Page 24 of The Bastard Heir
“It has to be Derringer.”
“Bennett was no coincidence,” Zane agreed. “Don’t worry. I’ll keep asking around and see if I can get anything out of Johnson in there.”
Castillo nodded. “I can’t stay. Remember the girl from the train? She’s a Hartford. She was at the ranch when I got there.”
Zane cursed under his breath. “She recognized you, I assume?”
“Yes. It’s a long story, but now I have to pretend to be a suitor so she won’t tell anyone.”
At this confession, Zane threw his head back and laughed. Castillo didn’t find it particularly funny, but something about the laughter was contagious and he chuckled.
“That’s rich, brother.” When he finally stopped laughing, Zane said, “Can’t wait for the whole story. I hope you know what you’re doing.”
Castillo wanted to say that he did, but he couldn’t. The truth was that Carolina had barely left his thoughts the entire ride into town, and—if he was honest—he was looking forward to seeing her tomorrow. Instead of commenting on that, he said, “I need to get back to the ranch and let the boys know what’s happening.”
Zane nodded. “Let me know if you need my help.”
“Many thanks, as always, brother.” Castillo clasped his arm and then made his way through the large house. Since he didn’t have a captive with him, he took the hallway to the front door. He’d rather walk the main road and avoid dark alleyways for the rest of the night.
Unfortunately, there was a group of men in the foyer, looking as if they’d just arrived for a bit of late-night entertainment. They were taking off their coats and handing hats dripping rain to a couple of maids. Castillo barely spared them a glance, as he had no time for conversation tonight and he’d not spent enough time in Helena to make social acquaintances.
The butler murmured “Goodnight, Mr. Jameson,” as he opened the door for him. At the words, one of the new arrivals swung his head around as if recognizing the name. Castillo caught a glimpse of light brown hair and a thin, pale face. He didn’t recognize the man, so he kept walking. He needed to ride home tonight and meet with the men about increasing the numbers on watch.
Chapter Ten
Castillo was a little late for breakfast the next morning. When he walked into the dining room, he noted that Carolina sat with the Bonham girls and Emmy’s younger sisters, but their conversation stopped as soon as he walked in. The oldest one, Amelia, gave him a timid smile and leaned over to whisper to Carolina, who blushed and glanced back at him. She wore her hair in a simple braid this morning, which made her seem young and carefree, a juxtaposition with the fiercely intelligent woman he was coming to know. Did she know how beautiful she was? How young and innocent she looked sitting there with those girls? She was all of those things in one.
He smiled at her, but it was just another reminder of why he needed to leave her alone. All night he’d relived that kiss they’d shared, but there couldn’t be another one. And he needed to remember to call her Caroline; to call her anything else was too personal…too intimate.
Breakfast was a buffet like the day before. He walked over and grabbed a plate, aware of the eyes on him as he made his choices.
“You fancy him, don’t you?” Amelia mock whispered.
Castillo only barely restrained himself from turning around to see Carolina respond. Of course she’d say yes.
“Yes, I fancy him very much,” Carolina answered. It was part of the game, but he couldn’t stop himself from glancing over, and her expression didn’t look like part of their arrangement. She genuinely looked pleased to see him. Her eyes were deep pools of blue, saying far more than her words.
Continuing to uphold his role as suitor, he walked over to her when he’d finished piling his plate with food. “Would you do me the honor of joining me, Miss Hartford?”
“Of course, Mr. Jameson.” As she rose, the girls erupted in a chorus of giggles. Carolina rose with her bowl of berries and led the way to the two places at the end of the table recently vacated by Emmy and Hunter, near Tanner, her father and aunt, who smiled at them with interest.
Castillo set his plate down and pulled out her chair for her. After she’d settled herself, Castillo took his own seat and greeted Tanner. Tanner looked back and forth as if just noticing there could be something between Castillo and Carolina. “You seem taken with our fair Caroline.”
“I am.” As he said it, Castillo realized it was true. He didn’t know her. Not really. He knew he liked the way she looked and he liked the way she’d handled herself, both on the train and then again the night when he’d tried to threaten her. She’d held herself together and faced both situations with calm assertiveness. He respected that.
But he didn’t know her. He didn’t know what she wished for beyond becoming a physician. He didn’t know why that goal was so important to her. What had pushed her to break the mold she’d been given and become something else? He didn’t even know basic things like what she liked to eat or how she’d spend rainy days back in Boston, so he couldn’t quite understand whyhe kept thinking about her. He only knew that he wanted to know the answers to all of those questions. So, yes, he was taken with her.
Her father gave him a quizzical look. Castillo shifted as he forked a bit of ham into his mouth. He wasn’t certain what that look meant. It wasn’t quite disapproval—he was familiar with that look and the subtle disgust that accompanied it. This look was confusion. It didn’t matter to Castillo if her father liked him—his end of the bargain was upheld either way—but he found himself wanting to make a good impression on the man.
This was madness. The perfect nonsense of the moment struck him. This courtship was fake, but he actually quite liked sitting here with her by his side. Would it be so far-fetched if he actually did court her? Of course it would be. She’d return to Boston and her plans to further her education, and once Derringer was taken care of he’d go back to Texas and what was left of the ranch. He’d need to rebuild his grandfather’s dream.
How in hell was he supposed to court her and stay away from her at the same time?
The girls finished their meal and shuffled out of the room, leaving the five adults in solitude. Tanner waited for them to go before saying, “It’s a pity Caroline will be going back to Boston for the autumn classes, so she can’t stay longer.” He smiled, giving Carolina a wink.
“It’s not a pity. She’ll make a good physician,” Castillo said. He couldn’t resist a quick glance at her father and Prudence to gauge their thoughts.
Her father nodded his agreement. “That she will. An excellent physician.”
