“I assume that’s Bobby?” whispered Camille.
Ty nodded.
“A dollar-fifty,” called out Mr. Watson.
Joanna frowned at her father.
“She eats supper with you every night,” called one of his friends, prompting a ripple of laughter.
“Yep, and I know how good that pie is,” replied her father with an affectionate smile.
“A dollar seventy-five,” said Bobby.
“Two dollars.” A young cowboy stepped forward from the line of men along the wall, his gaze focused on Joanna. She stared at him in shock.
“Two-fifty.”
The cowboy glanced at Bobby, then looked back at Joanna. “Three-fifty.”
“Five.”
“Seven.”
Joanna blinked at the cowboy’s last bid. Her expression slowly changed from shock to interest as she studied him. A faint smile touched her lips before she shyly lowered her eyes.
“Uh-oh,” murmured Ty.
Cade chuckled. “This could get interesting.”
“It doesn’t seem fair,” said Camille. “That man is probably five years older than Bobby.”
Ty leaned a little closer to her. “If you weren’t here, half the men along the wall would be bidding on her supper. Even the ones older than her father.”
Bobby squared his shoulders, his expression resolute. “Ten dollars.”
The cowboy glanced around the room and caught the eye of another pretty young miss who gave him an encouraging smile. He looked back at Joanna, winked, and stepped back against the wall.
“Ten dollars going once, twice…three times. That’s it. Determination won the day.” Nickson handed the basket to Bobby. “Enjoy your dinner.”
The lad nodded and walked to Joanna’s side. But he didn’t appear particularly happy.
“The trials of young love,” said Jessie. She straightened and nudged Cade in the side as Nickson picked up another box. “That’s our supper.”
“Don’t you go smiling at anybody who bids against me.”
“We’re supposed to be raising money.” Jessie sent her husband a teasing look. “I see a couple of gentlemen who called on me before we got married. They might be interested in a home-cooked meal.”
Nickson lifted the lid on the box. “Fried catfish, coleslaw, potato salad, biscuits and chocolate cake. May I eat with whoever buys this?”
“Nope.” Cade stood. “Fifteen dollars.”
“Twenty.” Ty grinned at his brother.
“Twenty-five.”
The sheriff, Ransom Starr, lifted his hand. “Twenty-seven.” When Cade frowned at him, he shrugged. “I like catfish.”
“So do I,” said Cade. He glared at his old friend, and everyone laughed. “And I don’t intend to let you to eat supper with my beautiful wife. Thirty-five dollars.”
“Now I know why the county commissioners didn’t give me that raise,” said Ransom with a good-natured grin.
“Thirty-five dollars. Going once…going twice…sold to Mr. Cade McKinnon.”
Cade went to the makeshift stage and picked up the box. He took a detour by Ransom on the way back to the table. Lifting the lid, he waved it under the lawman’s nose as he passed by.
Ransom made a great show of smelling the contents. “Careful or I’ll throw you in jail for disturbing the peace.”
“Yours?”
“Yep.” Ransom pretended to reach for some fish.
Cade slammed the lid down and headed back to their table amid laughter and applause.
Ty turned to Camille, glad to see her laughing and clapping. “Having fun?”
“Yes. I assume your brother is a good friend of the sheriff’s?”
“Both of us are. We rode together when we were Texas Rangers. Ransom showed up last summer and kidnapped Jessie.”
“He what?” Camille stared at him.
“He was a private detective tracking a killer, a man named Wyman. Turned out that Wyman was head of a cattle-rustling operation, only we all thought a local attorney, Doolin, was the man in charge. Jessie’s brother had infiltrated the gang, leading to the lawyer’s arrest. Wyman was afraid Doolin would spill the beans if he was convicted, so he wanted Jessie kidnapped to keep her brother from testifying.”
“But how did Sheriff Starr become involved in the kidnapping?”
“He had followed Wyman to a saloon on the outskirts of town and overheard him trying to get a couple of men to do the job. One man refused, and the other wasn’t capable of doing it on his own. When Ransom realized that the woman they were talking about was Cade’s fiancée, he volunteered.”
