They’d come to blows if he didn’t end this conversation now. Daniel scooped grain into a bucket and headed for the mules’ stall. “Brush them down, and I’ll fetch water and hay.”
“That’s it? The discussion is over?” Charles asked, his tone incredulous. “You always do this when you know I’m right.”
“I always do this when the conversation gets out of hand, and it has naught to do with who is right and who is wrong.” He cut Charles a pointed look. “We’ve an ambush to survive. Let’s focus upon that for the time being.”
Charles continued to grumble to himself, and Daniel refrained from mentioning that his friend always continued their arguments on his own—presenting only his side and never Daniel’s. Instead, he went about filling the feed bins with grain and the rack with sweet-smelling hay. Then he pumped and carried buckets of water and topped off the trough, leaving Charles to do the rest.
The windows glowed warmly against the gathering dusk, and Meredith waited within. He refused to consider any outcome that didn’t see them wed and living together for the rest of their lives. Whenever his mind strayed to the unpleasant truths Charles had stirred, he forced his mind to other things, like the feel of his lover’s warm, soft form snuggled against him. His pulse quickened, and he could hardly wait to lie beside her again.
He stomped the dirt from his boots and entered. Oliver sat upon his pallet of blankets, his back against the wall, and one of the dime novels opened on his lap.
The lad looked up briefly and grinned. “These are ridiculous,” he said, his tone gleeful, holding up the western adventure book. “And addicting. I’m going to have to go back for more.”
Meredith sat at the table, a cup of tea in front of her, and another of Oliver’s books in hand. “I agree. This is an outrageous example of hyperbole.” She laughed, holding up the book so he could see the sensationalized cover.
Daniel helped himself to a cup of tea. He took a seat by the stove and settled in to wait the interminable time it would take before Charles and Oliver went to bed. “How many of those novels do you have?”
“Six.”
“May I borrow one?”
“Sure. Of course.” Oliver set his book down and rose from the floor. He went to the corner where he kept his belongings and reached into his pack. “Take your pick,” he said, setting the four remaining books on the end table. “Charles can borrow one too. We can read them all in turns.”
“Grand, thank you.” Daniel picked up one of the novels just as Charles entered the cabin.
“We’ve all decided to read tonight,” Oliver announced.
“Have we now?” Charles said, his tone flat.
The lad gestured to the books. “Yep. Help yourself.”
Charles scowled. “I’m turning in early. I’ve books of my own to read, thank you just the same.”
Charles washed his face and hands at the sink, brushed his teeth, and left the room without another word, closing his bedroom door behind him. Meredith arched an eyebrow at Daniel in question.
“We had words,” Daniel said. “He’s the testy sort, always has been. Charles is a pessimist.”
“I suppose he keeps you grounded since you’re a dreamer who sees the silver lining in every gray cloud,” Oliver said.
Meredith’s eyes widened in surprise as she gaped at Oliver. “Nailed it,” she said.
“What does nailed it mean?” Daniel asked.
“It means Oliver has you both pegged. You and Charles are the perfect balance for each other, an optimistic dreamer, and a pessimistic pragmatist.” She smiled his way. “Both of you possess determination and the will to work hard. No matter what you two choose to undertake together, I’ve no doubt you’d succeed.”
“High praise indeed.” Which only made him feel guiltier at the possibility that he might soon forsake his best friend.
Oliver cleared his throat. “Look, I know you and Meredith are into each other, and I have no problem with the two of you shacking up. I enjoy solitude, so … feel free to head upstairs whenever.” With that declaration, he returned to his pallet and took up his book.
“I wouldn’t mind going to bed early. I think I’ll take one last trip to the outhouse,” Meredith announced as she rose from the table, taking a lantern with her.
Once she left, Daniel turned to the lad. “Are you certain you’d not be offended by our shacking up as you put it?”
