Closing her eyes, Hopeswallowed. She still didn’t know what had possessed her. She wasused to bold action when dealing with traders and vendors, but shewas less than bold when it came to personal interactions. InSacramento, she had first been numb, the murder of her familyshrouding her world in haze. Eventually, the numbness had faded,but by then she had found the advantage in detachment and so shehad kept others at arm’s length, and comforted herself withdesigning vengeance. She had come east with little more thoughtthan bringing Callihan to his knees. She had not considered herworld dull and emotionless, but Mr Wade... Jake… He’d made her...She felt things for him. Things that were bright and shining and...Lust, though, was brighter and more urgent than the others. WhenMargaret had put the thought in her head, she’d not beenable—
Hope drew a shaky breath.That was unfair of her. Margaret had done no more than put voice tothoughts Hope already had.
“What wereyou and the gunslinger talking of?”
Hope’s head snapped up.Her secretary regarded her with a half-smirk, a knowing look in hereyes.
Hope’s cheeks burned.“Nothing of concern.”
“Didn’t lookof no concern. He looked on a mission, that one, and you lookedlike he was the only answer you had care for.”
“It isnothing, Margaret.”
Margaret cocked her head.“Well, if your nothing means you have need of knowledge how toprotect against a baby, you let me know.”
Ducking her head, Hopemade a noncommittal sound, and she didn’t need to raise her gaze toknow Margaret again wore that small smirk.
For a time, they workedin silence. Or, Hope pretended she worked, when her thoughtsswirled between Mr Wade, her proposition, and the reason she’d cometo Ironwood. The reason she was now putting aside in favour of aselfish desire... “Margaret?”
Her secretary looked up,a question in her eyes.
Jake would not be heronly focus. Perhaps she could undertake some investigating of herown. “Do you have the acquaintance of Josiah Callihan?”
Margaret froze. “Whatwould you be wanting with him?”
“Do you knowhim?” she pressed.
“I don’t havepersonal knowledge of him. He and his men prefer to frequentanother establishment, but I know the women in that establishmentdo not look forward to his gang’s return, nor do they relish thetime when they are here.” Her lips twisted. “Their coin is good,but sometimes coin don’t make up for what occurs.”
She kept her expressionstill. She couldn’t think of what those women and what they had,and would, endured. If all went as she planned, they would have noneed to endure Callihan ever again. “What is your opinion ofCallihan?”
Margaret was silent along time. “He’s a bad man, Miss McElroy, and you should wantnothing to do with him.” Her gaze sharpened. “Is he why you’rehere? In Ironwood?”
The urge to confide wasfierce, and strange. Hope was used to keeping her own counsel, butshe’d started this quest and now she found she relied uponMargaret...and she missed Jake Wade when he was notnear.
In the end, the urge toconfide won out. “I—yes.”
“What did hedo to you?”
Hope looked at the reportbefore her. Again, she heard terrified screams, her fatherpleading. Screwing her eyes shut did nothing to remove the sight ofbright red coating her hands.
“You don’thave to tell me nothing.” Tone gentle, Margaret continued, “I’mcurious because it’s my nature, but I don’t much like causinganother pain, and I can see that’s what thoughts of Callihan doesto you. We can talk on something else, if you preferit.”
Her hands held no stain,and she only heard the sounds of the street outside, the tick ofthe clock, and her secretary. “I seek to right a wrong, Margaret,one that was done to me and to others. My family— I— It’s how MrWade—” She took a breath, one that shook. “It is why he is in myemploy.”
Margaret watched her, herdark eyes grave. Hope gripped the edge of her desk, her fingerspushing into the wood. Vengeance was her purpose. For so long, ithad driven her but Mr Wade... Jake distracted her. Was it wrong ofher to want him? To allow herself distraction? They had a month,Jake had said, and surely she could not be faulted for havingsomething else be her focus for a month. A month was not so verylong a time. It was not wrong to set aside vengeance for pleasure.“Do you think me frivolous, to want Mr Wade’s...company when I’mseeking vengeance for my family?”
“Do you thinkit frivolous?”
The joints in her fingersached. Looking down, she was surprised by the whiteness of skin,the pressure of her grip bleeding colour from her fingers. Lettinggo, she flexed her hand. “I think...it might be.”
“I think thisworld is cruel.” Margaret appeared to be choosing her words withcare. “There is much that seeks to take from us, to beat us downand steal our hope. I have not had the easiest path in life, and Idon’t fool myself into thinking the road paved for me will get anyeasier. I think if you find something that brings you respite—thatbrings you joy—you should grasp it with both hands.”
Hope absorbed her words.“What brings you joy, Margaret?”
“Right now?”She gave a small smile. “That I’m earning my coin with my brainrather than my back.”
“Margaret,should you wish, I can—”
