Until September

by Brenda Jernigan

  Billy finished strapping on his gun. “Just in case we bumped into one of ‘those places,’ I want to be prepared. You never know when somebody is going to take a notion that he doesn’t like the way my face looks.”

  Claire laughed. “I don’t see anything wrong with your face.” You’re beautiful, she almost added. “You look perfectly acceptable to me. Just not like a New Yorker.”

  “As long as I pass your inspection,” Billy shot back, “then I don’t care what anyone else thinks.”

  Claire’s smile brightened as she swung her arm up and gestured toward the wharf. “I can see that you’re not going to let me have the last word in this matter, so let’s go.”

  They walked along the dock where a broad- beamed, three-masted schooner was docked.

  “That’s a big one,” Billy commented. He hadn’t thought much about ships in the past because the opportunity had never presented itself to see one, but he’d bet it would be enjoyable to sail.

  “If you were going to stay in New York longer, we could go sailing on my father’s yacht. Perhaps, someday you’ll get a chance to sail. There is nothing like skimming along the water with the wind blowing your hair,” Claire said, her voice sounding wistful.

  “I must say that you make it sound wonderful.

  Maybe, when I bring you back home, you can show me this sailing.”

  Claire’s smile faded. She wanted to curse her fate. She’d dearly love to show Billy how to sail, but she knew that she wouldn’t be around to do so. The thought that she wouldn’t return from her trip West saddened her. She sighed, and then that damned tickle started in her throat, and she began to cough.

  “Here, sit down,” Billy took her arm and guided her to a bench in front of one of the buildings that overlooked the water. “You’re not going to pass out on me again, are you?”

  Claire was still coughing as she shook her head while, at the same time, fumbling in her pocket for the bottle of cough medicine. She took several sips before her coughing eased.

  Billy took the bottle from her hand and examined it. “This must be some good stuff. What is it?” He removed the cork, sniffed, and jerked his nose away. “This is some strong stuff, lady. Are you sure that you’re well enough to travel?”

  Claire snatched the bottle back from him. “I’ll not have you asking me that question every time I start coughing. I’m fine. I just have a nagging cough that will not go away. The medicine helps.” She could feel the drugs taking effect, and she began to relax. It always made her a little lightheaded, and before she knew it, she let her guard down. Just a little. “Do you think that I would make the trip if I were not well?”

  “I don’t know you well enough to say,” Billy replied. “I just know that I don’t need a sick female on my hands once we start traveling. The journey will be hard enough.”

  “You must think of me as a burden,” she said with a frown before taking another sip from the medicine bottle, liking the way it made her feel. She crooked her finger and motioned for Billy to come closer. “I assure you, Mr. West, that you’ll not even know that I’m around.” Her lips were so close to his, she wondered what he’d taste like. If she just moved a little....

  “What the dickens are you doing down here at the docks?” Heath’s booming voice came from behind her, causing Claire to jerk straight Must her brother always show up at the wrong time? And, of course, he appeared peevish.

  “I’m showing Billy the docks and then we’re going to get something to eat” Claire said. “What are you doing down here?”

  “I needed a few things from the foundry. There is also a problem in a design I need to straighten out,” Heath said as he shifted a package in his arm. “You know you shouldn’t be down here by yourself.”

  “She isn’t by herself,” Billy pointed out

  Heath frowned. What was it about Billy West that made him want to challenge him? Then it dawned on Heath, Billy was a lot like himself. And that was who he was sending his sister off with.

  It was like sending a lamb out with a wolf. And Heath could see the experience in Billy’s eyes which made Heath all the more uncomfortable. Well, the fellow had better not hurt his sister, Heath thought. He had a good mind to inform Billy just how fragile his sister was, but knew he couldn’t. He wanted this man to know, but Heath had promised his sister he’d tell no one outside the family of her condition.

  “Do you have time to join us for lunch?” Claire asked.

