Jake ran his fingers through his hair. “Don’t bother Seth today, it can wait until tomorrow. Call the doctor to him if you think it necessary and bill me for it.”
“Thanks, Ruby’s powder is working for now. Sure you don’t want a coffee?”
“No. You.” He stubbed his finger at Scarlett. “See me in my study in ten minutes.” He stalked off.
“Well, I’ve never heard Jake stick up for anyone before,” Scarlett said, smiling down at Katie who was giving contented snuffles now her little belly was full.
“Jake and Seth knew each other in the war.”
“Oh? Did Seth know Liam?”
“No, Seth was out of the war by the time Jake and Liam met up. I know Jake is ruthless and driven, but he’s always been good to Seth and me.”
“Liam was his friend, too, so why is he so hell-bent on getting rid of Katie?” Scarlett blinked back tears, wondering why she was so upset. Jake had made his feelings abundantly clear about the baby, so his attitude shouldn’t come as a surprise.
In the past week she had begun servicing Mr. P. again and a few of the other men who were her regulars. They always left generous tips, and combined with the money she had saved, Scarlett wondered whether this would be enough to live on. Probably, if she was frugal. The money she owed Jake was the problem. Where could she get that from? She had no illusions, if she tried to leave without paying him back, he would hunt her down and kill her.
“To understand Jake you have to….”
“What?” Scarlett realized Pearl was speaking to her.
“I said, to understand Jake, you have to know about his past. It made him what he is today.”
“Well, my past was awful and I’m not like him.”
“His family was dirt poor. His mother died when he was about six years old apparently, and his drunken, no-good father used to sell him to his friends so they could gratify themselves with him.
Scarlett gasped in shock. “How terrible.”
“Not to mention the vicious beatings he used to receive. Seth told me what a horrible childhood Jake had. It twisted his way of thinking, made him obsessed with money and power, ruthless to the point of brutality.”
“Will you mind Katie while I see Jake and beg him to let us stay?”
“I don’t like your chances. Your only hope is that she’s Liam’s child. He’s very loyal to his army comrades.”
“Liam saved his life in the war.”
“I know, Seth mentioned it, saved him from hanging.”
“Hanging?” Scarlett was beginning to think she had turned into a parrot.
“Yes, a gang of army deserters had the noose around his neck and the horse had started to move from under him. Liam shot through the rope before any damage was done. Jake told Seth he had never seen shooting like that before. Anyway, Liam drove the men off, and he and Jake made their way back to their own lines.”
What an amazing story, not that Scarlett was surprised, Liam was a brave man who had perished because of it.
Scarlett handed Katie over to Pearl and on leaden feet trudged toward Jake’s study. If she pleaded like she had never pleaded in her life before, would he show mercy? She took several deep shuddering breaths before knocking on the door.
Jake wrenched it open. “What in tarnation.” He grabbed her arm and dragged her inside. “Undress.”
“But…”
“Do it. I want to see if that brat has ruined your figure.”
With trembling fingers she undid the bodice she had so recently buttoned up. The gown slid to the floor and she stepped out of it.
“The rest.” He rocked back on his heels.
When she was completely naked, he stepped over and ran his hands down her body, then he cupped her breasts. “Your tits are bigger.” He put his tongue out and licked her nipple.
“You red haired witch,” he growled. He dragged off his clothes, lifted her onto his desk and drove into her like a rutting stallion. She wrapped her legs around his waist and let him use her body. Thankfully, she had not removed the beeswax barrier Ruby had instructed her to use so as not to be impregnated.
Once he was satisfied he moved back, bringing her up with him. “Get dressed.” He turned his back and pulled on his clothes.
“Satisfied I haven’t lost my figure?” Thank goodness she was naturally thin, a throwback to being half-starved as a child.
“Yeah.”
“I’ve been servicing Mr. P. and a few others, Ruby will tell you.”
“She did.”
“Please, Jake, let me keep Katie. It won’t affect my work, I swear it.”
