Dan McCall's Bride

by Barbara Goss

  “After the train robbery.”

  “Train robbery?” she asked. “What train? What does it have to do with me?”

  “Don’t you remember? You were on the train when the bandits used you as a hostage and then threw you to the ground after you’d served their purpose. I found you and brought you here.”

  “I was on a train?” she asked. “Where was I going?”

  Dan shrugged. “I don’t know. Perhaps Hays, Hunter’s Grove, or maybe Denver.”

  He saw tears rolling down her cheeks.

  “What’s wrong?” he asked gently.

  She frowned. “I-I don’t remember any of it.”

  “What’s your name?” Dan asked, gazing into her big brown eyes.

  “My name?” She paused and then began to weep harder. “I have no idea.”

  Dan rolled his eyes. “Oh, boy!” He sighed and scratched his head. He patted her hand. “Why don’t you try to sleep and in the morning I’m sure you’ll remember everything.”

  After she fell back asleep, Dan tried once more to get comfortable in the armchair. He had a long ride ahead of him, and he needed some shut-eye.

  Leila awoke to see a giant of a man staring down at her. While his bright, blue eyes reflected sympathy, his size frightened her a bit at first. Unable to answer any of his questions, she was left feeling lost and alone because her last memory was that of waking to see him. He’d said she was on a train? Where had she been going? Maybe there’d be a clue to her identity in her belongings.

  She turned her head to study the man sprawled out in the armchair beside her bed. He was dressed in dark pants with a checkered flannel shirt and tan vest. This man, named Dan McCall, had dark hair that curled when it reached the back of his neck. He was clean-shaven, but she could see his dark beard might be ready for a shave. He had bushy, prominent eyebrows that sheltered his eyes. Despite his size, his face was pleasant, and she thought him quite handsome, actually. His mouth was opened slightly, and she could hear a soft snore escaping periodically.

  Her eyes traveled down his body to note a wide chest that narrowed down to somewhat slimmer hips. His legs looked strong beneath his dark pants, but it was his arms from which she couldn’t keep her eyes. His biceps strained the fabric of the shirt he wore. The fact he was a strong man made her feel secure in his presence. There was something shiny pinned to his vest, but she couldn’t see what it was. He’d said he was a marshal, so perhaps it was his badge.

  As she gazed at the handsome man, it made her wonder what she might look like. She had dark hair flowing over her shoulders; it was soft and shiny when she touched it which told her she took good care of herself. She held out her hands and noticed they were well-manicured. She fingered her face and decided her nose wasn’t overly large, and she had no blemishes, so maybe she was comely; the thought thrilled her. Leila’s eyes soon began to droop, and she felt sleep taking over again.

  She awoke to the tinkling of dishes. She opened her eyes to see an older man with spectacles set a tray down on the bedside table.

  “Are you ready for some breakfast, young lady?” the kindly man asked.

  “I don’t feel hungry,” she answered. She swung her head to the left where Dan had been sleeping to see that his chair was empty, and she felt a bit of panic. She’d felt secure in his company and now he was gone.

  The man walked around the bed and sat in the chair where Dan had slept. “What’s your name, dear?” he asked in a fatherly voice.

  “I don’t remember,” she said and tears immediately stung her eyes.

  The man frowned at her answer. “You don’t remember riding a train?” he asked.

  “No.” Tears streamed down her face.

  The man, whom she assumed was the doctor, stood and came to her bedside. He turned her head so he could examine her wound. He dug into his bag, removed a fresh bandage, and replaced her old one. He then listened to her heart and took her pulse. “Your body seems healthy enough,” he said.

  “Why can’t I remember anything?” she asked, wiping her tears away with her hand.

  “You took a hard fall and your head took most of the brunt, it seems. You have a few bruises on your arms and back, but they’ll fade. Do you hurt anywhere else?”

  “I had a headache last night, but it's abated somewhat now,” she said.

  “You awoke during the night?” he asked.

  “Yes, and I spoke with a man named Dan who was sitting in that chair. Where is he?” she asked, trying not to sound as panicky as she felt with him gone.

