Mason surveyed the ever-growing crowd and made a few notes on his pad. “It’s an important event, especially for a city that owes its existence to the railroad.” He nodded, acknowledging the greeting of one of the workers. “I think the UP was wise to choose today for the ceremony. Laying the cornerstone on the same date that the city was originally surveyed sends a strong message about the railroad being a part of the city.”
“And it will be an impressive as well as an important building.”
Mason gave her a mischievous grin. “Is that why you’re dressed to match it?”
Eugenia’s smile matched his as pleasure that he’d cared enough to comment flowed through her. “I’m surprised you noticed.”
“I notice everything about you.”
As a blush colored her cheeks, Eugenia realized that for the first time in far too long, he sounded like the old Mason, the man he’d been before he moved to the boardinghouse. Oh, how she’d missed that man!
“I gave Madame Charlotte a chip of the red sandstone and asked her to try to match it,” she explained. Cheyenne’s premier dressmaker had surpassed Eugenia’s expectations.
“It appears that she succeeded. You look very fetching in your new gown, Miss Bell.”
Her smile broadening until she wondered if her cheeks would split, Eugenia nodded. This was the old Mason, the one who used to tease her with mock formality.
“Why, thank you, Mr. Farling,” she replied, copying his tone. “You look mighty fine today, too.”
Mason chuckled, his expression sobering a second later. “I see Barrett Landry. Your father asked me to interview him today. He thinks Barrett may become one of Wyoming’s first senators once we achieve statehood.”
Eugenia liked the way Mason said we as if he were planning to remain in Cheyenne. That would be good. So very good. Though she was tempted to ask if that was indeed his intention, she restrained herself. She would say nothing personal until she’d spoken to Papa. Instead, she nodded at Mason. “You’d better catch Barrett while he’s alone.”
When Mason headed toward the cattle baron who might or might not become a senator, Eugenia moved into the cordoned-off area. This was where the dignitaries would stand once they’d completed their ceremonial parade into the depot site. This was where the enormous stone would be wheeled into place. But before that happened, Eugenia wanted to take several photographs of the foundation without the cornerstone.
She was so caught up in composing the picture that she didn’t hear the footsteps behind her. Before Eugenia knew what was happening, she was on the ground, knocked there by an unseen figure who grabbed her camera.
“Stop!” She scrambled to her feet, her eyes widening as she shouted at the boy who was running away from her. He was moving more slowly than she would have expected, and he kept glancing over his shoulder as if checking on her.
“Stop!” But the boy did not. A quick glance told Eugenia no one was close enough to help her. If she wanted her camera—and she did—she’d have to catch him herself. Thankful that Madame Charlotte had made this gown with a slightly wider than normal skirt, Eugenia raced after the thief, following him behind the old depot building.
With no trains due until after the cornerstone ceremony, the platform was empty. But there, sitting on the step to the depot itself was the boy who’d taken her camera. She guessed him to be no more than ten or twelve years old, with threadbare clothing that made her assume he would try to sell the camera. On another day she might have felt pity for him. Right now all she felt was anger.
“Give it back!” she demanded as she approached him.
The boy simply shook his head. Eugenia took another step toward him, then cried out when a man grabbed her from behind, tugging a burlap bag over her head. In the instant that the world became dark, Eugenia knew the boy had been nothing more than a decoy.
“No!” she shrieked, kicking with all her might. But the man who’d caught her had the advantage of sight, and he dodged her feet.
“Why are you doing this?”
There was no answer. Wrenching her arms behind her, the man quickly tied them, then tossed Eugenia over his shoulder as if she were nothing more than a sack of feed. Seconds later, he dumped her into the back of a wagon. Though Eugenia kicked, it was to no avail. The man grabbed her feet and tied her ankles.
She was at the kidnapper’s mercy.
Where was she? While he’d been interviewing Barrett Landry, Mason had seen Eugenia enter the restricted area, but now there was no sign of the woman he loved. Where was she? His eyes searched the crowd, but he saw no beautiful auburn-haired woman dressed in red sandstone–colored silk. Where was she?
