Independent Brake (The Dominion Falls Series) (3 page)

Katherine ducked her head to hide the heat of her blush and pulled her muffler further up her face. At the very least the cold gave her an excuse for red cheeks. Out of the corner of her eye she noticed Hammy step a respectable few feet away, but still close enough to hear everything.

“What’s so important ya had to wake me so damn early?” Cole didn’t even shiver when he leaned on the fence next to her.

“I need some help and there’s no one else in town I can ask.” She tucked some stray curls back into the edge of her hood. Once she felt composed enough, she dared to meet his gaze again. “Everyone else will tell my parents.”

“Ah. You’re runnin’, ain’t ya?” A sly smile curved his lips and he nodded. “Good. Ya got a point, though. Ain’t no one else in this camp that’s gonna dare cross a Daugherty. What do you need? I ain’t giving you money.”

“I’ve got that.” She cleared her throat when his brows rose exponentially. She hadn’t expected him to guess, and she’d actually expected him to try to lure her in. Perhaps his attention was little more than kindness. “And I’ll pay you for your assistance, of course.”

“Didn’t ask for money. Just said I ain’t giving you none.”

“You don’t want compensation for your assistance?” Katherine frowned and shook her head. Words failed her at his revelation and she gripped the railing near his hand.

“It’ll be worth it just to see the good Mrs. Daugherty’s face when she realizes she lost another one.” He leaned on the fence and close to her face. “But you gotta be sure. Ain’t no turning back once ya run, and it ain’t easy to make it being single and all. If you were willin’ to be a whore, it’d be different.”

“I’m not.” She managed to recover her voice for that, and Hammy’s step closer to their conversation didn’t escape her notice. “I want a respectable job, and I’ve got money to make it through.”

“Respectable jobs and women don’t mix so much. Marryin’s what most of ‘em do.” He turned away to lean both elbows on the fence.

“Marrying isn’t what I want to do. I won’t be a whore either.”

“I figured as much when ya said respectable.” He didn’t argue, or suggest otherwise, surprising her again. “If you’re sure, then be back here Monday mornin’. I got someone that can get you outta here.”

“Monday.” It seemed so soon. Was she certain she wanted to go this way? Doubts began to creep forward now that the door stood open in front of her.

“I figured. If you get yella, ain’t no skin off my nose. Just be here if you’re goin’.”

Katherine could only blink for several minutes, her thoughts raced too fast to catch up with. When his departing back came back into focus she found her voice again. “Wait. That was too easy.”

“Ain’t nothin’ easy about it, Kathy.” Cole turned. “I know what someone looks like when they’re runnin’. How do ya think I get them fillies in my stable?”

She scrunched her nose when he pointed to the saloon instead of the actual barn. “I’m running, and you’re not trying to lasso me in?”

“You’re no whore. You got the looks for one, but don’t see it on ya. Besides, you’re too young.” He grinned. “Come back and see me when you’re a few years older and we can talk about you joinin’ the ranks if ya want.”

She pursed her lips, trying to change the subject rather than let her flustered stammering take over the conversation. “So you already planned my escape without me saying anything?”

“I got more plans than ya know. This just happened to fall in with other plans I got. What else ya want?”

“Where would I go?” The amount of planning she hadn’t done hit her square in the gut and she drooped against the fence. “Dominion Falls is all I know. I can’t go to family; they’d just send me back to my parents.”

Cole groaned and dropped his head back. A few puffs of his breath curled into the cold air before he straightened again. “Just as I thought. You ain’t thought this through.”

“Well excuse me. I’ve never run away before. I don’t know what I’m doing.”

“Ya got brains, right?”

“Fine. I’ll figure it out on my own.”

“That ain’t what I meant. Ya got book learnin’ smarts, right?”

“Oh.” She nodded weakly. “I’ve always done well in school. I suppose I could be a school teacher, or...”

Cole chuckled into the lingering silence. “Ya good at math?”

“Top grades in my class.”

“Good. If ya don’t want to teach brats all day, I might know someone in Chicago. We trade services. She wants ‘em respectable for real work. I want ‘em the other way.”

“How charming.”

“She might not be lookin’, but I’ll ask. Real discreet-like. If that don’t work out, I got somewhere else I can send ya for a while, so long as ya never tell where I sent ya.”

