“Thank you, Mr. Tibbs.”
He gave her a gentle smile. “Welcome back, Miss Mills.”
Tears filled her eyes again as she looked back at Denton. Besides Albert, Mr. Tibbs and Mrs. Jackson were the only servants who treated her kindly. She prayed they would both be well taken care of.
“Where did he shoot you?” she asked Denton in a cracked voice.
“The tip of my shoulder. It’s burning, but at least I’ll live.”
She nodded. “I tried to shoot him before he could get to you first, but—”
“Courtney,” he said as he struggled to smile, “you did all you could do. I’m proud of you.”
Her heart softened. “I glad the bullet from your pistol knew how to find its target because my body was trembling so badly, I didn’t know if I could hit him or not.”
A few more servants came from the house to see what the commotion was about. With Mr. Tibbs gone, Mrs. Jackson issued instructions, and soon, several of the stable hands had lifted Denton and helped him into the house. They carried him into the kitchen and placed him on the floor. Mrs. Jackson hurried to gather more towels and water. The men helped to remove Denton’s coat, vest, and shirt.
Courtney quickly looked away, not wanting to see the blood. But, curiosity had gotten the best of her, and she peeked over her shoulder. Instead of seeing his wound, she saw a muscular man with a wide, bare chest.Oh, my...
She averted her gaze again. This was not very proper at all. Then again, she’d been with Denton all this time, and nothing had been appropriate.
She took his coat, holding it close to her chest, avoiding the blood on the sleeve. The smell of musk and spice enveloped her. Funny how she knew his mesmerizing scent by now.
The high-pitched voice of Louise echoed through the house, growing louder by the second. Courtney’s first reaction was to hide, but then, anger took over, and she wanted to punish the woman for what she’d done.
“What is going on...” Louise’s loud gasp filled the kitchen. “Why is Mr. Reed on the floor... and bleeding?” The servants parted the way for her, like Moses parting the Red Sea. “Take him out of here,” she demanded. “This is not the place—”
“He’s staying right here.” Mrs. Jackson puffed her chest and lifted her chin stubbornly as she glared at Louise. “He will not be moved until the doctor arrives and gives further instructions.”
“Oh, how dare you talk tomelike that!” Louise folded her arms across her chest. “If you don’t watch it, I’ll have you dismissed in a blink of an eye.”
Courtney had enough of the other woman’s higher-than-thou attitude. As she moved Denton’s coat to set it aside, she felt something heavy in one of the inside pockets. She reached her hand inside. Her fingers brushed against cold steel...handcuffs?She quickly withdrew them, smiling. It was time to let Miss Louise know that she is no longer in control around here.
“And if you do that to the cook,” Courtney said, moving toward Louise, “I can have you thrown in jail so fast it’ll make your head spin.”
Louise glared. “Who are you, and what right do you have to tell me that in my own home?” Her gaze moved over Courtney. “Aren’t you the pregnant woman by the hotel?”
“No.” She pulled off her wig, and gasps exploded in the room, coming from the servants but mainly from Louise. “I’m the person who is going to arrest you.” She held up the handcuffs.
Louise snorted a laugh. “You should be the one arrested – for killing my father.”
“No, she won’t.” Denton struggled to sit up as he threw Louise a glare. “I won’t arrest someone who is innocent. However, you, Miss Louise, are guilty of conspiracy to plot a murder.”
Louise huffed. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
Courtney stepped closer. “You certainly do. I saw – and heard – you talking to the scar-faced man by the saloon in town. You knew I was there because you saw me.” She arched an eyebrow. “And you gave the man money and told him to kill Denton.”
“You can’t prove anything.”
“I can.” Courtney motioned toward the window. “The man is outside, shot, and probably bleeding to death. And I bet if the sheriff goes out there now, he’ll find a moneybag on the man’s person, withyourperfume scent all over it.”
Louise’s face paled. “I don’t believe you.”
“Courtney,” Denton said. “Place those handcuffs on Louise until the sheriff arrives.”
Grinning widely, Courtney couldn’t wait to see the defeat in the woman’s eyes. Instead, she saw panic.
Louise pushed Courtney and started to run, but the servants who had once parted were now moving in a cluster to keep their mistress from running. Courtney closed the space between her and the other woman, and grasped Louise’s wrists and slapped on the handcuffs, the same way she’d witnessed Denton do it with the bank robbers.
