The Iron Horseman (10 page)

Levi
couldn’t explain it, but he was disappointed. He didn’t know whether it was
because the Vice President of the Union Pacific had pulled the wool over such
pretty eyes or because she could be taken in so easily. He’d expected more.

“He
knows how to make a buck, if that’s what you’re asking.” Levi could not hide
the distain in his voice.

President
Lincoln, God rest his soul, had been clear in his vision to unite the country
and Levi would do everything in his power to live up to that dream. The
railroad could have been finished months, maybe even years before now, but
Thomas Durant had seen fit to lengthen the route and stall enough that he would
be able to capitalize on the funds the government offered for each finished
mile of track.

“You
don’t like him,” Cadence stated matter-of-factly.

“Are
you hungry?” Levi wanted to change the subject. Talk of Durant made him angry
and he didn’t want to be angry.

“Famished,”
she responded with a grin.

“Wait
here,” he told her as he stood up and steadied himself to the movement of the
train.

She
nodded lightly.

Levi
made his way to the dining car. There would be no one there running the bar as
he and Miss Walker, and the two well-dressed gentlemen, he suspected to be
Pinkertons, in the other car were the only passengers, but he’d become well
acquainted over the last few years on where the foodstuffs were kept. He opened
the cupboard behind the bar and pulled out a large wheel of cheese and one of
the chunks of bread that he suspected had been purchased in town just before
they’d left. There was a spot of jerky hanging on one end of the cupboard.

“That’ll
do,” he said to himself, barely above a whisper.

When
he returned to the passenger car, Miss Walker sat on the opposite side of the
row—where he’d been sitting before. She closed her trunk with a snap and smiled
up at him.

Suspicion
peeked its head, but he shoved it back down.

I’m
sure she was just freshening up
, he thought.
Maybe she didn’t want me to
see her unmentionables
. He quickly dismissed any idea of impropriety and
handed her the bread.

Cadence
sat up a little taller in the chair and peered over his arm.

“Is
that cheese?” she asked, then bit her bottom lip. “I love cheese.”

Levi
smiled.
A woman after my own heart
. Cheese was one of his favorite
foods.

Miss
Walker pulled a handkerchief from the pocket of her skirt and laid it across
her lap.

He
broke the bread into four smaller pieces and set them down on the back of his
satchel. He pulled his knife from his boot and quickly sliced off a few chunks
of the cheese.

“Ah,
Mr. Redbourne,” the conductor said as he stepped into the car and closed the
door behind him, “I see that you have met our lovely Miss Walker.” He turned
his attention to Cadence. “Miss Walker, I hope you are comfortable and have
everything you need.” He eyed the bread and cheese Levi had acquired from the
dining car. “That little town sure had a lot to offer. Unlike some of the other
places we’ve seen along this route.”

“Some
of the farmers in Flat Plains,” Levi handed the conductor the newest slice of
cheese he’d cut from the wheel, “or more likely their wives, are quite
ingenuitive,” he confirmed. “Thanks, James.”

The
man shook his head to the cheese.

“We’ll
make sure to save you some.” Levi grinned as he took a sumptuous bite of the
creamy treat. He’d tried for the past few months to get the man to smile, but
the conductor simply bowed curtly.

“That
would be appreciated, sir.”

The
wheel of cheese was bigger than his head, and there were three more just like
it in the next car over. It would certainly be enough to feed the whole crew.
For the next few days anyway.

The
car jerked and wheels screeched. Levi and James both extended their arms to
gain some sort of balance and to brace themselves against the sudden shift in
motion. The train was slowing to a stop, but it was too early. They weren’t
supposed to reach the next town for hours yet.

Levi
glanced over at Cadence whose hands were white from gripping the side of her
seat, but the expression on her face was calm as if she’d learned to mask her
fears. He stepped to the back of her seat and lightly touched her shoulder.

She
turned and looked up at him, her eyes fixing on his expectantly.

“I’m
sure everything is all right, Miss Walker. Please stay here.” He nodded and
turned to leave, but quickly remembered all too clearly her disregard for
following directions. “Miss Walker,” he cleared his throat, “I would very much
appreciate it if you would remain seated while I go speak with the engineer.”
He worked hard at keeping the sarcasm from his voice. Maybe she’d respond in
kind to a sickeningly sweet approach.

“I’ll
be right here,” she responded, to Levi’s relief.

It
took only a few minutes to discover the problem.

