Wild Hearts (2 page)

Alethea hated indecision more than anything else. A person should pick a direction and commit to it. But in the past ten minutes, she had started to go down to dinner three times, only to make it as far as the stairs and then return to her room.

It was all that man's fault. That Zeke Titan—telling her he would have dinner with her. As if it was his decision to make. Typical man, she thought, pacing the length of her room. He had no right to force himself on her. No doubt he assumed that she was grateful for his company and any attentions that might follow.

Oh, she knew all about Zeke Titan. The ladies in town had a fondness for gossip, and Zeke was their favorite topic. She'd heard about how his father had run off, leaving his wife and son to fend for themselves. That Zeke had worked odd jobs as a small boy, to help support his mother, who was frequently ill. When she'd died, he'd been barely sixteen, with no family, no money and no future. She'd been told how a single card had changed his fortunes.

Apparently he had used his winnings to buy land and invest in businesses. Through extraordinary luck or a wisdom that went far beyond his years, he'd become one of the richest, most successful men in town by the time he was twenty.

Which was all to his credit, she thought, crossing to the door and pulling it open, then closing it. But there was more to Zeke Titan than his wealth. He had a reputation. Those conquests were only spoken about in whispers, but there was plenty to say. His favorite prey seemed to be schoolteachers. Not one had escaped his masculine clutches, so she knew his offer to share dinner was only the beginning.

Telling herself she was more than prepared for the challenge he offered was one thing. But to know that everyone would be watching, speculating on his success or failure, was another.

Alethea had taken the teaching job in Titanville to escape the oppressive dictates of her Baltimore family. Her mother had barely waited nine months after Wesley's untimely death to hint that Alethea should consider remarrying. Both of her sisters wanted her to come live with them. Supposedly for her own good, but really so she would take care of their children. Only her father, a kind and generous man, had seen past his own wishes to consider hers. He'd encouraged her to go west and find a life that could truly make her happy.

In the six months she'd been here, she had grown to love the small town of Titanville. She had friends, meaningful employment and the promise of a house in another half year. She'd never had a house of her own and looked forward to the prospect. All of which could be ruined by a man with a reputation.

Alethea drew in a breath and raised her head. She had never been one to hide from any challenge, and she refused to let one man keep her trapped in her room. She would go to dinner, and should Zeke Titan join her, she would endure his company as best she could. If he thought he could use his charm and good looks to seduce her, he was sadly mistaken.

She walked out of her room, down the stairs and into the dining room. There were the usual diners in place. A few elderly widowers looking for a tasty meal, one or two traveling businessmen. Her customary table was in the back corner, by a window. It gave her plenty of light in the morning so she could review her lessons for the day. At night, the pulled curtains shut out the winter chill.

Tonight the table had been set for two. A small vase held two roses, an uncommon flower for this time of year.

Alethea narrowed her gaze at the intimate setting. Mr. Titan had been busy, she thought. Did he really think she could be so easily won? She was not a young innocent, ready to be seduced by the charms of an overly confident man. But Mr. Titan would discover that for himself, she thought with satisfaction as she walked to the table and sat down.

Not two minutes later, Zeke entered the dining room and walked toward her. He was tall and dark-haired, with handsome features. His clothes were well-cut and suited him. He moved with the ease of a confident man.

“Mrs. Harbaugh,” he said, nodding his head. “May I join you?”

“Why ask now? You've already presumed with the place setting. Have you ordered my food, as well? Shall you cut my meat and hold my cup while I sip?”

Zeke surprised her by laughing. “I had not thought to do either, but if it would make you happy, I will.”

“It would not.” She had to work to keep her tone frosty. There was something very pleasing about the man's smile. But if her lips wished to betray her, her mind would not.

He pulled out the chair opposite hers and sat. She was aware of the other diners watching them, but she ignored the stares.

“I hear we are to have roast beef tonight,” he said with a smile. “Mary makes the best roast beef in the state.”

“Mary?”

“The cook here at the hotel.”

“Oh.” Alethea had not thought to venture into the kitchen to speak to the chef, although she had sent her compliments after many a meal. “She is excellent.”

