Denver

by Sara Orwig

  “I want to know now, and if you don’t tell me, I’ll go right out and find Reuben and stay with him all evening.”

  Dan leaned back against the piano and shrugged. “Go ahead, Louisa. Get Reuben to take you home.”

  Her eyes narrowed to slits, and her cheeks flushed. “Do you know what you’re saying?”

  “I think so. You threatened me. I don’t want to discuss the matter tonight, so my only choice is to let you go ahead and carry out your threat.”

  “And I shall, Dan Castle!” She flounced out of the room, and all he could feel was relief. He wanted to leave the party, but he wouldn’t do that, so he sauntered down the hall, studying the house, joining guests in the front parlor. Louisa stood beside Reuben, smiling at him, her hand on his arm.

  Reuben turned to look at Dan, a searching look and one of smug satisfaction at having won Louisa to his side. Dan turned his back to converse with William Byers and Jay Varner. To his relief, he was seated several seats away from Louisa at dinner, while Reuben was at her side. From the moment he sat down to eat, he paid no attention to her, knowing it would fuel her anger and bring about the separation he wanted.

  After dinner, as the men congregated for cigars and brandy, Dan conversed with Trent Waltham, who had only recently arrived in Denver. It was rumored that Trent had made a fortune in silver and was ready to settle. Half the people coming into town now, if they had a few dollars, were rumored to have struck it rich somewhere west of Denver.

  “I hear you built the Potter house.”

  “Yes,” Dan answered, exhaling a stream of smoke.

  “I’d like to see some of your work.”

  For the first time in the evening, his worries over Louisa and Mary diminished a notch. “You can look at my house. I built it.”

  “When?”

  “In the morning. Whatever time suits you.”

  “About seven. Is that too early?”

  “No, sir.”

  “Do you have any house plans I can look at?”

  “Yes, I do.”

  “I hear you drew up plans for Benjamin Corning and he rejected them.”

  “That’s right.”

  “Tell me about them.”

  The doors were opened to the front parlor, and the men joined the ladies again. Dan talked to Trent for the next hour about houses, and when he finally moved away and looked around, he couldn’t see Louisa. Once he looked into Hortense Shumacher’s eyes and met a smile of triumph, and he realized Louisa had either slipped away from the party to let Reuben kiss her, or Reuben had taken her home. Dan hoped Reuben had taken her home. But Louisa and Reuben appeared back at the party within half an hour, Louisa’s eyes sparkling. Her anger resurfaced when she looked at Dan. He moved through the crowd to her. “ ’Evening Reuben, Louisa.”

  “How were the mountains?” Reuben asked.

  “Michael O’Malley is going to survive. He’s much better now.”

  “Dan, I’m going to ride home with Reuben,” Louisa said smugly.

  He nodded. “That’s your privilege, Louisa, to do as you choose. I assume your mother is aware of your change of plans?”

  “Yes, as a matter of fact, she is,” Louisa answered, once again looking perplexed for a moment. “Emily, come join us,” she called to Emily Parsons, who stood nearby. Emily and Letitia Hopper joined them, and for the rest of the evening Dan wasn’t alone with Louisa. When she left, he told his host and hostess good night and walked out at the same time as Louisa and Reuben.

  “I’ll call in the morning, Louisa,” he said quietly, “unless you want me to take you home now so we can talk.”

  She glanced up at Reuben. “Perhaps that would be better,” she said, looking over her shoulder at the house. Dan knew as well as Louisa that her parents were old friends of the Parsonses and they would stay for another hour.

  She looked at Dan. “Excuse us a minute, please,” she said in haughty tones, and walked with Reuben to his carriage. Reuben looked almost as curious and puzzled as Louisa, and Dan suspected he had thrown them both off-balance. Reuben’s usual hostility was missing, and his smugness had vanished.

  In minutes she walked away from Reuben, who looked over her head at Dan. “Good night, Louisa. Good night, Castle.”

  Dan nodded and helped Louisa into the carriage, thankful for the chance to talk to her tonight.

  “I can’t imagine what you have to say to me, but your inattention tonight was inexcusable.”

