“No, Gil. I’m here to talk to Joanie and I’m going to do that before I leave.” Molly turned to Trixie. “Show me to her room, please.”
Trixie pointed upstairs. On the balcony stood Matt Reynolds, knocking on a door. “Joanie, it’s Doctor Reynolds, please let me in.”
“Go away” said a voice from inside the room.
Molly walked up to the door and knocked. “Joanie, this is Molly King, Ben is my husband. May I come in? Please?”
“Okay, but just you.”
“Okay, just me.” She looked over that the doctor. “Don’t leave Matt, I’ll get her to let you in.”
He nodded. “All right.”
Molly entered the room.
Joanie stayed behind the door and shutting and locking it right after Molly entered.
Molly turned and faced the young woman, who appeared to be about seventeen. “Hello, Joanie. I’m Molly, Ben’s wife. I understand you’re hurt. Let me see your injury.
Joanie slowly turned.
Molly gasped.
The girls face was black and blue and her eye swollen shut. She looked to have been beaten severely.
“Joanie, you need to let the doctor in here to help you. Are you injured any place else?”
She shook her head and sat on the edge of the bed. “My face took the worst of it. Tommy didn’t mean it. He’s the man who done it. I don’t want Ben to go lookin’ for Tommy. I know Ben likes to protect us, but I don’t want Tommy hurt. He promised he’d leave town. He’s real sorry Mrs. King. Really he is.”
Molly wanted to take the man and give him the same treatment he’d given this girl, but Joanie was terrified that Ben would hurt the man. The girl needed to see the doctor and the only way she would was Molly’s promise not to let Ben go after the man who did it.
“Joanie, I won’t let Ben go after Tommy, but why wouldn’t you want him caught and punished for what he did to you?” She sat next to the girl on the shabby bed. A wooden chair and small night table with a kerosene lamp on it were the only other furnishings in the room. There were three pegs on the wall with clothing on them. “Why would you protect the man who did this to you?”
“Tommy was my sweetheart when we were growin’ up, before I came here. Before my pa sold me to old man Connor. He’s the one who owned this place before Ben.”
“How long has Ben owned The Jewel?”
“Not long. Six months maybe.”
Molly closed her eyes. Another secret. She patted Joanie on the leg, “Will you let Doctor Reynolds in to see you now?”
“You really promise that Ben won’t go after Tommy?”
“I promise.”
“Then I guess I’ll see the doc. I have to admit, my ribs hurt somethin’ fierce.”
“Good. I’ll let him in.” Molly stood, walked to the door and unlocked it. “Matt, you can come in now. Before you say anything to Ben, I need to talk to him.”
“Molly, I—”
“I made a promise, Matt. Let me keep it.”
His mouth flattened and he gave a curt nod.
Out on the walkway in front of the girls’ rooms, Gil stood with Trixie.
“Is Joanie, going to be all right?” Trixie asked. She puffed on a cigarette and then dropped it to the floor and rubbed it out with her shoe.
Molly placed her hand on Trixie’s shoulder. “I think she’ll be fine. Thank you for coming for me, for Ben. You’re a good friend.”
“Joanie’s my best friend. She’d of done the same for me.”
Molly nodded then looked at Gil. “I want to go back to the hotel now.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
She felt wore out. Seeing those girls and how they lived, Molly’s eyes filled with tears, but she blinked quickly to keep them from falling. She walked slowly back to the hotel and into her suite. She took off her gloves and set them and her reticule on the bureau in her old room.
He owns a brothel. What else hasn’t he told me about? I thought we weren’t supposed to have secrets. Did he keep this from me because I didn’t tell him about Tom Marlow? But I have told him about Marlow and he still kept this secret.
Molly tried to read or crochet, do embroidery anything to keep her busy and not think about Ben owning a brothel. But she couldn’t. Did the whole town know that he owned The Jewel? What they must think? Finally, she stacked the pillows on the bed and laid the book next to her. But she was too angry to read and sat on the edge of the bed.
