Land of My Heart (49 page)

Trenton had hoped for a nice quiet dinner at his hotel, but at the first sign of Annabelle and her brother Geoff, he knew that wasn’t to be. Grimacing, he raised a glass of wine to his mouth to keep from allowing them to see his displeasure.

“I told you we’d find him here,” Annabelle said to her brother as they ignored the waiter and pushed their way to Trenton’s table.

Trenton stood, setting his glass aside. “Is something wrong?” He hoped whatever the problem, they would state it quickly and leave. People were already staring at them, and it made Trenton most uncomfortable.

“Is it true you plan to leave town?” Geoff asked, his voice holding a serious tone.

“Tell him what you told me,” Annabelle demanded.

Trenton hoped to put an end to the encounter as soon as possible, but having them stand there questioning him was only drawing additional stares. “Won’t you sit down?”

Annabelle smiled sweetly and took the chair beside Trenton’s while Geoff took the one opposite. “I ain’t never been to this place before. It’s sure pretty.”

Geoff grunted. “Expensive too. That’s why you ain’t been here before.”

Annabelle ignored him and turned her attention back to Trenton. “You look upset. Are you mad that we came here?”

“I hate to draw attention to myself,” Trenton said honestly. “I didn’t like folks gawking, that’s all.”

“Well, we had to come. I told Geoff what you said about leaving.”

“Why would that be of interest to your brother?” Trenton asked.

Annabelle shifted her gaze to Geoff, then to her hands. She nervously twisted a handkerchief that had seen better days. “Well, given how we feel about each other, I thought it only fair to tell him your plans.”

Trenton shook his head and met Geoff’s hard stare. “How we feel about each other? I don’t think I understand.”

Annabelle sniffed. “Now, don’t be pretending our time together meant nothing to you. You told me otherwise.”

For months on end, the only thing Trenton had felt for Annabelle and her brother was complete contempt. They fought constantly, came to him for money whenever things were tight, and generally made a nuisance of themselves. Annabelle seemed to believe she could somehow be found to be more respectable through association with Trenton. Why she figured that was beyond Trenton. Sure, he frequented more upscale hotels and restaurants than Annabelle could afford, but he was still a gambler. No matter how he painted himself, facts were facts and his social standing was no better than hers.

Trenton leaned back in his chair and waved the waiter off when the man started to approach the table. Annabelle took note of this.

“Ain’t you gonna buy us dinner?”

Trenton shook his head. “No. In fact, as soon as I pay my bill, I’d planned to retire for the night.”

“You ain’t playing tonight?” Geoff asked.

Trenton wondered at his motive. “No. I never travel with much money.”

“See, I told you he planned to leave,” Annabelle wailed.

“Where are you headin’ and when do you plan to be back?” Geoff asked.

Trenton began to feel as though they were backing him into a corner. “I don’t know. I don’t have a destination in mind. I may go visit my sister in Montana Territory. I’ve been telling her I’d do that for a long time now. As for returning, well, I really don’t have any plans of returning soon. I’ve had my fill of Omaha.”

Annabelle began to sob into the handkerchief, totally baffling Trenton. Again other patrons began to stare, and Trenton longed only for the quiet solitude of his hotel room.

“So you were just plannin’ on leavin’ her like this?” Geoff asked coolly.

Trenton looked to Geoff, then back to Annabelle. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

Geoff leaned forward rather menacingly. “You’ve been makin’ my sister promises, and now you’re just gonna head out of town, easy as you please. I think you better reconsider.”

“I’ve never promised your sister anything. I’m not in any position to make promises.”

“You did too,” Annabelle declared in a loud obnoxious cry. “You promised to marry me and make me an honest woman.”

Trenton’s mouth dropped open. He was flabbergasted. “I … well … you … I never made any sort of suggestion.” Trenton couldn’t begin to see himself married to a whining, argumentative woman like Annabelle Tevis.

“You callin’ my sister a liar?”

“Both of you need to calm down and listen to reason.” Trenton turned to Geoff. “I have nothing to offer your sister. I don’t have a good name. I don’t have a steady job. I don’t even have a horse. I sold him a few days back to get money for a game. I gamble when I can get a game and move on to another place when that town is tapped dry. What kind of life is that for any decent woman?”

“I don’t care. I wanna go with you. You promised we’d always be together,” Annabelle said, dabbing at her eyes.

Trenton could see now that she wasn’t crying real tears at all. She was merely giving the pretense of tears to convince her brother and drive home her point. Feeling the heat of Geoff’s gaze, Trenton shook his head very slowly.

“I did not promise any such thing. Annabelle, you have to be fair and tell the truth.”

“You
are
callin’ my sister a liar!” Geoff declared, his raised voice again drawing stares from the people around them.

“I’d prefer to think Annabelle is simply mistaken.”

“Well, she ain’t and I expect you to do right by her.”

The waiter approached the table. “Sir, the management would appreciate it if you would take this discussion elsewhere. You are disturbing the other customers.”

Geoff got to his feet. “Well, ain’t that a shame.”

Trenton immediately stood as well. “Here,” he said, handing the man more than enough money for his bill, “I was just leaving.”

“No you ain’t,” Geoff called after him.

Trenton continued walking through the restaurant and into the hotel lobby. He walked past the clerk at the desk and went to stand by the front door while Annabelle and Geoff caught up with him.

Once the trio was again together, Trenton led them outside. “Please hear me out,” he said, trying hard to stand his ground and pacify Geoff, knowing the man’s penchant for losing his temper and killing his adversaries. “I have never made any promises to Annabelle, and if she thinks I have, then she’s mistaken. I do not ever plan to marry—not Annabelle or anyone else. I have no reason to consider my conduct toward your sister as anything but honorable. In fact, my conduct with both of you has been above reproach. I’ve given you money when I had extra to spare. I’ve paid for many a meal and even helped pay for repairs to your house.

