The Iron Horseman (13 page)

Several
lanterns lit the whitewashed kitchen and Cadence was grateful for the light.
She pounded the dough again. It had been a long time since she’d done any work
in the kitchen. At home, her mother had done most of the cooking after Daniel
had passed away. It had been three years and her friends and family still
treated her like a delicate twig that would snap with the slightest pressure.
It had served her well as a cover, but the façade had grown old. At least now
she didn’t have to pretend with her mother.

“Now,
we’ll just break off pieces like this,” Mrs. Gordon tore off a chunk of the
dough, “and roll it flat.” She accomplished the task in a few short seconds.
“And then, we’ll wrap the chicken, a hearty spoonful of gravy, and the
vegetables, sealing off the ends like this.” She held up her example for
display before setting it neatly into the pan of hot oil on her stove.

Cadence
followed suit. However, she was careful not to make a splash when she placed
her concoction into the pot. Her mind drifted back to Levi. She scarcely wanted
to admit the disappointment she’d felt when he had not elected to kiss her. Her
time with him was running short. It wouldn’t be long before they reached Bryan.
She’d managed to push her worry for the missing Pinkerton to the back of her
mind. She didn’t want to think about the possibility she may have lost her
father too.

He’s
too stubborn to die
,
she reminded herself.
He’ll be fine.

Once
she was in Bryan she would find her father, assess the threat, and then proceed
with the rest of her assignment. Thomas Durant had received several threats
detailing what would happen to the railroad and all those who supported it, if
he followed through with his intention to meet the Central Pacific in
completion of the Transcontinental Railroad. While a Pinkerton was generally
visible on every train, Mr. Pinkerton had wanted someone who would be able to
get close to Durant and protect him from within. Someone unexpected.

Her.

Everything
she’d heard about Thomas Durant was unpleasant. Even though Annie had tried to
deny it, she’d not ended her assignment on good terms with the man. Still, Mr.
Pinkerton would not have entrusted Cadence with an assignment of this magnitude
if it wasn’t important.

“You
find out what or who is threatening the railroad, and stop them,” he’d told
her. “The joining of the rails is an important step in uniting this great
nation.” Those had been the last words she’d heard from Allan before leaving
Chicago, and she was determined to make certain nothing would prevent that from
happening.

“I’m
sure they will be back at any moment, dear,” Mrs. Gordon said, patting her on
the shoulder. “You looked like you were quite far away just then.” She placed
the plate of chicken dumplings down in the center of the gingham covered table.
“Is everything all right?”

Cadence
smiled and nodded.

“Would
you mind going down into the cellar, dear, and retrieving a bottle of cider?”

Cadence
cleared her throat and nodded. She picked up one of the lanterns from a hook
near the back door and walked out into the pantry where the brisk evening air
seeped under the door. The cellar steps were taller than she’d expected and she
nearly tripped over her dress as she descended. The door at the bottom of the
stairs opened easily and Cadence held up the light to reveal a room of shelves
full of bottled goods—each carefully marked with the name of the item and the
date it had been sealed. Mrs. Gordon would have gotten along well with her
mother.

It
only took a moment to locate the bottles labeled ‘cider.’ They were large
enough that Cadence guessed they would only need one. She tucked it into her
arm and turned to go back up the stairs, but someone blocked her way. She
jumped back, the jar slipping from her hold, but she didn’t hear it crash.

“Levi,
you startled me.” She swatted at his arm, appreciating the firm angles of his
chest and shoulders.

Look
at his face
.
She chastised herself for allowing her thoughts to dwell on the wide expanse of
him and glanced up.

“Glad
you didn’t drop this,” he said, holding out the bottle of newly shaken juice, a
wide smile spread across his face.

Cadence
couldn’t stop herself from admiring his perfectly chiseled jawline.

“Thank
you,” she responded, reaching for the jar.

Levi
pulled it back, just out of her reach. He leaned down, wrapping his fingers
around the handle of the lantern she held, and took it from her. He set the dim
source of light down on a tall wooden crate and hooked his arm around her
waist, pulling her body in close to his—the bottle of cider at her back—and
closed his eyes as his mouth descended on hers.

The
feel of his strength, his grief, his desire, all poured into that kiss. She
relaxed against him, her hands unwittingly sliding up his chest, around his
neck, and into the dark waves of hair at his nape as she allowed herself to
indulge in the pleasure his lips brought to hers. Her whole body suddenly felt
alive and she didn’t ever want the moment to end.

Nevertheless,
Levi pulled away, staring down at her with eyes the color of warm honey pooled
inside rings of chocolate. He brushed her lips and jaw with his thumb and smiled.

“I’ve
been wanting to do that for a long time.” He picked up the lantern and returned
it to her hand with a pleased grin and skipped up the cellar steps, two at a
time, to the kitchen with the cider still in his hand.

Cadence
pressed her fingers to her lips, unsure her legs would still support her. “Mr.
Redbourne,” she said to herself, “you are full of surprises.” She smiled and
climbed out of the cellar.

When
she stepped back into the kitchen, she placed the lantern on the table for some
additional light. Levi stood up and pulled out the chair next to him. She sat
down, unable to help the happy curve to her lips, and filled her plate.

“The
Gordon’s have invited us to stay,” Levi said, breaking off a piece of one of
the chicken-filled dumplings.