Curiosity dragged her gaze back to his, but he’d turned away. She wondered what secret he’d want to guard so close, but then again, word was Cole was nothing but secrets. She took a shaky breath. “When will you let me know?”

“Monday morning. Ya think real hard, because once you leave here, it ain’t gonna be so easy to go back.”

“I’ll think. Thank you, Cole.” She stepped forward when he started to move. “Why are you really doing this? If not for money, I can’t believe it’s just to upset my parents.”

“Ain’t no matter of yours. Take the help or don’t. Don’t matter none to me.”

She pursed her lips shut and didn’t bother to try again. This time he disappeared back inside and she turned away from the door.

“You really gonna run, Miss Katherine?” Hammy walked up and offered his arm. “Don’t seem right. Dominion Falls ain’t ever gonna be the same with ya gone.”

“Whether I leave by my parent’s will or my own, I’ll be leaving, Hammy. Mother and Father are going to Denver. I just don’t wish to leave on their terms.”

“Ya scared?”

“Beyond belief, Hammy. Beyond belief.”

* * * *

K
atherine crept out of the house quiet as she could. The sun had yet to rise, and even the mines were quiet. Down in the town she could only see two lamps lit, one far enough away that she assumed it to be Cole’s. The silence was so thick, she worried even her light footsteps would be heard in her parents’ room.

She’d spent the weekend fluctuating between regret at leaving her family and disappointing not just her father, but her mother again, and wanting to run far away from the dreaded engagement.

Part of her wondered if there was any chance of escaping the clutches of such a marriage without running. Then her mother’s stubbornness would again rear its head and the increase in propriety and continual corrections to Katherine’s posture or behavior would reassert how dead-set Lillian Daugherty was to escape the shackles of the crass world of Dominion Falls.

By last night her mind and heart were set. There was no other choice for a young woman of her age. Her parents had control, and if she were married off, the control would become her husband’s. That was something she couldn’t live with. Not ever.

Katherine crept down behind the Jenkins house where she was hidden from view of their house on the hill. From there she took off at a dead run for town.

She wished she could have allowed for a proper good bye to her father, but she couldn’t without raising suspicion. Maybe once she was established she’d find a way to send him a letter, just to let him know she was all right.

When she got to town, she slowed again. She clutched her satchel to her chest and crept past tents and the skeletons of rising buildings. The whole way to the saloon she all but held her breath to try to remain silent. Lucky for her, most everyone was still in bed.

Everyone, that was, except Cole. He’d been the one to tell her to meet him at this ungodly hour of the morning. Now, even from halfway down the street she could see his tall form outside the saloon. He bent and straightened, loading boxes onto a wagon.

A large man stumbled out of the saloon, hiccupping. In the quiet town, his voice echoed loud enough she worried it would wake someone. “Well, what d’ya say, Cole? Are we even?”

Cole chuckled. “Shut your trap, Frank. You’ll wake up the whole damn town.”

“Sorry,” Frank whispered, or rather tried to whisper.

“We’re even. Between what I won in that game and you shipping these boxes for me, I’ll say we’re good.” Cole patted the boxes. “Address is in your satchel up front.”

Katherine stopped short when Cole glanced over his shoulder right at her. For a moment she didn’t move, but then Cole straightened.

“Why don’t you go inside and have one more for the road.” Cole clapped Frank on the back and pushed him toward the door. Once the man had gone inside, Cole turned toward Katherine. “As you can see, your ride is less than discreet.”

“That is my ride?” Katherine rushed forward. “He’ll blab to the whole town.”

“Nah. Once you’re over the mountains you’ll be good.”

“That won’t be until nightfall!” Katherine set her satchel down. “How, exactly is he going to keep quiet until then?”

“Because he ain’t gonna know you’re with him.”

“What?”

“You’ll be back here, under the tarp. Ain’t gonna be no fun, but it’ll get you outta town.” Cole leaned on the wagon. “It’s your best bet. If you leave now, ain’t no one gonna know Frank left town until he don’t show up at the saloon.”

“They’ll know I left.” Doubt started to tug at her determination.

“But how? Maybe they’ll think you’re hiding in town. You done it before. I might even let them think you’re hiding in my place. That’ll be fun.”

