by P. Creeden
When she got there, she stood in front of the front gate, unsure again. Choices warred within her. She didn’t know if she could make herself walk through the gate now that she’d arrived. Instead, she really wanted to turn about and run. Her cousin, Declan, had always called her skittish. And though she often argued with his assessment of her, today she knew it to be true.
“Oh,” a feminine voice said from behind her. “It’s good to see you again, Clenna.”
Swallowing hard, Clenna turned to the side stiffly, to find Miss Marianne standing behind her in gloves and a hat. It seemed the young secretary had been just returning from somewhere. Clenna curtsied awkwardly and then said, “Lovely to see you too, Miss Marianne.”
Miss Marianne set a hand on Clenna’s upper arm. “Let’s go see Archie right away, I know he has some rather shocking news for you, but I’ll let him be the one to tell you.”
Clenna knew it! It was bad. Even though Miss Marianne still spoke in a cheerful way and had an endearing smile on her face, the words she said confirmed exactly what Clenna had feared. Coming here had been a mistake, she should have run for it, but with Miss Marianne’s pressure on her arm, Clenna discovered that escape had become impossible. Soon, she found herself standing in front of the large, dark wooden desk, with Mr. Gordon turning toward her from the other side, smoothing his beard. He gestured for her to have a seat. Somehow, Clenna found herself stiffly doing exactly as she was told.
Flashbacks of when she’d misbehaved during mass came back to her. She wondered if Mr. Gordon might have a ruler he’d smack the palms of her hands with. No, she was certain any punishment doled out by the Pinkertons would be worse than anything the nuns had offered.
“Miss Murphy. I’m sorry that I couldn’t see you under better circumstances. But first, before I continue, have you spoken to your priest? Have you thought any more about becoming a Pinkerton Agent?” Mr. Gordon sat behind his desk, his kind eyes soft as he asked.
After swallowing against the lump in her throat, Clenna said, “I’ve spoken to the priest and he let me know that the church might look down on the practice of paper marriages, but assured me that the annulment would rectify it immediately upon my return, and that it wouldn’t be a sin. But I’ve still been considering all other factors before coming to a decision. I’ve always wanted to be a Pinkerton Agent, Mr. Gordon, but I didn’t understand what that entirely entailed before, so I’ve been taking everything into consideration.”
“Right,” Mr. Gordon said, nodding. “I would expect nothing less. I must tell you, however, that normally, I do not abide by such indecision on this very strict policy that we have. However, I could see your passionate determination and unwavering spirit, and so I’ve decided to give you a second chance when you’re ready.”
Slowly, Clenna let out a breath. “Thank you, Mr. Gordon. Is that all? Is this the reason you sent a messenger for me?”
His lips drew thin as he shook his head. “Unfortunately not. I’ve received a telegram from the Denver Pacific Railway and Telegraph Company. It seems that there has been a resurgence among the outlaws in Cheyenne where we thought we’d taken care of only a week ago. They’ve arrested two of the insurgents, but the men they’ve arrested declare they are innocent and know nothing about the outlaws or the plot to steal payroll. They convinced the rail yard foreman of their innocence, but the sheriff and the company manager still believe the two young men to be guilty. I’ll need to send an agent there, and thought of you, Miss Murphy.”
“Me?” She blinked. “Why would you think of me, Mr. Gordon?”
He rubbed the back of his neck. “I was hoping that you would make the decision to become an agent before giving you all the details about this case, but it seems that you are still on the fence. Therefore, I must tell you. The two young men asked the foreman to send word to this office about their situation and asked for you specifically to handle it. It appears they are relations of yours, two young men by the last name of Keller?”
The earth shifted, and Clenna felt as though she might fall out of the chair. James. Declan. They were both in trouble and had asked her for help. She gripped the arms of the chair as she scooted forward in her seat, her determination rising within her. Her jaw clenched and then unclenched as she met Mr. Gordon’s eyes. “What do I need to do to become an agent today?”
