Wild Forever (The Gilbert Girls, #3) Read online

  As Ben unsaddled the horse, he smiled through his exhaustion. He was looking forward to hearing what kind of name she’d come up with for him.

  Chapter Twelve

  Penny raced up the stairs, unopened letter in hand. She had an hour between her lunch and dinner shifts, and had already been planning to write to Emma, but now it looked as though she’d also be writing to her mother. Her legs ached as she reached the second-floor landing. All that walking up the mountain—and then staying on the horse for the ride back down—had given her quite the exercise this morning.

  Inside her room, she drew back the curtains and hung her apron from a hook on the wall. Then she settled into the chair at the small desk and sliced the envelope open with a simple letter opener she’d purchased recently through the new general store. She flattened the paper on the desk and began to read. It was mostly stories of Mama’s work mending and sewing clothing for the rich folks in town, and some gossip about their neighbors. But near the end of the letter, Penny’s smile drifted into a frown.

  Mrs. Aven asked after you yesterday, and she said nothing of the incident that occurred before you left. In fact, I haven’t heard any one person speak of it in at least a month. I believe this means the gossip has passed. You could return home, perhaps this coming spring? You could save some of your funds instead of sending the money home to me and use that to purchase your train ticket. I would be so happy to have you home again.

  Penny clutched the paper, her fingers shaking. She had thought that maybe, someday, she might return home, but that idea had faded over the months as she’d grown closer to her friends at the hotel and more confident in her duties as a waitress. She closed her eyes and tried to picture herself back home with Mama. The cozy apartment and the time they spent sewing or reading together brought a warm smile to her face. But when her thoughts left their home . . . There were whispers in the corners of stores. Men leered at her from doorways. Girls who had been her friends since childhood walked the other direction when they saw her coming. No invitations to socials or sewing circles arrived at her door. Those events were hardly the sumptuous parties of the rich, but she’d always enjoyed coming together with friends for simple refreshments and conversation. All of that had stopped the moment Mr. Theodore Branner had let the world know his thoughts about her.

  She couldn’t return home to that, even if her mother believed it all to be over. People didn’t forget that easily. Although she ached to see Mama again, she wasn’t certain she wanted to leave Dora and Millie, and what would happen if Caroline found herself with child soon? She would need Penny’s support. Mrs. Ruby would be disappointed if she left. And Sheriff Young . . .

  Penny’s eyes flew open. Her heart ticked up a few beats faster as she thought of the handsome sheriff. He won’t be here after he finds his sister, she chided herself. Whatever feelings she might have for him now, she might as well tuck away.

  He’s only a short train ride away in Cañon City. Her traitorous brain immediately pictured him traveling here when he was free from his duties in town. Traveling here for no other reason than to see her.

  She quickly folded Mama’s letter and returned it to the envelope. It was ridiculous to even imagine such things. First, under her contract with the Gilbert Company, she was not allowed to be courted. Ben couldn’t simply waltz in to the hotel and take her for a walk. And her work was too important for her to risk sneaking around. Second, even if he could, he knew nothing of the reputation she’d fled back home. What if word came to him somehow, and he regretted paying her any attention? Third, she had no idea if he even thought of her as more than a nuisance he needed to keep track of. If he thought of her at all as she was thinking of him now.

  He does, a tiny voice in the back of her head told her. All those little things—letting her lean against him on the horse, giving her his coat, his insistence on calling her by her given name, the way she’d caught him watching her when he thought she wasn’t looking.

  It didn’t matter, anyway. She couldn’t return any of his attentions, such as they were. She couldn’t do that to him and risk his work. What would happen if they married and he found out about her past? If she told him, he wouldn’t want anything to do with her. And if she didn’t, and the town found out, he certainly wouldn’t be reelected as sheriff.

  Penny opened the drawer and pulled out a clean sheet of paper. She dipped her pen into ink and began to write. Not to her mother, but to Emma, who was miles away somewhere in California. As she wrote, Penny spilled her heart in ways she couldn’t yet share with her friends at the hotel. Maybe Emma would have the answers Penny so desperately needed.

