He discontinued managing the saloon’s affairs, not minding whether the business failed or succeeded without him there, and expended every ounce of his energy on Lily’s care. Her parents were agreeable to his constant presence at the farm, which was good because he wouldn’t have accepted being apart from her anyway.
Throughout Lily’s illness, Jesse came to understand her parents better. He watched as Lily’s ma sat by her bed and dabbed her forehead with a wet cloth, worry creasing her own forehead into lines. She’d never been able to show her daughter affection or understanding, but Jesse saw that she cared for her child in her own practical way. Lily’s pa would walk into the room and study her, then gruffly ask Jesse what he could do to help. Jesse would ask for an extra blanket, request that he refill the water basin, or give him some other small chore so that he would feel less helpless. Even with the three of them dedicated to her care, they couldn’t avoid feeling helpless. They knew they couldn’t do much but wait it out and hope for the best.
Florence implored Jesse to play a few songs every night at the saloon, but he refused, and business suffered without his presence. Daniel could play some tunes on the piano, but he couldn’t sing. The patrons missed Jesse’s substantial repertoire of songs and his singing voice. Also contributing to the dwindling number of patrons was a boycott that Elijah’s supporters started. It grew into a significant number of people, since the temperance women and Elijah’s followers joined forces to picket outside of the saloon and harass the people who tried to get inside. None of that mattered to Jesse as he held Lily’s hand and listened to her labored breathing.
In Lily’s weak and fevered state, she regressed into childlike behavior, and Jesse stepped into the parental caretaker role with ease. Whenever she woke up, Jesse coaxed her to eat broth or porridge. He also helped her to the chamber pot and back. She felt too sick to be embarrassed.
Her eyes fluttered open in one of the rare moments her fever did not keep her engaged in fitful sleep, and her dazed expression found Jesse’s face. He reached out, removed the washcloth, and held the back of his hand to her forehead. Her skin was hot.
“Hello, sleepyhead.” Jesse dipped the cloth into the basin of cold water and wrung it out. “I want you to try to stay awake long enough to have some broth, all right?” He placed the cool cloth back on her forehead and ran the back of his hand down one of her flushed cheeks.
“I’m not hungry, papa,” she said in a voice barely above a whisper.
Lily hadn’t called him by his name for days, and he knew that by her calling him papa, it meant she felt vulnerable and in need of his loving but firm care. “I know, baby girl, but it will be good for you. I’ll be right back.”
He walked to the kitchen, ladled broth into a bowl, and walked back to the room. Her eyes followed him as he sat in the chair next to her bed. After he repositioned her pillows so that she was sitting up a bit more, he dipped the spoon in the bowl and filled it with the chicken stock. He brought the spoon to her lips.
She pursed her lips together and shook her head slowly.
“Come on, honey, just a few sips,” he coaxed.
“I don’t want it,” she moaned. Her lips formed into a pout, and she looked just like the stubborn, sick little girl that she was in that moment. She gave him a sorrowful look that softened his heart but did nothing to deter him from getting her to eat.
Jesse set the bowl on the table beside her bed. He took her hand in his, gave it a kiss, and said, “You haven’t eaten in two days, sweetheart. I expect you to be a good girl and do as I say.”
“I feel so awful, papa. Don’t make me.” Her pout became plumper as her bottom lip pressed out more.
He continued to speak gently. “You feel awful because you’re very sick and weak, which is why you need to eat something and not argue with me.”
She sniffled and continued to pout.
“Trust me to know what’s best for you, sweetheart.”
She stared into his eyes. Her pout slowly disappeared, and she gave a slight nod to indicate her surrender. The look of trust she focused on him broke a piece of his heart, since he knew that she trusted him to get her better. Ultimately, it was out of his control, and it would devastate him if she didn’t pull through. Not only would he feel a profound sense of loss, but he would also feel like he’d betrayed that innocent trust she’d placed in him.
