The Express Bride

by Kimberley Woodhouse

  “What happened to calling me Elijah?” He tilted his head at her as he smiled. “And you’ve thanked me enough. Now, I believe I may just need to teach this young man how to swim.” Elijah took a long sip.

  “Would you?” Michael sat up straighter and yawned, holding the now sleeping puppy close.

  The cup still close to his lips, Elijah nodded. “Of course. Everyone needs to know how to swim. But if the water is this cold all the time, we might have a problem. Especially as we draw closer to winter.”

  “The creek is warmer. Not a lot, but at least for now I could stand it. And it’s deep enough to swim in.” The eagerness in Michael’s tone couldn’t be denied.

  “All right then. It’s settled. When I return from Virginia City, I’ll teach you how to swim.”

  His words brought her head up from her sewing. “You’re going to Virginia City?”

  “Tomorrow, yes.” With a nod, he set his cup down on the small table beside him. “I have a few simple errands, and then I’ll return.”

  “Oh. That’s nice.” She pushed the needle back and forth through the sock. The thought of him gone from the station did weird things to her stomach. She’d gotten used to his presence. Even though he’d only been there slightly more than a week.

  “Will you hold my mail for me?”

  “Of course. Are you expecting to be gone long?”

  “No. Probably just tomorrow. But I’m hoping for a letter from my employer. Although I doubt it could get here this quick.” He took another long sip of coffee. “Let’s see, I sent it out on the twelfth. It’s only been eight days.”

  A snore from the direction of the fire captured her attention. Sure enough, Michael was fast asleep on the floor with the puppy lying on his chest. She laughed. “Sorry about that. He always could fall asleep at the drop of a hat. I guess today wore him out.”

  “It’s no wonder. The fresh air was glorious, but then Michael chased that little dog for a good while, and then of course he took a dunk in the lake. It makes me tired just thinking about it.” He leaned forward and put his elbows on his knees, the china cup between his hands.

  “Dad used to take us to the lake….” She couldn’t finish.

  “Might I offer my condolences again for the loss of your father? I hope it’s not too personal for me to comment, but I’ve noticed that it has affected you a great deal of late.”

  “Yes, thank you.” The thought of Dad pinched her heart, but it was special to her that Elijah noticed. No one else had. At least, no one had mentioned it.

  “I’m sorry for bringing it up again. But it’s made me wonder if you plan to stay here.”

  “Of course.” She glanced up at him. “This has been my home my whole life.”

  “Would you like to travel anywhere? Perhaps experience the big city?” His words were soft and gentle, so why did they feel like a knife?

  Why was he asking these questions? Was she not doing an adequate job here? Did he think she was inferior because she hadn’t experienced society? She studied his gaze. The warmth she saw made her think something altogether different. Perhaps he was asking because … he was interested in her? Wondering if she would ever consider leaving? Her heart warmed with the thought. And while she’d spent entirely too much time daydreaming about the handsome Mr. Johnson, logic had prevailed, and she’d come to the conclusion that a man of his caliber would never be interested in someone like her. Especially since he would be leaving soon.

  “Jackie?” He leaned a bit closer, his gaze intense.

  She blinked. “I’m sorry. I’m afraid I was lost in thought.” Laying the darning in her lap, she took a deep breath. “I admit I’ve always wanted to travel. But this is my home, and I have responsibilities here.”

  “But what if you didn’t have responsibilities?” he pressed. “Would you want to go?”

  Not knowing what to think of his train of thought, she decided to just be honest. “I’m sure I would. I’ve always loved the idea of traveling and going to the opera in the city. Dressing up and dining at a fancy restaurant.” She took a long breath. “But I don’t know if I’d enjoy staying there. While I might appreciate fine things and love the beautiful dresses and attire of the wealthy, I’m still just a simple country girl. I enjoy the quiet pace of our lives out here.”

  “I can see that.”

  “What about you?” It was high time she turned the tables and asked him a few probing questions. “Will you continue in your job? It sounds like you’ve done nothing but work for a long time.”

  “My partner is the best of men. I believe I will continue to work for him, yes.”

  “So you want to stay in the city?”

  He appeared to ponder her question. “Not necessarily. I admit that I’ve enjoyed being out of the city for several months. I do relish the quiet.” He took another sip. “I believe it would do Mr. Vines a great deal of good for his health as well.”

  “It sounds like you care for him a lot. Are you close to him?”

  “Yes, he’s like a father to me.” He stared into the fire.

  “Are your parents dead?”

  He cleared his throat and looked down with a sigh. “No. They are still living.”

  The way he said it made her curious. “Are you … estranged from them?”

  “No, I wouldn’t phrase it like that. But it has been a good many years since I’ve seen them.”

  His answer shocked her. “Why is that?”

  Elijah turned toward her and leaned back in his chair. “It’s a long story.”

  “I have plenty of time.” She quirked an eyebrow at him, hoping she wasn’t being too forward.

  With a half smile, he stared down into his cup. “I appreciate that you don’t mince words, Miss Rivers.”

  She smiled back. “I thought it was Jackie?”

