by Cahill, Cat
Chapter Nineteen
Thomas stood rooted to the cabin’s wooden floor. It couldn’t be.
“He doesn’t know you’re here,” Caroline said. She still held on to the back of that chair like it gave her the strength to tell him such news. “I don’t know if he’s following a lead or if he’s simply moving from town to town. He was on his way to speak with the sheriff in Cañon City.”
“What did he look like?” Thomas finally said.
“He was tall and broad. Short hair that was something of a rusty color. He was quite imposing.”
Deputy Frank Rayburn. Sheriff now, he supposed. And not elected, as sheriffs should be. The mining company hired him directly to keep order in Barrett Mountain. They simply borrowed the title to make him look legitimate. He’d had no beef with Rayburn as a deputy. In fact, he’d never had trouble with Sheriff Ratterman either, until Ratterman had attempted to steal the entire town’s pay from him.
“Do you know him?” Caroline asked tentatively. She’d stepped away from the chair and was now standing before him, her small hands clasped tightly together in front of her.
“I do. He was the deputy in the mining town. Barrett Mountain.”
“The one who came with the pay clerk the day the sheriff tried to steal the money?”
“The very one.”
“What should we do now?”
“We?” He laughed, and then immediately wished he hadn’t when he saw the wounded look that crossed her face. He reached for her hand, allowing himself to make the contact he’d been wanting to all night. When she didn’t protest, he took both her hands in his and looked down into her face. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to be cruel. I just don’t want you hurt.”
“How would I get hurt? All I want to do is help you prove your innocence.” Her hands shifted in his as she took a hesitant step forward.
He kept his eyes on her face, trying not to think about how close she was to him for the second time that night. He could barely think at all as they’d ridden down here, her small body cocooned in his on the saddle. He closed his eyes for a second to keep his focus. And in that moment, he never wanted to run again. Not if it hurt her, because if there was anything he wanted even more than his own freedom, it was to make this woman happy. But how could he do that as a wanted man? Especially now that the man who was searching for him was so nearby? A frustrated sigh escaped his lips.
“I still believe we can prove to this sheriff that you were defending yourself and the company’s money.” Caroline looked up at him with all the hope in the world in her eyes.
“But that’s the problem. I’ve been around this so many times, and I can’t think of anything. And before you suggest it, yes, I have thought that Rayburn was the one who stole the money. And the pay clerk, too. But neither of those is possible.”
“How come?” Caroline asked. She’d had the same thoughts. After all, it seemed obvious from the facts of Thomas’s story.
“Rayburn had no horse because I’d taken it. He had no way to transport that lockbox without taking the entire wagon, which would have looked very suspicious. He had no friends who would help him. Rayburn was not particularly liked in the camp. And the clerk was a nervous man. He couldn’t even skip Sunday services without everyone knowing, simply because of the anxious countenance that would sit on his face the whole week.”
“How about witnesses?” Caroline asked. “Did anyone else see what happened?”
He shook his head. The girl was determined, he had to give her that. “No one arrived until after the shooting.”
“Do you know for certain?”
“Yes . . .” He trailed off. Did he know for certain? The events of that evening had such sharp focus, but he’d never looked beyond what had been right in front of him. “I think so. But I suppose there could have been someone I never saw.”
She chewed her lip as she looked at him. “How about clues? Was there anything left at the crossroads?”
He hadn’t even thought of that. “I don’t think so.” He dropped one of her hands to rub at his face. “If there was anything there, I didn’t see it.”
“But you didn’t have time to look either, did you?”
“No. I didn’t.” He couldn’t think of anything that could have been there. Any tracks left in the dirt would be long gone by now. Any coins dropped would have been picked up as miners walked from town to mine.
She smiled victoriously. “See, there are possibilities. You only have to think on it some more, and I just know something will come to you.”
She looked so proud of herself that he couldn’t help but smile back, even though his future seemed to be nothing but a black curtain. But she had a point. There was a lot he didn’t know. And if that was the case, then maybe there was something or someone out there who could prove he was in the right.
