A breeze caught her skirts, ruffling them around her and filling her lungs. She was alive- safe and sound. Wiping her eyes, she surveyed the wreckage standing there with Jerry as he spoke to a man in uniform. Clementine wandered a few feet away and stared horrified at the tracks on the hill. The train rail was jerked out of place and twisted oddly, guaranteeing the destruction. The large engine that pulled the cars lay in the ditch nearby and three cars had been pulled from the track.
“What are you looking at?” Jerry’s voice said gently from behind her. Clementine glanced over her shoulder and pointed.
“The rails were disturbed. Shouldn’t there be ties holding down the rails? And look there! The spikes are lying in the grass,” she revealed. “It wasn’t happenstance – this was planned and deliberate.”
“You didn’t recognize the name, did you?”
“Jessie James? Yes, I did.”
“I think that’s the same James-Younger gang that the Chicago Pinkerton’s went after a few years back. Allan Pinkerton sent his own son and the slippery thieves got away. I need to get word to Denver that they just robbed the train,” he announced, turning to the conductor and walking quickly to where several men were standing.
Clementine stared at him in dismay. He wasn’t alone and this wasn’t only Jerry on the case! She’d been there and noticed the train tracks before he did – this could be her ticket of acceptance into the Pinkerton Agency and she wasn’t about to let it slip through her fingers.
“You aren’t going anywhere without me, sir!” she blurted out, walking up behind Jerry and yanking on his shirt sleeve. He glanced down at her in surprise, his warm eyes lighting up. “We’ll be heading into the nearest town and contacting Mr. Gordon together,” she stressed forcibly, gritting her teeth in a clenched smile. If he thought he could simply sweep past her and take all the credit, he had another thing coming.
“You heard the lady,” Jerry said with a warm smile. “Point us in the nearest direction of a town, boys. We’ll be needing a few supplies too- since you’ll be here for a while waiting for help.”
6
Clementine instantly regretted her mad rush to head for the nearest town. Jerry meant business and was striding across the tall grassy fields that waved in the thick summer breeze. She was grateful for the relief it brought as she sweated indelicately underneath her corset.
“You gonna make it back there?”
Gnashing her teeth, she kicked at a patch of weeds nearby and muttered under her breath a few choice words that would scandalize anyone within hearing. She was pretty confident that Jerry couldn’t hear her because he was so far ahead of her in the distance. Her short legs were struggling to keep up with him, giving her the impression that he was trying to lose her.
“I’m fine, but you could slow down, partner,” she hollered and saw him come to an abrupt stop. He looked back at her and frowned. The feeling that he was trying to leave her behind was cemented in her mind, making her feel slightly ill. “You’re doing this deliberately, aren’t you?”
“Doing what?”
“Leaving me behind.”
“Why on earth would you think that?”
“For the same reason you wanted to leave me at the train: you want the credit for reporting the robbery and the sighting of Jesse James.”
“Someone has to tell the agency about it so they can dispatch out an agent or two quickly.”
“There are two of them standing right here, sir!”
“Liberty,” he said gently. “You aren’t an official agent yet and I don’t even know if Archibald Gordon will admit you. I’m on my way to pick up my first assignment – I don’t think he will appreciate me going rogue or running about unchecked.”
“I think he would rather that Jesse James was captured regardless of who caught him.” Crossing her arms over her chest, she stared at him and resisted the temptation to take several deep inhalations to catch her breath.
“And I think you might be wrong about that. It’s all about maintaining law and order. Yes, he would want Jesse James caught and brought to justice – but done so in a lawful manner. If a woman was killed pretending to be an agent, what kind of message would that send to the world about the Pinkertons? While I think you are more than capable of doing the job, the idea of you getting hurt doesn’t sit well with me – nor the possibility of ruining such a modern concept of a woman becoming an agent.”
Clementine didn’t say a word. Her mind was racing as she took what he said to heart. Jerry was right. It was a radical movement to have the Pinkerton Agency hiring women when the belief was that they were softer than men were. Her own father had scoffed at the idea when he’d seen it in the newspaper. Women were capable and proving a successful idea over the last year. Maintaining the letter of the law needed to become her creed, her motto, not just catching the outlaws or wrongdoers.
They stood there looking at each other for several moments as both were silent. Alone, in the middle of nowhere – it was the words Jerry didn’t say that kept her quiet. He didn’t want her to get hurt. He said he thought her capable but was afraid. This man, this stranger, was looking out for her well-being in more ways than one. He wanted her to be an agent and was coaching her on how to best proceed.
“Thank you,” she said softly. “I guess I needed to step back and think for a moment about it. It’s not just about me or taking credit for something anymore, is it?”
“I think you should absolutely take credit for discovering how James managed to derail the train, partner,” he stressed with a wide, easy smile. “We’ve got a long walk into town and it’s going to be getting dark soon.”
“How far do we have to go?”
“I think we’ve still got another four or five miles. I can still see the train in the distance on the edge of the horizon.”
“Oh no,” she grimaced. “I didn’t realize the next town was so far away.”
“That’s why I asked for supplies and was trying to walk so fast. With nothing around us, we are an open target if someone was to come upon us.”
