The Express Rider's Lady by Stacy Henrie

Author:Stacy Henrie
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2015-10-15T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Ten

Myles pushed his empty plate aside and rested his elbows on the smooth wood table as he leaned forward to better hear the Express rider seated across from him and Amos. The dining room at Porter Rockwell’s Hot Springs Brewery Hotel, south of Salt Lake City, remained full of people and conversation, despite the late evening hour.

“You’ll probably fare all right,” the rider named Tucker stated matter-of-factly as he lifted his mug to his mouth and took a drink. “It’s the stations what’s in real trouble.”

“How many have been attacked?” Amos asked, his voice tight with seriousness. Myles sensed the older man was every bit on edge as himself tonight. As of tomorrow, they were riding straight into the lion’s den, so to speak, with little knowledge on how bad things might be.

Tucker set his mug down. “Can’t say for certain. My run’s been fairly quiet, except for a scrimmage between one station owner and the Indians. But I have heard of other stations being burned, stock driven off and owners killed.”

Amos shot Myles a look. It was the same dire rumblings they’d heard before leaving Nebraska behind. Would the rumors prove true? Would they be able to find sufficient food or shelter in the middle of a warpath?

“I’d get new horses, if I was you,” Tucker said. “Especially since you’ve been riding the same ones for nearly two weeks. Those Indian ponies have a harder time outrunning Express horses. That might be your greatest weapon.”

Myles ran a hand over his beard. He hated the idea of parting with Moses—the horse had been as faithful a companion as Elijah. But if acquiring new mounts might save their lives, he would let Moses go. That was if Delsie was in agreement about funding the purchase of three new horses.

Looking past Amos, he found her seat at their table was empty. At some point during the conversation with Tucker, she must have slipped away. A tremor of unease flitted through Myles. While there were a number of women here tonight, the male occupants of the hotel far outnumbered the female ones.

“Where’d Delsie go?” he asked Amos quietly.

Amos shrugged. “Not sure. She said she needed some air.”

His agitation increased, especially given the popularity of the nearby brewery. “I’m going to look for her. Tell her what we found out.” He nodded at Tucker, snagged some meat to give to Elijah and stood. “Excuse me, gentlemen.”

He made his way out of the dining room. Outside Myles paused in the dying light. Delsie wasn’t milling about the hotel like several of the other guests. Should he knock on her door? His gaze settled on the adobe barn near the hotel, and an inner nudge guided his feet in that direction.

Horse-scented air filled his nostrils as he stepped through the open doors of the large building. Sure enough he spied Delsie beside one of the stalls, stroking Moses’s nose. The anxiety churning in his gut dissipated at the sight. Elijah swooped down from a rafter to land on Myles’s shoulder.

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