“Honey, I busted your ass once, I can sure repeat the exercise. You’re my girl now Stephanie, get used to it. Be ready Sunday, or you’ll find yourself sitting through the service and the picnic on a sore butt.” Tey hooked an arm about Stephanie’s waist and yanked her up against his chest. He took a moment, looking down to appreciate her cleavage, prettily framed as it was by her white camisole top, before lowering his head to take her mouth in a fiercely claiming kiss, one that left Stephanie unsteady on her feet. He released her suddenly and strode away without looking back as he left the saloon. Stephanie stared after him, a tiny smile playing about her mouth as she lifted her finger tips to caress her lips wonderingly.
Jewel watched the by-play happily from behind the piano. When Tey turned to leave, she rushed off to find Gabe and tell him what she’d just witnessed.
Tey surreptitiously adjusted his trousers before he stepped out of the shadows. He was rock hard and aching. Hell, he’d been with that pretty piece Dottie for two whole nights, he should be feeling sated, at least for a while. Heck, he was used to going weeks even months without a woman. Tey knew that Stephanie felt tarnished and he wasn’t about to add to her burden by treating her like a whore. He wanted her real bad, but he’d wait until she had his ring on her finger before he made her his. She was gonna be his wife and he would honor her. That meant treating her right, with courting an’ picnics, all the normal things that went before a wedding. Hell, he’d even go and ask that jackass Kendrick for his daughter’s hand in marriage. In fact, if he was gonna do this thing right; he’d better go talk to the man now. He pushed his hat firmly onto his head and set off determinedly for the bank.
He was shown into a small office where he recognized Kendrick as the man he’d seen berating Stephanie on the side walk a couple of weeks ago when he arrived in town. The man clearly did not remember him. He stood and held out his hand as Tey approached the small desk he had been seated at. “What can I do for you Mr. er…”
“It’s Tey. I’m here on a personal matter but first I thought I’d introduce myself as the new security for the Merit Mine. I spoke to Tressaire up at the mine and I’ve hired some detail to help guard the gold shipments.”
Kendrick looked annoyed. “I am rather surprised that since I am the bank’s assistant manager and I deal solely on the banks behalf with Merit that you haven’t been in to speak with me before today, Mr. Tey.”
Tey studied the man’s indignant, florid face for a moment before answering. “I am employed by the mining company, not you, Kendrick, and as it happens I have already spoken with Mr. Stowe. Now the real reason I am here today is, as I said, personal. I want to marry your daughter, Stephanie.” Tey waited and let that sink into Kendrick’s brain. He frowned ominously.
“Are you the bastard who knocked her up then?” he asked, aggressively.
“Nope, but I am the man who is gonna be her husband an’ your son-in-law.”
“That’s if I say yes to your request,” Kendrick snapped.
“Well now as to that, I am here to honor Stephanie by doing things right by her, but just to be clear, I intend marrying her, whatever your answer is right now. I thought that after the way you treated her, you might like to start acting like her pa and give her away at our wedding. I’m taking her to church come Sunday and onto the picnic afterwards. It would be real nice for Stephanie if you were there to make peace with your daughter.”
Kendrick looked hog tied to burst. “I am certain the good folk of Culpepper Cove will not want to worship with a whore in their midst!” he spluttered.
Tey leapt around the desk and grabbed the man by his collar. He lifted him up onto his toes, so they were nose to nose.
“Now you listen here an’ listen real well,” he growled, “Stephanie is no whore and you ever call her that in my hearing again an’ I’ll push your teeth right down your dang throat. If’n you’d taken time to talk to your daughter you’d know she don’t deserve your condemnation. Now, Pastor Black invited us personally to the Sunday picnic an’ since he married a gem, I reckon you’d best keep your mealy mouth shut on the matter of whores, Mister Kendrick. I’ll see you Sunday.” Tey opened his fist and dropped Kendrick like the turd he was. He spun about and left the room, leaving the door wide open.
