Silver Nights With You (Love in the Sierras Book 1) (19 page)

“Well, gentlemen, I will be working with Mr. Deidescheimer here to construct a safer structure in the mines. As far as the water, that is not my area of expertise. I leave you to squabble over it and your money woes. I propose we meet back here in one week to discuss a plan of action. Same time. Good evening.”

He and Philip left the church in robust conversation while the unorganized reverberation of angry voices swelled up again behind them. The grandee who had just spent several thousand dollars snatching up mines from desperate men eyed the pair as they left. With the tiniest crook of a finger he beckoned a man beside him to lean down for a conference.

“Who were those two men? Not the German. I mean, the two dark-haired men who did all of the talking?”

“I don’t know, sir.”

“I want you to find out for me.”

“Right away, Mr. Stacy.”

Jared crouched behind the trunk of a cottonwood and studied the boarding house. For the past hour there had been little movement in front of any of the windows, and he was sure that the only three bodies inside belonged to the three women who lived there: the owner, her little helper and Lila Cameron.

His mouth curled into a grin as he thought about her. He’d been waiting for an opportunity like this for five days. After the night he’d followed her from The Silver Queen he’d nearly ground his teeth to nubs waiting for her to emerge from the house alone so he could snatch her. The one day she did, he was poised to make his move when the entire earth shook beneath them and the streets filled with bodies responding to the cave-ins. Since then, she’d not left the house once.

Bobby had already grown restless waiting for him back at the cave. Each day he returned empty-handed, the man vowed to high-tail it to Placerville where he could at least take in the local skirts without the threat of Mack coming down on his head. Jared’s broken smile twitched upward as he thought about getting his hands on her. He’d watched miners leave without returning, knowing an important meeting had been called in Virginia City tonight.

He looked up to the sky, waiting for it to darken completely before he made his move. The rattle of a carriage soon clinked up to the front of the house, and he scowled to see two more women disembark and make their way up the front steps. He could handle women, but too many of them proved a noisy ordeal. He hoped that these two would leave as fast as they arrived.

The knock was so faint Lila barely heard it. What was unmistakable, however, was the bellow of a thick, feminine, French accent pounding through the door. Her eyes opened sleepily to a pitch black room. She had fallen asleep on Morgan’s bed while changing the linens. Now, she could distinctly hear Ellie’s voice rising to match the French lady’s. Lila rose and walked through a groggy haze to open the door, squinting against the sudden burst of lantern light.

“I am so sorry, Lila,” Ellie began. “She wouldn’t leave and insisted on seeing you at once…”

“Are you zee Lila Cameron zat has been nurse to Morgan Kelly?” the woman interrupted.

“Yes,” Lila answered sleepily, suppressing a yawn.

“Aah,” the woman squealed with piercing delight. She grabbed the lantern from Ellie and swept into the room, causing Lila to take a few steps back. Her blonde hair shimmered in the light of the flame, though it was twisted up beneath a hat that was fastened to the top of her head by a gauzy material that tied beneath her chin. She was young, perhaps a year or two older than Lila, and had bright, round violet eyes that lit up when she spoke.

“Helene,” the blonde called out of the room. “Where is zat girl? Helene! Entre!”

Another girl, younger by about half ambled inside, her arms burdened by bolts of fabric and a buckled leather case. The blonde pointed to an empty spot in the corner of the room and the girl began laying out the items. Lila looked askance at Ellie while the blonde babbled away in French and waved her hands erratically, pulling the window curtains shut. Ellie shook her head and shrugged.

“May I ask what’s going on?” Lila asked delicately. The blonde fastened her deep purple eyes on her.

“I am Madame Collette,” she said with an austere wave toward her chest. “I am zee seamstress from za city. I come to make dress.”

“You’ve come to make me a dress?”

Collette laughed an airy, tinkling sound. “More zan one, darling.”

“I’m afraid I don’t understand,” Lila began. “I haven’t…”

“Monsieur Kelly come to my shop zis evening and pay me za hundred dollars to make dress for Miss Lila.”

Lila’s jaw dropped and wide eyes shot once again to Ellie, who shrugged unknowingly again.

“There must be some mistake.”

