supposed to look like before I went out there? Good grief! I could have fainted if my inquiries had produced such a creature."
Daniel didn't look the least abashed. "If I'd told you, you wouldn't have gone. He's supposed to be a real softy underneath that rough exterior. I knew he'd fall for you the instant he saw you. He did, didn't he?"
"Nanny should have been harder on you, I swear. You're incorrigible." Trailing the green foulard to the window, Evie checked the street below. There wasn't any sign of Miss Priss departing. The nameless cad had no doubt sweet-talked her after all. Disgusting. She wasn't at all certain that they wouldn't need protection from their protector if they took Tyler Monteigne with them, but beggars couldn't be choosers. She would have preferred Sancho Panza to Tyler Monteigne, but this adventure required a guide, and they didn't have time to look for another.
Evie plumped down in the over-size chair and poured a glass of water from the pitcher. "Pecos Martin is every inch a gentleman. I'm not at all certain that he was even wearing a gun. He said he would be stopping by later this evening. We'll discuss the details with him then. You'll remember our story, won't you?"
Daniel beamed. "One of these days, Evie, someone's going to call you out on one of your tales, and I wouldn't be at all surprised if Pecos Martin won't be the one. He's likely to whale the tar out of you when we get to Mineral Springs and he finds out you lied."
"I told you, he's a gentleman. He'll understand that we can't trust anyone just yet. We'll tell him what he needs to know when the time comes."
Daniel shook his head at his older "sister." "I haven't met the gentleman yet who didn't want to tan your hide when he discovered he was the victim of your tall tales. You'll not have Nanny here to protect you this time."
Evie smiled serenely. "Don't worry. This is one time when the gentleman won't be able to say a thing. You just practice on calling me Maryellen."
Chapter 2
"Don't you dare try to kiss me, Tyler Monteigne! You're lying, and don't tell me different." Marjorie Anne tugged out of his placating embrace and strode for the door.
"Honest, darling, I wouldn't lie to you. She's an old friend of the family and is in desperate need of help. I would be revealing confidences to say any more."
"I'm going home to tell John Allen all about you. My friends warned me that you were no good, but I wouldn't believe them. John Allen will put an end to your lying tongue."
Marjorie Anne threw open the bedroom door and with a swish of rich silk, swept out to the corridor she had been persuaded to abandon not minutes before. Fury colored her powdered cheeks and spurred her small feet into a rapid patter down the stairs.
Tyler leaned against the doorjamb, arms crossed, waiting resolutely for the next scene to follow.
It wasn't long in coming. With long, unhurried strides, Benjamin Wilkerson the Third approached from the back stairs. His narrow black face was singularly unexpressive as he noted Tyler waiting for him.
"You're heading for big-time trouble, boy," Ben said as he ambled closer. "That woman's got fireworks where her heart should be. She'll be bringing that troublemaking husband of hers down here for certain. And Bessie's gone off to find Dancer. She don't no more believe a word you said than the other. You're losing your touch."
Since Dancer was more or less Bessie's "employer" and had a reputation for testiness when it came to his girls, Tyler grimaced and allowed Ben into the room before closing the door behind him.
"The moon must be full or something. Why in hell do even the best of women get it into their heads to feather nests? There couldn't be two less likely females to take holy matrimony into consideration—particularly with an unemployed bastard like me—but they both have to do it on the same day. Must be something in the air."
"Spring, I reckon. All the animals are doing it. Want to hole up at the Ridge for a while?"
Tyler poured himself a whiskey and stared out the hotel window. He knew why Benjamin wanted to go back to the Ridge. He had family and friends there. But going home to Tyler only meant facing failure and defeat. He had spent these last five years avoiding that. He didn't see any particularly good