Chapter 11
Michael had expected anything from Emily after Felix’s revelation—tears or anger, but not laughter. At first he didn’t even realize Emily was laughing. He thought she was crying. And when it became clear that she was weeping with mirth, he didn’t know what to do.
“Are you all right?” he asked, worried she might be having a breakdown after her terrible accident. Maybe she’d injured her head more than Julie realiz?—
“I’m fine,” she said, gasping for air. “It’s just classic Felix, isn’t it? To heck with everyone; he does whatever he wants. I just realized that my life is always going to have him in it. No matter where I go or what I do, Felix will always be with me, like a shadow I can’t shake.”
Michael didn’t see the humor in that, but perhaps it was the irony, the inevitability of it all, that was causing Emily to lose her mind.
“Look,” Felix said, holding up his hands.
“I have one last payment to make to Tiny George, and then he’s done with me.
I promise. I haven’t had a serious card game since I arrived here.
This debt was just from a game that I played when I first got to town, before Michael and Ethan brought me to camp. I’m not in any other trouble.”
“Tiny George?” Emily asked, her laughter stopping as suddenly as it had started. “That gorilla of a man is called Tiny George?”
“It’s a joke,” Felix shrugged.
“Where is he staying?” Michael asked.
“Who?” Felix asked.
“The tooth fairy,” Michael snapped, losing his patience. “This George fellow.”
“Why?” Felix asked, suddenly nervous.
Michael rounded on him. “I think it would be wise to have a little talk with him. We’ll take him his money and he can leave. He can go back to his boss, and that’ll be the end of it.”
“I don’t have it all,” Felix said. “Why do you think I didn’t pay him off?”
“Then we’re going to San Antonio to sell some of your things to pay him off,” Michael said.
“And you’re going to keep trying to help me find the saboteur in the smelter.
We’re getting closer. After that trip to town with Stevens and Perez, Kevin and I think we’re closing in on the guilty party and how they’re doing it. ”
“Would you like to make a small wager on who you think the guilty culprit is?” Felix asked hopefully. “I can give you excellent odds.”
“You’re running a book on this?” Emily asked, the disgust rich in her voice.
“Only with a few close people not involved with the investigation at all,” Felix said defensively. “I wouldn’t otherwise.”
And in that moment, Michael understood everything that Emily had told him about her uncle.
He was an addict. Someone who couldn’t help but stick his nose and his fingers in every pot and jar he could find.
He would no doubt bet on the weather if anyone was dumb enough to take his odds on it raining.
He was like those poor folks who visited the opium dens.
Michael had never been to one, but he’d heard stories and spoken to those who went.
They had the same strange, almost feverish gleam in their eyes as Felix did.
He would have to watch the old man carefully to make sure he didn’t do anything too foolish.
“I’m coming with you,” Emily said. “I will need to keep an eye on Felix.”
“Emily—” Michael began, but she turned in her seat and stared at him with such determination that Michael almost took a step back.
“I’m going,” she said. “After all, he is my uncle.”
Felix gave a half-hearted chuckle and stared at his boots.
“Fine,” Michael said. “But someone will have to keep an eye on the smelter.”
“I’ll see to it,” Andrew said. “Go and get this matter sorted out.”
An hour later they were on the road and heading to San Antonio.
Emily sat up front with Michael, leaning in close.
It was a bright day with a warm sun shining, although the wind was cold.
Felix sat in the back. Michael had decided to bring some of the new ore ingots to the dealer to see if these were better.
He thought they were, but it all depended on what the man who was going to sell them thought.
As they drove to town, they talked. Emily was particularly excited about plans for her house.
Michael was hoping it would end up being their house, and all the plans he had been showing her, even in her dazed state in the medical tent, had been ones that he also liked.
However, before discussing their home further, they really would have to discuss the most important element of all. Marriage.
He wasn’t sure how to broach the subject though, and had been dancing around it for around half the journey to San Antonio.
“Em,” Felix said from the back during a lull in the conversation. “How do you feel about getting married and living out here?”
“What?” she asked, frowning at her uncle.
“Would you do it?” he asked.
“I would,” she said after a moment’s thought. “That is why I came out here. That and to get away from you. You can see how well that’s gone.”
