“After all you’ve been through, I’m sure you’re hoping to see the last of Butte when you go,” Kayleigh added.
The man’s persistence was becoming annoying. But she wasn’t about to admit that she could provide directions to the mines. And she had a solution for the problem he was predicting, without admitting that there was no problem.
“That is very kind of you, but Morgan can—”
He cut in, “Morgan is in the habit of making sure he isn’t seen when he comes to town, nor does he pick up messages. Your kin will end up stuck in this town waiting for a man who never shows up.”
She was even more annoyed that what he was saying could well be true. Morgan might not accept the notes her brothers would leave for him. He might be too angry at her to deal with Daniel and Evan, although he had to want her brothers to work at the mine long enough to repay the three thousand dollars they’d borrowed from him. Still, she simply couldn’t be sure of how he would react at this point. But he’d never forgive her if she led Shawn Sullivan to his mine. That she was positive of.
She wished Sullivan didn’t sound so sincere, which made it difficult for her to refuse his offer. But she simply didn’t need his help, nor did she believe he had her best interests in mind. She just couldn’t let him know that. So she reiterated, “I just want to go home and forget about this horrible ordeal.”
“Certainly, and you can do just that as soon as you show me to my new mine. I will pay you a hundred thousand dollars for it. You won’t be going home empty-handed, and you’ll never have to venture west again.”
She was astonished by the offer. A sane person would accept it immediately. But Violet suspected that Sullivan had made such a high offer because the mine was worth more than that. Or he figured he’d be getting another mine for free—Morgan’s.My new mine?Was he that positive she wouldn’t turn him down? Or would it even matter once he knew the mine’s location? She needed to stall.
“You are generous, but it’s not a decision I can make without first discussing it with my brothers. I assure you I will the moment I arrive home. They will likely want to accept your offer. They are gentlemen, not miners. But I truly can’t make this decision on my own.”
“Then you can telegraph them in the morning.”
He was bullying her, she realized, maneuvering her into a corner. The man really didn’t take no for an answer. “No,” she said bluntly. “This is far too important a matter to entrust to telegrams. The decision will be made, sir, when I get home.”
“Then we will leave first thing in the morning. You can still show me to the mine tomorrow, so when you and your brothers accept my offer, none of you will need to come back here ever again. I am being magnanimous, Miss Mitchell. Keep that in mind.”
He stood and left the room before she could reply to his warning. Hadn’t she just refused him? Had he somehow not heard her? Regardless, the only thing she’d be doing in the morning was catching a train.
Chapter Thirty-Four
WHAT A HORRIBLE DINNERthis had turned out to be, Violet thought as she was left alone in the dining room with Sullivan’s sister, who didn’t even try to hide her disapproval of Violet’s response to her brother’s offer. Although she felt most uncomfortable, she finished eating as if nothing untoward had happened. The memory of starving for a day and a half kept her from abandoning the food in front of her.
At least Kayleigh was silent. Violet waited until the servants had cleared the dishes before carefully pointing out, “There is absolutely no reason to pressure me this way.”
“Except he’s waited long enough.”
For something he had no right to? Why was that being laid at her door? But she didn’t want to antagonize Kayleigh further, so merely pointed out, “He’ll have our answer in a week’s time.”
“There is only one answer to such generosity, or do you not have the sense to know that my brother offered you too much?”
Had he? The woman couldn’t know if it was too much or too little. Morgan had called the silver in his and her father’s mines a mother lode. She’d seen it with her own eyes on the walls, floors, and ceilings of both mines. But none of that mattered, since she didn’t own the mine outright and didn’t think she could sell her share of an informal partnership. Not that she would. She just wasn’t going to explain any of that to these people.
Forcing herself to be polite, she thanked Kayleigh for dinner and returned to her room. Should she leave tonight? Obviously she was no longer welcome there. But to get a hotel room this late... no, one more night here wouldn’t hurt, and maybe she wouldn’t even see the Sullivans again if she left early enough in the morning.
•••
IN THE MIDDLE OFthe night, something hard poked her in the side, awakening her. Her first thought was that Morgan had found her and was absconding with her again. But she’d left one lamp lit, turned low, and saw the gun the moment she turned over, and who was holding it.
“Abigail?”
“Shhh,” the woman whispered. “No talking yet. Follow me.”
Violet was frozen in place, shocked. The woman had seemed nice these last two days, but she didn’t really know her, and Abigail worked in what was now a hostile household. But the gun was no longer pointed in her direction. She glanced toward the open window—
“There’s no need for that. I’m on your side. You’ll find out why in a minute.”
Violet didn’t believe her. There would be no need for a gun if Abigail were telling the truth. She tried to stall. “I need to dress.”
“Shhhhh,” the woman hissed more sharply, pointing the gun at her again. “Come as you are.”
She got out of bed warily, wondering if she could grab the gun from Abigail without getting shot. Reaching the door, Abigail told her to open it, and then pushed her to the right, away from the main staircase that descended to the first floor. Still being nudged from behind, Violet went around a corner and came to another, narrower staircase that spiraled upward to the third floor or an attic.
