“Miss Rivers … Jackie?” The voice of Mr. Johnson made her heart flutter.
She exited the stall and found him waiting at the entrance to the barn. “How can I help you, Mr. Johnson?”
“I insist you call me Elijah.” His smile was warm.
Even though she knew the rules of etiquette, everyone out here was on a first-name basis. Besides, she’d insisted that he call her Jackie. “Elijah. Of course. Now what can I do for you?”
“The stage driver told me about a nearby lake. Could I possibly convince you and one of the other young men to ride with me out there? Since I’m going to be here awhile, I’d like to explore the area a bit.”
“That would be lovely. I have business to attend to after lunch, but I’ll be free tomorrow morning after the Express.”
“Thank you. I’ll look forward to it.” He clasped his hands behind his back as they exited the barn. “I hope this isn’t too forward of me, but I hope you have forgiven me for allowing my mouth to run away with me.”
“Of course.” Why did he have to bring it up again? The awkwardness between them stretched. “All is forgiven.”
“That’s a relief. Especially since I will be your guest for the coming weeks. I would hate to be a thorn in your side.” His comment was accentuated with a smirk.
“I like your sense of humor. It’s quite refreshing”—she leaned an inch closer to him and lowered her voice—“especially since Mrs. Liverpool doesn’t seem to understand sarcasm. But she has ears like a hawk.”
“She’s an interesting character. What brought her here?”
“Her husband is a blacksmith and services all the horses that come through. Since we are a home station, there’s a lot of traffic every day. And you’d be surprised how many horses throw a shoe when they’re traveling at such high speeds. He’s also my stable manager. We wear many different hats out here. As for his wife, she’s been my friend for many years. I’m not sure how she has managed being out of the city because she loved it so much. But it is nice to have another woman around.”
“To discuss Godey’s Lady’s Book, I’m sure.”
“Well, of course, Elijah Johnson. Don’t you know it is the foremost publication for women?” She couldn’t help but laugh at the look on his face.
“Yes, I’ve heard that.”
“The August issue included a thrilling section about women’s headdresses. I found one called La Belle, with chenille net and beads, quite charming. I might try it myself.” She couldn’t keep a straight face any longer and laughed.
He chuckled along with her. “I’m sure it would look lovely on you. As long as it didn’t cover up your hair too much.” His voice softened. “It is quite beautiful.”
Without thinking about it, she put a hand up to her thick braid. When she was younger, she had plaited it and wound it into a knot at her neck because she wanted to look older, but then she started getting headaches from the tightness and weight of it. Dad had said he didn’t mind if she wore it down. It wasn’t like they needed to follow society’s rules out here anyway. “Thank you.”
The moment sparked between them, but she was at a loss for words. This had never happened to her before. She didn’t have trouble carrying on conversations with other men. What was wrong with her?
She cleared her throat.
Elijah shifted his weight, apparently finding the moment as awkward as she did, and looked away to the station. Then he cleared his throat too. “I haven’t seen a church anywhere. Did I miss it?”
“No. We have services in the parlor every Sunday.”
“Wonderful to hear. I’ll look forward to taking part.” He stayed in step with her.
“Just be forewarned that the arrival of the Express often interrupts us, so we take a break and come back to it.”
“Duly noted, miss.”
The moment turned awkward again. Was this what happened when two grown people found they were interested in each other? She desperately wished her father were still alive so she could talk to him about it. “Well, I’d better get back to lunch preparations. The morning has flown by.”
“What if I were to offer to help you? Would that be all right?” The eagerness on his face almost made her giggle.
“That’s quite unheard of, Mr. Johnson—”
“Elijah,” he corrected.
“Elijah. Yes. But I’ve never had a male guest offer to help cook. It was enough of a shock to see you and Mr. Crowell doing dishes the other night.”
“Is that a no?” He quirked one eyebrow.
“I didn’t say that….” Looking into his eyes, she realized she could get lost in them quite easily. Would it be selfish to want to spend more time with him? Oh, what could it hurt? “I’d be delighted to have your assistance.”
His eyebrows rose toward his hairline. “I must admit, I’m a bit shocked that you agreed.”
“You’re in the wild and untamed West now, Mr. Johnson. I’m sure there will be a great many things that shock you. Just hopefully not my cooking.”
“Your cooking is quite the delight.”
Since the ease of conversation was back, Jackie plunged into another topic. “Didn’t you say you needed my assistance with some sort of business?”
He stopped outside the door to the station. “Thank you for remembering. This might be a bit far-fetched, and I’m sure you are probably too young to know anything, but I’m looking for someone. Maybe they cameout here? About twenty-five or twenty-six years ago?”
She puzzled over that. “I was just a baby at that time. I wish Dad were here; he never forgot a face. Was it a man? A family? Do you have any description?”
“A woman and child. An infant or toddler, depending on when they came through.”
“Hmm … It would have been very dangerous and difficult for a woman to come on her own. Do you know what she looked like?”
“Blond hair, green eyes. I’ve tracked a young woman and child, but the testimonies vary. Sometimes she has red hair. Sometimes black. It’s had me running in circles.”
