The Iron Horseman (7 page)

“Is
there someone special here?”

“Mr.
Redbourne was right,” Emaline stated, pulling tighter on Cadence’s head. “There
are a lot more men than women out here, but not all of them are the marrying
kind.”

“But
you have your eye on someone. I can tell.”

“Jeb
Richards,” Emaline whispered with a nervous giggle. “He has a daughter just a
year or two younger than me, but he is a good man. Have you met him?”

“Can’t
say as I have.” Cadence hadn’t met many of the townsfolk in this little place.
She’d only been here the better half of a day, but there were some names and
faces that came readily to mind. Jeb Richards wasn’t one of them.

“He’s
the sheriff here,” Emaline clarified.

“Ahhh,”
Cadence noted. She’d seen him a little earlier and had wanted to catch up with
him to discuss the fire.

Emaline
worked through Cadence’s damp hair. She set the brush down on the bed and
proceeded to work with her fingers, tugging and twisting. Cadence suspected
that the woman was braiding her hair, which would be nice and simple for
tonight.

“Thank
you for helping me.”

“How’d
it get all wet anyhow?” Emaline asked without reservation.

“Your
beloved Mr. Redbourne tossed me in the trough.”

Emaline
gasped. “He what?”

“The
burning sign from the bank landed on my leg,” Cadence said.

The
woman gasped again. “It didn’t. Are you all right?”

“I
guess he thought soaking me in the horse’s drinking trench and embarrassing me
in front of the entire town would be the quickest and best way to cool it off.”

Only
a moment of silence passed between them before they both burst into laughter.

“He
is handsome, isn’t he?” Emaline said after a short time.

“Who?”
Cadence asked, but she knew exactly to whom Emaline referred.

“Mr.
Redbourne, of course. And did you know he’s got six brothers ta boot?”

Seven
Redbourne men?
What would the world do?

“Yes.
Mr. Redbourne is handsome. If you like strong jawlines and perfectly shaped
lips.”

Emaline
guffawed loudly. “You do like him.”

“Did
I just say that out loud?”

Emaline
finished with the braid and dropped it around the side of her neck and let it
fall down in front of her. Cadence reached up, running her hand down the
copious length of it.

“Well,
you’re right. And he’s kind, and smart, and from what I’ve seen, still
unattached.”

Cadence’s
heart made a little skip.

Emaline
stood up. “I like you, Miss Walker.”

“Cade,
please.”

“Cade,”
Emaline affirmed as she took a step toward the door. “All right, I’ve got to
see to the supper crowd, but we’ll talk before you leave tomorrow.”

Cadence
nodded with a painful smile and reached out, grabbing her new friend by the
hand. “Thank you.”

Emaline
gave her shoulders a little squeeze and then closed the door behind her.

Cade
reached up to the cuts on her face and winced. She turned back to glance into
the mirror. A light blue and purple tinge had started to show just beneath the
surface of her skin below her eye.

What
a story that’ll make.

Clouds
glazed over the sun, casting a shadow in her room. Cadence glanced at the clock
on the vanity. It was time to go. She looked down at her bare feet and then to
the closet where her soaked dress boots lay. Luckily, she’d grabbed an extra
pair from the bag she’d left on the train. They were older and worn, but she
didn’t imagine the Cavanaughs or their guests would be looking at her feet.

Cadence
hoped that the liveryman would still be willing to rent her another horse after
her not so graceful dismount that had landed her on her backside. She bent over
to retrieve her dry boots and grimaced. Her rear end ached, her face still
throbbed, and her blistered leg stung. What could she say? Levi Redbourne had
quite the effect on her. He’d turned her into a perfect fool in just one day.

The
thought of seeing him again caused a hollow sensation to develop in the pit of
her stomach and she quickly donned her boots—stained and all. As she went to
leave the room, she realized she still had not thrown out that basin of muddy
water, so she sauntered to the other side of the room and lifted the window
that opened into the alley. The basin was heavier than she’d expected and it
sloshed a little onto the wooden floor of the bedroom. Grateful she hadn’t
spilled any on her favorite white blouse, she reached the window. With a slight
jerk of her hand, Cadence tossed the muddied contents down into the flowers
growing below.

“What
in tarnation?” she heard a familiar voice bellow from below.

She
stuck her head out the window and had to stifle a giggle when she caught sight
of Levi staring up at her, muddy water dripping down his perfectly carved face.

