by Zina Abbott
Aa she studied his face, Lorena blinked. “I had no idea.” She parted her lips as a desire arose within her to lean toward Eustace and press her mouth against his. She closed her eyes. No. That would be wrong. She slowly eased her head out of his grasp, grateful he dropped his hands and let her go.
Eustace gave her a lop-sided smile. “That’s because you didn’t spend much time out by the bar listening to him brag, especially when he thought he could aggravate a former Confederate soldier.” He grew serious. “How do you think he met Timothy Mayfield?”
Widening her eyes, Lorena shook her head and turned away. “I was never told. I only knew they met during the war.”
Eustace placed his fingertips under her chin and gently turned her head so she faced him once more. “You need to get away from this—from Clyde.”
Lorena swallowed and reached her hand to his wrist. “Eustace, I can’t let that detective find my daughter and tell my father-in-law about her.”
“They won’t find her, Lorena. You told me she’s hidden. Even if they find your sister, I doubt she and her husband will say anything. What you need to do is disappear. Let your sister think, for now, you have fallen off the earth. Go someplace you are not known but where you can find a job. Change your name. Write your letters looking for a husband. When you are settled, go claim your daughter.”
She nodded and turned her gaze to stare past his ear. It’s you I want for a husband.
Eustace smiled and ran his fingertips down the side of her face. “Fix your hair, and put on sturdy footwear. Wear a bonnet with a brim and, even though it’s warm outside, your darker cloak instead of your white shawl. Pack everything you want to take with you except that journal that shows how much Clyde owes you.” He paused and looked around. “Are all your belongings in this room?”
Lorena shook her head. “Timothy asked Clyde to store my trunk with my linens and extra clothes in his storeroom. He’s never returned it.”
Eustace looked away and worked his jaw. “I’ll get it.” He softened his voice. “Please, trust me, Lorena. Get ready to go.”
As she watched Eustace leave the room, Lorena stepped behind the screen and fixed her hair and packed all she wished to take with her. She wanted to trust Eustace, but she could hardly believe he could get her away from Clyde. More importantly, if she did what he said, could she keep her father-in-law from discovering Olivia’s whereabouts?
~o0o~
Eustace exited Lorena’s room only to see Fancy standing a few feet from the head of the stairs.
She leaned her hip against the wall and her arms were folded.
He smiled as he approached. “You playing watchdog for Clyde, Miss Fancy?”
Fancy offered a hint of a smile. “No. It being a slow day and all, I decided to wait in the hope of getting a little information out of you.” Her eyes glimmered. “Just what was your specialty for surviving the war, Mr. Cantrell?”
Eustace nodded as he studied the teasing smirk that appeared on her face. He slipped into his slowest Georgia drawl. “Well, Miss Fancy, unlike the Northerners, we Southerners did not have the advantage of replacing our old muzzle-loaders with the faster breech-loading rifles. If that weren’t bad enough, we often ran out of ammunition. I became quite proficient in using my bayonet.” He paused and smirked. “I turned in my old Enfield when I surrendered.” He slapped the sheathed knife at his side. “But I still carry a blade.”
Fancy puffed out a breath and softly laughed. She straightened and patted her thigh. “That’s no big secret, sugar. I’ve been using a pig sticker to get myself out of scrapes for years.” She grew serious. “Whatever you got in mind for our Lorena, you be good to her. She doesn’t belong in a place like this.”
Eustace stared at Fancy for several seconds.
As she met his gaze, Fancy, never breaking eye contact, continued to wear an insolent smile.
“Can I trust you?”
“That depends, sugar. If you mean Lorena well, you can trust me. If you intend to harm her, I’ll hunt you down and knife you in the back without a morsel of regret.”
“You won’t need to hunt me down. Do you know where Clyde keeps her trunk?”
“Perhaps I do; perhaps I don’t.”
“Don’t play games, Fancy. I mean to get Lorena out of here.”
Fancy studied him through half-lidded eyes. “Are you planning to make her your fancy woman?”
Eustace shook his head. “I’m not interested in a mistress. I’m not in a position to take on a wife. I just want her out of here.”
