An Agent for Lucy Read online

  “They had one son, but he passed away six years ago.” Lucy leaned forward. “He took his own life after a business deal went wrong and he lost his entire inheritance.”

  “Was he married?”

  “No, but he was engaged. The whole thing was very difficult for Mrs. Collins, but she held it together as best as she could, and it wasn’t long before her cheery disposition returned.”

  “So she’s not inclined to melancholy?”

  “Not at all. She’s one of the most upbeat people I’ve ever met.”

  Jed opened his mouth, then closed it again. Finally, he spoke. “I hate to ask this because I know you care about her deeply, but is there any possibility that she might have followed in her son’s footsteps and taken her own life?”

  Lucy shook her head vehemently. “I can’t even imagine it. It’s just not in her nature.”

  “I had to ask just to rule it out. We need to look at this from every angle.”

  “I appreciate that, but I’d be very surprised indeed if that turned out to be the answer.” He was right to ask the question, even if it did bother her to consider it. People did unexpected things all the time, and if Mrs. Collins had been behaving in an expected way, she wouldn’t have gone missing.

  It had been a very long and trying day, and it wasn’t long before Lucy felt herself starting to doze off. She came awake with a start when the train blew its whistle to signal a stop, and she was mortified to see that she’d been lying with her head on Jed’s shoulder.

  “I’m so sorry,” she said, coming to an upright position. “I didn’t mean to crowd you.”

  “I didn’t mind, actually.” He grinned. “You can use me as a pillow anytime.”

  She had no idea how to respond to that, so instead, she decided to walk around on the platform for a few minutes. Getting some fresh air would help the heat that had risen in her cheeks.

  Chapter Eight

  Jed climbed off the train and joined Lucy on the platform. He knew he shouldn’t have teased her, but there was something about her that was just so . . . teaseworthy. She blushed very prettily, and he had to admit, it was fun watching those roses come into her cheeks.

  He did need to talk to her seriously for a moment, though—his conscience wouldn’t rest until he did. He came up alongside her and strolled with her for a moment before breaking the silence.

  “I should tell you, Lucy, that I wasn’t in favor of this idea at first.”

  She turned to look at him. “You weren’t?”

  “No. I’ve had my reservations about women becoming agents, and we didn’t know Archie was advertising about it until after he’d done it. We weren’t told a thing about getting married, either. We were just as surprised as you were about the whole thing.”

  “Oh. I just assumed that you knew from the start.”

  “No, we didn’t. One of the men even split Archie’s lip when the advertisement came out. Not maliciously . . . just . . . heat of the moment, you might say.”

  “That’s good to know. Otherwise, I might think this was all some kind of elaborate ruse to lure us into your webs.”

  “I absolutely assure you, that’s not the case.” He caught the hint of a smile on her face and realized she was teasing. “If we wanted to lure you, I’m sure we could be much more creative.”

  “Oh? How would you go about it?”

  She had him stumped. “I’m not sure off the top of my head, but I’ll think of something, and it will be brilliant.”

  “All right. I’ll await your idea eagerly.” She paused. “You said you weren’t in favor of this idea at first. How do you feel about it now?”

  “I feel . . .” A tough question. “I feel that if a man and a woman are to spend time together like we are, it’s best if they’re married, but I’m still concerned about having women in the field, and I believe people should have more of a choice in who they marry.”

  “So you’re not a fan of arranged marriage?”

  “I never have been, but Archie didn’t do a terrible job arranging ours. I’m pleasantly surprised with my bride.”

  There—she blushed again, and this time, he wasn’t even trying. He’d been speaking from his heart, and that made the blush even more satisfying.

  “That’s good to know, but there’s something I need to tell you as well. While we’re being honest.”

  That was interesting. He smiled. “Yes? What is it?”

  “I can kill you with my bare hands.”

  He stopped walking. “I . . . I beg your pardon?”

