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Maddie bit her lip, knowing her reactions to the other woman were just as bad mannered. Perhaps that was what happens when a woman has money. Their lives became so boring and empty they took it out on everyone else. She’d once thought all she needed was money and her life would be wonderful. It wasn’t so.
However, Maddie was smart enough to know deep down that wasn’t what bothered her. For as long as she could remember, she’d wanted things. Things that would make her life better. Reasons to get up in the morning, and it hadn’t all been about money.
Pulling her gaze away from the young serving girl the mayor’s wife had just reprimanded in public, Maddie turned to accept the glass of punch Lucky held toward her. Trying not to let her anger show, she said, “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome,” he said, sounding as icy as she had.
He’d seen the scolding, too, and she knew he wasn’t pleased. A warmth settled in her chest. Not only did he look overly handsome in his dark green suit jacket, but he was also the most down-to-earth person in the room, so unlike all those other snobbish and superficial men. All the gold in the world wouldn’t change Lucky.
Several of the men at the party reminded her of Mad Dog—how he’d put on fancy clothes, masquerading as someone else, when deep down he was still a no-account, low-down, mean outlaw.
A jovial laugh had her turning again. Nothing changed Jack, either. Though he was wearing a three-piece black suit with a red silk vest and tie and his hair and beard had been trimmed short, he was as boisterous as ever.
When her gaze settled on Lucky again, she had to admit gold wouldn’t change Lucky, because he’d grown up with it. With all this. He was as comfortable amongst this finery as he had been living at the mining camp.
He took the cup of punch from her hand, which she hadn’t even tasted, and set it on a nearby table. “Would you care to dance?” he asked, nodding toward an adjacent room where couples were sashaying around a dance floor.
“No, thank you.”
“Come on,” he coaxed, tugging on her elbow.
She kept her feet planted. “I don’t know how,” she whispered through a painful and false smile in case anyone was looking.
“I’ll teach you.”
Though his whisper tickling her ear sent a delightful shiver down her back, she shook her head. “I don’t want to learn.”
The disappointment in his eyes formed a hard knot in her stomach, and she considered giving in, but the maid—whom the mayor’s wife had chastised—was approaching with a plate of bite-size delicacies, and Maddie couldn’t stop staring at the girl.
“Would you care for one?” Lucky asked, gesturing toward the tray.
Maddie didn’t respond. The girl looked vaguely familiar. She’d met many people since arriving in Seattle and wasn’t sure if this was one she’d seen recently, or some time ago. Considering the maid worked for the mayor, and Maddie had never been in the house before, she wondered if the maid just resembled someone else.
Lucky took one of the tidbits and thanked the girl before popping it in his mouth.
The maid gave a curtsy and smiled before turning to walk away, and that was when recognition hit. “I know that girl.”
“Of course you do,” Lucky said drily. “The entire room does after the tongue-lashing the mayor’s wife just gave her.”
“No,” Maddie said. “I know her from Mrs. Smother’s. She thought you were handsome.”
He lifted a brow, and when his gaze went to follow the girl across the room, Maddie wanted to stomp on his foot again. When he slowly turned to look at her again, he asked, “How would she have known me?”
“You rescued her the year before.”
He nodded as if it didn’t matter and folded his hand around her elbow again. “Are you ready to dance now?”
Maddie let her gaze follow the girl again. The plate she held was almost empty. “I’ll be back in a minute.”
His hold tightened on her arm. “Where are you going?”
“I want to talk to her.”
“Why?”
“Just because I do.”
Lucky shook his head. “Servants aren’t allowed to speak to guests.”
“I’ve figured that out already,” she said, watching the girl leave the room. “I’ll be right back.”
“Maddie—”
“I’ll be right back,” she insisted, tugging from his hold. A burning desire said she needed to talk with the maid.
