We’re sending out a decoy to trap them. When they hold up the wrong stagecoach, we’ll nab them.”
“That sounds rather dangerous.”
“Nothing my boys can’t handle.”
Tilly thought she heard a low guffaw, but when she turned toward Nolan, his face was impassive.
“Why the stagecoach?” Nolan demanded. “Why aren’t they shipping the gold on the riverboat?”
“The last riverboat sunk, and they haven’t replaced it yet. Why do you think your stagecoach traffic has doubled? There’s a lot happening in the world. You ought to get out of the wilderness once in a while, Nolan.”
The stagecoach man made a sound of disgust. “The mining company ought to wait on shipping that gold. That haul is as good as stolen.”
His conviction chilled Tilly. What if the outlaws robbed the stagecoach near Pyrite?
“I’m traveling with children.” She made a feeble gesture toward the relay station. “Are you certain it’s safe for us here?”
“Children?” The captain’s interest seemed to slacken at the mention of her nieces. “Dakota Red and his brother were spotted on the other side of the river. There’s only one place to cross, which means they can’t travel south without one of my men spotting them. This relay station is the best place to be, given the circumstances. You’re safe under my watch.”
He added a self-satisfied grin that was probably meant to inspire her trust.
“Thank you, Captain Ronald.” She offered an overly bright smile in return. Since there was little chance of them meeting again, she might as well humor the man. For reasons she couldn’t explain, she trusted Nolan’s assessment of the situation more than the cavalry officer’s opinion. “I appreciate both your concern and the protection of your men.”
“My pleasure, ma’am.” His sat up straighter, puffing out his chest. “If those boys so much as sneeze, we’ll know.”
“I’m sure your men are more than capable.” Despite the captain’s assurances, a nagging sense of unease lingered. “I appreciate your vigilance.”
If something happened to the girls, she’d never forgive herself. Both her father and Eleanor had been frustrated by her irresponsibility in the past. Their criticism was exaggerated, though not entirely unfounded. She wasn’t exactly irresponsible, she was simply distracted easily. While the two of them could focus on one task to the exclusion of all else, Tilly preferred flitting from activity to activity. Her lack of commitment drove them to distraction.
“Aunt Tilly!” Victoria hollered from the doorway of the relay station. “You’d best come quick. Caroline is sick again.”
“Oh, dear. Duty calls, Captain Ronald.”
“Don’t let me keep you.” The captain touched the brim of his hat, a slight hint of distaste marring his handsome face. “We’ll scout the area. Those outlaws will be in custody in no time.”
“Much obliged, Captain,” Tilly said.
The captain signaled to his men, and the unit broke into a canter.
Tilly hastily returned inside. To her surprise, Mr. West was close on her heels.
Caroline had slumped over the table. Her arm was hooked over her head. “I feel worse, Aunt Tilly.”
“I gathered as much,” Tilly soothed.
Caroline was a replica of Eleanor at that age.
Because of their age difference, following the death of their mother, Eleanor had taken over the role of matriarch in the family. Eleanor had been a strict parent, stricter even than their father. Now the task of caring for Caroline fell to Tilly, though she was ill-suited for the role. She knew one thing for certain—she was going to be a far less severe guardian than Eleanor.
“I’ll fetch you some water,” Tilly said, uncertain how else to assist her niece.
She’d never been one to play house and care for dolls the way Eleanor had. She’d never been much for courting, either. Eleanor had always been the sister who attracted romantic attention, while Tilly had been the sister that men befriended. Usually in the hopes of getting closer to Eleanor.
Tilly had the uneasy feeling that her sister’s marriage had not been entirely happy. Though Eleanor had always denied any discontent, with each subsequent visit home, she’d become a shell of her former self. If the life Eleanor had been dreaming about since she was a child had done that to her, Tilly wanted no part of marriage. She refused to suffer the same fate as her sister.
“There’s a room in the back,” Mr. West said. “Caroline can rest there.”
Relief rushed through Tilly. “Thank you, Mr. West.”
“Call me Nolan.”
He scooped Caroline into his arms and carried her down the corridor. Grateful for his assistance, Tilly trailed after them. The room he’d chosen was sparsely furnished with only a bed and a small table, but the space was spotless. He rested Caroline on the counterpane.
Tilly touched his arm, and the muscles tensed beneath her fingers.
“Is she going to be all right?” she asked. “Do you think we should send for a doctor?”
“The nearest doctor is in the village of Yankton, and that’s a two-day ride. There’s a fellow who comes through town once in a while, but I never know when.” Nolan pressed the backs of his knuckles against Caroline’s forehead. “She’s not running a fever. It’s probably just something she ate.”
Bill Golden appeared in the doorway, concern etched on his grizzled face. “Is there anything I can do to help?”
Tilly considered her options. Travel by stagecoach was uncomfortable in the best of circumstances. The air was stifling, the bumpy conditions grueling and the chance for rest all but impossible.
“I don’t think she can travel.” Tilly wrapped her arms around her midriff. “Can you wait until she’s better?”
“I’m afraid not.” Bill scratched his forehead. “This here is a mail coach. The mail has to go through. The passengers are secondary.”
“When is the next stagecoach?”
“Thursday.”
“We can’t wait until Thursday.”
“I’m afraid that’s the best I can do.”
Tilly’s shoulders sagged.
Nolan scowled. “I can’t have a bunch of greenhorns underfoot.”
Her stomach knotted, and she pictured Eleanor’s disapproving frown. The simple task of boarding the stagecoach in Virginia City, Montana, and exiting once they arrived in Omaha, had suddenly become a whole lot more complicated.
She clasped her hands before her. “Surely you can stay an hour or two. I’m certain