She heard the key in the lock and leaned back on the pillows with her book.
“Molly.”
“In here.”
Ben came in looking angry. His eyes were icy gray. “What were you doing at The Jewel today?”
Molly looked up from her book. “You weren’t home when Trixie came to call. I was curious and I thought I might as well see if I could help, which I did. I also made a promise.” She fought to keep her voice calm against the pounding blood in her ears. She wanted nothing more than to scream and yell.
Ben’s eyes softened. “Yes, you did help. But I don’t want you going there again. It’s not the kind of place a lady should go. What kind of promise did you make?”
She looked down and fingered her skirt. “I promised that you wouldn’t go after Tommy, the boy who beat Joanie. What those girls are forced to do for a living is awful and the only way I could get her to let Matt treat her was to make the promise.”
He placed his hand on hers to still them. “You shouldn’t make promises for me.”
She looked up from her lap and smiled. “I didn’t promise you wouldn’t send the sheriff after him.”
He shook his head and smiled. “You’re a devious woman, Molly King.”
“It was the only way and the poor girl needed to see a doctor.”
“As to the work these girls do what would you have them do instead, Molly?” He stood and paced the room. “Work in the mines, which isn’t legal, but if it was they would be exposed to lung disease, dirty conditions and probable rape. Most of those girls all made the choice to be there. I didn’t buy any of them.”
“Joanie was bought. Her father sold her to the previous owner.” Molly paused and took a deep breath. “Why do you own a brothel at all? Don’t you have enough legitimate businesses?”
“I won it in a poker game; along with its sister business and they are both legitimate. Just because you don’t like the business doesn’t mean it’s not a legal business to be in.”
Molly stood, her voice got louder. She couldn’t believe her ears. “Sister? You own two brothels? Why haven’t you sold them or closed them or something?”
“Yes, I own two brothels. The Jewel and Bella Station. Molly, those businesses employ twenty to thirty people each between the girls, the enforcers, the bartenders and the managers. I can’t just close the business. Where would they go?”
“I don’t know.” She paced in front of him. “I’d like to say I don’t care and that I don’t want you associated with such an endeavor. But I do care. I want those people to be able to make an honest living. I just don’t know the answer.”
He reached out and stopped her, taking her by the shoulders. His voice softened. “I’ll try to sell the businesses. I’ve had offers but they haven’t been good ones. I’ll accept the next reasonable offer I get. All right?”
She cocked her head. “What do you mean by reasonable?”
He guided them to the bed where they sat on the edge. “Well, first and foremost, I want to sell it to someone who will care about the girls and their health. Second, I want to recover my costs. I’ve put substantial amounts into both businesses to make them the best in town. While we’re talking about brothels, you might as well know that in addition to being a theater, the Bird Cage is also a brothel. The most exclusive one in town. Let me be clear. I have no plans on selling the Bird Cage Theater.”
“I suppose I should be happy you’re getting rid of the other two. Is there anything else? Any other secrets, I should know about? How rich are you? What other busin
esses should I know about?”
“Let’s just say that Mal wasn’t exaggerating when he said they call me The Baron. At end of last quarter, I was worth about twenty million dollars. Now you know everything. No other secrets. What about you?” He raised an eyebrow. “Any secrets?”
She fought back a smile. “No secrets, just a not-yet-confirmed.”
“What? A what?”
Her hand flew to her stomach. There was a little bump there. “I might be pregnant, but I haven’t gone to see the doctor or Julia, so I don’t know for sure.”
He lifted his eyebrow. “When were you planning on telling me?”
“When I was sure. I didn’t want to get your hopes up and have them dashed. I figured one of us having that happen would be enough.”
He took her into his arms. “Molly. What am I going to do with you?”
He took her lips gently, tenderly. She didn’t want tender. Instead, she pressed her tongue against him, he opened and she forged ahead. She wanted one of his special kisses. The kind that made her toes curl.
