Until Tomorrow

by Rosanne Bittner

  He came and sat beside her. “Hurry it up. You aren’t making things any easier on me.”

  Sassy chuckled. “I don’t hold a candle to Mrs. Addy Kane. Think I don’t know that? You’ve made love to her, haven’t you?”

  “I told you I wasn’t talking about me and Addy.” He started to rise, but Sassy grasped his arm.

  “I’m sorry. No more questions. There really is something I want to tell you, Cole.”

  Cole settled back down, moving one knee up onto the mattress and facing her. “Let’s have it.”

  Sassy faced him in return. “I have no idea why I’m telling you this. Maybe it’s because you told me about your little girl, how you lost her in that fire and all … the look I saw in your eyes when you told me … the love … the pain. You understand what it’s like to love a little daughter.”

  Cole felt the sickening pain all over again. “What’s that got to do with this?”

  Sassy hesitated, swallowed. “I have a daughter, Cole. What do you think of that?”

  Cole felt a tug at his heartstrings at the thought of Patty. “A daughter? How old? When did this happen?”

  Sassy rose to find a dress to put on. “Oh, I got careless. It just happened, that’s all. She’s six years old. I was working in Denver then, until they, too, decided to get rid of their ‘ladies of ill repute.’ At any rate, I couldn’t bring myself to try to get rid of the baby. Fact is, I wanted her. I laid low until I had her, all the while knowing I’d have to give her up for adoption. I couldn’t raise an innocent little girl to know what her mother was.” She took a dress from a trunk and held it to her breast, a wistful look coming into her tear-filled eyes. “I got to hold her for just a little while. Pretty as a picture, she was, my precious Lissy. Elizabeth, I named her, before they took her away from me.”

  She sighed, laying the dress on the trunk. “I managed to make an arrangement where I’d know who adopted her, so I could just go and look at her now and then. She’s the reason I go to Denver once a month, to visit. Her adoptive parents let me come inside. I pretend I’m an old friend. They’re wonderful people, letting me do that. I have opened a special bank account there in Denver in Elizabeth’s name. Her parents don’t have much, and I help support her. That’s our agreement. Her adoptive father isn’t well, and I worry what will happen to Lissy if he dies. The mother has no way of taking care of herself, and they have two other children. The time could come when I have to completely support her, so I have to keep this business going, Cole. Now you understand why I’ll do whatever I have to do to make as much money as I can.”

  Cole was surprised and touched. “It must be hard, seeing her and not being able to let her know who you are.”

  Sassy grunted with disgust at herself. “It would be more painful to let her know and see the hate in her eyes.” She sighed deeply. “No, it’s better this way.” She turned and looked at him, quickly wiping at the tears on her cheeks. “You want to see her? She’s absolutely beautiful, and she’s the only good thing I’ve ever done in my life.”

  Cole rose and walked to a window. It would hurt, setting eyes on a beautiful little girl the same age Patty had been when she died. But he knew Sassy wanted to show her off. “Sure.”

  Sassy began pulling on her dress. “You said a few minutes ago when you first came in that Breckenridge wants you to guard a gold shipment to Denver. I’ll take the stage down tomorrow and wait at the Denver Inn. Once you see the shipment safely through, meet me there and I’ll take you to where Lissy lives so you can see her.”

  “All right. I’ll be there.” Cole turned to look at her, and Sassy stepped closer.

  “You’re a good man, Cole Parker, a good friend. It’s too bad Addy Kane doesn’t see the goodness in you.”

  Cole smiled sadly. “She does. But she also saw the worst side of me when we first met. I haven’t been a very good boy the last few years, Sassy. The war … my daughter … a lot of things led me to the point where I didn’t give a damn, and all I could feel was hate and revenge. You guessed right when we first met. You said you suspected maybe I was running from the law or something. Well, I am, in a way. Actually they think I’m dead back in Illinois and Missouri, and that’s partly thanks to Addy. She saved my neck more than once, and I saved hers. That’s where our odd friendship began. But we’re both so full of hurt and confusion over what’s happened to us the past few years that we aren’t sure we know our own minds, or hearts. We’re not so sure we’re good for each other, and I’m not so sure I want to care that much about anyone again.”

