much is riding on my timely completion for me to do this any other way.”
The muscles in her jawline tightened. “From my understanding, all that’s riding on your timely completion is more money. Are you so filled with...with...greed you’d traipse me all through the countryside at your leisure, taking advantage of my financial need and not considering that I might have other needs, as well? Not to mention you’re ignoring sound advice. Is money so important you must obtain it despite the potential cost for both of us?”
She might feel inconvenienced, but he had a job to do, a plan to meet his deadline and a vow to keep to his mother. Too much at stake to pull his punches now. “My greed, as you put it, is also out of desperation. Desperation to establish myself with my own employer and to earn the money to save my sick mother from an early death. For her, I’ll do whatever it takes, even if it means inconveniencing you.”
Her eyes widened. He tried to soften the revelation and pleaded for her acceptance. “Miss Baldwin, we must move past this misunderstanding of the terms of your employment. Your bishop received funds from me in good faith. You yourself pointedly convinced me I had no alternative for a guide.”
Her eyes lost some of their intensity. He continued, “You were happy enough with me in the beginning when you found my funds useful, so I’ll ignore the judgment on my character for now. You wouldn’t be the first Christian woman to prove herself quick to break her commitment to me when things didn’t go the way she wanted.”
She opened her mouth to speak, but he held up his hand again, silencing her. “The way I see it, we have two choices. The first is for you to fulfill your obligation to me as promised in the manner I specify so that my needs, the needs of the man paying your salary, are met.”
Worry etched her face. He felt somewhat the cad for having placed it there, but the stakes were too high. If she was going to balk at guiding him where he needed to go, he had to know now. She was already plan B. He had no plan C.
She broke the silence. “And the second choice?”
“Obviously I cannot force you to honor your commitment. But if you refuse to do so, then I must insist we cable your bishop to return my funds by wiring them to Harper so I can attempt to replace you.” If he was a praying man, now would be the time. Failure stared at him through the troubled brown eyes of his only known hope. He held his breath and waited for her answer.
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