by Savanna Sage
With Cinderella on his mind, Adam watched an astonishing variety of people riding the train toward Santa Fe, from blond haired to black, tall, short, heavy, thin, with various clothing styles. He caught a Chinaman in a bowler hat and jade green suit coat staring at him. The man looked away when Adam met his eye. Who was he? Adam didn’t recall ever seeing him before. Why was he staring? Had he been at the fight with the Emperor?
Realizing he was doing his own share of staring, Adam glanced away.
As soon as the train pulled into the station, Spud jumped up from his seat, putting him ahead of the woman in purple. He called back over her head, “I’ll go get us lodgings,” waving his train ticket at Adam like a flag.
Adam waved back and Spud disappeared down the train steps.
It was rather entertaining to see the purple lady leaning over her seat, dragging bags and boxes into her arms, trying to fit them together like a puzzle. With restless passengers backed up behind him, he asked, “Would you allow me to assist you?”
Looking up at him over the top of her gathered bundles with suspicious eyes, like a hungry squirrel carrying seeds she didn’t want to share, he gave her his friendliest grin. With plenty of time for all his fighting bruises to heal, his handsome, smooth-skinned face made her smile and look up at him through her eyelashes.
Trying to point with fingers hanging on to various straps and strings, she said, “If you could just carry that one to the station for me.” She jutted her chin toward a big black case that looked big enough to have its own train ticket.
She started down the train aisle, glancing back as Adam picked up her case, which was rather hefty. She kept on glancing back as she made her way off the train with Adam right behind her. A cloud of hot steam drifted around him as he followed her toward the station. At the edge of the platform, he glanced up toward the station to see the Chinaman in the bowler hat staring at him through the window. This time he didn’t look away.
What did he want? Had he been at the fight in Pueblo and bet on the Emperor? Adam determined to confront the man and find out, but by the time he got the purple lady’s case into the station, the Chinaman was nowhere to be seen.
Stepping out onto the platform, Adam allowed himself an unrestricted stretch, lengthening his back until he stood his full height of 6’ 3”. A few evening lights flicked on in his new home of Santa Fe. After winning a fight or two, he’d have enough money to head back to Kansas and find Cinderella.
An incoming train rolled into the station with clouds of steam billowing like a sleepy dragon. The doors opened and passengers started down the stairs, but Adam’s attention was draw to a thin figure scuttling away from the train at the dim fringes of evening, a broken straw boater tilted awkwardly on his head. Adam touched the brim of his own felt homburg as he watched the hunched fellow moving away fast, but not steadily, as if weak from hunger or afraid of being caught. Adam understood both conditions.
“We’ve not enough for the hotel,” Spud said, making Adam turn to look down at his manager.
“We’ll just sleep in a barn. We’ve done it before.”
“Don’t want no arrest for trespass,” Spud said. “Can’t have you loungin’ around in the hoosegow any more. We gotta fill the coffers from tomorrow’s fight.”
“I’ll make arrangements,” Adam said, nodding toward the livestock barn at the edge of the trainyard. “You got enough for some grub?” Caring for his father forced Adam to grow up young. He’d learned to reason with adults, and often found temporary jobs, usually heavy work after a potential employer sized him up. It was more difficult to find work at night, unless a saloon needed a bouncer. Adam wasn’t a drinking man himself, but hadn’t yet met a drunk he couldn’t handle. Weighing his options, he glanced at the freight cars being rapidly emptied by porters., No work there.
“For simple food, maybe,” Spud replied. “Unless you wanta wash dishes in pay for something nice?”
“You could,” Adam replied. “I say simple’s better than none. I’ll see what I can do about sleeping arrangements.” He headed toward the barn. When he got close enough, rough laughter came faintly through the walls, followed by a high voice calling, “Stop it!” Scuffling feet, then a small scream that was abruptly cut off.
Throwing open the door, Adam stepped into a dim interior with the odor of whiskey stronger than manure. Something crunched underfoot. He glanced down at a straw boater hat crushed beneath his big shoe.
“Shut da door,” a man’s voice slurred.
