Pure Desire [Pure 3] (Siren Publishing Allure) (35 page)

“I just sold the last jar this morning to widow Brussy. I ordered another shipment, and it should be in within the week. When it arrives, I will have my son bring it out to your place.”

“Thank you. I will let Mother know.”

“So, how’s life treatin’ you? I hear the city life is bustling…you miss Legend any? We must appear like small fish compared to all those refined Chicago folks with their afternoon teas, socials, and soirees. I hear they have museums and operas.”

“I miss Legend a lot, Mr. Norris. No matter how far you go, I think home will always be in my heart first.”

“Yep, I suspect so. Good you ain’t forgotten about us here.” Mr. Norris reached over and lifted the top of a jar of peppermint. He popped one in his mouth, chewed, and then handed her a palmful. Allura took the candy. “I remember when you were barely tall enough to reach the stool at my counter, bony as a twig, with pigtails, and always a bright smile. You were an imp though. Couldn’t keep her hands out the cookie jar even when your Ma walloped you good a couple of times, you liked your sweets.”

Allura munched on the candy enjoying the saccharine taste she hadn’t had in a long time. Sugary treats on Magnus paled in comparison to Mr. Norris’s stash. On Sanguine, they had this thing about being health conscience to the point she considered them fanatical. She believed she even heard a bizarre news story where the government was considering outlawing candy and other sweets because they called it fattening, if that weren’t insane. It seemed ridiculous children couldn’t enjoy the simplest of pleasures where Noor lived, and their idea of confection was so bland to the taste it wasn’t worth eating. As an afterthought, she emptied the entire contents of the jar into a sack. She added licorice, hardballs, and the entire bag of oatmeal raisin cookies into her basket. Mr. Norris lifted an eyebrow. She smiled sheepishly, saying, “You have the best treats.” Mr. Norris beamed proudly. She felt vindicated for telling the lie. It was for a worthy cause.

“I here Channing is back in town, too. Not that I inquired, but Mattie ain’t stopped rattling about it since she realized he was here. She done brought perfume, a bow for her hair, and new stockings.” Mr. Norris chuckled softly, shaking his head. “She all fired up. Though she’s a bit steaming he ain’t come by to visit her.” He pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose when they slid down. He studied Allura over the wire rims. “Folks all wondering why your brother disappeared about the same time you did. Especially since it was rumored he got shot and left for dead. Not to be insensitive…just inquiring. Mind you, we all thankful he’s alive and breathing, Miss Allura.”

She refused to confirm or deny. If Mr. Norris noticed, he was too polite to push for an answer, unlike Mrs. Tidwell, who would have tried to wrestle the truth out of her. “I will tell Channing Mattie is looking for him.” She sat her items on the counter to let him know she was ready to go.

“Now, let’s see here what you got.” He dug in his apron for a pencil, remembered it was behind his ear, and started tallying up her purchases on the notepad he kept in his pocket. He concentrated on what he was doing and continued talking. “The McFarlands finally sold their spread. Hear they got a right nice price.”

“Mother told me yesterday. She wasn’t sure who purchased the land, though.” She hoped Matt Graham didn’t get his greedy hands on it.

As if he read her mind, Mr. Norris said, “Uh-huh. Matt Graham about busted a gasket when he found out somebody bought the deed. Heard he offered a nice penny, but someone outbid him. Not sure if it’s true. Whoever purchased the spread paid handsomely for it. Way more than what the McFarlands asked. Seems strange to me.” He tapped the end of the pencil on his tongue and finished adding up the total. He ripped the piece of paper and handed it to Allura. “Whoever did the buying must have wanted the McFarland land real bad. Wouldn’t you say?”

Allura reached into her bag and counted off enough coins to meet the receipt total, and then added a few more coins to cover the hand cream. She handed it to Mr. Norris. “I suppose so.”

Mr. Norris packed up her groceries. “Uh-huh. They wanted to get under Matt Graham’s skin.” He smirked, fingered his glasses again. “Well, I hope you come by and visit again, Miss Allura, before you leave. Since you left, ain’t seen a prettier face.”

