An Agent for Gillian Read online

  “Please don’t tell me that,” Gillian said shakily, taking a deep breath. “Neither one of us is going to lose a loved one today. We need to get the rest of these people up here helping us so we can free them.”

  “I hope we can.”

  “We have to,” she uttered painfully, looking at the rock pile ahead of where they stood. “I have to tell Cade that I love him.”

  Cade coughed, gasping for air as the choking musty air gradually dissipated. He looked over to where the mine entrance was and stared in disbelief. They were trapped.

  He’d heard the massive grumbling of the earth and saw the looks on the other miners faces as they began to run towards the entrance. The ones that very nearly escaped were apparently the lucky ones, being crushed instantly by the rock. Cade and the men surrounding him would suffocate if they couldn’t unbury themselves. There was no telling how thick the slide of rock was and he couldn’t see any sunlight streaming in. He was trapped, under the earth, in a nightmarish darkness that made his skin crawl.

  Turning to the other men, Cade saw that they all stood there with their oil-wick caps illuminated, about thirty healthy strong men and boys. Their caps reminded him of stars against the darkest sky. Unfortunately, the caps put off a lot of smoke and didn’t illuminate much other that the space directly in front of your face. A few more coughs could be heard in the eerie silence around them.

  “Let’s get to moving these stones,” Cade ordered.

  “You’re not the foreman.”

  “No, but I’m alive and I want to see my wife again. Do you?”

  “I’ve got five mouths to feed and I can’t leave my wife like this,” another man said angrily. Rourke stepped forward and patted Cade on the shoulder as he walked past him. He knew that Rourke looked him in the face but couldn’t see his eyes. The glare from the tiny light on his cap was blinding in the pitch darkness.

  “I’ll no’ leave Fallon a widow before I’ve made her me bride.”

  “I have no intention of putting Gillian through burying another husband ever again either,” Cade said firmly, imagining the panic on her sweet face. The men had no idea that he wasn’t referring to another mining accident. Only Cade knew Michael’s story - and whether it was a mining accident or a gunshot wound – death was a final goodbye no one could run from. He knew she would be beside herself with worry. She still had nightmares occasionally and he didn’t want to be just another nightmare to her. He wanted to love her and wipe all her fears away.

  Problem was he hadn’t told her that yet.

  Walking to where the entrance was, Cade began picking up the rocks and working at the barricade with a pick with a fervor he didn’t realize he possessed. He’d said goodbye to his wife once, watching her slip away. He didn’t want to see the life slip away from these men working beside him, nor could he imagine never seeing Gillian’s bright green eyes again. He loved the way she laughed or smiled, her pert little nose would turn up and wrinkle so delicately. He could cheerfully be happy if he saw that smile for the next eighty years.

  Giving up wasn’t going to be an option!

  He worked for hours, his shoulders and back throbbing from exertion at trying to excavate themselves from the mine. This was ridiculous, it seemed. Cade was a large man and he was having to kneel down to even be able to swing the pick without hitting the low ceilings of the shaft. The conditions down here were horrific and he’d heard stories of how the mines would catch fire from the gasses that escaped from pockets in the rock. The last thing he wanted to do was be burnt alive and be trapped. Rourke coughed just then and looked at him. The lanterns were putting off a lot of smoke and very little light.

  “Are you thinking what I am?”

  “Yep,” Rourke said flatly. “Put out your lanterns boys.”

  “What? We’ll be trapped down here in the dark!”

  Cade felt the same exact way as the boy who’d uttered his very own unspoken fear aloud.

  “We’re coughing, there’s barely enough light to see by anyhow – and if we disturb something or crack open a rock full o’ gas… I’m no’ keen on being roasted alive.”

  “I don’t want to die alone in the dark.”

  “You aren’t alone, you ninny.”

  “Being around you nitwits is verra nearly the same thing!”

  “Put yer light out Jamie or I will put it out for ye!”

