Renegade Page 3

  Dear Miss Travis,

  Would you be free for a carriage ride in the country on Sunday?

  If so, I will call for you at one o’clock. Please wear sensible shoes, as we may decide to walk a bit.

  If you are otherwise engaged, we can perhaps find another time. Please reply at your earliest convenience by sending the bellboy, Tommy, with your answer.

  Sincerely,

  Cody Daniels

  Lily blushed, then she bristled. Just who did he think he was? And what was the meaning of this sudden invitation? She could take it any one of several ways. And how dare he order her about! Wear sensible shoes indeed. She spent her days in sensible shoes waiting on people like him. If she chose to indulge herself by wearing impractical, beautiful shoes on her days off, that was no business of his. She crumpled the note in her hand, stuffed it in her pocket, and sat down to finish her supper.

  But later that evening after she and Emma had changed and come down to the room off the lobby reserved for writing letters or quiet reading, she smoothed out the paper, scrawled a one-word reply on the bottom, tucked it back into the envelope, and stood. “I’m going to stretch my legs a bit before bedtime,” she said. “See you upstairs.”

  Emma was engrossed in her novel, so she simply waved her hand, acknowledging she had heard, before turning the page of her book.

  Lily crossed the plaza and approached the jail. Once again, there was no light in the window, but this time, she had no need of a direct encounter with the sheriff. She glanced around, making sure she was not being observed, and slid the envelope under the door before hurrying back to the hotel.

  * * *

  Cody spotted the envelope as soon as he returned from making his evening rounds. It still showed his writing, and the flap was tucked in as he’d done before sending it. Did she open it or reject it out of hand? Of course, how would she know it was from him unless Tommy had told her? He’d instructed the bellboy to simply place it in her mail slot. He was about to toss the envelope in the trash, certain she had told Tommy to return to sender, when he noticed the crumpled condition of the note as if it had been returned to the envelope in haste. He frowned. So she had opened it—and read it. He ripped open the envelope, saw his message in his large scrawl and, just below his name, a single word.

  Yes.

  No signature.

  Cody smiled. He had convinced her to step out with him, although he was pretty sure she understood this was purely business—a cover to allow them to talk more about Jake and the two men. He’d thought there would be a chance for them to talk at lunch, but he’d quickly understood that would never work. Still, he had to find a way to convince her to stay out of the situation. If Jake was in some kind of trouble—and everything so far indicated he was—Lily Travis was the last person anyone needed meddling in the matter.

  He slipped the note in his desk drawer and headed to the livery to reserve a buggy for Sunday afternoon. Then he walked to the back entrance of the hotel and asked one of the cooks to send Jake out so they could talk but without letting on who was waiting. He wanted to watch Jake’s actions when—or if—he decided to show. The kitchen manager’s encounter with the two strangers had occurred about this same time of night.

  Several minutes later, Jake stepped to the doorway and looked around, wiping his hands on a towel. After a minute, he edged out the door. Cody had taken a seat on a bench where he would be half hidden from Jake’s view. He could see the kitchen manager, though, and he knew the exact moment Jake spotted him. That’s when he stood and revealed himself. Cody had the information he’d sought. Jake Collier was as nervous as a horse facing a rattlesnake.

  “Jake, I won’t take much of your time,” Cody said when they were close enough to speak in low tones and not be overheard.

  “If this is about those two…” Jake blustered.

  “This is about Lily,” Cody replied quietly.

  That got Jake’s full attention. “What about her? Has she…did those men…?”

  “I came to let you know I’m taking Lily out for a buggy ride Sunday afternoon. I didn’t want you thinking what most will think—that me and her are stepping out in a…that I’m courting her.”

  “Why would that matter to me? You know well as I do there’s nothing but friendship between Lily and me.”

  Cody wondered if whatever Jake was mixed up in had something to do with trying to make enough money to leave his job at the hotel—to maybe get away from such close contact with Lily. “Look, Jake, everybody knows you’ve got feelings for her. I just didn’t want you thinkin’ I was ignoring that.”

