Unending Devotion (Michigan Brides #1)(25)
“Then butt out of this, McCormick.” Carr turned his attention back to Lily.
Connell fingered the dull edge of his knife. He couldn’t afford to make an enemy of Carr, not when Carr could easily stir up trouble against him and his lumber camps. And with the warm weather causing a setback in production over the past few days, he didn’t need any more trouble than he already had.
Carr took another step toward Lily. “I think I’d rather have you over Frankie anyway. With your looks, you’d earn me a fortune.” He perused Lily’s graceful cheeks too long. And when he raised his hand to finger her smooth skin, Connell’s entire body revolted.
“You touch her and you’ll find my knife in your hand.” Out of instinct and years of practice, he’d lifted his knife and cocked it into throwing position. His muscles twitched, and he took aim, finding the center spot of Carr’s hand, the place where his knife could penetrate the deepest.
Every eye in the room swung to the bright point of the blade.
“And don’t worry,” Connell said without taking his sight off the half-inch circle he’d mentally drawn on Carr’s hand. “I never miss my target.” At least he hadn’t missed in the many years since Dad had forced him to perfect his aim.
Slowly Carr lowered his hand. “I told you to stay out of this, McCormick. This isn’t your problem.”
“Guess it became my problem—and the problem of everyone else in this town—when you decided you’d start making slaves of innocent young girls.”
“You know as well as I do that my business is a necessity. The shanty boys wouldn’t stick around if we didn’t meet their needs.”
Connell didn’t want to admit Carr was right. He wanted to think that if there weren’t any taverns or illicit houses, the boys would still come north to work in the camps. But experience and statistics had shown that the camps were able to retain a larger work force when the boys were kept happy.
“I say let the boys go and good riddance,” Lily muttered.
That was easy for her to say. But McCormick Lumber couldn’t lose workers and expect to keep up with the other lumber companies in the area. “Listen, Carr. All we ask is that you stop bringing girls up to Harrison with the false advertising.”
“That’s not all I’m asking,” Lily said quickly.
Carr glanced from Connell’s raised knife to Frankie and then back, as if weighing whether he had enough time to grab her as a human shield and make his way out.
“And,” Connell rushed, “I’ll pay Frankie’s train fee today. You send one of your men down to my office, and I’ll give him cash.”
“Well now.” Lily turned wide eyes upon him. First surprise, then admiration flickered to life. “That’s a very kind thing for you to do.”
He nodded. “It’s the least I can do for her.”
Vera lowered her wooden spoon. “And Frankie can help out around the hotel here until a more permanent arrangement can be made for her.”
Lily smiled, and the brightness of it lit up the room. She gave Frankie an excited squeeze. Then she threw her arms around Vera and hugged her. “You’re a dear.”
For an instant, Connell reveled in the fact he’d not only made Lily happy, but that he’d stood up to Carr and won. Surely now everything would work out the way it should.
But then his gaze collided with Carr’s. The edge in the man’s eyes was sharp enough to chop through the hardest of wood.
It sliced into Connell’s confidence, and the air swooshed out of him.
“I suppose if you’re going to meddle in my business, McCormick, that gives me the right to meddle in yours.” He didn’t wait for Connell’s reply. Instead, he crossed the room, shoved open the door, and stalked out, letting the door slam behind him.
The bang reverberated through Connell, and he stared out the window as Carr stepped into the street.
Maybe Connell hadn’t won after all. He had the sick feeling he’d just made a huge mistake. But he refused to let himself calculate the percentage of men who had made an enemy of James Carr and lived to tell about it.
Chapter
8
Lily squelched the disappointment that had plagued her all day.
The feeling was unreasonable, she chided herself.
She tucked the tripod under one arm and hooked the bag of dry plates on her other. A glance over the sleigh told her she’d gotten everything.
With a sigh, she started across the yard in back of the hotel. The stable and outhouse sat a distance away from the main building, and several long clotheslines spanned the expanse. A lone pair of wool socks flapped in the growing darkness of the late afternoon.
The fresh breeze whipped at her hair with a sting that made her shiver and reminded her that even though the temperatures had been unseasonably warm that week, it was still winter.
She hated to admit how much she’d been hoping she and Oren would end up at one of Connell’s lumber camps for their second Sunday of picture taking.
Throughout the day, her gaze had inadvertently strayed, and she’d searched for him even though she’d tried not to. When at last they’d packed up their equipment, she’d given up hope he’d make an appearance as he had the first week.
It was silly to expect him to be at every lumber camp. But nevertheless, she’d surprised herself with how much she’d wanted him to be there today.