A prickle of alarm snaked its way down Mason’s spine. She might have gone inside the hotel, but that wasn’t like Eugenia. And yet it was even less like her to have simply disappeared.
Practically sprinting, he made his way to the side of the construction site where he’d last seen Eugenia.
“Did any of you notice a woman in a dress the same color as the stone?” He addressed the small group of onlookers who had chosen to watch the ceremony from this part of the site.
A tall, thin man shook his head. “Sorry. I just arrived.” The others’ responses were similar. Mason was about to give up and look elsewhere when a petite woman with what appeared to be twin boys clinging to her hands nodded.
“I saw a lady like that about five minutes ago,” she told Mason. “She was chasing a boy. They went behind the old depot building.”
At last, a clue! Mason thanked the woman profusely then raced toward the wooden depot, his heart pounding with fear. There was no sign of Eugenia, no sign of anyone other than a boy who sat on the steps, fiddling with something. As Mason strode towardhim, he saw that the object the boy held was Eugenia’s camera.
“How did you get that camera?” he demanded. When the boy jumped to his feet and looked as if he planned to flee, Mason grabbed his arm.
“I found it.” The boy’s sullen reply did nothing to convince Mason. Eugenia would never have abandoned her camera. If she had chased the boy here, it was because he’d taken it.
“I know you stole it,” Mason said, his voice filled with anger. The camera didn’t matter. All that mattered was Eugenia. “I also know the woman who owned it came after you. Where is she now?”
The boy shook his head. “I don’t know.”
Mason had no doubt the boy knew more than he was admitting. “You can tell me, or you can tell the sheriff. I don’t imagine he’ll be too easy on you. Let’s start with why you took the camera.” The way the boy had been handling it, as if he had no idea what to do with it, told Mason there was more to this than a simple theft.
The boy shook his head again.
“All right. We’ll talk to the sheriff.” Mason started walking toward the construction site, propelling the boy with him.
“Okay. Okay.” The boy planted his feet and stared up at Mason. “A man gave me some money to take it.” He pulled a few coins from his pocket and showed them to Mason. Though a mere pittance to Mason, they probably seemed like a fortune to the boy.
“He said I could keep the camera. All he wanted was the lady. He tied her up and put her in a wagon.”
Anger and fear warred within Mason. Anger that someone had lured Eugenia here, fear over what the man intended. One thing was certain. There was no time to lose.
“Where did they go?”
The boy pointed toward the west. “Be careful, mister. He’s a mean man.”
And that mean man had Eugenia.
Chapter Ten
Never before had she felt so helpless, but never before had Eugenia been unable to see, unable to move her arms and legs, unable to do anything to save herself. The lack of sight was the worst, because it distorted everything. Not only did she have no idea of which direction they were heading, but she’d lost track of time. She’d long since given up hope of protecting herself from bumps and bruises. Though initially she had held herself stiffly,
she’d soon discovered that accomplished nothing other than making her muscles ache. It was better to remain limp and pray for deliverance. But though her prayers had been constant, the wagon continued to move.
The driver did not seem to be in a rush, and that surprised Eugenia. Did he think no one would realize she was gone? As she considered that possibility, Eugenia frowned. There were so many people at the construction site by the time she’d chased the boy with her camera that it was all too likely she would not be missed for some time. Papa wouldn’t be looking for her until the ceremony began, and Mason might think she’d gone to record the parade.
Local politicians and railroad officials had decided to join the Wyoming Lodge of Masons in marching to the site. It would be a short parade compared to the ones the city enjoyed on Independence Day, but it was a parade nonetheless. Since Eugenia had mentioned her interest in it to Mason this morning, he was unlikely to be alarmed if he didn’t see her at the site. Though the thought distressed her, Eugenia knew it could be the better part of an hour before anyone was concerned about her absence.
