by Linda Broday
Ideas and plans tripped over themselves in Alexandra’s mind as she considered everything she had to do to make good on her escape.
“I will leave tonight. All I need is time to get away. I must rely mostly on you, Evie. You will have to tell your mother I was not feeling well—the excitement and all—and I decided to head home early. Then tomorrow, when she asks after me, you can say I developed an illness—I don’t care what, just something to keep me abed. She won’t come to check on me. We know how she detests being around anyone who is sick.”
Evie’s delicate features were tense with concern. Alexandra knew it went against her cousin’s nature to be deceptive in any way, especially toward her mother, but she nodded in agreement, and Alexandra felt a rush of gratitude for her dear cousin’s loyalty.
Looking to Courtney, she said, “Will you lend me your carriage? I must return to the house to gather some belongings, then I will need a ride to the train station.”
“Of course,” Courtney agreed readily. “I will go with you to help you pack.”
“No, you mustn’t. If things go bad, you can deny that you knew anything of my plans. At least Evie’s perfidy will be kept within the family. Can I trust your driver to keep my activities secret?”
“Absolutely. Edward is as discreet and steadfast as they come.”
“Once it is discovered where I have gone and it is too late to stop me, Aunt Judith and Mr. Shaw will have no choice but to await my return. Surely, they will eventually come to understand my desire to visit the land of my childhood one last time.”
The other women’s expressions seemed dubious, but Alexandra ignored their uncertainty. Her confidence was more than enough to sustain her. It all made such perfect sense. Surely she wouldn’t be able to breathe so easily if this were wrong.
She should have realized long ago that she would never truly be happy until she knew where she belonged.
With a swift round of hugs, Alexandra bade heartfelt goodbyes to her best friends. Then she rose and made her way toward a discreet exit while Courtney and Evie loitered with their lemonade to give her as much time as possible before going to inform Aunt Judith of her departure.
As she slipped from the grand Boston mansion into the fresh night air, Alexandra breathed deep and wide. Catching sight of Courtney’s family carriage, she glanced around to make sure no one else was about, then she lifted the skirts of her ball gown in both hands and sprinted off into the darkness.
Montana was waiting.
The Gunslinger’s Vow
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