Quinn's Promise

by Agnes Alexander

  “We did write each other, but not as often as we should have. We each had our lives and we lived differently.” He looked a little uncomfortable. “Tell me how my brother died.”

  “It was his heart,” Quinn said. “After our mother died, he didn’t take care of himself. He began drinking and it wasn’t long until he ruined his health.”

  “He always loved your mother very much.”

  Marlene said, “We were all devastated when she died, but Papa couldn’t come to terms with her death. His heart was broken and eventually it gave out.”

  “When did it happen?”

  “It’s been a month, now.” Quinn wondered if she should explain further.

  “Did he die peacefully?”

  “Yes.” She smiled at him. “The night it happened I went in to check to see if we could get him to eat something since he hadn’t eaten all day. He took hold of my hand and shook his head. He whispered to me to call my sisters,” she said.

  “We came in and he told us he loved us.” Tears came in Deborah’s eyes.

  “We all kissed him and he turned to Quinn and told her not to forget the promise she’d made to him,” Marlene said.

  “Promise?” Hank looked at Quinn.

  “I promised I’d bring my sisters to Colorado and find you.”

  “Even with him gone, you felt compelled to keep that promise?” Hank asked.

  “Of course. It was important to Papa and I couldn’t live with myself if I didn’t do what I told him I’d do.”

  “Quinn would never break a promise made to our father,” Deborah said. “I didn’t want to come and neither did Marlene, but Quinn wouldn’t take no for an answer. She’d made the promise and she intended to keep it.”

  “And she did,” Marlene added and eyed Quinn. “Of course, I’m still not sure it was the thing we should’ve done.”

  “Well, I’m delighted you’re here. I look forward to getting to know Rodney’s children.”

  Quinn smiled. “I’m reserving opinion about whether or not I’m glad I kept my promise. We had trouble on the train. It broke down and we were late getting into towns. Then there was the stagecoach ride. It was tiring and hard, not to mention the robbery. Seeing those poor men killed was terrifying. Several times on the trip I wondered if we wouldn’t have been better off staying in Philadelphia.”

  “Are you still questioning your decision?”

  “When I question it, I think of Cousin Otis and I know we did the right thing.”

  Hank frowned. “What did he have to do with it?”

  Nobody had a chance to answer because there was a knock on the door. Deborah stood to open it and Mrs. Potter came in with coffee and a plate of sugar cookies and sat them on the table beside Hank. She gave him a shy smile and said, “I thought you might like a little refreshment.”

  “Thank you, Mrs. Potter.” He smiled back at her.

  “We’ll serve it.” Marlene stood and closed the door as Mrs. Potter went out. “Would you like some coffee, Unc…Mister…what should we call you?”

  “What have you been calling me?”

  “Uncle Henry.”

  “Well, I don’t use the name Henry much now. How about calling me Uncle Hank or if that isn’t comfortable for you, call me Hank.”

  Marlene and Deborah both looked at Quinn. She took the cup Marlene was holding. Looking at Hank, she said, “Papa seemed to think a lot of you and I’d like to call you Uncle Hank.”

  “So would I,” Marlene said.

  “Don’t leave me out.” Deborah reached for her coffee.

  Quinn smiled at her sisters, then turned back to Hank. “You’ve heard why we came out west, Uncle Hank. Now, please tell us about yourself. All we knew was that you were Papa’s brother and now we know you’re his twin. What other surprises do you have for us?”

  “I’ll be glad to tell you girls a little about myself, but first I want to know more about why Rodney wanted you to find me. He was an important rich banker in Philadelphia and I’m a saloon owner in this small western town. We hadn’t seen each other in years and I’m sure he knew you’d be better off at home with your friends. I don’t understand it.”

  Quinn dropped her head. “You’re wrong about Papa having money. After Mother died he lost all our money, our house and everything else we owned. We were living in Cousin Otis’s house.”

  “I remember Otis and he’s always been an unscrupulous character.”