  Sassy put her hands on her hips. “My advice is to take the chance. You’re both fighting the inevitable.”

  He came closer, touching her shoulder. “Could be. We need time to figure it out, and I need you not to tell a soul. The only reason I’ve told you this much is because you shared the secret about your daughter with me. No one in Central knows, do they?”

  She shook her head. “No. I just—I had to explain to somebody why I do what I do. Since it’s what I know best and it’s too late to change my life, I figure I might as well get the most out of it that I can—for Lissy. I don’t want one other person to know, because I don’t want to take the chance that she’ll find out the truth. It could destroy her. She would be ashamed maybe think she’s worthless because her mother was.”

  Her eyes teared again, and Cole patted her cheek. “You’re not worthless, Sassy. You put on a good front for others, but you’re all soft inside. I can see that.”

  She sniffed and turned around. “Button me up and get out of here, damn you. You get me all excited with that handsome face and those eyes and that body of yours. Your Mrs. Kane will come around, all right. What woman could keep saying no to something like you? But then, maybe she hasn’t said no.”

  Cole grinned. “Oh, no you don’t. You’ll get no more out of me, woman.”

  He fussed with the fastenings, complaining about women wearing too many laces and stays and buttons.

  “Makes it more exciting getting us out of our clothes,” Sassy answered.

  Cole thought about Addy, wanted her that way again. “I’ll see you in Denver,” he told her when he finished. He gave her a pat on the rump and left.

  Sassy sighed. “You’re a hell of a man,” she repeated. “Addy Kane had better wake up and see what she’s missing. Maybe I’ll have a talk with her.”

  “We’re building you a little house all your own,” Grant told Addy. He had dropped her off to wash and change and was now taking her to Hester’s house, where the women from the march were to meet and soothe each other’s fears and hurt feelings.

  “You really needn’t go to the trouble and expense,” Addy protested.

  “It’s all part of the deal. The male teachers make more than you because they have families and such, but we still help them financially with their homes. In your case, we’ve decided to foot the whole bill. We can afford it, so don’t worry about it. It will be a small, one-story house, very acceptable for a lady like yourself. And we plan to build it on East High Street, not far from where we intend to build a school. It’s going to be a fine school, I promise—all brick, two stories, several classrooms. It might be a couple of years before we manage it, but it will happen. In the meantime, your house won’t be far from the Lawrence Building where you’ll be teaching. A shed will be built out back and a fence put up for the horse you’ll be using to pull your carriage to school. We’ll be sure plenty of feed is always available. You are able to care for a horse and hitch a buggy aren’t you?”

  “Of course. I’ve been doing things like that for myself for years,” Addy answered, a little irritated at the suggestion she was a helpless female.

  “Fine.”

  Addy held on to her hat against a stiff wind that was bringing a chill to the air. “I’d rather have a place of my own, Grant. I don’t like having everything done for me. Let me pay for it. I have enough money saved to put down on a loan.”

  “Y
ou save that for other things. This is a part of being a teacher here. Take advantage of it. We start in a couple of days, and I want you to come and see the plans, tell me if there is anything you want changed.” He frowned. “By the way, are you sure you’re all right? You seem so distant since the big ruckus in the street today.”

  “I’m fine.” Addy could not quit thinking about Cole. “I really do wish you would let me build my own place. I am accustomed to being more independent.”

  “Just think of it as part of your job and be glad for it. Here we are, now.” Grant pulled in front of Hester’s house, and Hester came out to greet her. Addy set aside her irritation at the continued control these people were trying to place over her private life and climbed down, seeing that Hester was obviously quite upset. The two women embraced.

