Sally’s face cracked into a smile that lit up her sapphire eyes, her hands rubbing her round belly. “Doc Schumann says two more weeks.”
“Babies will come on their time,” Bessie Mae said. “Maybe next year Faith will be the one waiting for hers to come.”
Faith’s cheeks heated. Just the thought of a baby with Jax made her feel nervous and excited. A pang of sadness grabbed her at the promise of a future that was not meant to be. She laughed it off. “Well, let’s not get carried away.”
Darcy, a mysterious looking woman with wire-rimmed glasses and red hair set in a tight bun made a choking noise. Faith noticed her dress was fashionable, but worn, the neckline a little too low for her large breasts. Her dark eyes pierced Faith with a look that made her feel uncomfortable.
“Don’t scoff, Darcy. Even schoolmarms get married and have babies.” Bessie Mae turned to Faith. “Darcy is the town schoolteacher, but like the others before her, I’m sure she will someday find a good man and we’ll lose her to marriage.”
Faith smiled at Darcy, but the smile was not returned. Faith got the impression that the woman was a dour sourpuss. Either that or she had taken a dislike to Faith even though they’d only just met.
As if to break the strange tension that had settled on the group, Rosie extended her hand to Faith. “Welcome to town. We can always use another good woman.”
Faith noticed Rosie was dressed in the least impressive outfit. The plain navy blue day dress made Faith feel extravagant, almost embarrassed, in her silky ivory gown. Despite the outfit, Rosie was attractive. Her long brown hair was partially tied up in the back with long tendrils cascading down over her shoulders. Her green eyes were the color of emeralds. Her olive-toned skin was clear except for a spot under her eye that looked to have some sort of makeup on it.
As Faith accepted Rosie’s hand, the woman’s sleeve rode up and Faith saw a bruise, the pattern of which she recognized immediately. Thumbprints. She’d had those same bruises on her own wrist, courtesy of Charles.
Faith gasped, her eyes riveted on the bruise.
Rosie pulled her arm away, clutching at the sleeve to pull it down to cover the bruise.
“I’m sorry … I …” Faith didn’t know what to say. Her heart broke for Rosie. She knew all too well what the woman endured. She pushed aside a sudden urge to help her, or at least tell her to run as far as she could from the man who had done that to her.
“That’s Cleb’s work.” Bessie Mae inclined her head toward Rosie’s wrist.
“Your husband?” Faith asked.
“No, he owns the saloon. Rosie works there.”
Faith’s eyes widened. A saloon girl. Maybe even the one she had seen Jax with only seconds after their wedding.
“It’s not like that.” Sally’s voice was barely above a whisper. “Not all the saloon girls are fallen women. I used to think they were as well. But Rosie isn’t. She’s a good girl from a bad situation.”
Bessie Mae nodded. “Rosie lost her family in a fire in Philadelphia. Like many saloon girls, she came out West because she thought there would be opportunities. Many in her situation end up working in saloons. In case you haven’t noticed, there are not many ways for a single woman to earn a living out here.”
“But why do they stay if they are treated so badly?”
“There is no place else to go,” Rosie said simply.
Anger and sympathy simmered inside Faith. “And the rest of the town lets this happen? Can’t someone do something?”
“I talked to my husband and he said there’s no way to get rid of Cleb. He’s well connected and has money,” Lena, a petite brunette with large brown eyes said. “Rosie and the others need the money that they make at the saloon, so we couldn’t shut it down even if the men that frequent it would approve.”
“We need another saloon,” Sally added. “But so far, Cleb has had his contacts in the town offices squelch every proposal.”
“Don’t worry, ladies. Cleb will get his,” Bessie Mae said. “But let’s not dwell on that tonight. This is a party.”
Everyone murmured their agreement, but Faith couldn’t help but dwell on it. She knew exactly what Rosie was going through, and the seed of sympathy inside her was sprouting into an urgent need to help.
