by Becky Lower
Finally, the man glanced up from his desk and handed over the pouch. “Ah, Val. Good to see you. Are you ready to ride?”
“Yes, sir, I am. I don’t care what is thrown at me—rain, wind, the dead of night, wild animals, Indians—I’m ready for them. The mail’s the most important thing.”
Mr. Lewis raised an eyebrow. “Glad to hear it. The pouch is locked and ready for you. Have a safe trip.”
Valerian slung the twenty-pound pouch over his shoulder and left the hotel. He’d take riding a horse any day over a desk job such as what Mr. Lewis had. He positioned the mochila over the saddle, hooked it in place, and climbed aboard the horse. Several people, including a bevy of young ladies out shopping, stopped what they were doing to witness his departure. He doffed his hat to the crowd, and was off at a gallop, heading toward the river and the ferry in Elwood. He and the horse would get a bit of a break as the ferry slowly crossed the river. Then they’d be off on the other side, churning up trail dust as they headed toward the first relay station.
The miles unfolded at a good clip today. It was early afternoon when Valerian rode into the relay station on the Kickapoo Indian reservation. He had made good time, due in large part to his driving need to see Samantha again, to make certain she was all right.
Since he had a few minutes extra, he spent some time at Kickapoo restocking his supply of jerky and downing a hot cup of coffee, clearing the dust from his mouth. As he mounted up on a fresh horse, he thought about what stood between him and Samantha on the route. The thick forests on either side of the trail were behind him, and the terrain was gentle, rolling land, making for a fairly easy ride. He waved his hat at the farmers working their fields as he galloped by, and the wind caught his hair. He laughed out loud, startling his mount. Never before had he enjoyed himself as much as he did today. Not only was he on horseback, but he was also riding toward his girl.
His girl. The very notion would have frightened him a month ago. Now, though, he welcomed it. He was all right with having a girl. The miles sped away as a vision of Samantha kept him company during the ride.
• • •
When Valerian came into view of the Seneca station, Samantha was standing beside the next rider, holding the reins of a fresh horse. His eyes went soft as he took in her small frame next to the large horse. He tore his gaze from her and pulled on the reins of his horse, sliding off it even before it came to a complete stop. He tugged the mochila off the saddle and passed it to the rider, who was up and off before Val uttered a sentence.
He turned to Samantha, who now held the reins of his tired horse. “You’re a sight for sore eyes,” he said softly. “Everything all right?”
“Yep. No problems here.” She ran her gaze over his face. “You’re as tired as this horse. Why don’t you head inside for some grub and rest while I take care of him?”
“I’d rather have you take care of me, for a change.” He lowered his head to meet hers.
She took a startled step back. “We’re in the open, Val!”
He caught himself and stepped back, too. “Forgot myself for a moment. You are a rather fetching sight, though.”
“Yeah, and last week I was just another boy in your eyes.” She smiled at him to soften her words. “Get on inside and get some of Emma’s fine food. The pork chops are especially good today. Then get some sleep, so you can stay sharp. We can’t be seen together too much, or people will start talking.”
“Right you are, Samantha. Sam. We can’t let down our guard in front of everyone. An awful lot is riding on it. So, no sign of Uncle Jack or Pinkertons?”
“No, not on the stage that came in right before you. Now, get inside. This horse needs my attention more than you do.” Samantha swatted him playfully on the butt before walking past with the tired horse. Valerian noted her backside too, as she passed. How had he ever thought she was a boy?
Several hours later, after scraping every morsel of pork chops from the bone, along with enjoying the accompanying applesauce and green beans, then tumbling into bed for a couple hours of much-needed sleep, Val let himself back into the barn. A few horses nickered a greeting at him, but otherwise, all was quiet. He walked slowly down the main aisle of the barn, heading toward the tack room and Samantha’s quarters. Samantha had her back to him, but was completely nude from the waist up. Her wound was healing nicely, but he wasn’t really paying attention to her injury. Rather, he stared at her unbound back. The breath whooshed out of him. At the sound, Samantha turned around, holding a towel up to her front.