“Thank you, Mr. Norris. I will make a point to return before I go. I would like to see Mrs. Norris, as well. Will you tell your wife I said hello? And that I miss her cream pies.”

“Will do, Miss. Allura.”

The bell over the door jingled.

Caroline Graham—tall, slim, with flame-red hair and large inquisitive green eyes and pale skin, dressed to the height of fashion in a yellow dress, orange bow around the waist, and matching hat with a feather perched in the side, stood in the doorway. She looked down her slender nose at Allura, a haughty air to her disposition, and glared at her like a pesky bug she wanted to swat.

Of all the people she didn’t want to encounter today, it was Caroline Graham or Mrs. Tidwell she hoped to avoid most, and in that order. She had hoped by arriving in town early, she could avoid both of the women, but apparently, it wasn’t to be. If she were lucky, Caroline would have the good sense to keep a wide berth between them.

“Morning, Miss Caroline,” Mr. Norris called.

“Good morning, Mr. Norris. I came for my usual items, if you don’t mind.”

“I got everything packed up and ready for you.” Mr. Norris waved his hand and headed toward the back of the store.

Caroline clutched her reticule as if she expected her to snatch it and waltzed into the store with her nose up in the air. Allura had a hard time not wishing she would hit her toe on a box corner or something equally painful the way she kept her chin lifted so high. For a brief second, she thought Caroline might ignore her presence, if she could only be so lucky, but as soon as she rounded the corner, they were face to face.

She looked so smug, Allura considered slapping her across the face. She didn’t deserve less. Not that she could prove Caroline was behind Channing’s ambush, but if she had to bet on it, she would put all her money on the audacious brat Matt Graham had reared. For all her refinery and poised posture, Caroline’s nature and knack for getting into trouble preceded her. With her foolish antics and blatant provocation to use men foolish enough to be jealous for her attention, Caroline might not have given the specific orders, but slyly hinted at what she wanted.

“Well, I heard you were back in Legend. How is Chicago treating you?”

As if Caroline cared. There was no sense in being discourteous. She wasn’t worth the effort. “I don’t have any complaints.”

“You look absolutely radiant and blushing, but I assume a strikingly handsome husband and a child on the way does that for a woman. From all the gossip I hear, he has every woman in Legend gasping for breath, even though he is a negro. I must certainly make it a point to get an introduction. Perhaps this evening at the Stillwell dinner, you can introduce us.”

Even though Caroline’s effrontery was unbound, she had no insecurities about Noor being in Caroline’s presence. “I seriously doubt we will attend. Our travel was fatiguing and our visit will be short, so we intend to spend as much time as possible with my parents. However, I will definitely bring up the invitation to Noor at dinner this evening.”
When pigs fly.
She liked the Stillwells immensely, although having to suffer through Caroline’s presence dampened her desire to go and enjoy her friends.

Caroline forced a smile. “Well, I do hope you attend. My curiosity has gotten the better of me, I’m afraid, and I wish to see the man responsible for sweeping you off your feet. A feat everyone in Legend thought impossible. Your engagement and everything happened so fast no one had a chance to offer polite congratulations. Where exactly did Mr. Rynoir come from?”

The last person she owed an explanation to was Caroline Graham. “Oh, look at the time. I must be on my way. Noor is probably wondering what has delayed me.” She tried to skirt past Caroline.

“Mr. Rynoir is in town? Then I will walk with you.”

“Maybe some other time, Caroline. I have dallied enough already. Have a nice day.” Her politeness only extended so far.

One did not easily dismiss Caroline. She pursued her to the front of the store, and Allura feared she might have to bowl her over to escape. Her patience thinning, she feigned a smile, and said, “This is really not a decent time for introductions, Caroline. Noor has a tight schedule to maintain in town, and then we would like to be on our way. Besides, shouldn’t you wait on your groceries? Mr. Norris is dragging your numerous packages to the counter as we speak.”

Caroline flipped her hand in the air dismissively. Accustomed to inconveniencing everyone but herself, she was inconsiderate of Mr. Norris’s hard work. “There is no time like the present,” she said, falsely cheerful.