“No, mademoiselle,” Collette answered stiffly. “He just came and gave me za hundred dollars for you, and za hundred dollars for za doctor Argyle, too. He told me to come right away. So, here I am.”

She was speechless. Two hundred dollars on clothes for her and her father? That was extravagant. She knew her father's pride would never allow such a gift.

“We cannot accept it,” she told Collette. “Please return the money to Mr. Kelly at once.”

Collette cocked a challenging brow. “I do not geeve za money back. Two hundred dollars! For zat I make dress for za English queen if monsieur wishes.”

“So, make dresses for her majesty then,” Lila returned sleepily.

“Aah, but monsieur does not wish that. He wants dresses for you. So, zees I will do!”

Lila huffed and sent an imploring look to Ellie for intervention, but she only stepped into the room and cleared her throat. “He wants to repay you and your pa for what you did for him and Val.”

“But we did nothing but stitch and bandage. He owes us nothing.”

“Well, he don’t see it that way.”

“It’s just an awful lot of money,” she whispered harshly.

“It’s his money. He wants to spoil you, darlin'. Let him."

She hesitated. Everything Ellie said was true, but she still felt uneasy accepting his gift. It felt undeserved. She really had not done much to aid his recovery. There was no need to stay by his side as he slept away the effects of his injuries. She had remained because she wanted to. Still, she knew that the seamstress was a businesswoman and would never return the money to Morgan. She acquiesced to the persistent blonde.

When the door was shut, she was promptly stripped down to her chemise while Collette worked a measuring tape around various areas of her body. The younger girl, Helene, continued to unpack all manner of sewing supplies. Collette hummed and spoke aloud to herself while she made notations on a sheaf of paper before having Lila step into a mauve skirt. She shoved a pin cushion in Lila’s hands and went to her knees. Every other second she called out for a pin, and Lila handed one down.

“Zees Morgan Kelly is a handsome man,” Collette purred as she gathered fabric along the side seam. “A
very
handsome man. I like handsome men. Pin, please!”

Lila’s spine stiffened and her eyes narrowed at the sensual turn of the seamstress’s smile as she spoke of Morgan. The stain of jealousy highlighted Lila’s cheeks. She took the pin and instead of handing it down, pricked the tip of the woman’s finger.

“Ooh!” Collette yelped as she yanked her hand back and sucked on the tiny bead of blood.

“Oh, how clumsy of me,” Lila said drably before fixing her icy stare on the woman’s violet eyes. Collette eyed her back and then chuckled.

“Aah, I see,” she said. “He is
your
man.” She pointed a delicate finger at Lila, whose eyebrow rose into a warning arch as she slowly nodded. Collette laughed again. “You needn’t worry. No need to shoot your venom at me. I prefer za look of za leetle brother anyway."

Lila’s shoulders relaxed, and her smile returned. “Oh, well in that case, carry on.”

Collette’s eyes returned to the skirt as her grin widened. “I like you, Miss Cameron.”

Lila remained silent while the woman worked away, asking what kind of wardrobe Lila wanted. She asked first for a nightgown that was conducive to the thick, warm nights of the desert and Collette had just the thing. The fabric was transparently-thin. It was a white cotton creation with tiny cap sleeves over the shoulders and flowed to the floor, just touching the curves of her breasts and hips. The seamstress trimmed the caps with a light blue lace which carried on along the low-scooped neckline. It was not a gown anyone should ever see her in, but it would make for a comfortable sleep on a hot summer night.

There was no denying that Collette was a master with a needle and thread, a feat Lila found a wonder for so young a woman. The nightgown was almost complete and then she would take the measurements and notes to her shop in Virginia City. She stayed long enough to take in one skirt and shirt in addition to the nightgown and robe and would have to work feverishly for the next week days to make the rest. Luckily, Lila knew her father’s measurements, having accompanied him to the tailor many times. Collette had ample work to occupy her next week.

As the seamstress knelt down again to work at the side stitching of the gown, Lila picked up her hair and began softly running her fingernails through its waves. She was bone tired and wanted nothing more than to lie down on Morgan’s bed and sleep again.

