weighing this since you found me and it is the only solution. I have a proposal for you. Strictly a business proposal, you understand. We must marry.”
Adam’s mouth fell open. He stepped back and took off his hat. Flustered, he turned on his heel and took two long strides. He glanced back, disbelief washing through him.
Finally he managed to croak, “Marry?”
“I need your help to find my sister. I believe Cissy may have truly heard Dirk. To learn if he’s missing from his post requires a journey to the border. Then I must go into the bush in search of them. Cissy needs me. She hasn’t a clue how to survive on her own. Or with a man she barely knows.”
“You barely know me. What does a marriage between us have to do with finding your sister?”
“You know the protectorate, Adam. How to speak to the people and find your way about.” Emma’s green eyes blazed hotter than the fire. “And you need money for your ranch. I need money, too—but unless I’m married, I cannot touch my inheritance. If you agree to the partnership, I shall pay you the sum of two thousand pounds. We’ll take the train back to Mombasa and make a draw from the bank on my affidavit of marriage. That will provide the funds I need to finance my search for Cissy. We must have supplies, horses, tents.”
He was trying to think of a response when Emma spoke again. “After two months, whether we have found Cissy or not…” She looked away, her face drawn. “No matter what, we’ll dissolve the partnership, and I shall pay you what I promised.”
“But we’d be…married.” He shook his head. “For two months, you’d be my wife.”
“Only the bank in Mombasa and its affiliate in England will know. You’ll soon be free of me.”
“And you’ll be free, too.”
“To find a hospital that needs my service, yes.”
“Emma, I can’t—”
“But you can! Think of it—two thousand pounds. For your ranch. Think what you could do with that much money. And all you would have to do is help me find Cissy. Please, sir, just help me.”
Adam studied the brim of his hat in silence. He straightened the braided leather band and slid his hand through the crown’s center crease.
The woman was crazy. Why would he even consider her half-cocked scheme? He’d be loco to haul a citified Englishwoman around the countryside searching for a sister who was probably dead.
But Emma did have guts, and Adam was ripe for a challenge—if he could get what he wanted from her.
He looked up. “I’ll do it on one condition. You come to my ranch and tend to my friend after our visit to the border.”
“Impossible! If I stop even for a day, something might happen to Cissy. You cannot ask that of me.”
He shrugged. “I’m not crazy about the idea anyway. Marriage isn’t much my style.”
Shucking his hat onto the back of his head, he gave her a long look before turning toward his horse.
“Wait!” Emma caught his arm. “All right, I’ll do it. I’ll see your friend. But I won’t stay long, Adam. You don’t know Cissy as I do. If she’s still alive, she’ll be frantic. She can’t do anything without help. She can’t fix her hair or lace her corset or—”
“If she’s out in the bush with a runaway German soldier, she’s going to have a lot more to worry about than lacing her corset.”
“Just as I’m trying to tell you. Can’t you see?” Emma brushed a hot tear from her cheek.
“Okay.” Adam took her hand and pulled her closer. “Okay, I’ll help you find your sister.”
Her green eyes shimmered. “Thank you. We’ll find a church in Mombasa. I promise, you won’t regret it.”
“Now hold on.” Adam took a step backward. “You never said anything about a church. I’m not going to do this thing in front of a preacher.”
“God knows I would never make light of the sacrament of marriage, but we must have the union witnessed. The bank in England will require signed documents. We can’t marry out here in the
Adam’s mouth fell open. He stepped back and took off his hat. Flustered, he turned on his heel and took two long strides. He glanced back, disbelief washing through him.
Finally he managed to croak, “Marry?”
“I need your help to find my sister. I believe Cissy may have truly heard Dirk. To learn if he’s missing from his post requires a journey to the border. Then I must go into the bush in search of them. Cissy needs me. She hasn’t a clue how to survive on her own. Or with a man she barely knows.”
“You barely know me. What does a marriage between us have to do with finding your sister?”
“You know the protectorate, Adam. How to speak to the people and find your way about.” Emma’s green eyes blazed hotter than the fire. “And you need money for your ranch. I need money, too—but unless I’m married, I cannot touch my inheritance. If you agree to the partnership, I shall pay you the sum of two thousand pounds. We’ll take the train back to Mombasa and make a draw from the bank on my affidavit of marriage. That will provide the funds I need to finance my search for Cissy. We must have supplies, horses, tents.”
He was trying to think of a response when Emma spoke again. “After two months, whether we have found Cissy or not…” She looked away, her face drawn. “No matter what, we’ll dissolve the partnership, and I shall pay you what I promised.”
“But we’d be…married.” He shook his head. “For two months, you’d be my wife.”
“Only the bank in Mombasa and its affiliate in England will know. You’ll soon be free of me.”
“And you’ll be free, too.”
“To find a hospital that needs my service, yes.”
“Emma, I can’t—”
“But you can! Think of it—two thousand pounds. For your ranch. Think what you could do with that much money. And all you would have to do is help me find Cissy. Please, sir, just help me.”
Adam studied the brim of his hat in silence. He straightened the braided leather band and slid his hand through the crown’s center crease.
The woman was crazy. Why would he even consider her half-cocked scheme? He’d be loco to haul a citified Englishwoman around the countryside searching for a sister who was probably dead.
But Emma did have guts, and Adam was ripe for a challenge—if he could get what he wanted from her.
He looked up. “I’ll do it on one condition. You come to my ranch and tend to my friend after our visit to the border.”
“Impossible! If I stop even for a day, something might happen to Cissy. You cannot ask that of me.”
He shrugged. “I’m not crazy about the idea anyway. Marriage isn’t much my style.”
Shucking his hat onto the back of his head, he gave her a long look before turning toward his horse.
“Wait!” Emma caught his arm. “All right, I’ll do it. I’ll see your friend. But I won’t stay long, Adam. You don’t know Cissy as I do. If she’s still alive, she’ll be frantic. She can’t do anything without help. She can’t fix her hair or lace her corset or—”
“If she’s out in the bush with a runaway German soldier, she’s going to have a lot more to worry about than lacing her corset.”
“Just as I’m trying to tell you. Can’t you see?” Emma brushed a hot tear from her cheek.
“Okay.” Adam took her hand and pulled her closer. “Okay, I’ll help you find your sister.”
Her green eyes shimmered. “Thank you. We’ll find a church in Mombasa. I promise, you won’t regret it.”
“Now hold on.” Adam took a step backward. “You never said anything about a church. I’m not going to do this thing in front of a preacher.”
“God knows I would never make light of the sacrament of marriage, but we must have the union witnessed. The bank in England will require signed documents. We can’t marry out here in the
Similar Books