She drank less than half the broth in the bowl, but he was satisfied enough with that. He set it aside and worked on dampening the cloth with cool water again.
“I feel so tired. Will you sing to me, papa?” Her lids half shaded her eyes. She was moments from falling asleep again.
“Sure, sweetheart.”
As he sang her favorite hymn, ‘It Is Well,’ a small smile formed on her lips. She sighed and drifted into sleep before he finished the first verse. The words of the song couldn’t have been further from how he felt. His soul would not be well until his Lily was.
It was two-and-a-half long weeks before her fever broke for good. The day it did, Jesse sat hunched over in his chair next to her bed, his elbows on his thighs. His forehead rested on top of his folded hands. He was praying, bargaining with God and making a million promises that he swore he would keep if Lily only pulled through.
That’s when he felt her light touch. She threaded her fingers through his hair. “Jesse?” she said softly.
He looked up and took her hand in his. It felt cooler and dry. “Hello, darlin’.”
She smiled at him. Her smile was weak, but the glassy look was gone from her eyes. He touched her forehead with the back of his hand like he’d done a hundred times over the last couple of weeks. It no longer felt hot. He breathed a sigh of relief and a prayer of thanks. He could have wept, but instead he smiled. “You’ve been a sick little girl, Lily.”
She nodded. “You’ve been here the whole time taking care of me, haven’t you?”
“Yes, honey. I couldn’t bear to leave you.”
As Lily regained her strength, Jesse worked himself back into the daily routine of running the saloon. It became clear then how much the business had suffered due to his absence and the boycott by Elijah’s supporters. Two of the saloon girls had left for Tucson to seek better employment. The saloon wasn’t even earning enough in sales and tips to pay the building’s lease. When the day came that the lease money was due, Jesse and Florence dipped into their savings and were barely able to scrape together enough to pay for another month. If something didn’t turn around, they would be out of business in less than thirty-one days.
Florence was furious with him. “Just ‘cause you finally found yourself a piece of calico doesn’t make it right for you to neglect your responsibilities. My father would be horrified by your lack of good business sense.”
Jesse apologized to her but didn’t feel sorry for his time away caring for Lily. “Things will get back to normal now, Flo. We’ll open the bar earlier and stay open later. I’ll play ‘til my fingers are numb.” He still felt hopeful then.
Unfortunately, things didn’t get back to normal. Florence despaired, and Jesse began to despair as well. To make matters worse, the next week Jesse was called away to testify against Elijah. As he packed his belongings, Lily sat on the bed in his room at the saloon. It was one of the few times he allowed her inside. His rule that she never enter through the front doors of the saloon remained in place even then. He’d brought her through the back and took her directly to his room, which didn’t allow anyone to see her and also didn’t provide her with a view of the lackluster entertainment on the main floor.
Jesse hadn’t told Lily about his financial straits and wondered whether he should. He didn’t like the thought of worrying her, but he also didn’t like leaving her in the dark.
“I’ll miss you, Jesse.” She fiddled with some loose thread on the quilt. “How long do you reckon you’ll be gone?”
Jesse folded his best shirt, which he planned to wear when he gave his testimony. He placed it in his bag. �
��I’m not sure, but I wouldn’t think more than a week—two days to get there, one or two days to testify, and another two days to travel back.”
“I guess I can survive without you for that long,” she said with a smile.
He bent down and kissed her. “I’m not sure I can.”
She giggled. “I love you so much, Jesse. I can’t wait to be married to you.”
He kissed her again before he straightened and walked to his wardrobe to retrieve his shoes. He’d planned to ask her to marry him by then, but now that he’d used his savings to try to salvage the saloon instead of using it on a down payment for a house, he wasn’t sure whether it was the right time.
“Honey, there’s something you should know, but I don’t want you to worry about it because I’ll find a way to solve the problem.”
She cocked her head to the side. “What’s wrong?”
