Marblestone Mansion 01 - Scandalous Duchess by Marti Talbott Read Free Book Online Page B

people who did nothing wrong were put upon quite harshly. Some were clubbed and kicked,” he explained.
    “ Claymore, please, we are eating,” Abigail muttered.
    “ Forgive me, my dear, you are right of course.”
    McKenna was fascinated. “But how were these roughens, as you call them, stopped?”
    Claymore barely took the time to chew and swallow before he answered, “The owners finally cut their pay. Governor Waite sent in the militia and we saw no more of them. Nevertheless, the miners had clearly won and the Unions took the credit.”
    “ Someone on the train said a whole town burned,” McKenna mentioned.
    “ You mean Colorado City? Indeed it did,” Abigail answered. “But everyone got out in time.”
    “ Oh good,” McKenna breathed.
    Claymore nodded his agreement. “Still, that brought builders and naturally, another union to organize them. I tell you, we shall never see the end of it. Now the unions think they can do no wrong. Last year, the Daily press, owned by the union I might add, got the miners to vote union members into public office. Then, they decided Cripple Creek needed a county of its own, thus we live in El Paso County, and our mines are in Teller County. Very clever of them, for we would never vote their members into office here.”
    Abigail leaned closer to McKenna. “The miners steal the gold,”
    McKenna gasped. “Do they now?”
    “ Yes, well we put an end to that,” Charles said. “We hired Pinkerton guards.”
    Hannish noticed his sister was hardly touching her meal and instead kept her hands in her lap. Charles was still gawking at her, and if it hadn’t been for Abigail and Claymore, he would have thrown Charles out. He held his ire for their sakes, but it wasn’t easy.
    “ Yes, and the miners walked out as you may recall, Charles,” Claymore was saying. “On this point, the unions did us a favor. The miners are now searched as they leave by other miners, in front of a Union watchman.”
    “ What has upset the miners now?” Hannish asked.
    “ There are rumblings, there always are. I believe the unions want a wage increase, and why are we surprised about that? I tell you, Hannish; you were a wise man to get out when you did. The Unions will be the death of us, and I am not the only one who thinks so.”
    Charles had a way of eating without taking his eyes off McKenna and she’d had enough of it. “Brother, I believe I feel a headache coming on. Will you be very upset if I go up to bed?”
    “ Of course not.” He stood, walked her out the door and then across the parlor to the bottom of the stairs. “What a dreadful man,” he whispered. “He’ll not be coming back if I have anything to say about it.”
    McKenna gave him a quick hug. “But I like Abigail very much.”
    Hannish sighed and watched her climb the stairs. “So do I.”

    No one heard his horse approach or expected it when Charles Whitfield came to call the next morning. He rang the bell, did not bother to wait for the butler, walked right in and nearly ran over a surprised Alistair. “Tell Miss MacGreagor I am here.”
    “ Very good, Sir.” When Alistair heard footsteps behind him, he stopped and turned around. “If you would be so good as to wait here, Sir.”
    “ I hope to surprise her.”
    “ She is not fond of surprises, if you will just…”
    “ I will not.”
    Reluctantly, Alistair led the way to the small sitting room, where McKenna was sipping tea and looking through her copy of the catalog. “Miss McKenna, Mr.…”
    “ McKenna, but you do look all a glow this morning.” Charles interrupted, walking past Alistair to the center of the room. “I trust your headache is gone and you slept well.” He finally remembered to take off his tall, round hat and hand it to the butler. “What is your name again?”
    “ Alistair, Sir.”
    “ You may go, Alistair.”
    “ He stays,” McKenna said, closing the catalog.
    “ Must he? I wished to speak to you alone.”
    “ About