that she’d promised to meet Blackwood
later in the Park, Saranda wasn’t eager to stay. “Winny, perhaps
Mr. Masterson and I should continue with the tour,” she suggested
with a smile. “You join us presently.”
He gave her a grateful look. “Would you mind?
I think I should talk to Archer about this.”
“Not at all, dear. Take your time.”
As she was closing the door, they heard
Winston say in a tentative tone, “Archer, I’m not sure it’s wise to
antagonize a powerful man like Sander.”
“Don’t waste your time worrying about
McLeod,” came Blackwood’s dismissive reply. “He’s next, and he
knows it.”
Bat let out a low whistle once the door was
safely closed. “I don’t know if he means it, but that Blackwood’s
good. I never saw anyone that good.”
“I never said he wasn’t good,” Saranda
answered, irritated by his obvious admiration. “Good enough to pawn
himself off as this selfless character who cares for the poor and
the underdog. It’s the biggest joke of all.”
Bat was watching her closely as they moved
away. The hallway was empty, so he pulled her up short, a frown
creasing his brow, his thick mustache moving as he pursed his
lips.
“I’m leaving,” he told her abruptly.
“Leaving? What do you mean?”
“Going back to Dodge.”
“But, Bat, you can’t. I arranged for you to
come so you could be at the wedding.”
“Your wedding, sugar, is the last place I
want to be. Even if it is part of your big shuck.”
She lowered her voice. “It may have started
out as a con, but it is my wedding. The only one I shall
ever have. I was hoping you could act as my family. There’s no one
else.”
His eyes softened, but he shook his head.
“Honey, I’m sorry, but I can’t stay and watch you do this.”
Something in his tone alerted her to a deeper
significance. “What do you mean?”
“I mean you’re playing with fire.”
“Don’t be silly. It’s the most brilliant job
I’ve ever pulled. And my last. When it’s over, I shall settle down
to being Mrs. Winston Van Slyke, and Mace Blackwood will have
received the retribution he deserves.”
“While you hog-tie yourself to a man you
don’t give a hoot about, for all the rest of your life?”
“I’m extremely fond of Winny. I may even grow
to love him in time.”
“You’ll love him when hell freezes over.”
“Why, Bat—”
His hand tightened on her arm. “I know you,
honey, as much as anyone can. And I’m telling you, you’ve met your
match in Blackwood.”
“Are you doubting my abilities?”
“I’m not talking about your abilities. I’m
talking about your feelings. This fellow has his rope on you.”
She flushed, remembering her helplessness and
her response the night before when he’d bound her wrists above her
head.
“Blackwood? Don’t be absurd!”
Someone appeared then in the hall, so Bat
waited impatiently until the coast was clear.
“I’ve always known the kind of man you’d fall
for,” he insisted in a low tone. “Someone who’s a better shuck
artist than you are.”
“He is not better!”
Bat shook his head sadly. “You’ve never been
up against anyone like him before. I’ve seen you make a lot of
plays, some of them so sticky I figured you’d never get out of
them. But I never saw you look at a man the way you look at
Blackwood. Or even the way you look when you say his name.”
“What utter nonsense.”
“You don’t know what you’re getting yourself
into. Honey, I’m sorry, but I got instincts of my own. And
something tells me you’re getting in over your head.”
She jerked her chin at him. “You’re wrong,
Bat. I despise the very name of Blackwood. More than you’ll ever
know.”
“That may be. But you’re falling in love with this Blackwood. And I’d just as soon not be around to see
what becomes of it.”
True to his word, Bat cut his visit short and
left that very afternoon. Winston and Jackson accompanied them to
the train, disappointed
later in the Park, Saranda wasn’t eager to stay. “Winny, perhaps
Mr. Masterson and I should continue with the tour,” she suggested
with a smile. “You join us presently.”
He gave her a grateful look. “Would you mind?
I think I should talk to Archer about this.”
“Not at all, dear. Take your time.”
As she was closing the door, they heard
Winston say in a tentative tone, “Archer, I’m not sure it’s wise to
antagonize a powerful man like Sander.”
“Don’t waste your time worrying about
McLeod,” came Blackwood’s dismissive reply. “He’s next, and he
knows it.”
Bat let out a low whistle once the door was
safely closed. “I don’t know if he means it, but that Blackwood’s
good. I never saw anyone that good.”
“I never said he wasn’t good,” Saranda
answered, irritated by his obvious admiration. “Good enough to pawn
himself off as this selfless character who cares for the poor and
the underdog. It’s the biggest joke of all.”
Bat was watching her closely as they moved
away. The hallway was empty, so he pulled her up short, a frown
creasing his brow, his thick mustache moving as he pursed his
lips.
“I’m leaving,” he told her abruptly.
“Leaving? What do you mean?”
“Going back to Dodge.”
“But, Bat, you can’t. I arranged for you to
come so you could be at the wedding.”
“Your wedding, sugar, is the last place I
want to be. Even if it is part of your big shuck.”
She lowered her voice. “It may have started
out as a con, but it is my wedding. The only one I shall
ever have. I was hoping you could act as my family. There’s no one
else.”
His eyes softened, but he shook his head.
“Honey, I’m sorry, but I can’t stay and watch you do this.”
Something in his tone alerted her to a deeper
significance. “What do you mean?”
“I mean you’re playing with fire.”
“Don’t be silly. It’s the most brilliant job
I’ve ever pulled. And my last. When it’s over, I shall settle down
to being Mrs. Winston Van Slyke, and Mace Blackwood will have
received the retribution he deserves.”
“While you hog-tie yourself to a man you
don’t give a hoot about, for all the rest of your life?”
“I’m extremely fond of Winny. I may even grow
to love him in time.”
“You’ll love him when hell freezes over.”
“Why, Bat—”
His hand tightened on her arm. “I know you,
honey, as much as anyone can. And I’m telling you, you’ve met your
match in Blackwood.”
“Are you doubting my abilities?”
“I’m not talking about your abilities. I’m
talking about your feelings. This fellow has his rope on you.”
She flushed, remembering her helplessness and
her response the night before when he’d bound her wrists above her
head.
“Blackwood? Don’t be absurd!”
Someone appeared then in the hall, so Bat
waited impatiently until the coast was clear.
“I’ve always known the kind of man you’d fall
for,” he insisted in a low tone. “Someone who’s a better shuck
artist than you are.”
“He is not better!”
Bat shook his head sadly. “You’ve never been
up against anyone like him before. I’ve seen you make a lot of
plays, some of them so sticky I figured you’d never get out of
them. But I never saw you look at a man the way you look at
Blackwood. Or even the way you look when you say his name.”
“What utter nonsense.”
“You don’t know what you’re getting yourself
into. Honey, I’m sorry, but I got instincts of my own. And
something tells me you’re getting in over your head.”
She jerked her chin at him. “You’re wrong,
Bat. I despise the very name of Blackwood. More than you’ll ever
know.”
“That may be. But you’re falling in love with this Blackwood. And I’d just as soon not be around to see
what becomes of it.”
True to his word, Bat cut his visit short and
left that very afternoon. Winston and Jackson accompanied them to
the train, disappointed
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