  “Louisa, you left with Reuben, he’s kissed you tonight, so I’m not altogether the only one at fault,” Dan said quietly. He knew she felt no more for him than he had felt for her. He wondered if she had simply agreed to the engagement to stir Reuben to jealousy or a proposal.

  She gasped and twisted around to glare at him.

  “Don’t deny he kissed you.”

  “No, I shan’t,” she said, drawing herself up. “He’s fun and very attractive, and he likes me. And you are like someone only half-alive since you came back from the mountains!”

  He thought perhaps she was exactly right. He felt only half-alive, shaken by his discovery. He slowed the team and jumped down in front of the Shumachers’ home. As soon as they entered the house and the maid left them, Louisa led the way into the front parlor, where a fire burned in the grate and the lamps were turned low. Brandy had been set out for her parents’ return.

  “Now that we’re alone, I want to say to you, Dan Castle, that if you treat me the way you did tonight one more time, our engagement is off!”

  “We’re not even engaged yet, Louisa. And if we were, I’d think the engagement would be off if you rode home with Reuben,” Dan answered quietly.

  “You sound as if you want it to be off.”

  Dan knew there would be no easy way to get through the next few minutes. “Louisa, do you think you and I are really suited to share the rest of our lives with each other?”

  She blinked, and he wondered what consideration she had actually given to marriage. “Of course I do, or I wouldn’t have consented to become engaged.”

  “Are you certain of that?”

  “You don’t want to become engaged,” she said. The shock made her eyes go wide as he saw that the possibility that a man might not want to marry her was almost beyond reason. “Is that it? You have changed your mind?”

  “Louisa, are you wildly in love with me? Can you go off and kiss Reuben and still say you’re in love with me?”

  He saw the moment when her shock changed to anger. She crossed the room and slapped him hard. “I hate you! No, I don’t love you! Mama was right. You’re common, and beneath me, and the engagement is off. I’ll never marry you!”

  He listened patiently to her tirade, knowing she was entitled to it. He hoped it would help her salvage her feelings and relieve him a fraction, just as her tryst with Reuben had relieved him. Dan didn’t think she had loved him at all. It had been a wild physical attraction, perhaps something different and exciting and fun for her. He waited, watching her storm at him and clench her fists and stomp her foot, thinking that whatever lay ahead in his life, he had just had a narrow escape.

  “Get out of this house, Dan Castle, and don’t ever come back.”

  “All right, Louisa. I’m sorry for what happened between us.”

  Surprise flitted in her expression, and he saw she still didn’t believe that he had lost interest in her. He started toward the door.

  “Dan, who is she?”

  He shook his head. Her face flushed, and her lips firmed. She picked up one of the brandy glasses and threw it. Dan caught it and set it down carefully. “Think about Reuben and his kisses, and you won’t be half as angry.”

  He left and closed the door, and he let out his breath. She followed him into the hall.

  “I hate you!”

  “If you do, you could not possibly have loved me a week ago,” he replied, and went outside. As he turned into the street, he passed her parents returning home, and he was thankful he was out of the house and a
way. He drew his carriage to a halt.

  “Mr. Shumacher, may I have a word with you for a moment?”

  Charles Shumacher glanced at his wife, who nodded, and he climbed down. Dan jumped to the ground and walked away from the carriages, where he could talk. He knew Hortense would be listening, and could probably hear, but he wanted the appearance of trying to speak privately with Louisa’s father.

  “Sir, I’m sorry. I have great respect for you and like doing business with you. For a time I thought you’d be my father-in-law. Louisa just said she won’t marry me. She doesn’t want to become engaged.”

  “Louisa? Are you sure?”

  “Yes, sir. I’m quite sure. She’s unhappy with me at the moment, and she told me her wishes. I suspect Reuben Knelville may be the lucky fellow who has her heart.”

  “Oh, I see!” Shumacher said, his eyes round with surprise. “Well, this is a shock. Sorry, my boy, but a lady has to make up her mind.”

  “Sir, I’m sorry too, but it’s better that these things are worked out now. I appreciate your kindness to me and that of your wife, and of course I’ll always remember Louisa. She’s one of the most beautiful women I’ve ever known.”

