Cora handed her a lacy handkerchief and asked, “Would you like to work for me until you earn enough money for supplies and horses to get home?”
Laura reacted with surprise, not expecting a job offer, “But what would I do in a house like this? I am not talented like you all. I don’t know where to begin.”
The women cackled at her statement; they began wiping tears from their eyes.
“I’m so glad I could be the butt of your joke,” she said, standing up and knocking over her chair.
Cora leaped to her feet grabbing her in a hug. “We’re not laughing at you. We were amused that you said you don’t know what to do in a whorehouse. Honey, this is the oldest profession in the world and the easiest to learn. All you have to do is lie on your back while the man does all the work.”
“Unless, of course, he wants you to do other things to him with your mouth,” added Hanna helpfully.
“Or different positions for you or for him,” piped in Isabel.
“What are you all talking about? I don’t know anything about these things!” Panic rose at the thought.
“Are you telling us Abner never made love to you?” asked Cora.
“Yes, he rode me. What he did to me never involved love.” She set her chair upright, embarrassed at her disclosure, and sank back down before her knees gave way. “Cora, I don’t believe I would be able to accept another man in that way, if I have a choice. But thank you for the fine supper and the offer of a job. I believe I’ll be returning to my campsite now.”
Before Laura could stand up again, Cora replied, “Laura, honey, I have another offer. I need someone to cook, clean, and wash linens around here. I fired my Chinese cook because we were sick of eating nothing but rice. I wouldn’t need you to work on your back. I want you to work with your hands.”
“Oh, I’m a good cook. I know how to launder sheets and clean a house. Will I be able to earn wages to pay the devil at the trading post?” Laura asked.
“I can pay you with room and board, but, unless our business picks up, I am limited on wages since the gold rush has petered out around here. You could take in laundry from the miners to earn extra money. You will be safe here, and no one will bother you. The room off the kitchen has a lock on the door. All clients go upstairs with the girls. They come and go at all hours of the night, though, so I hope you can sleep soundly.” She grinned. “It does get noisy around here on Saturday nights.”
“Thank you so much for helping me. I promise you will not regret it.” Laura wiped a tear from her cheek when all the girls jumped up from the table, coming around to hug her.
Holding her hand, Cora led her to a beautiful room with frilly curtains and lacy pillows piled high on the blue satin bedspread covering a magnificent, four-poster oak bed.
“Cora, this room is too fancy for me.”
“No, it’s not. We all have nice rooms. Did you bring any extra clothes?”
Laura shook her head.
“Well, don’t worry. We have plenty around here, and some should fit you fine. Now I will be back soon with nightclothes. You must be exhausted from such a long and frightening day. There is fresh water in the pitcher to wash up with while I’m gone.”
True to her word, Cora returned with a soft, white lacy nightgown, robe, and warm cozy house shoes. “If you need anything, let one of us know. I’ll show you around tomorrow. Sweet dreams!” She closed the door and was gone before Laura could say a word.
Holding the gown and robe, she moved around the room, staring at paintings of nude women and half-dressed men in suggestive positions. Her head turned this way and that, as she wondered how it was possible to accomplish the acrobatics. Her knowledge of what happened between a man and a woman greatly expanded after seeing them. What a day I’ve had. I left home this morning to get supplies and now I’m working in a whorehouse. What next? She removed her clothes, washed up, and put on the lacy nightgown, enjoying the pleasant feel of it. Climbing up the high steps onto the bed, she pulled the covers back, fluffed the pillows, and fell asleep as soon as she stretched out her weary body.
Chapter Four
Laura hummed as she washed the linens and hung them on the line to dry. She had been at Cora’s for a week and had cleaned the house from top to bottom, cooked meals for Cora and the girls, and had taken on the washing. Her thoughts wondered to the mysterious dark stranger. Who was he? Why did he help me? Hank told them later the stranger took a squaw chained in the back room of the trading post with him and a load of supplies, but he’d left a five-dollar gold piece. Tuffy Sawyer had gone crazy when he woke up after he was cold cocked. He vowed he would get the stranger and make Mrs. Brown sorry she’d rejected him, too.
Tuffy did not like being the butt of a joke, and especially resented having a woman get the best of him. He would harm her, if he got the chance.
A sound behind her woke her out of her fretting and caused her to whirl around, grabbing for her pistol strapped to her hip.
“Don’t shoot! Sorry we frightened you, ma’am. We wanted to ask you if you would help us.”
Laura stared, opened-mouthed, at two of the most beautiful men she had ever seen. Even though their hair was long and their faces had several days’ growth of whiskers, she saw their warm eyes and pleasant smiles. She felt butterflies in her stomach, and wondered why. Shaking herself she asked, “What do you want?”
“My partner and I noticed you washing clothes and wanted to know if we could pay you to wash ours?”
“Pay me? How much?”
“We’ve been traveling for some time, and our clothes are pretty dirty. We would pay you fifty cents.”
“Each of you would pay me fifty cents?”
“Yes, ma’am. Do you work here?”
“I am the cook and housekeeper. Nothing else.”
“Oh! Do you serve meals here, too?”
