by Laura Beers
Deepening her voice, she did her best impersonation of Paden. “This is only a business deal. Nothing more.”
“Well, I don’t want to be your partner,” she proclaimed in her own voice.
She deepened her voice again. “That’s preposterous. Look how handsome I am. Who wouldn’t want to partner with me?”
A loud pounding came at her door, followed by Paden’s urgent voice. “Are you all right in there, Rosalie?”
“I’m fine,” she answered, rising. In two strides, she reached the door and opened it, revealing Paden holding a gun in his left hand.
He stormed past her into the room, his eyes taking everything in. “Who were you talking to?”
“No one,” she insisted.
Paden’s eyes narrowed as he tucked his pistol into the back of his trousers. “I heard a male’s voice.” He walked over to the closed window and opened it. He looked out. “Where is he?”
Fidgeting with the lace along the collar of her maroon dress, she replied, “If you must know, I was talking to myself.”
He glanced over his shoulder at her in disbelief, slowly lowering the window. “You were talking to yourself?” he repeated. “But I heard a male’s voice.”
“I deepened my voice to impersonate you,” she admitted, ignoring the smug look that appeared on his face at her words.
Paden chuckled as he approached her. “If I understand this correctly,” he paused, clearly enjoying this moment, “you were having an imaginary conversation with me.”
Rosalie placed her hand on the open door. She was definitely finished with this embarrassing conversation. “It is entirely inappropriate for you to be in my room. You may go now.”
“Hold on,” he said, stopping in front of her. “Did you have these ‘imaginary conversations’ with me while we were courting? Or is this a new quirk?”
“Are you enjoying yourself, Paden?” she asked sarcastically.
A cocky grin came to his lips. “Immensely, darling.”
“Can I help you with something?” she asked, keeping her hold on the door.
“Mrs. Tyson sent me to escort you down for breakfast.”
“Oh, good,” she replied. “I am famished.”
Paden extended his arm toward her. “Did you not eat last night?”
“No, I had too much on my mind,” she replied, accepting his arm. “I ended up taking the cold food down to the kitchen late last night.”
As they started walking down the hall, Paden asked, “Did you come to a decision?”
“I did.” She held her breath for a moment, then answered, “I am going to pass on your offer.”
Paden bobbed his head. “I understand.”
“You do?” she asked, louder than she had intended.
He shrugged. “Being a Pinkerton agent is a great responsibility and not everyone can handle the pressure that comes along with the position.”
She pressed her lips together. “That is not why I have decided against it,” she declared.
Paden glanced over at her. “I recognize your reservations.”
“You do?” she asked again, only this time she was hesitant to hear his answer.
He stopped at the top of the stairs and turned to face her. “The Pinkerton Detective Agency is comprised of mostly men, and you are afraid you don’t have the mindset to compete against them.”
Her mouth gaped at his ridiculous statement. “That is most assuredly not the reason. I can outwork and outthink any man.”
“Then what’s the issue?” he asked, his eyes searching hers.
Nibbling her bottom lip, she met his gaze. “I am unsure about the marriage requirement.”
Reaching into the pocket of his black vest, Paden pulled out a piece of paper and a Pinkerton badge. He extended the badge toward her. “This letter is signed by Mr. Archie Gordon. It confirms that you are the newest agent, assuming you follow the marriage rule.”
Rosalie ran her fingers over the brass badge. For the first time in a long time, it felt like she was being directed toward something. Or was it because her heart wanted her to choose Paden, even if he didn’t want her?
“Rosie,” Paden began in an achingly tender voice, “marry me, and together we can stop Bill Garrett.”
There was a time when those words would have caused her heart to leap with joy, but now they filled her with dread. It was only a matter of time before Paden would recognize that she was not the carefree woman he remembered all those years ago, and he would reject her. She was sure of it. For she was not the same woman that she was four years ago, last week, or even yesterday.