Kendrick rubbed his sore neck, staring angrily after the tall dark stranger. As much as he’d like to be able to kick that young whippersnapper’s ass, he knew he was too old and out of shape at forty-five to be able to accomplish the deed. He pondered Tey’s words. At least he could hold his head up again in town once Stephanie was married. Although a lot of folks had commended his actions when he threw his slut of a daughter out, a lot had condemned him for it, including the sheriff who had told him he was darned lucky that Stephanie refused to press charges against him. To his mind if that didn’t confirm her guilt, nothing did.
He sat back down at his desk. If he went to church Sunday and publicly forgave her, he would look good in the town’s eyes and, once Stephanie was respectably married, all the scandal would die away. If his daughter had children, they would be his grandkids and come Christmas it would be nice to visit and have family about him. Yes, all in all long term, it was within his own best interest to publicly forgive Stephanie and forget recent events.
He wondered briefly who the father of Stephanie’s baby’s had been; he hoped the man wouldn’t cause any trouble now that things seemed to be righting themselves. Culpepper Cove was a growing town and becoming more respectable by the week. He had a position in this community and he didn’t want to lose it. Yes, he would go to church come Sunday and play the good father.
***
Kelly and Luke arrived in town riding a wooden cart, their horses roped onto the back. They headed toward the livery but pulled up when Tey hailed them from the opposite side of the street.
“Turnabout an’ head over to the jail house boys and I’ll meet you there!”
The back of the cart carried two wooden crates that Tey ordered brought down and carried into the jail house. The young men complained that they were heavy and Tey nodded in agreement as he helped tote the weight. They set the boxes down inside an empty cell and Jeb swung the door to and locked them in securely.
“Any problems bringing it down?” he asked, pouring them both coffee into tin mugs.
“Naw, but we set off twice before today and had to turn back just as we hit town as Tressaire instructed. Darn tedious goin’ back an’ forth, an’ back an’ forth, up an’ down that mountain with boxes full o’ rocks. Waste of time if’n you ask me,” Kelly complained.
Tey shrugged. “It worked though.”
Kelly’s eyes narrowed. “What d’you mean?” he asked.
Tey nodded at the cells. “The gold’s safely locked away until the bank takes it in tomorrow.”
Kelly looked dumbstruck. “You mean this lot was gold, not rocks?”
Tey grinned. “Yup, rock on top, gold underneath. Not even you will know whether you’re toting rocks or gold, Kelly boy.”
Luke grinned back at Tey. “Clever.” He nodded appreciatively. Tey pulled out a roll of bills and peeled off the agreed sum handing the cash to each youngster in turn. “I’ll let you know when I want you again, that’s if’n you still want the work?”
“Yeah, count me in,” Luke replied. Kelly just nodded and set his mug down before heading for the door. Luke was quick to follow.
“So… gold’s under the rocks huh,” Jeb said after they left.
“Nope, jus’ a pile of rocks, no need to tell them anything. You fancy a ride up the mountain in the mornin’, Sheriff Justice?”
“D’you maybe mean to collect some gold?”
“I surely do.”
Jeb grinned, shaking his head. “You’re a wily one, Tey.”
“So I’ve been told, Jeb Justice, so I’ve been told.”
They set off at sunrise with a wagon full of supplies for the mine. Sacks of coffee beans, flour, salt, dried beans, all the basic staples. They chatte
d amicably, mainly about the whereabouts of Bessie Trotter, a quiet shy girl who was still missing. There was nowhere left to search and yet Jeb and his deputies still continued to comb the area, despite the fact the girl had been missing three weeks now. When they fell quiet, the silence was easy between the two men. They camped out under the stars and set off again at first light.
The downhill return journey with the seemingly empty, but much heavier wagon, was as easy as the going up had been and when they arrived in Culpepper they found that they had made such good time, it was still during bank opening hours and so they drove the wagon around the back, into the fenced off delivery area. It was easy to lift the hinged false bottom from the wagon and the bank clerks carried in the concealed gold. Tey shook Jeb’s proffered hand as the sheriff returned to his jail to check in with his deputies, leaving Tey to oversee the weighing in of the gold and collect the receipt.
