Cowboys and Highlanders

by Scott, Tarah

  A moment later, Cake ambled over and set a piece of the watermelon next to her. “Dessert.” He patted her shoulder and waddled back behind the stove.

  “Hello, Miss Marion.” A man she remembered playing poker with stopped in front of the table. “You’ve come for another visit.” He set his bowl down and sat across from her.

  It was natural for her to tilt her head in a playful manner. Life in the whorehouse had conditioned her to respond to men one way. “Cake’s delicious cooking called me back.” She lifted her spoon and sipped the hot, corn chowder.

  After the first man sat down, her table quickly became crowded. Without trying, she had the attention of every man in the shack. When she stood to get a cup of water, one was immediately placed in front of her.

  Nervously, she watched the door for Train. At first, it seemed like a good idea, if he found her now it didn’t take a genius to know how angry he’d be. “I enjoyed my lunch, but I really should be getting back to the house.” She stood.

  “Could we interest you in a game of cards tonight?” Jack persisted no matter how hard Marion tried to ignore him.

  She shook her head. “Perhaps another time.” She turned toward Cake. “Tasted better than it smelled,” she said, licking her lips.

  “Any time you’re hungry, sunshine, you come find me. You could use a little fattening up.”

  She put her hands on her belly. “Be careful or you’ll be seeing me for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.”

  Marion left the shack and lifted her face to the cool breeze coming through the canyon. Now that she had a full stomach, she realized how tired she was. Covering her mouth, she stifled a yawn.

  Allison hung clean sheets on the line. “This is a perfect day for laundry. If there isn’t any wind, the clothes feel stiff after they dry.”

  Marion shielded her eyes from the bright sun with her hand. “Do you care if I take a nap?”

  “Do you want me to wake you up in an hour?”

  Marion shook her head. What was the point in staying awake when she had nothing to do? Train had made it clear he wouldn’t be sleeping with her tonight so she didn’t care if she slept until morning.

  “Marion…” Allison touched her arm before she could walk away. “I know it doesn’t feel like home. Neither did the Dusty Rose when I first arrived in Copper City. You showed me kindness when I had nowhere else to go. It’s my turn to pay you back. I know you feel trapped, but if you treat this place like home, you’ll see, it will be.”

  Marion pulled her arm back until Allison’s fingers slipped from hers. “I’m fine, just bored.”

  “I want to see you happy because I love you.”

  “I know. But remember I’m only going to be here for a week.” Her hair whipped around her shoulders as she made her way across the front porch. Climbing the stairs, her feet felt like dead weight. When she entered her bedroom and saw the bed she shared with Train, she fell onto the blanket and buried her face in the pillows. Sitting up long enough to remove her shoes and clothes, she slid beneath the covers, inhaling the clean scent of the pillows.

  She vowed one thing as her eyelids became heavy. With the window open and the cool breeze caressing her cheek, she swore she’d never sleep in a dirty bed again.

  Chapter Seven

  The following day, Train surveyed the amount of land he’d turned for the house he intended to build for Marion. In the beginning, it would be one large room. When the horse business became prosperous, he’d planned to add on. With that in mind, he and TJ decided to build the walls in sections. When ready, it would be easier to create entrances into the additions. Stacks of lumber arrived at first light. TJ knew whom to talk with to get things done quickly.

  “Seems dauntless, doesn’t it?” TJ slapped him on the back. Train had helped build countless homes, now several friends turned up to repay the favor.

  The sun blazing high in the midday sky, Train began to see the skeleton of his home. Unlike TJ’s log cabin, Train wanted a simple dwelling. Knowing Marion had an aversion to cooking and cleaning, he wanted to keep it simple. He didn’t particularly like the tasks either. The only part of the house that the years would never alter was the front door and porch. Train meticulously chose the spot where he wanted to spend his evenings watching the lake with Marion.

  “We’re heading back to the shack for lunch.” Charlie moved his tongue around the chaw in his lip, then spit on the ground.