  “Oh, what a shocking day!” Hester exclaimed. “Ethel is inside, her husband trying to console her. She was able to go home first and clean herself up, but her face is scratched and bruised. Lord knows what the newspaper will make of this—Ethel Brown brawling in the street with the likes of Sassy Dillon, but Ethel couldn’t help it. Sassy attacked her.”

  Addy suppressed a grin at the memory of the sight. She had no good feelings for the nosey Ethel, who had probably gotten what she deserved for sticking that nose into yet another person’s private life, no matter how wrong Sassy was to do what she did. It was up to God to judge, not people like Ethel Brown.

  “I’ll be back later to drive you home,” Grant told her, tipping his hat to her.

  Addy wondered how she was going to tell him she would rather not see so much of him … if in fact she should. For one thing, she truly did believe she must give this man a chance; for another, to suddenly shun him might draw suspicious questions. Hester’s next remark made her realize how right she was.

  “Thank God for that man who stepped in on your behalf,” the woman said as she led her through the door. She turned to Grant. “I saw you talking to him after the fight,” she told him. “A tall, dark man, quite handsome. He wore a gun. Did you know that he rescued Addy from a drunken miner who was insulting her and wanted to drag her off?”

  Grant frowned, folding his arms. “Why, no. Addy, why didn’t you say something when we were standing there talking? I would have thanked the man.”

  Addy forced a look of innocence. “I don’t know. I guess I just was so upset by the whole thing, my better sense left me. Mr. Parker stepped in, like Hester said, and saved me from tremendous embarrassment, perhaps even physical harm.”

  All three stepped into Hester’s parlor.

  “And took you out of the way as though he was personally concerned,” Ethel Brown spoke up, almost accusingly. “One would think the man already knew you from somewhere.”

  Addy faced the woman, her mind racing with possible answers. “Yes, he did know me,” she said boldly. “I had already met Mr. Parker when Grant here talked to him one evening about working for him. That’s the reason Mr. Parker got me out of there. He knew I was a personal acquaintance of Grant Breckenridge.”

  Ethel Brown looked properly chagrined. “I see. Well, in that case, I suppose it was all right.”

  Addy breathed a sigh of relief.

  “Actually, I personally asked Mr. Parker to keep an eye on Addy during the march,” Grant added.

  Addy was relieved at the remark. It lent further credence to her own explanation.

  “I’ll go right back to town and thank Cole,” Grant added. “He’s the man that was written about in the paper, you know—the one who out-drew George Williams. He’s big, strong, good with a gun. I’ve hired him to guard my gold shipments.”

  “Oh, my,” Hester exclaimed. “Well, we should all thank him as a group somehow, don’t you think? He actually stepped in on our behalf.”

  Addy decided not to mention that Cole Parker actually worked part time for Sassy Dillon. Apparently Grant had decided the same, and she was grateful for that much.

  “I’ll do the thanking for you,” Grant told them. “You ladies go ahead and regroup now, console each other. You should be proud. You did a brave thing today, and I’m sure you left a mark in history. One man told me rumor is Sassy is already talking about quitting prostitution at her place. She announced it in public, and I think if she has any sense she’ll stick to it. Once she leads the way, others will follow. You women have braved a new front in Central, helped make our city even more civilized.”

  Ethel straightened, heaving her big breasts in a proud sigh. “Thank you, Mr. Breckenridge. I just hope the newspaper doesn’t make something out of this that was not intended. I have suffered enough embarrassment already.”

  Grant gave her a smile and bowed slightly. “I will go and get your husband and we’ll both have a talk with the newspaper office. We’ll make sure you suffer no further embarrassment. It’s Sassy Dillon who will suffer the brunt of ridicule, as well she should. She’ll end up with so much pressure on her, she’ll have to go through with her promise to eliminate the practice of prostitution.”

  “Oh, it’s such an ugly subject,” Susan Howard moaned.

  Nearly all the women were there, talking in clutches, some still crying. Grant graciously promised to call together a council meeting as soon as possible and push the measure outlawing prostitution, now that they had made some headway. “The miners won’t like it, but perhaps this will at least force the prostitution to more remote locations and make downtown more peaceful and respectable,” he told them. Then he turned and left, telling Addy he would return in awhile to take her home.

