Chapter 5

“You’re still here, huh?” Friar Jack growled the moment he stepped into Luc’s office the next day.

“Yes, we are still here, Jack.” He eyed the mountain man, trying to keep his contempt from showing. “We’ve made it clear that we aren’t going anywhere.”

“I’m gonna speak real plain to you, de Jeu. Don’t none of us want you here. We been doin’ just fine without some hoity-toity Dutchmen tryin’ to take over.”

He stood and walked around his desk. Friar Jack towered a few inches above him, but Luc planted his feet right in front of the giant. “Jack, my associates and I are here to bring commerce. Any efforts we implement will benefit everyone here.”

“We don’t want yer kind of commerce. We want you gone.”

“And we are not going anywhere.”

Since their arrival, the local traders, huntsman, and even the Indians had made their resentment known. On one hand, Luc understood their position. This town had subsisted on the trading efforts of the French and Scottish mountain men for over thirty years. Luc had performed a study of the books prior to the sale of the fur company to Fenton Perry. Evansgrove had profited under the management of its founder.

Unfortunately, Perry had operated under the erroneous conclusion that tastes would remain fixed and supply unlimited. Neither had and when customers turned toward silk instead of furs, it sent the company down a slope, which in turn affected Evansgrove. Perry had sold to the Hive a few months before the fathers died without telling the locals who depended on the company about it and then made himself scarce.

Luc understood the locals’ sense of betrayal, but as head of the Hive, he couldn’t allow them to stop progress.

He especially wouldn’t allow anyone to take advantage of the woman who was to be his wife.

“I asked you here because I went to the cabin.”

“Ah, you did, did you?” Friar Jack’s eyes squinted. “What did you think of it? Did yer intended like it as well?”

The malevolent sheen in Friar Jack’s eyes along with the barely veiled taunt gave him pause. It had been deliberate. He’d intended that Eva would find the place reprehensible. So much so that she would leave. As horrible as the place looked, if she had left, Luc wouldn’t have blamed her.

But she hadn’t left. In fact, she was eager for his return so she and Mevrouw ter Bane could go across the river to gather supplies so they could clean the cabin.

Luc pivoted away from Friar Jack and went back to his desk. A muscle along his jawline ticked. First and foremost, he wanted to wring the mountain man’s neck. Any resentment the man felt towards him, he could understand. But to place that on a woman meant to be his wife ... what man would tolerate that?

This marriage is a business acquisition.

Was it? Luc wasn’t sure anymore.

He pulled the chair back and sat. Maybe there was more to it than that, although he disliked the possibility. His mind went back to the first moment he saw her. How she’d stolen his breath away. How she appeared yesterday, surrounded by the bustling wind and the budding earth, looking like a pagan goddess from old.

He flicked his gaze toward Friar Jack who still stood in front of him with that smirk. If he gave into the urge to tell the mountain man what he thought of the trick, then he’d be allowing the man to feel as if he’d won. That all he had to do was make things difficult for them and that would send them on their way.

Eva’s words came back. “I come from good Dutch stock.”

He grinned. Well, he must come from good Dutch stock, too.

“What are you smilin’ at me for?”

“I wanted to thank you. My intended found the cabin to her liking.”

The smirk dropped from the man’s face, replaced by disbelief. “Beg pardon?”

Luc spread his hands. “She’s pleased. She admired the location and the scenery surrounding it. I wanted to thank you.”

Friar Jack’s forehead crinkled. “Thank me.” His voice had dropped with disbelief.

“Yes. The future Missus de Jeu didn’t even want anyone to clean it for her. She wanted to do it herself, so you can tell the workmen you’ve hired that I no longer need their services. That’s all now, Jack. You can go.”

Luc swept his gaze down and retrieved a folder, dismissing the man. Without looking up, he sensed the mountain man’s confusion before a palpable anger began to exude from him. His footsteps thumped on the floorboards as he left.

When the door slammed shut, Luc brooded. They had only been here a few weeks. Despite the fact the Hive now owned the company, which in turn meant they held sway in the town, they needed the cooperation of the people.

How could they achieve it when they were perceived as interlopers?

The door opened once more, and Ties poked his head around it. “Well, are we going to meet your bride or not?”

Ties pushed on the door and all his associates filed in like a line of well-behaved schoolboys.

“Ja, you can meet her. You all could have met her yesterday.” He got up and retrieved his hat from the coat tree. “You chose to stay away.”

