Mail-Order Groom (23 page)

Linus quivered with rage. “You shut your mouth, Roy!”

Adam felt the same way. But an instant later, Savannah and Mose hustled out the door and all hell broke loose inside.

S
tanding safely in the street outside the boardinghouse, Savannah hugged her shawl against her, shaking uncontrollably. She couldn't seem to quit trembling—couldn't seem to get Roy's voice out of her head.

It's kinda funny, an upright type like yourself windin' up with a thievin' whore like her.

Well, in a sense, Roy Bedell was right. It
was
funny—or would have been, had Savannah felt capable of laughter…then or ever again. Because to anyone who mattered, she
was
what the tabloids had labeled her. She might as well accept it.

Adam already had. She'd seen it in his eyes.

“Are you all right?” Mose hovered concernedly. His big hand patted over her shoulders, as though seeking reassurance that she was truly unharmed. “I swear, I'll go back in there and make them all pay if they hurt you.”

“No need for that.” Humorlessly Savannah quirked her lips. “I think there are quite enough people in there by now, Mose.”

For the past few minutes, Morrow Creek residents had been streaming toward the boardinghouse at a run, led by many of the same people whom Savannah had met at the Finneys' party…a million years ago, it felt. They'd started gathering outside the place a few minutes before Savannah had managed to take away Roy Bedell's gun. She'd glimpsed them through the window and had known she'd need to buy them a little more time to assemble.

Soon enough, she'd recognized the sheriff outside. She'd made it a point to learn his face—and his deputy's—upon coming to town, so she would be able to steel herself for the day when he asked her to move on, like the sheriff had in Ledgerville. Instead, inexplicably, he'd come to save her from the Bedells.

By the time Savannah had neared the boardinghouse room's door, almost the whole posse had managed to gather outside, with Sheriff Caffey, two of his deputies, Jack Murphy, Marcus Copeland, and big Daniel McCabe leading the way. Their arrival had eased Savannah's qualms about leaving Adam and Mariana behind with the Bedells, but it hadn't made leaving easy.

Nothing could have done that.

Heartsick and weary, Savannah turned to Mose. “Is the wagon nearby?” she asked. “Would you please take me home?”

“You sure you want to leave?” His gaze met hers. “You might have misunderstood something back there. There's a chance—”

“There's no chance. None at all.” Savannah spied a few of the women headed her way, led by Sarah McCabe, Grace Murphy, Molly Copeland and Mrs. Finney. Their serious faces left little doubt of their intentions. Clearly
they
knew about her past now, too. Her hopes for Morrow Creek were dashed. “Please. Let's go.”

“All right.” Reluctantly Mose nodded. “We'll go for now.”

“For forever,” Savannah said firmly.

Then, without so much as a backward glance—a luxury she most certainly could not afford—she raced into the night, leaving behind all her hopes…and her heart at the same time.

 

Standing by while Sheriff Caffey and his deputies none-too-gently slapped Roy Bedell and his brothers in irons, Adam felt oddly removed from everything. Finally capturing the Bedell gang should have made him happy. But after the night he'd had, he felt as though nothing would ever make him happy again.

Not without Savannah by his side.

“Woowee!” Mariana approached him with her customary vigor. She holstered her trusty derringer without a single thought to the risqué view of her leg she offered the others in the room. “That was some snare, right, Corwin? I'm happy to see you're still alive and kicking, you stubborn ass, you.”

Gleefully Mariana threw her arms around him in a hug.

Adam knew he must be dreaming. Mariana didn't like hugging. Hell, in all this time, he hadn't been one hundred percent certain she liked
him,
if he were completely truthful.

“Aww, don't look so down in the mouth.” She slugged him in the arm, returning to her usual tomboyish stance. “I know that gal of yours left in a rush, but this business of ours ain't for the faint of heart. Most likely, bein' abducted was a lot for her to take, 'specially at the hands of
these
miscreants.”

Mariana nodded in the general direction of the newly
arrested Bedells. Roy glared daggers at her. Edward, Wyatt and Curtis argued among themselves. Linus gabbed to Sheriff Caffey, talking at a speed that was scarcely comprehendible, doing his best to clear his conscience before it was too late.

