by E. E. Burke
In desperation, she dropped to her knees with her hands raised in supplication. “Please, Henry, I am begging you. Mr. Colston isn’t the kind of man you think he is. He’s decent and honorable. He only wants to protect his family and his people. We can’t—we shouldn’t—judge him. Not after the sins we’ve committed.”
“For God’s sake, get up off the floor.” Henry leapt off the desk, looking alarmed. His flustered response seemed curious, considering she was the one on her knees. “You don’t have to beg. You haven’t done anything wrong.”
“You think not?” Kate took his proffered hand. He helped her to her feet. “In Kansas, our railroad took the land those settlers had poured their sweat and dreams into. A young woman accosted by one of our workers killed herself. We were reluctant to slow down long enough to ferret out the truth because we had a race to win. Now, we’re asking the courts to strip a sovereign nation of its rights. How can you stand there and say we’ve done nothing wrong?”
Above the starched white collar, a crimson stain spread up Henry’s neck. “I never said I hadn’t done anything wrong. I said you hadn’t. Except for getting involved with that outlaw.”
Kate retrieved her hand. “Mr. Colston isn’t an outlaw.”
Not anymore.
Henry’s troubled gaze flickered over her. She’d seen that assessing look before. When he considered the value of something, compared to the effort it would take to acquire it. At last, he heaved an impatient sigh. “Let’s not argue his innocence. As you’ve said, none of us are pure. Tell me, why I should stick my neck out for this alleged criminal?
That sounded more like Henry. He weighed everything by what he stood to gain. In this case, he had expected they would marry, which he’d surmised would improve his station and further his career. At one time, it might have. Not anymore. Her association with Jake had cast a pall over her value.
To his credit, Henry had attempted to woo her, rather than simply presuming her agreement. However, she wasn’t in love with him, nor was he in love with her. Her rejection had wounded his pride. That was the offense he struggled to forgive.
A smarter woman might flatter him and stroke his ego. She had never been comfortable with coyness, and Henry’s ego was big enough. She would rather strike a fair deal with the businessman. The one who wanted to run this railroad much more than she did.
“If you help me get what I want, I’ll give you something that will convince Father to make you president—without having to wed me.”
Chapter 21
Henry accompanied Kate to her father’s private railcar to discuss the proposal she’d made in exchange for his support to get Jake released. For a time, he’d adamantly resisted. Until she’d convinced him that he and her father would be made to look like fools after it came to light that the Indians had outsmarted them by using the railroad’s money to fund the lawsuit.
For Henry, reputation tipped the scales against revenge. For once, she was glad he could be practical. Now, however, everything depended on how well they could work together to sway her father. Would Henry uphold his end of the bargain or would he back down if the judge became belligerent? She’d seen him stand his ground. Generally, when he wanted something, not to protect her interests.
She stopped before stepping up to the door. “Are you ready?”
Henry’s gaze reflected his usual wry amusement, which she surmised meant he was over being angry with her. Something else lurked behind the humor, harder to interpret. “I am. Are you sure you’re ready to throw away your future as the wife of a railroad president?”
He had to be joking. His typical way to deal with anything emotionally uncomfortable.
“I’d think you would be glad to be let off the hook,” she retorted.
He maintained her gaze with a directness she found disconcerting. “My, your loyalty to Colston is stunning. Makes me jealous.”
She released a dry laugh. “That’s about as believable as you saying you’ve taken a new look at me and decided you should’ve tried harder to win my hand.”
His smile faded surprisingly fast. “Perhaps I should have.”
Her heart skipped a beat. He wouldn’t renege on his agreement, would he? She’d gained his word of honor, and on a handshake, no less.
“It wouldn’t have made any difference in the end. You didn’t fall in love with me.”
She stared at him, unable to think of a single thing to say.
“Speechless?” He flashed a smile. “I did wonder if such a thing was possible.”
Kate released her breath on a laugh. For a moment she’d thought... No, he had to be relieved at this point. She’d given him nothing but trouble. “Henry, really. You will be much better off with the right woman.”
He lifted his hand in a negligent wave. “I’m not the type to inspire the slavish devotion you have for that Indian. Excuse me, Mr. Colston. My goal in life isn’t to win a woman’s heart. I have bigger achievements in mind. I’ll be a step closer to attaining them if your father warms to the idea you came up with. If not...” he shrugged. “Well, you won’t end up with what you want either.”
His remark shook her. All joking aside, it served as a reminder that they were both playing for high stakes and there were no guarantees.
She steeled her nerves as he opened the door and ushered her inside.
Her father didn’t rise to greet her or offer her a kiss. He leaned his arms on the desk, still holding onto a newspaper he’d been reading, gave her a frowning once-over. “You look no worse for wear, daughter.”
She might’ve been wounded before. Now, she only felt a mild sense of melancholy mingled with pity. He was miserable in his resentments, yet he wouldn’t let go of them. He’d cursed his wife for leaving him for another man without recognizing how his negligence had driven her to seek love elsewhere. He’d resented his only remaining child because she had recovered from the scarlet fever after her older brother had died. He would never forgive her for living, but she had to forgive him for rejecting her, then move on with her life.
