The Marriage Agreement

The little boy bypassed Fanny and went straight to Jonathon. “Up.” He yanked on the crisp pant leg. “Up!”

Pausing midsentence, Jonathon looked down.

Christopher lifted his arms high in the air. “Up, up, up.”

Chuckling, Jonathon obliged the child. The move was so natural, so casual, Fanny found herself staring at them in stunned silence. Christopher babbled away, while Jonathon responded as if he completely understood.

Fanny’s heart gave a hard tug. Jonathon was so comfortable with the child, so patient and kind.

I will never father children.

His reasons for avoiding fatherhood made sense—at least to him. Not to Fanny. Yes, the Bible warned of the sins of the father, but Scripture also promised victory to those who broke the cycle.

Watching Jonathon with her nephew, knowing he’d make a great father, she couldn’t understand why he was so determined to avoid having children.

Releasing a heartfelt sigh, Annabeth linked her arm through Fanny’s. “Johnny’s very good with Christopher. Of course, I’m not surprised. He was the best big brother.”

Fanny blinked at her sister-in-law in confusion. Then she remembered that Jonathon—or rather, Johnny—had lived in Mattie’s brothel as a child. His path must have crossed Annabeth’s often, probably even daily.

What else did she know about him?

Curiosity drove Fanny to pry. “What was he like as a boy?”

“Loyal, caring, a bit wild, but also protective of the other children. He...” Annabeth paused a moment, as if gathering her thoughts. “I guess you could say he kept a part of himself separate. He was friendly, but he didn’t have a lot of friends.”

He must have been so lonely, always watching out for others. Oh, Jonathon, who watched out for you? Fanny’s heart hurt for the little boy he’d once been.

“That’s not to say the other children didn’t adore him. They did. Everyone looked up to him, even the girls.” Annabeth laughed as if caught in a happy memory. “Especially the girls.”

The boy Annabeth just described was much like the man he was today. Good. Kind. Distant. Fanny had more questions, lots more, but another commotion broke out at the hotel’s entrance.

Her second oldest brother pushed into the lobby, his wife and three children in tow.

Her smile returned full force.

Logan and his family had arrived.

* * *

Later that afternoon, Jonathon stood in the conference room, impatiently biding his time. He wanted to begin negotiations at once, but the remaining Mitchell brother had only just arrived at the hotel. Coming straight off the train from Saint Louis, Garrett had promised to join them as soon as he helped his young wife get settled in their room.

That had been over thirty minutes ago.

Since Garrett’s wife was with child as well, Jonathon figured getting her settled meant more than merely helping with the luggage. If the man was anything like his older brother, there was bound to be a good deal of husbandly smothering.

Jonathon felt a jolt of...something churn in his gut. Jealousy? Regret? Neither emotion had any place in today’s meeting. He shoved the futile thoughts aside and attempted to get down to business.

Hunter stopped him midsentence. “We’ll wait for Garrett. We make decisions as a family, or not at all.”

Considering the nature of his relationship with own brother, Jonathon was both intrigued and baffled by the united front. He knew Hunter and Logan hadn’t always been close. They’d actually been on opposite sides of the law for years and, according to some accounts, even enemies.

But now they were as close as any brothers Jonathon had run across. They even owned neighboring ranches connected to their parents’ larger spread, which said a lot about their commitment to family.

At last, the door swung open and Garrett Mitchell entered the conference room in a rush.

“Sorry I’m late.” The besotted smile on his face said otherwise. “Molly needed me to help her switch hats, and then we somehow got tangled up. The laughing began next, and well, here I am at last, better late than never.”

“Save the excuses, little brother.” Logan lifted his hand in the air. “We all know you just wanted to spend extra time with Molly.”

Garrett’s grin widened. “Jealous?”

Logan snorted. “Have you seen my wife? She’s always the most beautiful woman in the room.”

“Unless, of course,” Garrett countered, “my wife is in the room.”

“Or mine,” Hunter added.

Since Jonathon had known all three women in question before they’d met and married the Mitchell men, he kept his mouth shut on the matter. Each of their wives was special in her own way. Beautiful, smart, the very essence of goodness.

