An Agent For Delaney Read online

  “Thank you, I will; and we’ll figure these murders out in short order.”

  “All aboard,” the conductor called.

  Delaney and Griff boarded and found the compartment Archie had reserved for them. He wanted his couples to be able to get more acquainted and discuss the case in private. So he’d said. They’d have one on the train from Colorado Springs to Breckenridge also.

  Griff stored his and Delaney’s carpetbags on the racks above their head. The train lurched forward, causing him to fall onto the seat across from Delaney.

  “Graceful, are we?” Mischief filled her eyes and a grin pulled at her lips.

  Griff grinned back. “When I can be. Standing while a train starts moving doesn’t lend itself to being overly graceful.”

  Delaney opened her pocketbook and took out the papers about the case Archie had given her. “Do you have yours on you?”

  “Yes.” Griff opened his overcoat and drew them from an interior pocket. “Have you read them?”

  “Yes. I’m wondering what the motive is for the murders, if they are murders or just an unfortunate set of deaths in a short time.”

  “I agree. A motive needs to be established. There isn’t much information about the deceased that we can sort into groups or commonalities. Seems we’ll have to get that from the sheriff or gather it ourselves.” Griff studied the page listing the names, occupation, and date of death. A few had the cause of death or the place the body was found.

  They spent some time reviewing what information they had, then, as Griff wrote in his notebook, he noticed that Delaney was very quiet. He glanced up and noticed that she had fallen asleep.

  She’s very beautiful. More beautiful than I deserve. He put his notebook and pencil away and simply looked at her. She was so delicately boned he thought a stiff wind might blow her over. The days on the trail would be difficult for her. He’d roughed it before, knew what hardships and dangers there were.

  Would she be able to handle them? He’d make sure she carried a knife with her and he’d be teaching her to shoot as soon as they camped the first night.

  Griff began cataloging what they’d need for the trail in addition to what Archie had supplied them with. He hoped he’d be able to find a covered wagon. He didn’t relish sleeping under a wagon and knew Delaney wouldn’t.

  As he sat thinking and watching her, his eyelids fell shut as the rocking of the rail car slipped him into sleep.

  With the time between arriving in Colorado Springs and their departure, Griff had placed his hand on Delaney’s back and guided her across from the station to a café. She tried to hide the tear in the finger of her glove, but he’d seen it.

  “We’ll go get you a new pair before we leave town. I believe we’ll have time.” Griff waved to the waitress and inquired about where he could get gloves.

  “No need, Griff. I can mend them,” Delaney said as soon as the waitress left the table.

  “Them? Both gloves have holes?” He held out his hand and wiggled the fingers, indicating he wanted to see the gloves.

  Reluctantly, Delaney handed them over. She knew they were worn. The seams on one finger of each glove had torn open when she carried her carpetbag to the train and grabbed the hand bar to climb aboard.

  “These won’t do for our journey, whether you mend them or not. The fingertips are almost worn through.”

  Griff hurried her through the meal and they set off up the street to a mercantile recommended by the waitress. Delaney pursed her lips wanting to argue but could tell he wouldn’t listen to her.

  “What else might you need? Why didn’t you mention this to Marianne? I’m sure she would have gotten you gloves had she known.” Griff stood back as they approached the store and looked her up and down. Not that he would be able to tell anything with her coat and hat on.

  “At least your hat is practical.” It was a velvet bonnet with a moderate brim shading her face. It covered her hair entirely as well as her ears.

  “I have what I need. I can mend the gloves,” Delaney protested.

  “You can, but you need a stronger pair. Those are more dress gloves than ones appropriate for holding reins or other jobs on the trail. Come on. Let’s get this done and back to the station. I don’t want to miss our train.”

  In the mercantile, Griff walked up to the counter and asked to see youth hide gloves. The clerk laid several pairs on the counter. Studying them, Griff handed a pair to Delaney. “Try these. They look sturdy enough.”

  Delaney bit her lip. She didn’t have enough money to pay for the gloves. “Mine will be fine, Griff, please.”