Adam raised his gaze to a man in a red brocade vest, his arm lifted to shield his face from the light. “I believe I’ll leave it open,” Adam replied.
“Then go away,” the man said. “There’s not enough o’ him to go aroun’.”
“Mebbe there’s ‘nuff light we kin see what money’s on ‘im,” a man said from somewhere in a dark stall. His words were followed by a slap and a cry.
“Who are you getting money from?” Adam asked.
“None a you’ bizniss,” red vest replied.
“I could use some money,” Adam said easily as he strode further into the barn, where he could finally make out the shape of a slender fellow curled up on the dirty straw, his arms over his head. He looked like the slinking fellow in the straw boater. The hat Adam crushed made him sure of it. Leaning over the lad was a thick fellow in a brown vest, his fist balled up, ready to strike.
Pushing past red vest, Adam grabbed the fist and pulled the man backward. With a cry of surprise, the man fell on his rump, knocking red vest over. Adam moved inside the stall, standing sideways between the young man and the drunkards. At 22 years old, he knew enough not to put his back to anyone he didn’t know. Even scared young guys could stab a man in the back. Especially scared guys.
The lad scurried further into the stall, eyes darting from the two thugs in vests to Adam.
“Hey,” red vest protested, as if he were a child who’d had his licorice whip stolen away. “We foun’ ‘im first.”
“Yeah,” brown vest agreed, getting heavily to his feet and brushing at the seat of his trousers with an unsteady hand. “We caught ‘im sneakin’ into this here barn. He could be stealin’ stuff fer all we know.”
“How can he steal anything while you’re hitting him?” Adam asked.
The two men glanced at each other. Red vest grabbed brown vest’s leg to pull himself onto his feet, making brown vest wobble.
“Leggo,” brown vest commanded. Then he turned to Adam. “He’s sneaky.”
“Well, then, I’ll tell you what,” Adam said in a whisper. “It’s time for you to be sneaky. You sneak on out of here before I hit you.”
The two drunks looked at each other again, then raised their gaze to Adam’s height at the same time, as if their eyeballs were attached to marionette strings. “Whadda ya think, Toby?” brown vest asked.
“I think he’s gonna pound us.” With an ingratiating smile and a duck of his head, Toby edged his way past Adam and out the barn door.
Brown vest looked up at Adam again, put his hands on his ample hips, and huffed out a boozy breath. “If I’d a been born the size o’ Goliath, you’d be the one gettin’ outta here.”
Adam shrugged. “You can play David.” He put his fists up in fighting pose. “Go ahead. Throw a stone.”
The man swayed and appeared to think this over, but it was possible he wasn’t thinking at all. It was just as likely that he’d simply forgotten which direction the door lay. When Adam pointed, brown vest stumbled outside.
Dropping his fists, Adam turned to the young man hunched against the wall, his face turned in toward the wood. “You alright?”
Muffled sobbing was his only answer.
Adam reached out and touched the youth’s shoulder. “Did they hurt you bad, kid?”
The boy choked in an effort to stifle his sobs. Maybe he was hurt worse than he looked.
“What’s your name?”
Still facing the wall, the boy swiped a hand across his face, then fl
inched as if he’d hit a bruise. “St… Steel,” came a voice that either hadn’t changed yet, or else the drunks had damaged his Adam’s apple.
“Steel?”
Nod.
“First or last?”
A pause, then the voice replied in a lower pitch, straining in the unnatural range. “Only.” The lad’s stomach growled.
“You hungry?” Adam asked.
Another pause. “Maybe.”
“Come on. Let’s go find some food.”
“Don’t touch me,” Steel squeaked.
Adam raised his big hands and backed away. Steel turned, saw Adam retreating, then cautiously got to his feet. After grabbing the waistband of his breeches and giving them an upward tug, he stepped carefully after Adam. As they drew near to the barn door, the light filtering in revealed Steel’s effeminate face darkened with soot on cheeks and chin. Tear tracks drew light lines through the mess that could never pass for a proper beard. Adam tried to tamp down a smile.
