Just After Midnight: Historical Romance by Lori Handeland Read Free Book Online

the crowd of men. “Gentlemen, I accept your offer. I’ll be there tomorrow morning.”
    “Wear somethin’ flashy, Meggie. Give the winner a real treat,” one of the older miners said as he leered toothlessly.
    Megan looked uncomfortable for a moment, then she smiled and waved at the ancient lech before retreating quickly toward Alex. She attempted to retrieve the pup, but Alex shook his head and held on to the animal.
    He took her arm again and strode toward The Celebration, his long gait causing Megan to hurry to keep up with him. He realized he was nearly dragging her through the mud, but he didn’t care. When they reached the front of the dance hall, Alex released her. Her dress had fared well despite immersion in the river, though the satin slippers and gloves were surely ruined. Her hair hung in tangles around her face. Somehow, he liked it better that way. Alex glanced into the building and saw the crowd had increased with the news of her transformation.
    “Your appearance seems to have brought in the business you were looking for, as well as other offers. Congratulations.”
    Megan didn’t look inside, keeping her gaze on his face. “I do what I have to do. I thought you were beginning to understand that.”
    “I didn’t think managing a dance hall would involve putting yourself up as a prize for the entire town to covet.”
    “Meggie O’Day represents The Celebration. The more interest there is in me, the more business for my dance hall. Can’t you see this is all just good commerce?”
    “I sure can, Meggie . You’re every customer’s dream.” With his free hand, Alex tipped his hat with a flourish. “But I’m not buying.”
    Turning on his heel, he left Meggie O’Day standing in the muddy bog of Front Street without a backward glance. It wasn’t until he reached his barracks that he realized he still held the sopping pup. A few moments later he knocked on the door of a friend’s house to make a gift of the sleeping dog.

 
    CHAPTER FIVE
     
     
    Music. Voices. Laughter. The sounds increased in volume until Alex pulled a pillow over his head in an attempt to continue his disrupted slumber. It wasn’t long before he realized the futility in his actions and threw the pillow against the wall with a frustrated growl. The Americans had been nothing but a nuisance to his English ancestors in 1776, why should they be anything different for him in 1898?
    Alex’s father was the youngest son of a titled English family. He had come to Canada looking for advancement in the service of his country. In the wild, untamed land he found his home as well as a French wife. Several years later, after the birth of four sons and one daughter, he received a letter from his family asking him to return to England. He declined, remaining to become a ranking officer in the Northwest Mounted Police. From the day of his birth, Alex, the eldest, was expected to follow in his father’s wake. So far, he was well on his way to success.
    The force in the Yukon was a team handpicked from the best of the Northwest Mounted Police, itself an exclusive unit. When gold had been discovered on what was then Rabbit Creek, the Canadian government had sent the mounted police to Dawson City to keep order. They did not plan to let one of their properties succumb to the fate of American-held Scagway, Alaska, which had deteriorated into lawlessness with the advent of gold fever. Alex had been first in line to join the officers journeying to the Yukon, the opportunity for career advancement miraculously linked with his desires for truth and vengeance.
    Alex was glad he had been assigned to patrol the festivities. If there was one thing the people in Dawson City knew how to do, it was celebrate, and he didn’t want to waste a moment of the rare chance he had to mix work with pleasure. In a country where darkness reigned for most of the year, the opportunity to make merry in the sunshine would be used to utmost advantage. The scalding air