“What are you doing here?” she hissed at him. “You scared me to death!”
“I’m staring at the most gorgeous girl ever.” Valerian tracked the blush rising from Samantha’s chest to her cheeks. He grinned at her. “You’d be even more gorgeous if you dropped that towel.”
She turned around again, offering her back to him again. “Please let me finish and get dressed.”
“I have a better idea.” Valerian walked into the small room, closing the door behind him.
Samantha whipped back around when he entered the room. “Valerian,” she whispered. “You’re taking too much of a chance.”
He tugged the offending towel from her fingers and pulled her to him. Her unbound breasts brushed up against him, and he caught her mouth in a kiss. One hand left her back and found its way to her front, caressing a breast, causing it to come to a hard peak. Valerian smiled as she moaned slightly.
“The soap you’re using smells great,” Valerian mumbled as he buried his nose between her small breasts. The hand still on her back moved lower as he pulled her closer, bumping her up against his erection.
“See what you do to me?” He ground against her. “I’ve been hard for you since leaving Kickapoo.” He leaned down and took her mouth again, delighting in the small noises she made involuntarily. Her hands crept around his neck.
Three sharp blasts of the horn penetrated their consciousness at the same time. They pulled away from each other with a gasp and a startled shared glance.
“Oh, God. I need to get dressed and get a horse ready, pronto.” She picked up the band of cloth she used to bind her breasts and began to wind it around her body.
“I’ll get a horse ready. Which one did you want?”
“Sandy.”
Val tore open the door and ran to the tack room. The horse had to be ready by the time the rider came into view. It was going to be a race. But Valerian welcomed the interruption. He had to be in more control when around others, or he’d blow Samantha’s identity really fast. No more slip-ups.
• • •
Samantha held her breath while she bound her breasts and pulled her shirt on. Such foolhardiness! Valerian shouldn’t be here in the barn with her. Especially not when she had work to do. Especially not when she used a quiet moment to cleanse her body after mucking out the stalls. So far, no one had seen her in any state of undress, and she intended to keep it that way. Forgetting to close her door before she had begun to bathe herself was an unforgivable act. What if it had been Gus instead of Valerian?
Valerian had grabbed the bridle and slipped it into the mouth of the big horse, Sandy. Samantha adjusted the stirrups and pulled the saddle off the block, running with it out to the front of the corral. She tossed a saddle blanket over the horse, then the saddle. She had just cinched it into place when the rider came into view. His horse was sweating and frothing at the mouth as the rider slid off, pulling the mochila with him. Valerian pulled some jerky from his pocket and handed it to the man, who shared a few words about the trip thus far when he wasn’t gnawing on the jerky. The next rider, Fred, came out of the hotel and joined in the conversation before he leapt up on Sandy and sprinted off.
Samantha led the spent horse to the corral and Valerian followed her into the pen. She turned on him.
“That was too close, Valerian. I am sweating almost as much as this horse is. We can’t let it happen again.”
“I know, and I’m sorry. But what could I
do? You’re quite the temptress, Samantha.”
“I’m not Samantha. I’m Sam. Please, Val.” She led the horse into the barn, grabbed a pail of grain from the corner of the stall and dumped it into the feeding trough. The horse, still steaming from his workout, dipped his nose into the trough and began to munch. The normally soothing sound grated on her nerves. “I’d appreciate it if you’d leave me alone for awhile.”
“Aw, Sam. I wasn’t alone in the room. You were every bit as eager as me.”
“Yes, and therein lies the problem. I can’t afford to let down my guard. It may be all fun and games to you, Val, but it’s my life. I have no right to involve you in it, and no right to expect any pleasure of my own. Not until I turn eighteen.”