  Train considered going with them, but decided it would be better not to see Marion. He wasn’t sure if she’d be angry that he hadn’t been around at all yesterday. He hadn’t spent the night with her last night. He needed to keep his wits about him and remember the bet. He wanted forever and after sleeping with her, knowing how she affected him, he’d lose the bet if he didn’t stay away from her. But staying away wasn’t easy either. Now he was tired and bad-tempered because he couldn’t sleep with her soft breathing lying next to him and he couldn’t sleep knowing she was so close and he didn’t have the strength to resist her. “I’m going to stay and continue working on the fireplace.”

  During the cold months, the snow came down heavy enough to keep a man locked up tight for several days. Imagining Marion snuggled next to him while a blizzard raged, made him wish for winter.

  “Let’s go,” one of Charlie’s friends called. Train had seen him around the ranch for a few months, but he had never gotten to know him. “Told Cake she’d be havin’ lunch again today.” He sounded excited.

  “Charlie.” Train approached after overhearing the conversation.

  “Change your mind?” He spit again.

  “Who?” The sick feeling in the pit of his stomach already told him.

  “Sugar’s friend musta changed her mind ‘bout leavin’. Found out there’s plenny work for her here.” The dirty little man’s loud, raucous laughter knifed through Train.

  “Jack thinks he’s got her where he wants her,” Charlie added. “On her back.”

  “I’d say’s he was right by the way they was lookin’ at each other yesterday.”

  Train clenched his fists. “Jack wishes.”

  “Ohh.” Charlie’s friend whistled. “Maybe you got some iders of your own?” He puckered his lips and pretended to kiss the air. “I hear we all get a turn.”

  Moving by reflex, Train grabbed the man by his collar, cocked his arm back, and landed a punch squarely in his jaw.

  “What the hell?” Charlie grabbed Train, knocking off his cowboy hat as he pulled him back. “What in the hell is the matter with you?” By this time, a group had gathered around the man lying on the ground holding his face.

  TJ pushed his way through the crowd as Train shook Charlie off. “What the hell happened?”

  Train pulled his lips into a thin line. He pointed his finger in Charlie’s face. “Don’t ever speak of her again.” His tone reflected the ferocity of his anger.

  “Calm down, Train. You’re worked up over a whore.”

  TJ stepped between Train and Charlie. He put a restraining hand against Train’s chest.

  “She’s going to be my wife!” Train hollered, the veins in his neck bulging and feeling as if they could explode.

  A hush fell over the crowd. TJ backed off when Train’s muscles relaxed. “Go home,” he said. “We’ve done enough for today.”

  Train picked his hat up off the ground, slapped off the dust, and put it on. He nodded at TJ, not trusting himself to speak.

  “We didn’t know,” Charlie said. “Jack said he recognized her from the brothel in town. We assumed--”

  “You assumed wrong. Each of you should remember the rules around here. Work hard and you got no problem with me. What happened here is horseshit!” TJ slammed his hands into his pockets. “Jack doesn’t know what he’s talking about.”

  “When you get married, Train?” someone asked.

  Train took a breath ready to tell him it was none of his damn business, when TJ spoke.

  “None of your concern. Now, go eat and get back
to work.” TJ headed for the house while everyone else went in the direction of the shack.

  “Sorry, Train,” Charlie said.

  “Tell Jack to watch his back.” Train walked with a heavy step to his horse and mounted. “If I catch him with Marion, he’s a dead man.”

  * * * * *

  Allison and Marion were in the kitchen with the children. “Where is he?” TJ asked when Train wasn’t with them.

  “We haven’t seen him all day,” Allison said. She glanced up from looking at the letters Sissy wrote on a slate. “There’s fresh coffee.”

  He shook his head. “Marion, can I speak with you?”

  Sitting next to Michael, she watched him scribble on his slate. “Sure, is something wrong?” He nodded and she stood. The blood drained from her head as she immediately thought the worse. Not only had she not seen Train today, but he had avoided her yesterday as well. Maybe he had changed his mind about wanting her at the ranch. Had he sent TJ as the bearer of bad news? “What is it?” she asked after they were in the living room.

