“That’s not your concern,” she said. “Or it shouldn’t be.”
Her reply didn’t bother him. He knew she hadn’t yet learned of her mother’s death and probably wouldn’t for a while longer. He could hold back the news indefinitely if he could get Henry Tucker to give him her mail. He’d have to give some thought to what reason Henry would most easily accept. “I understand you’re staying at Petty’s Hotel.”
“If I thought you didn’t already know that, you wouldn’t be accompanying me now.”
“There’s definitely a shrewish side to your nature I don’t recall on our previous encounters. It’s not becoming, Lydia. Is that why Nathan sent you away from Ballaburn?”
Lydia was careful not to show her surprise. So Brigham Moore didn’t know everything. He only thought he did. She ignored his question and asked one of her own. “Does Irish know you’re back?”
“It’s only a matter of time before he learns about it. Nathan, too. I had no intention of staying on in Sydney until I happened to learn that you were here. I hadn’t expected you and Nathan would part so quickly. Perhaps you’ll consider going back to Ballaburn with me. I’m leaving soon.”
“I’m happy here,” she said tersely.
Brig looked over his shoulder and saw Kit was still dogging their steps. “I heard your little shadow back there call you Miss Chadwick the other day, yet Father Colgan told me he performed the marriage ceremony himself.”
Lydia sighed. Father Colgan probably never gave a second thought to sharing that information with Brig. No doubt he regarded Brig with as much affection as he did Nathan. “Nathan and I are most assuredly married, Brig. Ballaburn is his now.”
“Not quite yet,” he corrected her. “Until Irish dies it’s strictly only Nathan’s inheritance.”
Steps faltering, Lydia glanced sideways at Brig. “No one told me that.”
“Understandable, don’t you think? Irish had two wills drawn up in the event of his death. Which one will be executed depends on the outcome of the wager.”
“Which Nathan won.”
He shrugged carelessly. “Only time will tell.” Brig stopped on the corner opposite the hotel and faced Lydia.
His smile was perfectly genial. “A lot can happen in a year.”
“What do you mean by that?” Lydia reached for his elbow as he started to walk away from her. Brig brushed her off much as she had done to him earlier and kept on walking.
Lydia stayedwith Kit and the Garrisons for the next four days, hoping to give Brigham enough time to leave Sydney. She made a habit of never going out unescorted and varied the route she took to and from the church. Believing she had eluded him, Lydia was stunned to return to Petty’s and find Brigham waiting for her in her room.
Concluding that his presence had been made possible by Henry Tucker, who thought he was doing a favor for his friend, Lydia didn’t bother asking Brigham how he got in her room. Lydia had no intention of entering her room while Brig was lounging in the only chair, one leg hooked over the arm, the back of his head cradled in his palms. He was studying her; she simply stared at him.
“You’re going to have to leave,” she said, clutching her books a little more tightly.
“Have to?”
“Or I am going to scream, Brig. I am going to scream so loud they’ll hear me all the way at Ballaburn. Now get out.”
Brig sat up straighter and raised two fingers. “Two minutes, Lydia. That’s all I want.”
She hesitated but said wearily, “Two minutes.” She didn’t move from the threshold and kept the door open behind her.
“You’re acting as if I mean to do you some harm, Lydia. I can’t say that flatters me. I’m the one who should be concerned. After all, the last time we were together in Frisco, you shot me.”
Lydia didn’t think his statement deserved a reply and she didn’t give him one.
“I might not have recovered at all if it hadn’t been for Nathan. He made certain there was someone to take care of me. That’s the kind of friends we are, Lydia. Until you, no one’s ever come between us.”
“It’s not me, Brig. It’s Ballaburn.”
“YouareBallaburn.”
“No,” she said. “I’m not. And I won’t let you or Nathan treat me as if I were a tract of land.”
“Is that why you’re not with Nathan now? Doesn’t he know how to treat you like a woman?” Brigham stood. “I would do better by you, I can promise you that. You can’t really be happy here, Lydia. If you’d divorce Nathan you could become my wife.”
