Mail Order Lorena

by Zina Abbott

  Eustace scrubbed his face with both hands. I am every kind of fool there is. I know I want her. Yet, here I am, helping her find another man to be her husband.

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  Chapter 9

  ~o0o~

  April 9, 1866

  L orena waited on the other side of the desk from Clyde until Fancy, Sabrina, and Rosa received their pay for the previous week. Thankfully, as Fancy promised, they all stayed in Clyde’s office instead of leaving for the kitchen, as they typically did.

  Lorena stepped forward. “Mr. Abernathy, I expect to be paid my wages, also. You owe me for the month of March.”

  A crease forming between his eyebrows, Clyde shook his head. “I don’t have it for you yet, Mrs. Mayfield. I told you, I’ll get it for you later.”

  Lorena sucked in a breath and lifted her chin. “Although you told me in the beginning of March that you would pay me monthly on the first Monday of the month, you neglected to pay my March wages last Monday. Last week, you claimed you did not have the funds counted out yet. You said you would pay me today.” She held out her hand, palm up. “My month’s wages for March, please.”

  Instead of responding, Clyde glanced at the other three women in the room. “What are you three still doing in here? Whatever I have to say is between me and Mrs. Mayfield.”

  Sabrina cocked one hip and placed her hand on it. “We promised her we’d stay until she gets paid, Clyde. If you’re holding her money back on her, it isn’t right.”

  Fancy sauntered to the side of his desk. She sat on one corner and leaned toward him. “Why are you doing this, Clyde, sugar? You’ve always been fair with us and paid us on time. When we see you treating her this way, it makes us wonder if you’ll start cheating us next.”

  Clyde gritted his teeth. “I’m not cheating her. She’ll get her pay. Besides, she’s not bringing money in like you three. With her, the money only goes out.”

  Fancy leaned back. “But, Clyde, sugar, she keeps us fed. She makes our tea. How could we take care of our customers as well as we do if she didn’t take care of us?”

  “Si. I might faint away, not please the men if she did not feed us so good.” Rosa threw her head back and pressed the back of her wrist against her forehead.

  With the knuckles of both hands on his desktop, Clyde rose from his chair. “Stop it, all three of you.” He turned to Lorena. “Are you sure you want to discuss your personal business in front of them, Mrs. Mayfield? You might not like what they hear.”

  Lorena steeled herself. “Whatever you have to say to me, I would like them to stay in the room.” Unlike you, they are my friends.

  Clyde gazed at each woman in turn before he sat once more. He bent to his left and opened a side drawer of his desk. He pulled out a wooden chest and unlocked it. “I don’t know why you are so eager to get your money right now. All you do is send it to your sister.” After counting out a certain amount, he handed it to Lorena.

  Lorena studied the money in her hand. The reason you know I send money to my sister is because you opened all my letters, including those from her. She removed a piece of paper from her pocket. “Might I have a quill and ink, Mr. Abernathy? I will give you a receipt.”

  Clyde snorted. “I don’t need a receipt, Mrs. Mayfield. I have three women as witnesses that I paid you. Since I heard no objection from you, I assume the amount is correct.”

  “For the month of March only, it is paid in full. All of April will be due the first Monday in May.”

  Clyde leaned back in his chair. “Speaking of that, I’m cutting your hours, Mrs. Mayfield.”

  Lorena jerked her head up in surprise. “Cutting my hours? In what way?”

  Clyde grinned as if he were a cat playing with a mouse. “I don’t need you cleaning up front anymore.”

  Fancy rose from the corner of the desk and put her hands on her hips. “You sure, Clyde? We’ve enjoyed our slippers not sticking to the floor like they used to.”

  “Get unused to it, Fancy. Also, Al can wipe the glasses clean himself. They don’t need to be washed in soap and water.”

  Canting her head, Sabrina stepped forward. “What about your agreement with Mr. Mayfield? That is the reason she’s working here, isn’t it?”

  Clyde’s grin widened. “There is no agreement with Mr. Mayfield any longer. He’s dead.”