“Are you armed?”
“Of course, but that isn’t the point.”
“We should be safe then.”
“Liberty, just think about how this all looks,” he said gently. “We are a man and woman in the middle of nowhere heading out to a town on foot. When we get there, people are going to talk or assume the worst.”
“They can just talk then,” she said with a huff. “We know better.”
“You are betrothed, what if word gets back to your intended that you were alone with another man for hours on end?”
“In a field, no less,” she reminded him.
“That wouldn’t stop me if I was your husband or your betrothed,” he admitted scandalously. His eyes were locked onto hers. The hot look in his eyes made her mouth drop open in shock.
“You shouldn’t say such things!”
“It’s the truth,” he admitted, shrugging. “Now, we need to get moving. Are you ready?”
“I guess I’ll have to be, won’t I?”
“It’s probably better for both of us.”
“Why is that?”
“Because I’m going to be married too.”
Clementine abruptly tripped and fell in the grass. She was mortified as the world rushed up and smacked her directly in the face. Her mouth caught a large dandelion on the way down that had her spitting fluffy seeds out immediately and gagging. Her hands and knees ached from where she caught herself on the ground.
“Are you alright?” she heard Jerry ask as his hands grasped her waist, hauling her up from the ground. Clementine jerked away and swatted at his hand angrily.
“I’m fine. You are something else though, Mister!”
“What’s the problem now?”
“How dare you be so very flirtatious with me when you’ve got a young lady waiting for you at home. That poor thing! She has no idea that she is marrying such a… a… philanderer!”
“You feel s
orry for her? Oh, that is rich!” he chortled, his face a mixture of shock and disbelief. “I’ve been called many things but never a philanderer. What about your own betrothed? How would he feel knowing you almost kissed me?”
“What? You tried to kiss me- not the other way around!”
“You just keep saying that to yourself, Liberty and let’s get a move on. I have no desire to be stuck out here any later than necessary with a woman that is twisting my words and attacking my character.”
“Attacking your… Ohhhh!” she screeched, balling her fists at her sides. This man irritated the fire out of her. Everything he uttered was turned about and put back on her. He’d tried to kiss her and she’d turned him away. She’d been polite the entire time, telling him it was inappropriate – yet he kept trying and saying things to her that would make a lady of the night blush in embarrassment. The man was a lecher wrapped in a handsome package and she didn’t just feel sorry for the woman – she was inclined to tell her exactly what she was getting into by marrying the troll.
“Quit calling me Liberty – that isn’t my name anyhow. I retract the offer for you to call me that any longer. You may address me as Miss Fenton from now on- or better yet… not at all!” she seethed at his back as he walked off into the distance. Jerry suddenly came to an abrupt halt not far from where she stood. It was almost eerie the way his head turned slowly to look over his shoulder at her.
“Is that so?”
“Quite!”
“Miss Fenton, eh? Any relation to Clementine Fenton?”
“How do you know of her?” she asked weakly, feeling a sudden sense of dread wash over her. Her heart began to pound wildly and she heard roaring in her ears as he spoke again.
“My full name is Jericho Buchannan and she’s my betrothed. Jerry is a nickname one of my cousins gave me.”
“Oh, sweet merciful heavens,” she uttered.
The air suddenly seemed so stifling, and she knew without a doubt that she’d been placed in his path someway, somehow. Was this divine intervention giving her a chance to meet the man she was to marry? She’d despised the idea of marrying a stranger for so long- yet here he was, no longer a faceless man but the man who’d been flirting with her for the last two days. Her head spun wildly and darkness clawed at the edge of her vision just moments before she dropped limply in the grass in a dead faint.
7
Jericho stared at the collapsed form there in the grass and couldn’t help the smile that appeared on his face. Apparently the lovely lady he’d befriended on the train was none other than Miss Clementine Fenton – his mysterious bride. He’d always wondered what she looked like and now he knew. She was exceptional and he was one lucky man! Leaning down gently, he patted her cheeks and grabbed the canteen of water he’d brought for them.
Her eyelashes fluttered and he remained completely still. She had a fearful look to her eyes that reminded him of a trapped deer. Her dark eyes looked fathomless in her colorless face.
“Shhh,” he breathed gingerly, handing her the canteen as she tried to scramble away from him. “Drink this. I’m not going to harm you.”
“No, you’re just going to marry me and take away any freedom that I have.”
“We’ve barely met yet you know me so well already?”
“Isn’t that what husbands do? Use their wives and have them tend house?”
“Well, some wives do this- yes.”
“And?”
“And what?”
“What are you expecting exactly out of me?”
“Are we negotiating our terms of marriage here sitting in the grass?”
“Absolutely not.”
“Then let’s get up, dust you off, and get moving so we aren’t stuck out here in the dark alone,” he said with a smile. “Although, technically, I’m not ruining your good name since we are to be married.”
“You are truly atrocious.”
“And all yours too, sweetcheeks,” Jericho taunted, extending a hand towards her in an effort to help her up. To his surprise, she slapped it away and got to her feet on her own. He couldn’t help the chuckle that escaped him as she began to march away from him angrily. He knew that if they were on a ballroom floor instead of a field, he would hear her boots clicking away impatiently.
