An Agent For Judith Read online

  Red opened her mouth and he figured she’d protest.

  Before she could, Abigail pointed at her. “Don’t say a word. I told you I’m going to find my boy. Might as well be as comfortable as I can.”

  He looked from one woman to the other. “Miss Davis, we need to say you’re her mother.”

  Red smiled at Abigail. “As far as I’m concerned, she is my Mama.”

  Abigail beamed at Red then looked at him. “You call me Abigail or Mama.”

  “With your permission, I’ll call you Mama. Even though you’re too young to be my mother or hers, for all practical purposes you’re my wife’s mama. She obviously adores you and you her.”

  Chapter Four

  They arrived in Santa Fe late in the afternoon. They took a cab to the hotel he’d heard was the best. He asked for two adjoining rooms.

  When they checked in, he asked, “My dear, will you need anything from your trunk while we’re here or may I store our heavy luggage?”

  Fatigue had drained color from Red’s lovely face. “I won’t need anything. What about you, Mama?”

  Abigail appeared as tired. “Everything I need is in my valise. I’m eager to get to my room and rest.”

  Peyton recalled the women had ridden the train from Cheyenne and arrived in Denver the day they left.

  “My wife and her mother would like a hot bath brought to each room.”

  “Yes, sir, right away.” The clerk signaled to a young man.

  The two rooms were next to one another but did not have a common door as Peyton had expected. He inspected Abigail’s room, which appeared comfortable. The door’s lock appeared sufficient to withstand the casual prowler.

  “I had thought there would be a connecting door. Will you be at ease staying here alone?”

  She patted his arm. “Don’t worry about me. I sure am looking forward to that bath. I know how to take care to stay safe. While I have you alone, I want to talk to you about my girl.”

  He figured this was going to be a hands-off speech. “I’m at your service.”

  “She says this is a temporary marriage. You do know that if you have relations with her then the two of you will be married forever?”

  He might not be interested in a permanent marriage but he couldn’t help thinking about having Red in his arms. She was beautiful and graceful and had spirit. What man wouldn’t want her? But, he was a professional and would keep his thoughts and his hands to himself.

  So, he lied, “I have no designs on her virtue. Our marriage is for her protection only as per Archie’s policy. Of course, he didn’t know you’d be along to chaperone.”

  “I am along, though, and I’ll look out for her as well as I can.” She met his gaze. “All the same you make sure Judith doesn’t get into trouble. You will be with her when I cannot.”

  “I assure you I’ll do my best.” That much was the truth. He bid her goodnight.

  In the room they’d share, Red stood at the window overlooking the street below. She had discarded the jacket of her traveling suit.

  “Thank you for thinking of a bath. Thank you also for including Abi—Mama.” When he had secured the door, Red strode to him and put her hands on her hips. “I hope you don’t think you can be here while I bathe.”

  He gave a mock bow. “My plan is to leave you to your ablutions while I search for the best place to hire the men we need. I’ll return later.”

  She lowered her hands. “Very well. Take your time, please.”

  Crooking his lips, he stepped into the hall and waited until he heard her lock the door. Then he headed downstairs. He considered the hotel bar but decided it was a little too tame for the kind of men he wanted to hire. After nodding to the clerk at the reception desk, Peyton strode into the street.

  ***

  Judith sank into the steaming water and sighed. The soap’s rose-scented fragrance surrounded her. As annoying as she found her new husband, she was grateful he’d asked for a bath to be brought to their room. What a surprise he’d been so thoughtful. She could fall asleep here in the water.

  Instead, she washed her hair and her body. Since she didn’t know how long Peyton would be gone, she didn’t stay in the bath as long as she would have liked. She selected one of the other dresses she’d included in the carpetbag. This one was green taffeta trimmed in black lace. She thought she’d packed carefully. No matter how much she shook it, the dress remained wrinkled.

