[Dakotah Treasures 01] - Ruby

by Lauraine Snelling

  Instead, she drew herself erect and marched across the ground to stop several feet in front of his horse’s nose.

  “And a good day to you too, Mr. Harrison.” Her slitted eyes dared him to say anything, but before she could stroll on by him, a snort from a huge creature behind his horse drew her attention. A rope ran from the saddle horn to the animal’s face, where a chain attached to the rope ran through a ring in the animal’s nose and up to encircle the base of its horns.

  “Ah . . . your cow there doesn’t look real friendly.”

  “He’s a bull, ma’am.” Harrison touched the brim of his hat. “I went east to purchase him. We unloaded at the cattle chute.”

  All she could see was the bull standing between her and the hotel. All she could think was that Rand Harrison had heard her ranting at her father at his grave. Rand Harrison, who had berated her for closing down the saloon and its accompanying services—all because his cowhands would miss the company.

  The bull eyed her and pawed the earth with one massive white front hoof. The chain jangled and Harrison tightened his grip on the rope. The beast’s curly red hide glinted in the sun. Now she knew what they meant by white-faced cattle.

  “We’d best be on our way.” He touched his hat brim again.

  Ruby could swear he was laughing at her, but his actions were perfectly gentlemanly.

  “I do hope your day improves.” He reined his horse to the left and headed for the ford through the river.

  The bull’s long tongue licked his nose, and he shook his head against the pressure before following. She hoped to never have such a close acquaintanceship with a bull again.

  Carefully stepping around the flat mound and spatters of greenish brown manure, she held her handkerchief to her nose until she reached the street.

  Horses were tied to the hitching rail in front of Williams’ Saloon. A buckboard and team were tied up at Mrs. Mc-Geeney’s. But nothing, no one, was outside Dove House. Unless someone walked in, it looked as if dinner today would be family only. If those who worked at Dove House could indeed be called family.

  If she didn’t kill or maim some of those family members when she got back inside.

  Instead of feeling better for her tirade at the gravesite, she felt more a failure than ever. And to think someone had overheard her. What a joke this would be for him to share with his cowboys. The entire town would soon be laughing. Not that there were that many people in the town to be laughing, but the thought made her stumble on the top step and grab on to the post for support.

  She opened the front door, wishing for a way to stop the bell from jangling. When Milly peeked out the swinging door to see who was there, she waved her off and climbed the front stairs to the second floor, then up the back stairs to the attic, and entered her room, praying that Opal would be downstairs with the others and not waiting up here.

  Removing her long hatpin with the pearl beads, she lifted her hat off and stuck the pin back in the crown. She carefully wound the veil draping it around the brim to keep it safe and set the hat back in the hatbox. She hung her dress on the padded hanger, wishing for an armoire instead of the pegs along the wall, then draped the sheeting back over her good dresses and eyed the pallet on the floor.

  At the Brandons’ she’d had a comfortable bed with a feather bed for the winter, a chest of drawers, a dressing table, a washstand with a pitcher of water, and a three-panel screen to change behind. And a necessary down the hall—no outhouse or chamber pot. There had been gaslights and running water, an icebox in the kitchen, a lovely flower garden, and a grassy lawn with big old trees to enjoy.

  Here she slept on a hard wooden floor on a bag filled with dried grass in an attic that was heating up in spite of the open windows. If it was this warm in May, what would August be like?

  More importantly, would the hotel still be in business come August?

  And if it failed, what could she do? She had used all the money from Mrs. Brandon to pay on the accounts. There was no money for return tickets to New York.

  Fighting the desire to lie down and pull the covers over her head, she dressed in a dark calico skirt and cream waist, donned an apron, and made her way down the backstairs. She paused before entering the kitchen, reminded herself that yelling at them would do no good, and entered to find Milly fixing a tray, Cimarron dishing up food, and Daisy exiting to the dining room, coffeepot in hand.

  “We have diners?”

  “Four, and the easterners went upstairs to wash up before eating, so that is three more.” Cimarron wiped her brow with the back of her hand. “My, but this stove does put out the heat.”

