Jordana’s pen stopped its scratching, but she didn’t look up from Charlie’s desk. She had been writing out the details for the railroad ceremony that would take place the following day. There would be reporters galore and photographers, and she wanted to have her story ready for the post as soon as the deed was actually done.
Her parents were finally here, but she now experienced a sudden shyness. What would they think about her engagement? What would they think about Rich? All at once her heart started pounding and her legs couldn’t move. This was quite silly. It was only her parents, after all. But she had changed so much since last seeing them.
“I’ll be there in a minute,” she told Victoria, trying to calm herself. She just didn’t want to go to pieces the instant she laid eyes on them.
“Well, all right, suit yourself,” Jordana barely heard her sister reply. “But I’m certain you’ll be sorry.”
“Don’t be a fussbudget,” Jordana said. “It’ll only take a second, and the rest of you won’t even be through with saying hello and showing off the baby. I’ll be right there.”
She heard Victoria leave the room, then felt a surge of annoyance when someone knocked on the office door. “I’ll be right there,” she said, the irritation in her voice evident.
“So that’s how it’s to be,” Rich answered instead of Victoria.
Jordana looked up in disbelief and found him leaning casually against the doorframe. “I didn’t know you were coming!” she exclaimed. She jumped up and crossed the room, meeting him in the middle as he joined her. He appeared as eager to be in her arms as she was to be in his. “Oh, I’ve missed you!” Was it possible that he was actually better looking than before? She felt her heart skip a beat. This was the passion and desire her mother had always talked of finding in the man you loved. Her mother had told her many times that marrying for comfort was all well and fine, but marrying a man who could light the fires of your heart and keep the blaze burning throughout the ages was better than all the silver and gold in the world.
He grinned. “You’re looking at me rather queerly, Miss Baldwin. You seem surprised. I hope you haven’t changed your mind about our plans for the future.”
“Not a chance, Captain O’Brian. You’ll not rid yourself of me that easily. I just wondered how in the world you’d come to be here. It’s almost as if I conjured you from my lonely dreams.”
Rich tightened his hold on her, his expression betraying his pleasure at her words. “Charlie wired me about your folks, and so I met them en route and accompanied them here. I even had the opportunity to ask your father for your hand.”
“You what?” Jordana questioned in surprise. “You know that he doesn’t hold with that old-fashioned notion. He wants his children to marry for love and not for—”
Rich put a finger to her lips. “He said it would be fine by him.”
Jordana leaned against him and kissed his finger. “Well then, I suppose it’s all right.” She relaxed considerably, realizing she no longer had to worry about her parents’ approval. Rich had taken care of it for her!
“Give me a quick kiss and then I shall let you go greet your folks,” Rich commanded.
Jordana thought about resisting his demand, but then decided against it. It would simply break her heart if she refused him. Besides, he gave into her and let her have her way so often it wouldn’t hurt for her to do the same for a change. She lifted her face to his and welcomed his kiss. After several moments of breathless bliss, she murmured, “I don’t think that would qualify as quick.”
He chuckled low and gave her a roguish grin. “In O’Brian time, as far as kisses are concerned, that was quick.”
“Where’s Jordana!” they heard Carolina Baldwin call from the other room.
“I’m in here, Mother!” Jordana replied. “Come on, let’s join them.”
“Oh, there is some serious business we need to attend to as soon as possible,” Rich told Jordana as they walked to the door.
“What?”
“It would appear from news given me by General Dodge that Thomas Durant has been kidnapped en route to Promontory.”
——
It was hard to sit through the reunion with her family, even though it had been some time since Jordana had last seen everyone. Amelia had grown into a ravishing beauty, and Nicholas was all talk of college in England and his plans for the future.
“You simply must come back to New York,” Amelia told Jordana. “There are so many people I want to introduce you to and so much fun to be had. Why, there are parties nearly every night during the season and my debut will be this summer. You have to be there.”
“Surely you can’t be preparing to celebrate your sixteenth birthday,” Jordana replied with a glance at Rich. He was deep in conversation with Brenton and their father and seemed totally at ease. How could he just dump the news of Durant’s kidnapping on her like that and then seemingly forget all about it?
“It would be rather nice to have you back with us,” Carolina said softly, hesitantly. “And Amelia’s party will come in June on her birthday, and you could help me with the arrangements. Why, you haven’t even seen the house in New York.”
“No, I haven’t,” Jordana agreed.
“And now that you’re getting married—well, we could have quite the party for you both.”
“Not just a party, Mother. We should have a grand wedding for Jordana.”
Jordana saw so much of Victoria in Amelia, though they were not related at all by blood.
“That’s exactly what I told her,” Victoria said, as if privy to Jordana’s silent observation. She handed the baby to Carolina. “Here, he’s all dry and happy now.”
Carolina cooed at her grandson and cuddled him close. “I’m sure you don’t have to decide such a thing right now. After all, I know you have a great deal on your mind for tomorrow’s celebration.”
Jordana nodded, but the feeling of being trapped continued to grow. What if they all forced her back to New York and then demanded she stay? What if something happened and she found it impossible to leave? What if Rich loved it there and wanted to stay? How would she ever return to her own life and regain her freedom? She’d be trapped and hopelessly given over to the conformity of genteel society. And marriage.
