Pat Tracy - Cade's Justice

“Ask me if I’ll accept your invitation for shelter.”

Judging from her pallor, her own losses weighed heavily on her thoughts. Nevertheless, she was apparently considering Courtney’s needs. He admired the woman’s generous spirit and the resurgence of her natural feistiness.

“Please come home with me—for my niece’s benefit?”

And mine. I’m not done finding out who you are, Emma.

As if trying to divine the motive for his persistence, she studied him intently. Since he lacked the answer himself, he didn’t object to her scrutiny.

“I’ll come under one condition.”

That he never put his hands on her again? He didn’t delude himself into believing there was a chance on this good earth that he would let her disappear from his life before discovering how the inside of her mouth tasted. He was betting on berries. The tart kind that had a man reaching for more.

“What’s the condition?”

She gestured, pointing beyond the open carriage door. “Do you see that woman over there?”

He looked to where Lyman Thornton still stood, staring at them. A slender woman of medium height, wearing a sootstained robe, had just turned from him and his aunt

“Yes.”

“That’s Jayne Stoneworthy, an acquaintance of mine. I want you to invite her to stay at your home, also.”

Her hellhound would probably be next, Gideon thought, dourly. Evidently, Emma January Step was a collector of lost souls. The thought of establishing a home for unattached females held no appeal, but he’d learned long ago that success sprang from consolidating victories as they materialized. The lesser issues could be debated later. “Consider it done.”

Gideon Cade had scarcely agreed to her impetuous request before he turned from her, striding purposefully, toward Jayne’s retreating figure. Emma leaned wearily against the carriage seat. Every instinct she possessed told her that now was the opportunity to escape Mr. Cade’s domineering company. The only problem was that she wasn’t sure what would fill the void of his bullying tactics.

She was too exhausted and overwhelmed to go tramping about town, looking for a hotel to take her in. Nor would such a trek be beneficial to her battered toes. She could have accepted Lyman Thornton’s offer of shelter, but something about the man disturbed her. Though what could be more disturbing than trading insults with Courtney’s uncle remained a mystery.

Thornton, a hotel, or Gideon Cade? She tried to consider her limited options logically. Thornton was creepy—not logical, but reason enough to avoid him. If she went to a hotel, they would expect her to begin paying almost immediately for her lodging. She had no money. Gideon Cade was so supremely arrogant, he invited fantasies of insurrection. Thevote wasn’t even close. What did it say about her that she preferred arrogance to creepiness?

She surrendered to a full body yawn. Gideon Cade had another asset that swung her decision in his favor. In the short time since she came to know his niece, the girl had come to mean a great deal to her. Something about Courtney’s quiet but inherently cheerful disposition had drawn Emma to her.

Emma’s gaze drifted to what was left of the academy—a charred mass of rubble. The building looked as if it had been struck by several cannon blasts. A lump swelled in her throat. She’d seen dark times before, she reminded herself, remembering when the orphanage she grew up in had “graduated” her to independence. It had been a frightening experience to leave the Burnby Heartshorn Foundling Home, but she’d done it.

The difference between then and now was that the staff had arranged several interviews for her. That was how she’d come to be employed as a companion to Beatrice Kenswick. That position had provided free room and board. The money she earned had financed additional classes at a secondary school where she became certified to teach. From there she’d become an instructor at Reverend Wade’s Fundamentalist School of Higher Learning.

Looking back, Emma could see quite clearly how she’d come to be where she was today. When she looked ahead, though, she saw only a hazy blur of nothingness.

Emma watched Mr. Cade catch up with Jayne Stoneworthy and engage her in conversation.

He’d urged her to called him Gideon…. She couldn’t, of course. It would be too personal a liberty.

As he escorted her friend toward the carriage, Emma was struck by Jayne Stoneworthy’s graceful beauty. Mr. Cade had suffered no compunctions about emphasizing her own plainness with his exaggerated compliments, but Jayne was lovely enough to justify such flattery.

Their burly driver, Hennesy, joined Mr. Cade and Jayne as they proceeded to the carriage. Emma scooted across the seat to make room for her friend as Courtney’s uncle assisted her inside. It would be a relief riding back to Mr. Cade’s home without trying to outmaneuver his entirely-too-familiar hands.

“Here’s your friend.” With an economy of motion, he climbed into the carriage and sat across from them. His long legs neatly bisected the distance between herself and Jayne. “She seems, however, to have her own idea about where she plans on spending the next few hours.” The carriage lurched forward.

Jayne patted her arm. “Emma, it’s sweet for you to be worried about my welfare, considering your own desperate circumstances.”

Emma tried not to flinch at her friend’s use of the word desperate. Perhaps it was foolish at this point to try to preserve a modicum of dignity where Gideon Cade was concerned, but the thought of him pitying her stung the tattered remnants of her pride.

“I wouldn’t call my situation desperate,” Emma protested firmly.

Jayne gathered Emma’s hands into hers. “I wish there was some way I could hire you to teach at my school!”

Emma briefly closed her eyes. Good grief, it appeared that every aspect of her private life was to be trotted out for Gideon Cade’s contemplation. “You’ve already explained that—”

“I know I have.” Jayne interrupted Emma, foiling her plan to change the subject. “But the fire changed things. Goodness, most of my possessions were already moved into the new school building, but you’ve lost everything.”

“I’m aware of that, but—”

“You can’t go through this alone.” Jayne worried her bottom lip. “I know I told you that I couldn’t afford to pay you a large enough salary to live on. That’s why the instructors I’ve hired are married women. If I put my mind to it though, I can find the extra money needed to secure a place for you on my staff.”

Emma was painfully conscious of Gideon Cade’s speculative gaze as he listened to Jayne. “I won’t trade on our brief friendship. Besides, your own situation is too precarious to start taking in charity cases.”

“Oh, Emma, I have to do something.” Tears filled her fellow teacher’s eyes. “No matter what happens, I want you to know you have a place with me.”

“I’ll be fine.”

“But what will you do? Where will you go?” Jayne wiped her eyes. “You don’t have any family to help you,” she continued, her voice choked with emotion. “You’re totally alone in the world.”

Emma refused to meet Mr. Cade’s stare. It was one thing to receive Jayne’s genuine compassion, another to endure his pity.

“Nonsense. I have you for a friend. Miss Hempshire will refer me to another employer, and…and…”

And what? Should she add Duncan, stray mongrel and all-round rogue mutt, to her diminished list of worldly assets?

“I have nothing to offer but room and board for your labors, Emma. If you can accept that, you’re hired. Don’t worry about the loss of your clothes. I’m a little taller than you, but we can take up my hems. As for your other possessions, I’ll loan you enough money to get by until…well, until the school begins producing an income.”