  “Curses!” he heard yelped as one of the ‘stars’ suddenly extinguished near where Cade stood. Each one of the dim lights suddenly disappeared until they got down to the last two caps.

  “Take a pick-axe, Rourke. Work far away from the others so we don’t strike each other in the darkness,” Cade explained. “The rest of us will need to use shovels. I don’t want to lose a hand, finger, or bleed to death by someone’s mis-swing. Got that?”

  “When I get to the far side, I will put my lamp out.”

  “Same here.”

  “God be with you.”

  “And also with you, my friend,” Cade clasped Rourke’s hand and nodded. Turning, he began to walk towards the wall of the cave, hoping the men were following him. He heard the scraping and metallic clanging of the shovels as they began to pick away at the stone again. This would work much better, allowing the men to at least stand to their full height in the shallow ceiling.

  “If anyone sees daylight, shout out.”

  A chorus of ‘aye’s’ rose up and the clanging of metal against rock began in earnest. Cade saw the lamp darken on the far side of the mine where Rourke was with the pick. Swallowing hard and pushing down his growing hysteria, Cade snuffed out his own lamp. The blackness swallowed them fully and he gingerly felt his way towards an empty spot between the men’s bodies to begin hacking away at the seemingly impenetrable wall.

  It was the only thing standing between him and Gillian. If he ever got out of here and was able to see her again – he would give up everything for her simply to see her happy. He slammed the shovel into the dirt, repeatedly, listening to the clanging in his ears. For a moment he thought he was hallucinating as he heard her name in the sound.

  Gill-i-an!

  Gill-i-an!

  That metallic clank and scrape took on another life of its own as the syllables changed. It wasn’t just her name repeating a mantra, echoing in his head. It was a cry from his very soul as he tried to stay sane in the pitch blackness choking him with fear.

  I love you, Gillian!

  Chapter 13

  Exhausted, Gillian looked up at the moon high in the sky. It had been long and excruciating two days now of working around the clock trying to get through the rubble. She couldn’t give up and wouldn’t believe that the miners were dead.

  The first day, she ended up collapsing in sheer exhaustion, forcing her to take a nap in the shade. That was the only time she stopped. Each time she took a break, she dealt with the series of overwhelming thoughts and emotions that flooded her. Guilt for stopping, fear for Cade’s safety, regret for being so stubborn – the list went on and on!

  She was still there with several of the men, scraping at the mound of earth that separated her from Cade. The town seemed to be coming together. They brought out food to keep their strength up, delivered water, brought medical supplies for injuries, and sheets.

  Sheets to cover the bodies they uncovered.

  Seeing the last item kept her going when her body was giving out on her. Gillian’s arms were shaking and her entire frame ached from utilizing muscles she’d never had used before today. One woman had handed her some leather gloves to keep from wearing her fingers down to nubs but that only served to bandage the already injured digits. She would gratefully have to soak the gloves off once she found Cade. It would be worth all the pain that came from the blood sticking to the leather.

  “Mrs. Malone?” a tentative voice said from nearby. Fallon was walking around serving water to the men nearby. Her pale face revealed rings under her eyes as she’d not gone home in the past few days either. The two worked tirelessl
y there at the mine trying to recover their loved ones. It took Gillian a few moments to realize the young girl standing next to her – was talking directly to her. She looked to be about six or seven years old and wearing threadbare clothing.

  “Yes, sweetie?”

  “Can I help you?”

  “I would love to have help,” Gillian admitted, feeling the exhausting weighing heavily on her. “Is your mama here?”

  “No. My mama is in heaven.”

  “Who are you here with?”

  “My nanny. My da hasn’t come home from work.”

  “Oh dear…” Gillian whispered, pulling the child to her and hugging her. It hadn’t dawned on the little girl that her father might not come back or that he was trapped in the mine. Barely holding back the stinging tears, Gillian swallowed several times before releasing the girl and smiling bravely.