  Griff studied her with a firm look on his face. He leaned down and whispered in her ear, “They are a wedding gift from me. Don’t worry about the cost.”

  Dropping her head, cheeks flaming, Delaney pulled the gloves on. They were stiff black leather, much heavier than the ones she wore, but they fit.

  “We’ll take these.” Griff then asked for wool scarves and several pairs of wool socks for each of them. “Never can have enough wool socks.”

  They paid the merchant and Griff carried the bundle as they left. The train was just pulling into the station as they climbed the steps to the platform. Delaney let him assist her onto the train and close the door of their compartment behind him.

  “Why didn’t you tell Archie you had no money? He would have made sure you did.” Griff stood above her as she sat. It made her feel like a naughty child.

  “I have some money, just not enough to pay for the gloves.” Tears gathered in Delaney’s eyes. She looked out the window and blinked rapidly to hide them from him.

  Griff sat across from her. “I’m sorry. I’m not angry, just concerned that you’ll be unprepared for the days we will be traveling by wagon. It will be cold and tough. I’ve done this before. You’ve been gently raised and haven’t a clue how difficult it will be.”

  Delaney didn’t argue with him about being gently raised. He was correct that she didn’t know anything about traveling by wagon.

  “I hope to find a covered wagon in Breckenridge. That will keep us from having to sleep under an open wagon. When we get there, we’ll spend a day or so getting the wagon and horses, as well as going over what we have that we’ll need for the days on the trail. What we don’t have, we’ll buy. I’ve got Agency funds.”

  “The Agency shouldn’t have to pay for my accessories or my clothing.” Delaney sniffed and pulled out her handkerchief, wiping her nose.

  Griff leaned forward. “Delaney, there is a reason for you to have the kind of gloves we bought today. They are much tougher gloves than you would normally ever need. You can mend your gloves and wear them in Tuckertown. I simply don’t want you to damage your hands or get frostbitten fingers.”

  Delaney studied him, trying to decide whether he was speaking sincerely or not. Deciding he was, she murmured, “Thank you.”

  Chapter Five

  Griff headed from the hotel, where he’d left Delaney, to go to the livery. He hoped there would be a covered wagon and horses he could either buy or rent. Once they solved the case, they’d be bringing it back and leaving it in town, but he didn’t know how long it would take.

  He’d left Delaney with the task of sorting through her things to get the warmest, most sturdy clothing she had to wear as they traveled. His clothing was already in his carpetbag. The trunk with their supplies needed to be checked also. He wanted to be sure they weren’t short on anything in case they got delayed by weather or a breakdown of the wagon.

  A man sat outside the livery smoking a pipe. “Hello, what can I do for you?”

  Griff explained his needs and was soon dickering with the livery owner over the price to rent the rig for an undetermined length of time. The owner would bring it to the hotel the day after tomorrow. Griff wanted to have time to get whatever they needed.

  When he got back to the hotel, Delaney had her trunk open and garments and other items spread out on the bed. “What is all this?” He pointed to a coupl
e of wooden cases sitting on the washstand. “Why did you bring these? More warm clothes would have been a better choice.”

  The look Delaney gave him said she wasn’t pleased with his question or comment. “I’ll need these when we get to Tuckertown. If there’s been poisoning, I’ll use the chemicals and equipment in those to test for the kind of poison used, if there is any.”

  “I see.” Griff looked at the items on the bed. Most were clothing. He picked up a rolled tapestry and untied the ribbon. Inside in a variety of pockets were her brush and comb, toothbrush and powder, soap. He didn’t get a chance to see what else as she snatched it away and rolled it back up.

  “You can ask what my things are rather than pawing through them.” She set the roll on the washstand.

  Griff scratched his chin. Okay, I guess I just look and don’t touch. He went back to studying what was on the bed. Her garments were well made yet showed wear and evidence of mending. They were made of wool, and plain, serviceable.