“Of
course,” he said, wiping his hair out of his eyes. He shook his hands free of
the water, shook his head, and strode out onto the main street, grumbling.

“Whoops.”

Splash.

An
onslaught of dirty water emptied down on him like rain in a storm. Thickened
liquid coursed through his too-long hair and down his face. He reached up to
his cheek to wipe away the little rivulets that coursed down his face and pulled
away a finger-full of dirt.

“What
in tarnation?” He looked up.

Cadence
Walker’s head poked out from an open window two stories high.

“Of
course,” he said, wanting to wring her little neck. Had she intended her target
or had it just been happenstance?

Levi
flicked his hands at the air, dirty water splattering onto the buildings
surrounding him, and he headed out into the street. He’d simply come into the
alleyway to admire the wooden planters Emaline had filled with brightly colored
wildflowers and other green foliage. He’d recognized the flowers as the same
ones they grew along the creek.

After
reminding himself multiple times over the last quarter of an hour that he
wasn’t trying to locate Cadie Walker, he’d finally decided to join his brothers
at the livery to get the horses to take out to the Cavanaughs place. She’d just
disappeared while he’d been trying to help her. If Cadence didn’t want his
help, well then who was he to force it on her?

‘Frustrating
as hell’ would not make it on his list. It didn’t matter that her mouth haunted
his every thought, or that her laugh still tickled his ears.

When
he reached the stables, he saw Apollo grazing in the corral alongside a dozen
other horses—including Maverick. Apollo hung his head over the fence. Levi
rubbed the gelding’s neck and handed him the apple he’d purchased in the
mercantile tent.

“Women,”
he said through gritted teeth. “They’re enough to drive a man mad.”

“Having
trouble there, are ya Levi?” the liveryman asked from the chair in front of the
window—his feet propped up while munching on some fruit of his own. When he
looked up at Levi, he sat up straight and tossed his core into a can. “Well,
why’re ye soaking wet?”

“Miss
Walker.” Levi didn’t care to elaborate.

The
Irish stable owner tsked, then chuckled. “Women’ll do that to ya.”

Levi
had a mixture of feelings for the woman. She was beautiful, there was no doubt,
but there was something more about her. She irritated the hell out of him, but
in an endearing sort of way. He was mad.

“Do
you have somewhere I could clean up a bit?”

“Through
there,” the liveryman pointed to the door to the room behind his chair, “you’ll
find some towels. The pump is out back near the trough.” He chuckled again. “I
guess that’s what happens when you dump a perty lass into the horse’s drink.”
He full out laughed as he leaned backward against his chair and picked up a
pipe.

Levi
guessed he probably hadn’t thought through his actions with Miss Walker well
enough, but the woman had been on fire. He’d only done what any man would have
done.

Right?
he asked himself. The
trough had simply been the closest water available. He blew out a breath. Maybe
he had just been trying to teach her a lesson for not doing what he’d told her
to do and staying put, but he’d thought it harmless enough. Apparently, he’d
been wrong.

Loud
laughter echoed in the livery as Cole and Tag walked in through the gate.

“What
happened to you? Little Cadie Walker dump
you
into a trough?” Tag
mocked.

Levi
didn’t answer. He growled and headed for the towels.

“Impossible.”
Cole’s mouth dropped to a gape. “It really was her? What happened?” he asked,
following him inside the livery.

Levi
didn’t feel like talking about it. He just wanted to dry off and forget about the
woman. He grabbed one of the cloths and headed out back to the water spout. A
few good pumps and water sprang from the faucet. He dipped his hands into its
cool freshness and splashed it against his skin. How had he gotten into a mood?

Enough
.

When
he lifted his head, Cole and Tag each held out towels for him to wipe his face
and hands. He looked at them as they tried to contain the chuckles that
threatened.

“Okay,
I guess I deserved it,” he said with a gritty edge to his voice. He snatched
the towel from Cole’s extended hand. One was not enough. He needed to change.
At least his shirt.

Admitting
he’d been wrong was not something he’d had to do very often—not that she hadn’t
needed water on that leg—but dumping her in the trough was probably not the
right way to go about it. He couldn’t help it. She got under his skin and that
hadn’t happened in a long time.

“You
have some way to wash your clothes in that fancy train car of yours?” Cole
asked, jerking his head toward the station.

“It’ll
keep,” Levi responded, throwing the towels back at his brothers.

“What
does that mean?” Tag asked.