Rudeness wasn’t her preference, but Caroline apparently would force the issue. Allura was just about to lose her proper decorum when the door burst open like a great thrust of wind was behind the push.

“Oh, my,” Caroline murmured. She clutched the lapels of her bodice, as if the action could hide the low décolletage and full bosom she displayed shamelessly.

Allura turned to see what had startled Caroline.

Her brother-in-laws, all tall, dark, and brooding, appeared, looking threatening even in the daylight.

Angel was the worst offender. He stared at Caroline as if she were a fox in the henhouse. He looked around the establishment, accessing the area for danger, and then shifted his attention to Allura. “Is everything all right, Allura?”

“Fine, Angel. Thank you.”

Vale stepped forward. He at least acknowledged Caroline with a nod, which was more than she could say for Angel, who knew his misstep but appeared unremorseful. He hadn’t taken his eyes off Caroline and watched her suspiciously. “We were concerned about your delay.” Vale took her packages and bundled them under his arm.

“I couldn’t decide on my purchases,” she offered as an excuse.

Of all the Rynoir men, Aris offered a smile to Caroline and tipped the brim of his hat. “Madam.” He turned to Allura. “Noor sent us to see what delayed you.”

Jesus, with the way they were acting, you would have thought she told Noor she was going to war instead of the mercantile. Constant shadowing—it had been this way since they returned to Legend. Noor was overly cautious and refused to listen to reason that she didn’t need a constant companion by her side twenty-four hours a day. In this case, there were three, or four if she counted Noor, who stuck by her like burs on cotton, to the point the entire situation was burdensome and irritating.

She had her gun. What more did she need?

Caroline made a pretense of fanning herself, as if the temperature in the room suddenly spiked. “My, you know these strangers, Allura? I do hope they intend to accompany you to the Stillwells this evening.” She made it clear she would expect all three and was indiscriminate in taste one way or another. Openly brazen Caroline had flirtation down to an art. And she could smell wealth a mile away. Her father was prominent with a couple of copper mines. But, it was rumored Matt Graham didn’t have a head for investment, and his funds were dwindling away. Caroline had the sense to know she needed to refill the coffers, so to speak, by landing a rich husband. Hence, it was why she acted unrelenting in her pursuit of Channing.

“Well, we don’t get many strangers in Legend. It seems your return has brought in a slew of new folks, Mrs. Allura,” Mr. Norris said. He looked over the rim of his glasses, inspected the Rynoir brothers perceptively. He put on bravado, but Allura could tell Vale, Aris, and Angel unsettled the man. Mr. Norris kept wiping his glistening forehead, which popped with sweat the more the Rynoir brothers eyed him.

Allura said, “These are my brother-in-laws.” She introduced each one, and then politely excused herself and headed out the door before any further interrogations started. She could see Caroline’s endless annoying questions forming on her lips.

As soon as they walked outside and made it a few steps, Allura stopped and whirled around. “I don’t mean to be rude, and I know Noor sent you after me, but I assure you there isn’t a need for all of you to accompany me everywhere.”

Angel said, “Noor asked us to.”

She knew in Angel’s mind no further explanation was needed, and he didn’t offer one. “I will discuss that with Noor.”

“We don’t mind walking with you, sis,” Aris said.

“Nor do I mind your company, but some of these people are my friends and—well, frankly, you scare the geezers out of them.” She flashed an accusatory glance in Angel’s direction. “It might help if you didn’t glare at everyone who comes near me.”

“I will try and watch that,” Angel said grimly. He was either clueless or didn’t care his expression could intimidate the boldest of men.

Having set them straight, Allura continued down the sidewalk. She ignored the fact her brothers kept eyeballing everyone who came close. A few times, she feared they might actually wrestle down the pedestrians who had the unfortunate need to share the same sidewalk as her. When they passed the saloon and one exiting man got rowdy—clearly drunk and harmless—it was all she could do to keep Angel from pulling his gun. Unfortunately, she hadn’t been able to stop him from manhandling the poor man and flinging him back inside the saloon—through the plate glass window. Afterward, the onlookers hurried to the opposite side of the street.