"So what happened after you left Washington?" David asked again.
"I reported to William Pinkerton in Chicago. He listened to my report, then handed me a stack of telegrams requiring my urgent attention." Lee paused a moment, then added, "Three telegrams were from Operative Tom McLeary requesting my immediate presence in Denver, and four of them were from Tessa."
"My Tessa?" David asked the question, though he already knew the answer.
"Yeah." Lee grinned suddenly. "And I bet you live to regret teaching her how to read and write. Boyo, that's one woman who believes in the power of the written word."
David smiled in agreement. Tessa also believed with all her heart that Liam Kincaid and Mary were meant for each other. Matchmaking. David smiled. His red-headed Irish beauty was definitely matchmaking. "Did Tessa invite you to Mary's wedding?"
Lee shook his head. "She didn't mention the wedding. She just instructed me to come to the ranch as soon as possible. And when I failed to respond to the first telegram, she sent three others to back it up." He glanced at David. "You don't think she wanted me to…"
"Of course she did," David told him, clapping Lee on the back in a brotherly gesture. "Congratulations, old friend, you just floundered into Tessa's baited trap. And because my darling wife went to such trouble and expense to get you here, and because I trust Tessa's instincts as much as my own, I'm going to let you speak to my sister." David grinned in mischievous glee.
Lee was suddenly at a loss. "What do I say to her?"
"What you say to Mary is up to you. And if you can talk her into agreeing to marry you, I'll give you my sincere blessings, but if you hurt her, I'll finish what I started a few months back in Peaceable," David warned, reminding Lee of their brawl on the main street when David had done his best to break Lee's perfect nose after Lee had issued his well-meant, but halfhearted, proposal to Tessa.
"I understand," Lee replied solemnly.
"Good." David smiled. "I'd hate to have to break your nose. You're going to need your handsome profile. And you're going to have to be your most eloquent and persuasive." He paused for effect. "Because after what happened this morning, you're going to need that silver tongue of yours to talk Mary into considering you."
* * *
Chapter Five
Mary looked up as Lee entered the office. "Who let you in?"
Ignoring her hostile tone, Lee crossed the room to stand in front of Mary's father. He leaned over and quietly spoke to the older man.
Charlie Alexander nodded, then stood up. "We'll wait outside. Call me when my daughter makes a decision." He ushered the priest and the other members of the family out of the office.
"What did you say to make my father agree to leave the room?" Mary could have bitten out her tongue. She didn't want to admit to being curious about anything Lee Kincaid did. She was furious with him for upsetting her carefully laid plans for her future, and for ruining the calm resolution she had fought so hard to gain. She hadn't seen the rogue in four long months—not since the day of David and Tessa's wedding—and today he had turned up unexpectedly like the proverbial bad penny, just in time to ruin her wedding. But as she stood there looking at him, Mary found it almost impossible to maintain her anger. A part of her was furious with Lee for barging into her life and for manipulating Pelham, while another part of her was thrilled by the idea that Lee Kincaid had ridden to her rescue and had saved her from her own stupid, headstrong decision to marry a man she didn't love. But Mary knew it wouldn't do to let Lee think she wasn't angry.
"I told him I wanted to talk to you alone."
"I don't want to talk to you. Alone or otherwise."
"Fair enough," Lee agreed, stroking his chin thoughtfully. "I'll talk, you listen."
"I don't want to listen to anything you have to say, either."
"Maybe not, but you will," he told her. "Because I'm about to offer you a way out of this fiasco."
"Fiasco? You mean the one that just took place? The one you created?" Mary lashed out at him with her sharp tongue. "In case you haven't noticed, I've been deserted by my fiance—left standing at the altar."
"It could be that everything will turn out for the best," Lee replied. "When the going got rough, your fiance took off. Better to find out before the wedding than after it."
"Oh, please, spare me," Mary answered sarcastically.
"I think maybe I did," Lee told her.
"Only you would have the gall to say that to me." Mary exclaimed. "Only you would stand there and tell me how lucky I am to find out that the man who should have been my husband didn't trust me enough to listen. Especially after you arranged things so he was sure not to listen! I will never forgive you for this."
"He didn't even put up an argument," Lee pointed out. "He wasn't the right man for you, Mary."
"Pelham might not have been perfect," she said, "but he was willing to marry me until you showed up."
"Lots of men would be willing to marry you."