GRACE SCARCELY SLEPT a wink all night. Touching her lips, she kept remembering what it felt like to be kissed by Peter Colton. Her heart pounded at the memory of the experience. She had lost all reasoning in that fleeting moment—that moment when she’d known without any further doubt that she belonged to this man, heart and soul.
How was it that two men could be so different? Peter’s kiss had filled her with wonder and anticipation. It was the complete opposite of the horrible treatment she’d received from Martin Paxton.
Comparing the two men made her remember the past and in the darkness of the night, she worried terribly about her mother and father. What if Paxton hadn’t left them alone as they had hoped he might after Grace’s departure? What if he were punishing them for Grace’s actions?
She knew things couldn’t be right because of her mother’s last letter. The tone had been so bleak, but worse yet were the things her mother hadn’t said. Reading between the lines, it was easy to see that their problems were far from over. Grace realized that as much as she loved this wild land, she wanted to go home. She wanted to see for herself that her family was safe—that Paxton hadn’t hurt them in her absence. Yet she knew she’d come this far and must stay in order to see it through; otherwise everything they’d done would be for naught.
There was also another matter. Peter Colton had created a complication she’d not planned on. She hugged her arms to her body and remembered his embrace—so strong and warm. She thought of the look in his eyes, the desire and passion that she recognized when he’d touched her. She felt the same desire. Had he known?
Grace was embarrassed for how she’d reacted to his kiss. I should never have been so harsh, especially when I wanted the kiss as much as he did. She rolled uncomfortably to her side. The cot was a most unbearable companion and did little to afford her any real consolation.
By the time she fell asleep it was quite late. Her dreams were haunted with visions of Paxton and Peter Colton. Always she was caught between the two men and always Paxton’s cruelty won over.
She awoke in a cold sweat. A dim light shown under the closed door and glancing at the empty cots, Grace realized both Doris and Karen were already up and about their business. She yawned and stretched. Her muscles ached terribly.
‘‘Oh, I’m already old at twenty.’’ A thought came to mind. ‘‘I’m soon to be twenty-one.’’
Sitting up, Grace remembered her birthday was in a few short days. She hadn’t even considered this matter since coming north. On the thirty-first she would be twenty-one. Her father could no longer assert his authority in a legal manner, and therefore Paxton would no longer be a threat. The thought gave her a moment of excitement. Perhaps she could go home.
Thinking of home, however, caused her to wonder what she would find there. Had her parents been forced to sell off all of their possessions? Had they been forced to sell the house itself? She’d not considered this before. Perhaps that was why her mother had told her not to write to the Chicago address. Perhaps Paxton now owned the house and her parents were left to find a new place to live.
‘‘Perhaps I could go to Seattle and stay with Karen’s sister until I locate Mother and Father,’’ she said softly. Even if they’d lost the house, they could start again. They were a family, after all. Perhaps she could even convince them to come north. Martin Paxton would never think to look for any of them in Alaska.
Besides, once she was twenty-one, Paxton would have no reasonable hold on her. The fact that she might have once married the man simply to keep her father in good standing was no longer a worry to her. If Paxton had carried his threats through as her mother had implied, there was probably nothing to worry about anymore. Everything he could have done to hurt them, he would have already done.
The idea gave her a new energy. Perhaps she could talk to Peter about allowing her passage to Seattle. Her cheeks heated up at the thought of Peter.
I love him, she thought. I love him so much that I could have forgotten myself when he kissed me. Oh, God, she prayed, what shall I do? He’s not a man who seeks after you. She knew well enough from years of hearing Karen speak on the delicate matter of marriage that the best ones were made of like-minded people. She and Peter were not like-minded. At least not in spiritual matters.
The idea of losing Peter before she really even had him caused a dull ache in her heart. But I love him, Lord. I love him so and can’t imagine my life without him. The strength of her emotions was a surprise, even to Grace. I live for his return each time he goes away. How can I leave Alaska and venture away never again to see him?
But what if he changed? She considered the idea for a moment. Surely she could help him to see the truth. Perhaps that’s why they’d been allowed to come together. Karen always said that nothing happened by chance. Everything is carefully ordered by God. That would have to include my falling in love with Peter. She smiled and felt a warmth of hope, whispering, ‘‘I could lead him to God. I could help him to see the truth, and then we wouldn’t be unequal in our thinking.’’
‘‘Oh, good, you’re up,’’ Karen announced as she opened the door and spied Grace. ‘‘I thought perhaps you were sick, then I thought I heard voices.’’
‘‘I was just talking to myself,’’ Grace said, smiling. ‘‘I’m sorry to have left the morning chores to you.’’
‘‘It’s of no matter. Look, Peter has come back and said it’s imperative that we join him for a discussion. He says it’s quite serious and that he should have told us about it last night, but he didn’t have a chance.’’
Grace felt her heart begin to race. ‘‘I’ll get properly dressed and be out in a moment.’’