Suddenly the room grew unaccountably hot. “I think I need a little air.” Jordana fanned her hand before her face. “I’m going to step outside.”
“Don’t go too far,” Carolina said. “It might be dangerous.”
Jordana grinned but said nothing. She didn’t have to. Caitlan was already filling Carolina in on some of her exploits, and Jordana thought it the perfect opportunity to escape. Bless Caitlan anyway, she always seemed to know just the right thing to do.
The May evening was warm but breezy. Jordana walked away from the siding track where Charlie’s car continued to rest. She felt a growing urgency to don breeches and a work shirt and make her way to the nearest livery. What would they all think if she simply disappeared?
“Running away?” Rich asked softly as he came up behind her.
“Yes,” she replied. “Yes, I am.”
He turned her tenderly and gave her a doleful look. “From me too?”
“You don’t want to be with me right now,” Jordana said, shaking her head. “I’m not fit company.”
He smiled and gently rubbed her cheek with the back of his fingers. “I think you’re marvelous company.”
“Not now. I’m afraid I probably rank somewhere down below Troublesome.”
Rich laughed out loud. “That is impossible. Now, why don’t you come over here and tell me what’s going on?” He pulled her along to where a freight wagon sat empty and waiting for the next train. Lifting her up, he placed her on the wagon bed and leaned over to kiss her lightly on the nose. “Now tell me everything.”
Jordana felt herself close to tears. Why was this happening to her? “It’s just that I feel so trapped.”
“By me?” he asked solemnly, his
expression quickly showing her words had hurt him.
“No, not you,” she replied. “By them. My family. They all want me to go with them after the celebration and visit in New York for the summer. In fact, I believe Mother would love nothing better than to throw us a wedding of grand proportion.”
“And you wouldn’t like that?” Rich asked gently.
“I don’t know what I would like,” Jordana admitted. “But I do know what I despise and that’s the conventions of proper society. Oh, Rich, I can’t be the dainty lady serving tea that everyone is going to expect me to be.”
“I don’t expect that.”
“Oh, but you might. Then you might change your mind and decide you’d like a more conventional wife. Then you might decide we needed to live there and be prim and proper like the rest of New York.”
Rich let out a roar of laughter. “Oh, Jordana, you can’t mean it.”
She frowned and tears welled in her eyes. “I do mean it. What if things change? I love traveling and doing new things. I want to explore the country and live in an unconventional way. Even if we marry and have children, I want the liberty to just strap them on my back like the Indians do and continue on my way.”
“What do you mean ‘if’?” Rich asked. “Are you having second thoughts about marrying me?”
“Never!” Jordana declared. Then she gave a sheepish shrug. “Perhaps just about marriage in general. It’s so scary.”
“Yes, it is. For me too. But I have a feeling that is exactly why God put us together. Only two independent souls like us could truly understand each other. I don’t expect the road will be entirely smooth, but like this railroad, the benefits to the binding will far outweigh the difficulties.”
Her lips twitched as she tried to smile. “Do you think so?”
“I am confident of it.”
“I suppose an analogy to the railroad is apropos. I rather like it.”
Rich placed his arm firmly around her shoulders. “Now, will you stop fretting about all of this? No one says you have to go east. Simply tell your family thank you for the invitation, and we’ll get married right after the train ceremony as planned. Why, there’s bound to be a preacher somewhere in the crowd.” He reached into his pocket and pulled out a cloth.
“Oh, Rich, I’m so sorry for acting this way.” She wiped at her lingering tears with the back of her hand.
“It’s all right, sweetheart,” he whispered and pushed her hands away. He dried her tears with his handkerchief.
Then another thought came to Jordana. “What about your own fears, Rich? What about having a wife out in the wilds where something bad might happen?”
Rich shrugged. “I figure that’s the kind of thing I have to entrust to God. I believe with His help and your Chinese fighting skills, we ought to get along just fine.”
Jordana laughed and opened her arms to embrace him. “Thank you for loving me—and, oh, for tolerating me, too.”
“Yes, you are a real chore,” he said with a dramatic sigh. “But it’s a chore I think I can come to live with.”
“You’d better. I plan to be around for a long, long time.”
“I’m holding you to that,” he whispered before kissing her.
Jordana’s peace returned, and she knew one way or another it would all work out just fine. Laying her head on Rich’s shoulder, she believed she could finally put her issues and worries to rest. With Rich at her side, there wasn’t much she couldn’t face.
“It might actually be fun to see New York with you. I’d even get dressed up—maybe even dance with you,” Rich commented.
Jordana pushed him away. “I’m not sure I want to dance with you, Rich O’Brian. You are not very discriminating with your dance partners.”
“If you’re referring to Miss Montego, just remember you danced with her, too.”
Jordana’s smile quickly faded. “I wish I could have kept her from dying.”
“You can’t live in regrets, Jordana. Only God can give or take a life, remember?”
“Yes, I know that’s true. It’s just that . . .” She was on the verge of becoming despondent again.