“I don’t want to see you taken to prison,” she said softly as she looked up at him with those beautiful blue eyes.
Seeing her look at him like that, having her say that to him . . . his heart filled. No one had ever believed in him the way she did. He lifted a hand and traced a finger along her cheek. She took a sharp breath and closed her eyes. What he wouldn’t give to press her to him right now and kiss her so thoroughly that she’d be his forever.
But he couldn’t. He wouldn’t scare her away. Somehow, this beautiful, kind woman—who was nothing that he had expected her to be—trusted him, and he wouldn’t squander that.
He opened his hand and cupped her cheek, then let go. Her eyes fluttered open and she gave him a look of pure confusion.
“I should get you back to the hotel,” he said by way of explanation.
She nodded, but her mouth dropped almost as if she was sad. His heart swelled again. As she blew out the candles, Thomas wondered how he’d gotten so lucky as to meet her in the midst of the chaos of his life. She moved to stack the plates, as if to take them out for washing. In that moment, he couldn’t believe he’d ever thought her to be anything like his mother.
“Leave them,” he said, his voice a bit garbled. He cleared his throat. “I’ll take care of them in the morning.”
As he led her out the door to the waiting horse, he fought the one thought that had been drifting around the recesses of his mind since she’d suggested there might be proof out there to exonerate him.
He was going to need to return to Barrett Mountain.
Chapter Twenty
“Mrs. Ruby is going to announce it today!” one of the newer girls said as she flew through the hotel lobby past the other girls filing toward the restaurant before the noon train’s arrival.
“Vivian! Decorum, please.” Mrs. Ruby’s voice called across the lobby.
“Do you suppose it’s true?” Caroline whispered to Penny as they entered the dining room. “I thought it would be at least another week before she made a decision.”
“We’ll find out.” Penny squeezed her hand. “But I know you’ll get it.”
Caroline tried to smile, but nerves prevented her. In fact, she’d become so nervous that she no longer felt tired from her midnight excursion with Thomas.
Thomas. Thankfully she had a healthy dose of anxiety right now, or else thoughts of him caressing her face and riding in the same saddle together would have her far too much of a mess to prove herself worthy of a position here at all, never mind one as head waitress.
“Attention, ladies!”
The chatter ceased instantaneously when Mrs. Ruby spoke. “Thanks to Miss Williamson, I’m sure you all know I’ve made a decision concerning our head and assistant head waitresses.”
Penny gave Caroline a huge smile. Dora and Millie crowded in behind them.
“You’ve all worked very hard this past week, and I couldn’t be prouder of you. That said, we must ensure we never get too comfortable. For if we do, our service will suffer.” Mrs. Ruby cast her gaze across the sea of gray-and-white uniformed young ladies before her. She let her words sink in before continuing. “Now for ou
r announcements.”
Dora slipped her hand into Caroline’s as Caroline sent up a prayer, and then immediately felt guilty. She shouldn’t pray for such selfish things.
“Our assistant head waitress is Miss Sarah Taylor.”
A squeal arose from the end of the group, and everyone clapped. Millie applauded the loudest. Sarah had arrived in Millie’s small group halfway through the summer, and Caroline and her friends had been responsible for training them.
“And our head waitress is Miss Caroline Beauchamp.” Mrs. Ruby’s proud smile landed on Caroline. “Please come up here, ladies.”
Caroline stood rooted to the dining room floor. Mrs. Ruby had chosen her! All of her hard work hadn’t gone unnoticed. While, thankfully, her . . . dalliance with Thomas had. Shame crept up the back of her neck. A true Gilbert Girl shouldn’t have been acting the way Caroline had. And now that she was head waitress, she especially shouldn’t be so cavalier about breaking the rules.
“What are you waiting for? Go on.” Penny gave her a little nudge in the back.