  “Then what’s your reason for taking her for a Sunday ride?”

  “I hope to talk some sense into her. You and I both know she has a leaning toward being pigheaded, and whatever you may think, she has feelings for you. Maybe not the kind of feelings you have for her, but she cares, Jake. My guess is that means she’s not going to stay out of whatever business you’ve gotten mixed up in.”

  “She won’t listen,” Jake said miserably. “You shoulda heard her that day you hauled Grace off to jail.”

  Cody nodded. “I’ve had one or two run-ins with her myself. The thing is, Jake, we need to come up with a story that will make her think she’s got nothing to worry about.”

  “What kind of story?”

  Cody met the smaller man’s gaze. “First, I have to know what’s really going on. I can’t help you or protect Lily if you don’t trust me.”

  “Mr. Collier!”

  Both men looked back toward the kitchen door, where hotel manager Aidan Campbell stood. The fact that he had addressed Jake so formally told them this was hotel business.

  “I have to get back,” Jake said, already edging away.

  “Come see me after you finish for the night,” Cody said.

  Jake hesitated, then nodded as he trotted back to the hotel.

  Cody watched him go. Chances were fifty-fifty the man would come to his office later, so Cody figured he’d best come up with something on his own that would dampen Lily’s suspicions. Or he could distract her. He wasn’t bad-looking, and it was pretty clear she wasn’t seeing anyone. Pretending to seriously court her, keeping her so busy she didn’t have time to worry about Jake…

  That’s a lousy idea, Daniels, he thought as he strode back across the plaza to his office. If he understood anything about Lily, it was that she was not a woman to be trifled with. Once Jake told him what was going on, he’d be able to honestly tell Lily that he and Jake were handling things and she needn’t give the matter another thought. Yep. Honesty was always the best policy.

  * * *

  The Harvey Girls had a free day on Sunday—at least a day free of donning their uniforms and serving travelers and other customers. But they were expected to attend church services, and Bonnie Kaufmann waited for her “girls” to gather in the lobby before leading them out of the hotel to the church that anchored one side of the plaza.

  Lily relied on Emma to see that she was up and dressed on time. She relied on Jake to greet her at the foot of the back stairs with a cup of hot black coffee that she downed like a man would toss off a jigger of whiskey. She relied on years of routine to keep up with the ritual of the service—stand, take part in reciting a prayer or singing of a hymn, sit, and repeat. All the while, she focused her attention on the back of Cody Daniels’s head.

  The sheriff had taken a seat on the aisle three rows in front of where Lily sat with the other hotel employees. This Sunday, he wore a blue shirt under a dark-brown leather vest with the badge of his office pinned to it. The man was always on duty. She wondered if he’d be wearing his badge when he called for her later that afternoon.

  Stop worrying about what he’s wearing. What will you wear?

  Once word had spread that Lily was stepping out with the sheriff, all the girls had suggestions. The debate over who the h
andsome lawman might choose—should he decide to court any of them—had raged from the day he took the job. “You could borrow my shawl,” Emma had suggested as everyone gathered to offer ideas the night before.

  “You’ll need a hat with a brim,” Miss K warned. Even she had taken part in the discussion of just which of the girls Cody might choose. “The sun can be damaging to one so fair.”

  “You’ll need a blouse to match that skirt,” another girl advised, pointing to the brown serge skirt on the bed. “Here, take mine.” She held out a cream-colored, high-necked, long-sleeved blouse that fit Lily as if it had been made for her.

  All these contributions to her wardrobe for the outing were spread across her bed, including a wide-brimmed felt hat in chocolate brown provided by Miss K, ready for her to change into once services ended. Lily was touched by the excitement of her fellow Harvey Girls, but at the same time, she was determined they not make more of this “outing” than it warranted.

  “We’re going for a simple drive in the country,” she protested.

