An Agent for Elizabeth by Julia Ridgmont

Author:Julia Ridgmont [Ridgmont, Julia]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2018-11-25T05:00:00+00:00

Chapter Ten

As Stephen led Elizabeth outside and across the street, he whispered, “On to the next hotel.” A moment later, they entered the Ford & Durkee Hotel and repeated their story and received the same results, much to their chagrin.

“What if we don’t find her at any of the hotels?” Elizabeth asked as they continued their search. It was getting dark and she wasn’t sure how safe it would be on the streets.

“We will,” he assured her. “Eventually she’ll make a mistake, like all criminals do.”

The Grand Hotel yielded the same discouraging results as well as two others. Stephen and Elizabeth ate a very late supper at the last one. Stephen, of course, wanted to sit by a big window. He stared out as if he could make out the goings-on in town, though Elizabeth thought it unlikely, even with the few lanterns lit.

“You know,” she said conversationally as she buttered a roll, “it’s customary for a couple dining out to converse with one another, to take a respite from the cares of the day.”

Facing her, he said in a low voice, “I’m on the job and so are you.”

She sighed. Really, she appreciated how focused the man was. But couldn’t he relax for even a short while? “All right, then. What shall I do while you . . . do whatever it is you’re doing?”

“Eat,” he ordered, “and listen to the conversations around you. And be careful of saying too much when you’re in public. You never know when someone might be listening to you.”

Unnerving thought. Elizabeth put the roll down, her appetite gone. She didn’t know how long she sat there, watching Stephen watch the town. She was just about ready to suggest they leave when snippets from two men at the table behind her reached her ears.

“. . . Whatcha doin’ in here at this time o’ night? I thought you’d be with one a them saloon gals down at Hank’s.”

“Nah. I found a new lady in town. We spent the day with me showing her the sights, then she invited me back to her room at the Newton Inn. Didn’t feel right about it, though, so I just walked her there and said goodnight.”

“Whaddya mean, it didn’t feel right? You been livin’ it up with every other skirt you seen buzzin’ ‘round here that isn’t hanging onto a man.”

“I don’t know. Seemed nice enough. But there was something different about her . . . something cold, calculating. It gave me the shivers. You know what I mean? Her eyes were like a grizzly’s. Small and predatory.”

Elizabeth’s face heated and her stomach roiled at the obvious meaning of the men’s exchange. Of course, she had hoped she would enjoy getting close to Stephen after they married, but that hadn’t happened. With the right man and under the right circumstances, she was sure it would be wonderful. But this lewd talk not only sickened her, it made her not want to even look at her husband for fear he would see her insecurities shining through.

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