She wouldn’t dwell on that, for nothing could be gained by reflecting on things she could not change. Instead her thoughts turned to the wagon’s driver. Who was he? Was he working alone, or had someone else hired him to get her out of Cheyenne? Where were they going? If she could remove the sack, she’d have an idea of the direction they were traveling, but all she could see now were pinpoints of light filtering through the weave of the burlap. Those told her it was still daylight but nothing more.
The most important question, yet another one Eugenia could not answer, was why the man had abducted her. It made no sense.
She felt the wagon slow then make a sharp turn to the left. The road was bumpier here, and though she knew it was futile, Eugenia tried to brace herself as the wagon lurched, jolting her up and down and from one side to the other. She would definitely have bruises after this ride. When it emerged, her laugh was devoid of mirth. Bruises were the least of her worries.
The jolting continued for what seemed like hours but was probably only a few minutes before the wagon slowed then stopped completely. Though she was grateful for the respite, Eugenia’s apprehension grew as she felt the wagon rock when the driver climbed out. The journey was over. Now she’d have the answers to her questions. The problem was, she wasn’t certain she was ready. Help me, Lord, she prayed.
Seconds later, the driver lowered the back of the wagon and tugged her out and onto the ground. When Eugenia’s legs, cramped from being tied together, began to buckle, her abductor pushed her against the wagon side to steady her then untied the rope that held the sack closed around her neck. With a quick jerk, he pulled the burlap bag away.
Eugenia blinked, trying to accustom her eyes to the bright sunshine. When the momentary confusion caused by the light faded, she stared at the man and gasped.
“Chauncey!” The man who’d abducted her, the man who’d handled her as if she were nothing more than an object, was the man who wanted to marry her.
“Why did you do this?” she demanded, fury overcoming fear. She had seen Chauncey’s cruel side, and that had stoked her belief that he was not a man she could marry, but she had never expected him to treat her this way. What could he hope to gain? Even if she had been inclined to accept his proposal, today’s events would have changed her mind. And Papa, who’d once sung Chauncey’s praises, would be horrified when he learned what the man had done.
Though his lip curled in what appeared to be disdain, Chauncey said nothing. Instead, he gripped Eugenia’s upper arm and began to drag her toward the only building in sight, a dilapidated barn. It was impossible to walk with her ankles bound together, and so, though she tried not to, Eugenia stumbled.
“This would be easier if you untied my legs,” she said as calmly as she could.
Though Chauncey paused for a second, he shook his head, perhaps remembering how she’d kicked him when he’d first captured her. “I’m not that stupid.”
But he was. Surely only a stupid man would risk losing Erastus Bell’s esteem. Thanks to his contacts at the railroad and in territorial politics, Papa was a powerful man. No one who’d done what Chauncey had would remain unscathed by Papa’s anger.
“I couldn’t risk losing you,” Chauncey said as he dragged her forward. “I knew you were wavering, and I couldn’t let you get away. You’re going to be my wife, Eugenia. Make no mistake about that.”
“Why? You don’t love me.” Eugenia wasn’t certain Chauncey knew what love meant.
“Love? That’s a story for poets and fools. What matters is money and power. Marrying you will bring me both. When your father’s ranch is added to mine, I’ll be one of the wealthiest men in the territory. Other men will look up to me.”
Eugenia shook her head, grateful that at least she could see where she was going. “Surely you can’t believe I’d marry you after this. Even if I wanted to, which I do not, Papa would never allow it.”
Though he did not break his stride, Eugenia saw Chauncey frown. “Don’t be so sure, my dear.” The last two words sounded more like an epithet than an endearment and sent a shiver down her spine. “Once you’ve spent the night here with me, your reputation will be ruined. Your father will have no choice but to agree to our marriage.”
Eugenia took a deep breath as she considered her situation. Unless Chauncey untied her, she had no way of escaping. And even if she did somehow manage to get her feet free, where would she go? There was no sight of any other dwelling and she had no idea in which direction Cheyenne lay. For a second, despair threatened to overwhelm Eugenia. Then she relaxed. It was true there was nothing she could do, but it was also true there was Someone who could save her.
Closing her eyes, Eugenia began to pray.