  Chapter Thirteen

  Ben tried not to pace the parlor as they waited for Penny to arrive. Harry lingered quietly in the corner, looking completely out of place against the dainty end table he stood next to. The McFarlands were speaking quietly amongst themselves, while Mrs. Ruby sat on the settee, frowning. Ben knew she hadn’t been happy with his plan, although at least she’d agreed to propose the question to Penny and let her decide.

  A light knock came, and Mrs. Ruby rose to answer it.

  Penny entered the room and immediately placed a hand on the older woman’s arm. “Is everything all right?”

  “It is. I’m sorry to worry you, dear. Please sit and we’ll explain.” Mrs. Ruby gestured at the same settee Penny had sat on a week ago, the night before she’d rushed out searching for Adelaide. The night before Ben had rescued her from the snow and she’d ridden home nestled in his arms.

  He ran a hand through his hair to shake those thoughts from his mind. Right now, he needed to concentrate on the task at hand—getting Penny to agree to help him.

  She busied herself with arranging her skirts, but it did nothing to hide the blush creeping into her cheeks again. Ben’s lips curved up into a smile. Perhaps she’d also been remembering their ride home through the snow. She caught his eyes and ducked her head, the flush growing even more. Something about it pleased him. She didn’t seem a woman prone to blushing, and the idea that thoughts of him could make her do so warmed his heart.

  Penny’s eyes took in the people in the room with her, and her face suddenly blanched. Ben glanced around, trying to figure out what had scared her. She fixed him with a meaningful look. He shook his head slowly, and she visibly relaxed. He knew her job would be at stake if he’d told anyone about the time they’d spent alone on the mountain. He’d carry that secret to his grave, if necessary.

  “Sheriff Young here has informed us that you might be of special use to him in his search for his sister,” Mr. McFarland finally said.

  “What do you mean?” Penny asked.

  Mr. McFarland gestured at Ben. “I’ll let him tell you.”

  Penny turned her gaze to Ben as Mrs. Ruby laid a reassuring hand on her arm.

  Ben swallowed, praying she’d understand how much he needed her. “We’ve taken our search to the mountains south of here,” he told her as if she didn’t already know. “But the search area is quite large, and to be honest, over the past few days we’ve barely scratched the surface. With the weather only going to worsen and the month nearly half over, I’ve had a new idea that I hope you might agree to help me with.”

  Penny tilted her head, smiling just a little. “Please continue.”

  She liked that he needed her, he could tell. The thought made him want to simultaneously smile and roll his eyes. He cleared his throat. “I’d like to use you as a decoy of sorts.”

  On the other side of the settee, Mrs. McFarland made a worried sound, while next to Penny, Mrs. Ruby clenched her hand even tighter. It was clear neither of them was inclined to allow Ben to do any such thing.

  “What do you mean?” Penny asked, ignoring the other women’s reactions.

  He tucked his thumbs into his pockets. “I mean that if one of Hagan’s men lays eyes on you, Hagan will come out from whatever den he’s hidden himself in. I promise you—as I’ve promised the others here—that I won’t let any
harm come to you.” He’d take a bullet before letting Hagan or any of his men put her in danger. There would always be someone watching her, hidden in the trees, and ready to shoot at a moment’s notice.

  “I trust you,” she said, her voice quieter than he’d ever heard it.

  Her words nearly stopped his heart. She trusted him, this dragon of his. He ached so badly to catch her hands in his own and reassure her that her faith was well-placed. “You wouldn’t be alone,” Ben said. “My men and I would always be nearby. And these ladies—” He gestured at Mrs. Ruby and Mrs. McFarland. “—have rightly insisted on a chaperone.”

  “Mr. and Mrs. Drexel have agreed to accompany you,” Mrs. McFarland said.

  “But the store,” Penny said. “They can’t close it for that long.”