  “But I didn’t see any horses or conveyances outside.”

  “Nope. The easterners left their mounts at the livery. The other folks are from town.”

  “What are we serving today?”

  “Baked grouse, baked beans, canned peas, dandelion greens—thanks to Milly and Opal—and gingerbread with applesauce.”

  “Smells wonderful. Where’s Charlie?”

  “Out in the garden. He brought back some more corn seed and wanted to get it planted right away.”

  “Were any rooms rented last night?”

  “One besides the easterners. They’re leaving on the train tomorrow. Said they had the time of their lives but no buffalo.” Cimarron stopped talking and turned to look at Ruby. “About the dancing in there, we really didn’t mean any harm by it. You know we wouldn’t hurt Opal for anything.”

  “I know.” Ruby went to stand by the window, looking out to see Charlie with a hoe in his hands and a sack of seeds hung over one shoulder. “It’s just that dancing like that is part of a life I don’t want her exposed to.”

  “It needn’t be. There’s all kinds of dancing, you know. I learned to waltz and two-step and danced the reels and polkas. Square dancing is right fun—circle dances too.”

  “Yes, but that was not what you were teaching her.”

  “I asked them to teach me.” Opal, who had come in on the last line, planted herself in front of Ruby with clamped hands on her hips. Her chin jutted out and her eyes flashed. “So don’t go getting mad at all of them.”

  “Opal, you and I will discuss this later.” Ruby kept her voice even. She reached out and tucked a strand of hair back over Opal’s ear. “I missed you last night.”

  Opal’s chin quivered, and the starch melted out of her. She leaned into her sister and wrapped her arms around Ruby’s waist. “I missed you too. I haven’t been by myself like that ever. I was thankful for Cat. She stayed with me, and she caught another mouse in the storage room and brought in a garter snake from outside.”

  “How did you know it was a garter snake?” Ruby laid her hands along Opal’s chin and looked into her eyes. “You know there are rattlesnakes here.”

  “Cimarron knows the difference. Besides, it was just a little snake. Cat is really a good hunter.”

  Ruby shuddered. “First mice, now snakes. Rand Harrison’s bull and—”

  “Rand is back?” Cimarron turned from the stove.

  “Yes.” She wasn’t about to explain where she had seen him. Her neck grew warm just at the thought.

  “Shame he didn’t stop for dinner.”

  The thought of that unfriendly beast tied up at their hitching post made Ruby close her eyes. She didn’t think much could stand in that bull’s way if he decided to go someplace. And to think Rand was leading him around like he was a dog on a leash, not that dogs wore a chain through a ring in their nose.

  When they’d finished serving dinner and eaten their own, Ruby gave in to their pleading and told them what she’d learned in Dickinson.

  “I knew I shoulda gone along.” Belle gazed at the ceiling along with a harrumph of frustration.

  “What good would that have done?” Ruby was still amazed. Belle was acting as if their discussion never took place.

  “They know me. I went with Per plenty of times. Sometimes you got to”—she rolled her eyes—“you know.”

&
nbsp; “No, I have no idea what you are talking about.”

  “Well, sweet talk, you know. That Mr. Davis at the bank is a sucker for . . .” Belle batted her eyelashes and puffed out her chest, pretending she had a fan to flutter.

  “Belle, I never . . .”

  “That’s what I was afraid of. But you looked so lovely in that dress and so innocent; I hoped that would be enough.”

  “I was asking for operating expenses, nothing more.”

  “Did you invite him to come and see the changes around here?”

  “Yes, I did that. And I talked with a man from a newspaper during supper. He said he would do a story on the growth here in Little Missouri and include Dove House and the changes we’ve made. He seemed to think there was a story here.”

  “Oh, there’s a story here all right,” Belle muttered into her coffee cup.

  Ruby chose to ignore her comment. Any publicity would be helpful.