  “Nothing about that man is simple,” one of the girls had muttered, and the others had nodded in agreement.

  Later when they had returned from church and were alone in their room again, Emma helped arrange Lily’s hair. “I know everyone is hoping for romance, but there may be another reason he wants to see you,” she said. “Whatever made the sheriff invite you out, it seems likely it has to do with Jake and those men.”

  “Well, thank you so much,” Lily huffed. “Heaven forbid the man might actually be attracted to me.”

  “Oh, Lily, I never meant to imply…”

  “I know.” Lily looked in the mirror as she pinched her cheeks and bit her lips. She didn’t dare apply the rouge she felt she needed. If Miss K noticed, Lily would have a second warning—for the same offense—and likely be forbidden to go. She sat on her bed and tugged on the fancy-stitched boots she’d purchased months earlier. They certainly were not nearly as comfortable—or serviceable—as her work shoes and had cost her a small fortune, but she was not about to allow Cody Daniels to dictate how she should dress.

  “Well, that’s the best I can do,” she announced, taking one last look in the mirror.

  “You look lovely, Lily,” Emma said. “Have fun.”

  Unlikely, Lily thought. Cody did not strike her as the fun-loving sort. Besides, Emma was probably right about Cody’s true reason behind this outing. It would be business—nothing more.

  Business was one thing, she thought later as the sheriff helped her into the buggy, but did he have to be so danged good-looking while he did it? Well, at least he wasn’t flashing those dimples. No, he had taken one look at her boots and set his mouth in a straight, stern line of disapproval.

  Undaunted, Lily waited until he had climbed aboard and picked up the reins before lifting her skirt just enough to show off the fancy stitching. “Aren’t they something?” she said, admiring the handiwork. “They cost me half a month’s wages, but worth every penny.”

  Cody snapped the reins, and they headed out of town. “They don’t seem very…practical,” he said.

  Lily laughed. “And that is the point. I spend every day wearing sensible shoes and a uniform. There are even rules for how I am to wear my hair and trim my nails. I hardly think you can blame me for wanting a bit of fun on those rare occasions when I have the freedom to do so.”

  Cody frowned as he kept his eyes on the narrow dirt road. Lily nudged him lightly. “Fun,” she repeated, drawing out the word. “Are you familiar with the concept, Sheriff Daniels?”

  “Yes, Miss Travis, I am. I just suspect you and I have different definitions.”

  “Meaning?”

  He glanced at her. “Meaning everything requires certain boundaries. Even fun. You seem to me to be something of a rebel when it comes to rules and boundaries.”

  She swallowed a bubble of incredulous laughter, because it was evident the man was serious. “And who sets those boundaries—the ones for having fun? I know for my position at the hotel, Mr. Fred Harvey sets the boundaries for all his employees, but when it comes to free time…”

  “Each person is responsible for his—or her—conduct,” he replied.

  Oh my stars, Lily thought as she rolled her eyes and decided to change the subject. “Did you speak with Jake?”

  “I did.”

  “Good. What are we going to do to make sure he—”

  “Nothing.”

  Lily bristled. “Jake is my friend, Sheriff Daniels, and I will not sit by and do nothing while he might be in danger.”

  He drew in a deep breath and let it out with maddening slowness. “Couple of things,” he said. “Since it’s just you and me and the horse, maybe you could call me Cody?”

  “Very well, Cody. What else?”

  “And if it’s all right, I’ll call you Lily.”

  She sighed. “That’s my name.”

  He pointed to the horse. “And this is Paint.”

  Lily rolled her eyes. “Pleased to make your acquaintance, Paint. Now what about Jake?”

  “Jake will be just fine. He doesn’t need your help. In fact, the way you worry about him draws attention, and he’s concerned for his job.”

  “That’s ridiculous. And you cannot tell me those two ruffians who accosted him in the yard that night are nothing. Jake was afraid of them.”

  “You saw all that from a third-floor window, at night, a good hundred feet or more from where he was standing?”