“There’s been some financial trouble here at the saloon due to Elijah’s supporters boycotting the business.” He didn’t mention the other reason for the financial issues, which was that his presence by her side during her illness meant the customers didn’t receive the entertainment they expected and had all but stopped coming.
“Oh,” she said, her eyes round. “How bad is it?”
“It’s bad,” he admitted. “I might lose the business. But I’ve already talked to your pa and he’s agreed to hire me on as a farm hand if I do. We’ll still get married, but it might take me some time to get everything in order so that we can be together in our own place.”
“I’m so sorry, Jesse. I can’t even picture you as a farm hand.”
“No? I’ve helped you with your chores often enough.”
“That’s true, but your real skills are singing and playing the piano.”
Jesse buttoned his travel carrier. “It’s not for certain that I wouldn’t be able to entertain again in the future, and it’s not even for certain that I will have to stop now. I don’t want you to worry about it, darlin’, all right? I didn’t even want to tell you, but it’s only fair you should know. I feel bad because I know how much you dislike living on the farm and how much you want a new kind of life.”
She shook her head. “Don’t worry about me, Jesse. I’m happy enough being with you. But I hate Elijah! He’s ruining your life.”
Jesse focused his attention on her and spoke firmly. “No, he’s not. The only way he would have ruined my life is by taking you out of it. Just like you feel happy being with me, I feel the same way about being with you. The rest is not nearly as important.”
“Oh, Jesse,” she sighed. “You really do love me, don’t you?”
“Maybe just a little bit,” he said with a small smile. He walked to the bed and took her hands in his, bringing her to her feet. He looked into her eyes for a moment and made a decision. Dropping to one knee, he looked up and said the words he’d wanted to say for some time.
“My beautiful, sweet Lily. You’re a woman like no other. Your support strengthens me, and your kindness softens me. I want and need you by my side for the rest of my life. I promise to take care of you always and give you the love you deserve. When I get back, will you do me the great honor of marrying me?”
Lily’s eyes filled with tears before she fell into his arms. “Of course I’ll marry you, Jesse. I’ve wanted to marry you for years.”
He smiled and wrapped his arms around her, then stood and sat on the bed with her on his lap. Now that his woman was happy, he decided to make sure his little girl felt taken care of as well. He kissed her forehead and said, “Now, young lady, you’re going to be a good girl while I’m away, aren’t you? You’re still recovering from being sick, and I don’t want you exerting yourself.” He watched her eyes soften into submission and felt her body curl into his.
“I’ll be good, papa,” she said with a contented sigh.
“You’d better be,” he continued. “I’ll hear about it if you aren’t, understand?”
She nodded. “Yes, sir.”
He left town in his buggy an hour later after giving Lily one final kiss. He felt joy over his engagement to Lily, but his worry over the state of the saloon shadowed it. He worried not just for himself, but also for Florence and the employees who worked for them. He hoped things would turn around, but he didn’t see how they could.
Chapter Ten: The Red Rose
Lily watched Jesse’s buggy amble along the road until it was out of sight. Following that, she lifted her head, gathered her skirts, and marched straight through the front doors of the saloon. She felt a bit guilty disobeying one of Jesse’s rules within minutes of him being gone, but he needed her help, and she knew just how to help him.
She found Florence in Jesse’s office, shuffling through the bills with a look of dismay on her handsome, sharp features. She looked up as Lily walked in. Before she could speak, Lily let her know why she was there.
“Jesse told me there’s financial trouble here at the saloon, and I’d like to offer my services. He’s gone for a week and needn’t know about it.”
Florence scowled at her. “If you’re offering what other women here offer, you might as well giddy on up right out that door. Jesse would kill me, and I’m not even sure that’s an exaggeration.”
Lily shook her head. “No, it’s not what you think. Let me explain.” She gave a detailed account of what she wished to do to earn money at the saloon. Her plan seemed flawless, and the curious expression on Florence’s face changed into hope the longer Lily spoke.