Knowing now that the woman he’d been fascinated with was his very own Clementine certainly changed things for him. It was no longer simply a man longing for a stolen kiss from a woman he could never have – she was to be his bride! Instead of teasing her or tempting her- he now had a different plan of action. He was going to do what he could to make her fall for him, the real Jericho.
“Wait for me, dumplin’,” he called out and grinned happily at her screech of indignation that caused her ramrod spine to straighten even more. He followed closely behind her, replaying the past day or so in his mind. Her smile, the way her eyes crinkled at the corners when she laughed, even the way she pursed her lips angrily at him – it all had him smitten beyond belief with his betrothed. He couldn’t wait to thank his father for doing something so old-fashioned, nor to admit how well it turned out for him in the end.
They walked for hours on end and the sun was low on the horizon, causing a warm tangerine sunset to illuminate the sky. He could see the outline of a town just ahead and thanked his lucky stars. Jericho would take absolutely no chances with her safety. He’d been so scared during the train derailment that it was instinctive to try to protect her, something that caused him to ache fiercely. He knew for a fact that his entire back was probably black and blue with bruises.
Entering the town, Jericho jogged up to Clementine and grabbed hold of her arm to slow her down.
“What do you want now? You’ve already ruined my entire life- is Christmas or my birthday next on your agenda?” she snapped waspishly, jerking her arm from his grasp. He could see the rings of exhaustion and trails of silent tears on her cheeks. They needed to talk but it would have to be when they had time to open up; right now it was all too new– too raw- between them
“Liber…uh…Clementine?” he began and she quickly cut him off.
“It’s Miss Fenton.”
“Betrothed,” he stressed and reached for her elbow again, only to see her swat his hands away again. Dropping his hands, he stopped and took a deep breath. His soon-to-be-bride was a prickly one and while he loved it, he would need to have his wits about him.
“When we go to check in at the hotel, we’ll need to act the part of a team.”
“I’m not staying with you.”
“I didn’t say you had to- but I do want you next door if there is a problem.”
“Fine.”
“What I’m trying to ask you is to calm down so we don’t attract unwanted attention. Pinkertons are usually welcomed in most places, but in rougher areas agents are looked at as a problem that needs to be rid of quickly or handled.”
“How do you know? You are new- remember?”
“Because I’m not an imbecile.”
“Are you sure about that?”
“I’m going to let that comment slide, sugarplum, since I know you are upset right now. Be warned, my patience has its limits and while I find you fascinating? I am not above correcting my wife.”
“Soon-to-be-wife,” she amended hotly. “And we aren’t married- yet.”
“I can fix that problem too,” Jericho snapped, feeling his temper flare. Several pairs of eyes were looking in their direction at the sight of their bickering in the street. “You need to calm down and we need to get away from the local busybodies. Do you disagree?”
Clementine looked around carefully at their surroundings, as if seeing them for the first time. He saw her nod slowly and she extended her arm towards him expectantly. Without a word, he placed her hand on his arm as if they were any normal couple out for a stroll. Walking past the men, he was pleased to see that she stared straight ahead staunchly. Her profile was breathtaking in its nobility and grace. He would be proud to have her on his arm at any m
oment in his life – even when they looked as weary as they were now.
Clementine’s white dress was filthy. She was covered with dust, with large grass-stains on her knees, wrists, and bottom. Her hair was in complete disarray and she looked exhausted. Anyone that would have looked at her could have drawn an illicit conclusion, one that he wouldn’t have her harassed for.
“Excuse me, gentlemen,” Jericho said quietly. “My lovely wife and I were thrown from our horses recently- could you point me towards the hotel so she might rest up?”
It took a few uneasy moments of whispering before one of them stepped forward to point at a building down the street.
“Maisie has a nice, clean place and she can get your lady a new gown for a few coins. Might even sweet talk ol’ Maisie into a hot meal and bath too.”
“Thank you sir,” he said genuinely and moved to shake his hand. He felt Clementine clutch at his arm and felt a rush of happiness burst in his chest. Even if she didn’t want to admit it, she needed him. He pressed a coin in the other man’s hand when he shook it.
“My bride would be quite traumatized if word got out at how disheveled she is right now.”
“Mister, ain’t no one in the streets but us drunks right now. I think I’ll get the boys another round of whiskey to make sure we didn’t see a thing.”
“Thank you.”
“Why is it important that no one see me?”
“Pudding, you look like a young lady who’s already had her wedding night,” he whispered, seeing her sharp look of horror and her face filled with embarrassment.
“I want to make sure you get treated like the lady you are.”
“I can’t believe you even said that,” she scolded him.
“I’m just saying what those men were thinking.”
“Then they are horrid just like you.”
Jericho didn’t say a word. Instead he walked her quickly down the street towards the building the man had pointed at. He pulled her inside the small entryway and heard several voices nearby. Ignobly he pushed Clementine into a nearby corner chair and walked over to the desk, ignoring her outraged face.
An Agent for Clementine Page 4