  The sight of her nightdress caused her to pause. She would like to don her night wear and crawl into bed. Her stomach reminded her she hadn’t had an evening meal and had only picked at her noontime food. Questions nagged her about arrangements for sharing the room.

  What was wrong with her? She tucked the pouch containing the deed and will next to her abdomen and laced her corset. In front of the cheval mirror, she turned to be certain the papers hadn’t caused a bulge.

  She carried a heavy burden of guilt. Her brother could be lying in pain and she was in a nice hotel room with a good bed. After sending up another prayer, she finished dressing and hurried next door.

  After her rapping, Abigail opened the door but she wore her robe instead of a dress. “Come in if you wish.”

  “I was checking to see if you’re all right and if I can help you. You haven’t dressed yet? Did you stay in the bath too long?”

  Abigail issued a wistful sigh. “You tell your husband I loved that bath. I sat there until the water cooled. You two go have dinner. I’m going to bed and sleep until morning.”

  Judith took Abigail’s hands. “We can bring you dinner or have the hotel dining room bring it to you.”

  “That’d be real nice. I’m hungry but too tired to mess with dressing then going down and ordering.”

  Judith spotted a bell hop near their rooms. She caught up with him before he reached the stairs. “My mother would like dinner in her room. Would you take care of that?”

  “Yes, ma’am.” He went over to Abigail’s room and took her order. “I suspect your food will be ready in less than half an hour.”

  Abigail looked the young man up and down. “You have a pass key?”

  Alarm crossed his face. “Yes, ma’am, but I promise you I would never use it unless requested to do so.”

  Apparently she was satisfied with his appearance and answer. “Our trip has left me very tired. I’m requesting you bring my dinner up here. Instead of knocking, please bring it in and set it by the bed, which is where I’ll be waiting.”

  When he’d hurried away, Abigail shook her head. “I hope I can stay awake until he brings my supper.”

  Judith stood in the doorway so she could see Abigail and the hallway. “I’ll stay here and talk to you. I’m sorry you’re so tired. You should wait here while we go to Los Perdidos.”

  “You can get that notion out of your head right now. I got tired today but I’ll be fresh and ready to go tomorrow. That bath relaxed me so much I can hardly keep my eyes open and I’m grateful to feel clean after our travel. I look forward to stretching out on the bed all night.”

  “Here comes Peyton. I wonder if he’s had success.”

  Abigail made a shooing motion. “Go and talk to him. Be nice. You must be respectful while you are married to him.”

  “You’d think you were his mama instead of mine. Go to bed and I’ll see you in the morning. If you need anything, bang on the wall between our rooms.” She closed the door and strode toward the man she was supposed to respect.

  His eyes conveyed admiration. “My, Red, you look refreshed and lovely. Is Mama ready to go to dinner?”

  “She’s having room service.”

  “Wise choice.” He extended his arm for her. “She appeared exhausted but I remember the two of you had already had a train trip by the time I met you.” He guided her to the staircase.

  “We’d hurried to get ready before that. She doesn’t let on but she worries a lot about my brother. Until my inheritance came through, we didn’t have the funds to do anything to solve the myst
ery of what had happened to him.”

  “You and your brother sound close.”

  “We are. The three of us are all that remains of the McAdams—or at least my branch of them. I guess there are a lot more in Scotland.” They descended and crossed the lobby toward the dining room.

  “And spread across the U.S. but that doesn’t help you.”

  He ceased speaking while they were seated and shown the menu. They ordered and the waiter hurried toward the kitchen.

  “Mama asked me to thank you for her bath. She appreciated your thoughtfulness and so did I.”

  “My pleasure. I hope Mama can stay awake long enough to enjoy her dinner. She appears relieved to have a hotel room for the night.”

  “She is but we’ll be relieved when we’re set and on our way.” She straightened as the waiter set her dinner in front of her.

  After the waiter had left, Peyton said, “I hope we don’t attract the interest of Indians. They’d love your hair and find you a delightful addition to their women.”