Even though she stumbled forward, Caroline was thankful for Penny’s push. She made her way to Mrs. Ruby on numb feet. Sarah was already there, something small and silver gleaming from the left side of her uniform apron, beneath her collar.
“Miss Beauchamp,” Mrs. Ruby said, looking serious again. “I am honored to present you with this pin that indicates your new position.” She held out a shining gold star.
Caroline took it gratefully and pinned it to her apron. “Thank you. I’m humbled. And I promise to do my best as head waitress.”
Mrs. Ruby beamed. “You are both a shining example of what the Gilbert Company strives to be to the world.” She moved her eyes to the girls standing behind Caroline and Sarah. “We are to be beacons of civilization in the wilderness, ever polite, humble, graceful, and willing to serve.”
Caroline’s face reddened, and she ducked her head, hoping no one saw. She felt like a fraud, standing up here as some kind of example of a Gilbert Girl. Yes, she worked hard and she exceeded Mrs. Ruby’s expectations, but in her own hours, she was flaunting all the rules. She told herself she only wanted to help Thomas escape his predicament, but she couldn’t deny that she enjoyed his attentions. And last night . . .
Her cheeks grew even warmer as her mind flickered through images of him looking at her with his eyes the color of a stormy sea. Holding her hands. Running a finger down her cheek.
“Caroline?” Penny stood in front of her. The group had disbanded and run off to prepare for the noon meal service. “Are you all right?”
“I . . .” Caroline grabbed Penny’s hand, overcome with the desire to unburden herself. “May I speak with you for a moment? Alone?”
Penny glanced back at the other girls, preparing their stations.
“I promise it won’t be but a minute.”
Penny nodded, and Caroline led the way to the kitchen, and then outside. They were alone out here, but still Caroline took them several steps away from the kitchen door, just in case someone should come outside.
“Are you nervous?” Penny asked.
“Nervous? Oh! About being head waitress. Yes, some,” she admitted. “But that’s not what’s on my mind.”
Penny raised an eyebrow, a habit Caroline both envied and found slightly unladylike. A whistle pierced the air. The noon train had arrived.
Caroline twisted the edge of her apron in her hand, and then dropped it. The last thing she needed on her first day as head waitress was unsightly wrinkles. “Remember when I told you about Thomas?”
A devilish smile played across Penny’s face. “How could I forget? Your tall, handsome, ‘nice’ man. I know that’s where you went last night.”
Caroline wished she could smile back, but her nerves were far too jumpy. She should’ve known Penny wouldn’t have slept through her leaving their room so late. “You’re right. But that wasn’t what I wanted to confess to.” She glanced off into the trees that hid the creek from sight. The leaves on the aspens and cottonwoods had turned even brighter and bolder, stark, warm colors against the gray sky. Maybe she should tell Penny about Thomas’s problem before sharing how she felt about him. “There was something about Thomas I didn’t tell you.”
“Oh?” Penny’s eyebrow crooked up again.
“He’s . . .” She took a deep breath and fixed her gaze on Penny’s kind green eyes. “He’s wanted by the law.”
Penny’s smile fell. “He’s an outlaw?”
“He isn’t, really. Let me explain. At that restaurant on Sunday, remember the sheriff who came to our rescue? He’s searching for Thomas.”
“So Thomas is . . . What did that man call him?”
“Tom the Cat,” Caroline supplied. “But Penny—you have to believe me—he didn’t do what they think he did. At least, not part of it.”
“What is he wanted for?” Penny asked cautiously. “And for the love of all good things, please don’t tell me it’s murder.”
Caroline pushed her lips together. And nodded, just slightly.
Penny let out a frustrated sigh. “And you’ve been meeting with him in secret? He killed someone, Caroline! What are you thinking? Why didn’t you turn him in?”
“He was defending himself.” She told Penny a shortened version of Thomas’s unfortunate story.
“What does that matter for you? He’s a wanted man, Caroline. This isn’t going to end well for him.”