She felt him harden against her belly and he kissed her back with such ferocity, her body ached. And yes, her toes curled. This was the Ben she knew, the one who soothed her, knew her.
“Make love to me, Ben. Now.”
“Yes.”
No more was said. He leaned her back on the bed and loved her, the only way she knew he could.
* * *
Over the next week, Molly designed the house she wanted. The structure was a little smaller than the one previously being built, but this one was all hers. She combined the library and the office, which is what made it smaller. Then to compensate, upstairs she made the bedroom next to the master bedroom, quite small about ten feet by ten feet. It would be the nursery and when they were done having children, it could be used as a storeroom.
Ben took Molly’s drawings to his architect who did the final design. Ben gave instructions that some of the rooms be made a little bigger than Molly originally planned but only added a total of five hundred square feet to the overall structure.
After the construction had been going for a few weeks, Molly started having Gil take her out there every day. She watched it go up, her plans, her baby. She did notice that some of the rooms were bigger than she planned. Their bedroom, the nursery and below that the library/office were all bigger as was the bathrooms, but she decided she liked them a bit larger.
“Gil, can I ask you a question?”
“Sure. Whatever you want.”
“Will you teach me how to drive a buggy? The procedure doesn’t look too hard and what if something should happen to you and I need to drive you to the doctor?”
“I don’t know. Does Ben know you want to learn to drive?”
“Oh yes, he’s quite aware of my desire to drive a buggy.”
“Well, I guess that it would be all right then. I know how busy he is.”
Molly felt a little guilty but wasn’t about to tell him that yes, Ben knew, and he’d forbidden her to learn.
On the way out to the house that morning, Gil took the time to teach Molly.
“Now here you go. You take the reins.” He handed her the leather straps. She made sure to wear the pair of leather driving gloves she’d purchased for just such an occasion. “If you want to turn left, pull on the left rein and to go right pull on the right rein. To stop, pull back on both reins together.”
She did as instructed and the horses stopped.
“How do I get them going again?”
“Bring up the reins and then slap them down quickly so you slap their butts.” Gil turned bright pink. “Pardon my language. Their rear ends.”
Molly giggled. “You’re so polite. You don’t have to apologize. I’ve heard Ben say much worse things.”
“Thank you, ma’am, but I will try to keep a civil tongue in my head.”
Molly sighed. There was no point in continuing to ask him to call her Molly, he would say ‘ma’am’ regardless. It was funny, she never considered herself a “ma’am”.
They arrived at the house. The structure was being built in the same place as the house that burned down. Certain features about the other house she loved and kept, like the porch. It was huge and covered so they could sit outside in any kind of weather, wet or dry. In this part of the country the climate was mostly hot and dry, but there were days that they had a rain shower.
The carpenters were making great progress. Molly asked Ben to hire armed guards to be on site at night. She didn’t want what happened last time to happen again. She really didn’t want to live in the hotel forever. She wanted her house.
Especially now. She had missed her menses twice now since she’d gotten married. There was only one thing that could mean. She was pregnant. Probably from the first time they made love. Smiling she touched her stomach. Below her hand her baby was growing.
She should go see Julia. Molly hadn’t been back since the accident.
Ben wouldn’t let her go there alone and then they’d started on the house and well, time got away from her. Now she had another excuse to go visit.
Since the hiring of Gil to be with her, she didn’t see Ben except at breakfast and bedtime. He was doing a great job of avoiding her or maybe the circumstance was her avoiding him. All she knew was they didn’t talk, just talk, about things any more. Her life with Ben was confined to eating breakfast, making love and sleeping. Not much of a life. She was lonely and tired of spending every evening alone. She wanted company, Ben’s company. Molly wanted him to talk to and tell about her day. Tell him about the house and how the building was coming along. It was getting close to complete. In another few weeks, they’d be able to move in. But he was never there. He avoided her like the plague.