Jonathon nodded to Burke. His assistant shut the outer door to the conference room.

The brothers fell silent.

“Gentleman, if you will have a seat.” Jonathon motioned them to the table in the middle of the room. “We’ll begin.”

They remained where they were, standing shoulder to shoulder. Three against one. Not the worst odds Jonathon had ever faced.

Normally, he enjoyed a tough negotiation, especially if pitted against a worthy opponent or, as in this particular case, several worthy opponents. However, the outcome of today’s meeting was too important to indulge in the thrill that came from a proper battle.

Jonathon got straight to the point. “I recently acquired the property that runs along your northern border and—”

“So you’re the anonymous Denver businessman who purchased Ebenezer Foley’s ranch,” Logan said, with the barest hint of bitterness.

Jonathon understood the man’s frustration. It was no secret the Mitchell brothers had wanted the land. But Ebenezer Foley had nursed a lifelong hatred for the entire family. He’d carried that animosity to the grave. On his deathbed, he’d instructed his son to sell his ranch to anyone but a Mitchell.

Mouth set in a grim line, Hunter crossed his arms over his chest. “You didn’t ask us here merely to tell us you bought the land directly north of ours.”

“No. I want to make an offer on the three hundred acres you jointly own that run along my southern border, including the dilapidated train depot. I’m willing to pay 10 percent above the going rate, as you will see in the offer my attorney drew up. Take a look.”

He pointed to the files laid out on the conference table in a tidy row.

A silent message passed between the brothers before they stepped forward and opened the files with identical flicks of their wrists.

Hunter and Logan skimmed their gazes across the top page. Garrett Mitchell actually picked up the sale agreement and read through the legal document, page by page. It made sense he would take the time to consider the offer in its entirety, being an attorney who specialized in sales and acquisitions.

After a moment, Garrett looked up. “The asking price is more than fair, as are the other terms.”

“Nevertheless.” Hunter took a step back from the table. “We have one rule in our family when it comes to business. Mitchell land stays in Mitchell hands. We can’t sell you the property.”

Every muscle in Jonathon’s back tightened and coiled. He forcibly relaxed his shoulders, then felt them bunch again. “Can’t or won’t?”

“Does it matter?”

No. He supposed it didn’t.

Jonathon showed none of his reaction on his face, but inside he burned with frustration. To come so far...

“I’ll pay an additional 10 percent per acre.”

“Still no.” Hunter said the words, but the other two men nodded in silent agreement.

And that, Jonathon realized, was the end of the negotiations. Five minutes, that’s all it had taken.

The worst part, the very worst part, was that he respected the Mitchell brothers’ reasons for not selling. Mitchell land stays in Mitchell hands.

There were other comparable properties near Denver. Two even had run-down train depots similar to the one on the Mitchell property. But none of the available parcels had a river running through the land. The natural water source made the Mitchell parcel ideal.

“You’re a busy man,” Hunter said. “Our decision is final. We won’t take up any more of your time.”

“I appreciate you hearing me out.” Jonathon shook hands with each man. The oldest two brothers left the room almost immediately after that.

While Burke gathered up the files and followed them out, Garrett Mitchell hung back. “I’d like a quick word with you.”

Eyebrows lifted, Jonathon gave a brief nod. “All right.”

“Tell me your plan for the train depot. I know you have one or you wouldn’t have mentioned it specifically in the contract.”

Having worked with the young attorney before, Jonathon sensed the man’s interest was genuine. Garrett Mitchell had a keen mind for business and a penchant for taking risks.

What harm could there be in sharing the basics of his idea? “My ultimate goal is to turn the stop into a premiere destination, with restaurants, shops, lodging and more.”

Garrett rubbed his chin in thoughtful silence. “Entire towns have been built on less.”

The other man’s insight was spot on. “My hope is to create a community, not precisely a town, not at first, anyway. Rather a safe haven for my employees and their children.”

He paused, thinking of his mother, of the desperation that had led her to make bad decisions out of terrible choices. “Each position will include a fair wage, on-the-job training, as well as room and board.”

