Denver (8 page)

She blushed, her lashes fluttered, pale pink suffused her cheeks, and once again he realized he had jolted her. He was glad. He wouldn’t be satisfied the way the other men were, fawning over her and waiting for crumbs of her attention.

She turned her head. Her dinner partner on the left was engaged in conversation, the back of his head to her, and she stared straight ahead, picking up a crystal goblet of wine. Dan watched her lips touch the glass, and he leaned close to her ear. “Today and tonight
have been special. I won’t forget them.” He let his breath tickle her ear, wanting to touch her slender throat.

“Sir, you will stir gossip with your brazen behavior.”

“Smile, Miss Shumacher,” he whispered easily, glancing at other guests, catching Reuben watching them with smoldering eyes. “If you smile, they will think I’m merely telling you some gossip.”

“Sir—”

She sounded annoyed and breathless. He turned away to say something else to Mrs. Byers, ignoring Louisa Shumacher for the remainder of the meal until he helped her from her chair, offering his hand. The moment her slender, soft fingers were placed in his, he felt a fiery tingle from her touch.

“What an unforgettable dinner,” he said softly, gazing down at her with a faint smile.

At a loss, Louisa stared up at him. She should have thanked him. It was, after all, a Shumacher party, and she was a Shumacher, but the tone of Dan Castle’s voice had implied something entirely different, giving his casual statement a personal meaning.

“Thank you,” she answered after a moment’s hesitation, and was instantly annoyed with herself. He disturbed her. Lord, he was handsome! His blue eyes seemed to bore into her and nail some part of her to a wall, leaving her under his scrutiny for as long as he pleased. She expected him to accompany her from the dining room. Instead he turned to take Mrs. Byers’ arm.

As he moved ahead, Louisa stared at the back of his golden head. She couldn’t understand him. He wanted her. He was blatant in his desire, far more blunt than any man of her acquaintance. And far more sure of himself than most men, although Reuben was another exception. The exciting thought of pitting Reuben against Dan Castle tingled through Louisa. Contemplating the two men, she went to the front parlor with the ladies while the men shut themselves in the library for brandy and cigars.

Marvella, one of her best friends, pulled her aside. “Louisa, I saw you with him!”

“With whom, Marvella? I’ve talked to every man under forty here tonight.”

“With that new Mr. Castle. Isn’t he the most handsome man you’ve ever seen!” Marvella rolled big brown eyes, her golden curls bouncing as she jiggled her head.

“He
is
handsome,” Louisa admitted, glancing at the closed parlor door that separated them.

“Has he asked you out?”

“Well, yes.”

“I knew he would,” Marvella said with a sigh, and her eagerness vanished so swiftly Louisa had to laugh.

“If you’re interested—”

“Of course I’m interested, but I’m sure he’s interested only in you.”

“I don’t think so,” Louisa said, realizing she meant it. For once, she couldn’t tell. At moments he had seemed taken with her, and she knew he wanted her. Yes, he wanted her. He wasn’t even polite or careful about letting his desire for her show, but at other times he seemed to forget her existence, something bachelors never did, particularly bachelors she had encouraged. “I don’t know what he feels,” she said, more to herself than to her friend.

“You—uncertain?” Marvella asked in amazed disbelief, and Louisa blinked with annoyance.

“I don’t care whom Mr. Castle likes or what he does! I do think he’s making Reuben jealous,” she said with satisfaction. She thought about Reuben, who was so handsome with his thick brown hair and broad shoulders. Yet Dan Castle was at least equally handsome.

“Louisa, I do believe you’ve met a man you can’t wind around your little finger,” Marvella said, studying her friend openly. “That’s amazing.”

“Don’t be absurd! Are you going to the taffy pull?”

“Yes. If you shun Mr. Castle for Reuben, I hope he’ll look my way. He is the most exciting man in Denver in ages! The way he looks at a woman just
makes you want to curl up and melt. Doesn’t it, Louisa?”

“I wouldn’t know,” Louisa answered stiffly, hating the fact that she couldn’t control her blushes.

“They say he’s from Texas, that he has relatives in San Antonio.”

“I’m weary of hearing about Mr. Castle.”

“La, la, la!” Marvella teased. “I’m tired of Mr. Castle,” she said, mocking Louisa. “I saw you watching him before dinner and flirting with him during dinner. Did you have your mother seat him beside you?”