After Lily finished laying out her plan, Flo picked up a fan and flapped it in front of her face. “Darlin’, I’m impressed. That might just be what the place needs to turn itself around.”
Lily grinned and clapped her hands together once in excitement. “So we’ll do it then?”
“Yes. We’ll have to be really careful, though,” Florence admonished. “No one can know it’s you for it to work.”
“Mum’s the word,” Lily said with another grin. The two shook hands. Florence and a few of her girls tacked up signs all over town with an announcement that made those walking by stop and take note. Within a day the saloon and its employees were prepared for the big event, explained in large print on every sign.
This Week Only
The Red Rose at The Weston Saloon
Nightly performances from 9:00 p.m. to midnight
Daily raffle winners may request a song from the Red Rose
Don’t miss this singing, dancing sensation all the way from California!
Customers shoved past the picketers and crowded into the saloon that evening. Whether or not people believed the Red Rose existed, most were eager to satisfy their curiosity. Finished modifying her costume by eight o’clock, Lily spent the last hour until she performed trembling in Jesse’s office. She had never been so nervous in her life. She feared both that the performance would be a failure and that her identity would be discovered. Of course, she took efforts to ensure the latter did not happen. After stripping the black netting from the shoulders and neck of her new silk dress, she sewed it to the hat Charlotte had given her. By the time she’d finished, the netting served as an effective mask that disguised her face while still allowing her to see through it.
She looked in the mirror and almost didn’t recognize her own body. The dress was very revealing now that not even netting covered her shoulders and arms. The center dipped down, revealing generous cleavage. She’d also taken a pair of scissors and cut a slit in the skirt up to mid-thigh. Under the dress she wore a pair of Florence’s black lacy bloomers, which would flash into view with every kick and swish during her performance.
Lily took a few long, deep breaths. She was about to do what she’d wanted to do since a very young age, and she thought she would feel more excited. The desperate circumstances and the sneaky nature of the performance, however, kept her from enjoying the moment. Still, she knew she needed to put her worries aside and give it her all. When the clock chimed nine times, she heard Daniel begin the first song on t
he piano.
It took considerable courage for her to walk out the door of Jesse’s office, but she did, and on cue, she took a step into main room of the saloon. Every head turned in her direction when she sang her first quiet note. Her voice’s crescendo was as gradual as her approach to the makeshift stage by the piano. There she sang with abandon, and the rich, soulful melody drifted into every hard crevice and heart in the saloon. She scanned the room as she sang and saw more than one man wipe a tear from his cheek.
The applause at the end of her first song was so loud and raucous that Lily felt a surge of courage. She could do this. The opening of men’s hearts led to an opening of their wallets. Coin after coin fell at her feet until she started singing again, at which time the room fell into perfect silence once again.
The next tune was jaunty. Lily danced as she sang, growling some of the risqué lyrics and offering a peek at her legs with a lift of her skirts every so often. She was really good at this, she realized as she performed—better than she’d thought she would be. Again the song ended and again coins fell at her feet. This time Florence floated onto the stage and swept the money into a bag.
When Lily sang the final note of her third song, she looked around and noticed one man in the crowd who wasn’t whooping or clapping. Instead he observed her with a thoughtful frown. Her heart skipped a beat when she realized it was Max. It dawned on her why he must be regarding her in such a way. Here she was wearing a hat of Charlotte’s that was as unique to the town of Weston as Charlotte herself. No doubt he recognized it as his wife’s.
Somehow she pushed Max’s likely recognition and the ramifications of that out of her mind to perform for the rest of the night. After her performance was complete and she’d retired to Jesse’s office to change into her plain cotton dress, Florence burst in. “My heavens, Lily darling. You have saved us.” She emptied the bag of coins on the desk. “I’m positive that the money you made tonight practically pays for the next month’s supply of whiskey. By the end of the week, if customers keep shelling out, our business will be back to normal. I can’t thank you enough.” Florence started organizing the coins on the desk.
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