  “He certainly was with us.” Quinn nibbled a cookie. “Papa had some kind of information on him and we didn’t have to pay rent in the house, but as soon as Papa died, he came and told us we had to get out or pay the amount he was going to charge.”

  “That bast…I mean that’s terrible.” He looked at the girls one by one. “If I’d known Rodney had lost his fortune, I’d have helped him.”

  “I think until his heart failed, Papa believed he'd get better and be able to go back to work,” Deborah said.

  “I’m sorry I didn’t know.” Hank shook his head “If you don’t mind me asking, with his finances gone, how did you get the money to come west?”

  “Papa had hidden some money from the bankers. I didn’t know about it until he told me to use it to bring my sisters west. He said there was nothing left for us in Philadelphia. When we lost our money, we lost our friends. Papa was right. We needed to come to a new place to start over.”

  “We hope we can find jobs here.” Marlene looked at him. “I’m a good seamstress and I’d like to do some sewing for the ladies in town. Maybe make some dresses to match the pretty hats Mrs. Forester designs.”

  “You wouldn’t know of any jobs we could get, would you, Uncle Hank?” Deborah looked hopefully at him.

  “I’d have to check around.”

  “Why couldn’t we work for you?” Quinn looked at him.

  He shook his head. “I don’t own the kind of business a lady works in.”

  “I know you have a saloon. Sheriff Montgomery told me that, but don’t you keep books or have someone to seat your customers?”

  “Quinn, I’m sure if you were my hostess you’d bring in more customers than I could handle, but I’d still never permit my brother’s daughters to work in my saloon.” He smiled at her. “I’ll promise you this, though. I’ll do everything I can to find suitable work for you.”

  “I know some men think marriage is always the answer when women have no money or parents to depend on. You’re not going to try to get us married off to cowboys, are you?” Quinn eyed him.

  “Not unless you want a husband. There are some nice men in town who are looking for good wives, but I believe in women picking out their own husbands. If you do decide marriage is your answer I’ll make you a list to choose from. I’ll also make one of who to avoid.”

  “My sisters and I believe in choosing our own mates, too. I don’t think we’ll be asking for you to match us up with a man.” Quinn set her cup down. “Now, please tell us about yourself, Uncle Hank. We’re all anxious to know all about you. Are you married? Do you have children? How long have you lived in Tornado?”

  “My goodness, you do have a lot of questions.” He drank his coffee. “I’ll tell you this. I’m not married and I have no children, but for the other answers, why don’t I take you to dinner tomorrow and I’ll answer all your questions?”

  “Do we have to wait until tomorrow?” Marlene blurted.

  He grinned. “The saloon was getting into full swing over an hour ago, but I wanted to meet my nieces before going to work.”

  Quinn stood. “I’m sorry we kept you from your saloon so long.”

  “It was no problem, but I would like to get to know all three of you better. We’ll meet at the Tornado Hotel dining room tomorrow at noon if you’ll agree. They have good food and I’d like to treat you to dinner. How does that sound?”

  “I don’t see why we can’t be there.” Quinn reached her hand out to him. “I’m glad we finally met, Uncle Hank.”

  “We all are,” Marlene and Deborah
said together.

  “Then it’s a date.” He headed for the door.

  “Good night, Uncle Hank.” Quinn walked him into the entry. Her sisters followed her.

  When the front door closed behind him, Quinn turned. “Well, what did you think?”

  “I like him,” Deborah said.

  “So do I.” Marlene smiled. “And he looks just like Papa did before he got sick. That makes him easy to like.”

  “At least we’re unanimous. I like him, too.” Quinn smiled at her sisters. “He seems to be a good man. I’m looking forward to meeting him tomorrow.”

  Ina Potter came into the hall. “Well, girls, how did it go?”

  Winnie Goodspell was on her heels. “Yes, we’re anxious to find out what you thought of having a saloon owner for an uncle.”

  “We’re looking forward to getting to know our uncle better,” Quinn said. “Is supper ready?”

  Winnie looked disappointed the sisters weren’t going to share any more details about the meeting with her. Quinn couldn’t help wondering what business of hers it was anyway.