“Good Lord, no! Do you suppose he thinks that?” Louisa asked, aghast.

“Of course not,” Marvella answered. “What will you wear to the party?”

Louisa answered perfunctorily, her stormy thoughts on Mr. Castle and whether that was exactly what he would think. If he thought she had asked to have him placed next to her at dinner, how humiliating it would be!

“No, I couldn’t have!” she blurted belatedly, realizing she had interrupted Marvella and Elsabet, who had just joined them.

“Couldn’t have what?” Elsabet asked politely.

“I’m sorry. Never mind. I didn’t mean to interrupt,” she said, blushing with embarrassment.

Marvella studied her intently. “You couldn’t have had him seated next to you?” she asked with exasperating clearness.

“No, I couldn’t,” Louisa answered stiffly. Dan Castle was causing her an inordinate amount of discomfort, and she intended to put a stop to it. Until now she hadn’t met a man who constantly stirred her embarrassment, and she didn’t intend to let him succeed at it.

At that moment the parlor doors opened and the men rejoined the ladies. She saw Dan stroll into the room, a brandy still in hand. He was talking to Mr. Byers and laughing, his gaze flicking over a bevy of women, then returning to Mr. Byers. They paused with a group of men and women standing close to the fireplace
while Louisa was absorbed by a group of young men who plied her with questions, each trying more than the other for her attention. Reuben eased himself through the group until he was at her side.

“And now, Louisa promised to show me her father’s new rifle. Excuse us, gentlemen,” he said, and propelled her away from a cluster of disappointed men.

She laughed. “You fool no one. Every party we have, you have to see Papa’s new rifle!”

“Why were you seated by that man at dinner? Did you request that arrangement, Louisa?”

“Of course not!” she snapped, angered that everyone must assume she had.

“Next time, check your mother’s seating arrangement. I’m sure you could persuade her to put you close to me.”

Her anger melted as she slanted him a glance. “You’re jealous, Reuben!”

“I don’t care to share you with some unknown newcomer.”

“He asked me out,” she said, twirling around to smile at Reuben, delighting in the scowl on his face. He was far too sure of himself where women were concerned. A little jealousy would do him good. “I think he’s quite charming.”

A sardonic smile curved Reuben’s mouth. “Louisa, you’re a kitten with claws. You’re trying to provoke me.” He tucked his arm in hers and strolled into the empty hall, moving to an alcove, where he paused and put his arm over her head, standing close to her and hemming her in. “Where did Castle ask you to go?”

“To Emily’s taffy pull,” she said, knowing he had done no such thing, but deciding it would be nice for Reuben to think so.

“You’re going with me.”

“No, Reuben. Didn’t you hear—”

He leaned down to kiss her, his arm slipping around her waist and pulling her close against him. His tongue thrust into her mouth in a delicious foray that sent tremors through her. Louisa knew they might get caught, but she loved Reuben’s kisses, especially the
way they made her hot and breathless. He was the most daring man she knew, but visions of smoldering blue eyes danced in her mind and her response to Reuben faded until it became annoyance. She pushed away.

“You’re going with me.”

“You would have me tell him no after saying yes?”

“I would.”

She flashed him a smile. “Perhaps this once, Reuben!”

He studied her, burning desire plain in his expression. “Good, Louisa,” he whispered, running his finger down her throat and letting his hand slide along the plunging neckline of her dress. His fingers were warm, tantalizing, and she wanted to close her eyes and let him fondle her, aching for more, but she knew she shouldn’t. For an instant she yielded to the sensations his caress stirred; then she caught his wrist and looked up at him.

“This is scandalous, Reuben!” she exclaimed, and flounced past him into the hall, turning for the front parlor. He was at her side in seconds.

“There’s no need to run,” he drawled. “Calm yourself or they will take one look at you and know what you’ve been doing.”

She slowed her walk to a sedate pace, regaining her composure and smiling up at him. “They’ll think I’ve been showing you a rifle.”

He laughed and tucked her arm in his as they rejoined the party. Within minutes she stood in a cluster of men again, Reuben at her side as they talked.

She moved where she could cast surreptitious glances at Dan Castle, but she couldn’t ever catch him looking her way. Exasperated, she turned her back, and before long guests were taking their leave. The next time she glimpsed Dan Castle, he was at the door with his coat in hand, bidding good night to her parents. She gazed at him, and his head turned. He winked and was gone.

