Page 18 of Mail-Order Millie (A Mail-Order Mystery #1)

Eighteen

M illie sat; her throat tight. She’d worked herself up into a fine state. She was angry, hurt, and felt betrayed. She couldn’t let this go.

“Millie…” Bram said gently and sat beside her. “What’s wrong?”

“You know what’s wrong.” If he didn’t, he was an idiot.

He took one of her hands in his. “Millie, darling, if this is about the IOUs…”

“Of course it is.” She met his concerned gaze with agonized eyes. “You lied to me.”

His eyebrows knit. “What?”

“When I asked if you gambled, you said you did no more than any other man. That answer was… vague. My father gambled to the point of his own detriment. It killed him and ruined us.”

Regret filled his eyes, and he scooted closer. “Millie, I’ll take care of my IOUs, then won’t gamble anymore, if that’s what you want.”

She squeezed her eyes shut. How many times had she heard Father tell Mother the same thing? But he never stopped.

Millie shook her head. “It is what I want but…”

“Then consider it done, sweetheart.” His voice was so gentle it was almost her undoing. But she had to stand her ground.

“Bram, how long have you been gambling?” She met his gaze again, tears in her eyes.

He swallowed hard as he looked at her, then took her in his arms. “I’ve gambled with more than cards, love. But I can’t tell you anything more, not yet. But I promise I will. I can’t stand seeing you like this. Your heart torn asunder.” He pulled her closer, causing her head to tilt back. “Millie,” he whispered against her mouth.

Her eyes closed, her heart hammering in her chest. Blast if her heart and everything else didn’t respond to him. How could he affect her so?

“Millie,” he said again, then kissed her.

Her body erupted with gooseflesh as he deepened the kiss, and before she knew it, she was kissing him back.

Millie’s arms went around his neck, her fingers twining in his hair. A low moan escaped him, and he held her tighter, deepening the kiss.

Millie melted against him, seeking the safety of his arms. She needed this yet feared it. Was it all a ruse to fool her into thinking he’d stop? She didn’t want to trust him, but her resolve was cracking.

When Bram finally broke the kiss, he looked into her eyes. “I’m sorry if I’ve caused you duress, Millie.” His voice was a soft whisper against her cheek. “Forgive me.”

Tears spilled from her eyes. She wanted to forgive him. But her fear of being disappointed was too great. “Prove it.”

Bram drew away to look at her. “You don’t believe me.”

“No,” she choked out. “I don’t.”

He cupped her face with both hands and wiped her tears away with his thumbs. “I can’t say I blame you after all you’ve been through. But everything will work out, you’ll see.”

She blinked back tears. It was an odd statement, and she was unsure of what he meant by it. Before she could ask, he pulled her to her feet. “Did you wish to return inside, or shall I take you home?”

She sniffed back tears. “Please, take me home.”

“Of course.” He looped her arm through his and escorted her to their buggy. Once they were settled, they started for home. “I’ll drop you off, then return the horse and buggy to the livery stable.”

She nodded. “You’ll come straight home?”

“Yes, Millie. You needn’t worry.” He put a hand on her leg and gave it a gentle pat. “I am not your father.”

She sniffed, even though she had no tears, and wiped at her nose with the handkerchief she kept in her cloak’s pocket. “I don’t want you to be, Bram. That’s the last thing I want.”

“I know,” he said.

They drove to the house in silence. When they arrived, he helped her down, escorted her inside, then left to return the horse and buggy.

Millie went into the bedroom and numbly got out of her gown and went through her nightly routine. Once again, she’d be sleeping alone in their bed, while Bram slept in the parlor. If she didn’t know any better, she’d say he was avoiding sharing their bed with her. But it was rickety and might collapse with the two of them on it. Still, she couldn’t help what she felt.

By the time she crawled into bed, fresh tears threatened. She thought of Bram’s kisses, the way he held her, the safety she found in his arms. Everything felt so right, yet at the same time, something was off, and she couldn’t figure out what it was.

Millie didn’t know how long she slept before she awoke to the sound of men’s voices outside her window. One of them sounded like Bram’s. She didn’t dare move, or the squeaking bed would alert Bram that she was awake. So, she lay there, quiet as a mouse, and tried to listen. He hadn’t just come from a card game, had he?

“…you’re going to have to figure something out, Bram.”

“I know. I just can’t stand to see such hurt in her eyes.”

“She still knows nothing?”

“Yes. And I plan on keeping things that way until this is done. The less she knows the better, I don’t want her to get hurt.”

There was silence for a moment, and Millie wondered if they’d walked to the front of the house.

“You’re falling for her,” the other voice said.

More silence.

“You… might be right, Quincy. She’s so… vulnerable. She needs a man to protect her. I…”

“She’s to be compensated, remember. She’ll be fine.”

“Will she?” Bram said. “With Sal’s men in the area? No, she’s exactly the sort they take.”

“We’ve put a stop to Sal’s schemes before, we’ll do it again. And this time, we’ll keep those slavers from coming back to America. They’ll not steal any more of our people.”

Millie thought she heard Bram sigh, but her mind had latched onto one word. Slavers. She put a hand over her mouth to stifle the gasp threatening to escape.

“I hope you’re right. Those vile fiends have caused enough trouble here.”

“You’re good then?” the other man asked. “You’ll finish the assignment?”

“Yeah, I’m good. I just want to make sure Millie’s protected. I don’t want her getting wrapped up in this.”

“Then keep quiet, don’t blow your cover. I’m counting on you. So is Jules and the president.”

“I’ll do my best. Kameyer told me someone was at the ball tonight. An American associate is my guess. They have their sights on one of the young ladies attending. I’m sorry, but Millie was upset, and I had to take care of her…”

“Like I said,” spoke the other man, cutting him off. “You’re falling for her. Otherwise you would have tried to find out who it was.”

Bram heaved a sigh. “You’re right.”

Millie’s eyes widened. What was all this? Did Bram work for the president?

“Then when all this is over,” the other man said, “do something about it. Court the woman, propose, get married for real. But you might have to give up field work.”

Bram made a noise, but she couldn’t figure out what it was. Was that a groan of disappointment?

“Thanks for all your help, Quincy. I’m sorry I messed up tonight.”

“I understand, but if your feelings for Millie are getting in the way of your work, then I want you to quit. We’ll bring in someone else.”

“No, I want to finish this.”

Millie fought the urge to get out of bed, go outside and see what they were talking about. But she stayed put, still trying to piece together their conversation.

“Oh, no…” she whispered, as realization dawned. “If Bram’s a spy, not only are we not married. But he’s not Bill Krantz.”