  Chapter 8

  It was ten o’clock at night when Ashe left Lola Norwood’s house. He’d only gone to see her because he felt a little guilty for being so abrupt with her the night before. Now he wished he hadn’t come at all. It hadn’t been as satisfying as he’d thought it’d be. Lola whined that he’d been distant and he’d been irritated not only because she kept begging him to spend the night, but because she’d refused to talk about the robbery. She was still pouting when she said, “I heard your brothers are visiting, but I don’t see why you have to go home. Your brothers are big boys. They can take care of themselves.”

  “I can’t ask them to do that, Lola. Besides, I have a lot of work to do and spending the night here isn’t getting it done.”

  “I guess you think you have to play the good boy since your brothers are in town.” Her voice was whiney.

  “I’ve never spent the entire night with you, Lola. Why are you suggesting it now?”

  She ignored his question and said, “I bet you don’t want your brothers to know about us.”

  “Maybe I don’t,” he snapped and went out the door, slamming it behind him.

  She jerked it open and followed him outside. “That doesn’t keep me from wanting you with me. We belong together, Ashe. Don’t you realize that yet?”

  “What do you mean?”

  “I love you. That’s what I mean. Do you think I’d be with you if I wasn’t serious?” She twiddled a strand of her soft blond hair between her fingers and gave him a provocative look. “Don’t you want to be with me?”

  Ashe stared at her. “I’ve told you before. I’m not the settling-down type.”

  She puckered her mouth and pouted. “But a woman expects the man she loves to be more to her than an occasional lover.”

  He took a deep breath. “What’s wrong with being lovers?”

  She cocked her head to the side. “Are you happy when you’re with me?”

  “Of course.”

  “Then doesn’t it make sense to make our arrangement permanent? I even have enough money so we wouldn’t have to depend on your sheriff’s job.”

  “I like my job.”

  She moved closer to him and put her hand on his chest. She looked into his brown eyes with her dark green ones. “Then I won’t insist you give it up. You can still play sheriff if you want to.” She snuggled close. “But I don’t want you running off every time there’s a small problem in town.”

  “It can’t be helped.” Though her body was having its usual erotic effect on him, he called on all his willpower to push her away from him. “I’ve got to go.”

  “Are you sure?” She seductively opened the black silk robe she wore and smiled at him.

  “For God’s sake, Lola! You’re outside. Don’t you have any pride?”

  “I have no pride where you’re concerned, Ashe.”

  Ashe looked away and slapped his hat on his head. He walked down the steps without looking back.

  He heard her shout, “You bastard. You’ll give in and marry me yet.”

  Ashe shook his head. He was confused. He couldn’t put his finger on the moment Lola decided their arrangement would be permanent. But it had to end. When he’d landed the sheriff’s job she’d been friendly and inviting. As a person who could easily read people, it didn’t take him long to think she was connected with the leak in the bank. In a short time she invited him into her bed, and for four weeks now their time together had become a habit for him as well as a fact-finding mission. Marriage might be her goal, but it certainly wasn’t his.

  Hell, if I was going to marry anybody, it’d be Quinn Stockton.

  This thought stopped him cold in the middle of the street. What in the world made him think that? Quinn Stockton was a pretty girl, and to him that was the operative word. She was a girl, not a woman.

  Why she’s probably still in her teens. What in the world would she want with a man my age and what would I do with a woman as young and innocent as she is?

  Ashe automatically checked some of the locks on the businesses as he reached Main Street. The tinkling of a piano caught his attention.

  He turned and looked at the saloon for a minute. The laughter coming from inside told him it was crowded. In determined steps he headed directly to the Horseshoe where he knew he’d find Cal and Beck. If there was anyone he wanted to see at this moment, it was his brothers. Though he was the oldest, for some reason these two guys kept him grounded.

  He shoved open the bat doors and stepped inside. He’d been right. Both Cal and Beck were in a card game with Hank Stockton and Sims Truman, one of the local bank employees.