  “That’s Big Dan McCall, federal marshal,” he said, putting the tools back into his bag. “He’s freshening up. He’ll be back. I’m sending my wife in to see to your personal needs, and I’ll be back later to let you know how soon you can leave.”

  Leave? Where would she go? They wouldn't just leave her out on the streets to fend for herself, would they? Did she have a family somewhere who’d be looking for her?

  A kindly-looking, elderly woman came in, carrying a pitcher inside a large bowl and towels, which were slung over her shoulder. She assumed this was the doctor’s wife.

  “Hello, dear,” she said. “My name is Agnes, I’m Doc Simpson’s wife. I’m going to bathe you.”

  Leila endured her bath and felt so much better afterward. The kind doctor’s wife also washed, towel-dried, and combed her hair.

  “Such lovely hair,” Mrs. Simpson said.

  “What about the rest of me? I mean, what do I look like?” she asked.

  “I’ll bring you a mirror,” she said. “I’ll be right back.”

  She returned moments later and gave her a hand mirror. Leila was surprised that looking at herself was like looking at a stranger. She did, however, think her looks were adequate, if not a bit pleasing. She handed the mirror back.

  “My nausea has subsided, and I think I could eat a few bites,” Leila said.

  “I’ll just heat this breakfast up a bit,” Mrs. Simpson said. “I’ll be right back.”

  Leila worried that Dan had gone. She never felt so alone, as he was the only person she felt attached to. She wanted to stay with him, at least until she could remember her past. For some reason, she felt safe with him.

  Where had she been going on that train? Did she belong to someone, somewhere?

  At the same time as Mrs. Simpson returned with her warm breakfast, Dan walked in. Her eyes followed him to the armchair, never leaving him. He sat and looked at her. She smiled, and her heart skipped a beat when he smiled back.

  “How are you feeling?” Dan asked.

  “Much better,” she answered, lips trembling. “I thought you’d left.” Tears slipped from her eyes.

  “Not yet, but I have to soon.” He stood and wiped the tears, ever so gently with his huge hands, from her eyes. “I’ll leave you in good hands before I do.”

  “Where are you going?” she asked.

  “Hays. My partner’s meeting me there. We’re in the middle of a job, capturing the men who did this to you.” He touched her wound gently. “Don’t look so worried. I’ll take you to my minister, Reverend Cook. He’ll find you a home with a good churchwoman who can care for your needs better than I can.”

  Leila closed her eyes and turned her head away. She didn’t want him to see her tears or her fear at the thought of his leaving.

  “I’ll stay until the doctor says you can leave,” he said. “In the meantime, you need a name so I know what to call you. Since this is the month of April, I’ll call you April.”

  She turned to her breakfast. “Have you eaten?” she asked.

  “Yes, I ate in the kitchen,” he said. “Do you need help eating?”

  “I think I can manage—It’s only my head that aches.”

  “Oh, right.”

  “Where are my belongings?” Leila asked.

  Dan hesitated. “I don’t know. You didn’t have anything with you when I found you. They must be still on the train.”

  He sat back in his armchair, his leg crossed o
ver his knee. He strummed his fingers on the arm of the chair impatiently. She knew he was anxious to leave for Hays.

  Doc came in just then. “Well, I see no reason why you can’t leave, but I wouldn’t go too far until that head is healed,” Doc said, looking at Dan.

  “I plan to get a woman from the church to look after her,” Dan said.

  “Perfect.” Doc looked at her and smiled. “Take it easy for a few days, you hear?”

  Leila nodded.

  Mrs. Simpson had washed and pressed Leila’s clothes. While she felt more than ready to leave, she hated to part with Dan. He'd been her rescuer, and there was nothing to fear while in his company.

  Dan walked her to the door where they said their goodbyes to the Simpsons. Then, Dan walked her down the flight of stairs, out to the street, and onto the wooden walkway.

  “The church is just at the end of the street,” Dan said, taking her arm.

