Page 31 of A Forgotten Heart (Wind River Mail-Order Brides #5)

E vening shadows were growing long over the streets as Nick rode into Calvin. Urgency pulsed through him to speak to Elsie. To apologize. To tell her he’d been a fool.

And, hopefully, not make a bigger fool of himself when he asked her to choose him over the man with the fancy suit and silver ring.

It was getting colder. The slushy mud beneath his horse’s hooves was already beginning to freeze.

He was heading to Merritt’s to ask for Elsie’s whereabouts, but a familiar figure caught his eye near the train platform

The train whistle shrilled as he approached.

Steam from the engine billowed into the air over the platform.

“Everything quiet, Merritt?” he asked. He’d heard Danna still hadn’t captured Quade.

Merritt studied him. “Is all well at the ranch? I wasn’t expecting you in town.”

His breath hitched. He was doing the right thing, but a sudden shot of nerves nipped at his stomach. “Fine. I need to speak with Elsie.”

The corners of her mouth tipped into a knowing smile. “It’s about time. She hopped on the train?—”

The whistle blew again, cutting off her words. His horse pranced beneath him.

If Elsie was on the train, did that mean she’d gotten engaged?

Not in front of the preacher.

Drew’s words ran through his mind. He’d come this far—he wasn’t giving up. He hopped off Surrey and tossed the reins to Merritt. “Can you tie him up?”

He didn’t wait for her answer but took the steps to the platform two at a time.

The train whistle signaled its final shrill.

A few stragglers got on the train, and several folks were headed off away from it. He was striding toward the nearest door to hop on when he caught sight of a familiar shock of blonde hair.

Elsie.

Standing on the platform. Not on the train. Her beau leaned down and kissed her cheek, and Nick’s gut twisted—but the man waved and left her on the platform as the train chugged away.

Determination rose and he took a deep breath. Don’t give up.

He started toward her, but before he could call her name, a shadowy figure looped his arm around Elsie from behind.

Nick stiffened. Who…

Passing light fell from the window of the last car, flashing over the man’s face.

Quade.

Nick’s gut seized.

“Get help!” he shouted to the station attendant.

His legs pumped as he tore across the platform.

Quade dragged Elsie off the platform.

No!

Nick followed close enough to see they’d jumped into an empty freighter wagon.

He stumbled to a stop at the edge of the platform. Inside the wagon, Quade held Elsie in front of him, a revolver against her heart.

Tears sparkled on Elsie’s lashes. She looked like she was holding her breath.

Raw anger twisted inside Nick.

Quade stared at him, silently daring Nick to do something.

He was barely recognizable. His usually impeccable suit was rumpled. His stained hat—askew. His face lined. But it was his eyes that frightened Nick. A look that said only one of them was going to live through this.

Nick quickly vowed that he would do whatever it took to save Elsie.

Quade’s glare skittered toward a noise from nearby?—

Nick surged from the platform toward the wagon. He collided into Quade, and his momentum knocked both of them out of the wagon bed. They landed on the muddy ground with a thud that jarred Nick’s shoulder so painfully he saw stars.

“Nick!” Elsie’s shout was muffled. She was still in the wagon bed. “Help!”

Nick grappled with Quade. In the dark of the evening, he couldn’t see. Where was the gun?

It blasted from so close that Nick’s ears rang.

Something hot grazed the outside of his arm.

Fury fueling his strength, Nick clutched both hands around Quade’s gun arm. He had to get that gun before Quade had a chance to turn it on Elsie.

Nick threw his elbow into Quade’s face and heard a satisfying crunch.

Quade pressed his thumb into the bullet wound in Nick’s arm. The sudden flare of white-hot pain rendered his arm useless, and Quade rolled on top of Nick, one arm now across Nick’s neck, cutting off his air supply.

“You McGraws have stolen everything from me.” Spittle flew from Quade’s mouth. The lethal tone of his voice sent a shiver down Nick’s spine.

“Stop!”

Somewhere in the background was the sound of rustling and shouts.

A thump. Like someone had fallen from a wagon. Or jumped.

Quade looked up. Elsie was in danger.

A sneer twisted Quade’s face. “Now it’s my turn to take everything from you.”

He yanked his arm from Nick’s grip, raised the gun, and fired. The bullet flew wild into the night sky.

In the distance, someone shouted.

Nick bucked, dislodging Quade from on top of him.

“Nick!” Elsie cried.

Quade backhanded him in the jaw with the gun.

Spots danced before Nick’s eyes. He shook his head, tried to focus.

Elsie was standing right there. Too close.

Quade took aim.

Nick used the last of his strength to throw himself at Quade. He collided as the gun fired again, pulling Quade to the ground.