Caroline had never seen Penny look so reproachful. She wanted so badly to defend Thomas. Penny didn’t know how sweetly he’d made that picnic for her last night or about his dream to own a store. She didn’t know how hurt he was that someone would believe he was trying to steal. And she certainly didn’t know how remorseful he was that he’d killed someone. The grief he carried with him always sat just behind his easy smile and bright eyes. “You don’t know him,” she said softly.
“And you shouldn’t either,” Penny said. Her face softened when she saw Caroline’s jaw tremble. “Oh, no. You really care for him, don’t you?”
Caroline squeezed her eyes shut. And nodded. This was what she really wanted to share with Penny. “I shouldn’t. I know. But he’s so thoughtful, and he makes me feel . . . loved.”
“I’m sorry I encouraged you to break the rules,” Penny said. “I feel this is partly my fault.” She reached out for Caroline’s hands.
Caroline sniffed. “It’s not. This is all on me. Oh, Penny! I want to help him so badly. I want . . . I want . . .” What did she want? If she was truthful, she’d admit she wanted his arms around her again. She wanted him to say her name with such longing, it might split her heart in two. She wanted to see those eyes go dark when he looked at her. And she wanted, more than anything in the world, for him to be released from this shadow that followed him everywhere.
“You need to be strong right now.” Penny held her hands in between them. “We have a meal to serve, and you’re head waitress.”
“I know. But I’m not sure I can—”
“Nonsense. You can. Now dry your eyes. Concentrate on your work. And we’ll talk more later about what to do with your Mr. Tom the Cat.”
The name sent a shiver up Caroline’s spine, as if by simply saying it, Penny was dooming Thomas to a life behind bars. “Please don’t call him that.”
Penny watched her for a moment, and then nodded. She let go of Caroline’s hands, and Caroline reached into the pocket of her skirts for a handkerchief. Of course, the one that emerged was Thomas’s. She dabbed at her eyes, returned the handkerchief, and straightened her skirts. “Do I look all right?”
“Put on a smile and no one will be any the wiser.”
Caroline let a false smile lift her lips.
“Let’s go, head waitress.” Penny led the way back inside, and Caroline followed.
They emerged into the dining room with only a moment to spare. Dora found them, concern tracing her face. “I wasn’t sure where you’d gone, so Millie and I prepared both of your stations
.”
“Thank you,” Penny said, and Caroline echoed her.
What a way to begin her first service as head waitress, with her friend picking up her work. Caroline resolved to push Thomas from her mind and put all of her effort into her duties. She took her place next to Sarah and Mrs. Ruby in front of the other girls lined up in the dining room. It wasn’t long before the first passengers streamed inside.
As soon as a couple was seated in her section, Caroline made her way toward them. Not three feet away, she stopped. Her heart flipped.
She knew these people.
Chapter Twenty-one
Thomas hadn’t slept much the night before, and as afternoon stretched into evening, he began to feel it. He took his time putting away the tools and the leftover materials he’d used for repairs on the stables as the sun began to sink behind the mountains. Just as he set down the last piece of wood, the southbound train pulled out of Crest Stone station.
His stomach rumbled as he shut the door to the shed. He leaned against it and studied the hotel that lay several yards away. Caroline was in there, and most likely, he’d see her at supper. He’d skipped both breakfast and lunch inside, instead grabbing bread and cheese on his way out the door early this morning. It wasn’t that he wanted to avoid her; it was that he was afraid he wouldn’t be able to keep what had happened between them last night to himself. How could anyone look at him as he watched Caroline and not suspect his true feelings?
And then there was the nagging knowledge of what he’d realized last night—that he would need to go back to Barrett Mountain. He didn’t know how but it had to happen soon, before Rayburn found him. Although how he was going to walk in there wanted for murder and then leave a free man was a mystery to Thomas. But it was the only way he’d ever be able to shake the charges against him. He had to take the chance. He dreaded telling Caroline. She wouldn’t be happy with his decision, but he hoped she would at least understand. This was all too real, and too dangerous, and he didn’t want her anywhere near it.