“Hey,” a male voice called from outside.
Adam spun on the balls of his feet, hands up and ready to punch.
A middle-aged man in a worn Stetson hat stepped into the doorway, stopping at the sight of Adam. His gaze flicked to Steel and back to Adam’s fists. “What are you doing in there?”
“Who’s asking?” Adam demanded.
The man pointed a finger at Adam. “Paul DeSoto, caretaker. And who are you?”
Ignoring the question, Adam dropped his hands and straightened. “We’re just leaving.”
Paul crossed his arms, leaving one hand up with a finger picking at his teeth. “Why are you here in the first place?”
Adam glanced back at Steel, who raised a defiant gaze to meet his with the greenest eyes he’d ever seen.
“Well?” Paul asked. “You trying to steal my horses? Set a fire? Eat the oats? What?”
“There were some drunks in here bothering Steel,” Adam explained. “I just showed them the door.”
Paul squinted into the dimness past Adam. “Come on out, Steel.”
She did, standing so close to Adam that if she were any taller, her head would bump his nose.
“Well, you’re a sight,” Paul said, the beginnings of a grin on his face. “What happened? Those drunks steal your dress?”
“What?” Steel asked, her eyes widening.
“You didn’t think I’d take you for a man, did you?” Paul asked, leaning against the doorway.
“I… I…” Steel’s voice faded away and her head dropped until she was staring at the straw on the floor.
“Trousers and a dirty face aren’t enough to hide the likes of you. Now, if you had an overhanging brow, some craggy lines, or some real whiskers, then you might be able to fool me.”
“But I… you can’t let on,” Steel said. “I can’t be found… I mean…” she stopped and stared at the darkened western horizon as if gauging its distance for escape at a moment’s notice.
“Unless you’re a robber or murderer, I don’t care why you’re dressed like that,” Paul said. He glanced at Adam. “You happen to be looking for work?”
Steel said, “Yes,” at the same time Adam nodded.
Paul straightened. “Well, I only have the means to hire one of you, and you,” he pointed to Adam, ”could do me the most good.”
Steel glanced up at Adam with resignation and a bit of resentment. He didn’t know her story, but some kind of tragedy had likely befallen her. Staring westward clued him in that she’d be moving on if she couldn’t find refuge here. Her eagerness to work meant she needed money. He didn’t owe her anything, but he couldn’t bear the thought of seeing her suffer. For some reason, he wanted to be responsible for her.
“Pay me half,” Adam blurted.
“What?” Paul asked, taking his hand from his mouth. “You only want half pay?”
“Give her the other half,” Adam said, jerking a thumb at Steel.
“Why would I do that?”
“I can’t work full time. I’ve got training.”
“For what?”
Adam shrugged. If Paul was a lawman, or friends with the law, Adam couldn’t tell him that he was here to fight. If word got out, Adam would have to leave on the next train, if he could even raise enough money for a ticket. He might have already said too much. Besides, Steel was pretty shaken by her experience at the hands of those drunks. If she found out that Adam punched people for a living, it might scare her off.
After a moment of silence, Paul shifted his gaze to Steel. “What can she do?”
Adam tipped his head toward the young woman dressed in men’s clothes. “Ask her.”
“I’m a good hand with horses, although I don’t have one at the moment.” Steel clasped her hands and turned her head, swallowing hard. Adam’s anger rose at the sight of a red mark on her cheek. He wanted to put his arm around her, to comfort her.
Then she faced Paul again with a glisten in her eye, although she didn’t let any tears fall. “I can muck out stalls, throw hay, feed oats, clean hooves, exercise horses, or anything else you need done.”
Paul rubbed his chin for a moment. “How about child care?”
“What?”
“And cooking and cleaning.”
“Wh… I thought you wanted help in the barn.”
“If this fellow… what’s your name?”
“Adam Quinn.”
“If Adam Quinn is working in the barn, then you can work in the house. I’ve got nine young ones in there, with another one on the way.” He didn’t smile when he mentioned the upcoming blessed event. “I can pay you with food and a place to stay.”
“But I need money.”