  Shivers slid up her spine. “Don’t even tease me about such a thing. I’m worried enough about finding Josiah.”

  He laid his hand over hers. His expression on his handsome face was solemn. “Red, I’m not teasing. We’ll have to be on guard every minute of this trip. Between Indians and criminal whites, we are playing against a stacked deck. You need to be aware of what we may face.”

  She pulled her fingers away. “Don’t try to talk me into staying here. I have to see about my brother.”

  “Not personally you don’t. You can send me. You and Abigail can wait right here in comfort while I rescue your brother. I’ll take a couple of men with me and I can be in and out before the wagons could even reach there.”

  “No, and please don’t ask me again.” She hoped her words sounded final. The discussion had killed her appetite.

  “If not for yourself, think about Abigail.”

  “Don’t try appealing to my love for her.” She glanced around the dining room. “For one thing, she said if I don’t take her she is going on her own. She would, too, Peyton, so don’t think otherwise for even one minute. Josiah is her son as far as she’s concerned. She will not stop until she’s with him and knows he’s all right.”

  The fatigue in Abigail’s face haunted her. She knew Abigail should stay here and the only way she would consider it was if Judith stayed also. She doubted Abigail would remain in Santa Fe even then.

  Judith blinked back tears at the thought of losing either Abigail or Josiah. “Look, I know you mean well and I appreciate what I’m asking of you. We have to go. I wish she would wait here but Abigail would rather die than not rescue her boy. As close as she and I are, he is closer.”

  “I figured you were her favorite.”

  “She doesn’t exactly have favorites. When she came to work as my wet nurse she had just lost a baby. I’m sure she was grief stricken. Josiah was two and very sweet. He captured her heart and helped her heal. Well, I don’t suppose she ever healed completely from losing a child but there’s a special bond between them.”

  “Her baby’s father was out of the picture?”

  “He was never in for long. She was staying with our minister when Papa hired her. She was a dirt-poor girl who fell victim to a smooth talking ne’er-do-well. I suppose anything sounded better than where she was.”

  “Happens to a lot of young women. I see why she guards you like a hawk.”

  “Up until now. For some reason, she is far too accepting of you in my opinion. I don’t understand why. You and I are just ships passing on our journeys.”

  “Not passing, Red. Right now we’re at least temporarily moored together.” He stood and held her chair. “Shall we go?”

  Chapter Five

  Now she had another problem to worry her. Sharing a room with a stranger was an odd situation. She was certain he would not try to claim his husbandly privileges or they couldn’t get an annulment. That didn’t stop her from feeling uncomfortable.

  When they reached their room, all traces of the bathtub and its contents had been removed.

  He glanced around. “Looks as if they tidied up while we were dining.”

  Judith glanced uncertainly at the door. Should she risk waking Abigail to check on her?

  As if he’d read her mind, Peyton walked to the window. “Leave your mama alone. She will let us know if she needs help. She looked exhausted when we arrived.”

  “I hardly need your advice on how I should treat her. For your information, I told her to bang on the common wall if she needs me.”

  He ignored her remark. “I’ll go down to the bar for a few minutes so you can get ready for bed. Then, we need to talk about tomorrow.”

  “Thank you, I won’t require much time.”

  When he’d gone she hurried to undress and get into her nightclothes. This trip was so unbelievable she almost felt as if someone else was here. Instead of being herself, she was simply a spectator at one side observing the odd situation.

  The man was a mystery. At least he appeared ready to do as she asked. Clearly he didn’t want her and Abigail to accompany him to Los Perdidos.

  Why hadn’t he discussed whatever was on his mind before she readied for bed? She looked down at her nightdress and realized the delicate fabric was translucent. If she wore her robe, she’d have to remove it in his presence.

  He rapped softly before he opened the door. His knock sent her hurrying to climb under the covers. When he strode into the room, his matter of fact attitude helped her calm.

