Today was the first time he’d been allowed to go with the men on a robbery. He hated doing it, fleecing hardworking folks out of their money and sentimental possessions like wedding rings, but he’d do anything short of killing someone to get close to Emmett Brunson. It was only by working his way into the man’s inner circle that he’d gain the information he needed to find the location of their stolen goods and leave the gang with nothing except bad memories when he returned to Portland with it.
Thoughts of wedding rings drew his gaze back to Gray’s sister. Although she went by Miss Carter, he had sucked a wedding ring off her left ring finger. Frankie John had nearly tied himself in a knot over the value of that diamond. Personally, Trace thought the ring gaudy, even rather gauche, but he kept those thoughts to himself.
It certainly didn’t seem like a ring the refined, elegant woman would choose.
Regardless of her appearance, he needed to keep in mind she was a married woman. If the rumor mill in town could be believed, her husband had traveled to Hardman last December, intent on killing Gray. When he was apprehended, he confessed to killing Gray’s older brothers, Gray’s first wife, and their nanny.
It was no wonder Victoria Carter pretended to be a miss rather than a missus. He couldn’t blame her in the least for wanting to distance herself from a man who’d kill her family members in cold blood.
At any rate, what she did or didn’t do was of no concern to him. Not in the least. He had bigger things to worry about, like keeping her from distracting him again.
He’d been so unsettled by her this afternoon he’d nearly let her see his face. In case she had caught a glimpse of him, he’d raced back to Hardman after leaving the stolen plunder with the other gang members at their meeting place west of town. He’d taken a chilly bath in the stream before he got to town, then hurried back to his room at the boardinghouse where he shaved with such haste he’d nicked his chin twice. It annoyed him to no end he’d had to make time to shave, but he’d rather take every precaution of keeping his identity a secret. Most likely, Victoria hadn’t noticed a thing about him, but he couldn’t be too careful. He was just heading toward his wagon to get back to work after stopping at the mercantile for a few supplies when she literally ran into him.
All he could think about was how much he wanted to hold her, to kiss her, when she’d smacked into his chest. He could almost taste her as they stood there on the boardwalk.
The sensation of her soft finger in his mouth was one he wouldn’t likely forget anytime soon, though. He’d only intended to get the ring off her finger, and that seemed the fastest way to accomplish the task. With the way Frankie John went on and on about the ring, Trace wouldn’t have put it past him to actually cut the woman’s finger off to get at the diamond.
Trace might be a lot of things, pretend to be a lot of things, but he wouldn’t stand by and see a woman hurt, especially not over a piece of jewelry.
When she’d looked at him as he held her finger captive with his tongue, his heart started pounding so fast it made him lightheaded. It was a good thing she couldn’t see his eyes behind the dark spectacles he wore, or he would have been in big trouble. She might have noticed the way he couldn’t stop staring at her and seen the longing there to touch her smooth cheek or brush one of the dark tendrils of her hair away from her perfect oval face.
Victoria Carter was lovely by any standard. Her skin, clear and milky white, made it hard to guess her age. Hazel eyes held a mixture of curiosity, intelligence, and anguish. Her mouth was generous, lips just right for kissing, and she had a long, graceful neck. She also had an excellent figure full of curves a man could get downright befuddled over, if he allowed himself to succumb to such nonsense.
Which Trace most certainly would not.
He had outlaws to rob, telephones to sell, and a best friend to torment as soon he could make his way back to Portland. Billy had promised when he finished this job, he’d give him a month off. Trace planned to spend part of it in a newly opened luxury hotel where he could eat steak in a steaming bathtub if he so chose.
A vision of Victoria there with him infiltrated his imagination and made him infuriated with himself for letting his thoughts wander so far in an unwanted direction.
Yanking his attention back to the Carter siblings, Gray gave him a helpless look as Victoria continued to sniffle, although the storm of tears seemed to be passing. She drew in a long, shuddering breath, straightened her slim shoulders, then again dabbed at her face with her brother’s handkerchief.
“I’m sorry, Gray. I don’t know what came over me. And I…” She glanced over her shoulder at Trace. “My sincere apologies, sir, for creating such a spectacle. You’ve been nothing but kind and I assure you I’m not usually quite so emotionally distraught.”
Trace grinned at her as he moved to stand next to her and Gray. “It’s all right, Miss Carter. I don’t have any doubt you had a bit of a trying day, what with the robbery and all.”
“Robbery?” Gray asked, glancing from Victoria to Trace.
“Outlaws stopped the stage and robbed us, Gray. It was quite frightening. One of the thieves took my reticule and all the cash I had on hand.” She glanced from Gray back to Trace. “Which reminds me, I haven’t even a penny to pay Mr. Travers for going out of his way to bring me and my trunks here.”
Gray started to dig in his pocket, but Trace held up both hands, palms out in a gesture meant to stop him. “No money is necessary. I was heading out this direction anyway.” He doffed his hat and tipped his head to Victoria. “It was my pleasure to meet you, Miss Carter. I hope you have a pleasant visit.”
Gray shook his hand after he settled the cap back on his head. “Thanks for bringing her out, Trace. I appreciate it. Would you like to stay for supper?”
“Are you cooking or is your wife taking charge of the kitchen this evening?” Trace asked as he swung up to the wagon’s high seat.
“We’ve recently hired a cook, so it’s safe to eat if you do care to join us.”
“I won’t stay this evening, but maybe another time.” He tipped his head once more to Victoria, picked up the reins, and released the brake.
He turned the wagon around down by the barn and left, wondering what brought Victoria Carter all the way across the country to Hardman. He had a notion there was more to it than just a desire to see her brother.
And he intended to find out exactly what it was.
Chapter Five
“Pretty, pretty please, Aunt Victoria?”
Victoria glanced down at her niece’s sweet face, currently schooled into a pleading expression accompanied by an adorable pout. How could she possibly deny the child’s request?
“Maddie Mae, what have I told you about pouting to get your way? And nagging?” Gray asked as he stood near the stove, pouring a second cup of coffee.
“Not to do it,” Maddie said, glancing at her father then back at Victoria. “I’m sorry, Aunt Victoria.”
“That’s quite all right, darling girl.” Victoria pulled Maddie to her and gave the child a warm hug. “I would be happy to walk you to school, Maddie. However, if we’ve any hope of getting you there on time, we should make haste.”