“He actually took her somewhere?”
“Miles from town. But he left little signs along the way. Made it pretty easy to track him once we spotted the first one. When we found them, he explained that Wyman was actually the ringleader and had hired him to help take Jessie. The man with him had been tricked into becoming part of the rustlers, then kept in the gang because he feared for his mother’s safety. That was the same ploy Wyman used to get him to kidnap Jessie. He was more than happy to throw in with us and testify against them.
“We returned to town the next day right before the trial. Wyman panicked and pulled a gun he had hidden in the courtroom. Ransom shot and killed him before anyone else could even clear leather.”
“So he became your sheriff.”
“The sheriff we had at the time was moving up to the U.S. Marshal post. He suggested Ransom for the job. After the way he’d handled Wyman, he was quite a hero. We’re fortunate to have him.”
“Given how quickly things settled down this morning, he must be keeping the peace.”
“That he is. Cade and I had known for a long time that he was a good man, but he made his reputation in this country that day in the courtroom. He doesn’t put up with any foolishness.”
Cade returned to the table and sat down. “Whew! What a battle. Now, I’m really starving.”
Jessie rolled her eyes. “I don’t know how you could be.” She leaned forward to talk to Ty and Camille. “He ate half the chocolate cake before we came.”
“Just a quarter of it. The kids had some, too.”
“How many children do you have?” asked Camille.
“Brad is ten, and Ellie is five.” Jessie smiled at Cade, love shining in her face. “She has her daddy and her uncle wrapped around her little finger. They act tough, but they’re really big softies.”
“She is a sweetheart.” Cade squeezed Jessie’s shoulder. “Like her mama. I’m proud as can be of Brad. When I married Jessie, I got myself a ready-made family.”
“And he’s been happy as a pig in slop ever since.” Ty hadn’t paid much attention to the last two meals that had been auctioned off. They went quickly, with the husbands outbidding a few of their neighbors who were only hiking up the price.
The young cowboy who had bid against Bobby managed to buy supper with the other young woman who caught his eye. A few more single girls’ boxes caused a flurry of bids until two more spit-and-polished cowboys won the pleasure of sharing a meal with a young lady.
Then Nickson picked up a hatbox wrapped in pink silk.
Ty tensed, praying that he had enough money in his pockets. As soon as he made his second bid, people would realize whose company he was vying for.
“Well, now, this is a pretty one.”
Camille glanced at Ty, a twinkle in her eyes.
“But I can’t see what is in it. No way to open it without ruining the decoration.” The chairman lifted it up and took a deep sniff. “Fried chicken. Don’t know what else, but it sure enough smells like fried chicken. Who’ll open the bidding?”
“Two dollars.”
Ty couldn’t see who had spoken up.
“Two-fifty,” called one of the cowboys along the wall.
“Five dollars,” said Ty.
“Ten dollars,” called one of the ranchers who had seen him with Camille in the hotel that morning.
Ty noticed Ransom studying him and Camille
.
“Fifteen.” Ty held his breath, waiting for the reaction. He didn’t have to wait long.
“Twenty.” Another rancher jumped to his feet, his gaze fixed on Camille.
“Twenty-five.” Ty tried to not appear anxious as he stood.
“Thirty-five.”
“Forty,” yelled the second rancher.
Ty glanced at Camille. Though she appeared completely composed, her cheeks were pink and her hands were clasped tightly on her lap. “Fifty.”
“Fifty-five.”
Ty opened his mouth but the other man cut him off.
“Sixty.”
The two ranchers were getting too caught up in the excitement. He had to raise the stakes.
“One hundred dollars,” Ty said calmly. He heard a few murmurs, but most conversation had stopped.
“One hundred-twenty-five.” The man joining the bidding was the one Ty had warned Camille about.
Ty took a deep breath, looking at Camille again. If he didn’t throw a rope around her right now, he might lose any chance with her. “Three hundred.”
A collective gasp mingled with his brother’s low whistle.