“It’s
been a long time since I run over cattle, Mr. Redbourne,” the train’s engineer explained.
“I know the cowcatcher is supposed to protect the train, but I figure we can’t
be too careful.”

A
small herd of buffalo had been grazing along the tracks, but luckily, none of
them had been directly in their path.

Levi
clapped the engineer on the shoulder. “You’re a mighty fine driver, Buck.”

“Thank
you, sir.”

“Now,
let’s try to get to River City in one piece.”

“Yes,
sir.”

“Glad
to have you on board too, Festus,” he said to the man charged with managing the
blaze that kept the engine running properly.

A
man of few words, the fireman grunted his approval and wiped the sweat from his
brow with a heavily soiled rag.

Levi
climbed back through the compartments and opened the door to the passenger car.

“A
herd of buffalo seemed to—” He looked up to see Cadence surrounded by a few of
the young men in the crew that he recognized.

Levi
groaned. He walked stealthily up behind one of the men.

“Train’s
moving again. I’ll bet you boys have somewhere you need to be.”

They
all looked up with wide eyes.

“Yes,
sir, Mr. Redbourne,” one of them said, his ears turning a dark shade of red.

“It’s
all right. Just get a move on or this train is going to make a few more stops
ahead of time.”

The
kid he addressed tipped the brim of his cap and the crewmen scrambled.

“You
must be accustomed to men fawning all over you wherever you go,” he said as he
sat down next to her.

She
didn’t answer. She didn’t have to. The smile that graced her strong, yet very
feminine features said it all. The good Lord blessed a lot of women with pretty
looks or intelligence or some other talent, but it had been a long time since
he’d met one, outside of his own family, that had so many all combined. He
liked it. He liked her.

“You
play?” he asked as he pulled an old checkerboard from one of the closed
overhead compartments.

“I’ve
learned a few things from my father. Have you? Learned anything from my
father?”

Levi
smiled, one eye arched at her obvious challenge. He was delighted to discover
that Cadence knew how to play.

“A
thing or two.”

They
both laughed.

The
rest of the afternoon was spent in light conversation. By the time the sun had
nearly reached the horizon, Levi was tuckered. Besides the one bunkered
sleeping car for the crew, there was only one other compartment with a place to
sleep on the train. His. There were two bunk-style beds in the room, but it was
simply not proper for an unmarried man and woman to share the same sleeping
quarters.

Although
, he argued with
himself,
sleeping here on the benches would be the same and much less comfortable.

He
looked over at Cadence, whose eyelids drooped heavy with fatigue. She’d leaned
her head against the glass as she watched the shadows pass outside. It had been
a long day—a long couple of days—but he guessed it was worse for her. Wyoming
was a far cry from Chicago. He could only imagine the trepidation, or maybe
even an odd sense of excitement, that must be her constant companion as she
ventured west to start a life in the untamed wilds of the new Wyoming
Territory.

“Come
on,” he said as he reached forward and touched her shoulder.

She
turned to look at him with a faint smile. “Where are we going?”

Levi
removed a lantern off one of the hooks hanging at the edge of the car and lit
the wick. He reached down and enveloped Cadence’s hand in his, and heaved her
tired form up from the leather bench toward his sleeping compartment.

“To
get some sleep.”

Cadence
blinked a few times.

Certainly,
she’d heard him incorrectly.

“Wait,”
she said, pulling her hand from the warm comfort of his. “My things.” She
couldn’t just leave her trunk sitting out here in the passenger car with the
physical portion of her assignment inside. She glanced quickly at the two men
who had both adjusted themselves for sleep on their respective benches. By
their closed eyes and even breathing, most would believe them already asleep,
but she knew better. She’d used the trick before. While she knew she should
feel safe with the two Pinkerton escorts keeping watch, she’d never met either
of them before the day they’d boarded the train and didn’t want to take any
chances.

“They’ll
be fine here until morning.” Levi said.

Cadence
glanced at the sleeping men.

“Your
things,” he clarified.

As
one of the detectives snored in what Cadence thought was a feigned sleep, Levi
eyed the man, then shot a glance at the other and seemed to change his mind. He
stepped past her, hoisted her trunk up onto his back and held it with one hand,
then held out the lantern to her.

“Will
you hold this?”

She
took it from him, holding it up against the fading light seeping in through the
small windows. Levi reached down, slid her free hand into his, and led the way
down the familiar narrow hallway.

“Where
are we going?” she asked again.