  “Yes, my daughter is beautiful. Well, sorry, son.”

  “If you’ll give my regrets to Mrs. Shumacher and explain to her. I have an idea it won’t come as a surprise to her.”

  “Yes, well, maybe the ladies have talked.” They walked back to the carriages.

  “Good night, Mr. Shumacher,” Dan said politely, and shook hands with Charles. “Good night, Mrs. Shumacher,” he said, tipping his hat to her. The men climbed into their carriages and drove their separate ways. Dan felt some degree of relief, but it was small, because he had known since returning to town that he wouldn’t marry Louisa and that she would be out of his life right away. But the woman he loved could never be a part of his life, and that weighed like a boulder on his heart. He thought about his choices, leaving Denver, staying and watching Silas come home or claiming Mary.

  He gazed toward town, where she was, and wondered how her foot was. He rode home and dismounted, thinking of how empty his house was, and imagining her in it. He lay in bed in the dark, remembering every moment in the mountain cabin with her, remembering clearly holding her and kissing her, thinking he had never known sweetness as he had with Mary. His thoughts shifted to the O’Malley brothers, and he thought about what Ta-ne-haddle had told him. He knew he had to talk to Brian. Michael was old enough to make his own decisions, but there was no point in the boys breaking Mary’s heart and getting into trouble. And that’s exactly what they were headed for if they didn’t stop what they were doing.

  19

  On Monday of the next week, Mary dressed carefully, favoring her injured ankle. She had Brian bring the carriage to the door, telling him she had an errand to run. She left early, when few people would be awake. She was uncertain as to the best time of day to do the task, but supposed that this would draw the least attention from ladies in the town. She had long ago learned that the men in town were far nicer to her, and far more tolerant than the women.

  When she drove past the bordellos along Holladay Street, her cheeks flamed simply from being in the area. She knew which bordello Dan had built for Dulcie, and it was easy to find. There wasn’t another carriage or horse in sight when she stopped at a hitching post, and Mary let out a sign of relief, assuming there might not be a customer in the house. She stared straight ahead as she marched up the porch steps and raised the heavy knocker.

  The door was opened by a maid, whose eyebrows arched.

  “I’m Miss O’Malley, and I came to pay a call on Miss Hazelwood,” she said, feeling her cheeks burn with embarrassment.

  “Yes, ma’am. Just a minute, ma’am.” The door closed and Mary’s discomfort increased. She was frightened one of her dinner customers who patronized the house might appear.

  Inside the house, Dulcie’s jaw dropped. “Who?”

  “A Miss O’Malley.”

  “Green frogs in Hades! And you left her on the porch?”

  “Yes, Miss Dulcie. You want me to bring her inside?”

  “Yes, get her off the porch. If any of the men run into her, they won’t ever come back! Where’s her carriage?”

  “In front of the house.”

  “Tell Grizzly to get it around back now! Hurry, Arietta. I’ll get Miss O’Malley off the porch myself.”

  “Yes, ma’am.”

  Dulcie raced down the hall and yanked open the door. “Miss O’Malley, come inside.” Dulcie felt as if she were dealing with a child. Mary O’Malley’s cheeks were pink, her eyes round, and she looked terrified. “Miss O’Malley, you shouldn’t have come here.”

  “I need to talk to you. I want to thank you. Can we go somewhere to talk?”

  “Ma’am, you really shouldn’t stay. I appreciate your gratitude, but—”

  “Can we sit in a parlor?”

  Dulcie saw she wasn’t going to be able to send Mary off without talking to her, so she led her down the hall to her room and closed the door. “Sit down.”

  “I know Dan hired Faucheux from here while we were away taking care of my brother. I want to thank you for helping. And I think you sent the food we took when we left Denver. You can’t imagine how much I appreciate it.”

  For a moment her voice faltered, and Dulcie followed her gaze, turning slightly to glance behind her. One of Dan’s shirts still hung on the wall on a hook. She saw the color deepen in Mary’s cheeks, and a strained look came to her face. Suddenly Dulcie didn’t want Mary hurt by Dan’s past. She liked Mary O’Malley, and although she looked like a child, she was not. Mary was a woman, and a determined and considerate one, or she wouldn’t be present in Dulcie’s room.