Ty stood his ground, staring down the last man who had bid.
The rancher held up his hands and shook his head. “Past my limit.” He nodded to Camille. “Maybe another time, ma’am.”
Nickson cleared his throat. “We have three hundred once…three hundred twice…sold to the mayor.” He smiled at Camille. “On behalf of our school, thank you for coming tonight, ma’am.”
That broke the silence. Furious clapping and excited conversation erupted as Ty made his way up to the stage for the box. He hurried back to the table, troubled by Camille’s bright red face. Her beauty had triggered the bidding war, but he had made a spectacle of her.
He sat down, putting the box on the table in front of them, wishing it could shield them from curious eyes. The auction was finished. Cade and Jessie busied themselves with digging into their box and setting out their supper. Ty figured he’d get a grilling from his brother later, but Cade would never question him in front of Camille.
Ty pulled the flower from the bow and laid it on the table. “I’m sorry I embarrassed you,” he said quietly. “I had to try to stop it before they went beyond what I had.”
“You spent so much. Now, people truly will think the worst.”
“They will think that I’m captivated by a beautiful, charming lady. And they’re right.” He untied the bow and lifted the box away from the silk. She pulled the material out of his way, folding it. “Folks know I’m not a tightwad. Raising money for the school is a worthy cause. Enjoying the evening with you is, too.”
And he did enjoy it, more than he’d thought he could. Once she relaxed, she was delightful company. Witty, charming, intelligent and cordial to Cade and Jessie. The food was good, too, though he didn’t pay much attention to it—except when she bit into a piece of chocolate and sighed. He mentally did an inventory of how many boxes of French chocolates he had in the store and decided he’d better order another carton right away.
“I never did hear what brings you to Willow Grove, Miss Dupree,” said Jessie.
Ty held his breath. If Camille were completely honest about her history, he didn’t know how his sister-in-law would react. Jessie’s first husband had been a worthless scoundrel who’d spent his time drinking, gambling and running around with other women. He had seldom bothered to work. Instead, he had taken the money Jessie earned as a housekeeper, leaving her with barely enough to feed their children. Getting himself killed by an irate husband was the only good thing the man had ever done for his family. Though Jessie was as kind as the day was long, she didn’t cotton much to people who ran saloons or worked in them.
“I wanted to see the last of the Wild West before it disappeared. Everyone assures me that Willow Grove is rapidly becoming civilized, but I’m happy to see that it isn’t completely tame yet.”
“One of the new boys at the Lazy R decided to announce his arrival this morning with a little gunplay,” said Ty.
“Which didn’t sit well with Ransom, I expect. That’s one cowboy who is spending his first night in town in the calaboose.” Cade laughed and rested his hand on Jessie’s shoulder, caressing the back of her neck with his thumb.
Sadness crept into Ty’s heart. How many times had he touched Amanda in the same tender way? He was used to the loving, comfortable affection between Cade and his wife. Normally, he rejoiced to see his brother so happy and content. Tonight, their closeness reminded him that his hands were empty, that he had no one to touch, no one to love.
Camille glanced at Ty as if trying to decide how much she should say. She turned back to Jessie. “I have friends here. Nate and Bonnie Flynn. I’ve known them since I was a girl. At the time, my father worked with Nate in New Orleans. They’ve been begging me for over a year to come for a visit.”
“I’ve talked to Mrs. Flynn a bit at church,” said Jessie. “She seems very nice.”
“She is. They’ve been kind to me, especially after my father’s death several years ago.”
“You should have Ty bring you out to the ranch,” said Cade.
“I’d like that. I’ve never been to a ranch.”
“I’ll give you a grand tour.” Ty rested his hand on the back of her chair, being careful not to touch her. “Otherwise, Cade’s liable to put you to work.”
A twinkle lit his brother’s eyes. “Have you ropin’ cows in no time.”
They chatted with Cade and Jessie for a few more minutes. Nate and Bonnie came over, and they visited with them until others began stopping by the table to meet Camille. Ty noted that her friends said nothing about Camille’s profession or that she would be working at the White Buffalo. He decided that he would never have any time alone with her if they didn’t leave soon. “Shall we try to make our escape?”