  “The company will make it up to them,” Mr. McFarland said. “We need to place an order anyway.”

  Penny looked back to Ben. Fear danced in her eyes, but even more than that, she looked . . . hopeful. He held his breath.

  Mrs. Ruby let go of Penny’s hand to lay her own on Penny’s arm. “It’s your decision. You don’t have to go unless you choose.”

  “Will you be able to cover my duties?” Penny asked.

  Mrs. Ruby nodded. “I’m sure some of the girls will agree to work an extra shift. We’ll be fine.”

  Penny pressed her lips together, her eyes on Ben. “I’ll go.”

  A grin split Ben’s face. He stepped forward to her and reached for her hand. “Thank you. Truly.” He raised her hand to his mouth and kissed it. It was an impulsive gesture, but not entirely out of the ordinary.

  His dragon’s face went red again, and it took every ounce of self-control for him not to smile in return. “I’m happy to help,” she finally said.

  “We’ll prepare to leave tomorrow.” He nodded to everyone present before he swept from the room, Harry in tow.

  Now if only he could keep his mind on the search, and not on a certain woman’s beautiful blushing face, all would be well.

  Chapter Fourteen

  Penny’s horse preferred nosing through what was left of the vegetation on the ground, searching through the snow for anything green, over plodding south. She nudged him for what felt like the hundredth time. Slowly, he lifted his head, turned, blinked at her, and then finally started walking again.

  Ahead of her, Ben turned his horse and walked it back to where Penny brought up the rear of the line. “I should’ve chosen another one for you.”

  “It’s all right. I think he’s hungry,” Penny said.

  “Well, he can wait until we stop, like everyone else.” Ben eyed the horse like a father reprimanding his son.

  Penny laughed, and Ben smiled at her.

  “Thank you again for doing this,” he said in a low voice, even though Caroline and her husband, Mr. Drexel, were several feet ahead of them, and the rest of their party was even farther ahead.

  “You’re welcome. I’d do anything to help Adelaide.” Just remembering the look of terror on the girl’s face back at the river was motivation enough for Penny. Even though she had no siblings of her own, she could imagine how frantic and scared Ben must feel. She’d do anything to bring Adelaide home safely.

  “You two would get along well.” He watched her from under the hat pulled low over his forehead. For what, Penny wasn’t certain. Her palms grew damp under the thick gloves she wore. She didn’t dare think too much about why it had even crossed his mind that she and Adelaide would have time to spend together someday.

  “I believe you’re right,” she finally said. Casting about for a way to cut the thick, unspoken something that lingered between them, she asked, “How will it work? This decoy idea?”

  Ben shifted the reins to his other hand. “There is a clearing past the creek a few more miles south. Some of the railroad men—and a few of the miners east of here—told me that trappers used to live up in the mountains down there, and some of the Ute tribe before that. We scouted the area and found plenty of evidence that people have been up there recently, but we didn’t locate any cabins. There are trails leading down the mountain to the creek, and the few streams I saw up there are already frozen. So I’m guessing that to get water, anyone camped up there would need to come down every other day or so. If we put you by the creek, Hagan or one of his men will spot you.”

  “And then what?” If she was about to be carried off to wherever Adelaide was, she’d at least like to be prepared for it.

  “I won’t let anything happen to you,” he said, his eyes on her again.

  Penny lifted her face to meet his gaze. “I know.” And she did. He’d proven that she could trust him with her life. She’d never thought she needed anyone to protect her. She was perfectly capable of caring for herself, after all. But it was nice simply knowing that someone else was looking out for her.

  And it was sweet, she had to admit, the way he kept insisting he needed to keep her safe. No one had ever done that for her before.

  “You won’t be alone,” he said, breaking into her thoughts. “I’ve asked Mrs. Drexel to sit with you. She agreed, although her husband was a little harder to convince.”

  That made Penny laugh out loud. “I’m not surprised. Mr. Drexel has seen enough trouble for his lifetime.”

