Lonesome Bride Read online

  The first few shanties came into his view, and Jed reined the grateful Zeus down to a walk. Ahead was the smithy run by Gordy Greenspan. Jed would ask the brawny blacksmith if he'd seen anything peculiar.

  Jed didn't have to ask Gordy anything to know Hammond and Caite had been there, however. As soon as he entered the smith's building, he saw the pretty chestnut mare Daisy in the back stall. Daisy had been his mother's favorite mount, and Jed would have recognized her anywhere.

  It took only a few minutes of questioning for Jed to learn Hammond and Caite had been there no more than an hour ago. They had headed off into town, Gordy mentioned, pointing.

  "How did she look?” Jed asked harshly, thinking Hammond would regret every hurt he had caused the flame-haired woman.

  "Fine,” Gordy shrugged. “Tired, I guess. Quiet. She didn't say much, just followed the fancy fella."

  So she's all right, Jed thought in relief. Now he only had to find her.

  * * * *

  Hammond throws money around like it grows on trees, Caite thought in amazement as he dragged her from one shop to the next. She had certainly touched a chord within him with her suggestion to buy new attire. Not that she was complaining. Not only did the shopping put him in a better mood, but each stop they made, gave her more precious time.

  "Lovely, my dear Caitleen,” Hammond called, when she came from the dressing room wearing the beautiful, royal-blue gown he had selected for her.

  "Madame will wish some alterations to the gown,” the overwhelmed seamstress said, indicating several places where the dress could be let out. “We can be finished by tomorrow..."

  "No time,” Hammond cut in. “You look beautiful enough in the dress, Caitleen."

  He held up his hand against her not entirely feigned pout. “No, my dear, I'll not be swayed. I mean to wed you this afternoon, new dress or no. The choice is yours."

  Caite knew better than to try and wheedle anything more from the man. She nodded to the seamstress, who drew away respectfully.

  "Madame will wish new hose and gloves,” the seamstress offered, casting a hopeful glance at Hammond.

  "Yes, yes, all of that,” Hammond answered impatiently. His eyes gleamed as he stared at Caite and he wet his full lips. “But quickly, woman! This is my bride!"

  Caite suppressed a shudder. Perhaps the lovely new clothes were not such a wonderful idea after all. Not if they made Hammond look at her the way he was.

  As the eager shop staff brought gloves and hose for her to try, Caite wracked her brain to think of some other way to prevent Hammond from getting her to the preacher. Finally, he had paid for all the items and dragged her from the shop, and she still had not thought of another excuse to stay the wedding.

  All at once, the church ahead caught her eye. “Drake?” she asked sweetly.

  "Yes, my dear?"

  "I have one more tiny little request."

  Hammond turned to her, annoyance clearly stamped upon his face. “What is it?"

  Caite poured every ounce of charm and desirability she had into her smile. “I want to be married in a church."

  "What?” Hammond growled. “Out of the question."

  "But Drake,” Caite said, halting so he had to halt as well or yank her arm. “It is every young woman's dream to be wed in the church."

  Hammond frowned. “Is this a ploy?"

  "No,” Caite simpered. “I want my father to walk me down the aisle."

  "You despise your father as much as I,” Hammond sneered. “Why would you want such a thing?"

  "It would make him most supremely unhappy to watch me marry you after all the wealth he has lost over the years,” she said, grinning wickedly. “And it would make me happy to see him so aggrieved."

  Hammond thought for a moment, his own eyes glittering. “It would please me to no end to see Desmond's face as I make you my wife."

  Caite's heart hammered. “Can't we travel back to East Frankton and be married there? Please, Drake."

  Hammond shook his head. “I may be a fool for agreeing, Caitleen, but you have convinced me. We shall go immediately to the train now, and buy the first tickets to Philadelphia. We'll be married in East Frankton, as you wish, and I'll laugh all the way down the aisle at your stupid father's expression."

  * * * *

  Where would I go, if I were a vile, kidnapping son-of-a-dog, Jed wondered. Lonesome was just as bustling and busy as always. Without some clue as to their whereabouts, Jed had little chance of happening across them.

  In the distance, he heard the long, low whistle of the train. It was the warning whistle to let all passengers know the train was about to leave the station. At once, Jed knew where Hammond would have taken Caitleen. Now, if only Jed would be able to get there first.

  * * * *

  "Faster!” Hammond ordered, as Caite stumbled in her brand new shoes and nearly fell. “The train for Philadelphia will be leaving within minutes!"

  "I cannot walk so quickly,” Caitleen panted, struggling to keep up with Hammond's fast pace. This time, her weakness was real. Along with the new, tight shoes, she had been given a corset. It compressed her chest, fighting her every breath.

  The train station was just ahead with the sleek, black train puffing as impatiently as Hammond. The train whistled. Hammond cursed.

  "That's the warning whistle,” he cried, taking Caite's hand and physically pulling her up the last few steps to the platform. “The train is getting ready to leave!"

  "But the tickets!” Caite cried, Hammond's grip the only thing keeping her from tripping on her own feet.

  "We can buy them on board!” Hammond shouted over another blast from the train's whistle.

  He fairly knocked the conductor out of the way in order to climb the short steps to the train car. Caite panted along behind him, one hand pressed to her chest to counter the squeezing pain there. Hammond ignored her obvious distress, shoving her along the passage to an empty car and pushing her into a seat.

  "You'd best make this effort worth my while,” he told her as he settled himself into the seat facing Caite. “I'd hate to think you'd been merely toying with my affections, my dear Caitleen."

  Caite murmured a nonsensical response, too out of breath to bother with words. Dejectedly, she watched the landscape outside the train window begin to flow by faster and ever faster as the train left Lonesome. She had lost the game.

  * * * *

  Taking a chance that somehow, by the grace of God, Hammond's destination was Philadelphia, Jed had leaped aboard the outgoing train just before it pulled away from the station. He didn't have enough money for the fare, but he wouldn't worry about that now. Let them put the law on him. He didn't care. All that mattered was that he find Caite.

  He saw no sign of her in the car he had entered, which left an entire train to search. If Hammond had truly boarded the train, it would only be a matter of time before he found them. Jed went into the next car, and again found no trace of Caitleen. He saw several well-dressed men who might have been Hammond, but they were without women. Jed went to the next car.

  As the door slid shut behind him, he saw it—the glorious fire of her hair, streaming down against a rich royal-blue fabric. Her back was to him, so he could not see her lovely face, but he knew it was Caitleen. His Caitleen.

  Which meant the effeminate man across from her had to be Hammond. The three of them were the only passengers in the whole car. A cold grin crossed Jed's face, not reaching his eyes. The time had come for reckoning. He hoped Hammond was ready.

  * * * *

  Caite watched the countryside roll by, eyes barren of tears. She wanted to cry, but had nothing to spill. She was wrung dry. She could no longer even respond to Hammond's constant babbling. She could not care enough to try and fool him into thinking her a willing bride.

  "I don't believe you are listening to me. I asked you if you thought your father might die from the shock of all this,” Hammond snapped suddenly. He reached forward and clutched her chin, forcing her to m