They heard the approaching beats of boot steps. Just as the women exchanged a curious glance, the bedroom door burst open, and Lila found herself staring down the barrel of a six shooter. She sucked in a breath as Collette slowly came to a stand beside her, her violet eyes shining angrily beneath dramatically arched eyebrows. Lila recognized the man instantly from The Silver Queen, and the slow rake of his eyes up and down her revealing night dress made her body tremble.

“What do you want?” she asked in a shaky voice.

“You’re coming with me,” he said to Lila before shifting the gun to Collette. “You look like the kind that likes to start trouble, but if you do you’ll earn a bullet.” She lifted her chin boldly. “Now, move on back by the youngin’.” He nodded toward Helene, and Collette moved slowly, positioning herself between the girl and the gun.

“What do you vant with za lady?” Collette asked calmly.

“Shut up!” Jared hissed before pulling the gun back to Lila. He beckoned her with the crook of his fingers. “Come on, Miss Cameron. Let’s take a walk.”

Every vein in her body quivered with fear, but she forced boldness into her voice. “I’m not going anywhere with you.”

“No?” he turned the gun on Collette again and cocked the hammer. “Either you start walking or the beautiful Frenchie gets it. Next will be the girl. Then, the fat lady who runs the house. She’s just down the stairs whistling Dixie while she scrubs the bathtub. Anyone else you want killed today?”

Her eyes never left his. “Will you at least allow me to put on a robe?”

“Don’t think so,” he said lewdly. “I like you just the way you are. Now, get moving.”

She swallowed a thick lump and stepped toward him, and he released the hammer from its cocked position. When she was in reach, he grasped her upper arm and jerked her toward him, holding the gun to her temple as he stood behind her. They left the room and went gingerly down the stairs. Lila could see Ellie on her hands and knees in the bathroom down the hall. She walked slowly and softly toward the staircase so as not to gain her attention.

When they finally made it to the end of the second story hall, Lila peered over the banister into the empty dining room. There was nobody to offer rescue. She sent a glance up to the open doorway of her room and saw Collette watching her with an apology in her eyes. Lila shook her head softly as if to dispel any guilt the woman felt for allowing the man to take her. Jared’s hand was around her midsection, and he squeezed to urge her onward down the last flight of stairs.

Before she took a step the front door opened and in walked four men. Their voices fell, their jaws dropped, and their eyes widened while Lila sucked in a breath against the pressure of the metal barrel pushed into her temple. Jared flattened himself against the wall, holding Lila as a shield in front of him. Four hands shot straight to their holsters until the echo of a metallic click rang into the air, signaling that Jared had cocked the hammer and all that stood between Lila and death was a simple pull of his finger. Lila shut her eyes and prayed, tiny tears squeezing through the pinched lids to slide down her cheeks.

“If’n you heroes don’t want to see this lady’s brains splattered across these stairs I suggest you move away from that door and over to the dining table, real slow-like.”

Morgan held his hands up slowly to show that he was no threat as he began to take easy, measured steps away from the door and toward the dining table. Ellie emerged from the bathroom at the sound of voices, and she gasped when she saw what was going on. Jared cursed and called out to her.

“Well, you might as well join us,” he said and tilted his head to indicate that she move to the step below Lila. Ellie went to the spot and reached out to squeeze Lila’s hand for reassurance.

“What do you want with her?” Morgan asked.

“That’s none of your concern,” Jared returned.

“But it is,” Morgan replied as he continued to move toward the table. “You see…if anything happens to her…I’ll kill you.”

“This is nothing more than justice,” Jared returned, unafraid. “An eye for an eye. She killed my brother.”

Lila’s face remained still but her body began to quake, and Morgan's mouth tightened.

“She couldn’t even kill a snake,” he said. “I doubt she killed your brother.”

“That ain’t what the papers say,” he said.

“Then you’re referring to the stage coach robbery, and that makes your brother a criminal,” Morgan said pointedly. “He got what he deserved, but it wasn’t by her hand. That reporter lied.”

“It said that she shot him.”

“She shot at a man, but she didn’t kill him. Her bullet grazed the top of his shoulder. Someone else shot the bullet that took his life.”

“Well, unless you can tell me who it was, I'll be taking the lady with me," Jared said, his voice growing tighter by the word.