Heart of a Cowboy (Heart of Colorado #1)

Chapter 4

The sun was bright coming throught the windows of the train. Corinne had forgotten briefly the events of the night before until she realized she had awakened in the company of ... Ryne Wilkinson? She attempted to pull back slowly so as not to startle him.

"Good morning, Miss McAllister. Did you sleep well?" He smiled without opening his eyes.

"Yes, I did. And you, Mr. Wilkinson?"

"Like a dream with a  very beautiful woman in my arms. Thank you. Would you mind pulling that shade? The sun is a tad too bright for my eyes this morning." He smiled again as she leaned over to honor his request. Without missing a beat, he kept talking. "So, where are you headed?"

"I'm not very sure just yet. I think the train is headed for Denver, and then on towards Wyoming. Past Cheyenne, I have no plans. I ... never you mind my reasons. I guess I will tell you sooner or later. For now, I need the powder room. Excuse me, please."

He wondered to himself as she walked away how she had managed to go from pleasant to upset in mere moments.

"Women!" He said aloud to no one, as the other occupants of the car had gone, he was assuming, the dining car to eat breakfast. Food sounded good, but he decided to wait for Corinne, as he didn't want to leave her unescorted. The girl was baffling him, but he thought this was one sure way to finally become well acquainted with her. After they stopped disembarked in Denver, he would take her shopping, as he was familiar with the city and knew of several places she would enjoy. What good was travelling if one didn't see the sights, taste the foods, and shop a little? He'd propose this plan over their shared meal.

"Hello Mr. Wil.."

"Please, call me Ryne." He interrupted. "We're to be travelling together, we may as well be on a first name basis."

"That's not proper etiquette, Mr. Wilkin..."

"I don't give a hang about et-ee-quette. We're friends. I plan on escorting you to your destination, wherever that may be, before heading back to the Springs, so you may as well just call me Ryne." He nodded to signal her to agree. She did.

"Very well, Ryne. How about some breakfast? I'm famished."

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He followed Mr. McAllister unseen to the train station, waited for the man to purchase his ticket, which took some time, and then purchased his own, inquiring where the train was headed.

"Denver, sir. Then from there, this route will take you all the way ta Cheyenne." The attendant on duty explained the routes and prices, options and station stops to him.

"Thank you." He boarded the waiting train, taking a different car. He was fairly sure she would stop in Denver for a while, but she had twelve hours head start, so catching up to her wasn't going to be easy.

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Mr. McAllister had received a telegraph before the train chugged off towards Denver.

In Denver. Stop. Not returning for some time. Stop. I have an escort. Stop.

Well, at least the idea of an escort eased his mind some. He was concerned for his daughter's wellbeing. He wondered who it was. Hopefully someone he could trust was his first thought. He had the attendant send word to his wife that Corinne was alright, and that he was going to Denver first in order to find her. Hopefully, she would still be there when he arrived. He wanted his daughter, his youngest child, to be home with her mother and himself, where she belonged.

He accepted the fact that she did not want to marry Mr. Richards, and after seeing, and hearing, his temper that morning, he didn't want her married to him. Any man who placed a hand on his daughter in anger would answer to him, and he suddenly knew that Matthew Richards could quickly become such a man.