Heart Of Gold Tattoo
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The sun was still high when they reached the mine. “What are we doing here?” Mary asked as she stared at a small wooden shack with three windows and two doors. She didn’t see any activity.
“This is where we’ll live,” Dan said simply. He opened the door to let her enter first then followed her inside. The room held three cots, one chair, and shelves holding food and cooking equipment. It was cramped but it would do. They could use the extra space in their cabin for storage or to keep more things out of view.
Dan closed the door and turned toward her. Their eyes met and locked together. He looked away quickly and cleared his throat before speaking again. “I thought this would be best. We can watch what goes on in town without being seen.”
She didn’t answer him directly but nodded.
He moved closer to her and took hold of both her hands in his. “Look, I know it’s not much, but it will do until we can get something better.”
Mary couldn’t help the smile that crossed her face at the words. This was going to work if they stayed out of sight. If only it had been possible to rent a place rather than purchase land outright. At least buying would allow them some breathing room should there ever come a time they needed it.
Dan squeezed her hands gently, as he waited patiently for her to respond.
“It’s perfect,” she finally replied. “You’re right, we don’t have to hide out here forever. And thank you for bringing us into your home.”
“No thanks needed,” he told her. “That would never happen.”
Her eyebrows rose. Was there an undertone in his tone? Did Dan really believe that?
“Why not?” she asked quietly, hoping the other men wouldn’t hear her over the wind blowing through the shack.
His face grew serious and his gaze drifted down toward the ground. “Because my family isn’t like that.”
Mary’s heart ached for him. No wonder he was so cautious around others; his own brother had betrayed him. Still, how did someone go from trusting their loved ones completely to suspecting everyone? Maybe this whole situation was too overwhelming for him. It made sense, given his background.
“How long were you in prison?” Mary asked, after giving his hand another squeeze and pulling back to look up into his eyes.
Dan shrugged uncomfortably. “Long enough. But I didn’t mind because the guards kept me busy.”
She smiled sadly and patted his shoulder lightly.
“Thank you, Mary,” he said softly and gave her a quick hug before letting her go. “Now, let’s get started on dinner,” he ordered as he headed toward the door.
They ate dinner while discussing the plans for tomorrow. Dan wanted to get rid of the horses that morning, then visit the bank and the saloon. After that, he’d make the rounds at the stores in town before stopping by the hotel for lunch and checking in on his brothers.
The plan sounded simple but she knew Dan would do exactly what he planned regardless of how difficult or dangerous it might seem. She hoped she could follow his lead.
Mary went to bed early and fell asleep almost instantly. When she woke up the next morning, sunlight streamed through the windows and the faint scent of breakfast wafted throughout the room. Her stomach rumbled loudly and she stretched before getting out of her cot.
She glanced at the clock on the wall and frowned slightly. Had she slept long enough that Dan wasn’t done preparing food yet?
“Good morning,” Dan called from behind her, startling her. He came into the room carrying a tray full of food and set it down beside hers. Then he handed her a mug filled with black coffee. He sat down across from her and sipped his own coffee as he waited for her to take a drink.
“It smells delicious,” she told him, as she took her first sip and let the rich, dark liquid seep warmly into her stomach.
“Mmmhmm.”
She grinned as she took another sip of the hot brew. “I’m surprised you even had time to cook,” she said between mouthfuls. “Are your brothers ready for us to leave already?”
“Yes, they want us to get out of here as soon as possible.” His gaze slid sideways and he looked away from her. “And we can’t wait anymore.”
She swallowed a mouthful of eggs and bacon, thinking about how hard it must be for Dan to say those words aloud. It was obvious that Dan was worried about his family. They weren’t safe anywhere, no matter how far away they might be.
The thought brought tears to Mary’s eyes as she thought about Danny and Jack, and the rest of Dan’s siblings who had been sold to the carnival. That was just wrong; she couldn’t understand how any parent could treat their own children like that. And she certainly couldn’t understand why Dan had chosen to stay here when there was so much danger in his hometown.
“What do you mean we can’t wait anymore?” she asked, forcing herself to stop eating and focus on something else.
“Well, the sheriff is still looking for us.”
She nodded. Of course, he was.
“He’s also making inquiries with the other townsfolk and merchants,” Dan went on. “We can’t hide forever. We need to start moving and we’ll have more freedom once we’re gone.”
Mary chewed on her bottom lip as she stared into her coffee mug. What was it going to be like when they finally left this place? Would the two of them ever really blend into the background? If things went as Dan expected, the answer was yes, he should be able to return to his job as a traveling salesman and resume their life together.
But Mary knew better than to think it would be easy, or that everything would turn out perfectly. It had only taken one bullet to shatter Dan’s faith in people. Who knew what the future held for either of them?
She glanced down at her hands resting in her lap. She didn’t want to give up hope. Not now. But if she allowed herself to dream, then maybe she could keep believing that all of this wouldn’t end in disaster. For once in my life, I want to have something work out for me.
“I’m not afraid,” she announced, surprising both of them. She turned to look at Dan. “You heard the men talking last night—they aren’t going to hurt me or you, and that means neither will anyone else.”
Dan gave her a crooked grin, obviously pleased with her decision. He reached over and took her hand in his and squeezed gently. “Thank you, Mary,” he whispered. Then he released her hand and picked up his empty plate.
While Dan cleared off the table, Mary went back to finishing breakfast. By the time the dishes were washed and put away, Dan finished getting their supplies ready. She helped him saddle the horses before she saddled her own mare.
“Ready?” Dan asked as he climbed into his buggy and turned the reins toward the west. “We should reach St. Louis by tomorrow evening.”
