The Marriage Agreement. Carolyn Davidson

said smugly.

      His brows raised, signifying his doubt, and May laughed aloud. “I can tell you’re not a true believer, Morgan.”

      “I’ll never believe you’re down to your last nickel,” he said. “You’ll always hold some in reserve, kinda like the rainy-day theory.”

      “Where’s your woman?” May asked, darting a look toward the doorway. “We have a piano player and half a duet here. All we need is the star of the show.”

      Charlie’s fingers chorded softly, and a ring of smoke rose over his head as he played. He’d offered no protest at Morgan’s request to play at such an ungodly hour and watched the same doorway that held May’s attention.

      The woman who appeared there had the benefit of sunlight behind her, the red streaks of dawn having given way to early-morning gold. Her dress formed a lissome silhouette around her as she hesitated, as if gauging her welcome. “Am I late?” she asked, shooting a shuttered glance at Morgan.

      He made a pretense of looking at his pocket watch and shook his head. “Right on time, actually, honey,” he murmured, favoring her with a slow smile.

      She walked toward the stage and looked up at May. “I appreciate you getting up so early for this. Morgan said we’d be going shopping after breakfast.”

      “Sure are,” May told her. “You and I are gonna get all decked out with new outfits, sweetie.” She looked down at Lily’s feet. “And new shoes, too.”

      Charlie’s fingers ended their wandering and he nodded at May. “Let’s get goin’,” he told her. “Breakfast is waiting.”

      The shops were filled with gowns and all the underpinnings that went with them. The shoemaker found just the right shoes to match Lily’s dress. With a brusque nod, Morgan announced his approval and followed the women from the cobbler’s shop, boxes in hand.

      “Do you think we’ve pushed him far enough?” May asked in an undertone, bending to speak in Lily’s ear.

      “I heard that,” Morgan told her dryly. “If we don’t get back to the boat right soon, neither one of you will have a job, and I’ll have lost all my belongings. I don’t think Ham will wait much longer for us.”

      The thought of escaping the steamboat was like a beacon before her, but Lily could not imagine Morgan’s anger should she run from him. He’d be obliged to chase her down. And find her he would, of that there was no doubt. He’d paid for her time, and like it or not, she was committed to fulfilling her part of the bargain. With a sigh, she took his right arm, even as May clung to his left elbow, heading back to the dock.

      Ham stood at the top of the gangplank, grinning through the smoke of his cigar as they approached. “Well, well. Don’t you look like a fancy man, with one lady on each arm, Morgan. Thought maybe the three of you had decided to head for the hills.”

      “You knew better,” Morgan said, leading the women aboard with care, one at a time, lest they lose their footing on the sloping boards. He handed each her parcels. “Here you go, ladies.” With a tip of his hat, he watched them head for their cabins and turned back to Ham.

      “You ready to leave?”

      Ham nodded. “Just waiting for you and your lady friends to show up.” He leaned an elbow on the ship’s railing. “You win much at the poker tables on this trip downriver, Morgan?”

      Morgan shrugged. “No more than usual. Why?”

      “Just wondered if you’re makin’ a living at it. Playing poker is a pretty chancy way to earn your way in life, as far as I can see.”

      “I make enough to get along,” Morgan told him, his voice soft but containing a thread of steel that forbade any further discussion.

      Ham shot him a speculative look. “I’ve heard that you’re working for someone else.”

      “And where did you hear that?” His senses alert, Morgan slid one hand into his pocket and tilted his hat a bit with the other. “You been checking up on me, Ham?”

      A quick shake of his head denoted Ham’s denial of such a thing. “Just something that’s been whispered about over the past day or so. Thought you might like to hear the rumor.”

      “Well, you can squelch it right now,” Morgan told him as he strolled away. “I work on my own. I don’t answer to anyone but Gage Morgan.”

      And wasn’t that the biggest lie he’d ever told with a straight face.