  Well, not any. If someone had come in when she and Charlie did, they would have thought things were the same as ever, except for the white tablecloths and the clean floor and the lack of bottles behind the counter. And Belle? What do I do about Belle?She was as nice as pie when I planned to question her about the missing money and boxes. Ruby shook off the thoughts. “I’m going out to sweep the porch,” she said and went to get the broom.

  “I know there isn’t a lot of fun for you here, with no other children to play with,” Ruby said that night as she brushed Opal’s hair.

  “We could go riding again. That would be fun. And when the river warms up, we can go swimming. I like fishing too.”

  Ruby dropped a kiss on her sister’s head. Yes, they needed to have more fun. When you came right down to it, there wasn’t much going on in the whole town, other than the men drinking and gambling. Maybe there was something Dove House could do after all—provide genteel entertainment. She could feel an idea stirring. Have more fun, eh?

  “Ruby.” The whisper was accompanied by a slight shake on the shoulder.

  Ruby tried to remain in her dreamworld where they were back at s’ and a young man had come calling. A man who looked remarkably like Rand Harrison. That alone jolted her into full alert.

  “What?” Her heart leaped into double time. “What’s wrong?”

  “Nothing.”

  Ruby opened her eyes to see Opal, fully dressed, sitting on the floor cross-legged beside the pallet.

  “Today’s my birthday.”

  Ruby covered a smile by letting her eyelids fall closed again and turning on her side. “Are you sure?”

  “Did you forget?”

  Ruby tried to feign sleep, but the plaintive voice made her smile instead. She reached under her pallet and drew out the packet of red-and-white peppermint sticks she’d purchased the day before just for such a situation as this.

  “I’m sorry I couldn’t afford more right now, but . . .” She daren’t look at Opal in case the deception could be read in her eyes. Lying had never been easy or even possible for her.

  “Oh, goody. Thank you.” Opal gave her sister a poke on the shoulder. “You didn’t forget.”

  Ruby sat up and opened her arms to give her sister a way to burrow close.

  “I dreamed I got a horse for my birthday.”

  “Oh, Opal dear, how I wish I could give you a horse. Perhaps by next year we’ll be able to think of such a thing.” If we make it until next year.

  “Daisy said she was going to make something special for breakfast for my birthday. Just think . . . I am ten years old.”

  Ruby tweaked her sister’s nose. “Pretty amazing.” And I’m nearly twenty-one. Ruby kicked that thought aside as she threw back the covers and went to wash and dress. She’d just dipped the cloth in the cool water when she heard the rooster crow for the first time that morning. No, she hadn’t overslept. Opal just beat the rooster crow. Ruby yawned and buried her face in the dripping cloth.

  A bit later after brushing and braiding their hair, they entered the kitchen to find Daisy slipping something into the oven.

  “What’s that?” Opal asked.

  “What’s what?” Daisy turned with a blank look.

  “What’s that you put in the oven.”

  “Ah.” She shrugged. “What oven?”

  “Daisy.”

  Ruby stood behind Opal and wrapped both arms around her for a hug. “Little girls shouldn’t ask questions on their birthdays.”

  “Oh.” Opal turned and looked up to her sister. “Can I share my peppermint sticks now?”

  “Why don’t you wait until after breakfast?”

  “All right.” She put the packet back in her apron pocket. “I’ll go check the dining room.”

  A short time later Daisy called her back just in time to see her pull a skillet from the oven that for just a moment had a poof of browned dough that collapsed when the air hit it.

  “Oh, how pretty.”

  Daisy set the pan on a wood board on the table. “It’s a German pancake.” She sprinkled powdered sugar over the top and slid it out onto a plate. “Happy birthday, Opal.” She set it at Opal’s place, and they all clapped.

  “All for me?”

  “Yes. All for you. The rest of us get ordinary pancakes.”

  Opal cut into her pancake and found sliced peaches with cinnamon and sugar in the center. “I never had a pancake like this.” Her eyes turned blissful at the first bite. “Yum.”

  Ruby looked at Daisy. “Where did you learn that?”

  “My mother. She was from Germany and loved to cook. I’d almost forgotten about them until I said I’d make something special for Opal.”

