Texas Tiger

chapter 35





The pounding on the front door echoed the pounding behind her eyes as Georgina jerked her hair tightly into a knot and stabbed another pin into it. She had just spent the most wretched night of her life, and she didn't need this infernal pounding. Maybe she ought to find one of her mother's bottles of laudanum.

She couldn't expect Evie and Tyler to respond to a telegram sent in the middle of the night. She should have waited until morning. But she couldn't just sit here and do nothing. If she had any idea at all which train Daniel had taken after he reached Cincinnati, she would be on the next train out. But she didn't, so she couldn't. Not until she'd heard from the Monteignes.

A servant discreetly tapped on her door. "Mr. Peter Mulloney to see you, ma'am."

Peter? At this hour? Georgina glanced at the mantel clock. She didn't think Peter even knew what the sun looked like at this hour.

She nodded her head in dismissal. "I'll be down in a minute."

It would only take a minute to gather her wrath and fling it at him. Had she been a violent person, she would blast the entire male population this morning. Georgina was almost grateful that Peter had presented himself as a target for her ire before she exploded with the need to release it.

She had put on a fresh dress this morning, but she wasn't at all certain which one or how it looked and didn't really care. She had stayed up all night in hopes of hearing something, anything, and she was operating on temper alone right now. Any Mulloney would serve to divert her fury.

Peter was standing in the front hall, his hands filled with familiar cases and equipment. The fact that he was in possession of her cameras only increased her ire.

"You have your nerve, Peter Mulloney! Any man with an ounce of conscience would hide himself from the face of the world after what you and your family have done. Just put those things down and get out of my sight. You disgust me."

Stunned by this virago who wore the same face as the laughing girl he had once known, Peter slowly lowered the camera equipment and stared at her. Bouncing golden curls were tied back in a severe knot that did nothing to detract from her delicate beauty, but the dark shadows under her eyes were not natural to the woman he had known.

"What's wrong, Georgina? You still can't be mad at me for making you marry Daniel. I thought you were happy about that."

"Happy?" Her voice nearly reached a screech. "Happy to be forced to marry a man who did absolutely nothing other than to be kind to me? If I had a rifle, I ought to force you to marry some poor woman who did nothing more than suffer from your selfishness. Did you know your father had Daniel's newspaper building condemned and the Harrisons evicted from their house? Did you? Now stand there and act innocent, Peter Mulloney. I dare you. Get out of my sight. If I never see another Mulloney again, it will be too soon."

She turned around and started back up the stairs. Audrey and Janice peered down at her from the upper hall, their eyes wide and frightened. At sight of them, Georgina turned around and glared at Peter. "Get out."

"I didn't do it, Georgina!" Growing angry, Peter focused on Georgina. "I have nothing to do with those rental properties. I'd think they would be happy to be thrown out of the rat-infested traps anyway."

"Oh, tell me another one, Peter," she responded sarcastically. "Tell me Mulloney's Department Store doesn't own part of that rental company. Tell me you're not in charge of the department store." She placed her hands on her hips and minced forward. "Tell me you're not a Mulloney, and maybe I'll even believe you."

"Georgina, what in hell is wrong with you? I brought back your camera in hopes of a truce. I just wanted to ask a favor." Peter held his ground until Georgina was practically on his toes, then he backed toward the door. "Will you listen to reason just for a minute? My mother wants to see Daniel. You know she's an invalid. She's scarcely been able to eat since I told her about him. You've got to persuade him to come visit. Believe me, Georgina, I'm not the villain you want. I've argued with my father about those properties, but he doesn't listen to me. There isn't anything I can do about it."

"And there's nothing you can do about those employees you fired, either, is there, Peter?" Her first question was deceptively calm. "And there's nothing you can do about the hours they work or the salaries they make or the promotions you give only to men. And buying stools for them to rest on would undoubtedly bankrupt you." Georgina's voice rose with each new accusation until she was shouting. "Get out of my house, Peter Mulloney, and don't you dare show your face here again!"

"All right, thank you, I will!" Jamming his hat back on his head, Peter stalked out and slammed the door after him.

Wanting to collapse on the floor, Georgina held herself straight and stiff a few seconds longer, letting the fury race through her fingertips and out before she turned to face her audience. She had never done anything remotely like this in her entire life, and she wasn't at all certain that she ever wanted to do it again. Life had been much easier when she could face it with a smile.

She tried to paste one on now, but it faltered slightly as she turned and found Janice already at the bottom of the stairs.

"He won't do anything, will he?" she asked calmly.

Georgina shook her head. "Won't or can't. I don't know which."