  “I would love your help, sweetie, and you can sit right beside me. I am trying to move as much rock and dirt out of the way so I can get inside to see what is going on.”

  “Is this a game?”

  “It’s a type of race,” Gillian admitted brokenly. A race against time, she thought. “We want to get inside as quickly as possible.”

  “Can I use my spoon to dig?”

  “You can use anything you want – but we need to dig and fast, okay?”

  “Yes ma’am!” she said emphatically and began chiseling away at the ground. Gillian watched through watery eyes and then began moving the debris again herself. She didn’t think her heart could break any more than it already had, but this poor child was going to be as much of a victim as Gillian was if they didn’t free the men who were trapped.

  “What’s your… name,” Gillian asked, puffing with exertion stopping only to push her hair out of her face.

  “Michaela.”

  “What?” Gillian said stunned and staring at the little girl. She’d teased Michael one time that she wanted a little girl first when they had children – and that she was going to name her after him regardless of what he said. He claimed that he would only give her sons and now they had neither.

  “My name is Michaela. It’s different because my nanny says that I’m special. It’s a pretty name.”

  “A very lovely one.”

  “You look sad right now.”

  “I am actually really sad, Michaela.”

  “Don’t be. My nanny tells me not to be sad about mama being in heaven because she is watching me. Do you have someone watching you too?”

  The innocent words broke the dam around her heart. Hot tears cascaded down her cheeks as she stared at the young girl’s face. She’d heard the term ‘old soul’ but had never seen so accurate a description. There was so much knowledge and understanding in the child’s eyes that immediately Gillian felt awestruck and humbled.

  “You know what I mean, don’t you?” said the young girl’s high-pitched voice. Gillian couldn’t speak. She put the glove against her lips to keep from gasping aloud. She could taste the dirt on her glove as she stared frozen at the girl watching her.

  “I hope he’s watching me and understands,” Gillian uttered brokenly, feeling a sense of overwhelming awe combined with reverence as the girl smiled at her, cocking her head to the side as if listening to something.

  “I’m sure he does. I’ll be right back - my spoon is bent,” she said, smiling and holding up the warped utensil. Nodding absently, completely stunned, and unsure how to process the last few moments, Gillian watched the little girl get up before turning back towards the rock face.

  Looking up at the moon again, Gillian whispered a fervent prayer and hoped she was strong enough to handle whatever was on the other side. She prayed that Cade was alright and could only imagine what he was going through. After several moments, Gillian looked around wondering where the little girl went and if she was returning.

  “Michaela?” Gillian called out, getting to her feet and shaking the debris off her skirt. She was utterly filthy. “Michaela?”

  “Who are you calling for? Do you need to rest?”

  “There was a little girl here a few minutes ago talking with me.”

  “Ain’t no girl been here,” the man said staring at her strangely. “You’ve been working with us men nonstop. Mayhap you need to go rest little lady or get something to eat.”

  “She was right here,” Gillian protested, feeling her head spin and her heart pound in alarm. She knew that girl was right there and…

  “We’re through! Oh, thank God!”

  Bittersweet words echoed in her mind, followed by a massive cheer around them. Getting to her feet, shaking, she saw fingers wiggling through a gap in the rock face. She cupped her hands over her mouth, trying to muffle the cry of relief and fear.

  Fallon grabbed Gillian by the shoulders, hugging her as she began to cry brokenly. They were through, but was Cade alive? Was he injured? Several of the men began reaching into the hole and pulling away more debris. Once a gap opened up about two feet wide, the first weary man appeared and was pulled free.

  Gillian heard Fallon cry out happily as Rourke appeared in the opening next. The woman had been there with Gillian the last two days, helping move debris and fetching water. She’d been the person who’d gotten the sheets to serve as shrouds. Her pale face had been eerily white, her lips bloodless, as she’d made the suggestion. Her father had died in a mining accident and Gillian knew this had to be just as devastating to Fallon as it was to her.