That was another reason she didn’t want to see Julia. What was she supposed to tell her? That her marriage was over before it ever really got started?
But she had other things to consider now. A baby was coming and she would not bring a child into this marriage in the state it was in. She’d get a divorce before she subjected children to living life the way she and Ben were doing now.
Maybe if he knew for sure a baby was coming he’d change his ways, but did she really want him to change just for a baby? What about changing because he cares for her. Maybe not love her, he said he’s incapable of that feeling, but surely he cared. He hired Gil didn’t he? If he didn’t care he could have just let Tom murder her. No, I shouldn’t think of Ben like that. He wouldn’t have let Tom murder her no matter what. He is a good man.
Gil always walked with her as she checked the progress of the house. She never got out of his sight. They had finished their inspection of the inside of the house and were returning to the buggy.
“Gil, I want to go see Lizzie Brandon before we go back. I need some privacy with Lizzie. Can you wait outside?
“Of course, ma’am.”
When the carriage arrived at Lizzie’s, Gil set the brake on the buggy, hopped down and then he escorted her to the door.
“Thank you, I can take it from here.”
“As you wish, ma’am.”
She knocked and in a short time, the door opened.
Lizzie stood there holding Roy.
“Molly. Come in and sit down.” She looked out and saw Gil waiting by the buggy. “Is that the man Ben hired to protect you?”
Molly blinked several times, taken aback by Lizzie’s knowledge. “Yes, how did you know?”
“Julia told me. Ben goes by every few days to visit and see Hope.”
Jealousy hit Molly square between the eyes. Ben would rather spend time with Julia. What was she thinking, of course, he’d rather spend time with Julia. He loved her. “I wish I’d known that, we could have gone together.”
“I wasn’t aware you didn’t know. Are you and Ben all right?”
“No. We’re not.”
“Can I take that to mean that you are having some problems in your marriage?”
“You could say that. Ben
avoids me like the plague except to sleep and make love. I’m not even sure I can call it that anymore. We have relations, there’s no love about it.”
“Oh, dear. Tell me everything.”
Molly sat on the sofa next to Lizzie. She needed to talk to someone.
“I’m afraid I’m pregnant.”
“Why are you afraid you’re pregnant? That is usually the outcome of the one activity I know you and Ben share. I would think that you would be thrilled.”
Molly dabbed at her eyes with the handkerchief she kept up her sleeve. “I know, but how can I bring a child into such a broken relationship?”
Lizzie reached over and patted Molly’s hand. “Your relationship is not broken, though it is somewhat bent at the moment.”
“If he doesn’t want to spend time with me, what is the point of our being married? Maybe I should ask for a divorce.”
“Molly.” Lizzie reached over and patted Molly’s knee. “Don’t do anything drastic. Give him more time.”
Tears ran freely from her eyes. “I’m not sure I can. Especially now that I’m expecting. I want to bring this child into a loving relationship not a battleground.”
“Oh dear. Honey, you’re simply feeling things more intently because you’re pregnant. I cried all the time when I was pregnant with Roy. You’re more emotional now. Don’t be making decisions that will affect the rest of your life.”
“I know. I don’t want to divorce him. I love him.”
Lizzie put Roy down and the baby, toddled off to the corner where there was a box full of toys. He started pulling everything out of the crate and putting them on the floor.
Lizzie smiled indulgently then turned her attention back to Molly. “Have they caught the man who burned down the house and tried to run you over?”
“No. There hasn’t been any trace of him. Now I’m beginning to think I imagined that the buggy was trying to kill me. Maybe it was just an accident that the buggy nearly ran me down.”
Lizzie shook her head. “I don’t believe that for a moment and neither do you.”
Molly sighed. “No. I don’t. I think Marlow is laying low. Since no one but me knows what he looks like, he doesn’t even have to stay away. He could be next to Ben in one of his saloons and no one would know it.”
Mail Order Baron (The Brides of Tombstone Book 3) Page 9