Magnificent Passage (3 page)

“Your father is too much like mine,” Mandy said. “He always thinks he knows what's best. He'll send men to bring you back and—”

“I won't go with them!”

Mandy studied her cousin's deepening scowl, Julia's fiery temper barely held in check.
She's so self-assured, so all-fired determined. Never afraid of anything or anyone.
Mandy felt a twinge of envy for her cousin's courage. She had spunk, spirit. She faced life head-on, took what she wanted. Never gave up.

As children they'd been best friends. Both their families had lived in Highland Falls, a small town in New York state, until Uncle William had moved his family to California and the Army had moved George Ashton and his family to the frontier.

Now she and Julia lived in two different worlds. Uncle William had become rich and powerful, had been elected governor of California. Mandy's father was content just being a soldier. He looked forward to achieving the rank of major one day, but that was the extent of his ambition.

“We've gone over every possibility, Julia. Even if you and Jason ran away they'd surely find you. Your father is powerful, and he's still your legal guardian.”

“I don't care what Father is! He's not going to make me give Jason up.” Julia's green eyes narrowed. Tiny gold flecks leaped like sparks, as if threatening to ignite the splintery log cabin. Her chin jutted forward at a familiar willful angle. She marched to the window, threw aside the crisp chintz curtains, and peered obstinately out onto the parade ground.

Mandy had seen that determined profile before, and it
usually boded ill for someone. She wondered fleetingly just who would suffer this time and shrugged off a tiny warning voice.

“You have to think of Jason. If you do run away, your father might
never
accept the marriage. Instead of helping, he could ruin Jason's career.”

Julia clenched her teeth. Tears of rage and frustration filled her green eyes, but she didn't speak.

Though Mandy had never been in love, she could easily imagine the heartbreak her cousin was suffering. She'd often fantasized about finding just the right man. Her father and mother had been terribly in love. Her father still hadn't recovered from her mother's death.

She stood up, wishing she could think of something comforting to say. Outside the window, two blue-capped Indian scouts sat stoically on their haunches, waiting for C troop to finish a close-order drill. Several ravens screeched loudly atop the chimney of Major Murphy's cabin, then flew away to inspect the roof of the whitewashed cabin next door.

Mandy thought of Julia's determination, her willingness to stand up to a man like the governor. How she wished she had the courage to stand up to her own father like that. But one stern look from her father's hard gray eyes and she withered.

The sound of clanging iron disrupted the stillness in the room. A blacksmith hammered a wheel back onto the axle of a worn covered wagon, the noise of his anvil piercing the air. Mandy's head began to throb in unison with the clanging iron.

Julia sniffed back tears with a bit more drama than necessary. “Jason says he's going to take a leave of absence. No
one here at the fort will marry us, but we can cross the territorial line. I'll marry Jason under an assumed name. The marriage won't be legal, but if we can get some time alone together, maybe Father will worry about the scandal and let the marriage stand. I'm sure if he ever gets to know Jason, he'll give us his approval. Time, Mandy. Time is what we need.”

Mandy hugged Julia protectively, trying to act as mature as her eighteen years would allow. She wondered enviously if she would ever be fortunate enough to love as her cousin did.

The sound of a man's heavy boots crunching against the gravel beside the house attracted their attention.

“Jason!” Julia flew to the sill and leaned out, taking the hand of the handsome Army officer who stood outside. His dark blue uniform was spotless, the brass buttons polished to a fine sheen.

“I'm on duty until eight,” Jason Michaels said to Julia. “Maybe when I get off we could go for a walk.” He smiled at her lovingly. The pleasure he felt in seeing her glittered in his blue eyes.

Mandy felt a lump in her throat. They looked so happy together. Such a perfect match. It just didn't seem right for Uncle William to keep them apart. Mandy was sure Uncle William didn't believe Julia really loved Jason, but Mandy believed it. She'd never seen her cousin so happy.

Though Julia had always been the life of every party, inside she had been lonely. If she lost Jason, she might be lonely forever. Mandy's heart felt leaden.

“Uncle George left this morning for a tour of duty at Fort Sedgewick,” Julia told Jason. “Mrs. Evans, our next-door
neighbor, is supposed to be our chaperone. She's been watching us like a jailer, but I'm sure a walk won't be considered a jailbreak.” She smiled up at the tall lieutenant.

“I'll see you tonight, then,” Jason said.

She nodded, leaned out, and kissed his cheek. She watched his receding figure until he disappeared from sight, then she turned her attention to Mandy.

“Mandy, there's something I need to discuss with you.” She took a deep breath as if readying herself for a contest of wills, and Mandy shifted her weight nervously from one foot to the other. “Since I met Jason, I've discovered what I really want in life—a home, a real home, and a family. I want to marry Jason more than anything in the world. Please, Mandy. You've got to help me.”

Mandy felt a tightness in her chest. “I wish I could, Julia, I truly do. If there were anything—anything at all, you know I would.”

“I hoped it wouldn't come to this,” Julia said, wringing her hands. She seemed a little nervous, her gaze a little hesitant. “There
is
something you could do. I've been thinking about it ever since I got Father's wire.” She squared her shoulders in a gesture of determination.

“I didn't mention it before because I was certain we'd think of another way. Now time's running out, and we're all out of ideas.”

“I can't imagine any possibility we've overlooked,” Mandy said, sure there was very little chance of outwitting the governor. “But of course, if there is something . . . ”

“You know I wouldn't ask you if there were any other way. I'm desperate, Mandy. Please, say you'll do it.”