“I’m from the twenty-first century, Daniel. It’s a common practice for couples to live together without the legal document proclaiming them husband and wife, wife and wife, or husband and husband. It’s all good.”
Daniel blinked. “Wife and wife? Husband and husband?”
“Yep. The LGBTQ+ community has come a long way by the twenty-first century. Gay couples can legally marry if they want.” Oliver dropped his gaze to his opened book. “Don’t you need to visit the outhouse one last time before you head upstairs?”
“Hmph.” He took the hint and left the lad to his book, encountering Meredith on her return trip. She handed him the lantern.
“Meredith, what does LGBTQ+ stand for?”
“Lesbian, gay, bi-sexual, transgender, and queer. Queer is kind of an umbrella label for all the forms of sexuality that exist within the LGBTQ+ community, and to those who don’t wish to label themselves as specifically one thing or another. That’s where the plus comes in.”
“Ah.” He nodded, a little overwhelmed. “If it is acceptable, I’ll be up in a bit. You can explain then what gayness has to do with any of that. Don’t we all express gaiety during celebrations? Also, what does it mean to be transgender.”
“It is acceptable, and I will explain.” She smiled.
Daniel rushed through his nightly ablutions and climbed the steps to his room. Meredith sat in bed with the lantern lit on the table beside her. She lowered the book she’d been reading and watched as he stripped himself bare. Savoring the way her appreciative gaze heated his blood without so much as a touch, he slid between the sheets beside her. “This has to go, love,” he said, tugging at her nightgown.
She set the book on the bedside table. “We need to be quiet,” she whispered as she helped him remove the barrier between them.
He drew her into his arms. Her softness pressed against him brought a delicious ache to his loins and to his heart. He was home. “Meredith, tell me about your sister Grayce. How are she and her husband helping their clan to transition into the world at large? How do the clan members make their way in a world that is so foreign to them?”
“Really? You want to talk about this now?” She peered at him, obviously peeved at his suggestion.
“Aye, to settle my mind.” The warm breath she blew against his neck tickled his skin, and he tightened his hold on her and slung a leg over hers.
“Alpin and Boann create documents attesting to each person’s identity, early education, and whatever else is needed. Through their magic, the two see that those documents are filed in the county where they need to be, and they provide them with copies. If any official does a check on the person, they’ll see only that they were born and raised locally.”
She nuzzled the sensitive spot below his ear, sending need coursing through him. “Go on,” he urged.
She nipped his chin before continuing. “Grayce and Brían provide those who leave the hidden valleys with a safe place to live. They arrange whatever continuing education or training for them so they can earn a living and become independent.” She paused as if thinking about how it all must work.
“I’m sure Grayce and Brían provide the group with employment on their farm or at the inn during the interim. I know Boann has donated a fortune to the project. Brían’s parents manage the grounds and the farming. Only a few of the clan members are allowed to come through at a time, and no more are allowed in from the valleys until those who transitioned before them are settled. The entire project will likely take a few generations to complete.”
“Mmm.” Daniel absently ran his hand u
p and down her back as he considered their situation. If he did return with her, surely her kin would aid him as well.
Charles was wrong about one thing. Daniel would be able to support a wife and children. If he did travel to the future, he’d take his half of their profits in the form of gold coins with him. After all, Meredith brought a fortune back with her. He’d have enough money to begin anew. Alpin would likely be willing to help him with identity and educational documents. Perhaps he’d attend university once he studied the lay of the land to see what might be the most profitable career path to suit him.
Before he made any decision about now or then, he’d marry Meredith and return to Ireland to see that his mother and siblings were well set. Leaving his era was not his first choice, but he’d do so if Meredith won the coin toss—if it came to that. He could be very persuasive when he set his mind to it though, and he meant to put forth his best effort in that regard. His questions answered, he turned his thoughts to his more immediate concerns.