  Lorena blinked. She felt a tremble course through her, but she forced herself to show no other reaction. Am I truly free? She licked her lips. “I have heard nothing, Mr. Abernathy. How did you come by this information, and…how long have you known?”

  Clyde lowered his eyelids and gave her a cryptic smile. “I’ve known long enough.”

  Lorena’s heart began to pound. He knew last month. That is why he did not want to pay me. What does he want from me?

  “His partners knew he spent time here before they started across Indian land. Turns out, they were attacked not far past Cheyenne Wells. Three men were killed, including Timothy Mayfield.”

  “I see.” The volume of Lorena’s voice dropped until it was barely audible. “And the freight Mr. Mayfield invested in?”

  Clyde shrugged. “I guess the wagons were hit hard. The men who survived decided the portion that was Timothy’s investment was lost to the Cheyenne.” Clyde turned his head and studied her. “For reasons we have already discussed, you would not be entitled to any profit from that venture anyway, Mrs. Mayfield.” He looked up and focused on the three other women. “Her room is paid for until the end of the month. Until then, if she wishes to continue eating here, I will pay her half of what I originally agreed upon to cook for everyone. After that, we will discuss a new arrangement. Now, all of you, go. Get out of my office.”

  Lorena turned to follow the others out of the room.

  “Except you, Mrs. Mayfield.”

  Lorena turned back. She quietly closed the door behind her but stood next to it, ready to reach for the knob. She guessed—and hoped—Fancy stood on the other side of the door and listened. If Clyde threatened her, as resourceful as Fancy was, Lorena trusted her to find a way to step inside.

  Clyde turned his chair so he sat sideways to his desk. He leaned back and stretched his legs out in front of him, crossing his feet at his ankles. “With you getting only half of what I used to pay you, Mrs. Mayfield, after this month ends, you won’t earn enough for both your room and board. You certainly won’t have enough left over to mail money to your sister."

  Lorena looked down and back up. “My sister and her husband will have to find their own way to earn enough money to pay their debts.”

  His face assumed a knowing look. “We both know the real reason you send money to your sister.”

  You know my biggest secret. “Then…then I will find another place to live. I’ll look for another job.”

  Clyde leaned back his head and laughed. “And, where, in this hole-in-the-ground town, might you find something before the month is out?” He straightened in his chair and leaned forward, resting both forearms on his desk. “Keep in mind, Mrs. Mayfield—Lorena—people are well aware you live and work in my saloon. You may tell everyone you only cook and clean, but do you really think they all will believe you? No. If you want to earn enough money to get away from here, I have a better way. You keep that room of yours and take customers upstairs. You’ll get paid the same as the other three.” He leaned back and grinned. “You might decide you like it.”

  Lorena’s lips gaped open and shut like a fish out of water. She choked out her words. “That-That is not…I have no intention of doing that, Mr. Abernathy. Why do you think I would even consider it?”

  “Why not? You whored with Timothy. What’s the difference from that and taking care of my customers? At least, working for me, you’ll get paid for what you do.”

  Lorena shook her head. “No. There must be something else. Until the last day of the month, I’ll work a half day, as you said, Mr. Abernathy. I’ll require my pay for April th
en. Excuse me. I need to start preparing the evening meal.”

  Lorena fled out of the office and turned toward the stairs, nearly knocking over Fancy in the process. As she closed the door, Fancy wrapped an arm around her shoulder and pulled her into the kitchen.

  Rosa and Sabrina, questioning looks on their faces, sat at the table, each with a slice of bread spread with preserves in front of them.

  Fancy pulled a chair out and pressed Lorena into it. She stepped to the stove and poured a cup of tea and set it on the table in front of Lorena. She sat in the remaining chair and turned to the others. “He’s forcing her into the business.”

  Sabrina shrugged her shoulder. “We all got into it because there wasn’t much other choice.”

  “Except for me.” Fancy leaned back. “Once I lost my Louis, I took care of what was important to me, then I decided this was where I would start working to get what I want. Then again, Rosa, your brother made a deal with Clyde for you.”