“What do you do with the brat when you’re occupied with your duties?”
“Pearl offered to mind her. Please, Jake, she’s Liam’s daughter, all that’s left of him.” She almost blurted out that he was kind to Seth, but stopped herself. Pearl had told her that story in confidence.
“Please, I’ll work hard, do anything you say. The same deal as before, you keep all the money I earn until I pay you back.”
“Procuring other women?”
“Yes, that, too.”
A triumphant glint came to his eyes and she knew he was enjoying his power over her. “All right, we’ll give it a try. If it doesn’t work out, the brat goes, and you still owe me.”
“Yes, yes. Whatever you say.”
“Now get out. I’ve work to do.”
Scarlett scuttled back to the kitchen to tell Pearl what had happened. Pearl was the nearest thing to a friend that she had ever had, except for Jessica.
****
The weeks passed. Scarlett worked out a routine with Pearl who minded the baby when she was working. If necessary, between clients, she breastfed Katie. Most times Pearl bathed Katie, but on the occasions when she could do it herself, Scarlett loved feeling the soft little body in her hands, watching the plump baby legs kicking energetically in the water. Katie rarely cried, at the first whimper Pearl would pick her up, even the other doves loved nursing her.
Scarlett was with a client when she heard Katie crying. Where was Pearl? Why hadn’t she picked her up?”
“Is that a baby crying?” the man asked even though he was inside her and pumping for all he was worth.
“Must be someone visiting the cook,” Scarlett said, moving and writhing under the man so he would hurry up. She tried to block out the now distressed wails.
“I wish it would shut up,” he said. “I come here to forget about all that stuff.”
Suddenly the wails were cut off. Pearl was back, thank goodness. What had held her up? Scarlett concentrated on the man, forcing herself to give him a little extra attention so he would be satisfied and not complain to Jake.
After the man left, grinning like a weasel in a henhouse, Scarlett tidied herself and dashed down the hallway toward the back of the house. At the kitchen door she skidded to a halt. Shock squeezed the breath from her lungs. Her whole body trembled. Jake had Katie sitting on the table in front of him, his large hands supporting her as he gazed into her tiny face
“Jake!”
He turned his head, still keeping a firm grip on Katie. Rising to his feet he thrust the baby at her.
“Here, take the brat,” he growled. “Where the hell is Pearl?”
Right on cue Pearl hurried in and stopped dead in her tracks.
“Where have you been? This brat just about screamed the place down.”
“I’m sorry.” Pearl panted. “Two chickens got out and I was helping Seth catch them….” She trailed off under Jake’s scowl.
“I don’t want Seth running around like that in his condition,” he snapped. “It can’t be good for him.”
Katie was now feeding and giving contented little snuffles. Her hair, what she had of it, was blonde, her eyes blue, her skin so white and silky Scarlett loved stroking it. She tensed, waiting with bated breath to hear what Jake would say. His face was set into grim lines, his lips thin. He stood staring down at her. What would she do if he insisted Katie had t
o go?
“She’s got Liam’s eyes.” He turned on his heel and strode out of the room, leaving Scarlett shaking with shock.
“I thought he was going to tell me to get rid of her, try and force me to….”
“I know, I’m so sorry for not being here, wretched chickens. I’ve no idea how they got out. We need a coffee.” Pearl fanned her face with the lower half of her apron. “Seth is going to check out how they managed to escape and fix it. Probably a hole in the fence somewhere.”
Chapter Seven
Deadwood – The Present time
The boom, boom of a gong interrupted Scarlett’s reflection and brought her back to the present with a start. Supper must be served. How long had she been daydreaming? A fair while given dusk was now falling.
Her stomach grumbled even though she didn’t feel the slightest bit hungry. She had to keep up her strength for the final leg of her long journey from Wyoming to Twisted Creek. She was glad Pearl’s brother didn’t live in Deadwood, a place full of violence and lawlessness.