  Lily tried to recall the specifics of what she had seen. It annoyed her that he was right about her inability to clearly make out exactly what was happening. It irritated her more that he was questioning her as if she were a witness on the stand. “I know what I saw,” she muttered.

  They rode in silence for several minutes. She felt him glance at her a couple of times and, by the way he worked his lips without speaking, knew he wanted to say more.

  “Oh, for heaven’s sake,” she grumbled when the silence grew as uncomfortable as the sun beating down on them. She let the shawl fall to the crooks of her elbows. “I am not a child in need of protection from difficult things, Cody. I am seriously worried about a man who—”

  “—is in love with you,” he said softly. “You know that, don’t you?”

  There was no use protesting the truth. Lily nodded.

  “And because he loves you, Lily, he’s more likely to place himself in further danger if he thinks he needs to keep you safe. The more you try to involve yourself, the more you add to his jeopardy.”

  “Do you know what it is—this business he’s involved in?”

  Cody didn’t answer her question. “Let me help him, Lily. Stay out of it. Just be his friend.”

  “Can you help him?”

  “I think I can.”

  That’s not good enough, she wanted to say, but instead, she murmured, “Very well then. I’ll try.” Big mistake, she thought, because he looked directly at her and gave her a big smile. And when she saw the dimples deepen, she smiled back at him.

  “I brought a picnic,” he said. “I mean, if you’re hungry.”

  “What on earth made you think of that? After all, it’s after lunch and too early for supper and surely…”

  “Well now, my thinking was we’d need to stay out at least a couple of hours so folks wouldn’t wonder why we came back so quick. On top of that, I got to thinking you might take offense at my suggestion you wear sensible shoes, so hiking wasn’t likely to be part of the schedule. There’s a grove of trees up the way a piece where the creek bends. What do you say, Lily? It might be fun.”

  The way he said “fun”—with a twinkle in those gold-flecked eyes—told her he was mocking her.

  She scowled at him. “Fun? You do understand there will need to be certain boundaries?”

  “Yes, ma’am.” His expression had c
hanged from teasing to serious to questioning, all of which told her that when it came to Cody Daniels, she might just have met her match. “I look forward to hearing just what your rules might be.”

  He was calling her bluff. Lily pressed her lips together and stared straight ahead as he navigated the buggy over the rougher terrain. When they came to a stop near the large cottonwood, she did not wait for his help but climbed down and started walking toward the creek, pretending an interest in the scenery.

  Following her, he set down the picnic basket and spread his jacket over the thick branch of the tree that jutted out over the water. “Is this okay?” he asked.

  She nodded and settled herself on the tree branch, waiting for him to join her. They shared an apple Cody sliced with his pocketknife, crusty bread that coated her skirt and his trousers with crumbs, and a covered tin pail of lemonade. He rolled back his sleeves, exposing tanned, muscular forearms. They talked about the weather—already unseasonably warm even for June. He asked how long she and Emma had known each other and worked for the Harvey Company. She asked if being a sheriff was something he’d always wanted to do. And all the time, she was far too aware of his hands—long fingers that she found herself imagining stroking her face.

  Good heavens, Lily, get a grip.

  * * *

  Damn, she was beautiful. Why hadn’t he noticed the lusciousness of her creamy complexion? Why hadn’t he recognized the danger that lurked around the edges of those lips when they curved into a teasing smile? His original idea had been to distract her by pretending to court her, but he’d rejected that thought as unworthy of him—and insulting to her. Now as he sat next to her, watching her nibble an apple slice and seeing a crumb of the bread cling to the corner of her mouth before she captured it with her tongue, he felt he was the one being seduced.

  Not that anything she did seemed intentional. Lily Travis was as guileless as a kitten, from what Cody could tell. There was no duplicity in the way she laughed or spoke or moved. He had always been a very good judge of people. He knew who was lying and who was trying to con him. He was pretty sure Lily wore her true feelings on a face that was currently staring up at him with a slight frown.