“You would have worked yourself into an early grave trying to take care of both me and Ilsa. At the time, I thought it best if I left, although I’m sorry I didn’t say goodbye. I knew if I did, you’d talk me out of leaving.”
“Where did you go?” Ilsa asked, ready to forgive her brother any transgression he thought he’d committed. She was so happy to have their family back together again.
“I jumped a train and rode all the way to St. Joseph, Missouri before I got caught. I had just enough change jingling in my pocket to buy one more meal, so I wandered around town, trying to find work. A man came out of a saloon and offered me a job. Grateful for any form of employment, I eagerly accepted. He gave me a horse to ride and I went with him and a half-dozen other fellows. What I didn’t know was that he was a bank robber and I’d just signed on as part of his gang. The next town we came to, he gave me orders to stay behind a row of buildings with the horses until they came back. They robbed the bank, although I didn’t realize that was what they were doing until after the fact.”
Lars looked at Kade and shook his head. “Dumb, green kid that I was, I didn’t know what to do besides go along with them.”
“How did you go from a bank robber to a marshal?” Tony asked, bouncing Ben on his knee, making the toddler giggle.
“I rode with the gang for a couple of weeks. I didn’t participate in any of the robberies, just watched over the horses. Growing up in the city, I’d never really ridden one before and had to learn about them in a hurry. We were in some town in Texas when I decided even if I starved to death, I couldn’t keep being part of the gang. I knew it was wrong and it was eating away at me.”
“What did you do?” Ilsa asked, gazing at her brother wide-eyed.
“I waited until they left to rob the bank then scattered their horses all over that town before running to tell the sheriff what was going on. He locked me in a cell, but caught the gang and arrested them. When he brought them in, he made it sound like he’d caught me with the horses and forced the story out of me. He made me stay in jail until the gang went to prison. The sheriff took me under his wing and got me a job at the livery in town, since I had a natural way with horses. Not long after that, he had a deputy quit and asked me if I wanted the job. He taught me everything he knew and I was good at it. Three of us went out to help a couple of U.S. Marshals bring in another gang that was terrorizing a nearby town. It was a rough takedown but in the end, one of the marshals approached me about a job. The sheriff encouraged me to take it, so I did. I missed working with him, but I loved being a marshal. I spent time in Arkansas and the Oklahoma Territory before a position opened here in Oregon.”
“And here you are,” Aundy said, smiling as she reached across the table and squeezed his hand. “I’m so, so glad you’re here, Lars.”
“Me, too. I honestly never thought I’d see you girls again and it bothered me that I ran off like I did without a word of goodbye.” Lars put an arm around Ilsa as she sat next to him. “I know I should have done things differently, but at the time, I thought I was making it easier on you both.”
“Life has a way of working out for the best, doesn’t it?” Garrett picked up his cup of coffee and held it up for a toast. “To family.”
“To family!” the group echoed.
After another hour of visiting, the twins slept curled up on the parlor floor near the fireplace and Ilsa could hardly keep her eyes open.
“We’ve got to get home, honey. It’s late.” Garrett rose to his feet and pulled Aundy up beside him.
“I agree,” Kade said, picking up a sleeping Brett and packing him out to their buggy. Tony carried Ben and laid him beside his brother on the buggy floor while the rest of the group followed them outside. Caterina tucked a soft blanket around her boys.
“Promise you’ll come out to the ranch tomorrow?” Aundy hugged Lars as if she’d never let him go.
“I promise,” he said, giving her a tight squeeze before turning to give Ilsa a gentle hug. “Now that I’ve found you two, you won’t be able to get rid of me easily.”
“We wouldn’t want to.” Aundy patted his cheek. “I just can’t get over how much you look and sound like Dad.”
“You really think so?” Lars asked. His father had been a giant of a man, full of laughter and wisdom, although he could also be stubborn and proud. Growing up, he wanted more than anything to be like his father. To hear Aundy say he looked and sounded like the man made him nearly burst with pride.