Michael turned a little in his seat to glare at Felix for upsetting Emily, but he found the older man smiling, showing him a thumbs-up and winking. Good heavens, he’d picked up on Michael’s terrible fishing for clues as to how Emily felt, and the bumbling old man was trying to help.
“Well,” Michael said carefully. “I know that you came out for Troy, but I’m hoping you’ve found other reasons to stay.”
She turned to him with a wry smile on her lips. “Are you implying that I might have found a wonderful fellow with a kind heart, a good head on his shoulders, and great taste?”
“Could be,” Michael said, trying desperately to work out if she meant him.
Emily laughed and grabbed his arm, resting her cheek on his shoulder. “Yes, I plan to stay in the camp with you, Michael.”
A tightness in his chest eased. She would be open to him asking her to marry him when he had it all worked out. He had a ring he’d been saving. It was his mother’s, and he’d always liked the small, delicate piece of jewelry. It would look wonderful on Emily’s finger, he thought.
It was midday by the time they reached San Antonio. Everyone was hungry, and so they went to the saloon first.
They ate a lovely lunch and then went on to see the debt collector to whom Felix owed money.
The man’s office was above a smelly little store that was dim and cobweb-encrusted.
The front window was heavily draped, and there was a thick layer of dust on the sill.
Emily raised her eyebrows in question to Michael, but he couldn’t guess what the store sold, if anything.
The name read “Aunt Petunia’s Curiosities. ”
“We could take a wager on what’s inside,” Felix said.
“No!” Emily said sternly. “There will be no wagers, Felix.”
“Oh, it’s not even uncle anymore now,” Felix complained as he led them to the staircase that would take them up to the debt collector’s door.
“Act like a proper uncle, and I’ll consider calling you that again,” Emily said.
Felix shrugged. “I was never attached to the honorific.”
“It’s not—” Emily began, but stopped as the door opened above them and a man came out, not walking but flying. He flew through the air, hit the steps just above them, and proceeded to slide and roll all the way down.
Michael grabbed Emily, lifting her out of the way. Felix had to fend for himself and did admirably, holding onto the banister.
“Good heavens!” Emily exclaimed when they were back on their feet and on their way back up. “Why did they do that to that poor man?”
“He must not have paid enough,” Felix said. “That or Oscar is in a bad mood today.”
“Who is Oscar?” Emily asked.
“He runs the place,” Felix said. “Listen, I really think I should take it from here?—”
The door opened, and a massive man came out. He looked like a walking mountain, with rippling muscles and a complete lack of a neck. He glared at them.
“You got an appointment?” he bellowed.
Michael shook his head. “No, but this gentleman wants to pay off his debt. Isn’t that so, Felix?”
Felix nodded nervously. Turning back to them, he said, “I can take it from here. Really, I think it would be better.”
“Felix!” Emily said in a warning tone.
“Come on, you’ve walked me all this way,” Felix said. “I’ve learned my lesson. I swear I will pay up and be done.”
Emily frowned.
Michael couldn’t believe it. “No,” he said, shaking his head. “We’re going in with him to make sure he pays up and is done. Right?”
“But I promise,” Felix said.
The issue was decided by the large man at the top of the stairs and Emily. She stared at the man, frowning, and then went as white as a sheet.
“That’s him,” she said. “That’s the troll who hit me!” Her knees gave out.
Michael, his heart thrumming in his chest, only just managed to grab her in time before she too went careening down the steps.
“All right,” he said to Felix as he held Emily upright.
“Go and do your business, but no more wagers, no more bets, nothing. You will not cause more trouble!” Then, leaning in close to Felix, he added, “You don’t want to cause Emily more distress, do you?
She’ll never talk to you again if you mess this up. ”
Felix swallowed hard. “I know. I promise I’ll be good.”
Once they were away from the large man with no neck, Emily seemed to revive a little.
“I’m sorry,” she said, still holding onto Michael’s arm. “I thought I was all right. But I didn’t think I would see him again. How badly do you suppose Felix is messing this up now?” she asked with a sigh.
“Hopefully he’s learned his lesson,” Michael replied, sending up a prayer to that effect.
