Reluctantly impressed, she vowed not to show him as much. The Marshal wore his ego alongside his five-pointed star.
"Something tells me you're not too keen on my presence here," he drawled. He didn't sound too terribly concerned, though. Then again, with his looks and charm it probably wasn't often that he was treated like an unwanted guest.
"Not particularly," she replied. At least she would stand out in his mind as the one woman who didn't swoon at his feet.
With a sigh, he sat up and placed his hat beside him on the bench. The sun coming in through the window of their compartment picked out blond highlights in his light brown hair. He was in need of a cut and a shave, but Mariel had to admit the shaggy look suited him. Made him look a touch wild and unpredictable, like you didn't know if he'd kiss your hand or haul you up over his shoulder and kidnap you for a ravishing.
"It's a long train ride to Everton Fort," he said, his tone apologetic but with a glint in his eyes that belied his pleasure at having to spend so much time with her. "I'm sorry that you've been forced into this position and I admire you for handling the situation with the grace that you have."
Her lips twitched as she suppressed a smile. They both knew she hadn't accepted this trip with any grace at all.
"Most women I know would be too afraid to undertake this journey and help bring Rhody Beaufort to justice." He inclined his head at her with what she was mollified to see was genuine respect. "I'm indebted to you, as is the entire state of Mountain Sky, Miss Johnston. If it's within my power to make this journey—and my company—more bearable, I beg you to share it with me."
She doubted Marshal Carson had ever begged for anything. He'd undoubtedly been given everything he'd ever wanted. It was in stark contrast to her own life, in which she and her father had worked and struggled for everything. Maybe she was jealous, which was a sobering revelation. It wasn't Marshal Carson's fault that he'd had a comfortable, easy life.
Then again, if it was so easy, why had he become a Deputy Marshal of the Empire, one of the most dangerous occupations in the country? Maybe there's more to him than meets the eye, Mariel.
"I don't need anything from you, Marshal," she began.
"We're going to be traveling together for three weeks." He smiled. "We're going to be friends by the end so you may as well begin calling me Clay."
"Marshal, I didn't volunteer for this journey," she continued as if she hadn't heard. "I have a business to run. Every day that I'm here with you I'm losing money and money is scarce in Willowtown. All I want is to get through this ordeal as quickly and painlessly as possible so I can return to my life."
"I understand that, Miss Johnston, and you have my sympathies. But Rhody Beaufort is a man the Empire has been after for years now, and to finally have him in custody is a tremendous opportunity to break the crime network that's been running the length of Mountain Sky Territory. As the only living witness to his robbery of the Mint Hall Bank, your beautiful personage is the key to convicting him."
Mariel swallowed, but she refused to look away. "Because all the other witnesses are dead."
"Yes."
She gave him points for not shying from the truth.
"Killed by Rhody's gang."
A muscle rippled in his strong jaw. She could tell he wasn't happy with the plain fact. "I won't lie to you. His gang is motivated to keep him free. But those other witnesses weren't under the protection of the Marshals' service. They weren't watched over by me."
"You believe you're better than the other Marshals?"
He nodded soberly. "I know am. And I give you my word that I will get you to Everton Fort safely and return you to Willowtown to resume your life. That's my sworn duty and I will uphold it."
Mariel believed that he meant it—the Marshal had a very earnest and determined look about him when he wasn't trying to be charming—but she understood the danger very well. She was the key to ending a criminal network. She looked out the window, searching in vain for sight of the second Marshal who rode alongside the train by horseback. Would two guards be enough? Her gut feeling told her no.
"I'm the most important person in the world to Rhody right now," she said quietly. "If I were in his boots, I'd stop at nothing to kill me before I reached the fort."
She startled as a warm hand settled over her wrist. Clay's warm, brown gaze held her firmly.
"I won't allow anything to happen to you, Miss Johnston. I swear it on my life."