Texas Tiger TH3 (27 page)

The stable hand stared at the beautiful lady in fashionable silks as if he didn't understand the question. When he didn't respond, Evie swept past him and disappeared into the dark interior. Tyler and Daniel took no notice and immediately set out to choose the horses they needed.

By the time they had decided on three solid horses, Evie reappeared in an elegant riding outfit with a split skirt of her own design. When the stable hand started to put a sidesaddle on her horse, she stopped him and pointed at the appropriate male saddle. "I mean to keep up with the gentlemen, sir."

Daniel shook his head, but kept his mouth shut. Evie had never ridden a horse in her entire life until Tyler came along. He wasn't exactly certain that Tyler's lessons had been appropriate for a lady, but if they hastened his progress, he wasn't complaining. Evie was certainly old enough to know what she was doing.

Tyler roped Evie's ever-present luggage to his saddle, then assisted his wife in mounting. When all three were seated, he turned to Daniel. "Lead on, Pecos. Where to?"

"Due west, straight as the crow flies. We've got a train to catch."

As they maneuvered city streets, Daniel explained events as hastily as he was able. Evie was furious by the time they reached the edges of town. Tyler was thoughtful.

At thirty-five, Tyler Monteigne had developed into a man of powerful build and some authority. If Tyler suspected there was a small portion of Daniel's story missing, but he didn't question.

"If they're using the same engine that brought us in, we'll catch them in time. It's an old eight-driver, probably built just after the war. If it's heading south while we're riding west, we'll catch it coming north all right."

Since Tyler had spent half his life touring the country on steamboat and train, Daniel took his assurances with relief. He spurred his horse into a gallop at the first stretch of straight road.

Evie had no difficulty keeping up. The trio rode into the night, letting Daniel set the pace.

He knew the horses had to be rested occasionally, but he had difficulty forcing himself to halt even for water. Racing a train was a mad thing to do, but he couldn't live with the image of Georgie trapped on that train, terrified and not knowing what to do. He didn't know how her father had trapped her on that train or how they held her there or if she would try to escape.

He only knew he had to reach her before anything disastrous happened—before they locked her up behind the closed doors of some cold institution where they would permanently douse the shining light that was his Miss Merry.

Daniel wouldn't say he needed Georgina. He had quit needing anybody once he had turned eighteen and learned the ways of the world. He couldn't say he loved her. He didn't know a whole lot about love except to know there wasn't much of it to be found.

But he could say she was his wife and belonged by his side and in his bed, despite whatever crazy promises he may have given. Georgina Meredith Mulloney very definitely belonged in his life. And if her family didn't want her, he most certainly did.

So he drove his horse and himself and the plucky pair behind him until the point of exhaustion. They rode through sleepy little towns that had retired for the night. They rode through vast fields of corn and wheat where only the hoot of an owl gave evidence of any other life besides themselves. They rode past solitary farmhouses, dark with sleep. And at no time was there any evidence of trains or rails or a steam engine chugging down tracks toward Chicago.

Daniel began to fear he had taken the wrong route, chosen the wrong star to follow, and they were riding hellbent for nowhere. He tried to count the miles in his head, figure the speed of his horse, calculate the distance he was cutting off, but he didn't know this territory. He hadn't scouted ahead as Ben had taught him. He hadn't known his enemy was out here, among the corn and wheat fields. He could only keep riding and pray that Someone was watching over him.

The first low moan of the train whistle nearly startled Daniel into stopping. He glanced madly about, searching for the crossing, the station, the reason for the signal echoing across the distance. He saw nothing but waving acres of grain.

It was then that Daniel realized how sound traveled through the night air, covering untold distances. The train was out there. He just had to find it, to stop it, to board it, and to find Georgie.

One thing at a time. Without glancing at Tyler and Evie, Daniel spurred his horse down the road.

Off to the side he could see the headlight appearing out of the darkness as the whistle grew louder. The train had to be approaching the station. There had to be a town somewhere ahead. And he had to get there before the train did.

He felt sorry for his horse. Daniel promised it all the hay it could eat and a lifetime in pasture, but he had to have just a little more speed. He wished he had the thoroughbred he'd left getting fat and sassy at Tyler's plantation. That horse had wings. This one was meant for reliability, not speed. He cursed as the train whistle whined again. It was coming into the station.

At last, Daniel saw the silhouettes of buildings in the open field ahead. He didn't know what town it was, but there had to be a station there. The train was slowing down. He could hear the distinctive clackety-clack of the wheels. They weren't going to make it.

"Leave the horses. Get Evie on the train. I'll be right behind you." Tyler came up to Daniel's side, throwing his words over his shoulder as he pressed his horse faster.

Daniel didn't ask what he intended to do. Tyler was capable of anything, but he favored fast-talking his way through most situations. Daniel let him go. Talk wouldn't get him to Georgie.

He brought his horse to a panting halt just outside the low-slung building that had to be the station. The massive shape of the train already hissed and rattled at the platform. Light shone occasionally through curtains not completely closed, but for the most part, the train cars looked as dead as the town. There was no sign of Tyler, and Daniel reached to help Evie down.

