Rocky Mountain Dreams & Family on the Range by Danica Favorite (list of ebook readers .txt) 📗

should have known that. She hefted her luggage and found her way to the back. Mr. Baggs opened the door as she neared. He must have been watching for her.

Lord, give me strength.

Her nerves thrummed a frantic tune as he let her in. The walls closed in on her. She followed him down a narrow, gray hallway. An odd smell permeated the place, and it was so very quiet.

Finally, they climbed stairs and then passed through a door that opened into a spacious room with pleasing blue wallpaper and regal furniture, and at last she felt she could breathe.

“Mr. Langdon will be right with you. Have a seat.” Mr. Baggs gave her an odd look, his brows crinkling together like fuzzy caterpillars. The unexpected image caused her to smile, which prompted a disapproving grunt from the butler.

“Wait here.” The door closed behind him with a grim finality.

Mary clutched her luggage to her chest. Was she doing the right thing? The enormity of this choice settled on her shoulders like extra weight. She sank onto a couch someone had positioned against the wall.

Pain in her knuckles caught her attention. She looked at her hands. White and strained. Her breaths quickened. This would be different, so different than anything she’d known. Her eyes prickled and she blinked rapidly.

She’d agree to work for Mr. Langdon, but wanted nothing to do with the man except for him to fulfill his part of the bargain. He’d promised to pull up a contract. Perhaps she should have involved Lou after all.

But what could he do? This was employment. Yes, Mr. Langdon scared her, but that did not mean he’d breach the contract or try anything inappropriate. Especially in his sister’s house.

“Miss O’Roarke.” The subject of her thoughts sailed into the room and held out his hand.

Out of habit, Mary stood, leaving her luggage on the floor, but she did not offer her own hand in return.

His features remained placid even as his hand lowered, but his eyes... She repressed a shudder. “Good morning, Mr. Langdon. Have you brought the contract?”

“Ah, yes, the contract.” His lips stretched into an alarming half circle. “Unfortunately, circumstances have changed, and we will need to renegotiate terms.”

Mary froze and a trembling started in her stomach, working through her body until her knees ached.

“You see—” his brows quirked up and he tapped his finger against his chin “—this morning I experienced a most unsettling and inconvenient loss. Quite unexpectedly my sister decided to die, thus ruining my plans for...” He flashed his teeth at her. “Well...for you, my dear.”

Mary couldn’t breathe. A paralysis had hold of her.

“I see you’re afraid. Very good.” His eyes slit. He moved toward her and his fingers pressed roughly against her neck. “Your pulse is jumping. Rather like a little rabbit leaping away. That’s quite exciting.... May I call you Mary?”

She couldn’t move. Fright had rooted her to the floor and every muscle in her body locked into place. This had been a colossal mistake. What had she done? “Where’s Josie?” she managed to say through lips that felt heavy and numb.

“Josie is the least of your worries,” he whispered, bringing his face close to hers. His eyes glowed with an unnatural fervor. “Mmm, your vein is pulsing.”

His fingers dug into her neck and his thumb crept to the other side. He squeezed. Mary wanted to gag, to shut her eyes, to melt through the floor and disappear.

He released her and backed away. She sucked in air, too much, and her vision wavered.

“Don’t faint, my dear girl. That wouldn’t do. Terror is good for you. It speeds blood flow, increases awareness... Shall we talk a bit?” The door behind him opened and he turned to Baggs. “Send someone in with tea, would you? The news of my sister’s demise has greatly upset our newest employee.”

The door shut and Mr. Langdon turned back to her. “Have a seat. Rest your legs and take some steady breaths. I have a new proposition for you.”

Chapter Twenty-Three

“Since my sister has passed away, my proposal of yesterday has become void. Furthermore, my needs have changed. I’m aware of your mother’s reputation. Have you ever considered following in her footsteps? That’s what I’m offering you now.” A smug smile stretched his lips, as though he believed he’d already won. “A steady job at my side, seeing to my needs, in exchange for Josie. You’ll have the full care of her, should you accept this offer.”

Mary felt even more faint. His gaze burrowed into her, intrusive and cold.

She sank onto the couch, wishing to disappear within its confines. Never would she accept what he offered.

Never.

Could she bolt for the servantsʼ hallway? What would happen if he followed? Her derringer was in her luggage, but dare she use it? She cut her eyes in his direction. He studied her as though she was a trifle to be bought in a store.

Her mind whirled. Mrs. Silver...dead. What about Josie? Was she safe? If she didn’t accept this plan, who would protect Josie? She desperately wanted to be brave and stand up to Mr. Langdon, but the present seemed to be colliding with the past. She looked at him and saw Mendez.

She blinked. His features did resemble her late captor’s, though his complexion was much lighter.

“Yes, you’re putting it together, aren’t you?” The smile on his lips chilled her. “Do you really think I stumbled onto that ranch house by accident? It’s nestled in a valley and blends so well that none of my men have been able to find the place. It took me, the one with brains, to follow my cousin’s directions accurately.”

Her breath caught. It couldn’t be...could it?

“Getting Josie to you was a small feat. You see, I’ve had plans for a long time now, and they’ve been foiled by ignorant men. Success took a woman’s help, whether she realized it or not.” He walked forward and sat beside her. The couch sank and she pulled back, away.

His breath, rank and sour, puffed