“It
means I’ll have them washed once we get to River City.” The next town on the
route had few more hills than Flat Plains, but he guessed the name had been
contrived from wishful thinking as there was no big river to speak of. However,
he knew a few of the women there who would be happy to help him out. He had to
admit, he’d been spoiled by the many townsfolk in each of these
communities—many of whom were grateful for the fresh start he’d offered.

“We?
Once
we
get to River City?” Cole raised an eyebrow.

“Ah,
come on,” Levi said as he headed inside. “It’s getting dark. The Cavanaughs
will be waiting on us.”

“Shouldn’t
we go collect Miss Walker?” Cole asked.

His
little brother, like all of the Redbourne men, loved women. But at his young
age, he hadn’t had much experience with them and Levi figured that wasn’t from
lack of trying.

“Yeah,”
Tag chimed in, “Mrs. Cavanaugh invited her. I’d hate to see the little lady ride
out all alone when she could keep us company along the way.”

“Speak
of the devil,” the liveryman said, jumping up from the chair and exhaling a
breath of smoke. He’d obviously been listening to their conversation. “Why,
Miss Walker. This lovely mare will be accompanying ye on the train tomorrow,
heading for Laramie. I thought ye might want to take her out to your supper
invitation with Mrs. Cavanaugh.”

It
wasn’t the same mare she’d taken out earlier in the day, though the horse had
similar coloring. A darker, almost mahogany color, but similar.

“Thank
you, Mr. Gainey,” she said without taking her eyes off of Levi. “Mr.
Redbourne,” she started, her lips folding together and then apart before
finishing, “may I have a word?”

“Whooooaaaa,”
Cole chuckled.

Tag
whistled low.

“Shut
up.”

Cadence
bit her lip. She had no idea what to expect or exactly what she would say when
Mr. Redbourne reached her, but her mother had always taught her that she
couldn’t just ignore her mistakes. Her heart beat faster every step Levi took
toward her. How could he look so handsome, even now, with wet hair and a
recently mud-stained shirt?

The
memory of being tossed in the cold water trough flashed through her mind. She
remembered how he’d commanded her about like a dog, and suddenly, she no longer
wanted to apologize.

“Yes?”
Levi inquired when he reached her.

“Are
you ready? I thought you and your strapping brothers might escort me on the
ride out to the Cavanaughs.”

He
just stared at her for a moment, like he’d expected her to say something
different. Then, with a knowing glean in his eye, the corners of his mouth
turned upward.

“Ma’am,”
he said, bowing slightly with his hand in front of him. He winked before
turning on his heel and walking toward the stall where Apollo had been housed.
“My brothers don’t bite, you know. You could have said that in front of them.”
He lifted a black Stetson from the post and pushed it down firmly on his head.
“Let’s go,” he said, leading Apollo outside.

“Aren’t
you going to change your shirt?” she called after him, leading her own mare out
into the street.

“Yes,
ma’am.” He pulled a white garment from the saddle bags of his horse.

Cadence
didn’t know what to say. Surely, he was not going to change his shirt right
here. In front of her. And the whole town. She turned away from him.

He
laughed.

After
a moment, she dared a glance over her shoulder. There he stood wearing a blue
shirt, almost identical to his brother’s. She looked around for Tag, but didn’t
see him.

“Looking
for someone,” Levi said in her ear. How had he gotten behind her so quickly?

Cadence
whipped around. Levi towered over her, adorned in a fine white linen shirt. She
felt her brows crease together in the center of her forehead.

They
all laughed.

Tag,
who’d been standing next to Apollo in the blue shirt, handed the reins to Levi.

“That’s
unnerving,” she said matter-of-factly.

“That
was nothing compared to their usual antics,” Cole told her, admiration lining
his voice. It wasn’t hard to tell that he looked up to his older brothers.

Cadence
could only imagine the havoc they would cause if they had a mind to. Levi
quickly hitched his horse and hers to the empty cart that had been leaning on
the ground in front of the stable.

“We’ll
ride,” Cole said when Levi motioned to the back of the buckboard. He and Tag
pulled out ahead of them astride their horses.

The
drive to the Cavanaugh’s place was fairly uneventful and filled with conversation.
Cadence wondered if the Redbournes were ever at a loss for words. Although Levi
hadn’t spoken a lot, he seemed to be in good spirits. She was glad. While the
dumped water hadn’t been intentional, it had given Cadence a sweet sense of
satisfaction—retribution at being tossed into the trough.