Fancy pushed her body off the wall. “No one’s up here now but us, sugar, but keep it quiet.” She stepped toward the stairs and looked into the room below. She walked back to within a foot of him and lowered her voice to just above a whisper. “Sugar, you go down first and find a reason to talk to Clyde at the far side of the bar. I’ll go to the storeroom and get her trunk.” Fancy leaned toward him with a knowing smile. “That day I found those letters for Lorena, I also discovered Clyde has a second storeroom key to the storeroom in his desk. I can take care of my part and get the key back in his drawer in time to run interference on him when you bring Lorena down. Because, sugar, I don’t think he’ll let her go without a fight.”
“I don’t think so, either.” Eustace considered her offer. “Problem is, Fancy, I intend to force Clyde to pay her the money she’s owed. I’ll probably have to hold a knife to him to get it.”
Fancy twisted her lips. “You’re taking a chance, sugar. Just so you know, Al keeps his shotgun under the bar near the end by the hallway door.”
Eustace nodded. “Thank you for the warning. One of my men said he would stand near the back door. If you get the trunk, give it to him and come back up front. I’ll know then to go back upstairs and bring Lorena down.” He grew serious. “I don’t know why you’re doing this, but I’m much obliged, Fancy.”
Fancy waved a hand in a circle to refer to the saloon and everything in it. “I do this by choice, sugar. I don’t like seeing a woman forced into it the way Clyde did her. His day will come, but not until Fancy is willing to see that day. As soon as Lorena is ready, you go talk to Clyde.”
“She’s just waiting on the trunk.” Eustace paused and studied the woman before him. “Fancy, if you or the other women ever get fed up with Clyde enough to decide to move on and you need my help, get word to me through the station. I’ll do what I can. We can get you on the stagecoach, although…” Eustace eyed Fancy’s peacock-blue working gown.
Fancy grinned. “Just don’t show up at the station dressed like the ladies of the evening we are? Don’t you worry, sugar. If it comes to that, we’ll come looking like the most respectable women you’ve ever seen.” Her smile waned and sadness filled her eyes. “Rosa and I won’t even put up a fuss about riding on top so we women of color don’t offend the sensibilities of any white passengers inside the coach.” She tipped her head toward the stairs. “If you’re talking to Clyde, you need to go.”
Eustace bounded down the stairs. Behind him, he heard Fancy descend more slowly.
Eustace approached the saloon owner. “Clyde, I wish to discuss something with you.” He glanced at Al. “Privately.” He turned and walked to the far end of the bar, turned back, and, with an expectant look upon his face, waited.
Wearing a disapproving expression, Clyde sauntered toward him.
Al, aware he had been deliberately excluded, narrowed his eyes as he twisted his upper body and stared at Eustace.
Fancy noiselessly glided through the door leading to the back hallway.
Although his senses tracked everything that took place in the room, Eustace leaned his forearm on the bar and focused on Clyde. He kept his voice low. “I want your guarantee that I can have Lorena every Sunday I’m here on the same basis as yesterday.”
Clyde, his chin jutted forward, slowly shook his head. “You don’t dictate terms to me, Cantrell. That was a one-time offer.”
Eustace stretched his neck and tipped his
head back so that he looked down his nose at Clyde. “You said you would consider it more than once. I want it to be every Sunday.”
Clyde narrowed his eyes. “That offer was not a guaranteed thing. As of now, it is off the table. I’ve got enough men interested in her I don’t need to give you a special break to keep her busy.”
Out of the corner of his eye, Eustace saw Fancy reenter the room. Through the half-closed door, he saw Sabrina and Rosa watching the scene. Good. Fancy had help with the trunk.
Eustace pushed away from the bar. “Fine. It was worth a try.” He started toward the stairs.
Clyde grabbed his arm. “Your time with her is over.”
