Wild Roses (9 page)

As she dressed, she wondered again if she was doing the right thing. Her innocence was irretrievably lost, but that did not mean she had to continue to be Harrigan's lover. She grimaced as she buttoned up her gown. There was little chance of winning him to her side in the fight against Harold and she would be a fool if she thought he had to fall in love with her now. Stopping now simply deprived her of a great deal of pleasure and the chance to pretend, at least for a while, that he cared for her as much as she did for him and that they could build a future together.

She loved him; she knew that for certain. As he had joined their bodies it was not only passion that had swept over her, but love. Freed from her heart, it had coursed through her veins as fast and as strong as her desire. Ella did not know whether to laugh or to cry. It was nice to be in love, but she knew it would bring her more pain than delight if Harrigan did not return that love. Since she did not have much hope of that happening, she decided to take all she could and pray that it would be enough to ease the pain when he left.

 

 

“Look there, Louise,” Joshua said, nudging a dozing Louise awake and pointing toward the hotel. ”Ain't that George?”

Yawning and rubbing her back, Louise straightened up from the wall she had been leaning against for hours and looked in the direction Joshua was pointing. “It is, and the little man is alone. Get the boys and try to corner the fellow.”

“What about you?”

“I'll be hobbling along right behind you.”

“What the hell do we do if we get the man?”

“I'll be thinking of a plan while I hobble.” She nudged him to start him moving. “Hurry up. That big Irish fool could be right behind George.”

George's soft whistle stopped abruptly as he turned the corner into a small side street and came face to face with a smiling Joshua. He took a cautious step back and bumped into someone. A quick glance over his shoulder revealed Manuel and Edward right behind him. They nudged him lightly in the back and he moved a little further into the shadows of the narrow side street. When Thomas appeared a moment later escorting Louise, who seemed to have trouble walking, George was not really surprised.

“Might I ask how you found us?” He almost smiled when he saw Louise's heavily bandaged foot peeking out from beneath the hem of her gown.

“By pure accident,” Louise said. “We rode the train into town, stepped off for a bit, and there you were walking back to the hotel with that damned Irishman. Our plan had been to try to get to Philadelphia before you could.”

“And what is your plan now?”

“Well, I think we will trade you for our Ella.”

“It won't work.”

“Why the hell not? You are that fool's friend, aren't you?”

“One of his closest.”

“Then, if he is a true friend, he won't want to risk your life,” Louise said coldly as she pulled her pistol and aimed it at George's head, a little disconcerted when he didn't even blink.

Her plan to use George to get Ella back had been hastily concocted, but she thought it had a chance to work. The calm way George was acting began to undermine her confidence. If he was not afraid, it was going to be difficult to make Harrigan believe her threats.

“What are you doing, Louise?” demanded Joshua. “I thought you were going to come up with a plan.”

“I did. As I just said, my plan is to trade him for Ella,” Louise replied, beginning to feel even less sure about her plan.

“What? Are you just going to walk up to Harrigan and say, ‘Here's George, now give me Ella,' as if you're trading horses or something?”

“No. We'll confront Harrigan, hold a gun to this fool's head, and tell him to give us Ella or we'll shoot his friend.”

“He's not going to believe us.”

“Why not? He doesn't know us from a hole in the ground. For all he knows, we've left a trail of dead bodies all the way here.” She glared at George. “And if you do anything to warn him or tell him we're lying, I just might shoot you.”

“I cannot believe you could kill anyone, Miss Carson,” George said.

He spoke so softly, an almost tender look on his face, that Louise nearly smiled, but she quickly sensed her weakness and softly cursed. “Maybe not, but that doesn't mean I can't shoot you. I could well have the stomach to commit a little maiming.” She nodded when he eyed her a little warily.

“This plan is as stupid as the one you had to stop the train,” grumbled Joshua even as he holstered his gun, and grabbed George by the arm.

“That plan worked,” Louise complained as Joshua started to lead George toward the hotel, she and the others quickly falling into step behind him. “This one might too. I suspect that Harrigan Mahoney isn't the most trusting man in the world.”

“Probably not,” agreed Joshua. “And we could have one other thing to our advantage.”

“Really? What's that?”

“That Harrigan undoubtedly thinks you are a dangerous lunatic.”

 

 

Harrigan frowned as he stepped out of the hotel and gently took hold of Ella's arm. George should have joined them for breakfast. Although he had excused the man's absence then, George's lingering disappearance was beginning to trouble him. His partner had said that he was going to check on the horses and that he would meet them at breakfast, and it was not like George not to do exactly what he said he would.

As he started to walk toward the stables, Harrigan looked around. His gaze fixed on a group of people walking straight toward him and he stopped so fast that Ella walked right into him. Harrigan tensed as Louise and the others stepped up to him, a surprisingly calm George in their midst.