Chapter 6
Ben
Afternoon sun shone into the quiet of the bunkhouse room, and Ben used the light to read by, even though the soft snoring of fellow agent, Logan Howard, could have distracted him. The former pugilist couldn’t help but snore, even though he lay on his side. Logan’s crooked nose displayed to the world that it had been broken at least twice, giving the agent a rough, almost outlaw appearance. The man was large and a little lacking in refinement, so it was no wonder to Ben why he hadn’t been chosen to be married to a female agent as of yet. After finishing the chapter, Ben closed his book, stood and stretched. Logan had gotten in early that morning, eaten breakfast with Ben and the others before promptly heading to the bunkhouse to pass out. For a moment, Ben considered letting the guy sleep through lunch, but then he thought if he were in the same shoes, he’d rather be woken up.
He kicked the foot of Logan’s bed so that the whole thing shook. “Logan, it’s lunch time. You’ve been asleep for four hours. Do you want to go get something to eat?”
In the bed, Logan groaned and turned away from Ben.
With a laugh, Ben reached over and shook the man’s shoulder. “Time to get up if you want to get some lunch. I’m sure Pearl has cooked up something you don’t want to miss. And if you get up now, maybe you’ll be able to get to sleep tonight. If you sleep through the day, you’ll just toss and turn all night, right?”
Groaning again, Logan turned back toward Ben and cracked open an eye. With the pillow mumbling his words, Logan said, “Fine, I’ll get up here in a minute. Go ahead and start without me.”
Ben lifted a brow. Generally, if left to his own devices, a man will just go back to sleep once the offending human alarm has left the building. But Ben just shrugged and set the Jules Verne novel he’d been reading down by the side of his bed. The well-worn book didn’t quite sit as flat as it used to. Something about the fantastical adventures Mr. Verne wrote about always set Ben’s wanderlust into motion. He’d already been sitting around at the agency for days. He wondered how much longer he’d have to wait until the next case came in. He’d rather be out doing something than staying inside reading about the adventures he could be taking part in.
With a sigh and one last glance back at his sleeping bunk mate, he headed out the door and across the yard to the main building. Once inside, he followed his nose and headed straight for the kitchen. The aromas of fresh baking bread and something savory hit his nose harder when he opened the kitchen door. He closed his eyes and hummed. “Whatever you’re making, Pearl, it smells heavenly.”
When he opened them again, his eyes landed upon a red-haired beauty who stood with her back to the window, her emerald eyes fixed on him. His heart skipped a beat, and he nearly choked on his own saliva. He coughed a few times and beat his fist against his chest.
Marianne stood next to the redhead, a wide smile upon her lips. “Ben Mercer, I believe you’ve met Clenna Murphy.”
He swallowed and nodded, “I’ve had the pleasure.”
“Excellent,” said Marianne as she gestured for him to have a seat while she guided Clenna to the bench seat across from him. “Archie will be joining us in just a moment. Meanwhile, he told us to begin lunch without him.”
Pearl set plates before each of them with roasted carrots, potatoes and slices of meat with gravy. It was a large, hearty lunch—even a bit heavy on Pearl’s standards. The whole time Ben began tucking into his plate of food, he couldn’t help but let his gaze slip to the tall, curvy redhead. Her soft features seemed opposite to her striking green eyes that narrowed easily at him when she caught him glancing her way. A smile tugged at his lip as he glanced a
way again. She had spirit, and he liked that.
Archie came in and immediately gestured for everyone to remain seated as he sat down at the head of the table. “Is everyone here?” he asked with a frown as he glanced about the table. “Where’s Logan?”
Ben shrugged. “He said he was coming, but he may have fallen back asleep.”
“Nope. I’m here,” Logan said as he stepped into the room, tucking his shirt into the back of his pants. His eyes went wide when he saw Clenna sitting across from Ben with Marianne. He bowed toward her and scrubbed at his face as though he could wipe the “just woke up” look from it. Ben smiled and picked up his glass of milk.