“No, you can find food over at the hotel restaurant.”
“When do you want our clothes?”
“You can leave them now and pick them up tomorrow afternoon.” Laura noticed the other handsome man staring at her.
“We will leave the dirty clothes later today, after we buy new ones,” said the first man.
“Who are you? What brings you to Everclear?”
Both men whipped their hats off. “I’m Jim McKenna,” said the first.
“And I am Rowdy Adams.” The muscular sandy-haired man spoke for the first time. “And what is the name of the most beautiful woman in the world?” He flashed her a grin, eyes sparkling.
“My name is Laura Brown.” She grew nervous from their nearness.
Both men replied at the same time. “Glad to meet you, ma’am.”
“Has there been any gold found around here?” inquired Rowdy.
Laura stiffened. “None I know of. When you return, leave your dirty clothes on the back steps. I will have them ready for you tomorrow afternoon.” She turned her back on them, replaced her gun in her waistband, and continued with the washing.
Later that day, Laura watched from upstairs as the men returned. With their faces shaved and hair trimmed, they were even more attractive to her. But she was staying away from men. Even the ones who looked as good as these two did. How educated she was becoming from Cora’s girls.
Laura washed the two men’s garments, mended anything needing a button or a stitch, and darned the holes in their socks. When they returned the next day, they paid her the dollar and thanked her for her help.
Rowdy said, “Would you honor us by eating supper with us tonight at the hotel?”
“Sir, I am a married woman and not interested in you or your friend. Take your clothes and leave,” she retorted.
“Sorry, we didn’t mean to offend you. You’re so beautiful; we’d hoped you were unwed.”
Jim tipped his hat. “Good day to you, ma’am.” He pulled a protesting Rowdy in the direction of Main Street.
Laura held her smile in until they were out of sight. They think I am beautiful. That’s one fo
r the books. She brushed back damp wisps of hair from her flushed cheeks and went back to scrubbing sheets on the washboard. Later she would send Hank with the dollar to give to Tuffy to apply to her account. It was a start.
Chapter Five
Laura waited patiently for the moment when she could steal back her horses and return home. The horse wrangler always shut the stable doors at dusk to go home for his supper, never returning until the sun came up the next morning. When the time was right, she made her move.
Laura rode like the wind after stealing her horses and tack back the night before. Cora had given her extra supplies and she left before dawn. As soon as the horses were missed, Tuffy sent men searching for her. She stopped often to glance behind her. Sure enough, she discovered two men following her. After a moment of panic, she said a silent prayer of thanksgiving because Willow had taught her how to handle the situation. She sought a large fallen branch. Tying it to the packhorse, Laura dragged it behind her for some time, moving in a haphazard manner through the pines to cover her passage before discarding the limb.
When she reached the path to the cabin, she turned off and dismounted. Tying her horses to a tree away from the main road, she dragged leafy branches across the horses’ tracks and scattered handfuls of leaves as a finishing touch. On the off chance the men did not know exactly where her cabin was, she wanted to make sure they did not stumble upon her path by accident. Satisfied, she remounted and rode quickly, hoping to move out of earshot before her horses neighed back at the others.
She tied them to the porch post, grabbed her rifle from her saddle scabbard, and raced back up to the ridge. As she lay on her belly under low bushes, a pair of tough looking men rode passed, leaning low out of their saddles looking for signs of her passage. To her immense relief, they soon disappeared around a bend without looking back.
She stayed hidden for some time, wanting to make sure the men had not detected her home. After a while, she heard hoof beats returning. The men were cussing and talking about what they would do to her when they caught her.
“Think she knows how to shoot, Bart?” asked an evil looking man with a jagged scar over his left eye.
Bart answered. “Probably not, Lefty, but she sure would be good in bed!”
“You wouldn’t be very good in bed if’n she shoots off your dick because you misjudged her shootin’ abilities,” laughed Lefty. She remained in place while they rode out of sight in the direction of town before racing through the brush back to the cabin.
Laura began settling back into her home. She unloaded the supplies Cora had given her, fed her horses, and checked to see how many chickens she had left since she was not here to pen them at night. She was sad to discover two were missing, but the others clucked at her to feed them. The cow had had her calf while she was gone so all was well there. Returning to the cabin, she fixed herself a light supper and settled her nerves with one of her delicious teas. At bedtime, she knelt in prayer thanking the Lord for keeping her safe from harm. She asked Him to help her forgive the hatred she felt for Abner but knew that would be difficult. She gave thanks for her newfound friends at Cora’s. Not wanting anyone to know Abner had left her alone and penniless, she prayed for help to keep the ranch. She climbed into bed and was asleep as soon as her head touched the pillow, relieved to be home.
The next morning Laura worked in her garden, preparing it for planting. The day was warm and beautiful as she sowed some of her precious vegetable seeds, saving different types for later planting. She worked hard knowing the growing season in the mountains was short and she wanted a head start.
She heard the cow bellowing and knew she could not put off milking her any longer. What was it about bovines? She’d had many problems with the oxen on the wagon train. She could relate to other animals, tame or wild, but these creatures were a mystery. Picking up the pail, Laura headed toward the sounds dreading each step.