“St. Louis!” She grinned at him. “That’s quite a distance.”
“Just don’t forget about the weather and terrain,” he reminded her.
She nodded absently. It was too late to worry about such things now. “Have you ever ridden with a passenger before?” she asked, as they started out along the trail. “Do you mind if I sit up front with you?”
Dan glanced sideways at her and smiled. “Of course not.” He pulled on the reins, turning the buggy around and guiding his horse toward the center of town. As they rode out of town, Dan kept glancing to the right side of the buggy where Mary stood leaning against the wall, looking out across the plains, and watching as they drove farther and farther away.
***
After a long ride, Dan guided his buggy down a winding road and stopped beside an old farmhouse. A small sign next to the porch read: BUCKLEBROOK FARM. The place seemed deserted.
He opened his satchel and removed several bundles of cloth. Then he tied some of the fabric together and wrapped his revolver inside the bundle, tucking it under his arm.
“What are you doing?” Mary asked in surprise.
“Preparing our disguise. We can’t go unnoticed while we’re traveling,” he explained as he tied a knot in one end of each length of material. When he finished, the fabric made a kind of sack hanging from his arm.
“This way we won’t set off any alarms,” he said.
When the two of them returned to the carriage, Dan lifted Mary up and placed her in the front seat. “Hold onto something,” he warned, handing her his satchel full of clothing, shoes and toiletries. “It’s probably safer for you up here anyway.”
She grabbed hold of the handle on her door and settled in to watch the world pass by through the window. The sky was cloudless and the land stretched out as far as she could see.
The sun had just passed its zenith when they arrived at another small town—a larger village compared to Bucklebrook Farm. They rode in silence until they reached a large inn, where Dan dismounted and led them inside.
“Are you sure the room is still available?” Mary asked in surprise when she saw that they had been given a private suite.
Dan laughed. “I know the owner, Mr. Johnson,” he replied as they walked to a door on the left side of the lobby. “And besides, you looked more than exhausted yesterday.”
They were shown to their rooms, which had three separate doors. One door led to a bedroom; another led to a sitting room, where there was a single bed, a writing desk and chair and a rocking chair positioned near a window. The third door opened to a tiny bathroom.
“How did you find us a room with so little notice?” Mary couldn’t believe how much attention Dan had paid to find them a suitable place to spend the night. She wondered what other surprises he would spring on her today.
“You told me to be thorough,” he answered casually as he handed her the key to their rooms. “I’ll take the bedroom and you can have the sitting room unless you’d rather share a bed with me.”
Mary’s heart skipped a beat. He really meant it. Her mouth went dry as she realized that this was her chance to make everything work out fine. I’ve never slept with anyone before! And yet…it wouldn’t hurt to try.
She tried not to show how surprised she felt, but Dan noticed the change in her face. “Don’t tell me you didn’t know I meant what I said yesterday?” he asked curiously as he leaned against the wall in the hallway outside the bedrooms.
“Oh, yes, I remember.” She smiled. “But I’m not exactly dressed for sharing a bed with someone else.”
Dan nodded, his expression serious. “No, you’re not.” But then he smiled again. “I suppose we can both use the sitting room tonight. If you want to get undressed, feel free. I think it’s safe enough.”
She followed him into the sitting room, taking in the small room’s elegant furnishings, including a sofa, a table with a lamp and even a fireplace in the back corner. It was very different from the simple rooms she’d stayed in before. “I hope you’re not offended if I take off my coat and shoes,” she remarked, as she hung up her hat.
“By all means, do.” His voice was low and husky. “I don’t mind at all.”
As soon as Mary took off her hat, her hair slipped out of its tight bun, cascading over her shoulders and down her back. She brushed it aside, feeling suddenly awkward about wearing such a revealing dress, but Dan’s eyes lit up as she turned around to remove her gloves.
“I can’t wait to see your legs.” He stepped closer to her and ran his hand along the side of her hip. “And those gorgeous breasts.”
A shiver raced down her spine. Did he realize that he was talking like this? That his hands were resting on her body and caressing her in ways she wasn’t accustomed to?
Then her cheeks heated with embarrassment when he reached behind her neck and untied her scarf and let the silk slip down over her head and fall to the floor. His fingers skimmed her throat and chest and continued lower.
“Do you need a mirror to check your makeup?” he murmured as he moved away from her. “You look wonderful.”
She hadn’t realized how nervous she had been until now. When Dan stood back beside her, Mary quickly removed the rest of her clothing. “There, now,” he said when he noticed the blush on her cheeks. “Now I have to go change. You should put your things away.” He bent down to help her pick up her discarded items. “And I think we both have to wash up a bit before we eat dinner.”
Her hands shook as she placed her clothes in the trunk, feeling his gaze on her. By the time she returned to the sitting room, Dan had already changed into a pair of dark green trousers and an unbuttoned white shirt. She admired his muscular arms, broad shoulders, and strong jawline as she sat down to remove the pins from her hair.
“Here,” Dan offered when he saw that she was struggling with the last pin, “let me take care of it.” With one quick tug, he freed her hair from the confinement of the pins and allowed it to hang loose around her shoulders.
When he straightened up again, Mary could barely speak. What was happening here? Did this mean they were truly becoming friends? Would she soon be able to relax in his company and forget about her past?
She found herself hoping that she would never lose him, but it seemed too much to expect that things would ever return to the way they had been. No, this was something new. Something she couldn’t possibly understand yet, but something wonderful.
“Come on,” he urged softly, “we’d better hurry to dinner before they shut the kitchen down.”
The End