  She turned to him with a smile. “You said you were concerned about women being in the field. I’m guessing that’s because you’re worried about their safety.”

  “Yes . . .”

  “I can gouge out your eyes, break your nose, crush your instep, shatter your windpipe, and poison you. But I likely wouldn’t do it all in one day, and I also don’t mean you personally. Just you in general.” She smiled prettily, then kept walking, leaving Jed flabbergasted in her wake.

  “All that?” he said, catching up to her.

  “And more, but my list was getting long and I sensed you were growing bored.”

  “Bored? Absolutely not! I’d love a demonstration sometime.”

  “Because you don’t believe me?”

  “No, because I want to learn how. You must have some tricks of leverage or something—you’re not very tall.”

  She paused again. “You’d like to learn? You want me to teach you?”

  “Yes. I’m dying to know. Although, I shouldn’t say that—if you decided I was serious, you have the skills to do away with me, and we can’t have that.”

  She laughed. “No, we can’t. First I have to be named as your beneficiary. Then I’ll do away with you.”

  The train whistle blew, and they turned to walk back across the platform. “I can see that I’ll have to be on my toes every minute with you around,” Jed said before they boarded.

  “Oh, most definitely,” she told him. “In fact, I plan to see to it.”

  ***

  When the train stopped in Utah, Lucy asked if they could spend the night and resume their journey in the morning. She hated the idea of a delay, but she was so tired, she didn’t think she could handle the remainder of the trip without some sleep.

  “I’m glad you asked,” Jed told her. “I was about to suggest it, but I know how anxious you are to get there.”

  “I am anxious, but I’ll be more useful if we arrive fresh,” she replied. She was in desperate need of a soft bed. She was most certainly not going to use Jed’s shoulder as a pillow again, and that hadn’t been very comfortable anyway. Sleeping on a train never was.

  They gathered their belongings from the train, disembarked, and walked across the street to a hotel not far away. When they registered, Jed didn’t even glance her way before requesting a room with two beds. That surprised her, but pleased her at the same time. He knew her wishes before she’d even mentioned them.

  The clerk might have been curious, but he didn’t show it. Instead, he merely handed them a room key and wished them a good evening.

  “I’m so glad they had this room available,” Lucy said, tossing her reticule into the center of the bed nearest the door. “It takes out all the awkwardness of deciding how to sleep. Thank you for arranging it.”

  “It made the most sense,” he replied. “And look—there’s a dressing screen in the corner. No chance of catching me in my undershirt now.”

  She laughed. He was doing his best to keep things light, and she appreciated it. And she admired it—over and over again, he was showing qualities that she found attractive in a man, including some she’d never considered before. When they annulled their marriage, she’d be hard put to find someone who could live up to the expectations Jed was creating in her.

  They washed up, then went down to the hotel dining room for some dinner. The food was somewhat bland, but it was hot, and that was what Lucy needed. She’d try for something hot and flavor
ful next time, but she suspected it wouldn’t be found at this hotel.

  “I’m curious to walk around and see a bit of the city, but I’m exhausted,” Jed said as they finished up. “Do you mind if we go right back to the room?”

  “No, of course not.” She was rather curious about the population of Mormons who had settled the state, and she wanted to know for herself if they were as odd as she’d heard. That could wait, however. Sleep had to come first.

  They returned to the room and took turns changing behind the curtain. Lucy couldn’t help but snicker remembering Jed’s comment about seeing him in his undershirt—she’d seen undershirts before. She’d even washed her father’s. There was nothing whatsoever scandalous about them. That’s what she told herself.

  They each climbed into their beds, and Jed turned out the lamp on the table between them. Some light from the street outside came in through their window, just enough to illuminate the crack that ran along the ceiling, and Lucy followed it with her eyes from one side of the room to the other. She wondered if it was something that could be fixed with plaster, or if there was a deeper foundational problem that would require quite a lot of repairs before the place would be structurally sound again. She had the brief thought that she wondered if she should be afraid for her life or of the ceiling falling in on her, but then she decided she was too tired to care. If the ceiling caved it, it could do it while she slept. Jed’s quiet breathing was a comfort rather than a distraction, and she drifted off before she could formulate another thought.