The dining room was not fancy, although it was spotlessly clean like the rest of the hotel. When a young waitress came up, she ordered a small beef steak with gravy and vegetables, which was all she could manage while her stomach was doing nervous cartwheels.
What if she didn’t make it on time? Seth had died a few weeks after he and Pearl had left The Black Stetson, and Pearl’s elderly brother had passed a couple of years back. His infirmity was what had caused Pearl to leave. She now lived in her brother’s house. She had no income except for a pittance she earned from doing laundry.
Every month Scarlett wired money to the bank in Twisted Creek so Pearl and Katie could survive. It had eaten into her savings, although there had been no other choice. Thank goodness, she had finally paid Jake back what he considered she owed him. If only she could have stayed at The Black Stetson for another year or so, she would have been set for life.
“Here you are, Mrs. Jones.” Karl brought her food out to the table.
“Thank you.” She would be Mrs. Jones from now on. She had bought a wedding ring to help with the charade. The food looked appetizing enough to eat without getting stuck in her throat. Food was the last thing she wanted. You have to eat she kept telling herself if you want to keep your strength up. God alone knew what she faced in Twisted Creek when she finally arrived there.
Would Katie like her? She forced herself to chew the steak, which was quite tender. It was only natural the child would think of Pearl as her mother. She was wracked with turmoil and fear for herself and Katie. If Pearl was so ill she needed nursing she would be pleased to do it, small recompense for all the woman had done for her over the years.
She rammed a few forkfuls of vegetables into her mouth and forced herself to chew while she contemplated the life she would lead from now on. She would never marry, Liam had been her soulmate, the only man who could have her heart. It was as simple as that. Had she not had Katie she would have gone completely crazy, would probably have ended up in the insane asylum.
****
Twisted Creek at last. Scarlett glanced around with interest. The stage depot was at the far end of town, which didn’t look much, just a long main street with a couple of side streets leading off it. She had sent a message to the Telegraph Office, also a letter giving particulars about her arrival. Hopefully, Pearl would have made arrangement for her to be picked up.
The driver unloaded her trunks and placed them near the entrance door of the small stage depot where the coaches only stopped to pick up or drop off passengers. A dilapidated buckboard, pulled by a nondescript looking horse, pulled up. It was driven by a woman with a child sitting beside her.
“Scarlett! Scarlett!”
Scarlett took a closer look and recognized Pearl, who was much older and thinner than before. As she hurried over, her eyes never left the little girl whose blonde curls peeked out from under her blue bonnet. She was the most beautiful child in the world. She had to restrain herself from running over and snatching the child from the seat.
“Pearl. Oh, Pearl, I’m so glad to see you.”
“Ma’am, do you want your trunks deposited in the buckboard?”
“Yes, thank you.”
Katie stared at Scarlett, put her thumb in her mouth and edged closer to Pearl.
“Hello, Katie, I’m….”
“Auntie Scarlett,” Pearl said.
“Yes, that’s right.” How could she expect a child who hadn’t seen her since babyhood to call her Ma when Pearl was the only mother she could remember? Pain lanced her heart.
The driver helped her into the buckboard, touched his hat and strode off.
“Giddy up.” Pearl clicked her tongue and flicked the reins to get the horse moving. “He’s too old to be much more than crow-bait now. Used to belong to my brother, he gets us around, though.”
“How have you been, Pearl?”
“Poorly, I’ve only been hanging on until you got here.”
Scarlett gasped in shock. Close up Pearl did look dreadful. Her face was wrinkled, with a yellowish tinge to her skin. Pity combined with heartfelt thanks surged through her.
“I’m tired now, the pain gets me down, too. My time on earth is nearly done. I won’t be sorry to go now you’re here for Katie.”
“Don’t talk like that.” Scarlett leaned across Katie and squeezed the wrinkled, work roughened hands. “It will be better now I’m here to help. Have you seen a doctor?”
“Yes, he can’t do anymore for me.”
After about an hour, they pulled up outside a log cabin set against a backdrop of the Black Hills. Summer flowers bloomed in the garden, and ivy had entwined itself around the posts supporting the porch. With a little attention and money spent on it, it could be quite pretty.