  Rosa shrugged. “Si. I don’t mind. When mi hermano gave me to his friends, I got nothing. Here, Clyde pays me. I eat well and can buy pretty clothes.”

  Fancy shook her head and leaned forward once more. “With Clyde trying to force Lorena this way, it means he’s up to something. You stop and think about it, he’s been pushing her this direction for a long time—almost since that husband of hers left her behind.”

  Lorena stared into her cup of tea, allowing the rising tendrils of steam to mesmerize her. Fancy did not tell them I was never married to Timothy.

  A frown on her face, Sabrina folded her arms and slouched in her chair. “This town isn’t that big. There’s not enough work for four of us. No offence, Lorena, but if you start working out front, it will really cut into what we earn.”

  Fancy turned her gaze to Sabrina and nodded. “For the most part, that’s true, sugar. However, the bull trains are starting to come through. We’re one of the last places along the trail where they can buy time with a woman before they move their freight wagons west.”

  Sabrina blew out a breath. “I noticed. Those men tend to be dirtier and more uncouth than our regulars. They’re not my favorite customers.”

  “Clyde still expects us to take care of them.” Fancy looked around the table. “The point is, we need to find out what Clyde’s up to. So far, he’s been fair with us. If that’s going to change, we need to know so we can protect ourselves. If you haven’t already done so, you two need to find places to stash away money and jewelry where Clyde won’t think to look for them. No more buying pretty clothes and baubles until you’re sure, if we need to run, you have enough coin—not greenbacks, but coin—set aside to get by and start over.”

  Through her peripheral vision, Lorena saw the three women look at each other and nod. She inhaled the steam coming from her tea and closed her eyes. I’m the one who needs enough money to run. Will I have enough by the end of the month so I can get away from Clyde?

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  Chapter 10

  ~o0o~

  Apr 20-22, 1866

  F or two weeks, Eustace looked forward to his next weekend in Salina. The day for him to leave the station finally arrived. Friday afternoon, he rode in Benny’s coach when the sound of a horn coming from the east jolted him out of the trance he had fallen into. As the stagecoach slowed to a stop, he looked out the window long enough to see Isaac’s coach ahead. The two passed each other just far enough so they could stop and the drivers and messengers exchange greetings.

  Eustace stepped out of the coach. He walked to the opposite side of the other coach as if to talk to Isaac.

  Danny climbed down from his seat in the driver’s box. He also walked around so he stood with Eustace as the three talked.

  Eustace gave Isaac a quick update on the station.

  While he did so, with his motions hidden from everyone in either coach except Isaac, Danny slipped a letter out of his waistcoat and handed it to Eustace, who stuck it inside his clothing.

  Not wishing to detain either driver or the passengers in Isaac’s coach too long, Eustace waved his farewell and climbed back into his seat to continue. Once at the Salina station, he settled his gear in with the stock tenders. Then, as he usually did when he came for the entire weekend, he saw to the stock that evening so the two Salina tenders could spend a few hours in town.

  Saturday morning in Salina, Eustace followed his usual practice and borrowed the horse belonging to the stationmaster. He spent most of the day roaming the surrounding countryside. He hoped to bring down some game to provide fresh meat for the station. The number of settlers that had claimed land in the outlying areas away from the trail continued to surprise him.

  He headed south until he again reached the well-trodden trail over which he no longer saw evidence anyone had recently traveled there. On his last trip to Salina, his visit to the trail revealed to him signs of a large group of native ponies traveling west. Herbert informed him it was probably the Kaw people who made their twice-yearly trek to the open plains to hunt buffalo.

  Eustace turned his horse and returned to the station. Although he had been unsuccessful in his hunt for game, he enjoyed being out in the open and away from people all day. What appealed most was riding out into the wilderness with little fear he would be attacked by a war party of either Cheyenne or Arapaho.

