weapon glimmered in her hand as she picked it up. If the blade was here, Ben must be out there with no weapon at all. What possessed him to ride out to the retreat unarmed was beyond her, but the sooner she found him, the better.
Cora slipped the dagger into her boot before closing the trunk and propping the crucifix up against it. She thundered back down the stairs and made for the door. Thinking twice, she turned and walked over to the desk.
"Make sure nobody goes into our room," she said.
"OK," the clerk answered. "Which room is it?"
"Twenty-four," Cora said. "The only ones allowed in there are me and my husband."
The clerk dipped a quill into his inkwell and made a note. "What does your husband look like?"
"You ain't seen him?" she asked. "We came through here about an hour ago. Was you sleeping on the job?"
"No, ma'am," the clerk replied, looking uncomfortable. "I seen you walk in here awhile back, but there wasn't nobody with you."
Cora pounded the desk with her fist. "Dammit, man, you must be blind."
"I'm sorry, ma'am. I must have just missed him. If you tell me what he looks like, I'll be sure to let him into your room when he gets back."
Cora gave him a brief description, then turned to leave. Pausing at the door, she looked over her shoulder. "If he comes by, tell him to head upstairs and stay put. I'll be back after I see to the retreat."
The clerk nodded, but Cora didn't see it. She was already on her way to the hotel stable, her breath streaming in thin clouds as she muttered to herself. What was the matter with everyone? Ben's quiet nature could have him fall by the wayside in any conversation, but it wasn't like he was invisible. She'd make sure to kick him in the pants every so often to make him speak up in the future. People ignoring him like this made him hard to track down.
Our Lady and Book nickered at her when she entered the stable. She shook her head again. Ben was too shortsighted to even take his horse. Panic gave her lungs another squeeze as she saddled up her mare. Ben had to be up at the retreat helping James hold the line against the vampires. Townsend must have sent a wagon, so Ben hadn't bothered with Book. When she finally found her husband, she would show him new ways to commit the sin of wrath before making him buy her a full quart of whiskey to calm her nerves.
Cora fitted Book with a bridle, but there wasn't time to worry about a saddle. Once she made it up to the retreat and took care of the vampires, he could borrow a saddle from Harcourt's stable. It would probably be one of those worthless English saddles, but he deserved to ride back in shame. Maybe it would teach him not to disappear on her.
Once she was clear of town, Cora pushed Our Lady into a full gallop. The mare flew over the icy road, her breath coming in great clouds that streamed out behind them. Book, having no rider, wanted to set a faster pace, but Cora held him in check. Together, the three of them thundered into the winter evening, hoping to reach Harcourt's retreat before time ran out.
As the cold wind pummeled Cora's face, she began working on a strategy to defeat the master vampire. The upcoming fight at the retreat would destroy the rest of his army from the mines, but as long as the nosferatu remained alive the army of vampires wouldn't end. She wasn't sure how much damage he could do to the townsfolk while she and Ben were away, but she didn't think Mart Duggan and his boys could to do much to stop them. She and Ben would have to return to Leadville and try to sort out this mess before they could go to bed.
Cora's shoulders slumped at the thought. Her arms and legs ached from the long day of riding, shooting, and swordplay. She longed for a soak in a hot tub and a good night's sleep, but it didn't look like either was in the cards for her tonight. The bottle she would make Ben buy her would have to do.
The last of the afternoon sun glimmered on the manor's windows as she rode up. She dismounted and flipped both sets of reins over a spike in the iron fence.