An idea struck. “You know, my father kept ledgers for everything. I wonder if he would have anything documented from back then. I don’t even know if we had a stage stop at that point—like I said, I was too young to remember anything. Let’s see, the Butterfield line obviously wasn’t running. But there had to be one from Virginia City. I remember it coming through as a child.”
“And your mother? Would she have written anything down?”
“She died when I was little. I don’t have any way to know.”
“Oh, I’m sorry. What was her name?”
“Hannah. Hannah Rivers.”
Elijah stroked his chin with his hand. “Perhaps your father’s ledgers will show something. You never know.”
“We can always try.” She shot him a smile, but the way he studied her made her feel a bit uncomfortable. “What?”
“It’s just that you have blond hair and green eyes.”
“It couldn’t have been me.” She laughed. “I was a child.” Something didn’t seem right, but at the moment she couldn’t put her finger on it.
“No. It couldn’t. I’m sorry. I think I’ve been searching for this woman for so long that my mind is running in circles. But thank you for helping. Do you happen to know anyone else who’s been out in the area for a long time?”
“There might be some folks in Virginia City, but I wouldn’t know who.”
He nodded. “I will ask around when I go back there. Well … whydon’t we get to that lunch? I appreciate your help, Jackie.”
“I hope you find who you’re looking for. Let me know if I can do anything else. We’ll get out the ledgers later.” She shrugged and walked inside.
Outside Virginia City
Carl took the stack of forgeries and compared them to the real one. He couldn’t see any difference whatsoever. The guy was good. Now if the fat man could just keep his mouth shut, Carl might let him live long enough to create a few hundred more. “How long wil
l it take you to make another twenty?”
The man’s double chin grew as he lowered his head and wrote on a piece of paper. “Two weeks?”
“Good. You get to work on those, and I’ll have the gold coins ready.”
The man stood and stuck his cigar back into his mouth. “Pleasure doing business.” Then he picked up the bag full of his latest payment and headed out the door.
As he tucked the treasury notes into his satchel, Carl thought about his next steps. He just needed a few more things to fall into place. Even the rumors of war were playing right into his hands. It wouldn’t be long before he’d cash in his fortune.
“Carl, I got the information you wanted.” His nephew stood in the doorway. The kid had gotten pretty adept at helping with his business.
“And you’ve got the letters ready?”
“Yep.”
“When did Rivers die?”
“A few weeks ago. So our schedule still works.”
“Perfect.” Carl walked over to his sister’s kid and gripped the young man’s shoulder. “You know what to do.”
Elijah shifted in the saddle. It had been a long time since he’d ridden just to amble along a trail. Usually he was in a hurry to get somewhere.
Michael rode in the lead with Jackie behind him, while Elijah brought up the rear. He really wanted to chat with Jackie, so he pulled his horse alongside hers.
“Oh, that’s not a good idea, Mr. Johnson. We need to ride single file for a bit.”
“I’m sorry. May I ask why? It’s not like we are climbing a dangerous mountain trail.”
“Let’s just say that there are many areas around here where if you’re not careful, your horse can sink up to his flank in the sand.”
He immediately returned to his position at the back of their party. “My apologies.”
“It’s not your fault,” Jackie called over her shoulder. “I should have warned you about the Sink at Carson.”
“Ah, so that’s why the station is called Carson Sink.”
Her laughter filled the air around him. “You got it.”
“Wonderful. One of the great mysteries is solved.” He spoke loudly so she could hear him.
“No offense, Mr. Johnson”—Michael’s voice echoed back to him—“but that isn’t much of a mystery. I thought you had traveled all over.”
“I have. But I must admit, I’ve never been anywhere like here.”
They rode for several more minutes until Jackie waved him forward. “It’s safe for us to ride abreast now.”
As their horses moved along through the sandy dirt and nubby grass, Elijah took in the beauty around him. It was unlike anything he’d seen before, and he finally understood that all things could be beautiful in their own way. He turned to Jackie. “You must really love it out here.”
“I do. It’s been my home my whole life.”
“You don’t ever wish to go anywhere else?”
She tilted her head a bit and shrugged. “Oh, I think I’d like to travel sometime, but this is home.”
“Not me,” Michael chimed in. “I want to get out of here and explore one day. I get tired of all the dirt and sand. And it’s always so dry. I’d really like to see more green. That’s why I like going to the lake so much.”
Elijah watched Jackie’s face. While she didn’t look enthusiastic about Michael’s proclamation, she at least had put on a smile for the young lad.
“Where would you like to go?” He aimed his question at the boy, hoping to earn his trust.
“To the ocean. Then the Rocky Mountains. And then all the way across the country. I want to see it all.”
“Where do you think you’d like to end up?”
“Oh, I don’t know. But it would have to be within a few days of here.”
“Why?”
“Because I wouldn’t want to be away from Jack forever.”
The tender look Jackie gave Michael made Elijah wish she’d pointed it at him.
“Aw, don’t go getting all mushy on me, Jack. You know I can’t stand it.” The young man made a face.
