“Itistoday.”
“You arrangedfor that advertisement in the paper yesterday,” heaccused.
She shrugged. “I plan forcontingencies.”
If he weren’t soall-fired mad, he’d admire her grit. “I’ll find Callihan foryou.”
Her brows shot up. “Itwas my understanding you refused.”
“I told you,I ain’t never said—” Taking a breath, he pinched the bridge of hisnose. God damn, his head hurt something fierce. “Fine, then. I’mun-refusing.”
“I’ll begoing with you.”
It weren’t often he wasflabbergasted, and she’d managed it in under five minutes. “No, youwon’t.”
That pointy little chinlifted. “I’m paying, Mr Wade.”
“Just ’causeyou’re paying don’t mean I’ll let you get your fool self killed. Onthe trail of a killer is no place for a lady.”
“I’ll be onthe first train out of Deadwater tomorrow morning, Mr Wade. Eitheryou will be on it with me, or I will find someone else toemploy.”
Damned if she weren’t themost ornery, contrary, frustrating woman. “This will be a hardjourney,” he warned. “It ain’t the carriages and feather bedsyou’re used to. We’ll be riding hard, and sleeping under the stars.I won’t be accommodating a maid”
“I don’t haveone,” she replied calmly.
She didn’t have one? Afancy lady like her? He scowled. Christ, did that mean— “You didn’tcome here on your own, did you?”
“Idid.”
No sense. She hadabsolutely no sense. “This ain’t a place a woman should travelalone.”
“And yet, Iam.”
Her quiet words helddetermination and steel, as did her gaze. Nothing he said woulddissuade her. He knew it like he knew the feel of his gun in hishand. He tipped his head. “The next train to Cheyenne leavestomorrow afternoon. Make sure you’re ready.”
“I will beready. Make sure you are as well. Remember, Mr Wade, you arereplaceable.”
Her certainty that he wasexpendable stung and made his words harsher than they ought to be.“Send your trunks back to wherever you came from. You have twosaddlebags for your stuff. Make sure you don’t exceed that,” hesaid stiffly. “I’ll expect my expenses at the Elephant be paid,along with the transport of my horse. We’ll hammer out the otherdetails on the train ride.”
“Details?”
He smiled lazily. “It’s along train ride, darlin’, and I’ve many conditions. I imagine we’llentertain ourselves mightily.”
She inclined herhead.
Because his mama hadraised a gentleman, he tipped his hat to her beforedeparting.
The further he got fromher, the lesser his rage, and the greater his astonishment that shegot under his skin. She was a little dab of a thing, colourless anddrab. Sure it was she had an imperious way about her, and aparticular way of looking down her nose that made him irritable,but she barely came up to his shoulder, and for all her softnessand wealth, he could tell life hadn’t treated her kind. Why elsewould she be gallivanting around the country at the age ofthirty-two hunting for a bad-wicked man and employing the likes ofone who didn’t entertain the most spotless of reputations? She werea puzzle, and he might as well set his mind to solvingher.
After all, it looked likehe were about to set upon a journey and he needed something to passthe time.
ChapterThree
THE TRAIN CAR UNDULATED beneath them, a rhythmic motionthat reminded Jake of the gait of his horse. Never had muchoccasion to travel by train, but he always found the experience tobe pleasant enough
Undulated. Jake smirked.Another of those ten-dollar words that tickled him somethingfierce.
Crossing his arms overhis chest, he stretched his legs. For most of the day they’dtravelled, and they still had all of the coming night, reachingCheyenne afore the sun had risen too much the following day.Lodgings shouldn’t be too hard to find, and once they had, even atthat hour he should be able to park himself somewhere to play ahand or two and listen to the speakings of men as whiskey madetheir tongues looser than they should be.