Jax was rich. Maybe he could help? She should talk to him. If she could help Rosie and the others then maybe the whole reason for her coming out wouldn’t be so abhorrent. At least she could try to make amends by helping these girls even as she hurt Jax by revealing the location of his mine to Lefty.
The mine location!
She’d gotten so wrapped up in Rosie’s plight that she’d almost forgotten how Ryder had mysteriously mentioned the town officers and how it seemed so important that Jax introduce her to Eastham. Somewhere in the room, Jax was probably talking to one of these town officers about the mine right now.
Her gaze drifted out over the room, searching for Jax. Where had he gone? Next to her the women kept talking, but Faith wasn’t paying attention. She was too busy looking for Jax.
“ … we meet Sundays at two, would you like to join us?” Lena’s questioning eyes were turned on Faith.
“I’m sorry? What?” Faith asked.
“The quilting circle,” Lena said. “Do you sew?”
“Oh, yes, I love sewing. I started a quilt back in Boston…” Faith’s voice trailed off. Charles had destroyed that quilt in a drunken rage.
“Then you must join us,” Sally said. “It’s at Bessie Mae's this week. We’re working on one for Jane Longmire. She’s having her sixth.”
“Maybe we should start making chastity quilts,” Rosie joked with a pointed look at Sally’s belly.
Faith joined the others in a round of laughter. It felt good to laugh. It was something she’d done precious little of the past three years. And laughing with women who could become friends felt even better. “I’d be happy to join you.”
“Great, then that’s settled,” Sally said as the fiddlers started to play in earnest and her eyes drifted out over the room. “Now, I should find my husband.”
“Me, too.” Lena turned to survey the crowd.
Faith noticed Darcy was smiling at her. Apparently, it took the woman a bit to warm up. Then she noticed the smile wasn’t directed at her … it was something just over her left shoulder. She spun around to see Jax approaching. Had Darcy been smiling at Jax?
A flare of jealousy shot through Faith as she watched her handsome husband approach. Her eyes flicked to Darcy. She still had that predatory smile and it was aimed right at Jax.
Faith spun back around to look at Jax. Was there something going on with him and Darcy? Is that where he snuck off to at night? Is that why the woman seemed to dislike her? Was he returning her smile?
But as he stepped up behind her, she could see he wasn’t returning Darcy’s smile at all. In fact, it looked as if he only had eyes for her.
Jax put his hand on Faith’s shoulder, causing a zing of electricity to warm her. Darcy’s smile faltered when he didn’t even look her way. Instead, his whole focus was on Faith as the fiddlers started playing a very slow waltz.
“I was hoping I might have this dance with my new wife.” Jax extended has hand toward Faith and she placed hers inside it, her heart fluttering as he swept her toward the dance floor.
Chapter 13
They fit together perfectly, Jax thought, as he whirled Faith around the floor. He’d told himself that he had to dance with her, to show everyone the marriage was real, that he really was the upstanding citizen now.
But the truth was he wanted to dance with her.
To hold her close.
To catch a glimpse of what simmered in the depths of her pale blue eyes. And what he saw made his muscles tighten and his resolve weaken. Faith was not the simple-minded homely woman he’d thought he wanted and he was glad. He’d been afraid of falling in love again when it could so easily be taken away. But apparently fate had had other ideas and now the carefully const
ructed wall he’d built around his heart was crumbling at an alarming rate.
He tightened his hold on her waist, pulling her to him, noticing the sparks in her eyes and hoping she felt the same way he did. She must, he reasoned, otherwise she’d be pulling away, stiff as a board, but instead she was like malleable clay, soft and yielding against him.
And her eyes … well, her eyes said it all … or they had. Now they were trained on something across the room and they did not look happy.
“What is it?” Jax twirled them around so he could look at what she’d been so unhappy about. In the corner, Cleb Masters was having a discussion with Rosie Jarvis. He narrowed his eyes in concern. Hopefully, Cleb knew better than to try anything here at the Easthams’ party.
“That man, in the corner with Rosie. Who is that?” Faith craned her neck to see the corner, her face tight with tension.