“We didn’t want to overwhelm her with our presence,” Gerrit answered. “We felt it was better for you and her to be alone.”

“Whatever for?” Luc smoothed the front of his vest, checking for his pocket watch.

“She’s going to be your wife, Luc.” Guus scowled. “Surely that’s reason enough.”

“We have a business arrangement, Guus. There’s no sentiment involved.”

If he continued to see it in that light, then maybe that strange, breathless feeling that assaulted his senses when he looked at her would dissipate.

“Is she ugly then?” Sybrand laughed sluggishly. “Does she bear a wart or some hideous mark?”

The muscles along his back went rigid while the drum of his heartbeat pounded in his ears. His gaze slid toward Sybrand, a hot thing burning behind his eyes.

For one instant, he wanted to punch his associate in the face for making the statement. This protective instinct burned in the pit of his stomach. He knew that Sybrand was drunk. When wasn’t the man drunk? But he had no right to speak as he did.

Yes, Eva had a mark on her but there was nothing hideous about it. It made her even more alluring, a state of circumstances he could do without. His fingers flexed. Should he take exception to what Sybrand said? Remind him that it was his soon-to-be wife he was speaking about? If he did, would it draw unnecessary attention? Though Eva hadn’t betrayed her thoughts by word or deed, he’d sensed that her birthmark played a prominent role of who she was in life.

If he didn’t say anything, it may be for the best. Sybrand didn’t know what he was saying. When did he ever?

“Nee,” he answered as the blood rushed back through him again. The pounding of his heart receded. “But you will see for yourself. We are going across the river to gather supplies.”

“We’ll see you off,” Thymen rubbed his hand together.

“I never thought you’d be the first of us to get married, Luc.” Joppe said a few moments later as they walked down the dusty ragged streets toward the mercantile. As they neared the front entrance of the mercantile, the door swung open. Eva and Mevrouw ter Bane came outside.

Luc’s lungs sought for air once more as soon as his gaze touched her form. Today, she wore a plain, non-descript skirt and blouse with her bronze hair pulled into a bun at the nape of her neck. Her bright skin with its rose flush almost shone in the sunlight.

How was it possible she could affect him so? The fear he tried to keep at bay pierced him once more.

“Goedenmiddag,” she greeted. Her eyes roved over his associates who all seemed to be holding their breath like him. “It’s nice to meet you.”

Luc recovered long enough to make introductions. To a man, they all tugged their hats off and shook her hand, but he saw the same awe reflected in their faces that he felt from within. When it came to Sybrand, his bleary eyes widened. “You’re very beautiful, juffrouw,” he slurred.

If he hadn’t been watching her so intently, Luc wouldn’t have noticed it. Most women, when complimented as such, blushed prettily and fluttered their lashes. Simpered even. Eva’s generous smile dropped at the corners. Her hazel eyes took on a flat look. “Dank u.” She sounded anything but thankful.

She pivoted away, a slight bristling having taken over her.

Luc frowned. What happened?

“We’re ready. There’s much to be done and little time to do it.”

Without another glance in their direction, Eva stomped away. With jerky movements she tugged on the bonnet she’d been carrying. What was wrong? Why was she acting like that?

“I envy you,” Gerrit said in an undertone. “She’s so lovely.”

“And tiny,” Guus chimed in.

“You are indeed blessed,” Ties said. “You may not want to have married but I’m sure a woman like that wouldn’t make it a hardship.”

The others added their words of admiration and congratulations. Knowing that they were sincere helped in an inexplicable way he couldn’t define.

“Pretty woman even if she does have that odd-looking mark on her eye.”

Heat scorched his cheeks and his hands balled into fists. He opened his mouth, but it was Thymen who interjected in a furious voice, “Kalm aan, Sybrand. Je bent een idioot! That’s Luc’s bride!”

Sybrand blinked. He stepped a few feet back. “I did not mean to be disrespectful, Luc.”

“I’m sure you didn’t. But watch your tongue.”

The soft-spoken reprimand had more of an impact than if he shouted. Contrite, Sybrand held his hands up. “Het spijt mij.”

Luc nodded once, accepting the man’s apology. He would be glad for the rowing action across the river. It would give him a way to release the desire to hit his associate in the face for his offensive words.

The sharp pain along the arch of her foot made her wince. “Ummm,” she murmured in a low voice, trying to keep Aunt Nethanja’s attention away from hearing her moan.

“Did you say something, Eva?”