“We missed you at breakfast, George,” Harrigan said pleasantly, glancing only briefly at the gun Louise held on his friend.

“Ah, sorry, Harrigan, but I was unavoidably detained,” George murmured.

Ella tried to step toward her aunt, but Harrigan kept her firmly held at his side. “How's your foot, Auntie?” she asked.

“It's better, but you'll be able to see that for yourself when you come with us.” Seeing the way some of the early morning passersby were eyeing her, Louise concealed her gun more carefully behind George's back.

“I fear Miss Carson has another appointment,” Harrigan said, and he glanced down, almost smiling when he caught sight of Louise's thickly swathed foot.

“You will give Ella to us or I will shoot George.”

Harrigan briefly wondered how seriously he ought to take her threat. He looked at George, caught the faintest of smiles on his friend's face and relaxed. Ignoring Ella's gasp of shock, he stepped around the group and started to walk to the stables.

“Where the hell are you going?” demanded Louise.

“Well, I fear I don't have the stomach to watch George meet his untimely end, so I thought Ella and I would just be on our way.” When two men stepped up to him, their badges shining brightly as the morning sun glinted off them, Harrigan was unable to believe his luck. “Morning, Sheriff, Deputy.”

“You having trouble, sir?” the older, heavier set one of the pair asked, looking at Louise and her friends with narrowed eyes.

“Just a small disagreement, sir,” Harrigan answered.

For a moment Harrigan wondered if he now had a perfect solution to the problem of Louise and a way to free George. One long look at the sheriff's face, however, decided him. Even though he knew Louise's threat to shoot George was an empty one, he did not wish to push the woman into too tight a corner. If there was a confrontation between Louise and her friends and the law, George could easily be hurt in the ensuing battle. There was something about the way the sheriff and the deputy looked at Louise and the four youths, as if they were something nasty dirtying up their fine streets, that made Harrigan very reluctant to set them on the group. He had seen prejudice before, still suffered from its sting from time to time, and he saw that poison glittering in the two men's eyes. If he turned this particular branch of the law on Ella's erstwhile rescuers, they could be in far more danger than George ever was or would be. Harrigan also knew that, if he did anything that brought harm to Louise, George would probably never forgive him.

“Sure you don't need any help?”

“This young lady's guardian has asked me to bring her back home and I fear the girl's aunt disagrees. It is no more than a complicated family matter. However, if you would be so kind as to escort us to the stables, I believe it will expedite our leave-taking.”

“They going to be leaving too?”

“Oh, yes,” Harrigan replied as he started toward the stables, the sheriff and his deputy falling into step behind him. ”I believe they will be leaving on the next train, or the stage.”

“I could always make sure they don't follow you.”

“No need. Trust me, sir,” he assured the man as they stopped at the door to the stables. “This is little more than an annoyance, a game that, at times, becomes a little tedious.”

“Well, I think I'll keep a close watch on them until they leave.”

“Now you've gotten them all in trouble,” Ella complained as soon as the two lawmen left them alone.

“Saddle your horse,” he ordered as he nudged her toward the little mare.

“Harrigan!”

“Saddle your horse,” he snapped, the unease the sheriff and his deputy had roused in him making him a little short-tempered. “The sooner we get out of here, the sooner Louise and her little band will leave. And, trust me in this, Ella, the best thing your aunt can do at the moment is to get the hell out of this town.”

Ella hesitated only a moment, then did what he said. She had seen the hatred in the eyes of the two men. They would like any excuse to hurt her aunt's boys, the object of their scorn. She suspected Louise would suffer as well simply because she traveled with Joshua and the others. Harrigan was right. The best thing to do was to get out of town and thus draw Louise and the others after them. She could argue with him later.

“He just left you here,” Louise said in a shock-softened voice as she watched Harrigan walk away with the two lawmen.

“I told you it wouldn't work,” George said, fighting back a smile.

“I should shoot you just to spite the bastard.”

“Those lawmen are coming back,” Joshua said quietly, as he watched the sheriff and the deputy lean against the wall of the saloon only a few feet away. “They're watching us closely, Louise.”

“Do you think Harrigan has set them on our trail?” she asked, covertly holstering her gun and frowning at the men.

“No,” George said firmly. “Harrigan would never set that pair on your trail.”

“Oh?” She glared at him. “And what makes you so damned sure about that? Harrigan doesn't want us hunting him down. Setting the law on us would solve that problem real fast.”

“It would, but he would never set those lawmen after you. Those two are eyeing you as if measuring you for a noose. Harrigan wants you gone, not dead.”

“He's right, Louise,” Joshua said as he took her by the arm and started walking toward the train station. ”Don't forget that Harrigan's an Irishman.“

“What the hell does that have to do with anything?” Louise asked.