As he was leaving, Kendrick collared him. “Mr. Tey I would just like to say that I have thought over your proposal of marriage to Stephanie and I approve the match. I shall be at the church picnic come Sunday and I will speak to my daughter on the matter and give her my blessing.”
“That’s right big of you, Mr. Kendrick, thanks.” Tey tipped his hat and left, leaving Kendrick red faced at Tey’s obvious disdain for him.
Chapter Eleven
The first night Stephanie and the gems danced in front of a full house, the Can-can caused an uproar. Men stamped, hooted and hollered, hats were thrown into the air and an encore was called for which the girls quickly obliged. As soon as the curtain closed for the second time, Charlie dimmed the lights and Silver hurriedly began to sing the haunting lyrics of O Danny Boy. Their ploy worked and calm was soon restored, as the men began to croon the familiar words to the ballad, some with tears running down their sunken, sotted cheeks.
Kelly was incensed when he saw Stephanie dance. He had no idea why he was so enraged; he just was but when he tried to make his way to the front intending to speak with her, Gabe stepped in front of him and forestalled him. The more he’d tried to reason with the saloon owner the more taciturn the man had become. In the end, Kelly had given up and left but he’d get to Stephanie somehow, after all she’d carried his baby and he had the right.
Sunday was fine, not as warm as it had been. The air was definitely cooler, more in keeping with the time of year. Stephanie had been surprised to find a trunk of her clothes delivered to her along with a note from her father telling her that she could return home if she wished to. She didn’t, but having her own clothes about her had made her feel settled and it pleased her that her father had made the gesture.
Nettie provided a basket of goodies for their picnic and jokingly added a small wooden spoon to the top of the basket, which she said was for Tey’s use if Stephanie stepped out of line. This caused much hilarity at breakfast and helped to calm Stephanie’s nerves.
She had chosen a cream dress, covered in a blue sprig pattern, to wear to church. It was one of two “Come Sunday” dresses, which she owned. The other was a heavier, darker blue material, for wear during the colder months. She sported a little straw bonnet and white gloves too, then worried that perhaps she was over dressed to go to church with Tey.
So when he arrived promptly at nine forty-five dressed in dark trousers and wearing one of his newly purchased shirts. She was thrilled by how handsome he looked.
Tey was so glad that he’d made the effort to spruce up, when he saw how adorable Stephanie looked in her pretty outfit. He felt inordinately proud escorting her into the church and down the center aisle before handing her into a vacant pew. There were stares and a few whispered comments from behind hands but nothing audible reached them and Tey kept a tight hold of Stephanie’s hand, squeezing reassuringly when she stiffened beside him. After the service, the congregation made their way unhurriedly around the back of the church to where simple trestle tables had been laid out in three rows and people chose where to sit and opened their baskets before setting out their picnic food.
Lawrence Black, with his lovely wife Cassie tucked in by his side, came over to greet them and Cassie drew Stephanie aside to talk to her. She shared her own story about how she came to the Red Petticoat as a widow and Lawrence’s pursuit of her, bidding at an auction and claiming her, determined that she should become his wife.
Stephanie listened to Cassie in wonder, marveling at how a former gem, Amber, a saloon girl no less had eventually became the pastor’s wife. Cassie finished her tale by insisting that Stephanie should allow Tey to court her and not miss any opportunity for happiness in her life. A message that was reinforced by Louise, who had wandered over to join her friends, recounting her own tale as the child like gem named Lapis. Rose, another pretty blonde former gem now married to Mayor Rockwell’s brother Thomas, joined them and soon they were gathered around Stephanie in a tight knit circle, with Rebekah, Ruby, the sheriff’s wife and Della, the doctor’s wife, another former gem known previously as Citrine. Then Clementine, formerly Crystal slipped into the group, crushed between Cassie and Stephanie. All the gems, now wives, happily added to the reassuring discussion about their lives after the Red Petticoat.
