Romancing Adrienne Read online

“It’s only for a short while. Then I’ll go to New York and you can stay here if you want. That is, of course, unless you would like to marry me. Then we can go together.”

  “Oh, well, we’re just pretending to be more than friends.”

  “Sometimes what starts as pretend can become the real thing.”

  She struggled to maintain her balance. She finally gave up and leaned against him so she wouldn’t have to fight for control over the horse. I’m not enjoying being this close to him. He’s not that exciting. “Why did you irritate the bull so he came after me?”

  “The truth?”

  She nodded.

  “I thought if I could separate you from Clark, then he would pay attention to Melissa.”

  “Why didn’t you just ask me to stay away from him? I think they go well together.”

  “You tried to get away but he wouldn’t leave you alone. I knew there was no way he’d follow you into the bathroom.”

  She admitted that he had a point. Clark had been stuck to her like glue.

  “Do you forgive me?” he asked, his breath warm against her hair.

  “I guess so, but next time, just tell me what you want instead of getting me dirty.”

  “It’s a deal.”

  They reached the stable and he helped her off the horse. Her body tingled as he held her for a moment before letting her go. She couldn’t be sure, but it seemed as if he wanted to kiss her. Disappointed, she followed him to the inn. Suddenly, she giggled.

  “What’s so funny?” he wondered, looking at her. “Do I walk wrong?”

  “No. It’s just that watching Bonnie and Trudy fawn all over you was fun.”

  “You enjoyed that, did you?”

  She shrugged. “A little.” Since she knew he wasn’t interested in them, she could see the humor in it.

  To her surprise, Bronson came out of the entrance once they reached the inn. He smiled widely at Adrienne. “Good afternoon to you, my fair Miss Dayton. I hoped I would see you.”

  She glanced uneasily at him, unsure of how to handle the situation.

  Three other single men came up to her.

  “I was wondering if you would allow me the honor of courting you?” Bronson asked. “I think you might find staying here to your liking, and I sure do like a woman who knows her way around the kitchen.”

  “I want someone who can give me lots of children,” another man told her. “You look like you have nice birthing hips.”

  “When you’re not hideously dressed, you make a beautiful ornament,” an older man said. “I can put you on display for all my friends to admire.”

  “No, no, no,” the final one protested. “She’ll make a perfect bed partner on all those cold, lonely nights.”

  “Wait a minute there, gentlemen,” Trevor interrupted. “We’ve got something to settle. I’m courting her.”

  “But she’s not married,” Bronson stated. “Courtships aren’t final.”

  “Yep,” another man agreed. “Unless you’re married, we fully intended to come by with tokens of our affections.”

  Adrienne stared at the four men in wonder. Were they serious? Perhaps it was time to move things up a notch.

  “Aren’t you going to tell them?” she asked Trevor.

  Trevor raised his eyebrows. “Tell them what?”

  “About your proposal?”

  The men frowned.

  “Does she mean a marriage proposal?” Bronson inquired.

  Trevor adjusted his hat and grinned. “Sorry to break your hearts, men, but she’s right. I did ask her to marry me. She didn’t give me an answer though.” Looking at her, he asked, “Should I take this as a yes?”

  It’s only pretend. She knew that he was helping her out, just as she was helping him, but the idea of an actual proposal thrilled her. Though why it did, she couldn’t understand. She had no intention of marrying, did she?

  Taking a deep breath, she nodded. “Yes.” So it was a fake proposal and a fake yes, but her heart was beating furiously in her chest.

  “I had no idea. I apologize to both of you,” Bronson replied, looking glum.

  After the grumbling men left so they could be alone, Trevor commented, “Marriage is romantic, don’t you think?”

  “It’s not like we’re really getting married.”

  He hesitated for a moment as he glanced at the sky. “Maybe we should get married. What do you think?”

  “Are you serious or are we pretending?”

  Taking her in his arms, he whispered, “Why do you find it hard to believe I honestly want to be with you?”

  The question caught her off guard. Struggling to come up with a proper answer, she said, “Because no man has wanted to be with me unless they wanted something from me.”