“He knows hate,” George said quietly as he fell into step beside her. “I'm sorry, but those two men hate you.”

“Not your fault,” Louise muttered as she glanced behind her and saw the two lawmen shadowing them. “Damn. I was so concerned about Ella and getting her free, I didn't see it. I'm usually quick to pick up on that nonsense.”

“Fine. You've seen it now,” Joshua said. “Let's get the hell out of here.”

“Going on the train?” George asked as they all paused by the station.

“Yes,” Louise answered, then frowned at him. “And what the hell are you still doing hanging around? Why aren't you following your friend?”

“I haven't got the money to get another horse and Harrigan took mine with him. I can't be sure which way he went, either, and I'm not much of a tracker.”

“You mean we're stuck with you?”

“I fear so.”

“I could just leave you here.” She sighed when he just stared at her. “Well, I suppose we're all headed to the same place, anyway.” She took some money out of her purse and handed it to Edward. “Get the man a ticket and find out when this lump of metal leaves.” She waggled her finger at George. “You had better behave yourself. If you try anything to help Harrigan or stop us from rescuing Ella, I will shoot you.”

George caught her hand in his and kissed her knuckles. “I'll be the most well-behaved prisoner you have ever had, Miss Louise.” He smiled when Joshua started to laugh.

“I still cannot believe you just rode away from poor old George,” Ella said for what she knew had to be the hundredth time.

“I have a feeling that poor old George is quite hale and hearty and probably very content.”

“Content? How can he be content? You didn't even leave him a horse.” This was the first time he had really answered her, and she prayed he would say something that would make her understand his actions.

“He won't need the horse, but we need the supplies on it.”

“If he doesn't have a horse, how is he supposed to catch up with us?”

“I think he'll catch up with us in Philadelphia exactly when your aunt does.” He smiled at her. “Did your aunt really think I would believe her threat?”

“It was worth a try.”

Ella silently admitted that she thought it had been a weak ploy on her aunt's part. Harrigan was a pretty astute judge of character from what she had seen, and he saw through Louise's act very quickly. Although she could accept that Harrigan had not feared for his friend's safety, it still did not explain how he could just ride away from the man.

“Are you saying that it didn't make you hesitate for even a moment?” she asked.

“Not even that long. If Louise was the type of woman to kill a man, she would have shot me long ago. And George's expression told me that he was not worried at all.”

“You saw an expression on George's face?”

“Briefly.” He laughed at her doubtful look. “Trust me, Ella. George is safe.”

“Well, I will concede that my aunt won't hurt him, but she might leave him stranded in that nasty little town.”

“No. He'll get himself on the train or the stage she and the others are riding in.”

“Oh, no. Is he going to cause trouble for them? He's a spy now, is he? A spoke in their wheel?”

“Ella, where is your faith in your fellow man?”

“I don't think we ought to have that discussion.”

“You're probably right. I think your aunt will get him to promise that he'll behave and, if George promises something, he will do it.”

“He's going to be mad at you.” It troubled her that Harrigan did not seem concerned about that.

“No, I don't think so.”

“There's something you're not telling me.”

“Oh, I think if you ponder the matter a while, you'll figure it out.”

“I don't feel like doing any pondering just now. It's too hot. So, why don't you just explain it to me.”

“George now gets to spend a great deal of time with your aunt. I believe you will agree with me when I say that that will not trouble him in the least.”

“Oh.” Ella suddenly remembered her suspicions about George's interest in her aunt and grimaced. “Well, at least they will be well chaperoned.” She ignored Harrigan's guffaw as she recalled how and why they had left so quickly. “Do you think they'll all get out of town safely?”

“Yes. Your aunt is a smart woman. She and the others will quickly see what I did. So will George. I suspect Louise has confronted this problem before.”

“Far too many times.”

“Good. And, don't forget George. He'll see that there's no trouble. He can be very imposing and persuasive when the need arises.”

Ella nodded, accepting Harrigan's assurances about his friend's abilities. She had seen a hint of that strength in George and instinct told her that the man would do everything he could to protect her aunt. It saddened her to think that George might be the right man for Louise. Because he was working for Harold, any romance between the two could well be hopeless. Ella knew her aunt would never forgive the man if anything happened to her niece.

It seemed that the Carson women were doomed to care for men they could not have, she mused as she glanced at Harrigan. He had once told her that George would never work against him and she suspected he was right. That meant that, although George might not hinder her aunt's rescue attempts, he would never join forces with her. Just as it was with her and Harrigan, that meant that there was an insurmountable hurdle between them. Unless Harold was defeated and she escaped him unharmed, there could be no future for any of them.