“Absolutely.” Aundy squeezed his hand then hugged Ilsa before taking Garrett’s hand and walking out to their buggy. “Come any time tomorrow that suits you.”
“I will. I look forward to seeing the ranch and meeting your folks, Garrett.”
“They’ll be thrilled to meet you, too.” Garrett helped Aundy into the buggy and both of them waved as they started down the street. Kade and Caterina followed them away from the house, anxious to get their boys home and tucked into bed.
Lars shook Tony’s hand and kissed the top of Ilsa’s head. “I’ll see you both tomorrow.”
“You can plan on it,” Ilsa said, reluctant to let him leave, but knowing she needed to get some rest. It had been a long, exciting day and her aching back let her know she’d spent too much time on her feet.
“Thank you for offering to let me stay with you, but I think it’s best if I keep the apartment for now.” Lars touched a rough hand to his sister’s delicate cheek. “You get some rest, little one, and we’ll visit more tomorrow.”
“I’d offer to make you breakfast, but you’re better off eating Caterina’s leftovers,” Ilsa said, making him smile.
“So you still haven’t learned to cook?”
“I do enough to get by.” Ilsa glanced at Tony, daring him to add any comments.
“That is entirely open to interpretation.” He grabbed her hand before she could smack his arm.
Lars chuckled as he walked back in the direction of Caterina’s restaurant. Although he’d not anticipated it, Pendleton had suddenly become home.
Chapter Five
“I’m here to see Red,” a deep voice rumbled from Miss Clementine’s reception area.
Marnie perked up at the sound as she walked from the kitchen to her bedroom. She hoped the voice belonged to the man who’d monopolized her thoughts since he rode into Pendleton.
She hadn’t seen Lars around town since the afternoon she introduced him to his sister, but then again, she’d been busy with work and he, no doubt, spent the last few days getting to know his family again.
Hoping his two sisters had made him feel at home, she was sure Aundy and Ilsa would have welcomed him with open arms. They were among the few women in town who didn’t treat her like she was a leper. Although she saw Ilsa more than her sister, Aundy always went out of her way to be friendly when they did cross paths. She’d even invited her out to the ranch for tea a few times, but Marnie always refused.
It wasn’t because she didn’t want the friendship. No, that wasn’t the reason. It was because she valued the two women so much she tried to limit her contact with them, knowing how vindictive some of the busybodies in town could be. She didn’t want to give them any reason to gossip about Ilsa or Aundy.
Marnie rushed to her room and set down the supper tray Gertie, their cook, prepared for her. Grabbing a bright red shawl from her closet, she wrapped it around her shoulders then hastened to poke a flamboyant feather in her hair. Since it was her day off, she had dressed in normal attire rather than one of her work outfits. It would give Miss Clementine fits if she walked into the reception area wearing a modest gown, reminding many of the men of their women waiting at home.
Although her face was bare of makeup, she hoped no one would notice as she hurried to the reception area in time to hear Miss Clementine assure Lars she wasn’t available.
“I don’t want to engage her services, I just need to speak with her for a moment, please.” Lars glared down at the thin-nosed proprietor of the brothel.
Marnie watched Lars clench his jaw and take a step back. She stood with her head peeking around the corner of the doorway, hoping to catch his attention. He glanced over as she motioned discreetly to him and a smile lit his face. He took a step toward her, but Miss Clementine blocked his path.
“Where do you think you’re going?” she asked, tipping back her head to stare up at him.
“With her,” Lars said, causing Miss Clementine to whip around and frown at Marnie. Giving the girl a raised brow, Marnie nodded her head at the woman who turned back to Lars and held out her hand. “That’ll be fifty cents and you’ve got twenty minutes.”
Lars handed the woman a five-dollar gold piece. “Consider her mine for the evening?”
“All yours, sir.” Miss Clementine smiled at him graciously as she placed the coin in her moneybox inside her desk.