  As Rourke slid down the rubble, he got to his feet just in time to be knocked off of them again by Fallon. She threw her arms around him and kissed his stained face. Man, after man, emerged from the mine and after the tenth miner exited, Gillian realized for a moment that Cade might not be one of the survivors.

  Her legs collapsed out from under her as she stared at the scene brokenly. This couldn’t be happening to her again. She couldn’t bury another husband, even an unexpected one, again! Everything in her fought against the thought of replacing Michael in her life. She’d told herself repeatedly that this was just an adventure and Cade would be a distant memory once the mission was over.

  Then he made her laugh.

  Cade understood how she felt.

  The ornery, obnoxious, flirtatious man who fought so hard at having a new partner in his life had become irreplaceable. She’d only just begun to realize that she could have her memories, emotions, and feelings for Michael – and still have a place in her heart for the man who’d befriended her against his will. Those moments they’d shared dancing had made her feel like part of a couple again, part of a team… and the idea of losing that sense of completion again would destroy her.

  There in the dirt, watching the flurry of moment ahead of her, she clasped her hands tightly together and pressed them against her lips. She was afraid her soul would scream aloud at the injustice of his loss. Another man exited and she met his eyes.

  Cade’s beautiful hazel eyes!

  “Cade!” she screamed, trying to get to her feet. Gillian stepped on her own skirt and fell face-first right into the grass. Stumbling, she managed to get to her feet again as Cade was pulling himself from the maw of the mine frantically. She ran up to where he was as he slid down the debris.

  She didn’t even hesitate or think twice, but rather threw her arms around him as he embraced her. His warm lips devoured hers, as if he couldn’t contain the raging emotions inside of him. She stared up into his stained face and smiled with relief, hugging and kissing him, over and over again.

  “Gillian,” he whispered thickly, grasping her face in his hands. She couldn’t help the tears that fell openly, as she had been so frightened she would never hear his lilting voice again. His beloved face was covered in coal dust and dirt, streaked with tears of his own. His dark ruddy hair looked almost pitch black in the moonlight but those eyes – those wonderful, shining pools of tenderness.

  “I never thought I would see you again,” he admitted. Gillian could hear another shout of joy as another miner emerg
ed from the opening. Other families were happily hugging and cradling their loved ones… just like her.

  “Cade, I…” his lips swooped down and kissed her again, as if Cade already knew what she was going to say. Gillian clung to his dusty shoulders, pouring every ounce of love into the tender embrace.

  “You are never going back in there,” she breathed, resting her forehead against his. She closed her eyes in utter relief at the emotional upheaval she felt right now.

  “If I never went in another mine – I’d be a happy man. It was like being buried alive in there every time and all I could picture was your beautiful eyes smiling at me.”

  “If you ever endanger yourself again, Cade Malone - I will kick you in the shin so hard that you’ll feel it in the other one. Do you hear me?,” she whispered against his lips, smoothing back his filthy hair from his grimy forehead.

  “You smell something fierce. You’re utterly a mess and… I’m so glad you are mine. I love you, Cade and was terrified I’d never get the chance to tell you.”

  “I love you too, Gillian.”

  “Let’s go home.”

  “I’m waiting for you, wife,” he teased, grasping her hand in his. Looking at him, she laughed in relief at seeing his bright smile against his dirty face. There, walking in the moonlight down the main road in town towards their cabin, she realized everything was right in the world. She knew she would never forget this moment for as long as she lived, nor how grateful she was to cross paths with this man.

  Chapter 14

  “Thank you for turning in what information you could,” Archie began and there was a note of regret in his voice. “I would have never wanted anyone hurt, but we protect and uphold the law.”

  “May I say something off the record, Archie?” Cade spoke, lacing his fingers with Gillian’s as she sat beside him. She found herself admiring the man the more time she spent with him. He was simply a wonderful human being with a streak of honor a mile wide. Sometimes he was infuriating, other times he was overly protective to the point it made her want to stomp… but then there were those times that he gave her that certain look and her heart would stop.