Archie nodded as Logan sat. “Good. Now that everyone’s here, I have an announcement to make. Clenna Murphy is our newest training agent. She will be going on a mission to the Wyoming Territory for the Denver Pacific—”
Ben coughed, choking a bit on the milk he’d just taken a sip of. Once he’d wiped his lips with his napkin, he frowned at Archie. “I don’t understand. Didn’t I already take care of the bandits on my last mission?”
Slowly, Archie shook his head. “There’s been a resurgence as well as other complications, which is why we’re sending Clenna.”
Shooting a glance toward Clenna again, Ben found the woman eating her carrots as though she were not a part of this conversation. Ben wanted to ask, “Why Clenna?” but barely held his tongue as he just asked the question with his eyes.
Archie nodded. “As you’ve already been to the area and know some of the outlaws on sight, I was intending to ask you to be Clenna’s training agent for this case. That is, if you’ll accept the mission and all the terms that go along with it.”
Ben’s stomach iced over, and his heart raced as it dawned on him what Archie meant. His gaze slipped over toward the redhead again. Marriage. To Clenna. Going on the mission to Wyoming meant that Ben’s number was finally up. He’d received the call to become a training agent and now had a decision to make. He swallowed at the lump in his throat. Marriage. He’d been avoiding the thought as far as it included himself. He’d been hoping he could keep dodging the bullet, but it seemed that his luck had just run out. What were his options? He could say no. He’d had enough savings from his years of working as an agent and spending next to nothing. He could go ahead and become a bounty hunter, like he’d thought about in the past. But then what would happen? It was a big change he wasn’t entirely ready for. Besides, he hated the idea of handing over his case to another.
Another. Logan.
His gaze slipped over to his bunk mate, who tucked into his food with his eyes half-closed. Somehow, instead of just looking half asleep, it seemed his eyes were swollen from a fight. Dark circles had formed under the man’s eyes as well. Logan was uncouth and rough-handed. Would he end up taking the case? Would he be the one who ended up married to Clenna?
Ben’s heart pinched in his chest. For some reason, he didn’t like that idea. Why not? Why did he care?
Clenna finally raised her eyes to meet his, and he found there a reflection of the fears and doubt he held in his own heart. He wanted to comfort her. He wanted to help her and protect her. He swallowed at the lump in his throat again and let out a deep breath. Archie had already assured him in the past, but he needed to ask again. “This marriage is on paper only, right? And Judge Hotchkiss is ready to pronounce an annulment as soon as we get back?”
“That’s right,” Archie said, a smile twitching the man’s mustache.
Ben nodded, slowly at first and then he became more determined. “Fine. I accept the terms of keeping my case. I’ll be happy to be Clenna’s training agent.”
“And husband?” Marianne asked, in a tone that said she was making sure he truly understood.
The lump formed in his throat again as he nodded once more. “And husband.”
Clenna
As Mr. Gordon and Marianne got things prepared for the ceremony after lunch, Clenna wrung her hands. When she realized what she was doing, she stopped herself and fisted her hands, dropping them to her sides. Only she and Ben Mercer stood in the parlor, waiting. She glared at the charismatic, smirking cowboy who stood before her. He was tall, with a square jaw and brown eyes that peered down at her as though sizing her up. His lip was always ticked up in the slightest smirk. Clenna found it bothersome. What did the man have to smirk about? They were both getting married—at least on paper—and were being forced into the situation. She frowned up at him and placed her fists on her hips. “You do understand, sir, that when we get back, there will be an annulment, without question. I do not want any shenanigans or hanky-panky to deal with on this journey. It will be business only as though our paper marriage does not exist.”
He lifted a brow and his eyes twinkled. “I would not dream of committing hanky-panky or causing shenanigans.”
Was he making fun of her? Her frown deepened. “You had best not. You and I will get along just fine, provided that you keep your distance and lay not one finger upon me. Even if you see me falling down, I’d rather end up in a puddle than have your help, understood?”
Those same brows shot up as his eyes widened. “Surely, I cannot stand by and let a lady fall in a puddle when I could have prevented the situation.”
