“Afraid? Lady, I am not afraid of you or the two of you or anything this trip might bring.”
She raised her eyebrows and stared at him.
Muttering curses under his breath, he climbed into the wagon. He didn’t look at her or speak to her or Abigail. If he wanted to be childish and pout, let him. She was going to find her brother if she had to keep a gun aimed at Peyton Knight.
Abigail leaned over near Judith. “That was a sorry excuse for a wedding.”
“It’s only temporary. We’ll get an annulment once we get everything settled for Josiah.”
“That sure isn’t the way marriage is supposed to work, Missy. Read the Bible and it says plenty different.”
When Abigail called her Missy, she was angry. “I know that, Abigail. This is to protect my reputation while traveling with a man. Mr. Gordon didn’t know you’d be along to do that. I didn’t tell him because he said flat out ‘no civilians’. That’s why I’m now a Pinkerton agent, too. I’ve sneaked you on the trip without him knowing.”
“Hmph, I’ll bet he knows. From what the girl who helped me said, I’ll bet that man knows everything that happens to his employees.”
“Maybe so. Doesn’t matter now because we’re on the way.”
Chapter Three
She and Abigail debated over the tickets. As wasteful of money as it was, Judith wanted to choose a compartment for the first part of the journey.
Abigail held her arm. “Listen here, Missy. You don’t know what you’re going to find when we locate Josiah. He may need all kinds of things. You know he needs more cattle. Save as much as you can.”
“All right, but that means we’ll have to sit up all night. You’d better not let me hear you complain.”
“Hmph, won’t be me complaining. You’d do better to save those words for your surly husband.”
When Judith saw her new husband standing nearby and studying a wall map, she decided two things. First, Abigail was incorrect and he appeared concerned rather than his earlier surliness. Second, he had to be the handsomest man she’d met. Not pretty-type handsome, but magnetic and powerful.
She discreetly handed him folded bills. “We elected to get seats rather than a compartment. This should more than cover the tickets and our dining expenses.”
He accepted the funds. “Surprised you’re willing to relinquish this much control.” The censure in his voice annoyed her.
“Do you have a brother or sister and living parents?”
“One of each and both parents.” He cocked a dark eyebrow. “Why?”
“The only surviving family members I have are Abigail and my brother Josiah. I strongly suspect he’s been attacked like the man who had the ranch before him and is injured. Possibly even dead.”
She swallowed a lump in her throat. “The man who owned the ranch before him was beaten so badly he died in spite of anything Josiah and the doctor could do for him. Can you not understand why I am determined to go to my brother no matter what I have to risk? I hope that having you along will provide authority to my search.”
As if she hadn’t explained, he tapped the map. “Look where you’d planned to leave the train. Pretty sure the place is too small to have a wagon we can rent or buy and no idea what supplies are available. We’ll have better luck if we go all the way to Santa Fe where we can get the supplies we need for the trip to find your brother.”
“We’ll need a lot—tents, food, bullets, bedrolls, cots, and more.”
He faced her. “You’d better be able to pull your weight. I’m a Pinkerton agent, not a servant.”
“I realize that. I had planned to hire a couple of men to go with us. I guess we could hire them here but I think when we leave the train we might find men who know something about the area of Los Perdidos. If they spoke Spanish that would help.”
He nodded. “Right. I haven’t had an opportunity to read whatever Archie gave me. There’s not time before the train arrives. Give me a one-minute version.”
She added the little she knew to what she’d already told him. “In four weeks, he could have been wounded and healed or he could have died. I feel like he’s alive but badly needs help.”
“You have the deed to the ranch with you?”
She glanced around to make sure no one would overhear. “Yes. The deed and the will are in an oilcloth bag inside my corset. I’m finding that an uncomfortable solution. I was afraid of train robbers, you see. I think I should leave them somewhere safe, like a bank vault. I’d intended to take them to the bank here in Denver but things moved too quickly. Perhaps in Santa Fe we can do so.”
A glint of humor lit his eyes. “Probably a better choice but you may need it to prove you’re the owner and that your brother inherited the ranch. We should think about it on the way to Santa Fe. I’ll get our tickets.”
He strode to the agent and purchased three tickets. When he returned, he gave each of them a ticket.
“Ladies, the train is boarding. Let’s go select our seats. I might remind you to sit midway into the car to avoid unpleasant smells and unregulated temperatures.”
Judith scrunched up her nose. “We discovered that on the way to Denver.”
She put an arm around Abigail. “It’s not too late to change your mind and wait here, dear. This will be an arduous trip once we leave the train.”
With a determined expression on her face, Abigail picked up her valise. “I’m going to find my boy. He may need my help.”
They entered the rail car and chose facing seats. Abigail
