A Fortune for the Outlaw's Daughter

“You can’t leave her here,” Cole insisted.

“I have to. I’ve financed her expedition—for a ten-percent profit.” Trig’s laughter chased a flock of floating gulls into the air. “That girl has gumption and guts. And knows what she’s talking about. She knows more about gold mining than ninety percent of the people attempting to strike it rich up here right now, maybe ninety-nine percent. You want money to rebuild DuMont Shipping, and so do I. So I hired her to find it.”

“You what?”

“I figure your idea is a good one. I make good money sailing, but it’ll take years to earn enough to build the warehouses back to their glory. Gold, though, a good solid find, could have things back to what they were in no time.”

Fury flared inside Cole. “Traitor.” Finding gold was his plan, his way of making things right with the family and his mother.

“I’m not telling you to partner up with her,” Trig said. “I’m sure I’ll find someone else. Probably have plenty of takers.”

“No, you won’t,” Cole snapped. The thought of Maddie pairing up with someone else was worse than that of having her by his side. And the idea of not being the one to find the money his family needed sparked flames in his guts.

Trig laughed as if Cole hadn’t spoken. “She drove a hard bargain. I was lucky she finally settled on ten percent. Almost had me over the barrel at eight.”

Anger had Cole at a loss for words. “You can’t do this,” he muttered.

“Yes, I can,” Trig said. “And I did.”

* * *

Less than a week later, when the Mary Jane headed downriver to the Bering Sea and, ultimately, to the Pacific Ocean, Cole left Dabbler, taking a well-worn path heading northeast and leading two pack mules.

Behind him, Maddie led two others.

Chapter Four (#ulink_929d2712-ddf8-5f5c-8994-f80d5348f0fd)

Maddie would never, ever, let Lucky know just how badly he’d hurt her. For one, it didn’t make sense. No one, other than Smitty, had ever wanted her, and she didn’t expect people to start now. For two, if she did admit he’d hurt her, she’d open herself up to more hurting. She’d had enough of that in her life. All that really mattered was that she was here, on her way to the richest goldfields in the world. The talk in Dabbler, from miners, town folks and new arrivals, all said it was so, and she believed it.

Her wandering gaze, taking in the mountains they had to trek, the mud covering the trail, the tall pines and spruces, settled on the man in front of her. He was lucky, all right. Lucky she was with him. Especially after the things he’d said. She’d tell him that, too.

Someday.

Right now, they weren’t talking. They weren’t even looking at each other, which was fine with her. She was completely capable of trekking through the mountains without him, and took every opportunity to show him that. From the first night they’d set out, she ignored his offer to share a fire. Instead, she built her own, several yards away from his, and set up her own tent, too.

In fact, if not for the deal she made with Trig, she might have already ventured out on her own. She wouldn’t, though, not with an additional 40 percent of her gold hanging on the line. That was what it would cost her if she left Cole high and dry. Fifty percent of her findings would go to Trig if Lucky wasn’t at her side when they left the goldfields, but only 10 percent would go to Trig if they were together.

They’d be together, all right. Even if it meant she shackled him to her. Lucky, of course, didn’t know that part of the deal. Trig said it would be better that way, and she believed him.

That first night, her feet had throbbed from her new boots and her arms were rubbery after pulling on the stubborn mules all day, but she wasn’t about to let Lucky know that. She’d thought about just bedding down on the ground, but seeing him set up a tent had forced her to set up hers, too.

The days that followed were long; not just in the miles they walked but in how the sun barely left the sky before it rose again. One of the books she’d read said there’d be days when the sun never set. She hadn’t quite believed that, but did now, and found it frustrating. A person needs darkness. Not only to rejuvenate, but to think. She did her best planning, her best dreaming, while lying awake at night. But when it was light out, her eyes didn’t want to close, and that kept her mind busy.

It was midday, on their fourth day on the trail, when they had to stop to let the mules rest after a particularly steep section. She yawned while settling onto a rock to rest her own feet.

“Having a hard time sleeping at night?”

Surprised Lucky had spoken, she glanced up. They’d been civil to one another since leaving Dabbler, but since the day they’d docked they’d barely shared words, nothing like they had while on the boat. Not so sure she was ready to talk to him now, Maddie reached down and checked the laces of her boots.

“It’s easier when its dark, isn’t it?”

The urge to know if her voice still worked was too strong to ignore. “You must be used to it, considering you manned the helm at night and slept during the day.”

“That didn’t make it any easier. I can’t say I liked it, either.” He pointed toward the trail. “I’m going to scout up around the bend, see if there’s a place to set camp.”

“Why? It’s early yet.”

“I know,” he said. “But the mules are exhausted. We can’t chance losing one.”

Maddie didn’t say a word as he headed up the trail. Holding a grudge made her insides feel all dark and cloudy. Always had. She’d learned that years ago. Trouble was, when she’d let go of her grudges, mainly those against her father, he’d always reciprocated with another act that left her more vulnerable than the one before.

The deal she’d made with Trig already had her vulnerable enough. She’d attempted to bargain with the percentage, but he’d held strong. Her instincts said there was more behind Trig’s doggedness than he let on, for Lucky certainly could take care of himself, but nonetheless, she’d agreed. In part because she didn’t want to be alone. Serious gold mining took two people.

She was still in the midst of pondering things when Lucky reappeared. His solemn gaze had her rising to her feet.

“It doesn’t get any better around the bend,” he said. “But there is a small space someone else used as a camp. We’ll spend the night there, let the mules get a good rest and start off again tomorrow.”

The short reprieve had refueled her energy, but she respected his judgment, especially when it came to the animals. “Is there water?” she asked.

“Yes, and grass.”

She moved to check her packs, as Lucky did, making sure everything was still secure, and then gathered her lead mule’s rope.

“Ready?” Lucky asked.

“Yes.”

“It’s not far,” he assured her.

It wasn’t far, but the area was little more than an indention in the side of the hill with a tiny pool of water and small patch of grass. She was staking down her mules when Lucky walked over.

“There’s not enough room for two tents. We can share mine.”

“I don’t need a tent,” she said, focusing on driving the wooden stake farther into the hard ground.

Lucky took the hammer from her hand and finished the job. “It’s cold up here, Maddie. We need the shelter of a tent if we don’t want to freeze.”

“Sharing a tent wouldn’t be proper.”

“Proper? We’ve shared a cabin for months.”

She opened her mouth to tell him that wasn’t the same, but he was faster.

“Don’t you think it’s time we called a truce?” Lucky asked. “What’s done is done. There’s no sense dwelling on it.”

“I wasn’t the one dwelling on it,” she insisted.

“You weren’t?” he asked. “You’ve barely spoken since we left Dabbler.”