It was so swift, she almost wondered if she had
imagined the wink—and, if it was real, had it been intended as a silent message to her?

When the last guest was gone, she stood beside her parents in the hallway.

“Did you like my new customer, Mr. Castle?” her father asked.

“Mr. Castle?” Louisa tried to sound unconcerned. “Oh, yes. He was nice.”

“I think he found you nice too,” her father said dryly. “He asked if he could call on you tomorrow.”

“And what did you tell him?”

“I said yes, of course. Every other eligible young man in Denver calls on you.”

“Charles, is that wise?” his wife asked. “From what I understand, he’s quite new in town. How well do you know him?”

“I know him many thousand dollars well. The man has a fortune in the bank.”

“And how did he earn it?” Hortense Shumacher asked, her pale brow furrowing. Louisa studied herself in the hall mirror, smoothing her braids, waiting to hear her father’s answer.

“In gold. He found a vein in Montana Territory. And he’s got a career ahead of him. He’s a builder, and they say he’s good. He’s building his own house on Sherman, and they say it will be something to see, one of the best in Denver.”

“He’s seems terribly young. And there are some lovely homes here now.”

“We’re going to have a lot more,” Charles said solemnly. “We’re growing. And I think Dan Castle is going to grow with Denver. Besides, he’ll keep Reuben on his toes.”

“Papa, you always worry about Reuben. I’m not ready to settle down with him,” Louisa protested, although the exact same thought had crossed her mind.

“I don’t suppose you are,” her father answered dryly. “Especially since he hasn’t asked for your hand.”

“When I marry, it will have to be a man who can give me the opportunities my parents have,” she said,
kissing his cheek. She turned to study herself in the mirror, smoothing a lock of hair. “I want to be a leader in town. I already am, with my group of friends. I want society to follow in my footsteps.”

“You have lofty ambitions, Louisa,” her mother said.

Charles Shumacher smiled and put his arm around her waist, standing beside her and gazing at her fondly in the mirror. “I’m glad you have lofty ambitions. I want my little girl to marry a man who can give her more than her papa did. I hope you do lead Denver society.”

“Charles, you put ideas in her head! And if that is what you want, then you had better smile more often at Reuben Knelville. His family is one of the wealthiest here.”

“Mother’s right,” Charles said, becoming somber. “The Knelvilles are wealthy, and Reuben is a shrewd young man. He’ll go far.”

“I’m not ready to settle yet with Reuben.”

“Perhaps that’s a good thing, since he hasn’t asked for your hand,” Leonard repeated dryly, moving toward the staircase.

Ignoring her father’s reply, she turned to her mother. “Mama, next time there’s a new man in town, don’t seat me beside him at a dinner party. It appears I arranged it.”

“Nonsense!” Charles said from the steps.

“I told you, Charles, we shouldn’t put the child next to him.”

“Mama, please. I’m not a child.”

“He couldn’t possibly think you arranged the seating,” Charles went on, unperturbed, “because the two of you had never met until tonight.”

“I hope you’re right,” Louisa said, turning away to go upstairs to bed, mentally comparing Reuben Knelville to Dan Castle.

Dan rode toward his hotel in euphoria over Louisa Shumacher. He could remember everything about her: her thick black lashes that framed her luminous eyes…He glanced up a side street and saw a young
girl trying to avoid the dark shadows of the buildings as she walked toward a saloon. He tugged on the reins and slowed his horse, knowing the child shouldn’t be on the streets at such a time, suspecting she might not be warmly clothed for a snowy night either. She carried a large crooked stick in her hand, but little good it would do her against a man. Dan guessed she had been sent to fetch a drunken father, and he watched her progress, wondering if she would wander on beyond the blocks of saloons to the shanties at the end of the street.

He saw he was right when she stopped and moved close to the lighted window of a saloon to gaze inside, as if searching for someone. As he rode past, she was lost to sight. He tried to get his thoughts back on Miss Shumacher and forget the child, but his conscience nagged at him. No waif should be out in the snow at this hour, searching taverns for a drunken father. With a sigh, silently calling himself a fool for meddling in another’s business, even if she was a child in need of help, he turned the horse and went around the block. Back on the street of saloons, he saw her another block up the street, gazing into a window. He turned his horse in a wide circle and had started down the street toward her when two men emerged from the saloon and began talking to her.