  As soon as Leila felt the cool breeze of the spring morning, some of her memories started to return. She remembered being on the train and being grabbed, but nothing before that. She decided to keep silent about it for the time being; she may need to use it later to garner Dan’s sympathy.

  Halfway to the church, Leila stopped walking, grabbed hold of Dan’s arm, and pleaded, “Don’t leave me here.”

  Chapter 3

  Dan looked down into her large brown eyes and melted. He put his arms around her shoulders and gave her a loose hug.

  “I have no choice, April,” he said sympathetically. “I have a job to do.”

  “I feel safe with you,” she murmured, looking up at him.

  “I’ll leave you in good hands—”

  “Why can’t I stay with you?” she interrupted.

  “I just told you why: I need to get to Hays to meet my partner, and then we need to chase down those train robbers.”

  “Take me with you,” she begged, squeezing his arm.

  “It’s a two-day ride, April. How would it look? You’d be ruined after spending the night with me. Even though innocent, no one would believe it.” He ran his fingers through his hair. “You’ll be fine with someone from church, and I’ll come back in a few days to check on you. My office is here, in Salina.”

  Leila seemed to be contemplating his words, but she wore a frown. Dan hoped he’d talked her into staying.

  “You’d get to Hays faster by train, and I could go with you,” she said quickly, before he could refuse her. “I might have been heading to Hays on that train—maybe my family's there and someone there will recognize me.”

  Now it was Dan who was in deep thought, since she might have a point. He could always rent a horse from the livery in Hays. He'd be willing to bet that his friends, Kate and Jeremy Walker, would take her in while he chased the Spaulding Gang or until he could find some family for her.

  “Would that make you happy?” he asked.

  “Yes! Oh, yes!” she exclaimed, eyes bright with excitement.

  It was too late for him to change his mind, seeing how excited she was. “I’ll tell you what: we’ll make a deal. I’ll take you to Hays with me, by train, if you’ll promise to stay with my good friends, Kate and Jeremy Walker, while I hunt down the gang that hurt you,” he said. “The Walkers are a young, newly-married couple, who live in a large, beautiful home. I'd trust them with my dying mother.”

  “Your mother is dying?” she asked seriously.

  “No, it was just a figure of speech to show how much I trust them.”

  “Oh.” She put her finger to her cheek and seemed to think the offer over. When she was done, she smiled and agreed. “I’ll do it.”

  Leila enjoyed the trip to Hays more than her previous ride on the train, just because Dan was at her side. She sat by the window, and Dan pointed out interesting things, like the spot where he'd found her or a glimpse of the Smoky Hill River. She wondered if, by telling him she'd remembered the train ride and the robbery, he’d still care for her so diligently. He was a huge man with a gentle voice and caring touch; she felt a kinship with him.

  Once they'd arrived in Hays, he helped her down the steps of the train and led her to the livery. “Would you like a horse to ride while you’re here?” Dan asked.

  “I’m not sure I know how to ride,” she said, “and I really wouldn’t know my way around, so maybe it isn’t a good idea.”

  “All right. We can ride double to the Walker place, then.” Dan paid for a horse and mounted. He reached down, lifted her up, and sat her behind him. “Hold on to my waist—I promise not to ride too fast.”

  Leila held on so tightly to Dan’s waist, she thought she might hurt him, but he said nothing. He trotted at a steady pace, but Leila felt as if she were going to fall off. With every step the horse took, she slid one way or the other. Finally, she became so afraid, she yelled for him to stop.

  Dan halted the horse. “I’d guess you’ve never learned to ride.” He turned, picked her up by the waist, and swung her around to sit in front of him. He put the reins in one hand and held her closely with the other, so she wouldn’t move as much with the horse’s steps.

  With his strong arm around her, she felt secure and something else, something she couldn’t name, something more than just a warm feeling of security. She felt like leaning against his chest but disciplined herself to sit straight.

  Soon, they turned into a lane and she spotted a beautiful, three-story house. Jeb, the Walker’s stable manager came out and held onto the reins while Dan eased Leila to the ground and then slid down from the horse himself.

