Tracie Peterson (2 page)

From the moment they walked into the questionable place, arguments ensued and miseries were heightened. The owners of the atrocious little house actually expected Amelia and her sisters to share one bed. The very thought of it caused Penelope to cry and Margaret to fan herself feverishly as though she might actually faint from the very suggestion.

“I believe we’d arranged to have all five of your rooms,” the earl protested, combating a roving horde of black flies.

“Kain’t hep it a bit, mister,” the slovenly dressed proprietor announced. “I hed a man come in last night what needed a place to stay.”

“This is Reginald Amhurst, the sixth earl of Donneswick,” Chamberlain interjected angrily. “Lord Amhurst, to you.”

The proprietor looked over the rim of his dirty spectacles. “Ferenors, eh? We gets ’em all kinds here. You sound to be them thar British gents. I guess the missus said you was comin’.”

Amelia grew tired with the exchange and glanced around the room to where a crude painting hung at the base of the stairs. She studied it intently, wishing she could forget the heat. The picture fascinated her from afar, as it seemed to almost move with life. Stepping closer, Amelia found it half covered with pesky black flies. It was only then that she really noticed most everything suffered from such a fate.

“Excuse me,” a stranger’s voice sounded over her head. “This isn’t an art gallery. Besides, I don’t think old Farley’s painting is all that interesting.”

Amelia was so lost in thought that she hadn’t realized she was blocking the stairway. She looked up with a surprised expression and found herself noticing the broad, muscular frame that accompanied the voice. The mustached mouth seemed to twitch a bit as though it might break into a laugh.

Without so much as a smile, Amelia backed away. “My pardon, sir.” Her voice was haughty and her look froze the man in his place. She still found it disconcerting to be openly addressed by men without a proper introduction. Childhood teachings were hard to lay aside, even for a holiday to America.

With a grin, he gave a broad sweep. “You are quite pardoned, ma’am.”

Amelia raised her handkerchief and turned away to keep from muttering something most unladylike.
Rude. That’s what all Americans are.

“Hey thar, Logan,” the boarding house proprietor called as the man passed to the front door.

“Afternoon, Ted.”

Amelia tried to watch the scene without letting the man called Logan see she was at all interested in the conversation.

“Logan, didn’t ya tell me you was gonna be leadin’ a group of ferenors up the mountains?”

“I did.”

“Well, I think this here party be yer folks.”

Logan eyed the group suspiciously as though he’d just been told that they were responsible for having robbed the local bank.

“You’re Earl Donneswick?” Logan questioned Amelia’s father.

“I am, indeed,” Lord Amhurst replied, before Jeffery could speak. Amelia turned to watch the introduction. “This is Sir Jeffery Chamberlain, my man Mattersley, and my daughters.”

Logan let his gaze travel around the room to each of the women before settling on Amelia. He smiled slightly when his blatant stare caused her to blush, then turned his attention to the matter at hand.

“I’m Logan Reed, your guide to Estes Park.”

“Mr. Reed, we are quite anxious to be started on our journey. Can you advise us as to when we might expect to begin? The heat is positively wilting our ladies.” Jeffery commented before the earl could do the same.

Logan looked again at the women. “Are you proposing to take your womenfolk along?”

“Indeed we are,” the earl replied.

Amelia watched as Logan cast a skeptical glace at her. “There are places where we’ll scarcely have a trail to follow. Packing into the Rockies isn’t a Sunday school picnic.”

“My daughters have climbed in the Alps, my good man. I assure you they are quite up to the challenge.”

Logan’s smile broadened. “If you say so. I just wouldn’t want the ladies to get hurt.” His gaze returned to Amelia, who stuck her chin in the air defiantly and turned toward the fly-covered window.

“Lady Amhurst and her sisters are quite capable,” Jeffery interjected irritably.

“Lady Amhurst? I thought you said your name was Donneswick.”

The earl smiled tolerantly. “I am Reginald Amhurst, the sixth earl of Donneswick, I am called Lord Amhurst, but it is common when I travel abroad to have my title mistaken for my name. My daughters, of course, are called by the family name of Amhurst. A bit confusing for you Yanks, but nevertheless, easy enough to remember.”