“There’s only twenty acres here. We’ve got chickens, the horse and a couple of cows. When my brother was alive he bred hogs.” Pearl stepped from the buckboard and lifted Katie down. The child immediately raced toward the black dog sprawled out on the porch.
Scarlett waved away Pearl’s offer to help with her trunks. “I’ll do it. I could just about kill for a decent cup of coffee. What I had on my journey out here was little better than slops.”
“I did some baking yesterday.”
Scarlett followed Pearl inside. There was one large room, kitchen and parlor combined. The walls were lined with boards, exactly matching those on the floor. Pretty lace curtains covered the two windows.
“Nice,” Scarlett said, inspecting everything carefully. The place was neat and tidy. Pearl had always been a good housekeeper. Even though she was obviously sick, she still kept the place immaculate.
“Bedrooms?”
“The two bedrooms are up in the loft. Lately, I haven’t been using them. There’s a room behind the curtain so we sleep there. I have trouble climbing and it’s too dangerous to let Katie go up there alone.”
Katie sidled in with the dog at her side. “Bimbo,” she said. “Bimbo.”
“Ooh, he looks like a nice doggy.” Scarlett leaned down and patted him, hoping the creature wouldn’t bite.
“Steve gave it to her,” Pearl explained, shuffling over to put the coffee pot on the stove.
“Who’s Steve?” Scarlett asked as she removed Katie’s bonnet and placed it on the dresser.
“He was a friend of my brother Henry. A nice young man who comes around weekly to chop the wood for us. I can’t manage it anymore. He does a few other chores, and I wash and mend his clothes, give him a good home cooked meal and pies and cookies to take home. I let him run his horses here sometimes.”
“That’s nice.”
“He’s a recluse, got a small ranch up in the Black Hills a mile or so from here.”
“Katie sidled up. “Cookie, Ma, cookie.” She spoke well for such a little girl Scarlett thought. Smart like her father.
“In a minute, darlin’, you tell Auntie Scarlett about the rocking horse Steve made for you.”
Katie scr
ambled on to the chair.
“Careful you don’t fall.” The words fell involuntarily from Scarlett’s lips. “Sorry.”
“It’s all right. I know this must be hard for you. You’re looking well. How’s Jake?”
“The same as always, bullying and bad tempered. I suppose I shouldn’t say that.” Scarlett smiled her thanks for the mug of coffee. “He didn’t kick up a fuss when I showed him your letter and said I was leaving. Of course, I paid him back all the money he said I owed him, and more.”
“He was a strange man, had a terrible childhood, that’s why I did the very best I could for Katie, although he was always kind to Seth and me.”
“I know.”
Pearl’s hands trembled even though she had them wrapped around her mug. Scarlett couldn’t believe what a bad state she was in.
“I will be eternally grateful to you and Seth. I was so sorry to hear he’d passed.”
“It’s easier to bear now. I was lucky my brother Henry doted on Katie. Steve has been kind to her, too. Sad for a young man to hide away in the mountains.”
“He’s probably got his reasons.” Scarlett bit into a coconut cookie. “Mm, delicious.” She wiped the crumbs from her mouth with the back of one hand. Her appetite had miraculously returned now she was here. “I promise to make your last days, the best you ever had, Pearl.”
“I was thinking, best if we leave it for a day or so until you get to know each other better, then I’ll tell Katie you’re her mother.”
“Thanks, I’d like that. You could tell her she’s a lucky girl because she has two mothers.”
“Good idea.” Pearl smiled. “I feel much better now you’re here. Worrying about Katie being left alone kept me awake at night.”
“Things will be better now I’m here,” Scarlett reassured. “I’ll help with the chores, and you won’t have to worry anymore. I’ve got money saved up for our living costs.”
“Henry left this place to me, it will be yours and Katie’s when I pass.”
“I don’t expect you to do that.”
Scarlett Page 6