Honor and Desire (Gold Sky #3) - Rebel Carter Page 0,72

wind that was now kicking rain into their faces.

“That you’re a loose woman. We’ll be staying the night when we get there.”

She shook her head trying to wipe the rain out of her eyes. “No, we have to keep looking for my fathers! We can’t stop now.”

“It’s a downpour, Seylah! We won’t find them in this storm and that means we stay the night. I am telling you this now because I won’t argue with you when we are in Franklinsburg. We have to stay collected in front of strangers if we want them to talk.”

She squinted towards the lights of Franklinsburg. There was too much rain to see, and even if there wasn’t, nightfall made seeing any tracks impossible. He was right. They both knew it.

Seylah pursed her lips. “I don’t like it,” she said.

“I know.”

“All right then. We have to look unified if we want information.” She looked at him expectantly. “Then what is our story?”

“That we are married. We will share one room.”

Her eyebrows shot up. “One room? But that means one bed?”

August cleared his throat. “I’ll sleep on the floor of course.”

“Of course,” Seylah replied, but she would be lying if she wasn’t disappointed at August’s words, thankfully the lack of light meant August wasn’t able to see it.

“Follow my lead when we get to the saloon. It’s the only place to stay for the night.”

She squinted towards the town lights. “She didn’t like it, but there wasn’t much to do, not when there was no other option when it came to finding her parents. They would have to stay somewhere for the night and the saloon would be a vast improvement to making camp in the rain. It was also infinitely easier for patrons to solicit information from loose lipped barkeeps than a deputy and…well, whatever it was that she was.

“Their daughter,” Seylah whispered to herself falling into line behind August. She wasn’t a deputy and she didn’t much think her profession as a secretary would motivate the locals to speak to her.

She wasn’t a deputy like August, but she was Will and Forrest’s daughter and she would get the answers she needed. They dismounted and tied their horses to the posts in front of the saloon, which from the sound of it was the site of a raucous evening. Shouts and laughter mingled with music, the sound of merriment floating to them despite the roaring downpour. August caught her arm when they hit the steps of the saloon and pulled her behind him.

“Stay close,” he told her. “Remember, you’re my wife. One room.”

Seylah nodded. “Understood...dear,” she drew out the last word, unable to keep the smile off her lips at the pinched look on August’s face.

“Wish the first time you talked sweet to me wasn’t in this place.” He pushed open the saloon door and the scent of spilled ale and whiskey assaulted her senses like a runaway horse.

“Oh, it looks all right,” Seylah lied as a man crashed to the floor beside them.

A game of poker was underway at a table in the far corner, billiards in the other, there was a pianist hard at work entertaining the bar patrons. A number of tables dotted the available space, each one filled to capacity as men and women wove through them in both dance and play, and then there was the bar, a long stretch of polished oak with silver dusted glass shining behind it. Patrons were at every bar seat, and a bartender worked to keep a glass in every hand.

Spilled drink and food crumbs crunched underfoot, but Seylah supposed it could have been worse. She could be here soaking wet and searching for her fathers, and alone, rather than with August at her side.

She glanced at him and saw that August was regarding the saloon with distaste. That wouldn’t do. The people here wouldn’t speak to them if they thought August considered himself their better. She moved forward, a sharp but swift kick to the back of his heel had him glancing at her over his shoulder.

“Smile, sweetheart,” she crooned when August’s brows furrowed. “We are in a fine establishment and sour looks are unbecoming.” She crossed her arms over her chest and aimed a pointed look his way. Realization dawned on August’s face and he sighed heavily.

“‘Course, darling.” He pulled his hat off and turned back to the bar, a fake smile plastered to his face. He couldn’t help reaching back and taking her hand in his when a man came