  “Train got in a fight today with a couple of hands.”

  She covered her mouth. “Is he hurt?” she whispered.

  “No, but he’s livid. Seems you had a nice lunch yesterday with a few of the men. One of them recognized you. Christ Marion, I don’t know, maybe you saw him professionally. The long and the short is word spread you’re here for business.”

  She closed her eyes and imagined what Train must have thought. “It wasn’t like that.”

  “Until he met you, Train never had a temper. Not that he would do it, but this morning he threatened to kill Jack.”

  “Do you know where he is?”

  “I thought he’d come find you. Second choice would be the stables. I hope to hell he didn’t go looking for more trouble.”

  Without hesitating, she walked out the front door and lifting her skirt, ran down the sloping hill. Breathless, she pulled open the heavy hinged door and stepped inside the stable. Sunlight filtered through the rafters casting rows of light along the ground. Train stood in front of Clive, saddled and ready, running his hand between the horse’s eyes.

  “TJ ask you to come find me?” He still hadn’t looked at her.

  “He told me what happened and I decided to look for you. I can explain,” she pleaded. A sinking feeling filled her stomach.

  He shook his head. When he looked at her, the muscle in his jaw visibly clenched. He blinked rapidly, then turned away. “Not this time.” Leading Clive by the bridle, he walked past her. Once outside, he threw his leg over the horse and rode away without looking back.

  By the time Marion walked back to the house, her cheeks were wet with tears. Not wanting to face Allison and explain herself, she went to her bedroom and closed the door.

  Thinking back to the look on Train’s face, she felt remorse so acute it caused her physical pain. For all he offered, he made one simple request of her, to stay away from the shack. She pulled her knees into her chest as she lay on the bed. This time she’d pushed too far. She’d sabotaged her chance at a normal life.

  She closed her eyes and remembered when she was a child. She could see her mother in the bed with yet another man. She liked pretending one of them would notice her and take her far, far away to live in a castle with lots of windows. She would eat candy and hot milk every night for dinner. In her best dreams, she would sleep in a soft, clean bed while he told her bedtime stories. Only then, she wished for a papa.

  Now, too many long, lonely, years later, her dream was finally close to coming true; not in the form of a father, but in something infinitely more appealing. And her foolishness and selfishness were turning it into a nightmare. Where was her false bravado now? Instead of defending herself, she’d let Train ride away believing the worst.

  Rubbing her arms, she wondered why she hadn’t noticed how cold the room had become. Reaching up, she closed the window. Winter came on quickly in Montana. Another couple of weeks and the temperatures would start dipping below freezing during the night. Thankfully, Allison had given her a few things to wear. After putting on a long sleeved, heavy cotton dress she made her way downstairs.

  The quiet of the house offered some comfort. Marion noticed a light coming from the kitchen. TJ sat at the table looking over a paper with numbers scratched across it. “Has Train come back?”

  TJ looked up from the paper and leaned back in the chair. He noticed the telltale dark circles under Marion’s eyes. She’d been crying. Maybe he was judging her too harshly. Because he thought a man should make his own decisions, he was willing to stand back and let Train discover for himself that once a whore always a whore. Looking at her now made him think that perhaps Allison was right. What if Marion did feel something for Train? Admittedly, his only experience with her had been at the brothel. Whenever he had seen her, she seemed to enjoy her job.

  “No, but I’ll tell you where you can find him.” He leaned forward and clasped his hands together on top of the table. “Marion, I’m talking as Train’s friend. I’ve never been closer to another man and never will be.” He paused and took a deep breath. It wasn’t like him to talk about someone’s personal business, but in this case he thought Marion needed to know how much Train gave up for her. “You think its fun to have little bets, but Train is playing for keeps. At first, Sandy wouldn’t budge on your contract. Train spent every dime he had making you the proud owner of a brothel. He gave up his dream for yours.”