“Let’s save the explanations about gaiety and the rest for another time.” He rolled onto his back, taking her with him. She stretched luxuriously on top of him. “I know you’re longing to ravish me, aye?” Her laughter was music to her ears, and his cock hardened, straining to sheath itself within her slick heat … but he would not.
Meredith raised herself to sitting, straddling him so that his throbbing member rested between her slick folds. She rocked slowly back and forth as she traced her fingers along his collarbone and downward over his nipples. Gasping, his hips bucked against her in concert to her movements, creating a wonderful friction.
She moaned, quickening the pace of her slide over him. Then she leaned down and took his mouth in a demanding kiss.
No matter what, he knew they’d find their way together, so he let go of his worries as his future wife did indeed ravish him from head to toe in a most satisfying manner for them both. He swallowed her passionate cries as she shuddered in his arms, his climax following hers a moment later.
Feeling utterly sated and drowsy, he fell asleep that night with a smile on his face, and the woman he loved in his arms, secure in the knowledge that things would work out for them. He was, after all, an optimist and a dreamer.
15
Daniel, along with Oliver, the sheriff, and their volunteer posse walked through the ravine where he and Charles would be ambushed on Monday next. “If I planned to commit an ambush, I’d have a man come out from there to stop us,” Daniel said, pointing to the end of the ravine leading to town. Steep walls of jutting rock rose on either side of the trail. From a distance, the entire configuration resembled the ridged back of a sleeping dragon.
“I’d have guns drawn, and I’d demand that the victims drop their weapons and get down from the wagon,” he continued, telling the sheriff exactly what had happened that fateful day.
“Aye,” Charles agreed. “Then the other two could approach from the other end, coming up behind their victims.” He glanced at the sheriff. “Which in this case will be me and Dan.”
“Sounds about right,” the sheriff said. He studied the ravine, his gaze moving slowly from one end to the other.
“You’ll reach this ravine by midmorning?” Ben Singletree, one of the sheriff’s deputies asked.
“As is our habit, aye.” Daniel also surveyed the area. “Let’s see where the six of you might hide. I believe it would be best to walk here from town so the horses don’t give you away.”
“I agree.” John Arbuckle, the town’s blacksmith approached. “This is about halfway from your claim and town. Won’t take us more ’an fifteen or twenty minutes to get here on foot. The landscape is rocky enough that we can keep out of sight.”
Anthony Graham, another prospector who was well known and trusted by all, continued to pace the length of the ravine. Although he didn’t know it, Anthony had much to gain by helping to stop the thieves. Daniel remembered him as a ghost in the future. Frederick Klein had also joined the posse, as had widow Hague’s oldest son, Nathaniel. He recalled Nathaniel’s father as a phantom from the future as well. Daniel couldn’t help but wonder if this entire situation wasn’t somehow a form of reparation granted to them by the Almighty or fate.
Frederick took off his hat and turned it around in his hands. “The trick is to be well-hidden before the thieves get here.”
“Couldn’t you stop them before they actually ambush Charles and Daniel?” Oliver asked. “Wouldn’t that be safer?”
“And charge them with what? Walking down the road? Hiding behind rocks?” Anthony called out as he walked to the end of the ravine to scan their surroundings. “We have to catch them in the act if we’re going to stop them for good.”
Oliver’s eyes widened. “Oh, right, right.”
“Gather ’round, men,” the sheriff called to those who had wandered off. They finalized their plans, staked out where each of them would hide, and who would do what. The deputy would hide a short distance away at one end, just far enough away to avoid detection. The sheriff would occupy the other end in the same manner. As soon as the outlaws were fully inside the ravines, the two would leave their hiding places and cover both exits.
The rest of the posse would hide at the top of the ravine, two on either side. They’d be out of sight of the thieves, aiming their weapons down upon the scene of the crime without risking injury should guns be fired. Once the thieves made their appearance, Daniel and Charles were to dive under their wagon so everyone else had a clear shot at the outlaws.
