Dear Mama conveniently offered an excuse—she and Norah were planning to make a visit to Penny Young, the sheriff’s wife. Norah thought Mr. Maddox looked sort of pale at the mention of Penny’s name, but if he did, he recovered quickly and suggested Norah might postpone her visit until later in the afternoon, when he needed to return to work.
What sort of work Mr. Maddox did, Norah didn’t know. He’d never told her, and she suspected he held no respectable job at all.
While every part of her itched to get as far away from him as possible, her mind went back to her conversation with Stuart. Mr. Maddox knew more about what happened that night with Jeremy. She only needed to wheedle it out of him.
Absolutely not. It’s too dangerous.Stuart’s words echoed in her mind as she considered the possibility.
But how dangerous could it be in broad daylight on a public street?
And so she’d gone with him, trying not to draw away when he took her arm. After a bit of small talk, Mr. Maddox turned their conversation again toward Charles’s work at Guelph’s Freight Company—without Norah needing to steer his thoughts in that direction at all.
He gave away nothing of particular interest, but instead pressed her with questions about Charles. When she told him again that she didn’t know much about what Charles’s position entailed, he asked if she would introduce him.
Thatwas certainly curious. She was hardly about to turn Mr. Maddox’s influence on yet another one of her brothers, though. She gave him a noncommittal sort of an answer, telling him she would try but that Charles was awfully busy and she didn’t see him much.
Mr. Maddox got a sort of pinched look to his face at that, and Norah could feel the waves of irritation rolling off him. He was silent for a while, and Norah’s gaze wandered across the road. And there, just outside the offices of Joliet’s Cañon City Shipping and Freight, was Stuart.
She couldn’t see his expression from her place across the road, but given the way he turned on his heel and stalked back inside, she was certain he was none too happy about her choice of company. She felt a twinge of guilt, doing this without mentioning it to him, specifically when he’d expressed such concern over her spending time with Mr. Maddox.
But she was going about it in a safe way. And Stuart ought to know her well enough to trust her by now.
Let him stew. He’d forgive her when she told him about Mr. Maddox’s single-minded focus on Guelph’s. He and his friends were plotting something. It was painfully obvious, and Mr. Maddox clearly thought her too simple-minded to see that.
They were nearly back to her house when Mr. Maddox spoke the words that had chilled Norah to her very core.
“I’ve been thinking about Jeremy,” he said. “Have you been to visit him?”
Norah nearly froze. She had to force her feet to continue moving toward the steps that led to her front door. He was waiting for her answer, and if she couldn’t formulate one quickly, he’d know something was wrong.
And that wouldn’t bode well for Jeremy, her family, or herself.
“Why, no, I haven’t.” She’d managed to choke out the words as she climbed the steps. Thankfully he was at her back, unable to see her expression as she spoke. “Our family doesn’t speak with him after what he did. I’m sure you understand.” Composing herself, she’d turned to face him.
He seemed to stare right through her to her very soul as she tried to breathe normally. Why had she thought this was a good idea? She was half a second away from Mr. Maddox guessing her words were a lie.
“I understand,” he finally said. “And I think it wise.” Nothing in the way he smiled at her gave her any hint he didn’t believe her.
Somewhat lightheaded, Norah grabbed hold of the doorknob to steady herself—and to silently convey she was ready to end their afternoon.
Thankfully, Mr. Maddox took the hint. He also took her free hand, bent over it, and kissed it.
Norah thought she might be ill. She managed not to yank her hand away. Even through her glove, she could feel his lips, and she shuddered inside.
He bid her good afternoon, and she slipped inside the door and made her way immediately to the parlor to sink into a chair.
How nice it was to be home! She would never take this comforting, simple place for granted again. Its sturdy four walls kept Mr. Maddox outside, and for that, Norah could wish for nothing better.
“Norah?” Mama appeared in the doorway. “I’m glad to see you home. Did Mr. Maddox leave?”
Norah nodded, and Mama pressed a hand to her heart as her shoulders sunk in clear relief.
“I must confess—again—that I don’t like the man at all. I wish you wouldn’t entertain his interest in you,” Mama said.
“Oh, I’m not. I promise that was the last time I’ll spend another moment with Mr. Maddox. I have no interest in him whatsoever,” Norah replied emphatically.
“I’m glad to hear it. I think Stuart is much more suited to you. He’s a gentleman and he comes from a good family. And—”
Norah stood suddenly, cutting off Mama’s words.Stuart. She needed to see him immediately. Not just to tell him what she’d learned, but also to assuage any hurt feelings he might have about seeing her with Mr. Maddox.