Emily nodded. “Well, I’m glad that you were here with me. I think if it had been only me and Felix, this would have been far worse.”
“I’m glad I could be here with you,” Michael said. “Would it bother you dreadfully if we went to the broker quickly with the ingots? I want to hear what he has to say about the new ones I smelted.”
“Sure,” she said, smiling.
They went to Mr. Fry’s office and found him sitting at his desk, swamped in papers. He looked up and smiled.
“Well, if it isn’t Michael Wellan. I wasn’t expecting to see you for another week or two,” Mr. Fry said.
He turned to a calendar on the wall of his office.
“Of course, then we will be in December and all everyone will be thinking about is the Christmas break.” He sighed. “And who is this lovely lady?”
“This is Emily Gardener,” Michael said. “She’s the schoolteacher at the camp.”
“Oh? Out on a little excursion?” Mr. Fry asked.
Emily smiled. “Pleased to meet you.”
With the pleasantries out of the way, Michael and Mr. Fry got down to business. The broker was only too happy to inspect the ingots that Michael had made from the ore.
For a moment as the man did his tests, Michael’s nerves twinged. He was suddenly caught up in the fear that his work was slipping. That it wasn’t sabotage or the ore but him that was at fault. It was irrational, but the fear was there.
Emily took his hand in hers. She clearly saw the concern on his face, and she tried to comfort him with a little squeeze of his fingers and a smile. She was lovely, and her kindness and caring shone through.
It was in that moment that Michael knew without a lingering doubt in his mind that she was the one for him. Despite how they had met, with her writing to his brother, and despite the aggravating uncle who had followed her, she was the woman he wanted to spend the rest of his life with.
“It’s better,” Mr. Fry said. “Much better than that last lot you brought me. Is Ethan back on top of things at the smelter?”
“Actually, we were attacked by outlaws on the way home last time and Ethan was shot,” Michael said. “He’s okay now, but he hasn’t been at work for a while now.”
“Are you running things at the smelter in his stead?” Mr. Fry asked.
Michael nodded.
“Then keep an eye on Perez and Stevens. Those two are full of schemes,” Mr. Fry said.
“When Ethan sent them to drop off a shipment, they tried to rope me into some crazy shenanigans. As though I would ever go behind Ethan’s back.
Or yours, for that matter. They didn’t know who they were dealing with, but they certainly do now. I told them to stop their foolishness.”
“Good,” Michael said.
“Don’t worry; most places that deal with precious metals have to go through this. It seems to be a rite of passage. You have to chase the rats away before things go smoothly for you,” Mr. Fry said with a decisive nod.
He put the copper Michael had brought in the ledger and gave him a receipt to be paid with the next proper shipment. There was no point in paying him pennies now. But it would all add up the next time, and that was the important thing.
Emily and Michael left Mr. Fry’s office with Michael feeling much better. His spirits were lifted, and he was relieved. Yes, there was still a problem, now confirmed by Mr. Fry’s comments, but he would deal with that.
They only had to wait a little longer for Felix to be done. He seemed quite gloomy for a man who had just paid off his debt and freed himself.
“How did it go, Felix?” Michael asked.
Emily’s uncle shrugged and drew in a deep breath, shoving his hands into his trouser pockets. “Hard to say,” he said. “My pockets are empty. I have no bets, wagers, or anything to look forward to. Not really. The bets at the camp are for small change. There’s nothing in my life to look forward to.”
“Oh, don’t be like that,” Emily said. “We’ll find you something honest to do.”
“I’ve been doing honest work, and really, Emily, it’s dull,” Felix said as they began to walk to the cart. “Very dull.”
“I’m sure you’ll manage,” Michael said. “Who knows, maybe something will happen to liven your life up.”
“You should be careful what you wish for,” Emily warned. “You never know what will happen.”
They climbed into the cart and set off back to the camp.
Michael and Emily talked happily as they drove.
Michael, constantly vigilant, kept an eye and an ear cocked, but there was nothing to watch for.
This time there wasn’t so much as a hint of an outlaw on the road.
If they were there, they must have decided that the three travelers weren’t worth the effort.
Felix quickly fell asleep in the back, and Michael and Emily were essentially alone the whole way home, talking quietly and stealing the occasional gentle kiss.