“Long before I lived here I would sneak into the kitchen and steal cooling biscuits and pieces of cake. Mary caught me one day. I was maybe ten or eleven. She was so angry, I thought she would skin me right there and serve me for supper.” His smile broadened. “I started to cry. Humiliation beyond measure for a boy that age, I assure you. Mary accepted my apology. Looking back, I suppose she knew who I was and how little food there was at home. She began preparing meals for me. We've been friends ever since.”

Alethea didn't know what to say. She'd never met a man who admitted to being friends with a cook. The kitchen was a place few men ventured.

A young woman approached and set a tray on the table. There was a bottle of wine, an opener and two glasses.

“If your plan is to get me drunk,” Alethea said when the server had left, “I am beyond disappointed.”

“My plan would be much more subtle than that. Fear not. I have spent the past few months in New York and Boston on business. I had the opportunity to taste this first-rate wine at a dinner and bought two cases for myself. Would you do me the honor of sharing some with me?”

A gracious invitation, to be sure. She nodded, knowing there was no polite way to refuse, but she would be very careful with the wine.

“What business took you away from here?” she asked.

He opened the bottle, then poured them each a small amount. “I have shipping concerns, ownership in a railroad, partnership in several large mercantiles in both cities.”

“Varied interests.” Remarkable interests, she thought. The potential for financial gain didn't interest her as much as the variety. What would it be like to enjoy such success? To be able to point at a store or an office and know that one had produced it from nothing?

“I enjoy a challenge,” he said, staring deeply into her eyes.

Without meaning to, she laughed. “Please, sir. May we suspend the seduction until after the meal? I find myself hungry for Mary's roast beef.”

Zeke didn't seem the least bit offended by her question. He leaned back in his chair and picked up his wine. “That obvious?”

“Some of it is your reputation.”

The young woman reappeared with two bowls of soup. She set them down, then gazed longingly at Zeke. He dismissed her with a brief, “Thank you, Ella.”

Alethea watched the young woman go. “Another conquest?”

He frowned. “Never. She's too young and has family here.”

“Is your concern that her family would come after you or that you wouldn't want to shame her in front of them?”

“My concern is mostly her age, and her standing in the community.”

“So there are rules?”

That slow, easy smile emerged again. “There are always rules, Mrs. Harbaugh. Or may I call you Alethea?”

“You may not.”

He laughed. “What if I can tell you your name comes from a Greek word meaning truth?”

“Impressive,” she admitted. “You speak Greek?”

“I've studied the language. My sorry skills are more for reading. I doubt I could speak a word. But you haven't answered my question.”

She felt an odd heat on her cheeks. She knew that allowing him to call her by her first name implied an intimacy he had not earned and was not entirely proper. And yet, there was something about the way he said it. Each syllable lingering on his tongue. As if the name had weight and meaning. Or perhaps she had simply had too much wine.

“Not in front of anyone,” she said before she could stop herself.

“Thank you,” he said. “I would prefer you call me Zeke, unless you are angry with me. Then you will call me Mr. Titan.”

“Are you asking or telling?”

“I am predicting.” He picked up his spoon. “What do you think of our small town?”

“I adore it,” she said, grateful for the safer topic of conversation. “There is so much life here. Building a community takes work, yet all are willing to help. The children are bright and earnest and healthy. There is air to breathe and clear skies.” She glanced at him. “I believe the town is named after your family.”

Zeke hesitated only a second before nodding. “Where are you from?”

“Baltimore.”

“I heard you are a widow. I am sorry for your loss.”

“Thank you. My husband has been gone nearly five years. The sharpness of his absence has dulled a little, although I still miss him.”

“Five years is a long time to be alone. How did you meet?”

She sipped at the soup, then put down her spoon. The memory was a happy one. “Wesley taught English literature. He was giving a lecture. My mother didn't want me to attend. She thought I spent too much time reading and didn't put enough effort into finding a husband. But she finally agreed and off I went. He read from Shakespeare with such passion, the words came alive. I never wanted the evening to end. Afterward, there was a reception. I was too shy to speak to him.”

