Zeus paws the ground, and sure enough, there is a small indentation in the corner where you can tell someone slept and I know exactly who that was, and my heart practically stops.
“I am sorry, and please tell Mr. Dalton I’ll pay for any damages he has caused. Zeus has always been calm and gentle, I have no idea what’s gotten into him. While I calm him down, would you saddle up one of your fastest horses? I need to catch the stagecoach.”
“I’ll have one of my men see to it. The big male has been calm the entire time we’ve had him until that stagecoach went by. He acted like he had to get out and chase it down.”
“I have a feeling he was trying to do just that because his favorite person was inside. Roy brought my mare Bells in. Would you make sure she is seen to as well?”
“Absolutely! Just give us a few minutes and we will get you on your way.”
Zeus is stomping and snorting when I walk up, and I climb on the side rail, reaching for his bridle. “Hey, big guy, calm down. I am going to go get our girl while that’s happening, little Henry is going to come get you and Coco and take you to our new home. I will bring Jess to you, I promise.”
He shakes his head, then turns away from me, laying his neck across Coco’s back, instantly calm once again. Climbing off the gate, I am thankful when I see a large quarter horse being led my way, saddled and ready. Securing the bag old man Harvey gave me, I mount up. The gelding prances under me as we sprint out of the barn and down the main road, heading in the direction I know the stagecoach is heading.
CHAPTER 27
GRANT
“Damnit, Reggie, wait a minute!”, I scream after him as I watch him push Bells hard, leaving the main drive of our cabin. Saddling Rebel up, I swing a leg over him just as Lauren rushes out with a few things in her hand.
“Grant, here, tuck this in your saddlebags for later. I love you and be careful. There is more going on here than either of us knows, but one thing was obvious. When she arrived, she was in love, and the last time I saw her, she was lost and broken.”
“Love you too, I’ve gotta go. I’ll be back late.”
Lauren steps out of the way, and I know she’s watching me until I’m out of sight. Rebel eats up the miles, and just as I round the corner coming into town, looking around for Reggie or Bells, I hear a whistle. I turn only to find old man Harvey trying to wave me down.
“Reggie is headed toward the stagecoach, but he doesn’t know about the mountain pass.”
“How long has JD been gone?”
“About four hours now.”
I tip my hat at him and turn Rebel toward one of the side alleys and a trail that only a few locals know about. Since I’ve been over every inch of this ground for miles around, I know exactly where to go to cut that stagecoach off.
“Come on Rebel, let’s go save the girl for Reggie.”
Pulling my handkerchief up over the lower part of my face, I let Rebel have his head as we have traversed these trails many times, and he knows where we are heading. We have been traveling for several hours when I hear the stagecoach on the ridge below us. Leading Rebel down the hill, we come around the bend just as the coach is climbing up the embankment. I wait until it’s leveled out before throwing up an arm and maneuvering Rebel in front the horses so that they have to stop. I see JD raise a gun toward me as he doesn’t recognize me with this handkerchief on my face.
“What the hell do you want, cowboy? I’ve got a scattergun pointed straight at that big head of yours, and I’d advise you to move on. Ain’t nothing here worth dying over.”
“It’s Grant Hayes, JD. You’ve got a passenger I need to speak to.”
He lowers the gun about the time I pull down this face covering. “You’ve got four minutes, Grant. I’ve got a schedule to keep.”
The side door swings open, and Jessica steps out. “Mr. Hayes, what are you doing here?”
“Trying to find you before Reggie loses his mind.”
“I think you are mistaken, Mr. Hayes. After all, I am justa maid. If I recall it correctly, that was one of the things he made sureyou knew right off the bat. If he needs someone to clean his new place, he’ll simply have to hire someone else.”
She turns to get back in.
“Miss Welch, if you have no feelings for Reggie at all, you go ahead and climb on up in that coach, and I will step to the side.”
Jessica turns back to me with fire in her red, puffy eyes. “I am not the one who discarded the other, Sir.”
“Let me clear something up for you. When a man comes hundreds of miles to rebuild his life, but all he can talk about is Jessica can do this and Jessica can do that … you are not being discarded.”
“Excuse my language, butbullshit! I stood right on the other side of the door when he told you not five minutes after you met me that I wasa maid… your maid to be exact, even though you don’t remember me … because being the maid makes most of us invisible to people like you and Reggie. He also said that we were forced together because my ticket for the train was issued wrong and that pretending was the only way he wouldn’t have to leave me behind.”