  “I believe so, puss. Thank you for the invitation.” Heath gave Billy an evil smile. He could see that Billy wasn’t happy for his company in the least. “It will take about an hour to get what I need from the foundry. What do you have in mind?”

  “Let’s go over to the barges and have oysters and clams,” Claire said. “Are you ready, Billy?” She noticed that he was frowning again.

  “If you’re sure that you are all right,” Billy said.

  “Do you think I’d let her go if she wasn’t feeling fine?” Heath demanded.

  Billy glared at Heath. “I don’t believe I was speaking to you.”

  Claire let out a disgusted sigh. What was the matter with these two? “I am perfectly fine. Or, at least, I was until you two started sniping at each other. Let’s go.”

  They walked by the brass foundry, a big grayish building with big black doors that stood open to let some of the heat escape. “And here is the fire hose and sail makers. Anything that you need for a ship can be found down here in these two rows of buildings,” Claire explained.

  “Interesting. But what is that smell?” Billy asked, wrinkling his nose with disgust.

  “It’s a combination of many things. The sea and river mix together to make brackish water. That’s water that is part salt and part fresh water. The wood from the vessels and the salt from the sea all mix together to give it this special smell of the sea. It is rather a rotten smell, but refreshing in an odd sort of way. Does that make any sense?”

  Billy smiled. “Kinda.”

  “I can’t imagine never seeing the ships and the ocean,” Heath said. “There is something about it that enters your soul.”

  “I kind of sense that myself,” Billy commented. “But then, I bet you’ve never seen buffalo or mountains.”

  “I guess you got me there,” Heath admitted as he walked beside his sister, “but I do mean to visit your country someday.”

  As they strolled past an empty alley, three men sprang out upon them and two of them grabbed Heath from behind. “He’ll do,” one of the thugs said. “Get the other one.”

  Billy swung around and shoved Claire behind him. Two men were holding Heath as he struggled, reminding Billy of a bucking bronco. “Get your hands off him,” Billy demanded.

  “And what you going do about it?” the bigger man challenged as he took a step toward Billy. A bowie knife was in his right hand as the thug moved toward him.

  Claire had never been in this situation before. Alarmed, she watched over Billy’s shoulder. The man coming their way held a huge knife, and he looked very menacing. Her stomach churned with anxiety. Could Billy handle him?

  Before she could blink, Billy had drawn and fired his gun, taking the robber’s finger along with the knife.

  The man howled in pain. “My finger’s gone!”

  “If the rest of you want to keep your body parts, I suggest that you let my friend go,” Billy said, his words cold as ice.

  The two men dropped their hold on Heath and backed off. Billy shot at their feet, and all three hightailed it. After the sound of the gunshot, workmen appeared in the doorway to see what all the commotion was about “Do people usually appear out of nowhere and grab you in what is supposed to be civilization?”

  Heath laughed. “That was a first for me. Guess I let my guard down. Thank you.” He offered his hand to Billy. It was the least he could do.

  Billy smiled, slightly as he accepted. “I had to lie about the friends part.”

  Heath chuckled. “Perhaps that will change some day,”
he said.

  Still trembling, Claire placed her hand on Billy’s arm. “Are you all right?” she asked in a quavering voice.

  “I’m fine.”

  “What about me?” Heath said, frowning.

  “I know you’re fine. You never get hurt. But I must say, I’m a little shocked. I’ve been down here many times, and I’ve never been attacked.”

  “You didn’t have what they wanted, sister dear,” Heath replied curtly.

  “What were they going to do? Rob us?” Billy asked.

  “No. Sometimes unscrupulous captains need people for crews on their ships, so they send out some of their men to knock them out and grab them up off the docks. When their victims wake up, they are at sea, and it’s too late for them to do anything.” Heath slapped Billy on the back and grinned. “That would be one way for you to learn about the sea really fast! ”

  “No thanks. I like to learn things on my own terms.”

  Claire touched both men’s elbows. “I don’t like it out here. Let’s keep moving and get something to eat”

  “You’re probably right, puss.” Heath crooked his elbow toward Claire. “Shall we?”