  “Where is he?”

  “At the lake,” TJ replied.

  “It’s too cold. What’s he doing out there?”

  “Go ask him.” He stood. “I’ll saddle you a horse. Do you remember the way?”

  “I think so,” she said, panic straining her voice.

  TJ grabbed his heavy flannel coat off the peg by the door. She slipped her arms into the sleeves. The cuffs fell below her hands and the hemline hit her mid-thigh.

  Once in the stables, he said, “I’ll point you in the right direction.” He took Midnight Dancer from his stall.

  “This horse doesn’t like me,” she said when the horse snorted.

  TJ laughed. “I trust Train’s judgment when it comes to horses. He likes you on this one.” He fitted the saddle to the horse’s back and cinched it tight. “Midnight knows the way. Give him his head and let him go. Don’t try to push him. It’s late. Don’t want you falling off. He’ll take it easy.” He patted the horse’s rump. “Are you sure you want to do this?”

  Her eyes went wild and her lips trembled. “Actually, I’m not really comfortable with this, but I need to talk to Train. I have some explaining to do and it can’t wait.” She grabbed TJ’s hand as he helped her onto the horse.

  “You have enough of a moon to light the way.”

  “How will I find him?” Her voice wavered.

  TJ smiled. “I guarantee you won’t miss him.”

  He walked the horse out of the stable and handed the reins to Marion. “Straight ahead,” he said, pointing in the direction of the lake. “See the point coming off the face of the mountain?” She nodded. “No matter where you are on the property, if you head for it, you’ll end up back here.”

  “Got it.” She held the reins tightly, gave them a flick, and Midnight Dancer immediately responded and took off into the night.

  For several minutes, Marion rode through open areas with intermittent patches of scrub oak carving the landscape. The valley wasn’t necessarily flat, but flowed like waves gently rolling from one hill to the next.

  Warm breaths from the horse’s snout looked like puffs of smoke as it hit the cold night air. The horse ran at a full gallop for several minutes, but seemed to tire of the pace. Marion held tightly to the reins and let the horse lead.

  Concern that she’d somehow missed the lake began to nag at the back of her mind. Then the shimmering water came into view over the rise. The moon reflected off the rippling shoreline, kissed by the wind blowing across the surface. An almost eerie mist crept up the rocky ba
nks and swirled around the low-lying brush.

  In front of all this beauty stood a shell of a small home. Outlined in the moonlight was the familiar hat she’d come to expect when looking at Train. A cigarette dangled from his mouth. Smoke circled around his head as he drove a nail with a large hammer. Immune to the cold, he was wearing a thin shirt partially open in the front. He hadn’t heard her approach because of the rhythmic sound of his hammering. It wasn’t until Midnight Dancer snorted between hits that he looked up.

  Carefully holding onto the reins with one hand and the saddle horn with the other, Marion maneuvered herself until her legs draped over the side of her horse with her stomach flat against the seat of the saddle. “What are you doing out here?” she asked, practically falling from the horse. Landing with a thud, she brushed off her hands and tried to straighten TJ’s coat. She pushed her hair behind her ears.

  “Building a one room mansion.” He set the hammer on a horizontal beam that would eventually make a window.

  Marion walked to the front of the structure and ran her hand along the vertical wood of the door opening. “You didn’t give me a chance to explain.” She clasped her hands behind her back.

  “Because there isn’t one.” He straddled a sawhorse.

  Marion pulled the jacket tighter trying to chase away the cold of his gaze more than the chill in the air. “I’m sorry. Is that what you want to hear?” She shoved her hands into the deep pockets of the jacket. “I guess I did want to go to the shack. I was bored. I told Allison and she gave me an excuse. I took some cut watermelon to Cake and when I smelled the chowder, he served me a bowl. Before I knew it, the man that I played poker with at the reception and a few others--”

  “Don’t forget Jack,” Train interrupted.