Tey glanced over to where his Stephanie stood surrounded by former gems, all now considered upright citizens of Culpepper Cove. The ladies’ husbands all gravitated over to where Tey and Lawrence conversed, until they too stood in a solid group. The husbands offered advice to Tey on how best to care for a former gem. Their advice didn’t seem to differ much from Lawrence Black’s original advice. The consensus of opinion was unanimous. Give her plenty of love, set firm boundaries and scorch her backside when she required a reminding about who it was that called the shots within the household. This was, of course, Tey’s planned recipe for taking care of Stephanie, but he nodded amicably and thanked them anyway for their advice.
The former gems all finally drifted over to where their husbands stood and Stephanie followed on behind them. She stopped in surprise when her father suddenly appeared in front of her, holding his hat in his hands.
“Steph, I wanted to say that I forgive you and I wanted to tell you that I approve your marriage to Mr. Tey. He seems like a man who will take care of you and keep you firmly set on the straight and narrow.”
Stephanie was about to reply to this slightly pompous speech, when a loudly, strident voice called acidly. “Humph, a case of locking the stable door after the horse has bolted and now another saloon whore is getting away with her sins. I ask you, how is this town ever to become respectable while we accept these prostitutes in our midst and…”
“Violet, that’s enough!” a man’s voice interrupted vehemently.
Stephanie felt heat suffuse her face. She turned, fleeing as fast as her full skirts and petticoats would allow, desperate to get back inside the safety of the Red Petticoat but, before she had even made it to the church boundary, Tey caught up with her, catching her by the arm, halting her escape. She tried to shake him free but Tey was having none of it.
“You are coming back to the picnic with me and you will hold your head up high, or so help me God, I will blister your ass in full view of the good people in this congregation and then we’ll see just how embarrassed you can be!”
Stephanie glared at him. “You didn’t hear what…” Tey interrupted her. “I did and so did half the people there, including her husband the barber and the pastor who have both taken her to task. There will always be bigots, honey. I shan’t pretend otherwise, but you have to learn to ignore them or they win. Believe me, I know. Now come on, you have friends here and they have suffered in much the same way you have, you’re not alone in this, Stephanie.”
“My f-father…” she stuttered.
“Wants to mend fences, so let him. As I told you, you are not alone anymore, you have me.”
Ignoring the fact that half the congregation could see them, Tey pulled Stephanie into his arms and kissed her firmly on the mouth. Then he took her by the shoulders and looked down in
to her beautiful troubled eyes. He cleared his throat.
“Miss Kendrick, would you do me the honor of becoming my wife?” he asked, somewhat gruffly.
Stephanie stared up at him and Tey saw her bright eyes fill with joy before they clouded over and she slowly shook her head dejectedly. “No, Tey. I couldn’t do that to you. I have grown another man’s child in my belly, it just wouldn’t be seemly or-or right to marry you.”
Tey’s face filled with anguish. “Hogwash, I don’t care about that and if I don’t, then you shouldn’t. We’ve been over this once and I’ll not discuss it again… unless you mean you don’t want me. Is that it… there’s another man, the baby’s father maybe?”
“No, no, I…” Stephanie stopped, could she do that, lie and hurt his feelings? She lifted her chin, her mouth set in a mulish, determined line and Tey sighed, he knew what was coming next, her damned self-sacrifice. Sure enough, she began to deny her feelings for him. He laid his finger across her lips and she faltered. He shook his head and sighed.
“Honey, I hate lies an’ you jus’ told the biggest whopper I ever did hear. D’you know what the punishment is for my girl when she tells me a lie?” Tey quirked his brow and waited. Stephanie shifted from foot to foot, discomforted.
“I asked you a question, Stephanie.” His deep tone indicated that he was serious.
“Um, I-I don’t know,” she muttered, knowing the answer full well.
“Another lie, huh, well let me tell you, when my little girl tells fibs she goes right over my knee, an’ her naughty little butt gets a hard spanking. An’ once that spanking begins, I shan’t be stopping until there are tears of regret wet on her cheeks.”
Tey waited for a response but after an uncomfortably long silence, Stephanie blushed from head to toe and attempted to slip free of his grip. She huffed, stamping her foot with temper when she failed to break away from him.
Pastor Black appeared by their side. Stephanie immediately stilled. Was this her chance for escape?
Sunny's Safe Haven (The Red Petticoat Saloon) Page 8