He could never do that to Fallon.
The thought of his sweet wren being left alone bothered him more than anyone could understand. He wanted to see her smile, hear her laugh, and see her eyes dance with delight. He’d seen Fallon’s ragged expression when he emerged from the cave and immediately pushed off the idea of them marrying. She had that same blank stare in her eyes until she’d seen him—and it was engraved on his soul from the two seconds it took for him to see it.
Rourke hadn’t understood how badly Fallon had wanted to be an agent. He hadn’t shared his fears with her, ashamed at appearing less of a man to the woman he adored. He would give her a little time, send word he was on his way, and then ride to Denver to bring back his little wren to their home in Chicago.
Chapter Four
Fallon looked at Jack warily as they stood in front of the minister. She scooted away from him, feeling such a wave of awkwardness, guilt, and betrayal wash over her. This felt so wrong and as she heard the words spoken, she focused on the fact that this was just a contract.
There were no emotional ties, nothing.
This was her, binding herself to a coworker, another agent, for her safety only. There was nothing. No smiles. No friendship. No congratulations. The attitude in the room was distinctly uncomfortable as it was announced that they were married in the eyes of the law.
“Thanks,” Fallon said simply and turned to head towards the door.
“Where are you going, dollface?”
“We’ve got to get to work.”
“I see.”
She felt Jack try to take her elbow and jerked her arm away from him. Thankfully, he didn’t say a word but she could hear the distressed whispering between Marianne and Archie, as the door to the office closed. This wasn’t right in so many ways. This marriage felt like an abomination, a sham, and Fallon realized that without a shadow of a doubt, she’d made a horrible mistake… one that she would now have to live with.
“Do you have your things here with you?”
“They are at my room I am renting.”
“Why don’t you fetch them and I’ll meet you back here in an hour.”
“That works for me.”
“We’ll be travelling by horse.”
“I didn’t expect to go by train.”
“I was just letting you know that I wasn’t planning to take a wagon. I think we can travel easier on horse.”
“It would be quicker.”
“Yep. Pack light, little wife.”
“Do not call me that.”
“No problem, dollface.”
“I hate you.”
“I’m not too fond of you either.”
“Then why did you just agree to marry me?”
“It’s another job, another dollar, in my wallet. Doesn’t really matter, now does it?”
Fallon stared at him and was surprised to see the burly man actually looked away from her. Could someone actually be so very cold-blooded? She’d thought she was distancing herself from what was going on, but this man took it to another level. Had he been hurt or was it just her he’d taken a severe dislike to?
“How many partners have you had to marry in the past?”
“One too many,” Jack said simply, turning to walk away. “See you in an hour, dollface.”
Fallon returned to the office to see two black horses tethered in front, waiting for their riders. She could see that the saddle bag was full, and a bolster was tied neatly behind the saddle. The other horse must be for her, she mused, surprised to the see expensive saddle on it. He’d given her the nicer of the two. Hearing the doorway open, she looked up to see Jack descending the small stairs towards the street where she waited.
“‘Bout time you got here. I was wondering if you’d changed your mind.”
“Nope. I’m ready when you are.”
“Ok. This one is yours if you want to use the saddlebags and put your things away.”
“Thank you. I wasn’t sure and wanted to ask before I made myself comfortable with your horse.”
“What’s her name?”
“Dolly.”
“You have a thing for dolls or is that a snide backhanded remark to imply that I look like the horse?”
“You do both have black hair,” he said easily, swinging himself up into the saddle like it was nothing. Fallon stood there debating if she should shove him off the animal or just let the insult go. Just as she was about to opt for the first idea, sending him flying into the street, he spoke.
“I’m kidding, Fallon. Let’s get going while there is still daylight.”
Fallon rode for quite a while in blessed silence. Jack didn’t seem to be much of a talker, giving her time to think about the choices she’d made and her future. She wanted so badly to explain to someone her decision in an attempt to justify the ‘why’ behind it.
She wanted this adventure. She’d had a need for something different all along in her life but wanted it with Rourke. Now, if he came after her he was bound to discover that she’d married someone else. Would Archie explain that it was in name only? If Rourke ever forgave her or understood, what would they tell their children? Their grandchildren?
Divorce was scandalous.
Annulments weren’t unheard of—just rare.
Annulments for work-related reasons… now that was the kicker. No one married their job, much less repeatedly! Archie had casually mentioned marrying again like it was nothing. Marriage was not nothing. It was the ultimate dedication to one person for your entire life, someone to love and cherish.
This sham of a ‘marriage’ to Jack Gaines might as well have been her selling a day-old loaf of bread to someone she severely disliked. She could care less, the transaction would be done soon, and both would go on their merry way.
In her eyes, it wasn’t worth the paper they wrote it on. She’d repeated no vows during the ceremony. It was practically a joke. Jack sounded like he was reciting his alphabet instead of his vows and Fallon had stood there sullenly with her arms crossed. Neither was happy about being stuck with the other—and this gave her an idea.