  “Thank you for coming to tell me,” Dulcie said gently. “That shirt has been here a long time. It hasn’t been touched in months.”

  Mary’s face turned a deeper red and she nodded. “I want you to take this to pay Faucheux and for the food we took.” She held out an envelope, but Dulcie shook her head.

  “The cook has been paid. I didn’t pay him, so that’s between you and Dan. There’s no call to pay me twice. You’ll have to pay Dan if you want to compensate someone.”

  “I’d like to show my appreciation to you. Dan may have paid you, but I benefited from it, and so did my brother.”

  “I’m glad. You pay him if you want, but I’ve been paid generously. As for the food I sent, I was trying to help. It was a gift.”

  “Thank you.”

  “Even though you shouldn’t have,” Dulcie said quietly, “your coming here to thank me is sufficient. You know most nice ladies in town won’t even speak to me. They would never come to call. I appreciate this, but you shouldn’t come again, Miss O’Malley. It could tarnish your own reputation if someone should see you.”

  To Dulcie’s amazement, Mary laughed. “I don’t think I have to worry about pleasing the society ladies, and the others won’t give me trouble!”

  Dulcie realized in a flash why Dan was so captivated by Mary. Not only was she quick and intelligent, but she was a warm, practical person. And when she smiled, she was very pretty.

  “Have you ever had your hair done, sort of in curls and fancy?” Dulcie asked.

  “No. I usually wear it braided, but I fell and have quite a bump, so for now, I’m just tying it behind my head.”

  “Are you sure Faucheux shouldn’t come back for a day or two?”

  Again Dulcie received a charming smile. “No, thank you! I didn’t think I would ever get him out of my kitchen!”

  Dulcie chuckled, knowing her temperamental French cook. “Faucheux is very possessive about his kitchen. Actually I think he liked working there more than here. You have customers who can brag about him and hire him. My customers can’t tell their wives where they met him.”

  Mary laughed, and Dulcie warmed to her more, praying Dan had enough sense to follow his heart. “He can cook in both our places, you know. We kee
p unusual hours.”

  “I’ll manage, thank you.”

  “If you’d like your hair done sometime, I’m good at it. I could slip over to your house and help you with it. If you go to a party or anything.”

  “Thank you, but I don’t go to many parties.”

  Dulcie realized that with different clothes and a bit of work on her hair, Mary could be quite eye-catching. Dulcie had helped enough of the girls who worked for her to know how to enhance a woman’s natural looks.

  “Miss O’Malley—”

  “Please, just call me Mary.”

  “I don’t think I should. You mustn’t come here again. It’s bad for my business. If my customers should see you—”

  “I’m sorry.”

  “Don’t apologize. I’ll always remember. And I want to give you another bit of advice. Marry the man you love. Whichever one he is. If it’s Silas, then don’t let Dan persuade you to do something you shouldn’t. But if it’s Dan, don’t be bound by old promises. Silas Eustice’s first love is gold. He was a fool to leave you like he did.”

  Mary nodded and stood up, her gaze going once again to Dan’s shirt. Dulcie doubted if they would ever talk again, and she felt a wistful envy. “Dan needs a woman like you more than even he knows. I’ll show you out. I had your carriage brought around to the back. If you go down this alley and the alley in the next block, then turn on the street, you’ll get home without being spotted.”

  Mary nodded, and they walked to the back door, where Dulcie had the carriage waiting. Mary looked at all the carriages and horses in the back, where there was a long stable and corral, and she was shocked as she guessed that the house must be full of customers. She turned to face Dulcie.

  “Be good to him,” Dulcie said, and Mary realized Dulcie loved Dan. Or had loved him. She reached out to squeeze Dulcie’s hand before climbing into her carriage. She wondered if Dulcie had told the truth when she said that Dan’s shirt hadn’t been touched in months, or if Dan stopped to see her regularly. Dan had brought her to Denver with him and built the house for her. One thing Mary knew without a doubt, she had no intention of sharing the man she married with another woman.