“Can’t do that,” Edna replied as she dumped the satchel on the small bed and began to go through it.
“What are you doing?” Lilly shouted, trying to snatch a handful of underthings away from the woman. “These are my personal things!”
Edna ignored her and continued searching.
“Mead, do something!”
“I’m here to do something,” he replied.
“Good! Finally,” she said her shoulders relaxing as she sneered at Mrs. Barker.
“I’m here to tell you I won’t marry you, Lilly. I’m breaking our engagement.”
“You can’t be serious?”
“I’ve never been more so.”
“Why?” she asked, appearing to be genuinely shocked.
“I don’t love you, Lilly. I haven’t for some time. Still, I would have honored my commitment to you but for the way you’ve behaved these last few months. Your actions are deplorable, and I find that I no longer even like you. In fact, I dislike you intensely and I feel I have been granted a reprieve from a life of pure hell with you,” Mead said without an ounce of sympathy. “You could have killed any one of those girls, or possibly all of them. At the very least, your actions would have ruined them.
“Therefore, I am withdrawing my proposal of marriage. I know I will see you again, but in all honesty, I wish that was not the case. I would like it much better if I never saw you again, never had to gaze on your deceitful face. Good day, Mrs. Barker.”
“Good day, Mr. Whittaker,” she replied with a grin.
“Wait,” Lilly cried, rushing to take hold of Mead’s arm. “It’s the girls, isn’t it?” she demanded. “You’re in love with one of those whores!”
“I will tell you this, so the subject never comes up again,” Mead said, prying her hand off him. “I am fond of each and every one of them. They are kind and brave, loyal and hard-working. I particularly admire Miss Marilee Muldoon, and I intend to court her until she agrees to become my wife. That has come about not because of anything Miss Muldoon has done to entice my affections away from you, but rather it is because I see her goodness, her kindness. Those characteristics are real, Lilly. They are not a façade to hide a darker nature. She’s a remarkable young woman and my fondest wish is to win her heart. Now again I will say good day, Miss Piersal.”
Slapping his hat on his head he turned to leave, and then paused.
“Thank you, Mrs. Barker. Please keep a good eye on her. Someone I care deeply for may be at risk should she be allowed to get free.”
“I understand.”
“Actually, several people I care for,” he softly continued as he left the room.
CHAPTER15
Mead left Mrs. Barker’s boarding house and headed straight to The Duchess. He could hardly declare his intentions to Marilee while still engaged to Lilly. Upon entering the saloon, he found Annalise and Ty Wainwright sitting at a table, holding hands and arguing.
“I want you to go home with me now, today,” he insisted. “This situation has become too dangerous.”
“Ty, I’ve told you over and over again that I am not leaving here until I’ve worked off my debt to Callie Mae. Now why won’t you let it go?”
“Let me pay it,” he barked in frustration. “I have plenty of money and you know it.”
“It’s not your obligation, it’s mine,” Annalise calmly replied.
“Well, aren’t you the most stubborn female west of the Mississippi!” he shouted, running a hand through his hair and slapping his hat back on his head. “I’ll be back later. This discussion isn’t over,” he assured her.
“It is for me,” she shot back. Rising she smoothed the pretty rose dress she was wearing. “Good morning, Mead. Glad to see you home and feeling well.”
“Morning, Annalise,” Mead responded. “Where’s Fancy?”
“Sleeping. She was up most of the night, thank goodness.”
“And Marilee?”