“If done right,” Garrett mused, “the venture could bring you a great fortune.”

“Money isn’t the driving force behind the project.” He went on to explain about the types of employees he would hire, mostly women like his mother.

“Ah, now I understand.”

Jonathon believed Garrett Mitchell did, indeed, comprehend his motives. After all, the man was married to Molly, a woman whose mother had worked in Mattie’s brothel, and whose older sister had adopted her when she was five.

“Let me speak to my brothers. Perhaps we can come to an arrangement.”

Jonathon appreciated the gesture, but he needed to make one point perfectly clear. “I won’t accept a lease, no matter how agreeable the terms.”

“Understood.” Now that their business was concluded, Jonathon expected the other man to take his leave.

Once again, this younger Mitchell brother surprised him. “Now that that’s settled, tell me how my sister is faring in her new position here at the hotel.”

Jonathon hesitated. He didn’t feel right discussing Fanny with her brother. It felt like a betrayal to their friendship. “Why not ask her yourself?”

The other man shrugged. “I could. But she’ll merely tell me she’s doing fine.”

True enough. “I can’t speak for Fanny, but I can tell you she’s doing an exceptional job. In truth, she’s become indispensable to me.” At her brother’s lifted eyebrow, Jonathon added, “I mean, of course, here, at the hotel.”

“Have a care, Hawkins.” Garrett’s eyes took on a hard edge. “Fanny has brothers who’ll take on any man who tries to take advantage of her.”

The warning was unnecessary. Jonathon would never hurt Fanny. If anyone dared to harm her or threaten her well-being, he would be first in line to deal with the rogue.

A knock came at the door and the very woman they were discussing appeared in the room. “Jonathon, we have a situation and...oh.” Her eyes widened. “Garrett. I didn’t realize you were involved in this afternoon’s meeting.”

“Didn’t you?”

“No. I...” She tugged her bottom lip between her teeth. “I’m sorry, but I need to steal my boss away for a few minutes. We have a...situation.” She gave Jonathon an apologetic grimace. “It’s somewhat urgent.”

“We’ll talk out in the hall.”

Before leaving the room, she tossed a sweet smile at her brother. “Good to see you, Garrett.”

“You, too, Fanny. Been too long.” He gave her a wry twist of his lips. “Great talking with you.”

She laughed at his teasing tone. “Sorry I have to rush off. We’ll catch up later?”

“Count on it.”

The affection between the two was obvious. Clearly, the bond Jonathon had witnessed among the Mitchell brothers included the sisters, as well. For a brief period in his life he’d felt something similar with the other kids at Charity House, but that was a long time ago.

He followed Fanny out of the room, shut the door behind them. “You mentioned a situation?”

She puffed out a frustrated breath. “Mrs. Singletary has asked for extensive changes to the menu for tomorrow night.”

“How extensive?”

“Ridiculously so, but before I send Philomena back with my carefully worded reply, I thought I’d better run it by you first.”

She handed him a slip of paper with her neat handwriting scrolled across the page. The firm, yet oh-so-polite explanation as to why the hotel could not accommodate the widow’s request was so perfectly phrased that Jonathon felt something move through him.

Admiration, to be sure, but something else, as well. Not quite affection, something stronger, something with an edge. “Fanny Mitchell, you are a marvel.”

“You’re not...” she took back the note “...upset that I’m holding firm against the widow’s request?”

“On the contrary.” He subdued the urge to kiss the top of her head. And then her temple. Perhaps even the tip of her nose. “I completely and thoroughly approve.”

Chapter Five

The next morning, Fanny woke before dawn and went straight to work. Preparations for Mrs. Singletary’s ball kept her busy all day, making it impossible to find a spare moment for herself. There hadn’t even been time for a cup of tea with her mother.

Tonight, she promised herself, as she hurried back to the room she called home in the wing reserved for hotel staff. She would seek out both her parents later tonight, as well as visit with each of her siblings and their spouses. For now, she had to dress for the ball.

She slipped into her gown, buttoned up the bodice, tied the ribbons on her sleeves, then secured the last pin in her hair. Turning her attention to the writing desk, where she’d laid out her lists in a neat, tidy row, she couldn’t help but think she’d forgotten something important.