“Yes, you shall,” she said with a firm nod. “Let me fall. The puddle is cleaner for my soul than your dirty little hands.”
He lifted his hands and turned them over both ways so that they could both see the front and back. “I believe my hands are both clean and as large, if not larger than any man’s.”
She glared at him harder. “I believe you understand my meaning.”
He huffed.
Marianne glided into the room, followed by Mr. Gordon. Clenna’s heart began to race harder and her ears rang. Was she really doing the right thing? Her fears overwhelmed her. Then she thought of her brother sitting in a jail cell, and her cousin. Determination slowed her heart. Yes, she could do this. She needed to do this. With her hands fisting so hard that her fingernails bit into her palms, she stepped forward and stood before them both to say her vows. They were simple, to the point, and said nothing about love or remaining faithful, but rather about protecting each other and staying true. She could do those things.
Even though Clenna waited with jaw clenched for Mr. Gordon to pronounce the kissing of the bride, that moment never came. Instead things ended quickly, they signed the papers and Marianne guided her upstairs to don her new traveling dress. Everything happened so fast, Clenna was in a daze as she started back down the steps. Her new partner waited at the door for her, and her heart leapt in her chest at the sight of him. Rugged and handsome, Ben Mercer wasn’t just her partner. He was now her husband... at least on paper.
Chapter 7
Ben
The train ride back to Cheyenne had been wholly different than the last one he’d taken with Billy. Though most of that ride had been in silence, too, it had been comfortable--restful, even. The one with Clenna, on the other hand was charged with unease. She seemed to be avoiding his gaze for the most part, and spent much of her time alternating between wringing her hands and trembling and fisting them and glaring out the window as though she were ready for a fight. Ben’s calm nature did little to quiet the storm that seemed to be brewing in Miss Murphy’s mind.
Wait. It wasn’t Miss Murphy. It was Mrs. Mercer. His stomach flipped at the thought. But he knew he needed to get used to referring to her that way, at least while they were in Cheyenne. He couldn’t help but wonder what his mother might think. He hadn’t seen his mother since Christmas two years ago, when he went to visit in Oklahoma. Because she couldn’t read, he’d been unable to send her letters. It was one of the things that she’d made sure to remedy in him. When he was schooled, she was determined to make him read at least a book every week or so, and sometimes to keep up the work, he read the same two books alternating over several months until the teacher could get hold of another. He’d read through the bible at least seven or eight times
before he stopped counting. Though he’d encouraged her to learn, she always said she was too old, or couldn’t see well enough, or was too busy taking care of the seven children she had. She was satisfied enough in making each of those children into avid readers.
Ben reached into his back pocket and pulled out the Jules Verne novel he’d been reading. Even though he’d read Journey to the Center of the Earth many times, each time he could feel his heart lift with the spirit of adventure.
“Have you read his latest book, 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea?” Clenna asked after he’d been reading for several minutes.
He lifted a brow. “I’ve not heard of that book.”
“It was just published last year and was all the rage in New York.”
“All the what?” He huffed a laugh. Sometimes it was as if the young Irish girl spoke a foreign language.
She narrowed her eyes at him. “The book was very popular in New York.”
He nodded. “Did you read it yourself?”
“Yes,” she said, her gaze slipping past his and out the window. “I left my copy of it in my steamer trunk which Marianne is having moved from the boarding house. When we get back to Denver, I’ll loan it to you if you like.”
The world outside the window of the train car slipped by in varying shades of gray and green. When Ben didn’t focus on any particular object, everything blurred. He wondered what Clenna might be looking at. His heart still pounded in his chest as the silence between them became a little more comfortable now that she’d broken the ice. She reads novels, and not just any novels, but the same adventurous books that roused his heart. He peered over the pages of his book and studied her profile in secret. Her smooth skin had freckles along the nose and cheeks, giving her face a sense of character that kept it from being plain. Her long eyelashes framed her emerald eyes, and red curls softly fell against the pale skin of her long neck.