  “You are someone worth being appreciated and loved. Don’t I treat you better than the other men?” He gently kissed her.

  She pulled him closer as he deepened the kiss. He felt so wonderful. Her pulse quickened.

  He gently pulled away from her when the kiss ended. “After your history with men, it’s understandable that you feel the way you do. I want you to know that I do care about you.”

  “Really?”

  “Yes.”

  “You are a wonderful man, Trevor. I do enjoy being with you.”

  “I’m glad to hear that.” He kissed her again.

  She let him take her hand.

  Before they entered the inn, Mrs. Gallows burst through the door, excitement written all over her face. “Is it true? Have you reconciled and plan on marrying?”

  Adrienne didn’t hide her surprise. When did Bronson have time to spread the news?

  Trevor put his arm around Adrienne’s shoulders and pulled her close to him. “It is. We realized that our petty differences shouldn’t drive us from the love we share. After all, marriage is hard work, but it’s worthwhile work.”

  “I’m so thrilled! I can tell when two people love each other. I’ll arrange for the preacher to marry you after the church service. It won’t be anything fancy.”

  Her eyes widened. Tomorrow?

  “As long as I have the love of my life in my arms, I don’t care what kind of ceremony it is.” He grinned at her.

  “Adrienne, since you’re the bride, you’re not allowed to cook,” Mrs. Gallows said. “You have to enjoy being with the groom.”

  He squeezed her shoulders. “You heard it straight from Mrs. Gallows. You have to enjoy me.”

  Mrs. Gallows ran back into the inn.

  “We’re going to have a lot of fun together.” He winked at her. “Stay here. I want to get you something.”

  Before she could ask him what he was getting, he ran into the inn. While she waited, wondering if they were still pretending or not, someone hit her on the head and she went unconscious.

  Chapter Seventeen

  Adrienne’s head pounded as she became aware of her surroundings. She sat on a wooden chair, and her hands were tied behind her back and her legs were tied to the chair so she couldn’t go anywhere. Opening her eyes, she noticed that she was in a small, dusty cabin. The only pieces of furniture in the place were a couple of wood chairs and a wobbly table. Two full sacks rested on the floor in the corner of the room. Most likely, they contained a sizable bounty.

  “I can’t believe you brought her here,” a man with a gruff voice said. “We were supposed to be on our way west.”

  She recognized the speaker as one of the train robbers. They were talking outside the cabin.

  “This is why she’s here.” The other man, most likely the one with the birthmark, replied. “Her father is rich, and he’s posted a reward for anyone who brings her to him. I’ve already notified him that we found her. I’m sure he’ll reply and then we’ll go to San Francisco to drop her off. Then we continue to our destination.”

  “It’s risky to stay in this area. We’re wanted men.”

  “You saw those jewels she came with. Can you imagine how much her father is worth?”

  The
other man loudly sighed. “We have to stay hidden here. Don’t go into town unless you’re in disguise…and only go to check for a letter from her father.”

  “That’s my plan.”

  She closed her eyes. Her father would want to get her back. She tested the ropes on her hands and legs that held her firmly in place. She wasn’t going anywhere unless they wanted her to. Glancing at the table, she noticed the paper with a drawing of her on it. She shook her head to get her hair out of her eyes. Frowning, she remembered that she had pulled her hair back with one of Bonnie’s barrettes. Apparently, it fell off when the men abducted her.

  Her chair scraped against the old wood floor as she moved it closer to the table to read the paper. She stilled as soon as she realized the men stopped talking. The door opened and the two robbers came into the cabin. She glimpsed the evening sky behind the filthy men.

  “Hello, Miss Dayton,” the one with the birthmark said. “It turns out you’re worth a pretty penny. I bet you’re hungry. I got some jerky. Want some?”

  “Mark, don’t talk to the prisoner,” his companion warned.

  “Oh come on, Lenny. It’s going to take at least a week before we hear from her pa. We should feed her.”

  Her stomach grew queasy at the prospect of spending a week or more with these men.

  “Now, don’t worry, Miss,” Mark told her. “We won’t hurt you. We’re only after your pa’s reward. He misses you terribly.”