Why did she have this nagging sense of doom, this foreboding that something terrible was going to happen at the ball this evening?

Nerves, she told herself, a simple case of nerves. Perfectly understandable, considering the importance of tonight’s event.

The clock on her nightstand told her she had nearly two hours before the first guests arrived. Plenty of time for another run-through of the ballroom, as long as she didn’t fuss over her appearance.

Ironic, really, since most of her life she’d been lauded solely for her looks. Far too often she’d been touted as that lovely, charming Mitchell girl. Not a terrible reputation to have—quite pleasant, actually—but Fanny wanted to be seen as more than a pretty face.

Tonight the good people of Denver would meet a new Fanny Mitchell. A woman with substance and depth and a complex brain beneath the doll-like features.

With that in mind, she moved closer to her writing desk and reviewed her notes again. Working from top to bottom, left to right, she considered each item, one list at a time. Only after repeating the process twice over did she let out a sigh of relief.

The hotel was ready.

Was she?

Giving in to a moment of vanity—she was representing the Hotel Dupree, after all—she checked her reflection in the standing mirror by the window. The woman staring back at her looked refined and cultured, not frivolous and shallow. She supposed she looked pretty as well, not as striking as she had in the past, but not bland, either. The modern cut of her gown set off her trim figure, while the silvery-blue satin served as a perfect accompaniment to her pale blond hair. Best of all, the color of her dress was Jonathon’s favorite.

A stirring of fascinated wonder settled Fanny’s nerves, calming her ever so slightly. She still didn’t know what had motivated his request to escort her to the ball. And yet hope surged. Why not use her time by his side to get to know him on a more personal level?

Her mood lighter than it had been in days, she gathered up her lists—all five of them—rushed out of the room and sped down the back stairwell. The noise level increased as she conquered each step. By the time she reached the first floor of the hotel she could no longer hear her footsteps.

The kitchen was a hive of activity. A sea of staff members hurried this way and that, carrying trays laden with food, moving with purpose and efficiency.

Fanny nodded in approval.

She entered the ballroom and paused a moment to catch her breath. Light blazed from the chandelier, wall sconces and candelabras placed strategically throughout the empty space. The floors gleamed. The gilded walls shone bright.

For days, Fanny had worried her decision to go with a simple color palette of green, gold and white was a mistake. Not so. Instead of overshadowing the crystal chandelier hanging from the high ceiling, the decorations enhanced the structure’s unique artfulness.

Pleased by the overall effect, she floated through the room, her slippered feet soundless on the parquet flooring. A few mistakes caught her notice, mostly minor details, certainly nothing major. But still.

She could only hope Mrs. Singletary didn’t notice that the ribbons on the candelabras were closer to ivory than gold. And that the cloths on the buffet tables had only three inches of lace hanging over the edge, instead of the requested four.

The stillness on the air was both soothing and yet disconcerting. A room this grand was meant to be full of laughter. Soon, hundreds of voices would clamor for supremacy, each trying to be heard above the loud din. Fanny would probably miss the quiet then.

She turned. And froze.

Her heart took an extra hard thump as she caught sight of the man standing just inside the ballroom. One shoulder propped against the wall, Jonathon watched her in silence, an unreadable expression in his gaze. A sense of déjà vu rocked her to the core. He’d stared at her like this once before, only a few days ago, and she’d found the experience just as unnerving now as then.

She scanned his face, seeing something quite wonderful in his eyes, something soft and approachable and solely for her. She was staring, she knew, but couldn’t help herself. He’d never looked more handsome, or more accessible.

Her heart took a quick tumble.

She searched her mind for something to say. Anything would do, anything at all. “Jonathon, you haven’t changed into your evening clothes.”

Oh, excellent, Fanny, stating the obvious is always a marvelous way to show off your intelligence.

A slow smile spread across his lips. “Not to worry. The ball isn’t for several hours yet, still plenty of time for me to transform into a suitable escort for a woman of your class and style.”

What a kind thing to say, and spoken with such sincerity, too. Really, could the man be any more charming? Could she be any more touched by his compliment?