  “Special is right.”

  After dinner was served to their one guest, Ruby stopped Opal. “Why don’t you and Milly go fishing? You deserve some time off since this is your birthday. But don’t be gone too long. I’ll need Milly’s help later.”

  Opal threw her arms around Ruby’s waist. “Thank you, thank you. What a perfect birthday I am having.” She grabbed their corks with the hook and string and sinker and dashed out the door before anyone could change their mind.

  As soon as the girls left, everyone else, Belle included, prepared for the party. Cimarron set to frosting the cake Daisy had baked. Daisy made a drink out of ginger, vinegar, and sugar boiled together and mixed with cold water. And Charlie headed on over to the cantonment to make sure the captain had returned from patrol. The two men strolled back to Dove House behind the other buildings just in case the fishing girls should return early.

  Once the presents were arranged on a table, Belle kept watch and let the others know as soon as she saw the girls returning home, each carrying a string of fish.

  Knowing they would come to the back door, the others gathered in the dining room and waited.

  “Ruby? We’re home.” When no one answered, Opal called again. “Charlie, Daisy, where are you?” Another pause.

  Ruby didn’t dare look at any of the others for fear she would burst out laughing. She bit her lower lip.

  “Where do you suppose they all are, Milly?”

  “I don’t know,” Milly answered. “Maybe you better check the dining room. I’ll go upstairs.”

  As soon as the door swung open, those waiting shouted, “Surprise! Happy Birthday!”

  Opal dropped her string of fish. She clapped both hands across her mouth, then lowered them bit by bit. “But I already had . . . I mean, Daisy made . . . oh, look, a cake!”

  “I think we surprised her.” Captain McHenry nudged Charlie, who laughed along with him.

  “Come and open your presents so we can have our cake.” Daisy beckoned Opal to the table.

  “I never had so many presents.” Opal stared at the stack, then turned her gaze on Ruby. “You knew?”

  Ruby nodded. “One of the hardest secrets I ever kept. Daisy baked the cake and Cimarron frosted it.”

  “And I got you out of here.” Milly hefted both strings of fish. “I’ll go put these in water.”

  “Hurr
y.” Opal sat down at the table, and the others dragged up chairs. She unwrapped the first box and discovered a braided bridle from the captain.

  “I know you don’t have a horse yet, but this is to remind you to keep dreaming for one.”

  “Thank you.” She stroked the leather with a gentle finger.

  The next gift was a beaded leather vest. “Had that in the trunk,” Belle said. “Since it’s too small for me, someone oughta use it.”

  By the time Opal had opened the other gifts, she had a new divided skirt of corduroy from Cimarron, a new shirt from Daisy, a tooled-leather belt made by Milly and Charlie, and lace-up boots from Ruby, along with three books from the Brandons.

  After she’d opened the final package, Opal looked at each face around the circle, “Thank you all so much. How did you keep such a good secret?”

  “It was hard.” Daisy shook her head.

  “You almost caught me a couple of times.” Cimarron shrugged. “We did most of our work up in Belle’s room since you never go in there.”

  Milly giggled. “Charlie helped me. You came in one time, and I thought for sure you saw it.”

  “How about cutting that cake I’ve been eying? You know what we eat out on patrol?” Captain McHenry made a face that made Opal giggle.

  After the cake was passed around and everyone had complimented Daisy and Cimarron on their creation, they all rose and headed for the back porch to enjoy the cool breeze.

  Opal went upstairs, put on all her new things, and came back down to show them off. “I look like a real cowboy now.”

  “Cowgirl.”

  “Ah, Captain, you knew what I meant.”

  “How about we go riding tomorrow so you can make sure all that stuff works?”

  “Yes, please. Ruby too?”

  “Oh, most certainly, if she can get away.”

  Ruby shrugged. “Why not?” I have so much to do I’ll never catch up anyway, so I might as well go riding. Tonight I am going to search for that box again. The buksbom. I know that was what Far said. And the money box too. Wish I dared search Belle’s room while she’s dealing cards.