Love Travels West Book 1: Westbound

Always do right. This will gratify some people and astonish the rest. —Mark Twain

“Miz Preston.”

Dannie was sitting on a bench outside the hotel, paging through her Bible but glancing up and down the street every few seconds. Hours had passed since her arrival in Clearbrook, and she was as confused as ever about what to do next.

She pulled herself out of her thoughts to look at the man who was walking down the street toward her. At last.

Abner Shaw was his name, and he was the hotel owner’s nephew. His tired, dust-covered face was all smiles and joy. Half an hour ago, he had been a total stranger to her. Now, he was her one hope of survival.

“Yes, Mr. Shaw?”

“We’re in luck. The wires are up, and the telegram got through. The reverend replied that the teacher’s position is still open, and if yer satisfied with the pay, the job is yours.”

For one moment, pure relief flooded Dannie’s soul. Then the moment passed.

“Mr. Shaw, this is indeed good news, but how shall I get to Hopewing?”

“Don’t worry ’bout that, Miz Preston. There’s someone who can take you there, and it won’t cost you a penny.”

Mr. Shaw opened the hotel’s front door for her, but Dannie hesitated.

All of this seemed too good to be true. What were the odds that this man, Mr. Abner Shaw, who just happened to be passing through Clearbrook, would know of another town that was looking for a teacher? What were the odds that he would also know of someone who could take her to that town for free?

What if he was a bad man, trying to trick her for his own evil reasons?

Dannie’s thoughts flew back to the dead judge. The sheriff was dead too, they said. She remembered Margaret’s dire warnings about the outlaws and gunmen who crawled all over the Wild West.

Going out there will be the last thing you do! Her friend’s parting words rang in her ears.

“Miz Preston, are you coming?”

“Where does this free ride come from?” Dannie dared to ask.

“My partner will be returning to that part of the Territory and will pass by Hopewing. He can drop you off.”

“Your partner?”

“The man who was with me when I first arrived. I’m sure you must have noticed him when we came into the hotel?”

“Oh, him.” Dannie remembered the dirty man with an unshaven face and a haystack of a hairstyle.

“He ain’t seen a copper tub in a while, but he’s a good man. I’ve been working with him for the past two years and can vouch he’s as honest and brave as they come.”

This was high praise, to be sure, but it was coming from a man she’d only met half an hour ago. Yes, this Mr. Shaw was supposedly the nephew of the couple who owned Callaway’s, but she had only met the hotel owners themselves this very morning.

What if they were all conspiring against her?

“Miz Preston, I swear on my mother’s grave, if anyone can get you to Hopewing safe and in one piece, it’s my partner, Jake.”

Dannie looked into the soft brown eyes of Abner Shaw. What choice did she really have, at this point? It was either stay in this town, where judges and sheriffs were shot within days of each other, or travel out into the wilderness with a strange man.

At least, the latter option would take her to paid work that also provided room and board.

Unless Abner was lying to her, of course.

Dannie took a deep breath and walked through the door that was still being held open for her. “Mr. Shaw, take me to meet your partner.”

***

Jake hadn’t wanted to come out to Clearbrook. It was a large railroad town where people came and went, day and night—exactly the kind of place to bump into someone or to have someone bump into you.

But the boss needed the yearlings sold, and Sam was sick. That left Jake as the only one who could be trusted to do the job.

The plan was simple: check into Abner’s aunt’s hotel, sell the yearlings, restock on supplies, and head out at dawn tomorrow.

His partner—former partner—Abner had promised to take care of the supplies for Jake even though Abner wasn’t returning to the Cora Belle Ranch. No, Abner was hopping on a train to Santa Fe to go and propose to the girl he loved—the girl he was convinced was still waiting for him after all this time.

Abner would have married her years ago, but the girl’s grandfather had set himself against the match, for one reason or another. Now, news had leaked out that the old grandfather was dead—and Abner was going off to claim his sweetheart.

In Jake’s opinion, this was a fool’s errand.

But Abner was gullible that way. He believed that women were trustworthy. He believed that if a girl promised something, she meant it.

Jake knew better.

Anyway, Jake was glad of Abner’s help with the supplies. It meant that all Jake had to do was take the yearlings to the buyer and lie low in the hotel for the rest of the time. With good luck, no one would notice him.

Jake was just sitting down to lunch, his first decent meal in days, when the door to the hotel opened.

Out of the corner of his eye, Jake saw Abner enter. He was followed by the only other resident of the hotel, a woman Abner’s uncle had pointed out when Jake and Abner had checked in. She had been sitting reading in the back room, and she had barely looked up.

Of course, Abner must have introduced himself to her before he went on his errands. He was always in everybody’s business.

Jake focused all his attention on his stew in the vain hope that whatever the two were up to, it would not involve him.

Unfortunately, the pair marched straight to where he sat. Abner pulled a chair out for the woman before taking another himself.

“Jake,” he said, “I want you to meet Danielle Preston. Miz Preston, this here is Jake, my partner from the ranch.”

Jake grunted in greeting, his eyes fixed on his food. He had zero interest in making the acquaintance of Miss Danielle Preston, or any other woman in this world.