Paul put out his hands, palms up. “It’s all I can do to pay him.” He thrust his elbow toward Adam.
“But you offered…”
“Take it or leave it,” Paul said, dropping his hands and turning away. “If I had all the money in the world, I wouldn’t be working in this stinking barn for the railroad. I’d have a bigger house for my children.” He shook his head, then muttered as he walked away, “I thought Carmen would have run out of babies at her age.”
Adam glanced down at Steel, who had a corner of her lip between her teeth. “Hey,” he said softly.
She looked up at him.
“It’s a start,” he said. “At least you’ll have food. Something better could come along soon.” He had no idea what might come along, but he surely hoped something would. He still didn’t understand why he felt drawn to this smudge-faced girl. Even the jagged edges of hair hanging to her shoulders in messy waves made her appealing. She wouldn’t be lost in a crowd of women fluttering fans and swishing about in skirts so full they could catch fire just walking past a fireplace. She had come from a painful past, or else why would she need a disguise? Not even knowing her story, Adam was determined to make sure that her past didn’t catch up to her if she didn’t want it to.
“I’m painfully hungry,” she admitted.
“Mr. DeSoto,” Adam called.
The barn keeper turned around. “Just call me Paul.”
“We accept your offer, but we need a meal first. The two of us and my manager.”
“Three meals?” Paul asked. “Why should I feed this manager person? What is he going to do for me?”
“He knows useful people,” Adam said, not giving Spud’s real job away. “He’s good at arranging things, but if you don’t like him when you meet him, then you don’t have to feed him.” Spud’s knack for figuring out where people stood would let them know if Paul would be an ally to their fighting program, or an enemy.
“Ah, what does it matter?” Paul said. “We won’t even notice you in the crowd of children. If you can grab the food before they do, then you can have it.” He turned and kept walking.
“We’d like to sleep in the barn, too.”
Paul stuck his hand up in the air and waved.
Steel looked up at Adam, the set of her sooty face nearly stopping his heart. What was it about her
that made him feel like he wanted to gaze into her eyes forever? He would even give her his last spoonful of porridge, if that was supper.
“Thank you,” Steel said. “I just… thank you.” She gave a little laugh. “I must look ridiculous.” She lowered her gaze.
“Don’t worry about it,” Adam said, wishing he could tell her she looked adorable.
“Why are you helping me?” Steel asked suddenly.
“Why?” Adam didn’t know how to put his feelings into words, even to himself, so how could he explain it to this girl he’d just met? “Because I’m hungry, too.” Glancing out the barn door, he said, “Paul’s not waiting for us. We’d better go.”
As he started forward, Adam was surprised to feel Steel’s hand slip inside his. With a warm sensation spreading out from his heart, he tightened his hold. As they hurried after Paul, his happiness was as big as if he’d just won the English bare knuckle fighting championship.
Steel suddenly stopped, and Adam glanced down at her just as a dog barked. Steel pulled free of him, bent down, and put her hands out in a familiar pose. When she said, “Puppy,” in the same inviting tone he’d heard her calling to Prince as he sat beside a spring in Kansas, he knew who she was.
He’d found Cinderella.
Chapter 9
Stella didn’t mean to hold onto the big man. It was just something she was accustomed to doing while walking with her father, so when Adam followed Paul, she slid her hand inside Adam’s without thinking. As soon as she realized what she’d done, she started pulling free, but Adam curled his fingers around hers in a comforting embrace. It wasn’t exactly the way Papa did it, but was close enough to remind her of Papa’s strength. What harm would it do to hold Adam’s hand as far as the house? He didn’t seem to mind. She’d never admit it to him or anyone else, but holding his hand made her feel like she wasn’t facing the world alone. She’d only passed through the Oklahoma panhandle, but already felt that, without Papa, the world was a huge, cold, hungry place.
Who was Adam? What was the training he’d talked about? She risked glancing up at his face. It was hard to see in the evening dark, but he was certainly big enough to be a giant. What did giants do? The only occupation she knew of was eating Englishmen and sliding down bean stalks.