Katherine laughed at the idea, her nerves easing. She glanced across the street toward her sisters boarding house. Everything remained dark and quiet, perhaps it was a blessing that her sister slept in the back room.

“So climb in. Before Frank finishes his beer.” Cole held the tarp so she could slide into the small opening he’d made for her. “Left ya a basket of food. Don’t worry, I’ll distract. Ain’t no one gonna know until you’re long gone.”

With gentle care, Katherine set her satchel on the edge of the wagon, then hopped up onto the lip. She nodded to Cole. “I owe you.”

“You’ll pay me back one day.” Cole offered a wicked grin that set her heart aflutter. “I ain’t got no doubt.”

Heat rushed to Katherine’s cheeks and she ducked her head. “That would imply I’m coming back here some day.”

“You will.”

“You sure?”

“You bet.” He chuckled. “And you’ll pay me back.”

“How?”

“Don’t ya worry about that none.”

Movement in the saloon drew Katherine away from Cole’s leer. “Oh, he’s coming.”

“Go on, get in.” Cole waved her in, but when she started to crawl, he pushed hard on her rump until she landed on the floor of the wagon with a grunt. He squeezed her inappropriately bare ankle. “Safe travels. See ya in a few years, Kathy.”

Katherine didn’t even have time to wave before he dropped the tarp in place and closed the wagon gate.

“Goodbye,” she whispered.

––––––––

T
hree Years Later

Katherine leaned on her hand and sighed. Rather than run the numbers she’d been handed, she stared at the door as if it would make something happen.

“Psst.” Melanie nudged Katherine in the side. “There he is again. Like clockwork.”

Katherine straightened in her seat as the gentleman Melanie pointed at removed his hat and scanned the bay of windows. The particular bank Katherine worked in employed all women to handle the everyday transactions, while the men handled the larger business of the bank.

All rumor indicated that Mr. Patrick Warner came to this bank religiously for that reason alone. Rumor also said he’d wooed, corrupted, and then broke the heart of every woman that dared to catch his eye.

Katherine didn’t pull her gaze away when he glanced her direction, as she had for the past two weeks. “Perhaps he’ll visit my window today. I heard tell he’s left Marjorie bereft, so he’ll be looking for a new woman.”

“Katherine Marie, you can’t be serious.” Melanie gasped and set about rearranging the stamps on her desk. “He’s broken the heart of every woman he’s approached.”

“That’s because they were hoping for love and marriage to be taken away from this horrible life as a worker. I have no designs for the life of a wife.” Granted, Katherine had yet to achieve the freedom she’d left Dominion Falls to find three years ago. While Cole’s guidance had taken her to a home and a steady job, for which she was grateful, she’d yet to find the freedom she’d sought. She’d never been left wanting for food or shelter, but she wanted more. Travel, excitement, and maybe even men.

Just a month ago she’d turned eighteen and, as per her agreement with the woman that had taken her in, Katherine had needed to find a job of her own and living arrangements. She’d managed to find room in a woman’s boarding house and the job at the bank. All of which she’d done under the name she’d assumed when she’d first moved to Chicago, Katherine Wells.

Still, she was doing everything she was supposed to, as she was supposed to. With her coming of age, she wanted more, more than a new name and a decent job. Before she turned spinster, she was curious as to what lay beyond propriety, and she hungered for life beyond her job and the city of Chicago. If she had to start anywhere, why not with learning about sex with a man skilled enough to corrupt numerous proper young ladies as Mr. Warner had?

“Katherine.” Melanie set her hand on Katherine’s arm. “He’s a rake.”

“I know full well what he is.” Kat smiled at the man whose eye she planned to catch, as he spoke with one of the men in the lobby. “Perhaps if he knows what I’m after, we can come to an agreement. After all, the only thing I wish is what he’s rumored to be quite skilled at.”

Deep red hues flooded Melanie’s features, and she shook her head. “It isn’t decent.”

“I’ve been decent for too long.” Katherine had kept her head down and done what she should out of fear her parents would locate her and drag her home if she drew too much attention. At eighteen, the fear was subsiding and the burning need for more that had first flamed to light in Dominion Falls now burned bright again.

Before Melanie could protest further, Patrick approached Katherine’s window. His smile broadened with every step closer he took.