  Sunday morning, Eustace declined the Owens’s invitation to attend church. He again left the station, this time on foot. No church building was in town, but those of the Presbyterian faith had been meeting in one of the local businesses almost since the town’s founding a few years before the start of the war. With nowhere else to go, Eustace found an inconspicuous spot outside the place where the services were held. If nothing else, he would study the people as they left. He wondered how they compared to the families he knew who attended church back in Georgia.

  Eustace straightened as he watched the first person to step out the door. A young woman, her face covered by the brim of her bonnet, ducked her head and rushed away without speaking to those who more leisurely followed her outside. Her form appeared to be familiar. Then, although she wore a white knit shawl instead of the black cloak, he recognized the blue skirt of her gown. It was Lorena.

  He squinted his eyes to better focus. She behaved as if she wished to avoid talking with the others. Perhaps some of them felt uncomfortable worshiping with a woman who lived and worked at a saloon, and she knew it. Either way, Eustace found it interesting that she chose to attend church services.

  Eustace returned to the station long enough to buy dinner from the Owens. When Herbert sent his daughter out to make sure sufficient water and hay were present for the family’s horse, Eustace made his escape.

  Once at the saloon, Eustace ordered his usual whiskey. Seeing that the table he used the previous two times stood vacant, he walked over and sat down in the chair. He knew, if Fancy intended to talk to him, there was no use in moving the second chair. He left it in place. He had just taken a sip when a crash and the sound of broken glass reached him. Fancy, an empty glass in her hand, stood close by. Eustace’s forehead wrinkled as he studied her. She did not appear to be fazed by the accident. As Clyde approached, she looked up and assumed a remorseful expression. “Sorry, Clyde. It slipped from my hand, sugar. There wasn’t much in it, not more than a shot or two. You can ask Al.” She turned to the bartender. “Isn’t that right, sugar? The bottle was almost empty.”

  Al shrugged and nodded.

  Clyde shook his head and grunted. “Then you can pay me the cost of two shots, Fancy. I can’t afford accidents like this. From now on, let the customers get their own drinks.”

  “I’ll cover the two shots, sugar, but don’t ask us not to take care of our customers. It’s little things like bringing them a drink that lead to bigger things.” She smiled and winked at Clyde. “You know what I mean.”

  “Fine. Go get Lorena and tell her to come clean up this mess.”

  “Sure thin
g, sugar. Except, you know, since you cut her hours, her time for today is almost up.”

  Clyde snapped his words out with a snarl. “If she wants to waste her time Sunday mornings attending a church meeting, she can get out here and clean up your mess before she finishes in the kitchen.”

  As he thought about what he witnessed, Eustace sipped and looked off toward the high windows on the front wall. Fancy deliberately dropped that bottle. So, what message did she have for him, other than Lorena’s hours at the saloon had been reduced? He smiled. Lorena would soon be free to leave the building.

  Eustace knew without looking when Lorena entered the main room of the saloon. He waited until he heard the sound of broken glass being swept up before he slowly turned his head and watched her through hooded eyes. After she left with a pan full of the shards, he slowly brought his glass toward his lips. He hesitated as he realized Clyde now studied him. He saluted the man with his glass and finished his drink.

  Clyde walked over and sat in the other chair. “Like what you see?”

  Eustace shrugged. “Watching someone clean up broken glass is the closest thing to a show you have in here. Some hurdy-gurdy girls would be better.”

  Clyde harrumphed. “A show with some dancing girls, huh? Better than peach brandy?”

  Eustace fought down his annoyance. Even if it was to help Lorena, he began to regret he let Fancy talk him into ordering peach brandy. “That, or a piano player, especially if the piano is in tune.”

  Clyde stood up and moved to the far end of the bar closest to the hallway door.

  Lorena returned with a damp cloth and mopped up the rest of the spill. As was her pattern, she avoided looking at anyone else in the room. As she rose to her feet, she glanced over at Eustace. For the briefest fraction of a second, her gaze connected with his.

  Eustace turned his head. Another reason Fancy dropped that bottle. She wanted her to know I’m here today.