“Who would you rather have married?” Fallon asked Jack suddenly. The dark-haired agent looked taken aback at the question and actually chuckled.
“Dollface, I don’t want to marry anyone.”
“You don’t have someone near-and-dear to your heart?”
“Do you?”
“Actually, I do have someone I care about in my life.”
“What in the world are you doing here with me then?” he gaped, pulling his horse to a stop in the middle of the clearing. Fallon pushed a stray hair out of her face and almost smiled at the surprise on his face. Colorado was truly beautiful and so different from Pennsylvania. Here there were open fields, craggy rock faces in the distance, and a coolness even on a warm day that seemed to seep into the bones.
“Proving a point to him.”
“By marrying another man?”
“A transaction with another man,” she amended.
“If I visit a soiled dove, that is a transaction,” Jack corrected, slapping himself on the forehead in frustration, “we got legally married, dollface. I don’t need some man hunting me down and I sure don’t want to have to kill him in front of my new wife.”
Fallon’s jaw dropped in horror and disbelief.
“What did you just say to me?”
“You heard me.”
“Did… did you call me a…”
“Nope—but I would have appreciated you telling me about a jilted suitor before we got hitched.”
“We didn’t get ‘hitched’.”
“Weren’t you there beside me in front of the minister? Or was that some other black-haired, sour-lookin’ lady that looked like she’d rather swallow a raw egg?”
“You’re disgusting.”
“And you aren’t the first pretty face to say that to me.”
“I won’t be the last either.”
“You might be if your jilted suiter is a cra
ck shot. Now, where’s he at? Denver?”
“No, Chicago…and he’s good with a weapon-yes.”
“Greaaaaat,” Jack drawled, rubbing the back of his neck and looking around at their surroundings. “Buckshot in my backside sounds so appealing right about now. Let’s get moving so that Mr. Dollface doesn’t sneak up on me outta the blue. I prefer to know my enemies are in my sights—and I’m not in theirs.”
“Rourke isn’t your enemy.”
“And how do you think a man will respond to knowing that the woman he was in love with has married another man? Hmm?”
“He never fulfilled his promises to me, in fact – not that it’s any of your business- we’ve delayed getting married four times over the last year.”
“Oh…” Jack covered his face with both hands and Fallon could have sworn she heard him utter an expletive underneath his breath.
“You were getting married to someone else. Fantastic. Anything else I should know? Are you pregnant? Did you leave a kid with him too? Burn his house down? Steal his money? Lame his horse? Poison his food?”
“No, it wasn’t like that,” Fallon said, feeling tears well up in her eyes as every word Jack said to her was a dagger in the heart. Is that how men really thought? That a woman marrying for her job made her a horrific person? If she’d have been pregnant, or anything else, she would have never left Rourke’s side.
“I would never do that.”
“Shoot, Fallon… don’t cry. I’m sure your guy, Croak, is a patient and…” Jack choked quietly, “well… understanding man.”
“It’s Rourke.”
“I’m sure if your man, Rourke, catches up to us you can turn on the waterworks and he’ll fall right under your spell or something of the sort. Tears don’t work on me though, so toughen up, and let’s get this job done so we can part ways.”
Without another word, Jack gently nudged his horse forward. He leaned over and gently patted the black mare’s neck, whispering something to her. How could a man who was so cold and obnoxious be so obviously nice to his animal—and why was she being treated as less than so?
Fallon kneed her own horse into motion, falling in line behind him. They would ride as far as possible this evening towards their destination. While the idea that she’d damaged her relationship with Rourke beyond repair lingered in her mind, she pushed it down and focused on what was happening now.
She was on a grand adventure right now. Tonight she’d be sleeping under the stars, listening to the crickets and wild world around her, dreaming of what her future would bring. She had faith in knowing that somehow, someway; something destined her to be with Rourke even if their paths were a little bumpy along the way.
Chapter Five
Black Hawk, Colorado gave Fallon a strange sense of homecoming deep within her soul. While she’d wanted to get away from Pennsylvania for several reasons, as they had crested the hill she’d caught her breath. The town looked very much like Shenandoah—but without as many trees.
Back home, the forests were rich and plentiful. Here the trees were so much shorter, almost sparse across the landscape. It looked like the sides of the hills had been plentiful at one point, but demand for wood and cleared land had razed the area. It was almost barren of any vegetation.
A stately white church stood proudly along the hillside, looking down onto the main street that ran the length of town. Several brick buildings, wooden ones, and several mills were easy to spot. There was a massive meat market, a lumberyard, and a flurry of homes dotted along the landscape like freckles on a dusted cheek. It surprised her to see an ore smelter, which meant that there was mining in these hills as well—another reminder of home.
Wagons, horses, and people meandered through the streets, some smiling openly as they rode in. Others watched them warily and Fallon could only imagine why, as Jack sat there silently on his horse with a stony expression written all over his face. The man could freeze water with that glare.