“I am in a good heath, thank you,” she said calmly, taking a seat in front of the desk while Henry remained standing.
Her father peered at her from underneath his bushy eyebrows. “From what I hear, you’re lucky to be alive.”
“I was never in danger.” She folded her hands in her lap and looked the old man straight in the eye while she told the half-truth. With Jake, she had not been in danger. He’d protected her at the risk of his own life. “But my adventure is not what we’re here to discuss. I wished to help break a stalemate. I made a mistake.”
Her father’s laugh came out sounding ugly. “Is that what you call it?”
She went on as if she hadn’t heard him. “My mistake was in not communicating my intentions to Henry. He has been very understanding. I’m pleased to say that he didn’t let my inexperience become an impediment to working out a solution for your problem with the Cherokee Nation.”
At this, her father sat straight and put the newspaper down. “What are you talking about?”
“I should let Henry tell you. It’s his idea.”
She passed the baton smoothly to her leading man.
“That’s quite an introduction...” Henry rubbed his hand over his beard, possibly hiding a smile or behaving with a hint of humility. Her father liked men who were confident. He still had to be the biggest dog in the room. “I’ve drafted a proposal for the Cherokee Tribal Council.”
After she’d dictated what it should be.
“Based on a tip we received from Mr. Colston. They’re open to leasing their land for our right-of-way,” Henry announced.
He presumed this to be true, based on her assurances. Jake would have to contact his uncle, after Henry arranged for his release.
Her father looked less than impressed. “We shouldn’t have to pay a penny for that land the government promised us.”
Henry drew back his coat and tucked his thumbs over the gun belt he was never with
out. Somehow, it came across as authoritative without being threatening. “Sir, how much do you trust the government? Or the courts?”
Her father harrumphed.
“My sentiments exactly. Our sources tell me the government has less than a fifty-fifty chance to win a favorable judgement. It could take another two years for a decision to be handed down. In the meantime, we’re bleeding more money than we’d ever spend on leases.”
The judge leaned back in his chair. He stroked his chest-length beard.
Good. That meant he was listening. Weighing the cost.
Kate crossed her fingers in her lap.
Henry continued. “If we move quickly to sign lease agreements for right-of-way, we can begin building again as early as next week.”
“What’s their incentive?” her father grumbled. “Money?”
“Acknowledgment that the land belongs to them. Oh, and they’ve asked us not to press charges against one of their citizens.”
Kate held her breath. This would be the primary sticking point, and it all hinged on how well Henry could make the case. She struggled to keep her lips sealed.
“Are you talking about that Indian the major arrested? Why would we turn him loose? He stole twenty-thousand dollars of our money.”
Twenty grand they would never see again, regardless.
“Actually, we have no proof he did it.” Henry continued with remarkable aplomb.
“What?” Her father jerked forward, scowling. “One of our men saw him!”
“Not exactly. One of our men said they spoke with an Indian who asked about when he’d get paid and commented on your daughter’s beauty. Neither of those things is a crime. I talked to the witness. He doesn’t remember what the Indian looked like, only that he was tall. Our worker stands under five feet. Any man would look tall compared to him. In fact, none of our men have been able to identify Colston with any certainty.”
How could they? Poor Jake’s face was still swollen and misshapen after that fight.
Henry lifted his shoulders, as if the release of a prisoner were a minor matter. “You know how is, sir. All Indians look the same.”
Kate stared down at her hands. Henry had quoted her father’s frequent insult, no doubt enjoying a joke at his expense. Good Lord. He’d better stop before his boss caught on.
“Someone has to pay,” the judge thundered.
Henry straightened, dropping all pretense of indifference. “We will be the ones who pay, sir, if we continue to hold a man without proof.”
Kate licked dry lips. The authorities could press charges anyway. A white jury would convict Jake with minimal evidence.
Henry walked to the window. He folded his hands behind his back. Again, he showed his shrewdness in dealing with her father. Demonstrate confidence, let the other person stew in their juices for a while, deftly shift the balance of power. It also helped that he was a man.
Almost on cue, her father broke the silence. “What is your suggestion, Mr. Stevens?”
The fact that he’d asked meant he didn’t have an answer.
Kate clasped her fingers together to refrain from clapping.
Henry continued to stare out the window a moment longer. He had to be enjoying this opportunity. When he turned, he’d composed his expression into the right mixture of certainty and solemnity. “Sir, I’m as eager as you are to see justice served. However, pressing a weak case against a respected young Cherokee who has no criminal record would create a backlash of ill-will. We would end up snarled in court cases over land rights for years.”
Kate cast a furtive glance at her father. He had gone utterly still. His expression revealed nothing. Henry had his attention. At the moment, that was all.
Undaunted, Henry approached the desk. He picked up a cast-iron model of a locomotive that had a been gift to her father from the board of directors. “Frankly, if we get what we want for twenty-thousand plus some modest lease payments to soothe the Indians’ pride, it sounds like a good deal to me. Once our line reaches Texas, the cattle trade alone will make up for our losses. And we’ll be miles ahead of any competitor.”