Paden stepped closer to her until there was no distance between them. He leaned closer to whisper in her ear, “Say yes, and I promise you won’t regret it.”
Making the mistake of tilting her head toward him, their lips were merely inches apart. “Yes,” she found herself saying.
The warmth of his breath brushed against her lips, and she silently hoped that he would kiss her now that she agreed to be his wife… er… partner.
A smile emerged on Paden’s face as he stepped back, seemingly unphased by her nearness. “That’s great news! After breakfast, we will go to the sheriff’s office to get hitched.”
Rosalie found herself nodding, but she felt conflict in her heart. How could Paden be so unaffected by her presence? Did he not hold her in some regard? True, it had been four years. Perhaps he had already moved on, found another woman to love. That is what she had wanted for him. For him to be happy.
When she had first left Waterglen, her heart had mourned him, but with each passing day, she had convinced herself that Paden was better off without her. The love in her heart for him had been replaced with vengeance.
But now that Paden was here, she realized the love she’d felt for him never went away, it had just been buried.
Paden felt he must be a glutton for punishment. He was about to marry the love of his life, but he was trying to appear aloof to make Rosalie believe he wasn’t ecstatic that she’d agreed to marry him.
Sitting across from each other at the table, Rosalie was eating the last of her breakfast, and he was pretending to be occupied with reading the newspaper. The first step of his plan was completed. He had convinced her to marry him. Now onto the next step: Get married and stay married forever.
“Anything of note in the newspaper?” Rosalie asked, placing her napkin onto the table.
“Not really, considering these headlines are from last week.” He folded the newspaper and laid it on the table. “Ready to get hitched?”
“When will we go after Bill Garrett?”
Paden pushed back his chair and rose. “Right after our wedding ceremony. I have a wagon out front, and we’ll need to journey to the next town over to pick up the stagecoach.”
Mrs. Tyson walked into the room with a cluster of flowers. “I picked these from my garden. I thought you might like them for your wedding,” she said, extending them toward Rosalie.
Rosalie brought them to her nose and took a deep breath. “They smell heavenly. Thank you, Mrs. Tyson.”
“Do you require a witness?” The proprietress gave her a kind smile.
“I don’t believe so,” Rosalie murmured. She turned her gaze toward him. “Do we, Paden?”
He shook his head. “Not officially. The sheriff can marry us without witnesses, but the more the merrier.”
Mrs. Tyson clapped her hands in excitement. “Let me get my shawl. I haven’t been to a wedding in ages.”
Rosalie had a sad expression on her face as she watched Mrs. Tyson depart from the room. He came over to stand next to her. “What is it?”
She gave him a weak smile. “I don’t have the heart to tell her the truth… about us.”
“Then don’t.”
Taking a moment to admire Rosalie, his eyes trailed over her hair, which was pulled back at the sides and cascading in a cluster of ringlets down the back. Her flowered dress, adorned with lace and ruffles, highlighted her thin wais
t and delightful curves.
Paden tore his eyes away from her when Mrs. Tyson walked back into the room with a bright smile on her face.
“This is so exciting!” Mrs. Tyson gushed.
Extending his arms to the ladies, they walked the short distance to the sheriff’s office. Paden noticed that Rosalie kept giving him sideways glances, and her rigid posture seemed to indicate that she wasn’t excited about her upcoming nuptials. She would come around; he was sure of it.
Paden opened the door to the sheriff’s office and stepped aside to let the ladies enter. He had just stepped inside when Sheriff Vance shoved back his chair and greeted them. “Miss Addis and Mrs. Tyson. What a pleasant surprise.” Turning his gaze toward him, he frowned. “And who might you be?”
Moving to stand alongside Rosalie, he explained, “My name is Paden Brooks. I spoke to you yesterday about performing a marriage ceremony.”
Rosalie pursed her lips at his words, but she kept her gaze straight ahead.