  Ashe walked through the crowded, smoke-filled room and pulled out a chair beside Cal. “Thought I’d find you guys here. Mind if I join you?”

  “Don’t mind at all.” Hank looked up at him. “I’d be happy to take some of your money to add to what I’ve already won off your brothers. What would you like to drink, Sheriff?”

  “How about a beer?’

  Hank waved to a pretty little blond in a skimpy red costume. “Misty, bring our good sheriff here a beer.”

  Within minutes she returned with the beverage.

  He took a swallow and looked at his brothers. “Say, you guys are losing?”

  “It’s because he’s keeping us distracted talking about his beautiful nieces.” Cal threw down two cards and asked for replacements.

  Hank gave him the cards. “Can you blame me? They’re the three prettiest women in town. I’m proud to be their uncle.”

  “I’ve got to meet these women,” Sims Truman said. “I’ve been thinking about finding a pretty woman and settling down. It’s about time I had some sons to carry on the family name.”

  “Hell, man. You’re not thirty yet. What do you mean, carry on your name? You’ve got plenty of time.” Hank threw down a card and replaced it. “Besides, my nieces let me know in no uncertain terms they’d be picking out their own husbands when the time came.”

  “Damn,” Beck said. “I was going to see if you couldn’t put in a good word with Marlene for me.”

  “Personally, I’d like to know Deborah better,” Cal said. He looked over at Ashe. “How about you?”

  “He’d better stay away from my nieces,” Hank butted in. “He’s got that Norwood woman on his hands and I’ll be damned if my nieces will play second fiddle to a slut like her.”

  “She’s not a slut, Hank.”

  “Don’t tell me you believe that, Ashe Montgomery. Do you think you’re the first man to make the trek to Denver Street since her husband died?” Hank shook his head. “Made the biggest mistake of my life when I walked her way one evening.”

  Ashe frowned at him.

  “Well, at least you don’t have to pay her. That little blond who brought you the beer is about to break me.” Sims laughed. “That’s another reason I’m considering marriage. At least it’s free then.”

  �
��I don’t know if it’s free or not,” Cal said. “Sometimes a wife can cost a man more than money.”

  “I’d bet all the money laying here on the table that’s why Lola Norwood has turned all her attention to Ashe. She thinks he’ll break down and give her a wedding ring.” Hank laughed out loud.

  “No chance of that,” Ashe muttered. He wasn’t sure he liked the way this conversation was going. His mind turned to the conversation he and Lola had tonight. She’d certainly made her intentions clear. She did want him to marry her. And he knew that was something he’d never do. Giving his heart to a beautiful heartless woman was a trap he’d never fall into again. No woman was going to draw him into her web the way Margaret had done.

  Now he only had to think of a way to get out of the arrangement with Lola without hurting her feelings. If Hank was right about her being free with her love, it’d help him. If nothing else worked he’d tell her he’d never consider marrying a woman who’d been with so many men. She’d be mad, but she’d get over it. Then he realized if she was connected to the robberies, she’d be in jail and the problem would be answered without him having to do anything except arrest her.

  “Hey, Ashe, wake up. Do you want me to deal you in on this hand?” Hank stared at him.

  Ashe came back to the moment. “Sure. Why not?” He pulled out some money and motioned for the dealer to give him a stack of chips.

  Hank dealt the cards and though Ashe didn’t change his expression, he looked at his hand. He was surprised to see he had three Kings, a six and an eight. This was unusual. Ashe wasn’t usually lucky at cards.

  They anteed up and Cal asked for one card.

  Ashe discarded the six and the eight and asked for two cards. He got another king and a seven.

  The pot reached three hundred and sixty dollars and everyone dropped out except him and Hank. Ashe raised the bet by fifty dollars.

  Hank met the bet and called.

  Ashe laid down his cards and there were whoops and hollers. “Brother, you’re a lucky devil.” Beck slapped him on the back.

  Before Ashe could reach for his winnings a young boy came rushing in yelling through his tears, “Sheriff, they shot Gus right there in his livery stable. I think he’d dead.”