For one brief moment, she suffered a few pangs of jealousy. Unlike Harrigan, George would love her aunt if given half a chance. Ella was sure of that. She quickly pushed aside those ill feelings. In a way, it would all be worse for her aunt than it was for her. When Louise turned away from George she would be giving up a lot more than a delightful bed partner. She would be walking away from a man who would care for her, marry her, and cherish her. Ella silently prayed that Louise kept a firm grip on her heart. She did not want her aunt to suffer the kind of pain she herself was courting.

 

 

The sun had almost set by the time she and Harrigan made camp for the night. She knew he had hoped to reach the next town. It was not that far down the road, but they agreed that it would not be wise to ride a trail neither of them knew in the dark of night. As she dismounted and began to unsaddle her horse, she suddenly realized that he was watching her very closely.

“Is something wrong?” she asked.

“Maybe.” He poured a little water from the canteen into his hat and gave her mare a drink. “I don't suppose I can get you to promise that you won't run away.”

She stared at him for a moment while she weighed her answer. It would be nice to forget where he was taking her and what awaited her there, but she knew she could not. Although it was easy enough not to talk about Harold and his threat to her, it was impossible to forget it completely. She knew that, even though it might feel as if she had just ripped the heart from her chest, she would run from Harrigan if given half a chance. She also knew that standing out in the middle of nowhere, with no idea of which way to go, was not one of those chances. Harrigan might know where the railroad tracks were, for she guessed that he was still following them closely, but she did not.

“I will promise it for tonight,” she finally said.

“Only for tonight?”

Watching him as he moved to make the fire, she found it odd that he would believe her promise yet not her accusations about Harold. “Only for tonight.”

“And why is that?” he asked as she sat down beside him.

“Because I have no idea of where we are.”

He laughed and handed her the bundle of blankets he had taken from George's horse. “As good a reason as any. Make yourself useful then and lay out the bedding.”

“Bedding is a grand name for this collection of scratchy blankets,” she murmured as she spread them out on the other side of the fire, careful to keep them a safe distance from the flames yet within the circle of warmth and protection the fire provided.

“I prefer hotel beds as well, but those are a little better than the hard ground.”

“Only a little.” She sat down next to him again and watched as he prepared their supper of coffee, beans, and biscuits. “Where did a lad from the city learn to do that?”

“My father sent us off hunting with my uncle, Michael, from time to time, with strict instructions that we were to learn how to survive out in the woods.”

“And who was we?” She knew she was showing, perhaps, too much interest in his life, but she was unable to quiet her curiosity about him.

“Me and my three brothers.”

“How nice.”

“Four Irish kids stomping about in the woods driving their uncle mad with their questions and mistakes is hardly nice,” he drawled as he sat down next to her, idly draping an arm around her slim shoulders.

Ella smiled at the image, a little jealous of his family, which sounded large, happy, and loving. “It is nice. I only have my aunt. Such a large family sounds like a very good thing.”

“Sometimes it can be the best there is. Other times, not so good. There's ten of us. Eight children and my mother and father. Then there are cousins, uncles, aunts, and all the rest. Sometimes one feels as if there's just a little too much family around.”

Especially when one now feels obliged to support them,
she thought, but said nothing. That touched a little too closely on a subject they had agreed to ignore. It made it all the more painfully clear, however, that he would not listen to her because he dared not. He could not allow one person's apparently baseless accusations to make him turn his back on what sounded like a few dozen family members. Harold could not have picked a better man to go after her, and she wondered if her guardian had known that.

She continued to press him for information about his life and family. It amused her a little that she was so deeply fascinated by what most people would consider very mundane facts. She was also saddened by the certainty that she would never be a part of that life, not even if she survived Harold's plots.

As soon as they had finished eating, she collected her bag and went to the creek to wash. She frowned a little as she stripped down to her camisole and pantaloons. Harrigan was doing a good job of staying close to any good source of water, but this creek looked unusually low. It should still be full with the winter runoff and spring rains, yet it barely covered the rocks that peppered its bed. That meant that it had been very dry, and she knew that could cause them some trouble as they continued on their journey. As she rinsed out her hair, she decided she would make a concerted effort to keep their canteens full.

The moment she returned to the camp, Harrigan hurried to the creek. She smiled faintly as she sat by the fire and combed out her damp hair. It was nice not to be watched constantly. For a little while she could pretend that they were just on a pleasant journey together. She prayed she could keep deluding herself so successfully, for she did not really want to spoil what little time she and Harrigan had together.

 

 

Harrigan rubbed his hair dry with his shirt, then rinsed the shirt off in the shallow water of the creek. He wondered briefly if he was a fool to leave Ella alone and unguarded with the horses, then shook his sudden attack of suspicion aside. She had said she would not try to escape tonight and he believed her. He suspected that he found belief easier to grasp than he might have because of the reason she had given for her promise. What was the point of trying to escape when she did not know where she was thus could not know where to flee to?