  “Thank you, Jeb,” Dan said. “Is Jeremy around?”

  “He’s in the house,” Jeb told him. “He just got home from the lumberyard.”

  “Good. We’ll be in time for dinner,” Dan said, taking April’s hand. “Come April, you’re in for a real treat.”

  After the introductions, Jeremy and Kate welcomed Leila to their home.

  “She can stay as long as necessary, Dan,” Kate said. “I’ll love having her to keep me company during the day.”

  Leila thought she saw a look pass between Dan and Kate. When Kate left the room and returned with a maid, she wondered what might happen next.

  Kate looked at her and said, “April, Geraldine will take you up and show you to your room, and then she’ll bring you to the dining room for dinner.” Kate squeezed Leila’s hand. “We’ll have so much fun together.”

  The maid led Leila up the highly polished staircase to a beautiful beige bedroom.

  “Thank you for interpreting my signal, Kate,” Dan said. “I just want to warn you that April’s not her real name. I named her April because she has amnesia from being thrown off a horse by a train robber. I rescued her and went back to Salina to get medical care for her. That’s why her head is bandaged: she hit it on a rock when the man threw her when he no longer needed her as a hostage. I wanted you both to know her past before I leave her here.”

  “The poor woman,” Kate said. “We’ll be tactful and not ask her any questions.”

  Jeremy nodded. “And I suppose you’re going after them?”

  “First thing in the morning,” Dan said. “Doc Simpson said she might recover her memory, though she may not.”

  “I see,” Kate said. “I’ll take good care of her.”

  “Could you take her to town and buy her some clothes and necessities?” Dan pulled out several greenbacks and handed them to Kate. “Her luggage is probably still on the train.”

  “My pleasure; I love to shop.”

  “Walk her around a bit in town. She might have been coming to Hays on that train and perhaps someone will recognize her,” Dan said. “She came from the east and was headed west, so Hays could have been her destination or maybe even Denver.”

  Kate smiled. “I will, Dan.”

  They all turned as Geraldine came down the stairs with April.

  “Let’s go into the dining room and eat. My aunt has made us a roast duck with all the trimmings,” Kate said.

  Dan wai
ted until Kate led April upstairs, promising to lend her nightclothes. Dan and Jeremy sat and talked in the sitting room.

  “How’s married life?” Dan asked.

  “Wonderful,” Jeremy said. “I highly recommend it—if you find the right woman, that is.”

  “No, I’ll never settle down. I’m not home enough to have a wife and family. I’m happy just the way I am.” Dan sipped his tea. “I’m glad you’re happy, though.”

  “April looks at you like she’s fond of you,” Jeremy said. “Have you noticed?”

  “She’s just feeling insecure right now, and since I’m the one who rescued her, she sees me as her hero. That’s all it is,” Dan said. “She’s a sweet little thing, though.”

  “Her eyes never left you all through dinner,” Jeremy said.

  “She’ll get over it.” Dan silently hoped she would. He had no room in his life for love or marriage, but if things were different, she’d surely be a candidate. He liked her and hoped she'd be able to find whomever—or whatever—she’d been traveling to find.

  Dan was given a cheerful, yellow room. He wasted no time undressing and crawling into bed. He’d have to get an early start in the morning in order to find Jack. He wondered if Jack was still waiting for him at the eating house. If not, he didn’t know where to begin looking for him.

  He said his prayers and curled up for a good night’s sleep. He’d just about dozed off when he felt something wasn’t right. He had a hard time pulling himself from that place one finds just before falling asleep, but years of training had taught him to sense when someone was invading his space. His gun was on the nightstand and he almost reached for it before remembering where he was. No one would dare attack him in Jeremy Walker’s home. He opened his eyes slowly and standing over the bed staring at him was April. He squinted at her, just to be sure he wasn’t dreaming. There she stood in a white, flowing nightgown that could very well have been a dream. Was he dreaming?

  “April?” he asked softly.

  She nodded.

  Dagnabbit! How was he to rid himself of her? Had the knock on her head affected her more than the doctor had thought?