Vera paused theatrically, and trepidation thudded through Leo. When the heiress continued, her next words proved that his talent for predicting peril hadn’t dimmed.
“Mattie McAdams, do you want to fly with me?”
Her emotions already bouncing around faster than a Ping-Pong ball at a table tennis match, Mattie temporarily froze. She—who did everythingfast—actually needed to stay completely still as she replayed the words just spoken bytheVera Jones.“Do you want to fly with me?”
Yes.Yes!Shehadheard the infamous heiress’s question accurately.
Excitement roared through Mattie like an eight-cylinder engine rumbling to life, but she knew better than to fully release its power. Although Leo and her brothers might accuse her of flying recklessly, life had taught her caution in all other areas. Folks didn’t cotton well to the idea of female pilots. She’d had too many hopes smashed. She would not allow this woman, no matter how famous or fabulously dressed or spirited, to play her for a fool. Unless under drastic circumstances, Mattie would never jump into an unknown plane without checking its engine first, and she certainly wouldn’t accept this offer without question. But it could—justcould—be her chance. To save her family’s business. To even resurrect Alfred’s dream. To achieve her own. To flyhowshe wanted,whenshe wanted,whereshe wanted. She’d never achieve it stuck at the flight school or under the watch of her brothers.
“Why do you want me in your troupe?” Mattie asked skeptically. “It’s not like I’m as famous as the Flying Schoolgirl or Brave Bessie.” Modern-day princesses like Vera didn’t just show up in middle-of-nowhere Missouri and offer a chance at a fairy-tale life, especially to someone like Mattie.
Vera Jones’s painted lips, however, quirked into a decidedly pleased smile. “I do appreciate a skeptical woman.”
Flattery clearly worked on Mattie, more than she’d suspected it would. Yet she ignored the delighted flutter. Everyone knew Vera Jones’s father was one of the most successful businessmen in the world. It only made sense that his daughter had picked up a negotiating skill or two.
“But that doesn’t really answer why you want me to fly.” Mattie moved her arms akimbo, just as she did when dealing with one of the boys. Leo moved beside her and crossed his arms, as if to punctuate her words. Mattie rather wished he’d let her handle this entirely on her own, but at least he stayed quiet.
Instead of looking offended by Mattie’s insistence, Vera tilted her head, causing the diamond, flower-shaped brooch on her cloche hat to wink in the sunlight. “I like your spirit, Mattie McAdams. You and I are going to go far. As to why I’m asking you to join, it is rather simple. One, there aren’t too many licensed female pilots, although there are more than folks think. Two, news from Saint Louis does travel to Chicago, where I live, and when I started asking around about fly girls, your name came up more than once. So I thought I’d pop down here and see for myself. I planned on asking you for a demonstration, but you’ve already provided me with a magnificent one. Which leads me to my third and final point. I would be an utter chump if I didn’t hire a bear cat who not only can successfully restart a motor midair but who has the presence of mind and derring-do to execute a series of barrel rolls after a nearly fatal malfunction.”
Finally.Someone who recognized Mattie. Fully recognized her. Not just her flying skills but her courage. For once, someone was cheering her on and not hypocritically pointing out the alleged rashness of her behavior.
But even if Vera was saying precisely what Mattie longed to hear, she had no intention of being a patsy swayed by pretty words. “How much does it pay?”
“Oh, handsomely, of course.” Vera waved a hand covered by cherry-red silk that matched her dress perfectly.
“How handsome is handsome?” Mattie asked.
An intense light crackled in Vera’s violet-blue eyes. “You are an excellent pilot, but I see you might just have the workings of a businesswoman too. Females are too often taught not to discuss finances. I find it refreshing that you do. I plan to pay five thousand dollars a year.”
Wariness and excitement flickered through Mattie in equal measure. At that stunning amount, she’d be making more than her brothers and even Leo. But Mattie’s father had taught her the old adage that ifsomething seemed too good to be true, it most likely was. “Why would you be so generous?”
Vera shrugged, causing the silk chiffon of her cherry-red dress to flutter. The movement caught her spaniel’s attention, and the little dog licked her mistress’s ankle. “The simple answer is that I can afford to be. I don’t need to make a profit, and I won’t be surprised if I lose money on this venture.”
“Then why are you doing it?” Leo asked. The confusion in his voice echoed Mattie’s own.
Vera lifted her shoulders nonchalantly once again. “For the fun. The excitement. The chance to prove women can be just as talented and courageous as men. To show the world women can fly.”
“But to pay fivethousanddollars a year?” Mattie repeated.
“Darling, I have a sinful amount of money, and there is only so much frippery a gal can buy. I get joy out of helping other women thumb their noses at society’s absurd restrictions on our sex. And I want my circus to shock and amaze. I plan on doing tricks that no one is trying yet. It’ll be dangerous—exciting, but not without peril. If I’m asking you to risk life and limb, the least I can do is compensate you.”
Danger.A word designed to intimidate. But for Mattie, it was utterly thrilling and beyond tempting.
“Mattie,” Leo said softly, “don’t be reckless. This is like haring off with only one functioning magneto.”
Don’t be reckless.How many times had she heard that phrase? From him? From her brothers? Even from complete strangers?
Mattie whirled on Leo, forgetting Vera momentarily in her anger. “Don’t be reckless. Don’t bereckless? Aren’t you the one who is planning to look for a job as a test pilot? How isthatnot reckless? At least I’ll be in a machine that I know and have maintained myself.”
“It’s completely different.” Leo assumed his monument pose.
“How?” Mattie tossed both her hands into the air. “How is it different? Do you think you can fly better than me? Safer than me?Smarterthan me?”
“Mattie, I never said—”
“You forget that it wasmewho taught you, the Flying Lion. If I hadn’t, you’d still be a harmless, clawless kitten.” She stalked toward Leo until only inches remained between their bodies.
Leo’s mouth twitched, but Mattie couldn’t tell if it was from amusement over being compared to a baby feline or from irritation.