  A white quilted garment caught his eye. It was folded and he couldn’t tell what it might be. Picking it up, he shook out the folds. It was a pair of quilted bloomers. Just as he was going to ask why she had them, Delaney grabbed them. She stabbed him with her eyes.

  “Can’t you keep your hands to yourself? You’re worse than a child.” With jerky movements she folded them and tucked them under a skirt.

  “Why do you have bloomers? I thought they’d gone out of style.”

  With a huff, Delaney stood still. “You keep warning me that it will be cold and I need to dress warmly. Those will do that. I’ll wear them under my skirts. Is that all right with you, or do you have an objection to my wearing them? I can’t seem to please you with what I’ve brought for the case or my clothing.”

  Griff thought back over the last few days. He had been critical of her clothing. All he was trying to do was keep her safe and healthy. She knew he didn’t truly approve of female agents. That he hadn’t wanted to marry her, even for a few weeks.

  A thought came to him. I wonder if she wanted to marry me to be an agent? It hadn’t occurred to him before that the women who hoped to be agents might not want to marry a stranger any more than the men did. That they would feel vulnerable and uncomfortable living with a man they didn’t know. Maybe he should be more understanding. He really didn’t know her very well. Only that she had been a nurse during the war and gone to college.

  The condition of her clothing, with their wear and mending, indicated that she wasn’t from a wealthy family. Yet, she’d been able to attend and graduate from college. He wondered how that had been possible.

  Rather than address his wondering, Griff changed the topic. “I was able to rent a covered wagon.” He explained what they would do the following day, and that they would leave to go to Tuckertown the next.

  “I’ll finish with my things and pack the trunk, then shall we go through the supplies so you know what, if anything, we’ll need to get?”

  Griff stepped around the bed and placed his hand on her arm. That tingle went up it again, just as it did every time he touched her. “I’m sorry I’ve been so disagreeable. I’m not normally like that. This situation makes me uncomfortable, and I seem to be taking it out on you. I’ll adjust my attitude and try to be more pleasant.”

  A slight smile lit Delaney’s face. “How about you focus your irritation on Archie? He’s the one who placed us in this situation. That’s what I’m doing. At least, until you open your mouth.”

  Griff chuckled and grinned at her. “A very good idea, my dear. I’ll do just that.”

  They’d gone through the supplies, and Griff now had a list of things he thought they didn’t have enough of or not at all. He’d said they would shop for them tomorrow, but Delaney didn’t know if she should go along or not. She didn’t have money to purchase anything, wanting to save what little she still had. Then again, it might be fun to go and simply look. With little free time over the past few years, as well as little spending money, she hadn’t even gone to window shop.

  When they’d finished, Griff had escorted her down to the dining room where they ate supper. They’d made a game of describing the other people in the room and having the other guess which person it was. It had been fun, and they’d laughed a lot. He’d complimented her on her observation skills and apt descriptions. His praise delighted her, giving her a warmth within she hoped would stay with her.

  Now, Delaney was alone in the hotel room getting ready for bed. Griff had, thoughtfully, gone down to the lobby, giving her time to change and get into bed before he came back.

  Dressed in a warm flannel nightgown, her hair braided, and a cap on to keep her head warm, Delaney climbed under the covers. She wondered if Griff would say anything about how she’d changed the bed.

  The key turning in the lock had her staring wide-eyed at the door as Griff entered.

  “You’re all set, I see. I’ll just go behind the dressing screen.” He left off what he would be doing there. She knew and closed her eyes, even though there was no way she could see what he was doing.

  Heat flamed her cheeks. This was so embarrassing. A man was going to get into the bed with her. He might legally be her husband, but it didn’t feel like it to her.

  When Griff came from changing, Delaney kept her eyes closed. Or tried to. Without wanting to, her eyes opened to just slits, and she watched him lay his folded clothing on a chair. He had on a nightshirt, black socks, and a cap. When he turned toward the bed, she closed her eyes, not wanting him to know she was peeking.

  The lamp went out, and the mattress leaned as he got into bed. Delaney lay on her back, gripping the covers to her chin.