“If you scare everyone away by glowering at them, how will we ever be able to investigate or see what is happening around here?”
“With our eyes?”
“Humor me and let’s try to find some place to stay—with two rooms.”
“What? Not planning on sharing a room, dollface?”
“It’s barely tolerable to breathe the same air as you.”
“Such sweet talk,” Jack muttered, shaking his head, “Rourke is sure to be completely beside himself missing that sharp tongue.”
“Hush now.”
“Yes, dear,” he mocked.
They stopped at a small building that seemed to serve as the town’s hotel. They’d painted faded white letters across a sign nailed to the front of the building. Thankfully, Jack seemed to listen to her, even if he gave Fallon a hard time about everything. He’d gotten two rooms beside each other, giving the woman a lopsided, knowing smile.
“My bride’s a shy thing,” he’d whispered loudly, looking back over his shoulder towards where Fallon stood. He gave her a knowing wink that made her want to kick him in the shin just because of how obnoxious he could truly be. Fallon stepped forward and smiled ever so sweetly.
“Truthfully, it’s because of his wretched snoring and bad breath,” she confided and ignored Jack’s laughter. She gratefully took the key from the surprised woman’s hand and walked towards the hallway of rooms.
Opening her door, Fallon was pleased to see that the rooms were clean and tidy. An iron bed stood in the corner with a quilted coverlet on it, making it look homey and pleasant. A pang of guilt hit her like a ton of bricks. Their marriage quilt was in Chicago with Rourke. She would need to finish it someday and hopefully it could be something they could pass down to their children.
A knock at the door startled her. Yanking open the doorknob, she saw Jack leaning against the door frame with that nasty cool glare.
“First rule—you only answer if you know who’s standing here.”
“I knew it was you.”
“How?”
“Who else would it be?”
“An itty-bitty bad guy.”
Fallon tried to shut the door in his face as he pushed his way into the room, looking around and giving a slow whistle of appreciation.
“My room doesn’t have as nice of furniture. I’m glad you got the nicer one—which brings me to the second rule. You don’t open the door because someone could trap you in here.”
“I may not have the strength but I’ve got my wits.”
“No argument there,” he admitted, surprising Fallon.
“What do you want?” she asked, frowning. “It’s not seemly for you to be in my room.”
“Actually it is. I wanted to see if you wanted to rest for a bit and grab something for dinner later. There’s a small restaurant down the way that is supposed to be popular with the locals.”
“I’d like that,” she confessed, ignoring his reference to their marriage. “It would also give us a chance to find out what is going on out here too.”
“True,” he drawled, studying her. “I’m getting the impression that you are a little more dedicated to this than I am. We’ll get our guy, but there isn’t any reason we can’t get along in the meantime. I mean…”
“Jack,” Fallon said immediately, stopping him. “We could possibly become friends if you could quit glaring at me, calling me dollface, or being a complete nuisance–but that’s it. Nothing more.”
“Of course,” he blustered, straightening up, and heading back towards the closed door. “Girls are too much trouble anyway. I think we could be friends, but more than that is not on the agenda. I am flattered though… I will keep it in mind if I decide to let you pursue me after all.”
Fallon gaped indelicately and ignored his smiling face as he opened the door to the hotel room, disappearing. He’d just taken her words and twisted them, implying that she was after him… not the other way around!
Flopping down onto a small wooden stool that was sitting in the corner of the tiny hot
el room, Fallon put her head in her hands. She worried that maybe everything was happening this way because it was all designed to test her.
Why would she be stuck with a person who would try her patience so very much, unless it was because she deserved it? Maybe this was divine justice after leaving Chicago without a word other than the letter. She was wondered what Rourke was doing and if he was thinking of her.
She certainly was missing him.
Rourke straddled the man he’d been chasing there in the alleyway, with a knee pinning each of the arms to the ground. He was waiting for his partner to catch up to him so he could bind the criminal. They’d been working on cornering the thief for a few days now and growing more frustrated each day. He missed Fallon and couldn’t think, wondering if she was safe or what was going on. He’d sent a telegram to Denver and was awaiting word back from Fallon.
Are you okay? I worry.
Come home, please
Rourke
He didn’t have long to wait.
Returning to the office after depositing the criminal at the nearest police station, they handed Rourke a telegram. The blank yet reserved expression on his boss’ face, and the grim demeanor of others in the room revealed it wasn’t good news long before he read the small type.
Fallon accepted a mission with another Agent
Will pass along message
“Your girl is a Pinkerton? In Colorado? One of Gordon’s agents, right?”
“Archibald Gordon—yes,” Rourke said heavily, wondering how long she would be out and if she was safe.
“I’m so very sorry, O’Mara,” the older man said gently, clapping him gently on the shoulder and looking away. “There are other women out there though and you are a dapper young man with a bright future.”
“What do you mean?”
“You don’t know?”
An Agent for Fallon Page 3