“My apologies,” Sheriff Vance said, his finger tapping the top of the desk. “Are you here to marry Mrs. Tyson then?”
A giggle escaped Rosalie’s lips, and she brought her gloved hand up to cover her mouth.
“No. I am marrying Miss Rosalie Addis.” Paden smiled proudly.
The sheriff’s eyes darted to Rosalie. “I didn’t realize you were engaged.”
“This is a new development,” she admitted with a reassuring smile.
Sherriff Vance cleared his throat and asked, “May I speak to you for a moment, Miss Addis?”
“Of course,” she answered.
The sheriff came around his desk and opened the door, allowing Rosalie to walk first.
Paden took a small step toward the broken window, hoping he’d be able to hear their conversation. He could.
Stopping on the porch, Sheriff Vance asked in a concerned tone, “Is this man forcing you into a marriage?”
“Not at all. Mr. Brooks and I were childhood sweethearts,” Rosalie responded.
Paden’s chest puffed up with pride. That was a true statement.
There was a long silence before the Sherriff ventured, “If you are interested, I would be honored to marry you. I have my own home, savings in the bank, and three horses.”
Was this truly happening? Sheriff Vance was proposing to his fiancée, and within only a few feet of him! Of all the audacity, he thought, clenching his fists to his sides.
Rosalie’s voice broke him out of his anger. “That is most kind of you, but I truly want to marry Mr. Brooks.”
“All right,” came the sheriff’s gruff reply. “But if you change your mind, then we can ride out today and be hitched in the next town over. I would even be willing to let you buy a ready-made gown at the mercantile. Maybe some ribbon too.”
A low growl came from the back of Paden’s throat. Did this man have no sense of decorum?
Rosalie responded in a cheerful voice, but he missed her words.
The door opened, and Rosalie walked back into the room with a smile on her face. It was clear that she found the situation humorous. She stepped up to him and slipped her arm through his.
The sheriff went to his desk and reached into one of the drawers. He pulled out a piece of paper. “If there are no objections,” he paused, looking directly at Rosalie, “then I will get you two married.”
Mrs. Tyson humphed as she approached the desk. “Good heavens, Steven,” she stated in a low, chastising voice. “You are embarrassing yourself. Miss Addis and Mr. Brooks are in love, and she is not going to choose you over him. If you want a woman, get yourself a mail-order bride like the rest of the men in town.”
Rosalie looked anxious while Mrs. Tyson was talking, and Paden kept reminding himself that it was just nerves. She would see that they were perfect for each other. He just needed to remind her of their past and hope that she still wanted him.
Once Mrs. Tyson stepped away from the desk, the sheriff married them with as few words as possible, signed the marriage license, and kicked them out of his office. It happened so quickly that Paden feared he might have imagined it.
“We need to go back to the boarding house,” Paden said as they stood on the porch. “So I can load your trunks into the back of the wagon.”
“I only have one trunk and a satchel,” Rosalie informed him.
Mrs. Tyson came to stand next to them. “It is a rather small trunk too. I have no idea how you fit all of your clothes into it.”
“I only wear dresses when I’m not chasing down a suspect,” Rosalie explained. “The rest of the time, I wear trousers and a shirt.”
Paden gave her a stunned look. “You wear trousers?”
“Don’t look so surprised. You saw me in trousers when I would do my chores back home,” Rosalie said.
“Yes, but…” His words trailed off as he attempted to collect his thoughts. “It isn’t proper for a woman to wear trousers in public.”
A mischievous smile came to her lips. “I am a female bounty hunter, Paden. I am anything but proper.”
Rubbing the back of his neck with his hand, Paden asked, “You aren’t planning on changing into trousers for the wagon ride over, are you?”
“If I did, would you have a problem with that?” she questioned with an uplifted brow.
He frowned at her response. It was true that she would wear trousers while mucking stalls and feeding the animals, but the old Rosalie would never have dared wear them into town. She had always loved girly stuff, like ribbons and dresses. What else had Rosalie changed about herself?
