Castillo's Fiery Texas Rose - By Tessa Berkley Page 0,74
thing accepting his token. Her thumb against the back of the ring, she turned it around her finger.
“Mary Rose?”
She glanced up and watched Elaine take a seat at the table. “Are you all right?”
She could feel the hot sting of tears in her eyes. “He wants me to give up the freight business.” She blinked and held out her hand. “And marry him.”
Elaine Harmon beamed. “Congratulations,” she gushed, throwing her arms around Mary Rose’s shoulders. “He’s a great man.”
Slowly her arms encircled Elaine, and she looked down at her hand. When the hotel owner released her, she sat back, her gaze focused on the ring, which loomed large, and thought about the things he’d said. “Yes,” she nodded. “I’m sure he is.”
“Sure? Somehow this doesn’t sound good.”
“My business,” she sighed. “It’s all I know.”
“If you love him and he loves you, that will be a small bump in the road.” Elaine assured her. “Let him see how important this is to you. He’ll understand.”
Listening to the words, she wondered if Elaine was right. Yet to make him see how important her company was might be impossible. If only he could love her regardless of her work, then maybe she could reason with him.
****
Trace followed Rand to the lobby. He sensed something in his friend’s tone and knew a lead had opened up. The sheriff paused near the grandfather clock, and Trace could wait no longer. “What’s up?”
“I didn’t want to say anything in front of Mary Rose.” Rand glanced passed him.
He looked over his shoulder and watched as Elaine sat down with her at the table. A smile tugged at his lips when the owner of the hotel pulled Mary Rose’s hand toward her.
“Things go the way you wanted?” Rand’s voice interrupted his thoughts.
“Yes.” Trace nodded. “I think we have an understanding.”
“Good.”
“Now, what have you found out?”
“You were right. The draft note you found in the bottom of Moe’s box belonged to a bank just east of the border. I telegraphed the sheriff near there, in Eagle Pass, and asked him to talk to the bank manager. He confirmed the name of the account was Daniel Thornton.”
“Of course, anyone could go in and say they were Daniel,” Trace mused. “Is there a way to confirm?”
“I plan on sending them a description of Daniel,” Rand replied.
An uneasy feeling stole across his shoulders. He could confirm it another way by finding the notation in the company’s books. He turned and looked at Mary Rose. “I don’t want to hurt her any more than I have to.” He glanced back to Rand.
“It will hurt her either way, son, but we’ve got to know.”
****
As he returned to the table, the women turned as he approached, and he could read the anxiety in Mary Rose’s eyes.
“Are you ready?”
“I think so.”
“Leaving so soon?” Elaine asked.
“I have a lot to do tomorrow,” Mary Rose explained. “Are my things still in your room?”
“Sure are. I’ll run up and help you get them together.”
Mary Rose glanced over her shoulder at Trace. “I won’t be but a minute.”
He nodded and came to the back of her chair. As he scooted it away, she rose, and with his hand upon her elbow, they made their way from the dining room. She caught up with Elaine at the door to her room upstairs.
“I had the laundry wash your clothing and wrap it,” Elaine explained, opening the door. Mary Rose followed her into the room and picked up the bundle in a plain brown wrapper on the table.
“Thank you.” She shifted the package to her other hip. “Oh.”
“Is something wrong?”
Putting down the bundle, she opened the strings to her reticule. How did she explain this without sounding the alarm? If someone was watching her movements, she reasoned, it might be best not to keep the papers in her home or even with her. Her fingers reached in and touched the envelope. “You have a safe here, correct?”
“Yes, I bought it in San Antonio.”
Mary Rose nodded. “I want you to keep something for me.”
“Me?” Elaine gasped and moved to stand beside her.
“I have some papers I’m just afraid I’ll lose,” she explained, hoping Elaine wouldn’t detect the lie. “I want you to keep them for me until I’m ready for them.” She looked over at her. “You don’t mind, do you?”
“No, not at all.”
Mary Rose withdrew the envelope. She stared at the plain brown front, then flipped it over and looked inside to make sure the papers were still there. Giving the back a