“Well,
come on in. Come on in.” Mrs. Cavanaugh met them at the front gate. Even from
here, Cadence could smell the delicious aroma of cooking meat. Beef had only
been allowed as a delicacy more than anything at home, as fresh meat was not as
widely available in Chicago as it was out here. She was grateful for the
invitation to eat with the Redbournes at the Cavanaugh’s table.

Cadence
wanted to jump down off the wagon, but thought better of it as Levi came around
to offer her his hand. She placed her hands on his shoulders and he lifted her
by the waist and set her on the ground in front of him.

“Thank
you,” she said with a smile as she turned for the front porch.

“Lawsy
sakes, child. What on earth happened to your face?” The short woman hovered her
fingers just above the cuts on Cadence’s face.

“It’s
nothing, Mrs. Cavanaugh. Really.” She hoped the wounds would heal quickly as
she had already grown tired of having to explain.

As
if sensing her irritation, the older woman dropped her hands into her apron.
“Let’s get you inside. Supper is already on the table.” Mrs. Cavanaugh placed
her palm against Cadence’s back and guided her into a chair at the beautifully
decorated table.

“It
looks lovely.” Cadence was reminded of the parties she used to attend as the
table was set quite formally. And the food smelled so good.

The
men joined them shortly. Mrs. Cavanaugh nearly pushed Levi into the chair
directly across from Cadence. It amazed her how easily such a small woman could
command these large men.

Mr.
Cavanaugh offered grace.

“You
heard the bank burned to the ground earlier?” Levi asked after he’d finished
chewing a bite of meat.

“News
travels fast out here,” Mr. Cavanaugh replied.

“Such
a shame too. Ezra just had his new vault installed. He was so proud of that
building.” Mrs. Cavanaugh slurped up a spoonful of soup. “Who could have done
such a thing?”

“I
still don’t understand why it was more important to get that bank built, than
to complete the building for the General Store.” Mr. Cavanaugh cut off another
piece of beef. “But, you sure picked some good folks, Levi. This is beautiful
country. God’s country.”

Silence.

This
territory had seemed more like a barren wasteland to Cadence than God’s
country, but she figured that these folks would find beauty anywhere. Maybe
she’d just been too preoccupied with thoughts of her father and her assignment
than to actually appreciate the differences the landscape had to offer.

“Miss
Walker here was trying to help put out the fire and the bank sign tumbled down
right on top of her,” Levi said before taking another bite of his food.

“You
must have been awfully scared, my dear.” Mrs. Cavanaugh placed a hand over
Cadence’s.

“She’s
real lucky to have nothing more than a few small burns on her leg and those
cuts on her face. It could have been a lot worse.”

Why
did he have to mention it? She just wanted to change the subject. Mrs.
Cavanaugh did it for her.

“So,
Miss Walker, did Levi recruit you too?” The question seemed simple enough, but
Cadence wasn’t sure how to respond.

“Recruited?”
Cadence asked. “I’ve only just met these gentlemen. My father is the one who
recruited me to the West.

“It’s
okay, dear,” Mrs. Cavanaugh patted her on the shoulder. “Not everyone gets
chosen special like us, isn’t that right Earl?”

“Now,
Bessie,” her husband warned, but in a gentle sort of way. “The girl is
certainly made of the stuff it takes to make it out in these parts. Leave her
be.”

“Where
did you say your family is from, my dear?”

Cadence
wasn’t sure where this conversation was leading, but alarm bells starting going
off in her head. “Chicago originally, though my father travels a lot with the
railroad and has purchased land just outside of Bryan for a new homestead.”

“Oh,
my. How terribly exciting. Are you heading to Bryan then to be with your pa?”

“Why
all the questions, Bess? Let the girl eat her supper.” Mr. Cavanaugh looked up
from his food to wink at Cadence.

“A
body can be interested, can’t she?” Bessie stared at Cadence, apparently still
awaiting a reply.

Cadence
swallowed the warm mouthful of soup she’d taken. “Yes.” She unfolded her napkin
and dabbed at the corners of her mouth. “There wasn’t much left for me in
Chicago…” Suddenly, her reasons for leaving swelled to the surface and she
didn’t want to talk about it anymore. She hadn’t thought of Daniel once today.

Everyone
stopped what they were doing and looked at her expectantly.