  She blinked back the tears from her eyes. Neither being with these men nor returning to Mr. Parker appealed to her.

  “That’s enough, Mark. Let her be.” Lenny checked on her ropes to make sure she was secure. “Alright. Let’s get some water for her. The river isn’t far from here. I got a container on my horse.”

  After they left, she broke down and cried. The daylight faded into night. At least, they weren’t going to hurt her. She should be grateful for that much. She would never see Trevor or Mr. and Mrs. Gallows or Mrs. Harper again. Her brief stay in Virginia would soon be a memory, and a life of a loveless marriage loomed before her.

  Sometime after Mark and Lenny returned with food and jerky for her, they went back outside to their tent, leaving her with a single candle for light. The shadows spooked her, though she was determined not to show her fear and scream for someone to keep her company. She was better off alone with her imagination than with them.

  It was in the middle of the night when she heard a loud disturbance from outside the cabin. Her senses alert, she listened for what the sounds might mean. Some shouting and a series of gunshots jerked her up in her seat. When someone threw open the door, she shrieked, first in fear and then in relief. It was the sheriff!

  “Don’t worry, Miss Dayton,” he told her as he untied her hands and legs. “We got the crooks. They’ll be safely behind bars.”

  Her body was stiff from hours of being bound to one place.

  “Fortunately, that Lewis boy found the barrette you were wearing or else we wouldn’t have tracked you down as soon as we did. Are you hurt?”

  “No.” She rubbed her wrists, grateful to be free. “Is Trevor here?” Her heart leapt in hopes of seeing him.

  “He was but Jim had to ride him back to town. One of the crooks shot him.”

  “What? Is he…?” She couldn’t say the word ‘dead’. She couldn’t even think it. Her heart pounded anxiously in her chest.

  “He’s still alive. The doctor will remove his bullet, but it’s too soon to tell if he’ll make it.”

  “I have to go see him.”

  “We don’t have a doctor in town so Richie had to go to the next town over for one.”

  Would the fact that they had to wait for the doctor put Trevor’s life in danger? Irritated that she wasted this much time talking to the sheriff, she insisted that he take her to the inn right away.

  “Deputy Harvey will take you. I have to take the two men in once I find the money they stole.”

  “Over there, in the corner.” She quickly pointed to the two sacks before she ran to find Harvey who had tied the two men to the horses so they couldn’t escape. “Deputy, please take me back to the inn right away!”

  He nodded and did as she requested.

  ***

  When Adrienne entered Trevor’s room at the inn, the middle-aged doctor was beside Trevor who lay on the bed, groaning and clutching his bleeding chest. The doctor set his medical bag on the nightstand.

  “Is she alright? Did they get her out of the cabin?” Trevor weakly asked, sweat covering his body as he gasped for air.

  She marveled that he could think of her at a time like this.

  “Trevor, you need to conserve your energy,” the doctor gently reprimanded him. “I was told that she’s fine.”

  “I’m here,” she spoke up.

  The group of five people turned to her. She noted the look of relief on Trevor’s face.

  Mrs. Gallows shouted with glee and ran to hug her. “Thank goodness, you’re safe! We feared the worst when Trevor said you were missing. You’ve got yourself a hero. He insisted on joining the sheriff and his men in finding you.”

  “There you go,” the doctor told his groaning patient. “She’s fine. Now, we have to get you well.” He glanced at the observers. “Mr. Gallows, get me some alcohol to help deaden the pain and sterile my instruments, and I’ll need a couple of strong men to hold him down. He’ll most likely fight me while I remove the bullet. Mrs. Gallows and Miss,” he looked at Adrienne, “get me lots of fresh towels and several bowls of water. We’re going to have to move quickly.”

  She numbly moved forward, her mind mechanically following the doctor’s instructions. Was Trevor really that close to death? She hadn’t seen anyone who’d been shot before. She and Mrs. Gallows grabbed clean towels and poured water into a couple of clean bowls. Returning to the room, they set them near the doctor who was using a washcloth to rub some alcohol on his scalpel. She quickly left to get three more small bowls of water. She didn’t know how much to get but when she returned and set them on the nightstand, she figured there were enough.