  “We have decisions to make and I expect to be out at work before you wake tomorrow.” He removed his jacket and draped it around the back of a chair then did the same with his waistcoat.

  She tugged the covers higher. “I’m usually an early riser.”

  He unbuttoned his shirt and removed it and draped it over the other clothes.

  Why hadn’t she prepared herself for the fact he’d have to undress? Any calm she’d achieved fled and her discomfort increased. She should have worn her robe and sat in one of the chairs.

  No, she’d already tossed aside that idea. “What are you doing?”

  His expression was puzzled. “What’s it look like? I’m getting ready for bed. If watching embarrasses you, close your eyes or look elsewhere. I expected there would be a dressing screen in the room but there isn’t. I’m not a magician and have nowhere else.”

  She turned her head so she faced the wall. “Of course not. I… I didn’t mean to snap. I’m having trouble with this part of our partnership. I realize we have to share a room so we appear we’re a couple. That doesn’t make it easy.”

  “Pretend I’m a brother.”

  “I’ll try but I didn’t share a room with my brother. I have seen him without a shirt when we were camping or years ago when we played Indians.”

  “That you’ve been camping is helpful. Can you cook over a campfire?”

  “Yes, but not as well as Josiah and Abigail. She dislikes camping but she has gone with us on occasion and is skilled.”

  “Where did you camp?”

  “While we lived in Cheyenne, if we had time we went into the Laramie Mountains. Sometimes we only had time to go a few miles from Cheyenne.”

  The mattress dipped and she sensed him climb into bed. “Don’t worry, I left on my unmentionables. I have my notebook and some lists for us to cover.”

  When she looked, he was sitting with his back against the mahogany headboard. His broad chest was bare and she had to force herself not to stare. She couldn’t pretend he was her brother. The tingles he aroused were nothing like being close to Josiah.

  She scolded herself for her wayward thoughts. Her poor brother might have been beaten or shot and lying on his sickbed in terrible condition. This was no time for foolish schoolgirl notions.

  To match his position, she scooted so she was sitting also. Recalling her nightgown’s transparency, she pulled the sheet up as she moved to cover her bust and tucked the sheet unde
r her arms.

  She cleared her throat and tried to sound unaffected by his presence. “What are we reviewing?”

  “Tomorrow I’ll stock our supplies. I figure three days to reach there. Then, we have to have a chance to judge what’s going on and find your brother. Remember, our story is that I’m looking into buying up old Spanish land grants that haven’t been claimed.”

  “Can people still do that?”

  “They can, but the mention of it will cause waves among those who ignored them and are using the land involved. You’ll need to carry your revolver and keep your rifle at hand. I mean all the time, day and night.”

  “I will and so can Abigail. What else?”

  “The list of supplies has grown too much. Go through here and scratch out anything we can omit.”

  She ran a finger down the list. “If you plan on two men plus us three, I don’t see that you have too much of anything. If I were changing the list, it would be to add more cartridges.”

  “It’s your money, but this is going to cost a lot by the time I fit out two wagons and load all these supplies.”

  “Don’t think I’m unappreciative of your considering the costs. I’ll have enough money. The important thing is to move quickly and be well equipped for a confrontation when we arrive. If not in Los Perdidos, we’re sure to meet with resistance at or on the way to Josiah’s ranch.”

  He sent her an appreciative glance. “I’m glad you’re aware of that. We aren’t going to a church social.”

  “I’ll turn my head if you’ll give me my carpetbag please.”

  He left the bed and returned with her bag, which he placed on her lap.

  She rummaged in the hidden lining and extracted a bundle of bills. “You shouldn’t need all of this but you may have to pay the men you hire a part of the fee in advance. Don’t remind Mama she wanted to pay for herself.” She handed him the money.

  “Did you ever hear of a bank draft? Carrying this much cash is dangerous.”

  “I know, but it was the fastest way. I wasn’t certain there would always be a bank nearby. This carpetbag has a hidden pocket. Papa had it specially made while he was still in the east.”