TEMPTED FATE

~Excerpt~

Emma cleared her throat. "You have something of mine, sir. Something that's very dear to me." 

There was the slightest tug to the corners of his mouth, as if he'd wanted to smile then thought better of it. "You must be mistaken, Ma'am."

"No. I'm not. It's a silver brooch...William took it from me without my knowledge or consent. He had no right to gamble it away."

"That sounds like something you need to take up with your brother, then." 

There was a menacing quality behind his ice-blue gaze. Emma didn't understand the change in him.

"I already have, Mr. Reinhardt. That is why I'm here. Please return it. I'll pay you whatever sum you deem just."

"Miss Sarris, keep your money. Your brother gambled and lost. That is the end of it."

He boarded the stagecoach and closed the door behind him.  Emma remained staring at the empty space he'd occupied. He'd shrugged her off as he would an annoying gnat. It took a moment for her initial shock to convert to anger. With fists curled, she marched to the stage and opened the door. The woman with the plumed hat gave her an irritated look. Beside her, a skinny, spindly-limbed man close to her father's age, wiped sweat from his reddened neck. Emma realized the woman's uncompromising rotundity had blocked him from view earlier. Luke sat on the leather seat opposite the mismatched couple. Apparently engrossed by the newspaper in his hand, he failed to glance in Emma's direction.

She had the sudden urge to rip that newspaper to shreds and make him eat every strip. Of course, he wouldn't be very cooperative after that. She must reason with him, that's all. "Mr. Reinhardt, I assure you, you will be adequately compensated." 

"It's not for sale, Miss Sarris."

With a cluck of her tongue, the old woman gave Emma a recriminating stare. "Young lady, we need to be going soon."

Nibbling her bottom lip, Emma saw the driver emerge from the hotel. He climbed into his seat and looped the reins around his gloved fists. Panic mushroomed in her belly. In a matter of minutes, her brooch would be lost. She couldn't just stand there and do nothing. Without a second thought, she ran to the front of the coach. 

"Sir, please don't leave without me. I'll just be a moment."

"You got a ticket little lady?" the driver asked between bites of tobacco.

Emma nodded in reply, then ran inside the hotel. The clerk at the counter informed her the stage was headed to Santa Fe. That gave her plenty of time to talk Mr. Reinhardt into returning her brooch. After purchasing roundtrip tickets, she hurried back outside and handed one to the driver.

The man cast her a quick glance over his shoulder as she climbed on board. "No bags?"

"No."

Gathering her flouncing skirts, Emma took a seat beside Luke.

"What do you think you're doing?" he asked, a mixture of surprise and amusement glimmered in his blue eyes.

"What does it look like?" Emma arranged her skirts, ran a tremulous hand over her hair. "I will not leave your side, Mr. Reinhardt, until you return what belongs to me."

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