Mandy eyed her cousin suspiciously. Julia had always
been able to talk anyone into anything. “What is it, Julia? What do you want me to do?” She watched her cousin's face carefully. Green eyes gleamed with mischief, leaving Mandy with an odd queasiness in the pit of her stomach.

“I want you to take my place,” Julia announced. “I want you to pretend you are me.”

“What?” Mandy clutched at the sill. One hand crept to the base of her throat where she felt a rapid, fluttery pulse. “You can't possibly be serious! How can you even suggest such a thing? That's absolutely the craziest idea you've ever had.”

“You can do it! I can teach you! We have the same color hair and eyes.” Julia spun Mandy around to view her from every angle. “You're a little shorter, but they won't notice. Father hasn't seen you in years. He won't realize how much alike we've grown to look. It'll never cross his mind we could trade places.”

“But I don't look like you—do I?” Mandy was more than a little flattered by the comparison. She had certainly never noticed the similarity. Now that she thought about it, both she and Julia did have similar facial features: well-defined cheekbones, full lips, a slightly upturned nose, and a clear complexion, though Julia's was a little darker. If she changed her appearance completely, changed her hair and clothes, they probably could look enough alike to fool a complete stranger—even one with a daguerreotype.

“But, Julia,” Mandy argued, still unconvinced, “even if we do look alike, we certainly don't act alike. These men will have been told to expect a . . . a . . . ”

“Hellion?” her cousin suggested.

“Well, yes. . . . Not someone's who's . . . who's . . . ”

“Quiet, reserved—and afraid of men.”

“I'm not afraid of men! At least I don't think I am. I guess I really haven't had much of a chance to find out. And you know I'm not really all that quiet—or reserved. I just act that way to humor Father.”

“Then you'll do it!” Julia said, grinning broadly, pleased with herself.

“Of course not! I couldn't begin to fool those men.”

“But that's the part I'll teach you! You're a good actress. You've been fooling your father for years—you just said so. Besides, I'll show you exactly what to do.”

“Oh, Julia, I may not be as reserved as Father would like to believe, but I've never acted like you. I mean . . . ”

“When we were younger, we weren't so different,” Julia said. “You used to have plans, dreams. You used to let your hair hang loose and wear pretty clothes. You were even a little wild if I remember correctly—you used to ride like the wind, and build mud castles—and fish! Wouldn't you like to do those things again?”

Mandy fell silent. How many times had she sworn she'd leave Fort Laramie one day, leave her father's harsh rules, go out on her own, enjoy life the way she had before her mother died. She felt a stirring, an excitement she hadn't felt in years. The men would be returning Julia to California. California—the golden land. Anything could happen. People made new lives there, found the end of the rainbow.

Julia put her hands on Mandy's shoulders. “You might actually learn to enjoy yourself again, have some fun for a change.”

Mandy walked over to her narrow bed and sank down. How could she possibly do anything as insane as her cousin
proposed? And yet, how could she pass up the opportunity of a lifetime? Her lifetime. Maybe the only opportunity she would ever have to change her life.

“Do you really think it would work?”

“Of course it'll work. We've got weeks before the men arrive, plenty of time for me to teach you everything you'll need to know. Besides, a lot of it will come back to you. All the social graces your mama taught you, you've just forgotten. As soon as you feel comfortable pretending to be me, Jason and I can leave.”

Mandy's heart pounded. It couldn't possibly work, but maybe, just maybe.... She wanted to try, and not just for Julia's sake. At last, she would be free of her father's restraints!

She smiled up at her cousin and excitement surged through her veins. “Julia, I'll do it! Tell me exactly what you want me to do—and pray God is on our side.”

 

A
nybody here name a' Langley? Travis Langley?” A gray-whiskered old man pushed through the swinging doors. The saloon was noisy, crowded, and dark, even in the middle of the day. Smoke hovered in patches above dimly lit tables and the room smelled of beer and sweaty men.

Langley turned toward the door. “Who wants to know?” His deep voice carried easily above the clamor in the room. He straightened in his chair, rubbing an ache in the back of his neck.

He'd been playing poker for hours, winning a little, but mostly just unwinding from his last assignment. He and his partner, James Long, had delivered a payroll shipment for Jack Murdock's company and the delivery had been nothing but trouble. They'd shot two highwaymen, wounded both, then had to contend with getting the prisoners to the sheriff as well as delivering the money. He was damn glad it was over.

“Got a wire here from the Capitol. From the gov'nor hissef,” the little man said. He looked wiry and spry, but
ancient as the oaks, as if age had gnarled him like an old tree trunk, then left him to weather the years.

Langley slid his chair back, carefully laid his cards face down on the table, then moved toward the door and the grizzled old man. “I'm Langley.”

“This here's fer a Mr. Long, too,” the old man informed him, craning his leathery neck to meet Langley's gaze.

“Thanks.” Langley flipped the old man a coin for his trouble. He opened the thin ivory envelope, scanned the message with a bit of curiosity, then started back to his table.

A buxom barmaid stepped in front of him, the long black ostrich plume in her hair brushing suggestively against the side of his face.

“Where you goin', handsome?” she asked. Her full bosom pressed tantalizingly against his chest. Reluctantly he pulled his gaze from the tantalizing swells and smiled into her pretty face. Her knee-length black and red lace dress left little to the imagination.

“You just get into town?” he asked. “I haven't seen you around.” He took in the curve of her hip and the shapely leg propped on the chair to block his path.