During the night she was awakened by a voice and, startled, she sat up abruptly.
Captain Montgomery came to her and pushed her back down on the blanket.
“I was dreaming,” she murmured. “I was with my father.”
“He’s not here now, so go back to sleep.”
He started to move away, but Maddie caught his hand. “Worth,” she whispered.
“Worth what?”
“My last name is Worth. Madelyn Worth.”
“Ah, yes, the M.W. on the trunks.”
She yawned and turned on her side away from him. “Thank you, Captain, for coming to my rescue even if I didn’t need you.”
“I just hope I don’t have to do it again.”
“Me too,” she murmured, and went to sleep.
’Ring went back to his place against the tree. He was cold and since he’d given her the last of his hardtack he was hungry, so what sleeping he did was very light. For the most part he spent the night watching her and trying to put together all the pieces.
His head and back still ached in the morning and his mood felt worse. “Get up,” he snapped. “This isn’t the Paris opera house, where you can sleep late.”
She stretched and yawned. “You certainly got up on the wrong side of the bed.”
“I wasn’t in any bed to get out of.”
He didn’t know it, of course, but Maddie had spent a great deal of her life around men and knew when one was in a sulk. “What’s the matter, Captain? Angry because a woman won’t do what you wan
t?”
He lifted one eyebrow as he looked over the coffeepot at her.
“I guess you haven’t had much trouble with women, have you? I’m sure that your fabulous good looks have enabled you to get what you want from women.”
He perked up at “fabulous good looks.”
“I can just hear all your young ladies.” She cast her eyes skyward and put on a simpering look. “Oh, ’Ring,” she said in a honeyed voice while batting her lashes. “You dance so beautifully and it’s so good to have such a strong man to lean on. Do you like my dress?” She glanced back at him and continued. “Oh, Captain, I find it’s awfully hot in here. Couldn’t we walk outside? Just the two of us? Alone? In the moonlight?”
She looked back at him and grinned. “Your life story?”
He had to bite his lips to keep from laughing because what she’d said was so close to reality. At the fort Toby had had to warn ’Ring whenever the colonel’s daughter, or even his wife, was approaching, or else ’Ring would have spent half of his time carrying things or giving his opinion on ribbon colors, or just commenting on the heat or cold or dust or state of the world in general.
“Not even close,” he said, handing her a cup of coffee.
“Now who’s lying? You’ll never make a good liar. Your cheeks are almost pink under your manly tan.” She laughed when the pink deepened.
He quit scowling and smiled at her. “Actually, my problem with women has been the opposite, which is why my father hired Toby. Are you ready to go? We need to leave soon if we’re—”
“I thought Toby was in the army with you.”
“He is. He joined because I did.” He looked at her in reproach. “He told you that, remember? I’m glad I’m a better detective than you are. You’d better fasten your skirt, or have you put on weight?”
“I haven’t put on weight. I left my corset—” She broke off, annoyed that he’d made her mention her undergarment. “Tell me about Toby.”
“Here, can you clean a coffeepot or can you only sing?”