Page 4 of The Gold Rush Bride

“Oh, stop! I’m stuck.” Sadie snatched her arm from his hand and tried to balance herself. She teetered backwards, her skirt acting like a sponge in the inch or so of water that covered most of the mud.

He grabbed her hand and pulled her forward. Barnaby realized his mistake when he released her, and she fell...face first, into the mud.

She pushed herself up from the street and looked through slitted eyes. The mud covered her face. Only her eyes and mouth seemed to have been spared.

She sputtered, blowing the mud out of her mouth. “Well, don’t just stand there. Help me up.”

He might have been mistaken about that. He erupted with laughter as he helped her to her feet.

Once on her feet, she slapped his chest. “Stop laughing at me, you big oaf. This is all your fault. I managed to make it from the Westminster Hotel to the El Dorado Saloon without falling, but you in your efforts to...what? Save my reputation?...You pulled me down the street like I’m some sort of mule.”

He sobered and wiped the tears from his eyes. “I’m sorry Miss Thompson. You’re right, this is totally my fault. Let me help you.” Without another word, he scooped her into his arms and headed toward Kitty’s.

She looked up at him with the deepest green eyes he’d ever seen. Fire glittered in her expression. “What do you think you’re doing? I’m quite capable of walking at a normal rate of speed.”

“Well, I’m not letting you walk in this muck again. You need to get as much of that off before it dries.”

He carried her straight to the hotel and didn’t set her on her feet until they were inside.

“Here now,” said the woman behind the desk. “I get enough of that muck in here without you bathin’ in it before you come inside.”

“This woman has a room here and needs a bath sent up immediately.”

“Those costs extra.” The woman eyed Sadie with a critical eye. “Three dollars for the bath in the room.”

“Fine,” snapped Sadie. “Just add it to my bill and then send the bath up as soon as possible.” She turned and narrowed her eyes at Barnaby. “Will you be here when I’m done? We have some things to discuss.”

“I will. We can discuss our business over supper. The Dawson City Restaurant is next door, and it has decent food. This hotel is also a brothel. I just want you to be prepared for what you might see.”

“I’ll consider myself warned.” She drew herself to her full height and headed up to the second floor, trailing mud clot behind her.

Barnaby knew from experience that the rooms for the brothel were on the third floor.

After Sadie left, Barnaby turned to the brunette woman behind the desk. “What was all that caterwauling about, Kitty? You’d think you’d never had someone show up in that condition and need a bath.”

“They’ve all been men and wanting to be with my girls. No one in that condition is going anywhere near my girls. A little dirt is one thing, but that much mud is a different matter.”

“She’s not here to see your girls. She’s here to see me.” Barnaby ground out.

“What kind of business you got with someone like that...her all high-and-mighty in her prissy dress?”

“I couldn’t tell. She was wearing a coat. Can you get me a towel or let me wash up in back?”

“Sure. Come on back.” She headed down the left hallway toward the kitchen.

Barnaby followed her.

Kitty waited until he’d washed his face and hands.

“You never answered my question, Barnaby. What does she want with you?”

He ran a hand over his face. His dark beard was soft under his fingers. “She’s here for some business. She’s John’s daughter.”

Her eyes widened as she grinned and slapped her leg. “Whooeee! John’s daughter. I never in a million years would have expected her to be here. Didn’t he say she was rich? Been left lots of money from her grandma?”

“So, he said. But if that’s so, why is she here?”

CHAPTER2