The Shot: Traincoach of Death, Book 1 by Leona Bushman Page B

it,” he whispered and sat up. He fixed his breeches and started helping her.
    “Who is it?” Victoria called.
    “It’s your father. Why is the door locked?” the earl demanded.
    She continued fixing her apparel as she spoke. “Really, father? We are connected to a public passenger train, and I’m twenty-four years old.” The coldness she directed at her father could have chilled ice.
    The silence on the other end lasted so long, Bill wondered if the earl left. “You’re right of course. Can you come to our private dining area, please? I’m sure you’re still in some sort of shock over being shot at. However, there are things we need to discuss.”
    “I’ll be there soon, father,” she said stonily.
    Well, now he knew how she’d look when angry, he thought, bemused. As far as he could tell, this appeared to be the first time she didn’t also appear hurt by her father’s words or actions.
    Bill took her into his arms and kissed her hard. “Later,” he promised when they finally broke apart, “I will finish what we started here.”
    “I’ll hold you to that promise,” she whispered. “Come on then, let’s go see what my father wants of me now.”
    Bill followed her out the sleeping compartment and into the main walkway. What could possibly have come up that was so important that the earl would track her down rather then send his man to do it?
    ***
    Now that the lust had abated somewhat, Victoria couldn’t believe she’d spoken so harshly to her father. But honestly, did he really think she went around not locking her compartment? Then again, she usually did leave her rooms unlocked during the day since they stayed in their private car, and she kept nothing of a personal nature where someone could find it with a casual search. A thought made her blanch. What if her father had already searched her rooms?
    She stopped abruptly, and Bill grabbed her up before he stumbled into her. “That was close,” he teased.
    “Sorry, it’s just that...” She worried her lip as she thought what to say. “I have my personal journal and other items hidden in a secret compartment. It’s not findable if someone just looks in but...” Did she sound a crazy paranoid conspiracy theorist or what?
    “You want to go check?”
    She nodded. “I’m sorry. You must think I’m crazy.”
    “Not at all. With your drawing pad and laptop being taken on top of being shot at, I’d imagine you’re feeling extremely vulnerable. I also get the sense you’re not used to feeling that way.”
    “Very astute. The only ones I ever feel vulnerable around are my father and sister. It makes holidays unpleasant. But the house is big enough, I don’t need to see him much, and my sister is almost never around.”
    It was a relief beyond measure, not having her sister asking for handouts to buy drugs. How she’d felt like a fool the first time she found out what her sister did with the money. But her sister always looked so sickly that Victoria couldn’t find the heart to say no, until the time her sister did more than ask politely.
    “You’re shivering. Are you cold?”
    “In my heart. My sister makes me both angry and sad. Since we are nearly at my family’s railcar, please, don’t say anything in front of my father.”
    “I won’t. I want to get back to our previous activities.”
    His grin sent shivers of happiness through her as well as lust, replacing some of the cold in her heart. Every minute around him broke down the wall of reserve she’d put up. The best part was, she didn’t mind. For the first time in years, someone attracted her in both mind and body. She looked up and caught him staring. The heat flared between them, hot and strong.
    “I would enjoy that,” she replied huskily as they arrived at their destination.

Chapter Eight
    “Victoria, sit here,” the Earl commanded. “This is Chancellor Troy, and he has been helping me with a few discreet matters.”
    Bill hoped his knee-jerk surprise didn’t show