“I can give you details of all them crimes, Sheriff,” Linus hastily assured the lawman. “Dates and places and everythin'. I never thought what we was doin' was right. No sir, not at all. That's why I want to make amends for all the bad things I done.”

“I think we can come to an arrangement,” the sheriff said.

Linus appeared relieved, if bruised. Beside him, Jack Murphy and Marcus Copeland nodded with evident approval of the goings on. Next to them, Daniel McCabe folded his powerful arms and surveyed the room. Since a few seconds after Savannah had left, the place had been swamped with lawmen and helpful Morrow Creek residents, all of them intent on doing what was right.

After a brief but ferocious scuffle with the Bedells, the makeshift posse had done exactly that. It hadn't taken long.

Adam had rightfully pinned Roy and handcuffed him himself, but the act had given him no satisfaction. All he wanted was to turn back the clock and take back the lies he'd told—all of them, including the ones from tonight. If there'd been another way to protect Savannah from Roy, he would have done it, but—

But wasn't that always his excuse? That he had to lie? It
had
been until now. But starting tonight, Adam couldn't let himself off that easily. The truth was, he ached with needing Savannah—with loving her and not having her. And he deserved it.

He deserved every ounce of the pain he felt.

“I gotta say,” Mariana said, still standing beside him, “I didn't think much of that Savannah Reed when we started—”

Adam felt newly wounded. “Don't—” he began.

But that only made Mariana brighten. “Whoops! Sorry, I mean
Mrs. Corwin
, don't I? Anyhow, I didn't think much of her when we started all this. I thought she was just another dumb female, set to get herself killed or worse. But she surprised me.”

“She surprised me, too.” Adam was still astounded at how much losing Savannah hurt. He guessed he always would be.

“I tried my damnedest to get her off of you,” Mariana yammered on. “I told her how you was a mean, bad, ornery cuss who was just usin' her to catch the Bedells. ‘That ain't no way to treat a lady,' I told her. But she did
not
take the bait,” Mariana said emphatically. “She passed all my tests with flyin' colors! She stuck up for you, Corwin. You shoulda seen her.”

“I wish I could.” Damnation, he felt miserable.

“Not many women would've tried to
help
the people who were holdin' her captive, you know.” Mariana shook her head, going on to describe how Savannah had consoled Linus and wisely advised the both of them to get away from Roy Bedell if they could. “That's why old Linus was so keen to help her—that and she's pretty, besides.” Mariana chuckled. “That woman of yours has got a good heart, Corwin. You done fine. She's a keeper, I'd say.”

“She is. But she's somebody else's to keep now.” Adam spied several of the Morrow Creek residents headed his way, even as the sheriff and his deputies began hauling the Bedells to the jailhouse. Most likely, they wanted him to help secure the gang for good. Adam could not refuse. After all, that was his duty. He gave Mariana's shoulder a
squeeze. “I'm glad you're safe, too, partner. There's nobody I'd rather be paired with.”

Appearing suddenly alerted to something, Mariana blinked.

“The hell there ain't!” She grabbed him as he turned away, then stood up to him—all five feet and four inches of her. “You would rather be paired with Savannah. For life! Wouldn't you? I know she wasn't a damn pawn to you, like Roy was to me. You weren't playin' at this. You don't have it in you.”

Wearily Adam yanked himself away. He gave Thomas Walsh a nod to indicate he'd be with the others shortly. “It doesn't matter what I want. I can't force myself on Savannah. She deserves better. She deserves the truth, for one thing.”

“Then give her the truth!” Mariana put her hands on her hips, looking as though she'd like to yank out his hair. “That's what the Adam Corwin I know would do. Would
already
have done.”

“I guess you don't know me as well as you think.”

A sigh. “What's wrong with you? Every woman likes to know how her man feels. Every woman likes to hear him say it! Why do you think that lowdown Roy got so many ladies to marry him?”

Adam frowned. He didn't want to talk about this. “Because he brings out their motherly feelings with that infernal baby face of his?” His frown deepened. “Leave me alone, Mariana.”