  ***

  Jed yawned as he buttoned his coat. He’d woken up after only a few hours of sleep to find himself in a hotel in Utah with a new bride, and that thought kept him awake the remainder of the night. A bride? Even though it was only for the purposes of this case, it was a heavy responsibility, and he was beginning to wonder if he’d made a horrible mistake.

  Lucy was every bit as pleasant as he’d thought she would be. She was also smart, funny, and intriguing. Oh, so very intriguing. There were so many layers to her beyond the beauty he’d first noticed. If circumstances were different, he would enjoy taking her out to dinner and concerts and to the theater. He’d play chess with her father—if her father played chess, that is. A leisurely courtship, stolen glances across the parlor, a sweet wedding with flowers and ribbons and all the other sorts of froufrou women enjoyed. But circumstances weren’t different, and they’d experienced none of those things. Most importantly, they hadn’t experienced falling in love.

  Jed turned around and watched Lucy out of the corner of his eye as she put her last hairpin in place. He believed he could fall in love with her—in fact, he might even be partway there. But she was the kind of girl who deserved that kind of assurance before the vows were said, not after. She deserved a courtship and romantic moonlight strolls and little nosegays of snowdrops.

  He shook his head. He was getting all sentimental. That wasn’t like him, and it certainly wouldn’t do the case any good.

  “I’m ready,” Lucy said, facing him with a bright smile.

  He shoved his fanciful thoughts away. “As am I. Let’s go.”

  On their way to the train station, they stopped at a small restaurant for a cup of coffee and some bread and butter. Jed regretted that they didn’t have time for an actual meal, but he’d checked the schedule and knew the train would be arriving shortly. “We’ll go out for a real dinner once we’re in San Francisco,” he told Lucy as they finished up. “We won’t lollygag, of course, but we’ll find a nice restaurant and take a moment to refresh ourselves.”

  “That would be nice. I honestly don’t mind these quick meals on the fly in the meantime, though. The case is the most important thing.”

  That was another thing he appreciated—her professionalism. He wouldn’t have to drag her along on this case—she’d be leading the charge, and he smiled to himself to realize he might have to scramble to keep up with her.

  They reached the station in time and climbed aboard, finding this train a bit more crowded than the last. Rather than sitting across from each other as they had the day before, they now sat side by side, their arms brushing, and Jed found that entirely too distracting. But nice. Nice and distracting.

  The elderly couple sitting across from them were both plump, with white hair and a multitude of wrinkles. They looked so similar to each other that if they hadn’t introduced themselves as husband and wife, Jed would have taken them for twins.

  “We’re going to California for the first time,” Mrs. Watkins said, clasping her hands in front of her. “Our daughter tells us that we must see the ocean. She says it would be a pity if we died first, so we decided to go get it done now before we come any closer to that dire event.”

  “A pity,” Mr. Watkins agreed, nodding.

  “She’s lived in California for the last year. Her husband is into land speculation, you see, and they move from time to time depending on his work. She says it’s the most beautiful place she’s ever seen, and she’s been anxious for us to come out. It’s been a hard year, though, with poor Herbert’s health, and we’ve had to delay.” She patted her husband’s knee. “Today’s the day, though!”

  “Definitely the day,” Mr. Watkins chimed in.

  A quick glance at Lucy told Jed that she was just as amused as he was. “How long have you been married, if you don’t mind my asking?” Jed said.

  “Forty-two years, if you can believe it,” Mrs. Watkins said. “I didn’t think we’d live this long, frankly, but they say you live longer if you’re married, so I suppose that’s the answer that riddle. What about the two of you?” Her curious eyes darted back and forth between Jed and Lucy.