Janice nodded in understanding. "It's all right. We'll get by. The boarding house is much cheaper, actually, since it comes with two meals a day. And if you can keep the factory open, Audrey will make much better wages working for you." Tentatively, she touched Georgina's arm. "You'll feel better after you have a bite to eat. Did you know that Egan tried to collect the rents the other day?"

Georgina listened listlessly.

Janice guided her toward the dining room. "He didn't collect one penny. The men followed him everywhere so he couldn't even take out his wrath on any of us. The boys have set up shifts at all the corners now so he can't get past without everyone knowing. We sent a list of demands to Mulloney himself."

Georgina nodded and smiled and let the words fall around her. The only thought in her mind, however, was how soon she would hear from Daniel's family.

* * *

Georgina dug her fingers into her hair and contemplated pulling it out as she stared at the figures on the paper in front of her. On the best of days the numbers made no sense to her, and this wasn't the best of days. Her gaze strayed to the crumpled telegram on the corner of the desk.

The Monteignes hadn't heard from Daniel, but they were making inquiries. In the meantime, they were on their way north. She should expect them shortly.

What in the world would she do with Evie and Tyler Monteigne while her whole world crumbled around her? Maybe she ought to send them over to visit Peter's mother. That plea had nagged at her all day along with all her other problems. Why hadn't she considered Mrs. Mulloney earlier? She had never heard anything against the woman. She even vaguely remembered her as a sweet and rather fragile piece of her past. Artemis Mulloney had probably walked all over her until she was no more than a shadow inhabiting the upper stories of the house.

The men in the Mulloney family were like that. Georgina scowled and stared at the figures some more. But she wasn't going to be like the women of the Mulloney family. She wasn't going to be like her mother, either. She would fight back, if it killed her. The way this day was proceeding, it just might. At least she'd be out of her misery then.

Rubbing at a wayward tear, Georgina glanced up as one of Janice's assistants entered. Janice had taken the day off to move into the boarding house. Even the Harrisons would be gone when she got home this evening. Maybe she could eat dinner in the kitchen with the servants.

"Miss Han... Mrs. Mulloney?"

Georgina nodded impatiently.

"We've got two crates full. Do you want to ship them tonight?"

"That's not enough to fill the Norton order, is it?"

"No, ma'am, but it's enough for the Rottingham one."

"I want to fill the large orders first. They pay faster and they might order more quickly if we're prompt. We'll wait until you have the rest of their order together."

"Yes, ma'am." The woman bobbed a brief curtsy and disappeared through the doorway.

Georgina stared after her, rubbing her head. Lack of sleep was catching up with her. She would wish the day at an end if she only had someone to go home to, but the thought of that empty house made even the factory a welcome haven. Maybe it wouldn't be such a bad thing to have the Monteignes come to stay for a while.

But her new five o'clock closing time came all too soon, and the happy laughter of departing workers quickly grew into the deadly silence of an empty building.

Refusing to give in to it, Georgina bent her head over her work. Now that there wouldn't be any interruptions, she could get something done.

From his vantage point at the window of the warehouse, Daniel watched the workers leaving the factory for the day. Georgina's carriage waited outside, but one of the women stopped to talk to the driver, and a moment later, it lurched away without Georgina in it.

Blast the woman, she shouldn't be working in this part of town at this hour. He'd like to wring her neck. Surely she didn't think Artemis would let her keep the place?

But he had thrown away his right to interfere, so Daniel could only fiddle with what remained of his press and wait for Georgina to appear. He just wanted to see her, to be certain she was holding up all right. He knew she was in there. He had seen her at lunchtime talking with the workers on the front lawn. He bet her father had never bothered to do that.

He didn't know how good a plant manager Georgina would make, but she would make a darn good personnel manager. Peter should have married her. He could have managed the factory, and she could have dealt with the employees. Together, they would have made a fortune.

The idea of Georgina turning to his brother for comfort made Daniel grit his teeth and go back to cleaning the ink from the piece he held in his hand. He ought to let her go, but he couldn't—not until he was certain she would be happier without him.

It was pure male conceit that made him think she might be better off with him than without him. He knew that, but still he sat, staring out the window, waiting for Georgina to show her face. He didn't expect her to be smiling. He didn't know what to expect. He just wanted to keep an eye on her for a few days and make sure Artemis kept his promises.

It was still light out when he looked up and saw the first curl of smoke coming through the factory window. Daniel wasn't certain he was seeing right, and he put the piece down that he was working on and tried to get a better look. Normally, he could see distances much better than up close, but he couldn't believe what he was seeing.

Did they have a fireplace in there? Would they operate a stove after everyone but Georgina had left?