But his partner, steadfastly, would not. “You married her, didn't you? You was already half in love with her weeks ago, so why—” She broke off, gawking at him. “You don't think Savannah
believed
all that claptrap I spouted about you, do you?”

“I don't know,” Adam said. “But she believed me.”

“Sure, but you said a
lot
of things tonight,” Mariana sensibly pointed out. “What if she believed all the wrong ones? What then? Aren't you gonna go after her or somethin'?”

She gave him an aggressive poke. Adam glared at her.

“No. I have a passel of sharpers to take to jail,” he said.

Then he turned away and finally walked out of the room where he'd left his heart and soul and hopes…for now and forever.

 

Dispiritedly Savannah carried another load of her belongings to the wagon. Above her, the moon rode high in the sky, lighting her path between the vehicle and her station. In the morning, she would tender her official resignation to the telegraph company. She would have to stop by the neighbors', too, to make sure Penelope would be cared for after she'd gone. Most likely, Mr. Yarnell would also take her small flock of laying hens. His wife might like having the eggs to sell in town.

With a weary sigh, Savannah trod back to the station. In the moonlight, the place already appeared deserted.

The sight of it made her feel doubly sad. She'd truly loved living near Morrow Creek. Lately she'd even begun to dream that she and Adam might move into town someday, where she could take a less demanding post at the local telegraph station. After all, Grace Murphy had given her hope that they'd hire her. And Molly Copeland had allowed her to believe that working the wires needn't necessarily be incompatible with having children.

But now her last foray into Morrow Creek would not be to look for a small, snug house for her and Adam, or to attend any of the friendly get-togethers she'd shortsightedly been invited to tonight. It would be to withdraw her nest-egg
savings from the Morrow Creek bank, where she'd stowed her money months ago.

I'm leery of entrusting my savings to any bank or institution,
she'd truthfully written in her letters. But she'd been even more leery of leaving her money lying around at her remote territorial telegraph station. So she'd deposited everything in the bank and hadn't told a soul about it.

Unfortunately that meant her departure was delayed until she could retrieve it. Even though Savannah didn't have many hopes left about the possibility of successfully starting over, she still needed cash to move on.

Mose left the station, sweating beneath the weight of her ornate costume trunk. He heaved it in the wagon, making its springs jounce. He wiped his forehead. “Are you sure about this? You'd be better off trying to get a good night's sleep. You've been through an ordeal tonight, that's for certain.”

“I'm sure.” Fondly Savannah patted him. She was so glad he was safe after being in such danger. “If we get everything all packed up tonight, we can leave twice as quickly tomorrow.” Mose was right—neither of them was alert enough to capably drive the wagon right now. “Besides, I couldn't sleep a wink anyway.”

And staying busy keeps me from crying
.

No, she couldn't say that to Mose. He'd only worry about her. So Savannah put on the most upbeat expression she could manage, then turned to go back inside. “Aren't you happy? We're finally headed to San Francisco, just like you wanted.”

“I thought you liked it here,” Mose grumbled behind her.

I did. Especially when Adam was here.
But he'd only stayed because he'd pitied her, Savannah knew now. Not because he'd loved her. Not because he'd needed her, the way she needed him.

“I'm ready for a new adventure.” She stepped inside with Mose on her heels, then surveyed the station. She didn't have many belongings left. She'd be ready to leave very soon. “And I want to stay one step ahead of the angry Morrow Creek mob.”

Trying to laugh at that, Savannah looked at Mose. Although he usually indulged even her poorest attempts at humor, this time he only crossed his arms and gave her a concerned look.

“You've got those people all wrong,” he said. “They couldn't do enough to help you tonight. They won't judge you.”

“That doesn't matter.
I
will.” Not wanting to think about that, she hoisted a bundle of clothing. She headed outside.

Arriving at the doorway, she nearly stepped on Adam's toes.

Startled, Savannah jerked backward. But she hadn't dreamed him. Adam truly
was
there, on her doorstep, with his hat in his hands and his heart in his eyes. A short distance behind him, a saddled-up horse stood in the yard, its sides heaving as it recovered from what must have been an impressively fast ride.