“What are you doing?” Marnie whispered as she took his hand and led him away from the working area of the business, around a corner then down the hall to the private rooms. Once they were inside her room, she closed the door and turned to study him.
He looked every bit as handsome as she remembered, maybe even more so. He wore a shirt the same color of bright blue as his eyes beneath a black jacket. The flat-topped black Stetson she thought of as his trademark hung in his hand, along with three flowers. She wondered if he got them at Aundy’s place. She’d heard the woman loved flowers and had them blooming all year round, forcing them to grow in pots in the house during the winter.
“I wanted to say thank you.” Lars handed her the flowers. She took them and sniffed the fragrant blooms. “I meant to come earlier, but I didn’t have a chance. Aundy let me steal some of her flowers to bring you.”
“They’re lovely,” she said, pouring water from the pitcher on her commode into a glass and placing the flower stems inside the makeshift vase. “You didn’t have to thank me or bring me flowers.”
“I did, Marnie. I know I would have eventually run into Ilsa or Aundy since they are so close with Kade and Caterina, but you made the connection and went out of your way to make sure I saw my sister. For that, I’m very thankful.”
“You’re welcome.” Marnie plucked the feather from her hair and tossed it in a dresser drawer then flung off the bright red shawl. “Won’t you have a seat? I was just about to dine.”
“I’m sorry for the intrusion,” Lars said, taking a step toward the door.
“Please, marshal. I’d be honored if you’d join me.” Marnie scooted her big overstuffed chair around so Lars could sit in it then took a seat in the straight-backed chair already at her table.
“You don’t have enough food on that tray for me to share, and I’m having dinner at Caterina’s restaurant later anyway, but if you don’t mind the company, I’ll stay while you eat.” Lars sat in the pink chair she indicated. Despite the color, the chair was quite comfortable. Looking around the room, he took in the big bed with the homey quilt, the feminine wallpaper, and stacks of books.
“Do you like to read?” He picked up a slim volume and raised an eyebrow at the title. “Courting of Dinah Shadd by Rudyard Kipling. I can only guess this isn’t a school book.”
Marnie laughed and the sound made something in Lars’ chest swell in response. She took the book from him and set it on a stack near her dinner tray.
“No, but it is a wonderful tale of adventure. Mulvaney is an English soldier serving in India and he falls in love, really falls in love, with a woman named Dinah Shadd.”
“So you like love stories and adventure.” Lars picked up another book and read the title, trying not to smirk. “And how about Molly and Her Pirate Prince? Is it a swashbuckling adventure?”
“As a matter of fact, it is. There’s a poor girl forced into a job she hates and she meets a pirate, who is actually a prince. They fall in love and he carries her off into a happy forever.”
“I’m sensing a theme here,” Lars teased, noticing that Marnie ate with nice manners. Many of the working girls he’d met were coarse and vulgar. He didn’t sense that in Marnie at all.
Admiring her pretty blue gown, with her hair pulled back in combs, she could have been any sweet-faced girl in a parlor, visiting politely with a gentleman caller.
Without thinking, he reached over and touched the lace covering her wrist. “You look nice. That’s a pretty dress.”
Marnie cast Lars a shy smile and glanced down at the tight waist of her bodice. “Your sister allows me the privilege of borrowing some of her patterns.”
“You mean you made that?” Lars asked, impressed.
“Yes. As impossible as it seems that I might be good at something other than… um…” She cleared her throat, heat flooding across her cheeks. “I enjoy sewing.”
“Why don’t you work for Ilsa? I’m sure she’d hire you in a minute.”
“She’s offered many times, but I… I just couldn’t.”
“Why not?” Lars took her hand in his, feeling something pass between them at the innocent touch. It left him unsettled and slightly uncomfortable. The woman was a harlot, after all.
“People in town would shun her for hiring me and I care too much about both your sisters to do anything to sully their reputations.”
Lars didn’t have a response to that. Marnie had a gentler, kinder spirit than he’d imagined.
“So you like to read adventuresome love stories with handsome pirates and sew beautiful dresses. What else do you enjoy?”