  “What is this?” Griff pushed and fumbled with the blankets, then sat up. “Did you do something to this bed?”

  “Yes.”

  “What? I’m up against something.”

  “I remade the bed, at least the sheets. I folded the top and bottom sheets in half and placed the folds in the middle. That way we are separated while we sleep, but still have all the blankets on us.”

  Griff snorted, lay back, then turned toward her. “That’s hardly fair, you know. You’re smaller than me but have half of the bed. Shouldn’t I get more of the mattress than you?” She could hear his teasing tone.

  “Two people, one half each. I don’t see where size makes a difference.” Delaney grinned into the darkness.

  “You wouldn’t, I’m sure. We’ll see how things go. I tend to spread over the entire bed.”

  “That’s why I changed the arrangement of the sheets. I want my fair share.”

  Griff chuckled. “Your fair share, huh?”

  When he didn’t say any more, Delaney turned on her side away from him and tried to go to sleep.

  Griff studied Delaney’s face as they sat across the breakfast table from each other. There were dark smudges under her eyes and fatigue marked her features. He knew she’d had trouble sleeping as her tossing and turning had kept him awake also. The tightness of the folded sheet hadn’t been very comfortable either. Well, today they’d be shopping and finalizing their preparations for leaving town tomorrow.

  They’d both be tired tonight. Maybe that would help them sleep. Once they were on the trail, there wouldn’t be a sheet between them. They’d be much closer and needing the warmth of the other.

  Wanting to gentle her to his touch, Griff held her hand rather than having it on his elbow as they walked to the mercantile. The list was in his pocket. Most of what they would be buying was food stuffs; canned goods, eggs, flour, meat, canned milk. The trunk Archie had supplied them with had the implements they’d need for cooking as well as the tools and goods they’d need for the trip.

  At the mercantile, Griff dealt with the clerk while Delaney wandered around, looking at the various items in the store. When he turned to speak with her, the delicacy of her form struck him again. She was quite thin. As they’d walked, the wind blowing had caused her to shiver with cold. How could I take her across the mou
ntains and through the passes without her freezing to death?

  The coat she wore was adequate for town use. They’d be out in the mountains where the wind would whip, cutting through the trees and layers of clothing. Griff had picked up her coat, helping her put it on. He knew it was worn and thinner than he’d expected. Delaney would never say anything about how inadequate it might be. She also didn’t understand the weather and ruggedness of the terrain they’d be traveling through.

  Griff went to her. “Come, I want you to try something on.”

  “I’m fine, Griff. I don’t need anything.”

  “Humor me.” He pasted his firmest expression on his face. She sighed and followed him. Shelves holding folded red and black plaid wool coats was his destination.

  Griff dug through them, finally pulling one out. “Try this on.” When Delaney began unbuttoning her coat, he stopped her. “Over your coat.”

  “But...”

  “No, just put it on.” He grinned when she shot him an aggravated look. Once it was buttoned, he asked, “Is it too tight for you to move around?”

  “It’s fine.”

  Griff bit his lip to keep from laughing. She sounded like his five-year-old nephew being petulant. He grabbed her hands and lifted her arms, moving them in all directions. Deciding her movements were somewhat restricted, he unbuttoned the coat. Leaving her to remove it, he dug through the coats again, finding a larger one. It was still one of the smallest.

  “Here, try this.” She obeyed and he repeated the testing of her ability to move. Satisfied, Griff ordered, “Leave it on. Consider it a gift from Archie,” and went to pay for their purchases.

  Delaney was standing where he left her, looking at the floor. That she was upset at his highhandedness was obvious. He wasn’t going to talk with her about it now. He’d wait until they were back in their room.

  The walk back to the hotel was done in silence. Griff thought how he could explain to her the necessity of getting her the coat without wounding her pride more than he already had. She was a very intelligent, capable person. That she’d worked as a nurse during the war at such a young age and graduated from college said a lot about her character as well as her ability. Then he thought about the interactions they’d had, getting to know one another.