Valerian raised both hands and shrugged. She held her ground against him, scorching him with her eyes. He turned, finally, and headed back to the hotel. She filled a bucket with water and carried it into the barn. The horse needed to be washed down and curried before she could get back to her own interrupted ministrations. She ran a finger over her swollen lips. What would have happened if it had been her bottom half she’d been washing when Valerian had come into her room? She shivered at the thought.
Yes, this had been a mighty close call, and they had to avoid any such contact in the future. At least for another nine months and five days.
Chapter 15
May gave way to June, and Samantha settled into a different routine. When Val was out on the trail between Seneca and St. Joe, or in the opposite direction, from Seneca to Marysville, Samantha kept her head down and worked. Her broken rib began to heal, so she removed the restrictive binding from her lower back. She breathed easier without it, and she was able to put more muscle into her work. So far, Gus had accepted her lessened workload without saying anything, since he was familiar with her wound. But she didn’t want to test his loyalty. She needed to get back to maintaining a barn, the horses, and the tack. The last thing she needed was a helper messing with her privacy.
Crouched down beside the lame horse she’d been nursing back to health, Samantha’s chest constricted and her blood ran cold when a familiar voice penetrated the barn. A voice that had robbed her of sleep for the past two years and caused nightmares when she did nod off. Uncle Jack! Her hands began to shake uncontrollably, and the metallic taste of fear lodged in the back of her throat.
On her tiptoes, Samantha pressed herself up against the wood siding of the barn and peered out of the small crack between the boards. Gus was in the corral, helping Jack unsaddle the horse and tie him up.
“My stable boy will be out in a minute to put your horse away. He’s working on another horse right now, trying to get him sound for the Pony Express riders.”
“You haven’t seen a young girl, have you? My niece ran off a couple months ago, and I’m worried about her.”
Yeah, right. Samantha bristled with anger. She dashed to her little sleeping room and put the small picture of her parents into her pocket, along with the bullet Val had pulled from her, ready to run out the back door of the barn and into the woods if Jack set one foot into the barn.
“You’re welcome to take a look around. We have several young ladies working as housemaids and kitchen staff. Maybe your niece is among them.”
“Could use some good food, that’s for sure. I’ve been on the trail for days.”
Samantha peered through the crack in the barn siding again as Gus led Jack to the hotel. The face that had haunted her nights appeared leaner and meaner than she remembered. Evidently, Jack missed Aunt Hilda’s cooking. And her own.
She wouldn’t breathe easy until he went away, but she tamped down her fear, lowered her hat even more, and went to the corral to bring his horse and saddle inside the barn. No reason the animal should have to suffer because of a bad master.
No sooner had she put the horse away, giving him an extra ration of oats and some fresh hay, than three sharp blasts on the horn penetrated the stillness of the afternoon, signaling a Pony Express rider was about to come in. All thoughts of Jack had to be put aside while she performed the service for which she was being paid. Samantha got a horse saddled up and ready for the next rider, who emerged from the hotel and joined her. As usual, some of the inn’s guests came out into the yard as well. From under her hat brim, Samantha scanned the small crowd. Jack wasn’t among them. He probably was at dinner, unaware history was unfolding right outside. Not for the first time, Samantha was grateful for Jack’s lack of intelligence.
Valerian galloped into view, finishing his leg from St. Joseph to Seneca. He pulled sharply on the reins and slid from the horse. He tugged the mochila from its hook over the saddle and handed it off to the next man.
“You made good time, Val. We didn’t expect you for an hour yet.” William, the rider, slapped Val on the back.
“Let’s keep it going, then. See if we can set a new record for the run.”
“The Indians out west of here are causing a ruckus, though. They burned a couple of the relay stations, killed the managers, and took all the horses.”
Val and William exchanged a worried glance before Val replied, “That means they’ll be riding our good horses. The advantage of having animals in good condition and well fed will be gone.”
“Yep. At least for a while. The Indians can barely feed themselves anymore, and their horses don’t get the good grain the Pony Express buys to feed our livestock. So the guys out farther west of here will need all the time advantage we can give them in case they have to skirt around a war party. I’m not as concerned about setting a record as I am getting the mail through.”