She smiled at the recollection, of how she'd hovered at the edges of the room, speaking to the people she knew, trying to both watch Wesley and not be seen as watching.

“My aunt introduced us. We were both desperately nervous. Neither of us could speak to the other. I suppose it was love from that first moment.”

Zeke studied her over his wineglass. “Your beauty grows more pronounced when you speak of your late husband. He was a lucky man.”

“Thank you,” she murmured, feeling the sincerity of his words. “You are kind to say that. We were married four months later. Wesley encouraged me to read, suggested titles and never complained when dinner was late because I had forgotten to start it. After he was gone, my father suggested I consider teaching as a way to share all I'd learned. And so I came here.”

“It's Titanville's gain.”

She laughed. “I hope so. Do you read much, Zeke?”

Humor sparkled in his brown eyes. “You spoke my name.”

“Oh, please do not pretend that has any significance.”

“It does to me. I shall lie awake tonight and relive this moment until dawn.”

“Then I feel sorry for you and will say you are a very foolish man. Which I know not to be true. Gamblers must have a level of intelligence to be successful.”

“You know of my gambling?”

“I know many things.”

“You've been talking about me.”

“I have been listening,” she told him. “There is a difference. The ladies in town find you a favorite topic of conversation. I have been warned about you.”

He leaned close. “Excellent. Then we come to battle as equals, my dear Alethea. A happy circumstance for us both.”

“Happy for you, perhaps,” Alethea said coolly. “But I am not the type of woman to be seduced by your charm and wit, Mr. Titan.”

Zeke chuckled. “I can't decide which is more delightful. Your admission that I have charm and wit, or the proof that you are annoyed.”

“You want me angry?”

“I cannot imagine you in a state that does not please me.”

“How wonderful to know my deathbed would bring you joy.”

He laughed aloud, then toasted her with his wine. “Well done. You have defeated me, but only for the moment.”

“I will savor my small victory.”

“May it be the first of many.”

Ella returned to take their bowls away. Neither of them had eaten very much. For his part, it was because he had enjoyed conversing with Alethea. She was intelligent and humorous. He found pleasure in her features. The slight upward tilt of her eyes, the fullness of her mouth. She was a beautiful woman. He could not recall a more pleasant evening. Even if he was never to have her in his bed, he would still want to spend time speaking with her. Something that had never happened to him before.

“So, Alethea, what have you been up to in town?” he asked. “You have all the men in a state. When I first returned I was convinced there had been an attack from Indians or pirates.”

“Pirates would be at a disadvantage here where there is no ocean.”

“But they are a hardy lot. They would find a way.”

“You compare me to vicious men who steal and plunder? I am beyond dismayed.” Humor brightened her green eyes even as her mouth sank into a pout.

“Then I'll compare you to a windstorm or a tornado. You have upset nearly all the men in town. I would like to know how that is possible.”

“Simple,” she said. “I have given the women ideas.”

“Through your society?”

“You have heard of it?”

“I have heard of little else. Shall you tsk me now?”

She laughed. The full sound made him want to join in. He enjoyed watching her amusement. It made him want to make her laugh again.

“I was in a mood,” she admitted. “The name simply came to me. It's not that I don't like the men in town, but they are typical of males everywhere. Why is the idea of a woman using her mind so horrifying? Do you know that here in Texas, a woman may own property, even after she is married? But that is not the case in other places. Once married, a woman gives up her property to her husband. Why is that? She was intelligent enough to handle her finances before the marriage but not after? Doesn't that speak more to the draining influence of men than the foolishness of women?”

She picked up her wine, then put it down. “I believe that women are as capable as men. We are not as strong, it is true, but then, the average man would never survive the rigors of childbirth or have the patience to raise children. Is it wrong for a mother to have a voice in her children's future? Should only their father decide their fate? What if she is more intelligent? What if she has a better view of the world? Is that to be ignored merely because of her sex?”

“You have passion on this subject,” he said, knowing he could listen to her opinions well into the night. She was much more charming than he had thought possible.

“Yes, not that my passion will change anything. So if the society gives men pause, then I am content. Let them be a little afraid. It does no harm. Perhaps they will actually listen to their wives.”