“To
my quarters,” he replied without looking back at her.

Cadence
reviewed in her mind the location of each of her weapons.

Levi
guided her to the compartment where she’d spent her nights on the train before
the train had stopped in Flat Plains. Heat filled her neck and face when she
realized she’d been sleeping in
his
room. She wondered if he knew, or if
he would even care.

Levi
let go of her hand, set her trunk on the floor at his feet, and opened the door
to the sleeping compartment. He motioned for her to go inside.

Cadence
hesitated only a moment before stepping over the threshold and spun around to
face him. “Thank you,” she said, leaning against one side of the doorframe and
draping her arm across to rest against the other.

He
ducked under her arm and into the confined room. Cadence felt for her pistol
and wrapped her fingers around the cool handle as she turned around to watch
him. Levi opened a cupboard above the bed and pulled out a quilt and pillow. He
stopped short when he glanced over at the small table in the cramped corner of
the room.

Her
large pink hat, along with her hairbrush and a few pins, were still laid out in
plain view. She smiled her unease.

Levi
cleared his throat.

“I
hope you have a pleasant night,” he said with a gentlemanly nod of his head and
stepped past her, his arm gently brushing against hers as he moved back out
into the hallway.

“Goodnight,”
Cadence whispered before closing the door. She released her grip on the pistol
and exhaled a giggle.

Breathe
, she reminded herself.
Deep down, she’d believed Levi to be a gentleman, but a lady could never be too
sure when traveling alone—especially this far west where traveling alone
literally meant no one else. She quickly undid her skirt and pulled the blouse
over her head.

A
thud against the bottom of the wall startled her. It came from just outside the
room. She grabbed the blanket from the bed and shoved it up against her chest.
She pulled her pistol and opened the door to peer outside. Levi tossed and
turned about on the floor, apparently trying to find a comfortable position to
sleep. She quickly set the gun on the table.

“What
on earth are you doing?” she asked with wonder. How a man his size could fit in
a hall that small was something to consider.

Levi
glanced up at her, still holding the pillow at his ear.

Cadence
couldn’t help the giggle that spilled out into the air.

“I’m
sorry, Mr. Redbourne. I seem to have taken your bed.” The words sounded more
brazen than she’d intended. “I mean, I hate for you to sleep on the ground. In
the hall. Isn’t there somewhere else you’d rather be?”

Levi
raised an eyebrow.

Shut
up, Cadence Walker!
she commanded. Maybe she could start over. She slammed the door shut, took
another deep breath, and counted to three.

His
deep, rich laugh penetrated the door and she could feel the heat stain her ears
and face. When she mustered the courage to peek out again, Levi sat with his
back against the wall, knees bent, and he leaned against the doorframe with his
pillow.

“Go
to sleep,” Levi said huskily, without looking up.

She
waited a moment. “Goodnight,” she said as she quietly closed the door behind
her.

How
am I supposed to get any sleep now?

Levi awoke with a jolt as the locomotive’s
wheels squealed against the tracks.

“Not
again,” he muttered under his breath, scrunching his eyes as if he could will
them to stay closed and force sleep. His back hurt, his legs cramped, and he’d
scarce slept a wink, but he could not make himself wake fully to the day. Even through
closed lids, the light of morning penetrated the darkness through the window in
the door at the far end of the compartment.

The
train shook, a soft rumble in the background of his restless sleep.

Thwak!

Levi’s
body slammed against the opposite wall of the hallway. His eyes flew open.
Metal bars, knobs, or other objects jarred into his ribs and his bad knee
knocked against something hard, causing a shock of pain to shoot through his
entire leg. His blanket and pillow danced midair as he tumbled with the
contents of the car. The assault lasted no more than a few seconds, but
finally, he gained enough wits about him to thrust his hands forward in an
attempt to brace himself between the walls. The moment he felt like he’d gained
enough of a footing to avoid further injury, the force of another impact threw
him again, this time into the door handle of his sleeping compartment, which
jammed mightily into his ribcage and sucked his breath from his lungs.

It
stopped with a final lurch and he dropped to the ground. Everything around him
was filled with absolute silence lasting mere moments before distant calls of
alarm sounded outside. Levi gingerly pried himself from the wall, which in all
the mayhem had become the floor.

Cadence.

His
thoughts immediately turned to the woman on the other side of the door. There
was no telling how much damage had been done or what dangers still remained for
them if they remained inside. He cautiously eased his way up onto his knees,
though one still smarted from a blow, and managed to crawl back to the door of
the sleeping compartment. He twisted the handle and it fell open with ease.