“Shortly after dawn Monday morning, then,” Nathaniel said once they’d settled upon their roles, hiding places, and came together again as a group. “It’s settled.”
“Aye. Bring a canteen and something to eat. I suspect you’ll be biding here a good long while before the outlaws arrive,” Charles admonished.
The sheriff and his deputy remained as the four volunteers split up to make their way back into town from different routes. Two of them had arrived on horseback, and the other two had walked.
“How’re you two holding up?” the sheriff asked as he scrutinized Daniel and then Charles.
“Fine,” Charles replied. “It’s the waiting that works on a man’s nerves.”
“I agree.” Daniel nodded. “That and worry. I hope like hell things go as planned and nobody gets hurt”.
“Agreed. Well, I’d better get back to town,” the sheriff said, setting out for his horse. “See you Monday.”
Ben waited until the sheriff left before turning to Daniel and Charles. “Heard you two might be looking to hire a crew to expand your mining enterprise. That true?”
“It is,” Daniel said. “Why do you ask?”
The deputy cleared his throat. “If you’re looking for a foreman to manage the crew, I’d be interested. I’ve been a deputy for two years now. It’s a good job, but it’s not … There’s no future for me here. I’d have to go someplace else if I wanted to move up the ladder in law enforcement, which I don’t.” He shifted on his feet.
“I have experience managing unruly men, and I possess other valuable skills as well. My family owns a few retail businesses in Chicago. I grew up learning how to keep the books, invest the profits, and how to manage a business. I could be of help to you.”
“Why’d you leave Chicago if you already had a secure future in your family’s holdings?” Charles asked.
“For one thing, I have four brothers. They can run the businesses for all I care. I’ve never been interested in going to work for my father. For another …” His face reddened and his Adam’s apple bobbed. He paused for several seconds as if weighing how much he wanted to share. “It so happens I was jilted by my fiancée who then eloped with by best friend.” He raked his fingers through his hair and slammed the hat he’d been holding onto his head.
“I figured a change of scenery might do me good, and I was looking for adventure.” He straightened. “I’ve always wanted to make my own way in the world. I’m well-educated, honest, a hard worke
r, and you’d be fools not to hire me.”
“Charles and I will discuss the matter and let you know on Monday.”
“That’s all I can ask. Sheriff Ramsey will vouch for me.” Ben shook both their hands, and then he too strode off toward his horse.
He, Oliver, and Charles remained. “We should be getting back. There are enough hours of daylight left to get some work done yet,” Daniel said as he set out for their wagon.
“Would you mind walking? I want to make a stop in town, and I can pick up a few things we need while there,” Charles said. “We should have mail waiting for us at the mercantile. If not, I’ll have to make a trip to Hellgate tomorrow. We should’ve heard back from my kin by now. I’m hoping they’ve found a mining engineer for us. If so, I’ll have to send a bank draft for his journey West.”
“Cool.” Oliver’s face lit with excitement. “If you do travel to Hellgate, can I join you? I can ride shotgun.”
“Can you even shoot a gun, lad?” Charles asked.
“Sure. I’m certified in gun safety and maintenance. My dad, sister, and I go deer hunting every fall, and he made us take the classes.”
“If there’s no mail waiting for us in town, consider yourself hired to ride shotgun.” Charles smiled. “We’ll spend the night at the trading post and head back the next morning. Perhaps you might gather more souvenirs while there, eh?”
Oliver bobbed his head. “That’s the plan.”
Daniel prayed Charles would come up empty-handed in town. The prospect of having the entire day and night to spend alone with Meredith filled him with giddy anticipation.
“Do you think you’ll hire the deputy?” Oliver asked as the two walked home side by side.
“Perhaps. He’s a good man and well-qualified.” He shrugged. “We’ll talk to the sheriff, see what he has to say about Ben, but I’ve never heard anything untoward about him.”
“You existed in ghostly form in the twenty-first century, so you’ve seen things,” Oliver began.
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