“Did Wesley listen to you?”

“When he was not busy reading.” She sighed. “He was a good man.”

“But not strong enough for you.”

She blinked. “I don't understand.”

“From your description it does not sound as if your Wesley would have challenged you.”

Zeke was guessing, although his gut told him he was right. Alethea proved him correct by pointedly ignoring the statement and sipping her wine.

“The victory is all the sweeter when one has a worthy opponent,” he told her.

She set down her glass. “That is the second time you have made a reference to fighting. Is all of life a battle to you?”

“No. Only the skirmishes between a man and a woman interest me.” He lowered his voice. “You've been married. You know of what I speak. Or perhaps you would prefer I refer to it as a dance. He leads, she follows. He urges, she resists. But they both know the outcome. In the darkness. The mingling of breath, the touching, the ultimate surrender.”

Alethea's gaze locked with his. Her body was rigid, except for her hands, which trembled slightly. She looked away suddenly, then nearly spilled her wine as she fumbled putting the glass back on the table.

“Look,” she said loudly and with obvious relief. “Ella brings our dinner. I am looking forward to the roast beef most of all.”

They spoke of little as they ate. Or rather, he ate and she played with her food, moving it around on her plate. She seemed flustered and ill at ease.

He had not meant to upset her, although he was pleased to know how powerfully she had reacted to his words. It boded well for his plans.

Zeke wanted her with a desire he hadn't felt in a long time. Perhaps it was her combination of intelligence and beauty. Or the fact that she'd been married before. His seductions leaned toward virgins and those women whom one bought for an evening. One required too much work and the other, not enough. But Alethea already understood the mystery, yet would not take the experience lightly. An intriguing possibility. He must remember to thank Billy for setting him on this path. Although he liked to think he would have noticed a woman like Alethea, regardless of circumstance.

When the meal was finished, they rose and left the dining room. At the foot of the stairs, she turned to him.

“I am more than capable of climbing the stairs on my own. Thank you for the meal.”

“I don't mind accompanying you. My room is on the same floor.”

She narrowed her gaze. “While that may be true, there is no need for us to discuss it or acknowledge it in any way.”

“Mr. Titan,” he whispered.

“What?”

“You forgot to add ‘Mr. Titan' at the end. You're annoyed. I can tell.”

“You are as presumptuous and infuriating as you are charming. However, I am more than capable of maintaining control over my emotions.”

He took her hand in his, enjoying the feel of her warm, soft skin. “I had a lovely time with you this evening, Mrs. Harbaugh, and look forward to many more dinners together.”

She pressed her lips together in order to keep from smiling. “I appreciate the sentiment, but I have a pressing social calendar.”

“Do you?”

“Yes. Many, many engagements.”

“That will be my loss.”

“One I'm sure you will bear bravely. Good night.” She withdrew her hand and started up the stairs.

Halfway up, she paused and looked back at him. For a second, there was nothing. Then she smiled.

Zeke nodded properly, watched her until she turned onto the landing, then laughed out loud. Damn, it was good to be home.

 

“How was your dinner?” Daisy asked.

Alethea held on to her morning cup of tea. She'd stopped in to see her friend, as she did every day before school.

“You know about my dinner with Mr. Titan?”

Daisy looked up from the bread dough she was kneading. “Everyone knows. Zeke has quite the reputation, as you know, but…” Daisy drew in a breath. “You're not going to like this.”

Alethea stiffened her spine. “Tell me, anyway.”

“The men are placing bets. Apparently Zeke has agreed to run you out of town.”

“What?” Alethea nearly dropped her cup. “He wants me to leave Titanville?”

Was that possible? Last night he'd been so charming. She'd been intrigued by the different sides of his character and had even convinced herself she might have been hasty in her judgment of him.

“Not Zeke so much as all the other men. It's the society.”

“Of course,” Alethea murmured. “Big, strong men don't want anyone threatening their authority. But how is Zeke supposed to make sure I leave?” And if that was his goal, why had he been so warm to her last night?