He turned them again, so her back was to Cleb and Rosie. “That’s Cleb Masters.”
“The saloon owner.” Her tone was flat.
Jax tensed. How did she know that? Had she somehow discovered what was going on even though he’d kept her away from town? And if she had, did it really matter? His whole plan had been to acquire a wife who cared little about what he did, but now … now that he had Faith, maybe that plan should change.
“You know him?” Jax ventured.
“No. I know of him. Bessie Mae introduced me to Rosie and …” A variety of emotions passed across Faith’s face. She looked up at Jax, pain in her wide eyes. “It might seem bold of me to ask, but why don’t you help her? Surely you know how Cleb treats her and the other girls … and you seem to have the means.”
Jax was stunned. Rosie had told her about it? But then he remembered that Bessie Mae knew everything and so did the tight-knit group of women around her. He realized he didn’t know much about his new wife, but the look of concern on her face stabbed at his heart.
She must be very kind hearted to identify with Rosie’s problems … or she’d been through something similar herself. The thought of anyone harming Faith set his blood boiling, but even more so, he couldn’t bear the thought that she might think he could do something and wasn’t acting on it, when in fact the opposite was true.
But to let her know the truth would be to trust her. To let her inside. To think of her as a partner.
Would that be so bad?
Jax was afraid that if he shared that with Faith, it would signal defeat. Defeat of his vow to harden his heart after Mary’s death. Her death had nearly killed him. Not physically but emotionally, and he couldn’t imagine getting that close to anyone again. Mary had left a huge hole in his heart that could never be filled because there was no one else who would ever be his partner, his lover and his friend like she had been.
Or so he’d thought.
Right now, holding Faith and seeing the sympathetic look in her eye, he began to believe that maybe— just maybe—she could fill that hole.
He should tell her everything. About the building, about his plan to help the saloon girls and, yes, even about Mary. Ryder wouldn’t mind. He’d even hinted to him to do just that. But it felt like such a big step—a leap of faith and Jax was afraid if he let her in, he might lose her like he’d lost Mary.
The urge to tell her and make her a real wife was strong.
And then, the music stopped. Kendrick Saunders was approaching them. Jax sighed and reluctantly released Faith. He’d hesitated and the moment had been lost.
He wouldn’t have any time alone with Faith for the rest of the evening. His job now was to introduce her to the people in power. The ones who wanted to see evidence that his wild days were over and he was now an upstanding citizen. The same people who would soon decide the fate of the very people Faith had just asked him to protect.
* * *
The night had been like a dream for Faith. From the exquisite silk dress to meeting the other women with whom she might become friends to being introduced to the movers and shakers in town on the arm of her tall, handsome husband.
Dancing with Jax had been magical. Faith had danced with a few men before she'd married Charles and with Charles when they'd first been married … until he'd started drinking heavily. Charles had not been a confident dancer. Jax, on the other hand, was a strong lead. But it was more than the dancing—she'd felt safe in his arms.
And something else … she couldn't explain the warmth that spread from her very core as their bodies had touched. Faith had never felt it that strongly with Charles, but she knew what it was—desire.
She felt an unwanted yearning in her heart. Did Jax feel the same way, or was his attentiveness all an act so that he could get whatever approvals he needed for the gold mine?
She'd almost forgotten about the gold mine. When Jax had introduced her to various town officials, she'd known they were sizing her up … sizing them up. To her relief, they seemed to have approved. But maybe she should have been upset about their approval—if the gold mine went public, she had no idea what Lefty would do.
She'd gotten the impression something was about to happen. For a moment, when they were dancing, she'd thought Jax was going to confide in her.
Was it about the mine?
She didn't think so. They'd been talking about Rosie and Cleb at the time. Did the saloon have something to do with the mine?
Jax had not left her side after they'd danced. The nearness of him had rattled her brain. She hadn't had an opportunity to bring up their previous discussion and he'd made no overtures to tell her any secrets.