Her father stared at Henry, who continued to act as if he could care less.
If her father had a better idea, he wouldn’t hesitate to shoot down someone else’s.
While the judge folded his newspaper, Henry shot a quick glance at Kate and winked.
She dropped her head and fought a smile. It was too soon to be amused or to celebrate.
“You’re awfully quiet,” her father observed.
“I don’t have much to say,” she responded without looking up.
“That’s a first.”
“She’s practicing being modest,” Henry quipped. “We have Kate to thank for opening the door to these negotiations. If she hadn’t met Mr. Colston, we would still be stuck.”
She jerked her head up, alarmed at Henry’s pivot to a compliment. That wasn’t what they’d rehearsed. Her father wouldn’t be won over by singing her praises. “As always, Henry took the initiative when he spotted a good opportunity. It would’ve gone much smoother had I not invited Mr. Colston to accompany me. It created confusion about his intentions.”
“And ruined your reputation in the process, daughter.”
She flushed at her father’s cruel jab.
Henry flexed his fingers into a fist, almost as if he wanted to slug someone. Her or her father? His sympathetic gaze gave her the answer.
Her heart constricted. Henry might not love her, yet he’d shown more compassion and concern than her own father. Later, she’d reassure him that she didn’t care anymore. She had already expended far too much energy to win the love of a man whose heart was shriveled.
In fact, she’d expected this type of reaction, and it would work in their favor. Henry had an easy way out. He could agree with her father’s assessment. Then the judge wouldn’t expect him to marry her. All she had to sacrifice was a bit of pride, which was nothing, in comparison to Jake’s life.
“Kate’s reputation is intact, sir,” Henry said tersely. “She is an honorable woman.”
What was he doing? This was not what they’d rehearsed!
Her father’s lips twitched, the closest he ever came to smiling. “Does that mean you two will finally get hitched?”
Her heart lodged in her throat. Why had Henry thought it necessary to defend her honor? She appreciated the kindness, more than she could say, except... Now what?
Panic tightened her chest before another, stronger emotion suppressed it. Self-assurance. A gift Jake had given her, along with his love. She would not squander either.
Kate faced the judge with her pride intact. “No, Father. I have come to the conclusion that I am not the right woman for Mr. Stevens. Based on your astute assessment, I think you’ll agree. If I accepted Henry’s proposal, I would only hold him back.”
Chapter 22
The jail door creaked as it opened. Whoever had entered the cell held a lantern.
Jake dragged his aching body up on one arm and squinted into the light. His vision focused on a man dressed in a suit that looked too clean and pressed to belong to the guard or a lawman. He waited, wondering if this was part of a dream or he was still in hell.
Correction. The waiting room for hell. He would get to the real place soon enough.
This man might be the undertaker sent to measure him for a coffin. Did the whites even bury dead Indians? Jake had no answer.
“Mr. Colston?” The man withdrew a handkerchief and put it to his nose.
Jake would do the same if he had one. Through one eye that wasn’t swollen, in a dark cell, it was difficult to make out the man’s features. His voice wasn’t familiar. “Who wants to know?”
“Mr. Danbury. I’m an attorney.”
“Attorney? I don’t have the money to hire—”
“I’ll explain later. Somewhere other than here.” The man motioned to the open cell door. “After you.”
It took a great deal of effort, as well as a
n embarrassing amount of huffing and puffing, for Jake to pull himself to his feet. He leaned his hand against the wall until he could get his arm curled around his sore ribs.
When he hobbled into the narrow hallway, the light from behind him showed it was empty. No guard accompanied the finely dressed man, which seemed odd.
Jake hesitated, heard his own heavy breathing. It could be a trick. He would walk out to be met by vigilantes who would take him to the nearest tree and string him up.
Outside, he might have an opportunity to run. If he insisted on remaining in the cell, they would eventually drag him out anyway. Better to walk out with his head held high.
The man behind him cleared his throat.
Jake continued the remaining distance to the door, which he pushed open. He hoped for sunlight. Instead, the night greeted him. He had lost track of days in the windowless cell, and had yearned for the sun. More than that, he’d longed for another sight of the Sun’s daughter, Redbird.
God, he prayed Kate was nowhere near this place.
He took another few steps before two men stepped up on either side of him. Each of them took one arm, almost as if they meant to support him rather than restrain him. His body was too battered to rally resistance. In his condition, he could not outrun an old man.
A full moon shed its silvery light over sleeping town around them. No one else was out, except for a drunk, who staggered across the road.
The men on either side of Jake directed him to a wagon where they hoisted him up and into the bed.
He gasped at the sharp pain in his side.
Danbury, the attorney, climbed into the seat. The two men joined Jake in the back, positioning themselves at the rear and near the driver. Both resembled the burly Irishmen he’d worked alongside while posing as a track layer. They had upper arms the size of small logs and fists like anvils. He would lose any fight he started, even if they had no weapons. In fact, they were dressed in denim bibs and looked as if they had taken a detour from work to collect him.
He cleared his throat. “Where are you taking me?”