She hurried to pull on her brown corduroy skirt and yellow blouse. The lower neckline of the blouse was better suited to summer, so Grace drew a woolen shawl around her shoulders and fastened it together with a topaz brooch her mother had given her.
The children were just sitting down to breakfast when Grace emerged from the bedroom. She finished tying a brown ribbon to the bottom of her single braid and looked up to catch Peter watching her. She could feel the heat of his stare. Goodness, she thought, he doesn’t even make a pretense of looking away. She looked to Karen and forced a smile of ease, even though her hands were shaking.
‘‘Captain Colton suggests we talk in the other room,’’ Karen explained, heading toward the door to the store.
Peter stood just to one side of the portal and nodded. ‘‘The privacy is necessary,’’ he assured.
Grace nodded, having no idea why he should appear so serious. He had mentioned needing to talk to them of his departure. Surely that couldn’t be such a grave matter.
She followed Karen into the front area of the store, stepping out from behind the counter in order to distance herself from Peter. It was of no use, however. He simply followed to where she stood and fixed his stare on her face.
‘‘This news will come as a surprise,’’ he said, pausing to wait for Doris to join them. The older woman closed the door to the living quarters and positioned herself beside Karen.
‘‘What is this about, Captain Colton?’’ Doris questioned.
Grace looked at Karen, who remained somber-faced. She merely shrugged as if to say she was as confused as Grace about the urgency of the situation.
The sleigh bells over the front door jingled as two broad-shouldered men entered one after the other.
‘‘I’m sorry, but we’ve not yet opened for business,’’ Karen told them.
The first man held the door while his companion moved to one side to admit yet a third man. Grace felt the blood drain from her head as she met the smug expression of Martin Paxton.
‘‘Good morning, my dear,’’ he said, not even having the decency to call her Miss Hawkins. ‘‘It would seem you’re a bit remiss in remembering dates of importance. I’ve come to remind you that you missed our wedding day. It was good of Captain Colton to find you so that we might correct the matter.’’
Grace looked to Peter who was already shaking his head. ‘‘No, Grace,’’ he whispered.
‘‘You?’’ she could barely speak. He knew how terrified she was of this man. How could Peter have brought him to her doorstep?
‘‘Grace, don’t listen to him,’’ Peter begged. ‘‘Listen to me. . . .’’
But hearing him was impossible as the room went black and she fainted dead away.
Peter caught Grace as her knees gave way. Pulling her into his arms, he easily lifted her and held her tight.
‘‘How could you?’’ Karen declared, accusing Peter.
‘‘I didn’t,’’ he growled out. ‘‘This is what I came to tell you.’’
‘‘Of course,’’ she said snidely. ‘‘How dim-witted do you suppose us to be?’’
‘‘I suppose you all to be very dim-witted,’’ Paxton declared, pulling off gray gloves. ‘‘Did you truly think to defy me? I’ve met over lunch with men more powerful than you could ever imagine, only to drive them to their knees before supper. Surely you didn’t believe yourself a match for me.’’
He sneered at Karen as he sized her up. Doris stepped closer in an attempt to offer Karen protection. As if the women no longer concerned him, Paxton turned to Peter. ‘‘Your father will be proud of you, Captain. We were just discussing you over breakfast and I told him I could see that you were a man of action.’’
‘‘Not any action that will lend itself to you marrying Miss Hawkins,’’ Peter replied. ‘‘I came here to warn her, not to serve your purposes.’’
‘‘Do say! With the interest you took in my plans for marriage, I would have thought you to feel otherwise. Well, it really doesn’t matter, does it?’’ Paxton replied.
‘‘I believe it does. Miss Hawkins told me of your cruelty to her. I could scarcely believe it when I learned you were the same man my father so highly esteemed. Nevertheless, as I listened to you discuss the matter of marriage with my sister, I realized that Grace had to be telling the truth about you.’’
‘‘Grace, is it? I suppose you’ve taken quite a fancy to my bride.’’ He raised his brow and slapped his gloves into his hat and handed it to the man on his left. ‘‘I do hope you haven’t ruined her for me.’’
‘‘Why you—’’ Peter started to charge forward, but with Grace in his arms, it would have been impossible to fight. The two men on either side of Paxton closed ranks at the perceived threat.
Karen rushed forward to take hold of Grace. ‘‘Give her to me,’’ she told Peter. ‘‘You’ve done this to her. You’ve ruined her life by bringing this monster here.’’
Peter turned to Karen. ‘‘No. I didn’t. I came to warn her. I came to take her away.’’
‘‘That won’t be necessary. I have plans for her.’’ All eyes turned to Paxton as he added, ‘‘Long-overdue plans.’’
‘‘I won’t allow it,’’ Peter replied. Grace stirred in his arms, moaning softly as she struggled to regain consciousness.