Maybe he'd not intended to tell her anything in the first place—he hadn't said as much but Faith had sensed it.
Perhaps it had only been her imagination.
She'd forgotten all about the mine and any secrets Jax might have been ready to reveal on the enchanting buggy ride home. She'd never experienced the wide open night in Boston. There, it had been cluttered with buildings and the gas from streetlamp lights. Out here, the dark of night revealed a beauty Faith had never imagined.
It had cooled off, but Jax had thoughtfully slipped a blanket into the buggy before they'd left and he snugged it around Faith's shoulders to keep her warm. The truth was, just the way his shoulders lurched against hers at every bump and sway of the buggy had her blood heating enough to keep her very warm.
The full moon illuminated the roads with a magical light. The midnight blue sky revealed so many brilliant pinpricks of stars that she'd spent the whole ride with her head tilted upward to gaze at them as Jax pointed out the constellations.
Were there that many stars in Boston? Faith didn't think so, but then again, she couldn't remember bothering to look. Night in Colorado was breathtaking and with each breath she felt her homesickness for Boston melting away.
And now, here they were standing in the foyer of Wild Heart Ranch.
Maisie was already asleep, Robertson was in the barn putting the buggy away and tending to Buttercup, so they were alone.
Faith felt a sudden surge of nerves. This was the first time they'd been alone. Faith's pulse thrummed in her veins as Jax turned her to face him.
"Thank you for being so gracious at the party. I know it must've been hard to meet all those people at once. I hope you had a good time?" Jax stood only a few inches away from her.
She sensed something was happening between them. Something dangerous and wonderful all at the same time. Her brain was telling her it was something she shouldn't let happen. It would complicate things too much. But her heart wanted it to happen. As her head and heart warred silently, she realized Jax was waiting for an answer.
"I had a lovely time … and this dress ..." She looked down at the dress as her nervous hands plucked at the skirt. "It is just lovely and thoughtful of you to get it for me."
Her words felt stilted. She wanted to say so much more, but her heart was racing and her head was dizzy. She could hardly think up the words.
She was acutely aware that Jax's room was to the left and her room to the righ
t. As if able to read his mind, she knew Jax was thinking the same thing.
Would they go in the same direction tonight?
The key he'd given her that first day burned between her breasts, heated by the rushing blood in her veins.
Faith's heart beat loudly in her ears as they stood staring at each other. Faith wondered if Jax was fighting the same internal battle that she was. She wasn't sure what was going on but something was happening. It was as if a door was opening between them. The back of her mind sent out a warning to be careful. It wouldn't do to get in too deep with Jax. She still had her sisters to think of.
Then, Jax leaned toward her. Was he going to kiss her?
Faith's stomach tumbled in lazy somersaults. A momentary panic mingled with excitement swelled inside her. She closed her eyes.
But he didn't kiss her. He gently picked up her hand and brought it to his lips. Then he bid her goodnight and turned to go to his room. The tender gesture left Faith's cheeks flushed, her hand tingling and her stomach fluttering.
Chapter 14
Jax tossed and turned all night. He couldn’t get Faith out of his mind. Though he supposed that had one good side-effect—his usual tormented dreams of Mary had now been replaced by much more pleasant ones of Faith.
Still, he couldn’t help but feel that his thoughts were a betrayal to Mary. He thought he’d hardened his heart against loving anyone ever again, but somehow, that had changed and now he found himself wanting a real marriage and a real partner in Faith.
It had felt good to have her on his arm at the Easthams’. The nearness of her had kindled strange feelings in him—feelings he’d thought were long dead.
She’d looked so beautiful that he’d had to rein himself in from kissing her in the foyer because he knew it would not have been a chaste kiss. If he’d let his lips get near hears, he wouldn’t have been able to refrain from plunging his hands into her silky hair and pulling her tight against him. He was afraid once he’d started, he wouldn’t be able to stop.
Faith (Goldwater Creek Mail-Order Brides 1) Page 7