Betsy’s calf, born in the meadow before Laura returned, was several weeks old now. She did not like Laura around the newborn and had made a fuss when tied outside the stall and the calf separated from her. She had allowed Abner to handle her without any problems. But anytime Laura tried to milk her, Betsy took every opportunity to step in the half-full pail. If she could kick it over, she would. Now it was solely up to Laura to milk the cow if she wanted any milk and butter. She was as determined as her nemesis—it was going to be her way or else.
When she entered the open doors, she went to get the rope to tie Betsy’s hind legs together. She did not want to be kicked or stomped in a stall, so she tied her outside the stall in the open area. If there was trouble, Laura had plenty of room to get out of the way. As she leaned down to tie the hind legs at the knees, Betsy lifted both back legs at the same time catching Laura in the chest, lifting her high into the air, and sending her flying out the open doors.
Landing spread-eagled on her back, she knocked the air out of her lungs and slammed her head hard on the ground.
People said when they hit their heads, they saw stars. Well, Laura could tell those people what she saw were not stars, but handsome male angels and horses’ heads hovering above her. Shouldn’t angels have wings? Did angels ride horses?
There was something so familiar about the two angels. What was it? She gave them a silly look as she passed out in their arms.
Chapter Six
Laura smelled bacon. Did God serve bacon in Heaven? Was she dead? She was so confused. She moaned as she tried to see. Everything was spinning. The motion made her sick to her stomach. Her head hurt and she could not think clearly. How was she to get help? She had no one to send—she was alone.
A cold wet cloth placed on her aching head caused her to moan with relief. The angels were still here.
“What can I do to help your headache? What herb or tea can I fix for you?” She recognized the familiar voice. Opening one eye, she stared at the handsome face.
“Are you an angel?” she whispered.
“Don’t you remember me? We met in Everclear when you did my laundry. Tell me what I can fix to make you feel better,” the voice was low and close to her ear.
“Oh, I remember you now,” she sighed. “Please find the can of willow bark. A pinch in a cup of hot water.” Sometime later, she was lifted up and very bitter tea was poured into her throat. She managed to drink half the cup before passing out again.
Much later, Laura woke again. Her head still throbbed, but not as badly as before. A silly memory about angels tickled her mind, but surely she had been dreaming. Someone had spoken to her, brought her tea…. But who?
She heard the cabin door creak and the thud of boots on the wooden floor. Still dazed, she lay still. Who was in the cabin? If she pretended sleep, she could buy enough time to plan out what to do. Someone touched her head, and she jerked.
“Laura, are you awake?” Whoever it was spoke with a southern drawl.
A second, deeper voice said, “I think we’re scaring her. We won’t hurt you, Laura. As we rode up to your place, your cow kicked you and sent you flying. You landed on your back almost under our horses’ feet. Do you remember anything about the accident? That was four days ago.”
“Four days ago!” Laura sat up in bed, regretting the movement as she grabbed her head, moaning. Four large, work-roughened hands gently laid her back against the pillows, placing a cool wet cloth on her head as another strong wave of nausea swept over her.
“Will you drink more of the willow bark tea?” the deeper voice asked.
Nodding she whispered, “With honey, please.”
After she drank the sweetened tea, the room stopped spinning and she opened her eyes to look at her caregivers. “I remember doing your laundry. But I have forgotten your names.”
The large, muscular blond-haired man with the southern drawl looked kindly down at her and replied, “Yes, you did our laundry. Thank you for mending our clothes. I had some missing buttons. I am Rowdy Adams of South Carolina. At present, I am an unemployed soldier looking for
work. And this is my friend, Jim McKenna. He was my captain in the Confederacy, hailing from Virginia.” He continued softly. “When the war ended, we went to Texas for a spell. We then decided we wanted to see what was out West and to try our luck prospecting for gold.”
“Do you remember anything about your accident?” Jim asked her.
Laura rubbed the side of her head trying to think about what had happened. “No, I remember nothing about the accident. How did you find my ranch?”
“Now that is a curious thing,” Jim answered. “We don’t rightly know. We followed two men Tuffy sent after you. When they didn’t find your trail or cabin, we hid out until they gave up. It was almost dark, so we camped near the main trail until morning. The next day, we were heading down the mountain when a large silver timber wolf came toward us. He watched us and ran back into the trees. Then he came back out as if we were to follow him. It was the strangest thing. We’re not sure where here is, since he brought us through the forest.”
Oh no! “Did you hurt him?” Laura asked in alarm.
“No, ma’am. After he led us to the cabin, he disappeared. Strangest thing we ever saw,” said Rowdy. “As we approached the barn, you came flying out.”
“Do you feel strong enough to eat? We fixed beans and cornbread.”
Laura grinned sheepishly, “I keep smelling bacon. Is there any left?” The two large men dashed around trying to fix her something to eat and drink. They kept running into each other, going from here to there. She lay back on the pillow, amused at their antics, and waited until they brought her a tin plate filled with burned bacon, somewhat watery beans, and overdone cornbread. She ate every bite, starved after her long rest. Strangely, her eyes were already heavy again.
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