“With that matter resolved,” Chamberlain stated in a cool, even voice, “when can we expect to begin? You surely can’t expect us to remain in this poor excuse for a town for much longer.”

“Whoa, now. Just hold on for a minute,” Logan said raising his hand. Amelia glanced back over her shoulder, fascinated in spite of herself at the way Logan Reed seemed to naturally take charge. “We’ve got some ground rules to cover first and I don’t think standing around the front door of Ted’s is the place for it. Ted, can we use the dining room?”

“Sure enuf, Logan. Ya go right ahead.” Ted seemed to be happy to rid himself of the commotion. “Ya want I should have the missus bring somethin’ to drink?”

He addressed Logan, but it was Lord Amhurst who answered. “Yes, please have tea and cakes sent ‘round.”

Ted stared at the man for a moment, then turned to Logan. “It’s okay, Ted. Why don’t you bring whatever’s at hand.” This the man understood and nodded agreement before taking himself off to the kitchen.

The party stared collectively at Logan, barely tolerating his breach of etiquette, but Amelia was certain that for Mr. Logan Reed, breaching etiquette was probably a daily routine.

“Come on this way,” Logan ordered and led the way without even waiting to hear an approval from the earl or Jeffrey. The entourage followed, murmuring among themselves as to the character and manners of the tall man.

“Everybody might as well sit down,” Logan said, giving his well-worn hat a toss to the sideboard.

Amelia watched in complete amazement. At home, in England, her father would never have been addressed in such a manner. At home he commanded respect and held a position of complete authority. Here in America, however, he was just a man and it didn’t matter in the least that he was titled.

While Amelia stood in motionless study, Logan pulled out a chair and offered it to her. Her blue eyes met the rich warmth of his green ones. She studied his face for a moment longer, noting the trimmed mustache and square, but newly shaven jaw.

“Thank you,” she murmured and slipped into her chair without taking her gaze from his face.

“Now, we need to discuss this matter in some detail,” Logan announced. He stood at the head of the table looking as though he were some famed orator about to impart great knowledge up on the masses.

“Mr. Reed,” Amelia’s father interrupted. “I have an understanding with the owner of several cabins in the Estes Park valley. He assured me that he would send a guide to bring our party to Estes. Furthermore, there is to be another family accompanying us: Lord and Lady Gambett and their two daughters.”

Logan nodded. “I know about the Gambetts and was headed up to speak to them when you arrived. According to Ted, they’re staying on the other end of town at Widow Compton’s place. I suppose they’re planning to bring their womenfolk along as well?”

“Indeed, they are. What, may I ask, is the difficulty here?”

Logan ran a hand through his brown hair and sighed. “The problem is this: I wasn’t expecting to have to pack women into the mountains. No one mentioned women at all, in fact. I was told I’d be taking a hunting party to Estes. A hunting party seemed to lend itself to the idea of men.”

Amelia suppressed a laugh and received the stunned glances of her traveling companions.

“You have something to say here, Miss …” Logan paused as if trying to remember which name she was to be addressed by.

“I am Lady Amhurst. Lady Amelia Amhurst. And while we’re to discuss this trip, then yes, I suppose I do have a few things to say. She ignored the frown on her father’s face and the “darling, please be silent” glare of Jeffery. “In England, women quite often ride to the hunt. We enjoy sporting as much as our menfolk. Furthermore, I assure you, we are quite capable of handling a gun, a mount, and any other hardship that might present itself on the trip.”

“I’m glad to hear that you are so capable, Lady Amhurst. You won’t be offended then when I state my rules. We will begin at sunrise. That doesn’t mean we’ll get up at sunrise, have a leisurely tea, and be on the road by nine. It means things packed, on your horse, ready to ride at sunrise. We’ll head into Longmont first, which will give you a last chance at a night’s rest in bed before a week of sleeping on the ground. If you’re short on supplies you can pick them up there.”

No one said a word and even Amelia decided against protesting, at least until she’d heard the full speech.