“You look perfectly fine just as you are,” she whispered.

It was no empty remark. Even in ordinary, everyday business attire, Jonathon Hawkins exuded refined elegance.

Chuckling softly, he pushed away from the wall.

Now her heart raced so hard she worried one of her ribs would crack as a result.

Jonathon’s eyes roamed her face, then lowered over her gown. Appreciation filled his gaze. “You’re wearing my favorite color.”

“I...know.” She swallowed back the catch in her throat. “I chose this dress specifically with you in mind.”

Too late, she realized how her admission sounded, as if her sole purpose was to please him. She had not meant to reveal so much of herself.

He took a step forward. “I’m flattered.”

He took another step.

And then another.

Fanny held steady, unmoving, anxious to see just how close he would come to her.

He stopped his approach.

For the span of three rib-cracking heartbeats they stared into each other’s eyes.

She sighed. The sound came out far too tremulous.

“Relax, Fanny. You’ve checked and rechecked every item on your lists at least three times, probably more. Go and spend a moment with your—”

“How do you know I checked and rechecked my lists that often?”

“Because...” his expression softened “...I know you.”

She fought off another sigh. There was a look of such tenderness about him that for a moment, a mere heartbeat, she ached for what they might have accomplished, together, were they two different people. What they could have been to one another if past circumstances weren’t entered into the equation.

“We’re ready for tonight, Fanny. You’re ready.”

She drew in a slow, slightly uneven breath. “I suppose you’re right.”

He took one more step. He stood so close now she could smell his scent, a pleasant mix of bergamot, masculine spice and...him.

Something unspoken hovered in the air between them, communicated in a language she should know but couldn’t quite comprehend. If he lowered his head just a bit more...

“Go. Spend a few moments with your mother and father before the guests begin to arrive. I’ll come get you there, once I’ve changed my clothes.”

“I’d like that.” She’d very much enjoy the chance to show him off to her parents.

He leaned in closer, closer. Fanny let her eyelids flutter shut. But then the sound of determined footsteps commandeering the hallway had her opening them again.

“That will be Mrs. Singletary,” she said with a rush of air. The widow’s purposeful gait was easy enough to decipher.

“No doubt you are correct.” His lips tilted at an ironic angle, Jonathon shifted to face the doorway.

Mrs. Singletary materialized two seconds later, Philomena a full step behind her. Like Fanny, both women were already dressed for the ball. The widow looked quite striking in a gown made of black and glittering gold satin that spoke of her wealth and status in town.

Philomena’s dress was slightly less elegant, but the pale green silk complemented her smooth complexion and pretty hazel eyes. She looked beautiful, excited.

“Ah, Mr. Hawkins, Miss Mitchell. The very people I wish to see.” The widow moved to a spot directly between Jonathon and Fanny, forcing them to step back. “I have a concern about the timing of our request for donations.”

She paused, eyed them both expectantly, as if waiting for one of them to respond.

Jonathon took the cue. “You foresee a problem?”

“Not a problem per se, I merely wish to switch the order of the night’s events. In the past, I have presented the goodwill baskets at the end of the party. However, this evening I would prefer to do so earlier.”

Though Fanny didn’t think the timing truly mattered—the guests understood this was a charity event—Mrs. Singletary seemed to think this change was necessary. Important, even.

Jonathon inclined his head. “We’d be happy to accommodate your request.”

Taking his lead, Fanny added, “I’ll let the staff know of the change.”

“Excellent.” The widow glanced over her shoulder, clucked her tongue in frustration. “Whatever is that man doing here, when I specifically sent him on an errand outside the hotel?”

Curious as to the identity of that man, Fanny followed the direction of the widow’s gaze. Burke Galloway stood in the doorway, conversing quietly with Philomena. Both looked caught in the moment, as if they were the only two people in the room.

“That girl is proving a most difficult challenge.” Mrs. Singletary shook her head. “Most difficult, indeed.”

Fanny bit back a smile, even as a quote from her favorite poet, Emily Dickinson, came to mind. The heart wants what the heart wants—or else it does not care.