  “I remember,” Ben said. “I also remember a young woman bursting into my office and taking up post in my jail so her friend could convince us all that Mr. Drexel was an innocent man.”

  Penny smiled at the memory. She hadn’t been certain about Mr. Drexel right away, even though it had been clear Caroline was smitten. But then Caroline had found the evidence to clear his name, and Penny would’ve done anything to help her friend free the man she loved. “I wasn’t going to leave—and neither was Caroline—until you’d freed him.”

  “And then you ran after the real guilty party, which made me none too happy. You’re something of a spitfire, Penny May.”

  Thankful her cheeks were likely already pink from the cold, Penny shot him a sideways glance. “You haven’t seen the start of it.”

  “That sounds like a threat, Dragon,” he said as his horse drifted closer to hers.

  “You’d be well-advised not to make me angry or tell me what to do.” She lifted her chin as she watched him from the corner of her eye.

  “How am I supposed to keep you safe if you won’t obey what I tell you to do?”

  “I’m perfectly capable of keeping myself safe.”

  Ben laughed. “So that’s why you walk alone in the mountains and seek out last known hideouts of notorious outlaws?”

  “You must admit nothing happened to me either of those times.”

  “What about the time you met Hagan at the river?”

  Penny turned to look at him. “I was with nine other girls and had simply gone to cool the tea for our picnic. Should I have asked you to escort us?”

  “You could have.”

  For a moment, Penny imagined him in church services with her that morning, his hand in hers as the preacher gave the sermon. And then walking with her along the river’s edge, searching for the perfect picnic spot, as they spoke of anything and everything. “Do you like picnics, Ben?” It was a ridiculous question, and she wished she could take it back the moment it was out of her mouth.

  He smiled. “I do, in fact. And it’s been far too long since I’ve been on a picnic. Tell me, did you pack cold chicken sandwiches?”

  Penny bit her lip, trying not to laugh. He was so earnest. “Yes, we did, although we weren’t able to enjoy them that day. We also had cheese and California grapes that we’d bought at the store in Cañon City.”

  “Please, dear lady, stop. You’re making me hungry!”

  She let the laugh out this time. “Perhaps I shouldn’t mention the cold tea again? I brewed it before we left the hotel. I have a talent for it.”

  Ben slapped a gloved hand to his chest as if she’d mortally wounded him with the mention of tea. “Then I’ll have to try it. Along with one of those
cold chicken sandwiches, once we return.”

  Penny glanced at him. He was smiling at her, as if he fully intended to follow through on his words. Her heart picked up its pace.

  “Boss, I think we’re about there.” Harry drew up his horse next to them.

  “All right, let’s move.” With one last look at Penny, Ben nudged his horse into a trot.

  Penny gripped her horse’s reins. She should be nervous about what was to come, but for some reason, all she could think about was sitting on a picnic blanket with Ben and watching his eyes light up as he sampled a glass of her tea.

  Chapter Fifteen

  After finding the perfect spot to set the ladies up by the creek, Ben, Harry, and his other men agreed it was too late in the day to enact their plan. Harry suggested setting up camp slightly off to the east, where they’d be safe in the valley. After little searching, they located the perfect spot between the base of a small hill and the railroad tracks that ran north to Crest Stone and Cañon City and south to Santa Fe.

  They opted not to start a fire, as cold as they all were. It might draw attention and destroy their entire plan before they’d even put it into action. Penny and Mrs. Drexel unpacked bread and slices of cold beef brought from the hotel for supper. As Ben chewed, he watched Penny laugh and talk with her friend. There was so much life in the woman, he found he could hardly look away from her. Some ladies acted as if the slightest discomfort would kill them, but Penny took everything in stride. She’d not complained at all about sleeping on blankets on the cold ground tonight. And she even seemed to be enjoying the company of his men, teasing Harry about his scraggly beard and Eli about a girl he was sweet on in town, and trying in vain to get Tiller to say more than three words. Her laugh made him warm despite the near-freezing air nipping at his nose.