  “Amen to that,” Billy said, offering his elbow as well.

  They made their way to a small cafe that overlooked the water and was situated next to a barge with huge fishing nets draping from beams.

  They were shown to a table in front of a big window that offered a view of the bustling waterfront Claire took the seat pulled out by the waiter and spread her napkin in her lap. “Let me order for you,” she said to Billy, and he nodded in agreement.

  After the waiter left, Billy glanced out the window and saw a man sitting on a long pole thing that extended out from the ship. “What is he doing?”

  Heath glanced out the window. “It’s a sailor securing flying and outer jibs.”

  “He’s securing the sail,” Claire simplified.

  “It’s a wonder he doesn’t fall off that thing and break his neck,” Billy said.

  “You should see them when they are out at sea,” Claire said. “They have to climb the riggings like monkeys.”

  Heath leaned back in his chair. “I can take you out sailing if you’d stay another week.”

  “Thanks for the offer, but we need to be getting back to Denver. I’m already staying longer than I planned,” Billy said.

  The waiter walked toward them carrying a bucket of clams and oysters. Billy gave Claire the most befuddled look, causing her to giggle. She picked up on oyster. “Here You take an oyster, insert your knife like this, and open the shell. Then you take your fork and eat the oyster.” She demonstrated, then offered one to Billy. “Here, you try.”

  Billy didn’t look very enthusiastic as he followed her instructions and placed the oyster in his mouth and chewed.

  “What do you think?” Claire asked.

  “Mmm,” Billy said as he rolled his eyes toward the ceiling then back to her. “I like it.” He shook his fork at the empty shell. “Don’t believe that I ever had anything that tasted like this.”

  Heath reached for a clam. “Would you like a beer?”

  “Nope. Gave up drinking a few years back. I’ll stick with water,” Billy said as he reached for several more oysters and concentrated on the task of opening each one. Then he took his time and enjoyed the seafood.

  As they ate, Billy told them a little about Denver and then decided to ask the question that had been puzzling him since he met the brothers. “Why is it that none of you has married?”

  Heath laughed, then wiped his mouth with the napkin. “Couldn’t find anybody to have me.”

  “I don’t doubt that,” Billy joked. “But seriously, it seems strange that none of the Holladay children ever married.”

  “Well, Albert was married, but his wife died,” Heath said. “However, the rest of us...” He shrugged. “Don’t know. Guess we just got wrapped up in business and never found the right woman. Claire here was engaged for a couple of years but—” He paused a moment as if he caught himself. “She broke off the engagement”

  Interesting, Billy thought. He looked over at Claire. She was glaring at her brother, but when she glanced back to Billy she smiled... a smile that lit her eyes and warmed him. A breeze tousled her hair, and she appeared so carefree at the moment that he would have loved to have a picture painted of her just as she was now. And then he caught himself.

  Come on Billy, she is the boss’s niece. Get a grip on yourself. Claire isn’t in your class. You come firm two very different worlds. Haven ’t you noticed the way they live?

  “How about you?” Heath asked, breaking into Billy’s thoughts.

  “I guess that’s fair,” Billy said. “Like you, I’ve had things to do.” Billy chuckled, then added, “I heard I was engaged just before I left town. Hope she’s changed her mind by the time I get back.”

  Happy that the two men were finally getting along, Claire had been listening as they talked. However, the moment she heard the word engaged, first from her brother, whom she could have killed for even mentioning the engagement, then she felt a little strange about what she’d heard about Billy. She’d never expected that Billy might have a sweetheart back home. Of course, it would only make sense that he did. She did note, however, that he didn’t sound particularly happy about the fact.

  The more time Claire spent with Billy, the more she liked him. That didn’t mean that she had any claims on him, but she wanted ... what? She wasn’t sure. As for her new vow, she wouldn’t worry about it and just let time take her where it would.

