She had arrived at last in Walker Creek, where she intended to deliver her mother’s letter to one Mr. Caleb Walker and then board another train to head north as soon as she earned enough as a seamstress for the fare. How her beloved mother must have scrimped and saved to provide her with money for a one-way ticket!
Once again her mind swirled with questions about where she might find respectable lodging and whether this Mr. Walker would introduce her to womenfolk who might be in need of a seamstress—and she realized with a start that she had hurried from the dining car without even a word of farewell to her kindly companion. She spun around, but the other Kari was nowhere to be seen. The elderly woman must be spry indeed to have retreated to the opposite passenger car so quickly.
It seemed in no time at all that she had been helped from the train by a porter, her one satchel placed on the platform next to her, Kari looking around as other passengers disembarked. She didn’t see her dining car companion, though, and reasoned the older woman must be traveling on to a further destination.
A wild neighing caught Kari’s attention as a magnificent dappled gray stallion was guided down a wooden ramp from one of the stock cars at the rear of the train. Three men in rough clothing attended to the nervous creature, while off to one side stood a tall, lean gentleman who appeared from his wide-brimmed black hat to his dusty boots a real Texas cowboy.
At least what Kari had read about cowboys, one of her few pleasures visiting the tiny library in Faribault to borrow books to read by lantern light after the day’s work was done. A leather vest covering his dark-colored shirt, smooth leather chaps worn over blue denims, a red bandana around his neck, a gun belt slung around his hips, the man wore it all! She knew she stared at him, but she couldn’t help herself. He might have stepped right out of the pages of one of her books.
He was handsome, too, undeniably so, and perhaps in his mid-twenties, she guessed. When he suddenly spied her looking at him and tipped his hat to her, Kari coughed with embarrassment and spun around. Oh, dear, what must he think of such bold, unladylike behavior?
Her face burning, Kari picked up her satchel and kept her back turned as she pondered her next move. She needed to start asking where she might find Caleb Walker, but the passengers who had disembarked had met their parties and gone on their way.
With an ear-splitting blast of the whistle, the train rolled into motion and disappeared down the tracks in a cloud of acrid smoke, leaving Kari alone.
The town didn’t boast a train depot, only what appeared to be a one-room office further down the platform. She supposed she could start there…
* * *
Seth Davis signaled for his men to secure the stallion to the wagon and then glanced back at the platform.
That little miss with long silken curls the color of honey still stood by herself as if wondering what to do.
He’d never seen her before and if he had, he would have remembered her. Walker Creek didn’t lack for pretty women, but this one was downright fetching in her blue calico dress and embroidered shawl. Maybe standing an inch over five feet, she was a tiny thing but well-proportioned in all the right places—doggone it, and he wasn’t the only one that had noticed!
Seth scowled as Dirk Brodie, a brawny hired hand from a neighboring ranch, straightened from stacking supplies unloaded from the train and sauntered toward the young woman.
Seth could just imagine what Dirk must be thinking, which shamed him because he was guilty of appraising her, too. In three long strides he caught up with Dirk and then passed him, Dirk’s startled expletive causing the young woman to wheel around in alarm.
“Forgive me, miss,” Seth broke in before Dirk could utter another word, sweeping off his hat. “I’m Seth Davis. If you’ll allow me, I’d be happy to assist you—”
“Blast you, Seth, just because you work for Caleb Walker doesn’t mean you own the place! Back off, I saw her first!”
Seth saw the blow coming and dodged just in time, punching Dirk so forcefully in the stomach that the bigger man dropped to his knees.
Meanwhile, the young woman stared at both of them as if she’d never seen such wild behavior before, her stunning blue eyes as wide as saucers. Her gaze flew from Dirk, crumpled now onto the platform and moaning in pain, to Seth’s face, her expression a curious mix of horror and incredulity.
“Y-you work for Caleb Walker?”
He nodded, donning his hat again. “Yes, ma’am. I apologize for the ruckus and so does Dirk Brodie here”—Seth sharply nudged his prone opponent with his boot, Dirk uttering a hoarse apology before rolling onto his other side. “Like I said, if you’d allow me to assist you. Are you waiting for someone? I know most everybody around here—”
“I’m here to see Mr. Walker. Please, if you work for him, you must know where to find him.”
Now Seth felt like he had been punched in the gut, though he wasn’t exactly sure why. He didn’t know if it was the way she’d asked him with a particular timbre in her voice or the composition of her features, but suddenly he felt like he had seen her before. Oddly enough, something told him the day was about to become a whole lot more interesting than fetching a prize stallion from the train station.
“He’s my uncle—well, adopted uncle,” Seth added. “His family founded this town. Speaking of names, would you mind sharing yours?”
“Oh, yes, forgive me! I’m Kari Hagen…Miss Kari Hagen. I’ve come all the way from Minnesota with a letter for him, but I must give it to him personally. It was my mother’s last request! Will you help me?”
Would he help her? If he’d felt gut-punched a moment ago, now he felt strangely like he was melting inside at the soft pleading in her eyes. A man could drown in those eyes and never want to be revived…
Seth cleared his throat, realizing he’d been standing there struck dumb and looking like a fool. As Dirk rolled to his feet and stumbled back to his supplies, Seth nodded and reached out to take her satchel.
“I’d be happy to, Miss Hagen, I’m heading to my uncle’s ranch now. He’s anxious to see that stallion.”
That’s not all he’s going to see, Seth found himself thinking as she relinquished her satchel to him and accepted his proffered arm.
The moment she touched him, her small hand lightly resting on his forearm, he felt a surge of protectiveness unlike anything he’d known before. He threw a dark warning look at Dirk as they passed by him, and took care to walk at a slower pace than his usual long-legged stride so as not to rush her.