“Now, I believe we were talking about New York,” he said, pushing aside her gloomy thoughts. He seemed to understand her better than she understood herself. “A wedding, I believe, was mentioned.”
“Well, Mother’s eyes did light up when we talked of letting her plan a wedding,” Jordana said thoughtfully. “I suppose we could give it a try, but if you start acting all conventional and rotten, then I’m catching the first westbound train, no matter whose line I have to get a ticket on.”
Rich laughed. “It’s a deal.”
It was then that Jordana remembered Thomas Durant. “Oh, goodness, what in the world is going on with Mr. Durant? You said he’d been kidnapped.”
Now Rich grew sober. “Well, it seems Montego has many, many friends and that Durant owed all of them a great deal of money. The kidnapping took place with several men storming the train he was on. They separated his car from the rest of the passengers coming to the celebration and demanded that Durant pay up over two hundred thousand dollars or they wouldn’t release him.”
“But the celebration is tomorrow.”
“Not anymore,” Rich told her. “They’ve had to postpone it until this is settled. I’m heading back into Ogden tonight to see if I can help Dodge get the matter resolved.”
“I’m going with you.” Jordana jumped down from the wagon.
“No, you stay here with your family. There’s nothing you can do,” Rich responded.
Putting her hands to her hips, Jordana eyed him sternly. “I beg your pardon?”
Rich shook his head. “No, Jordana. There’s no need for you to go.”
For a brief moment it seemed a battle of wills was impending. Then Jordana realized brute force was out of the question and allowed her demeanor to change. She recalled moments observing her sister when Victoria would get her way with Kiernan by turning on her feminine charm. It was worth a try. After all, she certainly had never used it on Rich before. Maybe the shock of it alone would push him into acquiescence. Slowly she lowered her arms and joined her hands together. Hoping that she looked horribly disappointed and completely subservient, she lowered her face and raised her eyes just enough to catch Rich’s expression.
“Please, Rich?”
“No.”
She stepped forward and ran her hand up his arm bringing it to rest alongside his neck. Toying with his hair, then letting her fingers trail designs around his ear, she pouted. “Please?”
He studied her for a moment and sighed. Eyes lifted toward the night skies, he said, “Dear Lord, what have I gotten myself into here? You send me a woman who can melt my heart in a single glance and at the same time irritate me until I want to throw her over my knee.”
Jordana stretched up on tiptoes as she drew closer. “I promise to be good,” she murmured against his mouth.
Lowering his head, Rich held her tight. “Maybe you can convince me,” he said in a voice that clearly betrayed surrender.
She kissed him lightly and smiled. “I’m figuring that I can.”
She kissed him again, this time longer. “In fact, I’m certain of it.”
She wasn’t entirely sure, but she would have sworn she heard him murmur, “Just don’t hurt me,” right before his mouth covered her own. Perhaps feminine powers of persuasion held merit after all. She would have to practice them more often.
33
If it were up to me,” Dodge said gruffly, “I’d leave Durant to his fate. Considering all the times he changed the route on me, pulling his weight and rewriting the plans and refusing to hear me out, I’d say he’s getting what he deserves.”
“I thought you appeared to be enjoying this entirely too much.” Rich grinned, leaning back in his chair in the office Dodge had commandeered in Ogden to coordinate the final railroad details.
“Still, there is the celebration to consider,” Jordana said. “Ho
w will it look to the public if a man with Durant’s prestige can’t even ride the rails west without fear of being taken hostage?”
“Miss Baldwin has a good point, and it’s the same conclusion I already came to hours ago. That’s why I requested the army at Fort Bridger to dispatch some three hundred soldiers to where they are holding Durant. We’ve told the people it’s because of the heavy rains in the Wasatch Mountains and western Wyoming. And that much is true. The downpours have caused all manner of trouble. It will buy us some time.”
“But how much?” Rich asked.
Dodge shook his head. “Hopefully, enough. The bad thing is, those men have a valid argument. Durant has not been paying his debts. He has little trouble spending UP dividend money whether earned or not, but he is quite behind in paying the contractors and other workers for the UP.”
“That’s why I work for you instead of him,” Rich replied, smiling. “Still, we have to find a way to put this to an end. The plans for this were written up by Montego. You have the proof you need to see him put away for a long time.”
“True enough.” Dodge looked past Rich and Jordana as if studying the wall behind them. “I hate to admit this, but I almost wonder if Durant isn’t in on this.”
“How so?” Rich questioned.
“Well, it’s just the kind of stunt he would pull in cooperation with someone like Montego. Knowing he couldn’t really get hurt, he might arrange for this kind of action in order to rally up enough funds to help out his friends. I know it sounds scandalous to suggest such a thing, but I really wouldn’t put it past him.”
A knock at the door drew their immediate attention. “Excuse me, sir,” a young man in civilian clothes interrupted. “I have a telegram here that you need to see immediately.”
“Very well,” Dodge replied. He took up the message and read it silently. Jordana watched his expression change from concern to anger. “It seems our original request to Fort Bridger was intercepted by the same group holding Durant. They tell me here they will create a general strike from Ogden to Omaha if I don’t find a way to force Durant to meet their demands immediately.”
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