  Claire placed her napkin upon the table. “We must go by my office. It will be the last time I’ll get to see everyone before my trip,” she told her brother, although she knew it would be the last time she saw them ... ever. “Thanks for having lunch with us.”

  Heath shoved his chair back and got to his feet, and said, “I will see you tonight at dinner.” He then looked at Billy. “You should be safe once you leave the wharf. However, after seeing the way you handle your gun, I’m not worried about my sister.”

  Billy stared at Heath. He was surprised by the compliment, especially from a man who’d made it plain that he didn’t like Billy.

  “But don’t let it go to your head,” Heath said over his shoulder just as he reached the door. “Because I’m still watching you.”

  That was better, Billy thought He knew what to expect when Heath was acting like a jackass. It just wasn’t in Heath to be civilized for long.

  It didn’t take Billy and Claire long to walk along the brick streets to the publishing house.

  “So this is Harper’s,” Billy said as they entered the front door. “I’ve plunked down many a nickel to buy a Harper’s Weekly. What Exactly do you do for them?”

  “I write articles and draw sketches of what I see around me.”

  “So those are the drawings that I see in the paper?”

  “Not exactly. I send in my sketches to Harper’s, and then they are reproduced through the medium of wood engraving.”

  “They actually carve the pictures in wood? That would take a skillful hand.”

  “They sure do. Otherwise, they couldn’t ink them and print so many papers,” Claire explained as they climbed the stairs. “They did a wonderful job of covering the War between the States. We’ve grown to sixteen folio pages,” she added proudly.

  “Good. More for my money,” Billy teased as he followed her. He noticed that Claire’s footsteps were slowing as they reached the second floor.

  “Well, they do have to pay me,” she said with a smile, pausing to catch her breath. “So, I appreciate every nickel that you’ve spent”

  Billy gave her a questioning look. “Are you all right?”

  “Now don’t you start,” Claire warned, holding up her hand. “My family is always asking me that question just because I’ve had a cough. I am fine, and I’m making the trip.”

  Now it was Billy’s turn to hold up both hands. “Whoa!”

  Claire
couldn’t help but laugh at the surprised look on Billy’s face. “Sorry. It’s a touchy subject” I’ll say.”

  “Come on, let’s go into my office.” She took Billy’s hand. His fingers were warm and strong as he grabbed hers; his grasp gave her comfort What a strange feeling, she thought as they entered.

  “Hello, Alice,” Claire said to a woman sitting at a desk just inside the door. “Is Ann in her office?”

  “Isn’t she always? Can’t seem to pry her away from the desk.” Alice chuckled. “Go on in.” Then Alice must have noticed Billy. “You can leave the cowboy with me if you’d like.”

  Billy glanced at the lady and smiled.

  “If you want to, sit over there,” Claire pointed to a couple of wooden chairs. “I shouldn’t be long.”

  “Take your time,” Billy said. “Appears I’ll be in good company.” He gave Alice a wink, and Claire could see that he could charm the pants off any woman.

  “Alice, this is Billy West. He will be my escort to Denver,” she told the woman. “Be sure to take care of him.”

  “No problem, honey,” Alice replied, but she wasn’t looking at Claire. “It’ll be my pleasure,” Alice added as she batted her eyelashes at Billy. “Anything you want, Mr. West, you just let me know.”

  Claire was shaking her head as she entered Ann’s office. “I’ve come to say good-bye, and see if you have any last minute instructions for me.”

  “Instructions?” Ann looked over her spectacles and motioned to Claire to sit down. Then Ann looked up at the ceiling and repeated. “Instructions. Let me see ... get some good stories, have fun, and be careful,” she said, looking back at Claire. “Did your escort arrive?”

  “He certainly did,” Claire said, smiling as she thought about him.

  “And—?”

  “He is like no one I’ve ever met before.”

  Ann folded her arms and leaned on her desk. “Really? Now you have my curiosity up. Tell me about him.”

  “I can do better than that” Claire gave her a wicked smile. “I’ve brought him with me. Take some papers out to Alice so you can see for yourself.”