Cadence
sucked in a short breath and smiled. “So, I am going to Bryan to find my father
an—”

“You
mean he’s not expecting you?” Mrs. Cavanaugh opened her mouth in what Cadence
thought was an attempt at mock horror. “And no chaperone,” she tsked. “You’re
traveling all alone out here where anything can happen and no one knows where
you are?”

Suddenly,
the older woman didn’t seem so endearing.

“I
know where she is,” Levi chimed in, earning him an uncertain look from
tonight’s hostess.

Cadence
offered him a grateful smile, then turned to Bessie. “Of course he knows I’m
coming,” she lied. “I just meant that I’ve never been there before and I’ll
have to find the ranch once I get there.”

“Good.”
Bessie harrumphed. “Every woman, especially one as pretty as you, needs a good
man around to help her. You look real hearty, like you got a lot of good child-bearing
years on you, dear. Don’t you think so, Levi?”

All
three Redbournes coughed. Levi nearly choked on his food.

Cadence
bit her lip to stop herself from smiling.

“Sorry?”
he said, asking for clarification after downing near a full cup of his drink.

Cadence
wasn’t looking for a man. Daniel had been everything she’d ever wanted and the
thought of being married to someone other than him was something she’d not
allowed herself to entertain in the three years since her love had been killed.

“I
was just saying that Miss Walker seems like she would make a good wife.”

It
took a moment for Levi to recover. “I’m sure she would indeed.” He scooped
another spoonful of the delectable potato soup into his mouth, but did not take
his eyes off Cadence.

If
only they knew. She could cook and clean with the best of them. She’d also been
known to knit a scarf or two and darn socks—though she preferred to do things
that took her away from mundane chores. As she finished her supper, Cadence
glanced down the hallway and noticed the most intricate and brilliantly colored
pieced quilt she’d ever seen.

“Mrs.
Cavanaugh,” she exclaimed as she pushed herself away from the table, “is this
your work?” She reached up and, without actually touching the cloth, ran her
fingers over the stitching. In her life before joining the Pinkertons, Cadence
had participated in many domestic undertakings. She’d held tea parties,
quilted, and—

Thump!
Thump! Thump!

“I
wonder who that could be at this time of night.” Mr. Cavanaugh stood up from
the table to answer the door. “Are you expecting anyone else, my dear?”

Mrs.
Cavanaugh shook her head as she joined Cadence next to the hung quilt.

“Evenin’,
Sheriff.”

“I’m
sorry for the intrusion, Earl, but I have a matter to discuss with your guests.”
Sheriff Richards pushed in through the small doorway and glanced over the room,
from each of the Redbournes to her. “Would y’all mind stepping outside for a
moment?”

Cadence
looked at the man from head to toe.

So,
that’s Emaline’s fella.

“Awww,
Jeb.” Mrs. Cavanaugh, a good foot shorter than the sheriff, stepped in front of
everyone and placed her hand on the Mr. Richards’ chest. “I’m sure whatever it
is can wait until morning. But, you’re welcome to come in and sit a spell.”

“‘Fraid
not tonight, Bess. From what I understand, Levi’s leaving on the train tomorrow
and I need a word.”

“It’s
all right, Bessie,” Levi stepped up next to the woman and put his arm around
her shoulder. “We’ll be right back.” Levi motioned for his brothers to follow. When
his eyes met Cadence’s, they locked momentarily, and he winked. Again.

All
three Redbournes walked out the door. Cadence moved to follow. She was itching
to know about the fire, but Bessie placed a hand on her arm to stop her
retreat. A moment later, Levi poked his head back in.

“He
wants you too.”

Cadence
exchanged looks with Mrs. Cavanaugh who nodded her approval and moved her hand
to Cadence’s back and gently pushed her toward the door.

“I’m
sure it’s fine, dear. Levi will take good care of you.”

It
was Cadence’s turn to cough. Why did everyone seem to think she needed a man to
take care of her? Her mother, Annie, and now Mrs. Cavanaugh.

She
stepped into the cool evening air and wrapped her arms around herself.

The
sheriff scratched his cheek and ran his tongue over his teeth, making a
squeaking noise as he sucked in.

Cadence
smiled to herself when she thought of how sweet Emaline was on the man. She
could see how his easy manner and modest good looks would attract the lovely
spinster.

“Levi,
as you probably suspected, it looks like the blaze at the bank was no accident.
Someone started that fire and I want to know why. I know you vetted every one
of the people living around here and I thought you might have some idea where
to start. Is there anybody here you might suspect of being capable of doing
such a thing?”