It wasn’t difficult to obtain a horse, Mason reflected as he bent low over the stallion’s neck and urged him to even greater speed. The owner of the livery had been more than happy to rent his fastest mount. It wasn’t difficult to follow the tracks. Last night’s rain had left mud that had not yet fully dried. What was difficult was controlling his anger. How could anyone have abducted Eugenia? No woman deserved to be trussed and stashed in the back of a wagon like a sack of potatoes, least of all Eugenia.
Mason refused to let his mind dwell on the possible reasons for her kidnapping. All that mattered was that he arrived in time to save Eugenia from whatever her abductor had in mind. Mason said a silent prayer for her safety while his eyes scanned the horizon, searching for clues to Eugenia’s whereabouts.
There. The wagon had turned off the main road onto a track that, judging from the thickness of the grass, had not been used in months. Was that good or bad? Mason didn’t know. All that he knew was that he had to get Eugenia away from here.
The road climbed a small rise. When he reached the top, Mason reined in the horse. Looking down, he could see a small, apparently abandoned building, probably an old barn. Next to it stood a wagon with the horses still harnessed. Though there was no sign of Eugenia or her abductor, this had to be the right place. If they were inside the barn—and Mason saw no alternative—he would have surprise on his side. But that involved stealth.
Sliding to the ground, he dropped the horse’s reins, hoping that would be enough to keep him from bolting. Though Mason would have liked to have his mount closer, he couldn’t risk the other horses greeting him and alerting the man inside the barn.
Thankful that the grass muffled his footsteps, Mason ran toward the barn, praying with each step that he was not too late and that the horses would not announce his arrival. His second prayer was answered, because the animals seemed more interested in grazing than in a stranger’s appearance.
Mason studied the barn as he ran. As far as he could tell, there were no windows, and if this was like most barns, the only door was the one he faced. That was good, because it meant that Eugenia’s abductor could not escape. Now the question was whether or not Mason could overpower him. Mason would have th
e advantage of surprise; the other man would have the advantage of being able to see.
Closing his eyes to a mere slit to help them grow accustomed to what he knew would be the relative darkness of the barn’s interior, Mason moved toward the door, opening it as silently as he could. For a second he stood, so surprised by the other man’s identity that he felt frozen.
Chauncey Keaton. Even though he saw only his back, there was no doubt who had abducted Eugenia. The very idea shocked Mason. Why on earth had the man who appeared to have every advantage taken Eugenia by force?
Chauncey stood next to Eugenia, his posture menacing. And, though her eyes were fixed on her captor, her expression filled with anger and disgust, Eugenia had no recourseagainst him. In the split second that it took him to register the details, Mason saw that she was seated on a bale of hay and would have difficulty moving, for her arms were secured behind her back, her ankles tied together. Chauncey would pay for that!
Knowing he would have only one chance, Mason sprang forward, slamming his body into Chauncey’s and knocking the other man to the floor. As Eugenia gasped, he landed a blow on Chauncey’s jaw. It should have knocked him out, but the man was stronger than Mason had expected. Stronger or perhaps more desperate than he’d thought, for surely only desperation would have led a man like Chauncey to kidnap Eugenia.
The man fought valiantly, his fist connecting with Mason’s cheek at the same time that he flung himself upward, flipping Mason off him. A second later, Chauncey wrapped both hands around Mason’s throat in a frantic attempt to choke him. Though he could feel his breath shortening and feared that he would be unable to withstand the dangerous pressure, Mason refused to let Chauncey win. Mustering every ounce of strength he possessed, he slammed his fist into Chauncey’s stomach. Caught off guard by the force of the blow, Chauncey released his stranglehold on Mason and grunted, then landed another blow.
Neither man was trained to fight, but each was determined to prevail. As he and Chauncey traded blows, Mason found himself tiring. He could only pray that his opponent was equally fatigued. As it was, he had no idea when or how the fight would end. All he knew was that he could not stop, for if he did, that would mean Chauncey’s victory and Eugenia’s defeat. He could not—he would not—let Chauncey win.
The Rails to Love Romance Collection Page 12