“Well?” The word was harsh, cold, and completely a tone he’d never imagined he’d ever hear from her.
Finally, he managed a semblance of a response. “I beg your pardon?”
She lifted her chin. “You heard me.”
How could it be she knew? How was it she had discovered what he couldn’t find a way around—
Bloody hell, she knows.
Elation filled him, and for a moment, he forgot all but the joy that she knew. At last, he could tell her all, could tell her of his purpose and business in Ironwood. His contract couldn’t be violated if she already knew. “I’m so glad you know. I’ve wanted to tell you—”
“How much?” The flatness of her voice pierced his euphoria.
How stupid can you be, you fool man?Clearly the knowledge brought her no joy. “Alice?”
Ignoring him, she instead regarded a spot somewhere to the left of his head. “How much would you pay for my land?”
He forced himself to use the brain the good Lord had given him. She’d gained this knowledge from somewhere, and had obviously drawn her own conclusions, none of them good. How should he handle this?
Perhaps businesslike would pierce the armour she’d drawn about herself. “Twenty thousand dollars, plus another five when the coal turns a profit.”
Her face paled, and something like pain flashed across her eyes. He wanted to snatch the words back, make them un-said, return to when she’d first asked his purpose in Ironwood and just tell her the fucking truth.
Her features smoothed. Eyes overlarge in her too-pale face, she laced her hands before her. “How do we go about this transaction?”
Christ. Wrong choice. This reaction was worse. So much worse. “Smith would draw up the papers, and we’d sign.” Striding forward, he caught her arm and tried not to panic when she passively let him. “You realize why I couldn’t tell you, right? I was under a confidentiality clause—”
“How long would it take?”
No inflection to her words, her arm still lax in his grip. Panic ran rampant through him. He didn’t know what to say, how to make her understand. “Not more than a day.”
“You will draw up these papers. I will sell you the land. And that will be the end of it.”
Desperation made him harsh. “And the saloon?”
Her gaze snapped to his. Finally, more than a hint of emotion. “What?”
“The Diamond.” He strengthened the words, made the tone clipped. “My employer wishes the saloon as well.”
Anger drawing her features, she shook his hand off. “Your employer can’t have the Diamond.”
“Why not? Aren’t you going to Paris?”
She reacted as if he’d hit her. “Donotspeak to me of Paris.”
Frantically, he tried to think of some way to fix this, to get her tolisten.“I was hoping…that is, I thought I wouldn’t mind seeing Paris again. With you.”
He recoiled at thedisgustin her eyes.
“You don’t have to lie anymore. You will have my land but not the Diamond. And now, I will bid you good day.”
“Wait.” He grabbed her arm. “Where are you going?”
She looked down at his hand. When she looked up, her eyes burned. “Remove your hand.”
Not for all the tea in China would he allow her to leave. “But this is the first time you’ve been in my rooms. Don’t you want the grand tour?” Painting a no-doubt garish smile on his face, he hoped like hell the teasing would work.
Disbelief and confusion mingled on her face. “Why are you doing this? You’ve gotten what you wanted.”