  A slight chuckle left his lips, and he looked at the fire before turning his blue eyes back to her. “Touché.”

  “I don’t mean to intrude on your personal thoughts.”

  “No. It’s quite all right.” He lifted a hand. “You see, my parents are also very wealthy, but they don’t care much for anything outside of their own social circle. They traveled once to Chicago, but that was as far west as they wished to go.”

  “So you don’t visit them, and they don’t visit you?”

  He shrugged. “No. Sadly.”

  “Do you write letters? Stay in touch?” She knew she was pushing the boundaries of polite conversation, but those didn’t apply out West anyhow. Not that she wanted him to think of her as uncouth, but she longed to know more about him.

  “Not much. Like I said, my parents like their social status. But they don’t even like each other. They’re wealthy. Money keeps them busy, I guess.”

  “What do you mean they don’t even like each other?” She couldn’t imagine a husband and wife not liking each other.

  “It’s quite simple really. They live in separate wings of the house and have their own events and appointments to keep themselves occupied. Mother is on the board of several charities, and Father is always overseeing … something.”

  Out of all the outrageous things she’d heard or read in her magazines, Elijah’s revelation was the most shocking news to her. She felt her brow furrow.

  “I can see this puzzles you.”

  “I thought marriage was something entirely different, yet you seem to talk about your parents’ marriage as if that’s … normal.” The thought appalled her. No wonder the handsome man before her was still single if that was all the example he had.

  “Sadly, I’ve only known people to be miserable in marriage. Myparents used to fight all the time. Over the years they must have come to a truce, because now they just go their separate ways. Only occasionally do they go to a ball together—simply to make an appearance.”

  “How sad.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “While I don’t remember my mother, when Dad spoke of her you could see the adoration in his face. He never
married after she died, and I could always tell that he loved her very much. Then there are the Liverpools. They definitely have opposite personalities, but they care for each other a great deal. I know they are happily married. I see it every day. And then there are all the stories I’ve read. It hurts my heart to think that’s the example you’ve seen. Do you not have any married friends? What about the man who sent you here?”

  The look on his face changed. “He is … another story.” He paused and drank the rest of his coffee. “In regard to your other query, our pastor and his wife looked happy enough, but sadly, I only saw them at church. Work and business have taken over the majority of my life.”

  “Oh. I see.” As much as she was drawn to this man, she couldn’t imagine having a husband who was overly absorbed in his work. She didn’t like how this conversation was making her feel, and by the look on Elijah’s face, he wasn’t enjoying it either. “Would you like some more coffee?”

  “No, but thank you.”

  An awkward silence stretched between them.

  Michael rolled onto his side with a soft snore, and the puppy slid onto the blanket beside him.

  The sock in her hands was finished, but she didn’t want to get another one. What she wanted was to know more about the man before her—no, she wanted to ease the pain she saw in his face. But it wasn’t her place.

  “That was a fascinating discussion we had on Daniel this morning.”

  “Yes, it was, wasn’t it?” Thankful for the change in subject, she still thought her reply sounded ridiculous.

  The conversation stalled again, but he made no move to leave, which made her feel better. She liked his presence. “Did you need to look for anything else in the ledgers?”

  “No. I believe we found what I needed.” As he glanced back at her, his gaze locked onto hers.

  “Oh, good.” She couldn’t look away but couldn’t come up with anything else to say. The moment stretched as they stared at each other. The ledgers! Dad’s letter to her … Suddenly her thoughts shifted to his clue. She’d puzzled over it for several days but hadn’t come up with anything. “Do you perhaps know the meaning of the phrase, ‘A thousand times the worse to want thy light’?”

  A quizzical look crossed his face. “Hmm … no. It reminds me of Shakespeare, perhaps?”

  She stood to her feet. “That’s it! It’s from Shakespeare. Dad and I used to read through his works when I was younger.” Why hadn’t she thought of that before? “Now, where is that book?” she mumbled to herself and went to the small shelf Dad had built for their books. They had been his prized possessions.

  “I must admit, I have no idea what you’re talking about.” He stood as well and followed her over to the corner where the shelf was situated. “Is there anything I can do?”

  “No. But thank you so much.” Not taking her eyes from the shelf, she scanned all of the titles.

  “What are we looking for?”

  “Shakespeare, of course.”

  He moved closer and crouched as he looked at the lower shelf.

  “Here it is!” She pulled the large volume from the middle shelf and clutched it to her chest. The Complete Works of William Shakespeare. Elijah’s nearness combined with the elation that poured through her made her heart race. Without another thought, she stepped closer to him and stood on tiptoe to kiss his cheek. “You’ve helped me figure out a clue. Thank you.”

  He raised his eyebrows and smiled. “A clue to what?”

  “Oh, just something my father wrote to me.”

  “Well, I’m glad to be of service. With that kind of reward, I will gladly assist you anytime you need me.” He stepped an inch closer. His smile and the spark in his eyes did wonderful things to her heart.

  Staring up into his enchanting blue eyes, Jackie lost herself for a moment.

  Michael snorted and then rolled again, this time making the puppy yap. His groggy voice broke through the moment. “What’s all the commotion about?”