  “Oh, you have such a treasure there, Addy,” Hester told her. “Mr. Breckenridge is such a gentleman.”

  Addy turned away, her thoughts only of Cole and his warning to stay away from Grant. It seemed impossible that Grant would sneak around with women like Sassy Dillon and put on such a front in public against prostitution. Part of her wanted Cole to be wrong, but deep down she feared he was right.

  “That big man who whisked you away didn’t hurt you, did he?” Hester asked.

  “What?” Addy turned. “Mr. Parker?”

  “Yes.” Hester searched her eyes, remembering the story Ethel Brown had told her about Addy possibly meeting some man the night of the reception for her. Was there someone in town she knew and wasn’t telling anyone about?

  “No, he was quite the gentleman,” Addy answered, still feeling the fire of Cole’s kiss. “He was only watching out for me because of Grant,” she lied. “And I’d rather not talk about any of it. This has been a very upsetting day for everyone, but hopefully we made some progress. Tomorrow I’d like to come visiting to talk about something else. Grant tells me the school board is going to build me a house. Perhaps you can help me pick out colors, order some furniture.”

  “Oh, yes, that would be quite nice!” Hester patted her arm. “School starts in only six weeks, the miners’ picnic in a month. We do have some fine things to look forward to, don’t we? For all we know, there may even be a wedding to go to!” She giggled like a child, and Addy only smiled and nodded. Everyone was taking it for granted there was a romance going on between her and Grant. But Cole wanted her to wait for him. What would these women think of their lady schoolteacher marrying someone like Cole Parker? At least he had done something today to draw their attention and respect. That was a start.

  Twenty-One

  Cole rode Shadow to the front of the Denver Inn to see Sassy sitting on a veranda. She waved with delight. “You came!”

  “I said I would. Got here last night. Stayed at another hotel.”

  “We can walk it from here. I’ll go get my handbag.”

  Cole watched her go inside, shaking his head at how she was dressed—a very simple brown dress with white trim, her hair drawn into a bun, a small white hat on her head. When she visited her daughter she obviously hid the real Sassy.

  He dismounted, feeling a quick pain in his chest, thinking how wonderful it would be if it was his Patty he wa
s visiting. He tied Shadow, looked down the rise where the rooming house sat to scan the very new city of Denver, a sprawling city amazingly large. He’d been through here once on his original trip to Central, but his thoughts had been so full of Addy that he had hardly noticed.

  He patted Shadow’s rump, still amazed at how fast these gold towns grew. Already a small feud was flaring between Denver and Central over which town should become the capitol once Colorado became a state, even though that was not likely to happen in the immediate future. According to articles he’d read in the Register, there was a race going on for size, number of people, which town was becoming the most civilized and advanced. Both cities talked of more hotels, opera houses, parks, schools, beauty, wealth, law and order. Denver already had a couple of buildings three stories high, one of them a large hotel finer than anything in Central. He grinned inwardly at the thought of how the builders of these towns scurried to turn their settlements into cities like those they had left back East.

  “Did you have any trouble?” Sassy was coming down the steps in a quick walk.

  “No, but then Grant Breckenridge has a lot of men riding guard on his gold. Quite a little army. I really don’t see much that Ed Foley could do. There’s only the one road down and few places to pass on it. Even if Foley managed to get the best of us, he couldn’t exactly make a fast getaway, and he’d need a lot of men to overcome the guard Grant has on his gold. What more can you tell me about Foley, anyway?”

  “Ask ten people and you’ll get ten answers. The most I’ve ever gotten out of Grant is what I already told you. My guess is Grant took advantage of Foley somehow. He’s probably paid off the right people to keep it quiet. The high society of Central doesn’t talk about it. They think Grant Breckenridge is a fine man. You just be careful. Ed Foley just might still figure out a way to get back at Grant.”