Mrs. Tyson laughed, breaking through the awkward silence. “A woman wearing trousers in public. Good heavens, what a scandal! Especially for a woman as beautiful as you, Mrs. Brooks.”
“It always attracts a great deal of attention,” Rosalie stated. “You should see the men gawking when I have my gun belt strapped on.”
“You have a gun belt?” he blurted out.
Rosalie rolled her eyes. “There is a lot about me that has changed, Paden. I am not the same girl that you grew up with.”
“Clearly.” Paden kept his face expressionless as he led Mrs. Tyson and his wife back to the boarding house. A devastating thought occurred to him. What if Rosalie had changed so much that he didn’t like the woman she had become? Then he would be forced to get an annulment. And that was most assuredly not part of the plan.
Chapter 4
Sitting next to Paden in the wagon, Rosalie held the basket of food in her lap that Mrs. Tyson had given them. When they’d been traveling in silence for well over an hour, she decided to attempt to engage Paden in conversation. “Can you tell me where we’re going?”
“The town of Four Horses. It’s where we will catch the stagecoach,” he explained.
“Where will that take us?”
Paden glanced over at her. “I suppose I can tell you now.” He turned his gaze back toward the long, straight dirt road. “We were hired by Barlow Dispatch & Grizzly’s Peak Express because Bill Garrett has put together a new gang. He’s managed to steal their last three mail shipments, which included shipments of gold coins.”
“How did Garrett discover those stagecoaches were carrying gold?”
“Exactly the point,” he replied. “They suspect an insider, but they have no proof. That’s why they hired us.”
Rosalie placed the basket in the back of the wagon. “Where are the robberies happening?”
“Between the town of Four Horses and Shelbrook. It’s a fifteen-mile stretch through rugged terrain, and a section of it is through deep sand….”
“The sand causes the stagecoach to slow down and is a perfect time for criminals to overtake the driver,” she surmised, finishing his thought.
Leaning back against the bench, Paden nodded approvingly. “It’s true. A shotgun messenger sits next to the driver but has been unable to stop Bill Garrett and his new gang. The last time the stagecoach was robbed, everyone was killed, leaving no witnesses.”
Drumming
her fingers against the side of the wagon, Rosalie said, “I assume we’re riding on the stagecoach today because it has a shipment of gold on it.”
“That’s a correct assumption.”
Her fingers stilled. “It is a good thing I changed my clothes then. If we’re expecting a shoot-out with Garrett and his gang…”
“Our assignment is to protect the mail shipment and discover who the informant is,” he interrupted. “Once the gold arrives safely in Shelbrook, then we can round up Bill Garrett.”
She angled her body toward Paden. “You know if I have the opportunity to kill Garrett, I will take it.”
Paden eyed her with concern. “You would take justice into your own hands, Rosie?”
“I would. I have,” she confirmed, dropping his gaze. “Not everyone that I captured was alive when I turned them in for the reward.”
“Did you kill them in cold blood?”
Rosalie shook her head. “No. I never shot them in the back or anything like that. But, a few of the men didn’t want to come willingly, and they took hostages.” She pressed her lips together, before adding, “They were cowards and held their guns up to women and children. I had to stop them… I had to.”
“I can only imagine how hard that must have been for you,” he said, his tone compassionate.
Tears flooded her eyes, but she blinked them back, unwilling to show such weakness. “I saved those women and children, but I had to shoot those monsters to keep them safe.”
Paden placed his right hand over the clenched ones in her lap. “You did a good thing. You went out to round up Bill Garrett and his gang, and you have succeeded.”
“Mostly, but Bill Garrett has been eluding me for years. Now he has formed a new gang.” She sounded discouraged.
“Rosie,” Paden said hesitantly, “after you bring Bill to justice, what’s next?”
“I don’t know. I suppose I will go home and visit my nana.”
“Just visit?”