  Jackie stepped back toward the fireplace. “Sorry to wake you. I was just looking for a book, and Elijah helped me locate it.”

  The warmth in Elijah’s expression hadn’t changed as he continued to stare at her. It thrilled her.

  As much as she wanted to dwell on those feelings, reality sank in. He would be leaving soon.

  Perhaps she would do better to focus on something else. Like solving her mystery and helping her government.

  Even though the handsome blue-eyed man staring at her made her stomach flop about like a fish out of water.

  She shouldn’t have kissed him on the cheek. Because now she wanted to do it again. And if she read his expression correctly, he’d like that too.

  Swinging his leg over the saddle, Elijah dismounted the horse he’d borrowed from Jackie. It was too early to meet with the contacts Crowell had set up, so he hoped to see how many people had lived here twenty-six years ago.

  Now that he knew Hanna Morris had come this way in 1834, maybe someone else might remember her and give a description. If the descriptions matched, perhaps that would be enough for him to write Mr. Vines.

  The thought that Jackie could be Mr. Vines’s daughter made him a bit nervous. Maybe because it would put a barrier between him and the woman he’d come to care about. And maybe because he didn’t want to hurt her—which would be inevitable if she found out that the man who raised her wasn’t the man who fathered her. But the more he thought about it and worried over it, the more his gut told him it was the truth.

  He walked into the general store and looked for the proprietor.

  A man behind the counter polished a brass bell of some sort. “Can I help you find something?” His graying hair gave Elijah hope that maybe he’d been here awhile.

  “Actually, I’m hoping you can. I need some paper and ink.”

  The man walked out from behind the counter and led him to an aisle in the back. “Right here. We have several weights of paper. The thin stuff used for the Express is at the end.”

  “Thank you.” Elijah picked out his purchases and went back to the cash register.

  “Will that be all?”

  He took a deep breath. “I was wondering if you’ve been the proprietor of this establishment for a long time.”

  “The past thirty years.” The man rang up the ink and paper. “That’ll be six cents.”

  “Here you go.” Elijah handed over the money. “Could I perhaps ask if you remember someone who came through here?”

  “You could, but I doubt I’d remember. My wife is the one that’s good at that.” He turned to the back of the store. “Marie!” His voice echoed off the walls.

  A plump woman with hair as gray as her husband’s came to the front, wiping her hands on her apron. “Whatcha need, Henry?” Glancing up, she spotted Elijah. “Oh, I beg your pardon. I figured Henry needed something.”

  “This gentleman needs to ask you about someone that came through here.”

  “How long ago?” The woman patted her hair and went behind the counter.

  Elijah prayed she’d remember. “About this time in 1834.”

  She whistled. “That’s a long time ago. We were just getting started and didn’t have a lot of customers at that point, so I’ll give it a whirl. Who was it that came through?”

  “A woman and her baby. The child would have been under a year.”

  Marie smiled. “A beautiful woman came through that fall. Her baby was teething something awful, so she came in here looking for something for the child to chew on.”

  “Did you happen to get her name?”

  She shook her head. “No, sorry about that. I doubt I’d remember it anyway. But she was a pretty thing. She took her wagon and headed east from here. Which was mighty strange because there ain’t much out there.”

  It had to be her! “What did she look like?”

  “Green eyes. I remember ‘cause they were so striking. And she had long, red hair. Not something we saw much of back then. Not until the Irish started coming thro
ugh. But that was more than a decade and a half later. We’d grown a lot by that time too.”

  His hope deflated. “Well, thank you for your time.”

  “I’m sorry I couldn’t be of more help.”

  Elijah walked out of the store with his purchases and checked his pocket watch. He still had an hour before he met the first contact. He might as well try every place he could.

  After forty-five minutes, he’d visited every establishment in town that had been in existence back in 1834. No one remembered a woman and child.

  Only Marie from the general store.

  Something didn’t feel right. He’d gotten close several times only to find that the woman who came through with a baby had red or brunette hair. Not blond.

  What was he missing?

  He got back on his horse and headed back to the general store. He didn’t have much time, but he wanted to speak to Marie again. He rushed in and found her at the counter. “Ma’am, I’m sorry to bother you again, but I just had to ask. Are you certain that the woman who came through here had red hair? It couldn’t have been a dark blond perhaps? Maybe in the light it had a red tint?”

  She shook her head. “No. It was red. A deep shade too. My husband had been so captivated by it that he talked about it for days. I told him maybe he should order me a red wig so I could look like her.” The woman laughed. “But wouldn’t that have cost a pretty penny! What is it with men and red hair?”

  A wig! That was it. “Thank you so much. You’ve been a great deal of help.”

  Still laughing, she waved at him as he exited.

  Elijah ran to the horse, mounted, and headed to the address of the first contact. It all made sense. The different colors of hair. Hadn’t Mr. Vines said something about a special order that he’d discovered his wife’s maid had purchased from France? That particular maid had been the one responsible for Mrs. Vines’s coiffures. But if he recalled correctly, the maid had disappeared shortly after Anna Vines. He’d have to check his notes when he went back to Carson Sink.