Mrs.
Gordon smacked his hand away. “You’ll be staying in separate rooms, of course.”
The woman eyed him with warning.

Levi
put his hands in the air. “My mama would have my hide if I was anything but a
proper gentleman.”

The
meal was delicious.

Cadence
had never experienced filled dumplings before. They were delightful. She
guessed everyone else felt the same as the entire basket of twelve dumplings
had disappeared. She stood up and started collecting the empty dishes.

“Allow
me.” Levi pushed his chair back and reached for the plate she held. When his
fingers grazed hers, Cadence sucked a quick intake of breath, and she met his
gaze with a smile.

“The
sheriff?” she asked quietly. She’d been waiting all night for the uncomfortable
conversation a visit from the local lawman would create.

Levi
shook his head, then turned to Mrs. Gordon. “You both have slaved over this
wonderful meal. It seems only fitting that Doc and I do the dishes.”

Cadence
allowed the apprehension to drain out of her.

Mrs.
Gordon patted her husband gently on the shoulder a few times. Cadence guessed
she approved of Mr. Redbourne’s actions. Begrudgingly at first, Doc Gordon
stood up and began to help Levi clear the table.

“Never
look a gift horse in the mouth, my boy,” Doc Gordon said.

“Are
you calling me a horse, Harold Gordon?” Mrs. Gordon called as the men turned to
leave.

“Only
in the best sense, my love,” he replied, leaning over to kiss his wife lovingly
smack on the lips.

Cadence
smiled at the sweet exchange.

As
Levi and Doc headed into the kitchen, she decided the men were lucky a pump had
been installed next to the sink. It wasn’t that easy in most places.

“That
man of yours is really something, isn’t he?” The look of utter delight on the
woman’s face told Cadence that she wasn’t accustomed to having someone else do
the chores.

“He
is something all right.” Cadence watched with appreciation as Levi demonstrated
how to wash a dish for the doctor. It seemed for all of his talents with
medicine, housework just didn’t come natural to Doc.

Cadence’s
chest heaved lightly with a silent laugh.

One
adventure after another.

Bryan.
Thoughts of her father
pushed their way to the surface and she fought to keep calm. The longer it took
for them to get back on the train, the longer her father was out there
somewhere, possibly hurt or…

There
was nothing she could do to help him right now, but a good night’s rest would
go a long way in keeping her alert and ready when the time came. They’d be on
their way in the morning. Hopefully, a train could pick them up in town and
they would once again be on their way.

Levi
looked back at her and winked. If she didn’t know any better, she would say
they were the most in love and believable couple she had ever seen. This was a
part she could play.

Heaven
help her—it felt good.

Levi
awoke before the sun. They would have a lot to do today. He needed to gather as
many men as he could to ride out to the wreck and salvage all of the goods that
had not been lost when the train derailed. His men would need some
relief—especially if word about the derailment had gotten out or coyotes had
come around to call. He imagined they were ready for a good hot meal and a
place to sleep.

Levi
sat up, picking a stray piece of straw from his hair.

Apollo
nickered quietly.

The
barn was as good a place as any, he’d figured, to get a night’s rest. It sure
beat sleeping in a train corridor and being tossed about like a ragdoll. At
least Mrs. Gordon had given him a bedroll with a couple of blankets and a
pillow. It had taken some time, but eventually he’d gotten some good sleep.

Levi
pushed aside the blankets and stood up. He folded the bedding and tossed it
below before climbing down the ladder from the hayloft.

A
sliver of light shone through the barn doors. Levi welcomed the warmth of the
sun’s rays as he stepped outside to stretch. The morning smelled like rain, but
the clouds had mostly dispersed and the ground was damp, but there were no
puddles on the ground. It must have been a very light shower.

Levi
loved mornings for a much different reason now than when he was a child. He
glanced behind him up at the high door to the loft. How many times had he and
Tag scared the dickens out of one of his poor unsuspecting siblings? Too many
to count.

He
remembered one time in particular when his baby sister, Hannah, had gone out to
the barn to milk the cow and had sat down on the stool—unsuspectingly sitting
on the cow pie that had awaited her. Or the time he and Tag had completely
dismantled the family’s outhouse one morning before church on Sunday and had
left it sitting in a neatly organized heap at the foot of the front porch
stairs. They’d taken their father’s wrath on that one and they’d been assigned
latrine duty for two full weeks, Levi remembered with a smirk. The look on
their father’s face when he’d discovered the missing structure had been worth
it.

It
was a long time ago.
Levi
chuckled. Those days seemed all too distant.

“You’re
up mighty early.”

Levi
spun around to see Mrs. Gordon with her basket, heading toward the chicken
coop. He glanced up onto the wrap around porch where Miss Walker had just
emerged from the house, pulling her hair up into a tie as she ran down the
stairs.

“Now,
Mrs. Gordon, you just get your pretty little
self back
into the house. Miss Walker and I will take care of your eggs. It’s the least
we can do for your hospitality.”

“Oh,
I couldn’t,” she said with a pleased grin on her face. “It’s been such a
pleasure to have the two of you under our humble roof. It’s a shame you’ll have
to be leaving us so soon.”

Cadence
hurried past them into the chicken coop. “Who needs a basket when you’ve got a
perfectly capable apron.” She paused a second, turned around, and scooped up
the bottom of the apron she wore into a bowl-like shape. He could only guess
she’d borrowed it from the kitchen.