Ears ringing, he couldn’t tell where the shot had hit. Quade used the beat of uncertainty to pin Nick, kneeling on top of him.

Out of the blackness, a force collided into Quade, tackling him off Nick. “Get back,” the man shouted.

Nick lay on the ground, struggling to breathe.

Off to the side, Quade struggled with the man as Nick shoved up on his elbows, intending to go help contain Quade.

Another man appeared, this one with a star pinned to his chest.

Jack.

He drew his revolver and pointed it at Quade, who went still.

Light bobbed. Someone was bringing a lantern.

Quade surrendered his weapon, and as the light got brighter, several bystanders gathered on the nearest corner of the platform.

Still breathing hard, pain pulsing in two different places on his shoulder, Nick sat up on the frozen ground.

“Nick!” Elsie was beside him in a billow of skirts.

The sound of her voice sent prickles over his skin.

His gaze swept over her, looking for any blood or signs of injury. “Did he hurt you?”

Tears tracked down her cheeks as she shook her head. “I’m fine.”

He closed his eyes as a wave of dizziness hit. He steadied himself with one hand on the ground. Elsie was unharmed.

Relief pulsed through him. He heard Quade’s voice and forced his eyes open. Quade was blabbering nonsense as he was dragged away by Chas O’Grady and another deputy. Jack remained behind, talking to one of the townspeople. Jack caught Nick’s eye and nodded.

It was over.

And suddenly Nick’s heart was pounding for another reason. Had Elsie agreed to marry her city-slicker beau?

Nick wanted to reach for her, fold her in his arms, but he wasn’t sure he had the right.

“You’re hurt.” Elsie’s teeth chattered as she knelt next to Nick in the cold mud.

He’d clamped one hand over his upper arm, and there was a trickle of blood at the corner of his mouth.

She felt the intensity of his gaze as she pulled his hand away. His upper sleeve was soaked in blood, and she pressed her hand there to staunch the flow. Nick hissed in pain.

Merritt ran up, carrying a lantern. Her expression tightened as she knelt at Nick’s other side. “How is he?”

In the improved light, Elsie could see the bruise blooming on his jaw, the set of his mouth that meant he was holding back. There had been three or four shots. Was he hit somewhere else?

“Bleeding everywhere,” she told Merritt tightly.

Merritt scanned the onlookers. “We need a doctor!”

Nick cupped Elsie’s elbow with his free hand. “The bullet only grazed me.”

He sounded calm and sure. Not confused and weak like before at the doctor’s office.

Merritt’s gaze took in Nick from the top of his head to the bottom of his boots. “Are you sure?”

“I can walk to the doctor on my own. Just give me a minute.” His eyes returned to Elsie.

The certainty in his words and Merritt’s nod—she believed him too—made everything Elsie was feeling from the last few minutes bubble over. Tears spilled over, and a tiny sob escaped.

Nick was already reaching for her when she did what she really wanted to do and pressed close, putting one arm around his neck.

Merritt faded back. “Jack is beckoning me. Probably wants to know what I saw. I’ll be right back.”

She’d come so close to losing him. Again.

Nick cupped the back of her head with one hand. “Oh, El, don’t cry.”

His words only made her cry harder. He pressed his jaw into the top of her hair.

He’d protected her, put himself in front of that bullet. For her.

The night could have gone very differently, and the realization weighed upon her like a heap of stones.

She had so much to say, but words jumbled around in her head.

“I’m all right,” he whispered. “They got Quade. It’s safe now. No more looking over your shoulder.” It was as if he knew everything she needed to hear in this moment. “In a few days, you’ll be back in your schoolroom. Everything will be back to normal.”

It was the hesitation before his last words that had her pushing back to look at his face. She wiped tears from her cheeks. Saw the uncertainty in his expression.

He reached up to tuck a lock of hair behind her ear. His hand faltered. “You’ve got a scrape.” Nick’s lips flattened. “I should’ve hit him harder.”

She glanced at where she’d seen her attacker being carted away. “No, the law has him. It’s over now.”

There was a release in the words.

It really was over. Quade had been arrested. There were witnesses. Charges would stick. The McGraws could finally have peace.

Nick’s breath teased her cheeks. Had he leaned closer?

“El…” He traced his thumb along her jaw. “I’ve got some things to say.”

She froze, lowering her eyes. The hurtful words they’d thrown at each other yesterday played in her mind. “Yes?”

He dropped his hand away, looking serious. “I’m sorry for the way I spoke to you yesterday. I should’ve stayed and talked things out. That was unfair of me.”

His apology settled inside her.

And he wasn’t the only one to blame. “Can you forgive me as well? I should’ve told you about my parents’ expectations.” She swallowed. “And Arnold.”

Why had it taken her so long to say her goodbye to him?