Logan continued. “It gets cold at night. We’ll eventually be 7,000 feet up and the air will be thinner. Every morning you’ll find hoarfrost on the ground so staying dry and warm will be your biggest priority. Each of you will pack at least three blankets and a canteen. Again, if you don’t have them, pick them up here in Greeley or get them in Longmont. If you don’t have them, you don’t go. Also, there will be no sidesaddles available. You women will be required to ride astride, so dress accordingly. Oh, and everyone wears a good, sturdy pair of boots. This is important both for riding and for walking if your horse should go lame.”

“Mr. Reed!” Lord Amhurst began to protest. “You cannot expect my daughters to ride astride these American horses. First of all it is most unacceptable and second, it—”

“If they don’t ride astride, they don’t go,” Logan replied flatly. “Having them riding sidesaddle is more danger than I’m willing to take on. If you want them to come out of this alive, they need to have every possible chance at staying that way.”

“Perhaps, Amhurst,” Jeffery addressed him less formally, “we could arrange to employ another guide.”

Logan laughed and crossed his arms against his chest. “I challenge you to find one. I’m one of only two in the area who will even bother with you people.”

“And what, pray tell, is that supposed to mean?” Amelia interjected.

Logan met her eyes. “It means, I resent European tourists and rich socialites who come to take the air in my mountains. They don’t care for the real beauty at hand and they never stay longer than it takes to abuse what they will before going off to boast of their conquests. I made a promise, however, to pack you folds into Estes, but you,” he pointed a finger at each of the women, “are completely unsuited for the challenge. There are far too many things to consider when it comes to women. Your physical constitution is weaker, not to mention that by nature being a woman lends itself to certain other types of physical complications and private needs.”

“See here! You have no right to talk that way in front of these ladies,” Chamberlain protested.

“That is exactly the kind of coddling I’m talking about. It has no place on a mountain ridge. I am not trying to make this unpleasant, but we must establish some rules here in order to keep you folks from dying on the way.” Logan’s voice lowered to a near whisper. “I won’t have their blood on my hands, just because they are too proud and arrogant to take direction from someone who’s had more experience.” He said “they,” but his steely gaze was firmly fixed on Amelia.

“What other rules would you have us abide by, Mr. Reed?” the earl finally asked.

“No alcohol of any kind. No shooting animals on the way to Estes. No stopping for tea four times a day and no special treatment of anyone in the party. If you can’t cut it, you go back.” Logan took a deep breath. “Finally, my word is law. I know this land and what it’s capable of. When I tell you that something needs to be done a certain way, I expect it to be done without question. Even if it pertains to something that shocks your genteel constitutions. I’m not a hard man to get along with,” he said pausing again, “but I find the institutions of nobility a bit trying. If I should call you by something other than by your privileged titles, I’ll expect you to overlook it. During a rock slide it could be difficult to remember if I’m to address you by earl, lady, or your majesty. My main objective is to get your party to Estes in as close to one piece as possible. That’s all.”

“I suppose we can live with these rules of yours,” Lord Amhurst replied. “Ladies, can you manage?” Penelope and Margaret looked to Amelia and back to their father before nodding their heads.

“Well, Amelia?” her father questioned and all eyes turned to her.

Facing Logan with a confident glare, she replied, “I can certainly meet any challenge that Mr. Reed is capable of delivering.”

Logan laughed. “Well, I’m capable of delivering quite a bit, believe me.”

A
melia spent the remainder of the afternoon listening to her sisters alternate between their praises of Sir Jeffery and their concerns about the trip.

“You are such a bore, Amelia,” Penelope said with little concern for the harshness of her tone. “Why, Jeffery has simply devoted himself to you on this trip and you’ve done nothing but act as though you could not care less.”

“I
couldn’t
care less,” Amelia assured her sister.

“But the man is to be your husband. Father arranged this entire trip just to bring you two closer. I think it was rather sporting of Jeffery to endure the open way you stared at that Reed fellow.”

Amelia gasped. “I did not stare at Mr. Reed!”

“You did,” Margaret confirmed. “I saw you.”

Amelia shook her head. “I can’t be bothered with you two twittering ninnies. Besides, I never said I approved of Father’s arrangement for Sir Jeffery to become my husband. I have no intentions of getting closer to the man and certainly none of marrying him.”

“I think Sir Jeffery is wonderful. You’re just being mean and spiteful,” Penelope stated with a stamp of her foot. A little cloud of dust rose from the floor along with several flies.