A Christmas Wedding Wager by Michelle Styles

concentrate on why she was here. She had to discover if what he'd told her father was the truth or simply a polite lie.
    Mudge would know.
    'Then who?'
    'Mudge.'
    'You will not find him easier to get round, I assure you,' Jack stated. 'Mudge knows who he answers to. Your father is pleased with the progress so far.'
    Emma looked over Jack's shoulder rather than meet his smouldering gaze. Her eyes widened as she saw the pile of tools. The levels that had vanished last week were back, as were a variety of shovels. There was no need to ask who had caused their return, or why. The men were probably frightened of him.
    'Are you always this tyrannical, Mr Stanton?'
    'When the occasion demands...' A faint half-smile played on his lips.
    'Very well.' Emma withdrew a sheaf of papers from her reticule. 'I came to see Mudge about the final Goose Club list.'
    'The Goose Club?' Jack's eyes widened. 'What does Mudge have to do with this Goose Club of yours?'
    'Mudge, as foreman, collects the monies from the men throughout the year. He keeps an up-to-date list. Somehow I only have last year's.' The answer tripped off Emma's tongue. She had been under no illusion that Jack would be easy to get round, but she did want to see what was happening--and gauge how long she had to convince her father and Jack to move the piers. Speaking to Mudge was the best way, as her father had refused to divulge the information, telling her she had to go and speak with Jack.

    'You should have given me the message this morning.' Jack regarded Emma, standing before him. Her blue poplin morning dress increased the blueness of her eyes. Her cape and matching hat, with its feathers curling towards her ripe mouth, completed the picture. Her acquiescence last night had been too quick, too sharp. He had anticipated some sort of rearguard action, and Miss Harrison failed to disappoint.
    'I did not see you this morning. I only realised the final list was missing when I went through the accounts.' Emma held up the paper with a smile. 'The geese are drawn at the feast. We are missing final payment from six of the members, including Davy Newcomb. But he has paid. I checked with his mother.'
    'Do you need the list today?' Jack asked between gritted teeth. This was a ploy of Emma's to get her own way. He had no doubt that she planned to interfere and cause problems. It had taken most of yesterday to undo the damage that Mudge had implied her orders had caused.
    Her eyes widened, and she looked very innocent, but her expression did not fool Jack. She intended her visit for other purposes. And he had little doubt what would happen in her wake.
    He had already spent more hours than he cared clearing up oversights and errors. Had he not appeared when he had, the bridge would have been seriously delayed and possibly unsafe.
    Jack stepped forward and took the piece of paper from her. The names were neatly written out. She had a fair hand. He had to admit that.
    'It is the second of December. The feast is the twenty-fourth. It does take time with ordering. I want plump geese.'
    'And while Mudge is checking on the details...?' Jack placed the piece of paper down on the front counter. He could see a certain logic in her statement, but he still did not trust her.
    'I had planned to see what was happening with the foundations.' Emma gave a slight shrug and her bonnet shadowed her face. 'There is no harm in that.'
    'You cannot think I have so easily forgotten our bargain, Miss Harrison.'
    'But we also agreed that I was to look after the feast.' She leant forward. 'The problem with the list is new and unforeseen. Nothing to do with our wager.'
    Jack's lips tightened to a thin line. The woman was impossible. It was no wonder she had never married. No man would want such a wife. 'We are at an impasse. Mudge is busy at present. We have begun investigating the castle walls.'
    'No, not an impasse.' She gave a small laugh, but her eyes showed shock. 'Hardy that. I am happy to wait while Mudge