‘‘You have no choice,’’ Paxton stated without emotion. He pulled a folded paper from his pocket. ‘‘Grace is my ward. She is not yet twenty-one, and you’ll find here that I have guardianship of her and her father’s blessing for marriage.’’
Grace rallied about this time and looked up at Peter with a hazy expression that suggested she’d forgotten the circumstance that had put her in his arms.
‘‘What? Why are you. . .’’ She looked over her shoulder at Karen and then seemed to remember all at once.
‘‘Put me down,’’ she said, barely whispering.
Peter did as she said but held on to her arm. ‘‘Are you certain you can stand?’’
She looked at him, as though uncertain whose side he was on. ‘‘Did you bring him here?’’
‘‘No. I promise you, I didn’t. He’s a friend of my father’s and arrived in Skagway on Summer Song. I found out he was the man you had run away from when he told us of how he’d come to find his fiancé.’’
Paxton interrupted. ‘‘This is all rather boring to me. I have other things to see to.’’
‘‘Then why don’t you leave,’’ Karen more demanded than questioned.
‘‘Yes, go,’’ Doris added.
‘‘I have come for my bride. She is my legal charge.’’
‘‘I’ll be twenty-one in five days,’’ she said, looking up to meet Paxton’s eyes.
‘‘That might be. However, you’ll be my wife before the day is out,’’ he replied.
‘‘Never!’’ Grace declared with surprising strength. ‘‘I will not marry you. You have no say over me now.’’
‘‘I have every say. Your father gave me the legal guardianship of you before he died.’’
Grace blanched and leaned heavily into Peter’s side as though she might faint again. ‘‘My father. . . is dead?’’
Paxton cocked his head to one side and appeared thoughtful. ‘‘Oh, that’s right. You probably hadn’t heard. Since you ran away and left your family, you weren’t there when he grew ill.’’
‘‘What of my mother? Have you killed her too?’’
‘‘Tsk, tsk,’’ he replied, smiling. ‘‘I’ve killed no one—yet. Although watching the way in which Captain Colton handles you makes me wonder if there might not be a reason to consider such things.’’
‘‘Your papers and pretense of law won’t wash up here, Paxton. Grace is not obligated to you in any way.’’
‘‘Even if those papers are real,’’ Karen added, ‘‘which I highly suspect they are not.’’
‘‘Well, it really doesn’t matter what you think, Miss Pierce. I’ve no doubt you’ve played an ample role in depriving me of my wife. But that is about to end. Mr. Roberts and Mr. Tavis here are going to watch over my little bride while I go finish up the arrangements for our marriage. The wedding is to take place at two o’clock in Skagway.’’ He turned to first one man and then the other. ‘‘See that she is there well in advance.’’ They nodded.
‘‘I won’t allow this mockery to take place,’’ Peter declared. Grace was clinging to him like a drowning woman and he felt empowered by her action. No matter what she thought of him, she clearly felt safer with him than with Paxton.
‘‘You had better reconsider your part in this, Captain. I have a new agreement with your father that extends to most all of his holdings. Holdings that I believe you have some part in. Should you insist on interfering in a matter that is clearly none of your concern, I will be forced to deal rather harshly with you.’’
‘‘I know all about your new dealings,’’ Peter countered. ‘‘I saw the contracts prior to leaving San Francisco.’’
Paxton smiled. ‘‘I said that I have a new agreement.’’
Peter tightened his grip on Grace. What had his father done now? He forced his voice to remain even. ‘‘What of your lifelong friendship with my father? What of the fact that he was the only friend your mother had when everyone else deserted her?’’ Paxton appeared most uncomfortable at this and it fueled Peter’s anger. ‘‘That’s right, Father told us many stories about her and about you.’’
‘‘Then he no doubt told you of Mr. Hawkins’ adulterous affair with my mother. The years of suffering and anguish he left her in once he threw her away like so much used trash.’’
Grace began to sob softly and Peter wrapped his arm around her shoulder and drew her close.
‘‘Get out of here,’’ Karen said, moving forward. Neither Paxton nor his bodyguards moved a muscle. She raised her hand as if to strike Paxton, but he grabbed her wrist in such a lightning-quick move that even Peter was surprised.
‘‘You might do well to ask your little Grace what happens when women slap me.’’
‘‘I don’t have to ask. I saw what you did to her. I dressed her wounds in the aftermath.’’
He chuckled as though Karen had brought to mind a pleasant memory. Releasing her, he pushed her away and refolded the paper in his hand. He tucked it carefully inside his coat pocket, then motioned to the man who held his hat. Taking his gloves, Paxton pulled them on in a methodic, slow manner as he addressed them collectively.
‘‘You are all welcome to witness our marriage, but I will not allow for any nonsense. The law is clearly on my side.’’ He looked up at Peter and added, ‘‘And if you don’t wish to see Colton Shipping lost to your family, I would suggest you cooperate and mind your own business. After all, that is what this is all about. Business. Grace Hawkins is my business. . . mine alone.’’