She was looking for Tyler, too, but she ran obediently with Daniel, holding up her riding skirt and clicking her heeled boots down the wooden platform. Daniel caught the railed bar of the nearest passenger car and grabbed her hand, hauling her on to the steps without speaking. The train wouldn't idle long in a place like this. They would be filling up with water and fuel and moving on. Even the ticket office would be closed at this hour. They would pay the conductor when they found him.

Daniel gave a sigh of relief as they entered the silent car. A few men in the corner playing cards looked up with interest at Evie's appearance, but they went back to their game when Daniel entered with her. Almost everyone else was asleep. Evie sent him a questioning look.

"She's in a private car. I didn't see it at this end. They probably hooked it on last. We'll wait for Tyler, then the two of you can have a seat while I find it."

She nodded. The engine gave a mighty belch and heaved forward. Evie grabbed the nearest seat and glanced worriedly toward the door.

Tyler sauntered from the next car just as the train rolled from the station. He took Evie's arm and led her down the aisle, not even bothering to glower at the poor benighted souls who could only look at Evie and drool. Even after their mad ride she was a picture of radiant loveliness.

"They're carrying a private car at the rear. It was designed by Pullman, so there's an emergency hatch in the roof. There aren't any more stops between here and Indianapolis. How far do you want to go?"

Tyler's whispered asides to Daniel took them through one car and into the next, steadily progressing toward the rear of the train.

"Not any farther than I have to. We'll need to find out how many people are in the car. Most of them should be sleeping at this hour, though."

Tyler nodded in understanding, found a seat for Evie, and set her in it. Then he took off his dusty coat, folded it over a seat, and started for the nearest card game. "Come on, we'll get what we need and break."

Evie made a vile face at them as they left her, but since Tyler had dumped her satchel on the floor, she began rummaging in it and didn't make any other protest.

There was room for only one more player, and Daniel stayed out of it, standing to the rear and listening as Tyler began his spiel. He had made his fortune at card tables and kept his hand in for practice upon occasion still. But it wasn't his talent with cards that he was employing now. Daniel listened with admiration as Tyler wished aloud that he had thought to bring his own private car as someone else evidently had, complaining the journey was taking much too long for his tastes. Tyler Monteigne dressed with the elegance of the wealthiest robber barons, and spoke with the authority of power. The men around him listened without a trace of doubt to his lies.

It didn't take long or much persuasion to pump them for every bit of information they had. Daniel was edging for the far door before Tyler could unravel himself from the game.

"You're not walking in there and carrying her out, you know," Tyler murmured as he caught up with Daniel. He made no comment on the name of the man who owned the private car they were heading toward. The problem between Daniel and the Mulloneys was an old one.

"I trust you two didn't think you were doing this alone." Evie swished up behind them, carrying her satchel and Tyler's coat. "I might just make this easy for you if you'll tell me what's going on."

Daniel had to smile at that. Evie was his elder by two years and had always been the one to march forward into the fray first in their younger days. Having children of her own now apparently hadn't changed her any. He wondered if Georgie would be like that after they'd been married ten years. Daniel couldn't believe he was thinking like that.

He hugged Evie briefly as they came to the darkened dining car. He had always been taller than she, but now she actually felt small beside him. Not as small as Georgie, but small enough to protect. "I don't know how you'll lie us out of this one, Evie. I just wish I'd brought my guns."

Evie slanted a warning gaze at her husband. Tyler always carried his weapons, but she wouldn't want him using them. Daniel understood it took something from the former soldier every time Tyler had to use violence. Besides, it probably wouldn't do to shoot Daniel's new family.

"Tell me the story, and then I'll decide what we can do," she announced.

Chapter 21

"If there's only her parents and two guards in there, we shouldn't have any problem," Evie decided after Daniel and Tyler told her what they knew. "Everyone but the one guard will be asleep at this hour, I wager."

"He's not likely to come to the door and hand Georgie over," Daniel pointed out unnecessarily. "I want Georgie in my hands before you two do anything."

Tyler grinned and leaned against the door frame. "Why don't you two just go ahead and make the plans and wake me when you need my muscle?"

Although it was a long-standing joke in the family that Tyler was too pretty to need brains, Daniel knew his brother-in-law better than that. Tyler thought fast and acted faster. He was just the man he needed with him now.

"I'm going up on the roof. If they're all asleep, they won't hear me. I imagine the guards are posted at the doors, but they won't be at the hatch. I'll go in and find Georgie. You'll have to provide some distraction so I can get her out."

Evie looked worried at this idea, and Daniel knew she was concerned about his ability to climb the train and maneuver across the roof with his bad leg. She hadn't worked herself up to the worst part of it yet, but he could see Tyler had. Daniel waited stoically for his decision. He couldn't do much to help Georgie on his own, but he couldn't see any other way out of this.

Tyler glanced down at Evie in her elegant riding clothes, carrying her precious satchel of belongings, then back to Daniel. "You do know what you're doing, don't you?"

"They can't do anything to you and Evie. I'm willing to take my chances with Georgie."

Without saying what both men knew would happen even if they could carry Georgie out, they came to an unspoken agreement. Tyler nodded and looked out at the darkened car just a few steps away. "No time like the present, I suppose. We'll give you time to climb in there and look around."

Without a look back, Daniel stepped out of the dining car, across the coupling, and over to the series of hooks leading to the roof of the attached private car. Placing one hand on the highest he could reach and the other hand on the next, he began pulling himself up until he was over the edge and out of sight.