Trying not to panic, Daniel set himself an easy pace out the door and down the stairs. That jump from the train last night and the resulting long hike to civilization had worked at his weak leg muscles. He didn't want to go tumbling headfirst down the stairs.

By the time he reached the street, his heart was pounding like a frantic drum. The smoke could have been just an illusion in the warped glass. Georgina might not even be in there. There was no reason to believe there was a fire in a factory that had been there for decades. No reason at all.

Except for the flame now leaping through the window where the smoke had been earlier.

Screaming fire at the top of his lungs in hopes that someone would hear, Daniel ran for the office across the street. Couldn't Georgina smell the smoke?

He heard other shouts behind him, heard the harsh gallop of a horse as someone raced for the fire department. Fire in these old buildings could be deadly. He would have help in minutes, but he couldn't wait that long.

Smoke poured from the office as Daniel flung open the front door. Heat washed over him in waves, but there was no sign of fire in the lobby as yet. Covering his mouth and nose with his handkerchief, Daniel shoved past the chairs and secretary's desk and made his way to the tiny room in the back of the building, Georgina's office.

By the time he flung open the door, he was coughing heavily and sweat poured off him from the heat. Smoke made the dim interior even murkier, and it took a moment to focus. He prayed she wasn't here. Surely she would have smelled the smoke and left earlier. Surely she wouldn't have gone into the factory to investigate the source of the fire. If there was a Lord in the heaven above, He wouldn't let someone like Miss Merry die in an inferno like this.

He found Georgina with her head resting on her arms on the desk as if she had gone to sleep and hadn't awoken. Daniel gripped her shoulders and called her name, but she didn't stir. Panic raced through his veins as swiftly as the trail of fire coming through the wall. He hadn't rescued her once to lose her this way.

There wasn't time to think or grieve or pray. Pulling Georgina into his arms, Daniel started back for the door, only to see another trail of flames creep up the wall to the ceiling. Whatever was burning on the other side of that wall had finally reached a state of combustion that would ignite the entire building in minutes. He didn't have time to cross both offices and get out, not carrying Georgina.

Without a quiver, Daniel turned and crashed his shoulder against the windowpane behind him, shattering the glass. Flinging Georgina over his shoulder, he used his coat sleeve to knock splinters from the frame. Only when he was satisfied the exit was safe did he lower Georgina through it.

She crumpled lifelessly on the ground outside. Daniel had already stopped feeling any emotion at all. His brain had quit functioning the instant he'd touched her and felt no response. Like the machines on the other side of the wall, he moved stiffly and without reason, going through the motions for which he was made.

He climbed through the window and bent to lift Georgina from the ground. He could hear the excited shouts of people carrying a water line to the pumps. In the distance he heard the clang of a firebell. None of that mattered. His life was in his hands now, and Daniel carried her through the darkened alley to the street. If she lived, he would survive. If she didn't, he had died in the fire with her. He knew that as certainly as he knew where his feet were carrying him.

No one saw them as he lifted her through the unboarded window of the warehouse across the street. He needed no light to carry her up the familiar stairs to the room they had shared together.

He laid her on the bed that had been left behind when they abandoned the building. She unfolded like a lifeless doll, spilling arms and legs across the cover. This was more than sleep, then.

Daniel reached a trembling hand to Georgina's cheek, whispering her name. He sat beside her, willing her to respond as he stroked her face. Desperate, he leaned over and applied his lips to hers. They were warm, but seemingly lifeless.

He pulled her into his arms, forcing her upright, holding her over his shoulder as he hugged her and murmured senseless words in her ear. He ran his hands up and down her back, gently at first, then more vigorously. His murmurs became anguished cries of pain when she didn't respond.

"Georgina, answer me! My God, don't leave me like this! You can't leave me. You're all I have, Georgina. Wake up and wish me to the devil, Georgie, but don't go away. Please, Georgie..."

Daniel was crying now, huge tears rolling unashamedly down his beard-stubbled cheeks as he rubbed her back and buried kisses against her throat. "I love you, Georgina," he whispered desperately, suddenly knowing it was true, recognizing it with a stab of bitter anguish. "I love you. I just want you to be happy. Please, God, let her live. I'll do anything. I'll never curse. I'll never take Your name in vain. I'll honor my father. Lord, anything! Please..."

Daniel's voice trailed off in waves of sobs as he rocked Georgina back and forth, waiting for some miracle in a life that had been filled with anything but miracles.

In the silence left by his tears, a low moan sounded, followed by a wracking cough.

Daniel ran his fingers deep into Georgina's hair and gave a heartfelt prayer of thanks even as she bent double with a spasm of coughing that shook them both.