“Added to this, I’ve helped to keep Geoff out of the reach of the law on more than one occasion, lending you my horse so that you could get away and even hiding you in my hotel room. I’ve been the best friend I knew to be, even though you two aren’t the easiest folks to be around.”

Geoff and Annabelle looked rather surprised at this declaration, but Trenton was feeling brave and continued. “I don’t know why you think I would want to stick around for the constant fights and draining of my purse. I’m just as tired of the both of you as I am of Omaha—maybe more.”

Geoff had taken all he was going to. Stepping forward, he grabbed Trenton by the collar. “You’d better stop right now before you say something you’re really gonna regret. You’ve made my sister promises of marriage, and I intend to see you go through with those promises. I’ll give you a couple of days to think it over, but you’d better come up with the right answer and a ring for my sister’s finger. She’s got her heart set on being respectable.” He released Trenton with a backward push. Trenton landed with a loud plop on the boardwalk.

Staring up in silent fear, Trenton wasn’t sure how to deal with the situation. He wasn’t about to marry Annabelle, but on the other hand, he really didn’t want to encourage her brother’s wrath.

“We’ll be here day after tomorrow with the preacher, Chadwick. You’d best not try to get out of this either. Otherwise, I’ll hunt you down and put a bullet in that thick skull of yours.”

Trenton got to his feet as Geoff led Annabelle down the street. He knew he would have to leave Omaha tonight in order to give himself as much lead time as possible. Hurrying to his hotel room, he took only what was absolutely necessary. That way if he ran into Geoff on the street, it wouldn’t appear he was headed anywhere but to a game. Of course, he’d already told Geoff he wouldn’t be playing tonight.

Well, if he sees me tonight, I’ll just tell him that given the change of events, I need more money and will have to play a game or two.
It seemed reasonable to Trenton. What didn’t seem reasonable was anything else that had happened in the last hour. How had his life managed to get so convoluted?

Memories of running from Jerry and Sam Wilson came to mind and Trenton shuddered. He could still feel the fear of stealing away in the dead of night—listening for footsteps in the dark. He broke into a cold sweat. Again he was on the run. There was no time to plan his moves— no time to buy a horse and gear. He’d have to see about catching a steamer. He knew there were boats that went to Fort Benton in the Montana Territory. He’d researched that much. The trip ended there, however, and he’d be completely on his own to find a way to Uncle Bram’s ranch. The idea of traipsing around in Indian country, especially given the most current reports of problems, didn’t appeal to him in the least.

But then, neither did staying in Omaha.

Then there was the money factor. He didn’t have that much on him. As he’d told Geoff, he never traveled with much. It just wasn’t prudent.

There were too many occasions for contact with thugs and pickpockets in Trenton’s line of work.
I just need to get out of Omaha and then get a game
, he told himself as he exited the hotel by way of a back door he’d discovered only the day before. Cautiously, he peered down the alley and drew a deep breath. This would work—it had to work.

Trenton went to the river and finally found help in the form of a freight boat bound for Kansas City. It didn’t matter which direction he headed as long as it was away from Omaha. He paid the captain an outrageous sum and slipped aboard. Hiding amongst the tarp-covered load, Trenton could only hope Geoff Tevis had caught no sight of his getaway.

The miles drifted by and Trenton began to breath easier. By the time they reached St. Joseph nearly three days later, Trenton felt his confidence and strength return. When they docked in Kansas City two days after that, Trenton felt as if he could conquer the world. The first thing he needed to conquer, however, was finding a room and a decent poker game. After that, he’d keep moving. He’d have to avoid ever returning to Omaha if he wanted to stay alive.

Securing a room at a hotel he’d never used, Trenton counted his remaining cash and smiled. It was enough to get him into a game. He tossed his jacket over the end of the bed and stretched out for some much-needed sleep. It would be hours before he could square away a game, and he figured this would be the most beneficial way to pass his time. Exhausted, Trenton dozed off with memories of the terror that had sent him on the run.

It was nearly nine-thirty that evening before Trenton awoke with a start. He lay awake in the dark, listening and hoping that there’d be no sound to betray an intruder. All seemed quiet. Sitting up, he steadied his nerves and yawned. Under his door came the tiniest shaft of light. Apparently the hall lamps had been lit.

Trenton dusted off his clothes as best he could, then opened his hotel door. The light allowed him to find his coat and hat before heading downstairs to search out a game. Several other people moved about in the hallway, but Trenton didn’t recognize any of them. With a sigh of relief, he closed the door behind him.

It’s going to be a good night
, he told himself. He always started his gaming nights this way. Henry had told him more than once that a man who exuded a positive attitude could work his way into just about any circle of gentlemen. It was as much a part of the game as the actual card playing. Confidence was everything.

After making some discreet inquiries, Trenton made his way to a suggested gambling house. It wouldn’t be as lucrative as a game with refined businessmen, but it would still provide him diversion and money. A light rain began to fall, but Trenton refused to let it dampen his spirit.
Things are going to be better,
he promised himself.
I’ll get enough money together and then I’ll go to Montana
.

Trenton quickly found his way into a game and before long began winning just enough hands to give him a good pot without attracting too much attention about his luck. It was his turn to deal when someone called him by name.

“Well, well. If it ain’t Trenton Chadwick. Just look at you all growed up and fancy like.”

Trenton would have known the voice of Jerry Wilson anywhere. He looked up and met Jerry’s menacing stare. Sam stood to his left and Mark was on his right. The Swede was the only one who seemed to be absent.

Trying to appear unmoved, Trenton nodded. “Good evening, boys.”

Jerry laughed. “It’s a good evening now. That’s fer sure.”