Camille glanced toward Mrs. Watson, who was bearing down on them. “It may take a while.”
“We can work our way toward the door.” He stood and pulled out Camille’s chair. Earlier, she had rolled up the silk and tied the ribbon around it, tucking the flower beneath it. She picked up the bundle along with her purse as she stood.
“How lovely to see you again, Miss Dupree. And especially in the company of our handsome mayor.” Mrs. Watson was practically busting her buttons. “I told Joanna…and a few others…that I thought we had a romance in the making. How exciting to see I was right.”
“You’re getting ahead of things, Mrs. Watson.” Ty plastered on the most charming smile he could muster considering how much he wanted to wring her neck. “I simply thought this would be a good opportunity for Miss Dupree to meet people.”
“Meet, perhaps. But you certainly weren’t inclined to have her eat with anyone else.” Mrs. Watson laughed.
“A generous donation to the school fund,” he said tightly.
“I expect everyone knows how generous Mr. McKinnon is.” Camille smiled at Mrs. Watson. “I noticed that Joanna had two young men vying for her company this evening.” She slid her arm around the other woman’s waist. “I really should go speak to her. I wanted a closer look at her pretty dress. Was it specially made for her?”
“Yes. We found the pattern in The Delineator and had the local dressmaker stitch it up. She did an excellent job.”
“I’ll have to pay her a visit. I could use some new dresses.”
Ty was annoyed when she walked away without him, until he realized that Joanna was standing right by the doorway. Chuckling, he retrieved the hatbox containing the remnants of their supper.
“Will we see y’all at the house?” Cade stood also, waiting while Jessie finished a conversation with a friend who had stopped by the table.
“Maybe.” Ty shrugged, mindful of his brother’s scrutiny. “It’s a nice evening. I thought she might like to go for a walk down by the creek.”
Cade nodded. “It’s good to see you with someone.”
“Don’t know
if it will lead to anything, but I like her.”
“I noticed.” His brother grinned and squeezed his shoulder. “I’d say you like her a lot.” His expression sobered. “I’m glad. The Lord was right when He said it isn’t good for a man to be alone. I never knew what true happiness was until I found Jessie. Now, go on before some other ornery cuss decides to escort her home.”
When Ty caught up to Camille, he smiled at Joanna. “I told you someone besides Bobby would want to eat with you.”
“I was so surprised. I don’t even know that cowboy.”
“Did Bobby leave already?”
“No. He went after more punch. I think he’s still mad.”
“Try to cheer him up. It will be bad for business if he mopes around the store all day on Monday.”
Joanna giggled. “I will. Mama said I could invite him over for dinner tomorrow.”
Ty touched Camille’s elbow. “Shall we go?”
She nodded, bidding Joanna and Mrs. Watson a good evening while Ty fetched her coat. He helped her put it on, being careful not to touch her in any way that Mrs. Watson and her cronies might consider intimate. Ty followed her out the door and down the stairs. When they reached the sidewalk, he moved to her side.
Boisterous laughter poured out the open door of a saloon as they walked past. She barely spared the room a glance. He wondered if she could size up the competition in such a short time, then decided she probably could. After all, there wasn’t a saloon or gambling hall in town that could hold a candle to one with an angel.
Angelique. The name evoked a sense of mystery, a hint of the exotic. It was a beautiful name, but somehow it fit the gambler more than the genteel woman walking beside him. He preferred Camille, both the name and the lady.
“Would you care to take a stroll down by the creek? It’s only a few blocks away, at the end of town. There will probably be other folks taking the evening air, too.”
“It is pleasant out, but we probably shouldn’t.”
Disappointment swept through him. “Why?”
“We’ve provided enough grist for the rumor mill for one evening.”
“By morning, everyone in town will be talking about us anyway.” Ty paused in front of his store. “Let me throw this box inside.” He opened the door and tossed the hatbox on a counter. “Ed, would you put that it my office?”
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