“I’ll have you know I read other things besides love stories.” She pointed to a shelf full of books including titles from Shakespeare, Mark Twain, Dumas, and more. “When I’m not working or reading, I like to be out in the fresh air and sunshine. I also enjoy visiting with your sisters, although I try not to do that very often.”
“I appreciate your concern on their behalf, but I’m sure I speak for them when I say you’re welcome to visit them anytime. In fact, if you ever want to go out to Nash’s Folly to see Aundy, I’d be happy to take you.”
“No. That wouldn’t be right. Not only would it cause the gossips to talk about her, they’d have a fine time talking about you associating with me.”
Lars chuckled and sat back in the chair, crossing one booted foot over the opposite knee. “And what do you think I’m doing right now?”
“This is different. No one talks about who comes and goes here. No one. Besides, people think you paid for a whole evening of services. Technically, Miss Clementine forbids us to have any callers in our private rooms, but I think she liked you and would make an exception if she realized you were in here.”
“I see.” Lars spent enough time gleaning information from the soiled doves in various towns to know how things worked. Although his moral convictions kept him from partaking of their services, it didn’t mean plenty hadn’t offered over the years. “Is today your day off? Is that why you aren’t dressed in… um… your working attire?”
Marnie smiled at Lars through upraised lashes as she cut a bite off the pork chop Gertie made for dinner. “Yes, we have set days off and today is mine. You picked a good day to come for a visit.”
Lars nodded his head, noticing a framed photo on Marnie’s dresser of a handsome couple with a little girl.
“Is that you?” he asked, pointing to the picture.
“Yes. I think I was about three.”
Lars walked over to the frame and picked it up, studying the little girl with bright eyes, a charming smile, and a head full of dark curls. She appeared to be well cared for and loved. He wondered what happened to drive her to her current position as the favorite working girl at Miss Clementine’s brothel. “You look happy.”
“I was.” Marnie sounded wistful as sh
e set down her fork and pushed back her tray. “But that was a long, long time ago.”
Regretting that he brought up something that made her sad, Lars decided it was time for him to leave. “I need to get going, but thank you, again, Marnie, for making sure I saw Ilsa. I appreciate your help.”
“You’re welcome. And if I can ever be of assistance with anything, just let me know.” She gave him the coy smile that she’d offered the first day he’d seen her, sitting in the window just a few feet from where he now stood.
“I prefer your real smiles to that one.” He grasped her chin and gently lifted it, gazing into her eyes, thinking they looked like a stormy summer sky. Attraction to this woman blazed hot and fiery through him even though he knew it was wrong. Dropping his hand, he stepped back before he did something completely insane like kiss her.
“Let me walk you out the back way.” Marnie took his hand and quietly opened her door. Checking the hall and finding it empty, she tugged him toward the kitchen and past a surprised Gertie to the back door. Opening it, she pushed him out on a landing above a stairwell. “Just go down the stairs and out the first door.”
Lars settled his hat on his head and gave her one last, long look before hurrying down the steps and out the door.
He’d learned a long time ago when he played with fire, he’d most likely end up burning his fingers. Marnie was definitely an enticing flame he needed to leave alone.
“Who dat man, Miss Marnie?” Gertie asked as she shook her wet hands over a sink full of suds and glared over her shoulder at her favorite of Miss Clementine’s girls.
“No one to worry about, Gertie. He’s just a friend.” The dreamy look in her eyes and the soft smile on her lips said otherwise.
“Uh, huh. And I be the Queen of Sheba.” Gertie dried her hands, poured herself a cup of coffee, and offered one to Marnie. The girl shook her head and hid her grin as Gertie settled her considerable girth into a chair at the kitchen table. Everyone loved the round-faced cook who’d been born on a southern plantation just before the beginning of the Civil War. She never talked much about her past, but she always offered a shoulder to cry on or a listening ear whenever someone needed it. “Tell ol’ Gertie ‘bout dis friend.”
Marnie: Page 5