“Miss
Walker?” he called inside as he peered down into the small room. The mattresses
from the bunks lay askew. Blankets and bedding had been tossed everywhere in
disarray, but he couldn’t see her. “Cadence!” he boomed loudly this time.

“I’m
here,” a muffled call penetrated the chaos of the layers of pillows and
bedcovers. Her head appeared from somewhere inside the mess.

Levi
turned onto his back and placed his hand over his chest. Pain emanated from his
legs and side. He’d been lucky he hadn’t hit his head. He tried to sit, but the
pain in his side made it hurt to breathe.

“Are
you all right?” he asked through forced breaths as he pushed himself over and
up onto his aching knees.

“I’d
be better if someone would lend me a hand,” she said, an edge of sarcasm lining
her voice.

He
reached down into the room and pulled her from the bedlam.

“What
happened?” she asked, her eyes searching his.

“I
don’t know.” Levi dusted his hands on his pants. “But we need to get out of
here.” He stood up as best he could, but with the car on its side, he had to
hunch down. Until he knew the train car no longer posed a threat, he needed to
get them outside. They could be dangling off a ledge for all he knew as the
floor angled awkwardly. “Come on.” He took a hold of her hand and started
forward.

Cadence
pulled back, letting her fingers slip through his hold on her. She looked down
at her attire, a thin nightshift, and threw a hand up to her chest. She dropped
down onto her belly and reached into the room.

“We
don’t have time. We’ll come back for it later. I don’t know how long these
walls will hold our weight,” he held out his hand again. “They weren’t meant
for this kind of support.”

“I
will not leave this train in my night clothes, Mr. Redbourne,” she said lying
flat on her belly. Cadence reached down into the hole and with only a moment’s
struggle, retrieved some clothing. From the coloring, Levi guessed it was her
outfit from the previous day.

He
knew he should look away.

Needed
to look away.

It
took every ounce of strength to do so and he forced himself to think about what
had just happened. The train had derailed—that much was for certain. Most of
the windows had been blacked out, but light still shone in from the far end of
what had become a metal cage. If they could make it to the back of the car,
they’d be able to pull themselves from the wreckage and he would be better able
to assess the situation.

“You’re
out of time.” Levi dropped to his haunches, grabbed ahold of Cadence, and slung
her over his shoulder, careful to avoid hitting her head on the overly low
ceiling. The effort was rewarded with a sharp stabbing pain to his side. He
ground his teeth together and headed toward the only light coming into the car.

“Put
me down this instant. I am perfectly capable of getting out of this place on my
own.” She kicked him in the ribs and he nearly dropped her. Once he could take
another breath, he plopped her down onto her rear end with a thud. The unstable
floor groaned in protest.

“Anybody
down there,” a voice called from outside.

James.

“We’re
here!” Levi called up to the conductor, whose head appeared through the
upturned door. He held out his hand to help Cadence up from the floor, but she
was already on her feet, yanking on her purple skirt from yesterday. “We’re
leaving. Now!” he barked the order.

She
shoved past him, a pair of women’s laced boots tied together and strung over
her shoulder.

Clever.

Cadence
wedged a bare foot against the angled wall and with her arm braced against the
side of the door, pulled herself out.

Levi
followed.

When
he reached the surface, he scanned the wreckage and his gut lurched at the
destruction that greeted him. The sheer force of their velocity had plunged
their compartment deeply into the hillside. Couplings on several of the train
cars had been torn apart and coaches had been strewn across the countryside
like scattered feed for chickens.

Levi
climbed over the awkward railing and upturned staircase and jumped the short
distance to the ground. Cadence followed his lead around the stairs, but her
skirt caught on a protruding piece of iron. He reached up, released the cloth,
then placed his hands at her sides to lift her down. His hand slipped off her
hip and she fell against him, her forehead butting against his chin.

Blast
it all!

At
least he was able to keep his boots planted on the earth and he didn’t drop the
woman.

Cadence
reached up and brushed a dark lock from her face. “Ouch.”

“Sorry
about that. Are you all right?”

She
was so close to him, Levi could scarcely breathe—it didn’t help that his whole
body ached from the tumble.

“Excuse
me,” she said without looking at him. “I’m quite all right. If you could just
put me down…”

“Oh,
yes. Of course.”