Daisy wiped her hands on a towel and walked to the wooden table. She sat across from Alethea. “You know that Zeke gambles. He started when was young and it's how he made his fortune.” She frowned. “Now he has several successful businesses, but back then, he had a reputation for being impossible to beat. Gamblers came from all over to play cards with him. When they lost, they got angry. There were several gunfights. The streets weren't safe.”

Alethea couldn't imagine Titanville as such a place.

“Zeke was also successful with the ladies. Several daughters were compromised. While there were no resulting children, reputations were ruined. The girls were sent away.

“Eventually the city leaders had a meeting with Zeke,” Daisy continued. “Running him out of town wasn't possible. He owns most of the land. So a compromise was reached. He gave up gambling, except with friends, and he agreed to stop seducing the women in town. In return, the town was named after him and he was given…”

Daisy hesitated. “This was before we met you, Alethea. Before we were friends. The other teachers were so young and foolish. They weren't interested in our children—they wanted to find a man.”

“What does that have to do with anything?”

Daisy cleared her throat. “Zeke was allowed to have his way with the teachers, on condition he found them good and loving husbands when he was finished.”

Alethea sprang to her feet. “What? The town condones the seduction of innocent young women? You couldn't solve the problem so you imported other people's daughters to be ruined?”

“We all like Zeke.”

“And that makes the situation acceptable. Of course. How foolish of me to question anyone's motivation.” She had never heard of anything so appalling in all her life. “I thought this was a respectable town. I thought there were good people living here.”

“We are good people. It's just…”

“That someone has to be sacrificed to Zeke Titan's lustful nature? And let me state the obvious. I'm to be his next victim.” She was shocked, but more than that, she was hurt. “I thought you and I were friends,” she said, collecting her reticule and books. “I see now I was wrong.”

Daisy stood and grabbed her arm. “No, Alethea. You're not wrong. I value our friendship more than any other. At first, none of us thought about the unusual arrangement we have here. Zeke was gone and you were different. For the first time ever, our children became excited about learning. My own son mentioned going to college. Then you started the society and we came together as women. We saw the possibilities. We were inspired by your example. Our lives have changed. We didn't want to tell you because we didn't want to lose you.”

Daisy ducked her head. “I'm so sorry.”

Alethea didn't know what to think, what to believe. “Am I to be sacrificed to Mr. Titan?”

“No,” Daisy said, looking at her. “Never. We want you to stay. That's why I'm telling you about the deal Zeke made with the men in town.”

Zeke had made a deal? He wasn't just trying to seduce her because he wanted to?

“He has a month to get rid of you. The men feel threatened by the changes you've brought. They don't like wives who challenge them.” Daisy smiled. “We're going to work together to defeat Zeke and all the men.”

Last night had been part of a plan that had nothing to do with getting her into his bed, Alethea thought, surprisingly disappointed by the realization. Zeke was simply doing what he had to in order to win a bet. The charm, the enjoyable conversation, had all been a pretense.

“Everyone assumes that once he has his way with you, you'll be shamed into leaving Titanville,” Daisy continued.

“That would be true,” Alethea said slowly. “Having been married, I would not be ruined, as those other teachers were. But I would not be able to face anyone. I would lose my authority with the children. I'm sure the men see me as susceptible. A mere woman, intermittently weak of character.”

“We'll show them they're wrong.”

“Agreed,” Alethea said, forcing herself to smile at her friend. “While I appreciate your offer of help, I believe the easiest road to victory will be taken by me alone. I will play along with Mr. Titan's game. For the next month I will pretend to be on the verge of giving in. But I will not. And when the time is up, we will expose the ploy, thereby defeating the men at their own game.”

Daisy laughed. “Yes. That's perfect! If anyone can resist Zeke, it's you. You're the strongest person I know.”

“Thank you.” Alethea glanced at the clock. “I'd best get to my students.”

They hugged briefly, then Alethea left. She told herself she should be happy. The plan was sound, her triumph nearly assured. But in truth, this was one time she didn't want to win. Given the choice, she would have preferred Zeke Titan to be exactly what he had seemed. A charming, intelligent man, if a bit of a rake, who enjoyed her company as much as she enjoyed his.