Scowling, Eustace shook free of Clyde’s grasp. “I wasn’t with her over fifteen minutes. I said I would take an hour or less, and it is still less. I’m going back up. Don’t try to stop me, Clyde.” His hand ready to reach for the pistol he kept tucked in the back waistband of his trousers, Eustace kept his gaze fixed on Clyde as he walked backward. Only when he reached the stairs did he turn and take them two steps at a time.
Passing Fancy without glancing in her direction, Eustace again marveled at her gumption and resourcefulness. I definitely could have used her on my side during the war.
.
.
.
.
Chapter 17
~o0o~
S tanding about five feet from the door, Lorena looked up as Eustace reentered her room. She wore her bonnet and cloak, and her carpetbag and valise rested on the floor in front of her. Her hands held the journal with the record of her earnings. “I’m ready to go, Eustace.”
Upon hearing a team of horses and a conveyance driving outside the window, Eustace turned his head toward the sound. Lorena turned her head to follow his gaze.
Eustace’s eyes sought her out once more. “Did you hear that? We might experience a few uncomfortable moments getting you out of here, but we have help.”
Wearing an expression of uncertainty, Lorena nodded. “I want nothing more than to leave this place behind.” She watched as Eustace tucked the carpetbag under his left arm and grabbed the handle of the valise. He offered his right arm. They exited the room and, side by side, they walked down the stairs.
Lorena knew the second Clyde caught sight of them. His arms akimbo and a scowl on his face, he approached them. “Where do you two think you’re going? Lorena, go back upstairs and get dressed for work. It will start getting busy soon.”
In spite of knowing Eustace stood by her side, Lorena’s body began to tremble. She felt her courage desert her. Upon hearing Eustace challenge Clyde, she renewed her determination to allow him to help her escape.
“She doesn’t work here anymore, Clyde.”
Lorena followed Eustace as he pulled her toward the front of the saloon. She released his arm as he opened the door leading to the outside until it stood wide open. She watched him set her valise on the ground and the carpetbag next to it.
As Lorena looked up, her eyes widened in surprise. Outside, in front of the saloon, sat the B.O.D. stagecoach. An older gentleman, whip in hand, sat in the driver’s box holding the reins of a team of four horses. Next to the front wheel stood a younger man, his coach gun in his hands. Could these men be the Isaac and Danny who helped Eustace with her mail?
Danny nodded and hiked his shotgun under his arm. He stepped over to pick up her luggage. He turned to the coach to stow her things just as Eustace pushed the door partially closed.
Lorena turned back to face the room.
Clyde scowled at her.
Sabrina and Rosa filled the doorway to the back rooms.
Fancy leaned against the wall by the stairs.
Al stood in his usual place in front of the mirror as he leaned on his palms pressed flat against the top of the bar.
Four customers—two at a table and two standing at the bar—stopped what they were doing to watch the unfolding scene.
Lorena felt heat creeping up her neck and onto her face. I hate being the center of attention.
Eustace turned to face Clyde. “Mrs. Mayfield will be leaving in just a few minutes. Before she goes, the matter of the wages you owe her needs to be taken care of first.”
“I don’t owe her a thing.” Clyde brushed aside the claim with a wave of his hand.
Lorena gasped. How dare you lie like that? As she glared at Clyde, she lifted her chin.
Fancy sashayed over to stand next to Clyde. “Sure, you do, Clyde. We all know it. You’ve always been fair with the rest of us. Why don’t you just pay her and let her go, sugar? We don’t need her upstairs.” Fancy trailed a finger along Clyde’s jaw. “Now we have Alma in the kitchen, we don’t need her there, either.”
Clyde jerked his head away from her touch. “Don’t play your whore tricks with me, Fancy.”
Sabrina stepped over by the stairs but where Clyde could see her. She placed a hand on a cocked hip. “I agree with Fancy, Clyde. I liked her fine when she worked the kitchen for us, but I don’t want Lorena working upstairs and taking business away from me.”
Lorena looked down and suppressed a smile. She knew Sabrina worried about losing business to her. She also knew the woman said what she did to encourage Clyde to pay her and let her go without a lot of fuss. She opened her journal and held a page out for Clyde to read. “You owe me for April, and the first six days of May, Mr. Abernathy. I’ve detailed it here. You are free to look over my records, but I assure you, they are correct.”