  “Just a few days,” Lucy replied, and Mrs. Watkins clasped her hands again.

  “Oh, that’s wonderful! This must be your honeymoon trip, then!”

  Lucy nodded.

  “Herbert, this is their honeymoon trip!” She nudged her husband with her elbow, even though he’d been paying attention all along, as nearly as Jed could tell. “I remember ours as plain as day, even though it was so long ago. Poor Herbert got sick after our wedding dinner and threw up for three days straight. Something was off with the chicken, you see. I’ve never seen anyone so miserable. Even with that, though, it was one of the most wonderful times of our lives. Just the two of us, spending a quiet week with books and hot tea and warm blankets—and occasional dashes to the outhouse, of course.” She gave a nostalgic sigh. “It was so romantic.”

  Jed tried not to smile. He didn’t think that anything associated with an outhouse could possibly be romantic, but if Mrs. Watkins said so, it must be so.

  The woman kept the conversation going the rest of the way to California. Jed didn’t usually care to chat with the other passengers while he traveled, and under normal circumstances, he might have been annoyed with the constant yammering, but there was something about having Lucy at his side that softened him. He noticed the way she leaned forward and asked questions about things Mrs. Watkins had said. She was taking a genuine interest in these people who had been thrown into their path by random choice of fate, and Jed became more interest in them because of her. By the time the train finally pulled into their destination and they parted ways, Jed felt as though he’d been enriched by the experience.

  “I’m to write Mrs. Watkins as soon as we have our first child so she can send a gift,” Lucy said, waving a scrap of paper. “I have her address and everything.”

  “Those two were something else, weren’t they?” Jed watched the couple as they tottered down the platform, holding on to each other for support.

  “They were. I didn’t have the heart to tell them that we won’t be having any children.”

  Jed was surprised at the flash of disappointment he felt at her words. Of course they wouldn’t be having children—that was a foregone conclusion. Still, he felt a sense of loss as he wondered about all that could have been. Gracious. He really was being sentimental. It was a good thing his older brother wasn’t
there to see what was going on—Jed would never see an end to the teasing.

  “Mr. Collins is staying at the Occidental Hotel,” Lucy said, consulting the telegram that was in their folder. “It’s after eleven, though—he won’t be in.”

  “And we can’t afford to stay at the Occidental ourselves,” Jed replied. “Let’s find a less expensive hotel nearby, leave word at the Occidental that we’re here and where we can be found, and then go for that meal.”

  “I’m in total agreement. I don’t mean to sound anything less than ladylike, but I could eat a horse right about now.”

  “You could? How would you cook it?” Jed asked as they headed out. They were on foot, having been told by the stationmaster that they’d find a suitable hotel not far away.

  “I might chop it up in a stew, or I might cook it over the fire. As long as I had salt and pepper, I wouldn’t care which.”

  “Aren’t you concerned about strange bits making it in there? Like a mane or a tail?”

  Lucy gave him a patient look. “Of course not. Everyone knows that you save the mane and tail for dessert.”

  He laughed, loving how quickly she understood his bantering. It was refreshing not having to explain himself all the time, like he did with other girls he had associated with. Well, one girl in particular—Georgia Monroe, a girl as beautiful as she was vacant. He’d believed himself smitten with her at first sight, but after twenty minutes of trying valiantly to have a conversation with her, he’d given it up as a lost cause. He didn’t think he’d ever grow tired of talking to Lucy.

  They reached the Crandall House Hotel and checked in. This time, there wasn’t the option of having two beds in one room.

  “That’s all right,” Lucy said, smiling at the clerk. “I’ll just elbow him if his snoring gets too loud.”

  The clerk chuckled. “That sounds like a plan, ma’am.” He handed over their room key, and they headed down the hall to freshen up.

  “I do not snore,” Jed said as soon as their door was closed behind them. “Um, do I?”