Free Tracie Peterson - [New Mexico Sunset 03] by Angel's Cause Page B

surprised, and concerned. The feelings ran from the extremes of wanting to put these women in insane asylums to the sympathetic desires of those who understood their plight.”
    “But they forced them to eat,” Angeline said with disgust, then shook her head. “No, it couldn’t be called eating. They ran tubes down their throats to their stomachs. I could never have imagined such actions possible.”
    “They are, and even worse things than these have been endured by our sister suffragettes.”
    Angeline put her hand to her head. The entire evening had been too much for her. “I need to go to bed.”
    Willa watched her carefully for a moment. “How did you escape the crowd? Did Douglas find you?”
    “No, I never saw Douglas. A friend of the family, someone my parents sent to find me, did just that and rescued me as the stage was overrun.”
    Willa frowned at this news, glad that Angeline had already turned to walk towards her door. “A friend? Did he sympathize with the cause?”
    Angeline laughed. “No, Gavin Lucas only sympathizes with his own causes. The main one of which seems to be his desire to marry me.” Without another word to consider the situation, she left Willa.
    ❧
    Willa stared at the closed door of Angeline’s room for several minutes before quickly going to her own room to dress. She had to get to Douglas and see what could be done to discourage this Gavin Lucas character. She couldn’t lose Angeline now. Not when there was so much at stake.
    Forty-five minutes later, Douglas Baker finished counting out several dollars to each of three scruffy looking characters. Men could be bought easily in the small town and getting what he needed had been no trouble at all.
    “You understand,” Douglas stated before turning to leave, “I don’t want him killed. I just want him too busy with his own problems to stick his nose in ours.” The men nodded and watched the well-dressed man disappear down the alleyway. Looking at each other and sensing that the time to earn their ill-gotten pay was at hand, the men took off in the opposite direction.
    ❧
    “But I don’t understand,” Angeline protested, taking her seat on the train. “Why are we running away and to Denver of all places?”
    “We aren’t running away, so much as tactically regrouping,” Douglas said with an air of concern. “We have to consolidate our forces, much like an army. We need to approach these small towns with proof of the benefits that can be had through acceptance of suffrage.” Douglas seemed unruffled by the entire episode, while Angeline had slept very little the night before. The dark circles under her eyes betrayed her exhaustion, and Douglas reached out his hand. “Come sit beside me,” he spoke softly. “You may use my shoulder for a pillow.”
    Angeline was touched by his kind gesture but shook her head. “I’m afraid that would hardly be proper, Douglas.”
    “But we are friends and in clear view of everyone on board. Come, Angeline.” His words lured her into obedience. “No one will think a thing of it.”
    “Maybe for just a short time,” she whispered, feeling incapable of refusing.
    While Angeline slept she dreamed of Gavin. It had been with a bit of sadness and relief that she had been unable to see him before leaving town with Willa and Douglas. Had her words and declaration of independence put him off so that he left without her? Perhaps he was too busy elsewhere to concern himself with Angeline’s needs. Needs? Angeline wondered even in her sleep what those needs might be. Restless from her thoughts, she turned away from Douglas’s rather soft shoulder and sought the hard, cool glass of the window beside her.
    After two days on the train, Angeline was grateful to be in Denver. She loved Denver with it’s big buildings and bustling streets. She liked the automobiles and smartly dressed people who always seemed to be hurrying to someplace important.
    She was immediately whisked away to one of