Clyde narrowed his eyes and glared at Lorena. “Are you sure you want to do this, Lorena? Like I told you, a certain gentleman promised to return this way. You know what I will tell him.”
Lorena, her lips quivering, glanced at Eustace. Enough. I must face up to him. She swallowed then turned back to face Clyde. “Then you will have to tell him, Mr. Abernathy. It will benefit neither him or my father-in-law. You see, I recently received a letter from my sister, and…and…” I can’t stand to tell any more lies.
Clyde jerked his face toward Eustace. He stepped forward and jabbed his forefinger at him. “You! I suspected she was somehow using the stagecoach for her mail instead of going through the post office.”
At being found out, Lorena’s first instinct was to panic. That explains why Clyde chose him for my first night.
“Why, Mr. Abernathy, that is certainly perceptive. Knowing you have the postmaster and his wife eating out of your hand so you can tamper with people’s mail, I was more than happy to be of assistance to Mrs. Mayfield.” Eustace slip into his lazy Southern drawl. He stepped forward and grabbed the front of Clyde’s shirt. He pulled the man forward until their chests butted against each other. He placed his lips against Clyde’s ear on the opposite side of his head from where Fancy stood.
Even though he spoke softly, Lorena stood close enough to hear him tell the lie she could not speak aloud.
“According to the sister, the baby girl recently died. Mrs. Mayfield no longer has anything her father-in-law wants.” Eustace stepped back and released Clyde with a push. “Pay her what you owe her, Clyde, and then she’s leaving.”
Hate pouring from his expression, Clyde’s shifted his eyes between Lorena and Eustace. He shook his head. “She’s been talking with and teasing my customers for the better part of a week. I’ve got men climbing all over themselves for a chance at her. She stays.” In a sudden move, Clyde lunged for Lorena’s journal and grabbed it from her hand.
Lorena cried out in dismay as Clyde ripped her journal along the spine into two pieces and tossed it toward the stairs. She turned to stare at the pieces but fearing Clyde would attack her, she dared not retrieve them.
“That’s what I think of your pay record. Now, go upstairs and get ready to work.”
Lorena spun her head back to face Clyde. “No.”
Eustace jerked his knife from his sheath and lunged at Clyde. Grabbing Clyde’s neck in the crook of his left arm, he held the tip of the blade under Clyde’s chin. “You listen to me, Abernathy. The side
of the war I fought for lost. The Emancipation Proclamation meant, no matter how much my daddy paid for them, I don’t have slaves to work my land anymore. I don’t care how much money you think she can make for you. You’re not going to force her to stay here to work your business. You hear me?”
Lorena widened her eyes at the sight of Al reaching a hand below the bar. He’s going for his shotgun. “Al! No!” Behind her, Lorena heard the sound of a gun lever being cocked.
Danny’s voice filled the room. “No one reaches for a weapon. Ladies, please move up the stairs or to the back of the building. All of you gentlemen, including you, bartender, move to the far side of the room. Keep your hands where I can see them. I want you to understand, this coach gun sprays wide. My double-aught buckshot is designed to discourage either hostiles or road agents from getting near the stagecoach. Even if my shot doesn’t hit anyone, it will take out the mirror, glasses, bottles, and half the wall. I suspect it will cost more to replace everything than the amount owed this woman.”
Lorena gladly followed Danny’s instructions. Taking time to pick up the two halves of her journal, she joined Fancy, who climbed up several steps. Unnerved by the violence taking place below, she clung to the other woman. “He’s doing this to help me, Fancy. I can’t bear to see him get hurt.”
Fancy spoke softly in her ear. “It will turn out fine, sugar. Clyde has this comeuppance coming. Once he’s knocked down a rung or two, he’ll settle down. You tell your man, though, not to come back here.”
“I’ll tell him.”
Twisting her body to get a view of what took place downstairs, Lorena watched Clyde, his head tilted back due to the pressure of Eustace’s blade on his skin, glare at Danny.