“Well, good luck then, and ride safe.”
William climbed up onto the horse, and with a wave of his hat to the crowd, he disappeared into the sunset.
The smattering of applause died down, and the people moved back inside, leaving Val and Samantha alone with a sweating horse. She glanced up at Val and kept her voice low.
“Jack’s inside.”
Val’s face paled. “Are you sure it’s him?”
“Positive. He asked Gus if he’d seen any young women come through, since his niece disappeared on him and he’s worried about her. Gus told him he was welcome to check out the kitchen staff and the housemaids. So I’m safe for the moment.”
“Not safe enough. Maybe you should head into the woods again.”
“Not this time. I can’t keep bolting into the woods every time I get spooked. I have a job to do and a lame horse I’m nursing back to health. If Jack comes into the barn and spies me, I’ll deal with him.”
“Well, I’ll keep an eye on him inside and try to tip you off if he decides to come exploring.”
“Thanks, Val. It helps knowing you’re here. Now head inside and get some grub. We can’t do anything out of the ordinary, since it would only draw attention to us. You’ve got to eat and get some rest, and I’ve got a horse to cool down.”
Their hands touched as Valerian turned his spent horse over to Samantha. Her heart lurched at his touch, and her insides were in a knot. Uncle Jack had caused the knot, but the swelling heart was all Val’s doing.
• • •
Val headed inside and sat at a table across from another Pony Express rider in the dining room. The rider, Fred, didn’t stop shoveling food into his mouth. He merely slid a glance and a nod toward Val before he went back to his dinner. Tough and wiry, as were most of the riders, Fred’s manner of speech was as hard-boiled as he was on the outside. Val was actually glad Fred wanted nothing more than his meal, although he had gotten to know the man a bit over the past few months and recognized he had a good heart. But he wondered if the man even tasted his food before he swallowed it.
Val spent the few minutes while he waited for his order to be brought to him scanning the guests. Jack should be easy to pick out from the crowd. He spied a man in the corner who carefully studied each of the women as they emerged from the kitchen with plates of food. He was a big man, large-boned but gaunt at the same time, da
rk, hooded eyes with bushy brows. No wonder Samantha lived in fear. He could overpower her with a flick of his hand.
She’d told him her uncle appreciated a game of cards but was not a very good player. Valerian allowed himself a few moments to ponder the irony of winning Jack’s money from him and then using it to help set him and Samantha up on a homestead somewhere. If Val were to invite Jack to a game of chance, he’d stay away from the barn tonight. The idea had merit in more ways than one.
Val dipped his dinner roll into the creamy chicken gravy, inhaling the yeast from the roll and the mouthwatering scent of fried chicken before he turned his attention back to the man at his table. “Hey, Fred, are you interested in playing cards after dinner?”
Fred leveled a quizzical stare in his direction. “Always interested in a game of poker, but I thought you’d spend the night in the barn, talking to Sam, like usual. You two are thick as thieves.”
“No, not tonight.” Val had to use better judgment with Samantha if even Fred noticed how much time they spent together. He offered no excuse this time. No sense giving Fred more to think about.
“Cards ain’t no fun without four people, and we’re the only two riders here.”
“I’m sure we can find two more men in the crowd who wouldn’t mind an evening’s entertainment. How about that gentleman over there?” Val swung his head in Jack’s direction.
Fred turned and stared at Jack for a long minute. “He might be an easy mark.” Fred’s eyes glittered as Jack drained the last of his ale and lined the tankard up next to the two empty ones already on the table. “He’s getting roostered.”
“My thoughts exactly. Let’s go lighten the man of some of his money.”
In unison, Val and Fred rose and walked over to the table where Jack sat alone. They each took a seat, and Jack’s bleary eyes glanced up from the rough surface of the table.
“Howdy.” Val tipped his hat to Jack and then waved his hand in the air toward Fred. “We’re wanting to play some cards tonight and are searching for a few more players. Care to join us?”