  She cringed at the sight of Trevor squirming on the bed. She hadn’t had such a clear view of him before. She couldn’t tell exactly where the bullet was, but it looked dangerously close to his left lung. He groaned and gripped the sheets, his face contorted in pain. She backed to the side of the room. She was aware that three strong men were with Mr. Gallows by the bed, ready to hold Trevor to the bed.

  Mrs. Gallows came over to her. “We should go to the parlor. There’s no sense in being here.”

  Adrienne couldn’t move. Though she wanted to look away, she couldn’t.

  The doctor nodded at the men. “Mr. Gallows, put this belt in his mouth so he can clamp down on it as I remove the bullet. The rest of you, hold him down. I need him to be as still as possible. I don’t want to make a mistake.”

  The men grabbed Trevor who fought against them.

  The doctor glanced at the women. “I need one of you to give me the bandages over there when I’m done. I’ll need another one of you to tear off the tape.”

  Glad to be doing something, Adrienne hastened to grab the bandages.

  “The doctor said the bullet missed his lungs and heart,” Mrs. Gallows whispered. “It looks worse than it is.”

  She closed her eyes and said a brief prayer of thanks.

  “Everyone ready?” the doctor asked.

  The men nodded.

  “Alright. Trevor, try to stay still. This is going to hurt.”

  She wasn’t prepared for Trevor’s screams when the doctor made the incision. Despite the fact that he tried to get away from the scalpel, the men held him firmly in place. She had to look away. It was hard to see him in that much pain. She heard the doctor throw the bullet in the bowl but she couldn’t look at it. As long as she kept her focus on the clock in the corner of the room, she wouldn’t feel faint.

  Suddenly, Trevor stopped screaming and moving. She gasped and looked over at him.

&n
bsp; “He’s unconscious but alive,” Mrs. Gallows gently assured her.

  She breathed a sigh of relief. Thank You, God. He’s still alive.

  The doctor closed up his wound with stitches and she handed him the bandages when he asked for them. Then Mrs. Gallows gave him the tape. She helped Mrs. Gallows clean up the blood, which wasn’t as much as she thought there would be.

  The doctor handed Adrienne a bottle of pills. “Have him take two pills every four to six hours for the pain for the first two days. After that, he can go to every eight to twelve hours until the bottle is empty. He should feel fine in five to seven days, but he won’t be carrying you over the threshold. Give him time to heal from his wound.”

  She nodded. It felt strange to be responsible for taking care of him. I should expect it. People think we’re engaged. She glanced at him. He was still asleep. When he wakes up, he’ll be in a lot of pain. She made a mental note to get a glass of water to help him swallow the pills.

  Mrs. Gallows patted her shoulder. “I’ll bring in a cot for you to sleep on. I’m sure he’ll want you here when he wakes up.”

  “Thank you, Mrs. Gallows.” Her head was still spinning but she was certainly in better shape than Trevor was. She sat in the chair next to his bed as everyone left the room. Everything happened so fast. Earlier that day, Trevor was shooting a bull with a pebble to get Clark away from her, then she got abducted by the criminals, and now he was asleep on his bed after surgery. She didn’t know what to think, but she realized she almost lost him and she didn’t like that.

  Chapter Eighteen

  The first thought Trevor had when he woke up was that the sunlight was hitting his eyes again. The second thought was that he felt pain radiating from the lower left side of chest. He willed the pain away but it only intensified. When he opened his eyes, he squinted in the bright sunlight. What happened to him? He tried to sit up but the sharp stab of pain made him lay back down. He groaned and rubbed his eyes. What happened last night?

  He took a deep breath and slowly exhaled. It did little to ease the pain. The memories of the previous night filtered through his thoughts. A doctor had been in his room. One minute the doctor was cutting into him, and then everything went black and his pain went away. Only, the pain is still here, though not nearly as bad. Adrienne had been there in the room, so she was safe. He had never been as scared as he was when he realized she was missing. But she made it. She was right here.