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Gabriel's Heart. Madeline George
Читать онлайн.Название Gabriel's Heart
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Автор произведения Madeline George
Издательство HarperCollins
“I see. What makes you think so?” Best let her talk until she ran down. That is, if it didn’t take too long.
The outside door, caught by the wind, slammed open, and two men came into the Pullman. They managed to push the door closed, then “beg-pardoned” their way between Gabriel and Trina. They departed the car at the far end.
Trina watched every step they took, then looked up and down the corridor before she spoke, in whispers this time. The delay had given her time to concoct her story. “Have you noticed the men on this train?” Her eyes widened.
Gabriel swallowed hard. Brown. Her eyes were brown. Just like Hannah’s. The knot in his gut tightened. “Which ones, ma’am?”
“Those men in the front car. Sitting just behind my father. The men who just came through here. I think—” she checked the corridor again “—I think they want to harm him.”
Gabriel burst out laughing. Just like a stupid little kid, playing cowpokes and Indians. Worse than that, he was standing here listening to this nonsense.
“Mr. Hart! I assure you—”
“I’m sorry, ma’am. I guess you caught me off guard, that’s all.” He sobered his face. “Why do you think they want to hurt your father?”
She whispered again. Gabriel had to lean forward, just inches from her nose, to hear what she said. A shooting pain across his ribs made him want to curse out loud. Damn that Blackburn!
“Because of the land,” she whispered, her eyes getting rounder by the minute.
“The land?” He whispered, too, and felt plumb foolish doing it. “Which land?”
“The land in Silver Falls. The land that’s being given to the state of Colorado.”
“I’m afraid I don’t follow, ma’am.”
She gave him a look of sheer impatience, then leaned back and practically shouted, “They don’t want the state to have it. I should think that would be perfectly clear. I overheard their arguments with my father at home last week. They aren’t happy, believe me.”
Gabriel winced with the abrupt change in volume. This little conversation had already gone on longer than he’d intended.
“I really don’t think you have anything to worry about, Miss McCabe. If you’ll excuse me, I need to check my sleeping quarters.” He tipped his hat to her and went on down the corridor, leaving her fuming behind him.
“Well, I never…!”
Gabriel didn’t doubt she’d “never.” He sort of suspected she’d enjoy it if she did, though. A stirring in his loins surprised and bothered him. Such feelings were best left alone until Blackburn was half-dead and left rotting on an anthill somewhere.
How long since he’d had such feelings? Too long. Fourteen months. He felt guilty. And empty inside. Best stay away from her. Especially if the young man really was her intended.
Gabriel wasn’t ready for activity of the sort Miss McCabe inspired. Killing Blackburn. Now, that would be an activity he’d enjoy.
While Trina continued to fume, muttering to herself under her breath, standing with her back to him by the grimy window in the forward door, Gabriel retreated into his compartment He shook his head, latched the door and stretched his back again. Damn, but this cold weather was enough to crack bones.
The compact compartment had only one purpose—to provide a horizontal place to sleep when a train ride extended overnight. A narrow cot folded down from the wall. He stashed his leather case beneath it on the floor. One low chair squatted next to the door while its mate, opposite, sat next to the outside window. The chair was just big enough to hold his hat. The only door not opening on to the corridor led to the water closet, which was so cramped Gabriel figured he’d have to leave the door open to wash his face—or bump his butt when he leaned over the sink.
With its shades of tan and pale green, the whole room exuded drabness. The worn places on the green chairs showed through tan, and the scratches in the tan paint, oddly enough, revealed a coat of green beneath.
The solitary window—after he’d wiped away some of the soot—provided all the color a man needed, though. Only one was missing—the deep, dark red of Blackburn’s blood. Gabriel would add it to the blues and greens of the landscape just as soon as the train got to Silver Falls.
Men’s voices from the other end of the car, loud and angry, cut through the steady rumble of the wheels on the tracks. Garbled. Nothing clear. None of his business.
A few seconds later the door to his compartment swung open and Trina McCabe rushed inside, closed the door carefully and squatted down, hiding.
Gabriel leaned down and whispered directly into her ear.
“May I help you, Miss McCabe?”
Trina jumped up and her cheeks burned as crimson as pokers. She obviously hadn’t realized she’d chosen his compartment to hide in. He couldn’t resist goading her. “Did you drop something, ma’am?”
“Quiet! They’ll hear you!” If this didn’t get his attention, nothing would! She’d pulled a lot of foolish stunts in the past to get a man to notice her, but this one had to be the prize.
“Who?”
“Listen!”
Gabriel thought about escorting her back into the corridor, but the voices got louder. Two men stopped just outside.
“He’s got to be stopped, and you know it!”
“But he’s a senator! Do you know what you’re saying? We can’t—”
“There’s got to be a way. We can’t let him—”
“Quiet!”
Gabriel stood perfectly still. Trina hadn’t moved a muscle.
“Did you hear someone coming?” one of the men said, quieter this time.
“Naw. They’re all up front, which is where I’m headed right now. You comin’ or not?”
“I’m comin’, but I’m tellin’ you right now that I ain’t gonna be a party to no killin’.”
Trina drew in a sharp breath and Gabriel saw her start to turn around, her mouth opening to speak. To keep her from giving them away, which didn’t seem like a very good idea right now, Gabriel mashed her back against the wall and clamped one hand over her mouth.
Trina struggled, then realized she was making too much noise. She settled down, nodded acquiescence, and Gabriel let her go, but didn’t move away.
The voices faded as the men went on down the corridor. Then the forward door opened and closed and Gabriel stepped back.
Trina tried to catch her breath. What those men had said—coupled with being so close to a man’s chest she could have counted the hairs if she’d been so inclined—left her breathless. She thought she’d exaggerated the story about her father being in danger.
“Now do you believe me?”
“Ma’am, I don’t rightly know what to believe. But I will say you seem to be right about your father’s well-being on this trip.” Her toilet water made his head swim a little. Before long, the whole room would be filled with it.
Trina took a deep breath. “Thank you.”
“For what?”
“For believing me.”
Gabriel