“Of course, she did,” Dayton hisses in frustration. Does he know anything about her? He wonders.
“Every time her money would get higher than the original amount, she would lose. Why play if you aren’t in it for the money?” Aidan asks.
“Because it wasn’t about the money,” Dayton shoots back his second whiskey and savors the way it burns down his throat. A thought occurs to him, and he runs a hand through his black hair. I’m a fool he thinks. This wasn’t about the money. Savannah was hurt and angry because he called her his cousin and abandoned her. Dayton grins and relief washes through him.
Savannah watches Dayton move to the bar and shame washes over her. I’m acting like a juvenile, she frowns when a parlor girl slides over to him, and he turns laughing at something she says.
Sadness rushes through her, nothing has changed. He’s carrying out his duty, and she’s nothing more than a burden. She rises and hurries out of the parlor and back to her section on the train.
Dayton watches her go and follows swiftly.
Savannah stops a porter on the way to the observation deck.
Dayton watches her speak to the young man, and hand him cash. The man stiffens and then smiles at her. “Yes, Miss. God Bless you.”
He hurries away, and Savannah steps through the door. The fresh air washes over her taking with it the scents from the bar. She sighs. Blessed silence. It’s empty due to the shift in the weather. It’s colder which isn’t a surprise considering they are headed north to Chicago. She shivers and turns to go only to see Dayton watching her.
“Savannah, what would you have me do? Tell me, and I will see it done.” He steps closer to her only to have her back away from him. Surprise flickers through his eyes.
“I’m sure I don’t know what you mean, Dayton. We have reservations for dinner in an hour. If you’ll excuse me, I need to get cleaned up.” Savannah turns to go, ignoring his statement.
“That’s right, keep running. That’s what you do best.”
Savannah swirls on him, “Excuse me?” Her palm itches to slap his smug face.
“You heard me. I’m only protecting you,” Dayton starts to say, but she rushes at him, stopping just short of her body touching his.
“While you’re busy protecting me from unseen dangers, who is protecting me from you?” Savannah snaps.
“What does that mean?” Dayton demands.
“Whatever this is that’s between us,” she gestures with her hand, “it can’t go anywhere. You must understand, I don’t know how to play these games, and I have no tolerance for it.” She wraps her arms around herself and lifts her chin in defiance, “I would never fit in your world, Dayton. I’ve seen things, learned things you would never approve of. I’m not what you need, and I won’t need you!” Tears glisten in her eyes, and he smiles.
“You already do, Savannah,” he reaches for her just as two couples step outside. Savannah siezes the distraction and leaves him standing in the cold. He watches her go and realizes he’s been pushing her hard. Is she right? Would she fit in his world? These past few months, when he plans for the future, he’s been finding her in the images more and more. She’s impulsive, passionate, loyal and perfect for him! They need more time to get to know each other. The trip to Chicago was planned before he knew of Savannah’s troubles, but it fits perfectly into his goals. He needs to trust her with his truth, his past and his future dreams.
Savannah hurries to the lady’s washroom and straightens her hair, clothes and washes her face. When she looks in the mirror her haunted eyes stare back at her. “Oh, what have you done, Savannah?” she gasps. Pacing back and forth she berates herself for falling in love with a man she can’t have.
“When did you become so needy? You don’t need him, Savannah Ward, you don’t need anyone!” she glares in the mirror and points at herself.
“I don’t need him,” she whispers, “but, oh, how I want him.” Defeated she wonders back to her cabin and sits quietly staring out the window.
Dayton returns and quietly sits across from her. After a few minutes of uncomfortable silence he quips, “So, poker?”
Savannah whips her head to him and starts to laugh. Dayton laughs with her, and she grins, “Yes, poker.”
“I learned to play during the war,” Dayton says. “I saw a few battles, and it was enough. Unlike Glenn and Eli, I chose to fight differently.” He glances out the window watching the scenery pass by.
She stares at his profile and wishes she had the right to trace his face with her fingers and rub the worry from his forehead.
“The war wasn’t just fought in fields, Savannah. Oliver knew this, and he used his skill to help in his own way.”
“What was your skill?” Savannah wonders.
“Charm,” he grins at her exasperated look. “Charm combined with the family name, money, and business. Horses, Savannah. I had something the government needed, and that put me in a unique situation to watch and report back anything I could learn. I would take a shipment of horses to the enemy camps, take the sick or dying ones with me and heal the ones I could. In the midst of that, I listened. I took inventory, and I shared this information with others.”
“Why are you telling me this, Dayton?” she asks.
“Because I need you to know that I’m not perfect. I’ve lied, stolen, and betrayed people who trusted me for the cause I believed in. I’m not ashamed of it. I believed what I was doing was right, but I also won’t be ruled by the past. I want to live