“At least I know that after you’ve had your adventures, you’ll still come around. You’re my family, and I’ll miss you when you’re gone.” Jackie’s voice did indeed sound a bit mushy.
But instead of the reaction Elijah expected out of the boy, Michael surprised him. “I know. And I wouldn’t want any other family in the world. Thanks for being there for me.”
Elijah looked ahead, letting them have the moment. For a brief second he found himself jealous of the fourteen-year-old orphan whohad experienced a real family, while Elijah, although twice his age, still searched for one.
Different thoughts and emotions swirled through him. Amazing how hearing Charles’s story had stirred up so much in him. This trip had changed him, and he wasn’t quite sure what to do with that.
“I miss him.” Michael’s voice was soft.
“Me too.”
Elijah snuck a look at Jackie. Her eyes were sad, but she smiled. If their dad had died only a few weeks ago, their grief must be extraordinarily hard for them to bear. “Would you tell me about your father?”
Her eyes brightened. “I’d love to. It seems I haven’t been able to talk about him since he died—except for a time or two with Michael—and it’s hard.”
Michael grinned and interjected, “He was a big man. Tall and stronger than anyone else I’ve ever seen.” His voice was enthusiastic as he spoke.
Jackie gave a light laugh. “He was definitely that. He had to duck through the doorway when he entered a room, and he could lift just about anything.”
The adoration on her face as she talked about him gave Elijah a glimpse into her heart.
“He was smart, thoughtful, caring, and stubborn.”
Michael gave Elijah a look and pointed his thumb at her. “We know she gets it honestly.”
“Oh hush.” But she laughed along with them. “He was a very practical man, but gave in to the whims and desires of his daughter—me—quite often.” Her face saddened. “But I would trade away all the things I asked for just to have him back one more day.”
“He sounds like a man I would have liked to know.”
“He was.” Jackie reached up to brush a tear away.
“Your father raised you?”
She smiled again. “Yes. Although I know I exasperated him on more than one occasion. I heard him mutter under his breath how much he wished my mother was still alive.”
“You? Exasperating? It’s hard to believe.” While Elijah wasn’t being sarcastic, he wanted to tease her because he loved the smile on her face.
“You have no idea,” Michael threw out. “Then there were all those catalogs and newspapers with their drawings of the latest and greatest dresses, dishes, stoves, you name it. Dad—Marshall—often would hide them so we wouldn’t have to hear her ooh and aah over everything.”
“I like fine things.” She shrugged with a laugh. “But my favorite thing was riding with my dad. He taught me everything. From taking care of horses, cows, pigs, and chickens to cooking and even sewing. That’s not something you can purchase from a catalog.”
“No. It’s not.” And it wasn’t something that could easily be replaced. Elijah noted the respect that both of them had for the man. “What was his name?”
“Marshall. Marshall Rivers.” Her voice caught on the last syllable.
“He was the best.” Michael urged his horse forward. “Look, we’re here.” The boy galloped ahead.
At the crest of a small hill, Jackie pulled her horse to a stop, and Elijah joined her.
“It’s quite a sight.” The green grass and lush surroundings were a stark contrast to the dry and barren landscape they’d been traveling through.
“Isn’t it?” Her gaze was captured by the lake. “I love coming here.” She turned her head toward him and looked into his eyes. “Would you like to ride around the lake with me? It’s a lovely ride.”
“I’d love to. Lead the way.�
� As he watched her direct her horse onto a path that would take them around the body of water sparkling in the sunlight, Elijah studied the fascinating woman who ran a Pony Express station. What was it about her that was so … refreshing? He’d never met anyone like her, and he longed to get to know her better. But was that wise? He wouldn’t be here for more than a few weeks.
Pushing aside the doubts, Elijah decided that he wanted to get to know Jackie Rivers. And he wanted that more than anything else he’d sought in a very long time.
October 16, 1860
While Michael and the other riders enjoyed some coffee in the kitchen, Elijah sat in the parlor with Mr. Crowell while Jackie and Mrs. Liverpool spread open the Lady’s Book on the dining room table and discussed some Zouave jacket that it pictured. As much as he was trying to carry on an intelligent conversation with the older man, he found himself listening to bits and pieces of the ladies’ conversation. Especially whenever Jackie spoke up. Over the past couple of days, he’d gotten to watch her in her regular routine and enjoyed listening to her talk to the riders, dispensing duties and managing things with an experienced and comfortable air. After their time at the lake, he found himself trying to catch a glance from her here and there.
But tonight, he was intrigued. A certain animation came over her whenever she and the blacksmith’s wife discussed fashion. Seeing it made him smile. From what he could gather, she had an eye for elegant and beautiful things. Mrs. Liverpool seemed to hang on every suggestion Jackie made and was always seeking the younger woman’s advice on hats and dresses.
Jackie Rivers was anything but plain, but she had lived here her entire life and lived simply. That’s what made it so fascinating. There was something … refined about her.
Her laughter floated over to him. “Oh, you know Dad. He’d always give in and buy the things that I fancied from the catalog.”
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