stay.”

Amon smiled and took the cup from Edith. “Thank you – don’t mind if I do.”

“I’ll let Sadie and Belle know we have company,” Edith told them, then left Jefferson and Amon to themselves.

They chatted about nothing much until Harrison and Colin rode into the barnyard. “Mr. Cotter!” Colin said as he reined in his horse at the porch steps. “To what do we owe the pleasure?”

“Well …”
Brace yourself.
“… I’ve decided to take you up on your offer.”

Harrison and Colin exchanged a quick look. “Splendid!” Harrison said and jumped off his horse. “Glad to hear it, man!”

“Yes,” Colin agreed. “Our wives will be ecstatic.”

“I haven’t seen any sign of them since I arrived.”

“They were out back in the vegetable garden, weedin’, when you arrived,” Jefferson informed him. “Now they’re likely workin’ on supper. They probably won’t even know you’re here until Edith tells them.”

“He’s quite right,” Colin said. “Once they get busy in the kitchen, there’s no stopping or distracting them …”

Sadie suddenly ran onto the porch. “Mr. Cotter! Oh, thank Heaven!”

“… though I could be wrong,” Colin quipped.

Sadie hurried to the porch swing. “I’m so glad you changed your mind!” she said as she took one of his hands and shook it. “I’m sure Mr. Whitman will be pleased.”

“He was agreeable enough,” he said.

“Agreeable? You mean you’ve already spoken with him?”

“Yes. It’s all arranged.”

“What!?” Everyone except Jefferson said at once.

“Yes, I spoke with the man earlier and we came to an agreement. So I decided to come out here and tell you.”

“Well, I must say, this is a pleasant surprise,” Harrison chuckled.

“And to think we planned another trip to town to convince you,” added Colin.

Sadie smacked him on the arm and turned to Amon. “We think you and Miss Whitman will make a fine match. When’s the wedding?”

“Wait, wait,” Amon said, holding up a finger. “We’re not that far along.”

“You mean you haven’t set a date yet?” Sadie asked in surprise.