by Indiana Wake
The office was stuffy though, at least at her saloon she could keep the door open to let the air in and the windows worked. Parker’s windows hadn’t opened in the whole time he had been bank manager.
“There you go.” Kitty dusted her hands on her blue cotton skirts. “All finished.”
“Thank you for that.” Parker slumped into his chair with a relieved sigh. He was also sweating and his face was red. “I thought it would never get tidy.”
“You never were good at tidying up after yourself, even as a child.” Kitty tugged him to his feet before he got too comfortable and moved him toward the door. “Now, off you go. Josie’s waiting for you.”
“But I just want to make sure…”
Parker moved back to the desk but Kitty stopped him and tugged him back.
“Don’t even start, Parker!” But she wasn’t able to stop him as Parker slipped away and went back to the desk. Kitty huffed. “You’re supposed to be celebrating the start off your marriage, not sitting here all alone in this stuffy office. Go and do it.”
Her nephew ignored her, flicking through his makeshift diary. Then his eyes widened and groaned.
“Oh, great. I’ve just noticed.”
“What?”
“I’ve got an appointment in five minutes.”
“Parker!”
“I’m sorry, Aunt Kitty. One of the staff penciled it in. It must have happened today.” Parker grimaced when he looked up at Kitty. “It won’t take long.”
Kitty glared at him, folding her arms with a snort.
“That’s what you always say.” She shook her head. “Josie had better have a lot of patience with you. I don’t know how I raised you and didn’t lose my sanity.”
Parker chuckled and sat back.
“I keep telling myself I’m really lucky with Josie. She’s been the best thing to happen to me in my whole life.” Then his smile widened. “Speaking of that family, how is your new lodger?”
Kitty rolled her eyes. Josie’s father, Abraham Matthews, had formerly been living on the Corbett ranch with his daughter, Cora, and her husband, Truman, the rest of the unmarried daughters had stayed in their guest house. Gradually, all of them were married, which had been Abraham’s intention all along. Only his plans didn’t go quite as he hoped. The girls didn’t marry the men Abraham had picked out. Kitty wasn’t really surprised; all but two of the men had been abusive and would have likely harmed Abraham’s daughters significantly.
However, the Matthews sisters had proved stubborn and resourceful. They managed to find their own husbands. With the exception of Josie, who had been matched with Parker from the start. She was the only one who stuck with the person Abraham found for her. And for that, Kitty was grateful; Josie was good for her nephew and Kitty adored her.
But now all five daughters were married and Abraham had been uncomfortable about being in a house with his eldest daughter and husband. There had been a suggestion that he was going to live in the guest house but Abraham had decided to move into the saloon, Kitty’s saloon. He didn’t want to be under anyone’s feet.
The only problem was he went from being under Cora’s feet and was now under Kitty’s feet.
“He’s messy as hell. I’m amazed that he knows where anything is in his room. It looks like a strong wind went through it.” Kitty raised her eyes and scanned them around the now neat and tidy office.
Parker chuckled.
“I know the feeling.”
Kitty couldn’t stop herself from smiling.
“But it’s nice. I like having him around. He keeps me company. He doesn’t prop up the bar much now and actually helps out now and again. Deep down he’s a good man. He just made a lot of wrong choices with his daughters, but I think he made them for the right reasons.”
Kitty knew of Abraham’s attempts to marry off his daughters and his frustration and despair that none of them would do as he said. She had heard of his stories and knew why he was doing it. The man loved his five daughters, no doubt about it. He just didn’t know how to show it. After his wife died he panicked and wanted someone to look after them in case the girls lost him.
Unfortunately, he chose men of wealth instead of character and most of them were no good. It caused a lot of trouble and the family was torn apart for a while. Only now were they starting to come back together. Only, Abraham was still feeling so very down.
Under the melancholy and all the mixed emotions about the way his daughters had gone about getting married, Abraham Matthews was a nice man. Kitty had had many sleepless nights simply from sitting up all night talking to him. He was an educated, interesting person. Kitty also discovered he had a wry sense of humor that had her laughing.
It had been a while since she had laughed properly.
“I bet it’s nice to have someone treat you with some respect,” Parker said with a smile. Then he straightened up when he heard a knock at the door. “Oh, that’s my appointment.”
“I’ll leave you to it, then.” Kitty went toward the door, still speaking over her shoulder as she opened it. “And I’ll let your wife know you’ll be a little late.”
Then she turned and stopped short. She looked up and stared at the man towering over her. Iron-gray hair hung down to his shoulders and continued into a full gray beard. As she looked up she saw the broadest shoulders she had ever seen. He was so big he almost filled the doorway. His dark blue eyes glinted as he stared down at her.
It couldn’t be. Surely it couldn’t. He was supposed to be in San Francisco, not in Rapid City. What was he doing here?
Kitty felt her heart sinking. This wasn’t going to go well for her. She was sure of it.
She gulped.
“Robert.”
Robert Michaels’ eyes widened, and then his expression cleared when he recognized her. He smirked.
“Well, well. Kitty Carmichael. I never thought you’d still be around.”
Kitty drew herself up to her full height and folded her hands in front of her, keeping her expression blank.
“Why would I have gone anywhere, Robert?”
“Oh, no reason.” Michaels smirked. “You’ve aged well.”
“I wish the same could be said about you,” Kitty shot back.
The room was starting to get cold. Kitty always felt icy around Robert Michaels. The man could suck the air out of the room.
Parker sat up, looking between them in confusion.
“You two know each other?”
Unfortunately, Kitty said in her head.
“Robert was a friend of your uncle’s,” she said stiffly. “He left about fifteen years ago to chase the gold mining.” She raised an eyebrow. “I take it that didn’t work out for you.”
Michaels chuckled.
“On the contrary, I’ve got enough to set me up in business.”
In business? That didn’t sound good.
“I shudder to think what that business will end up as,” she said snidely.
It was petty but Kitty had nothing left to give to Robert Michaels. He had been a nasty piece of work when her husband had been alive and it looked like, just from a few moments, nothing had changed. Anything he set up wouldn’t be good for anyone except himself.
But his next words had her heart sinking.
“I’m opening a saloon.” Michaels’ smirk seemed to twist. “This place is dead without one. A saloon will liven things up.”
Kitty could feel the stunned amazement from Parker behind her. She knew Michaels was saying that to antagonize her and it was working. She couldn’t believe what she was hearing. Michaels would set up a saloon to rival hers?
“But I run the saloon in town,” she pointed out.
Michaels snorted rudely.
“Who’s going to go to a saloon when the owner is a woman? That’s enough to put any man off his drink.”
Kitty stiffened.
“Everyone’s coped so far. Nobody’s complained about it.”
“That’s because it’s either that or stayin
g at home listening to the wife nagging at him.” Michaels entered the room, purposefully brushing against Kitty.
She stepped back abruptly, her skin crawling. Whether he did that to upset her or as an attempt to flirt, she had no idea. Either way, it made her queasy.
Parker had stood, his arms folded and a dark scowl on his face.
“So, you’re here to open a business account with regards to that saloon?” he said in a low voice.
Kitty recognized that voice. Parker didn’t use it often but when he did, everyone involved knew that someone was in deep trouble. For a genial man to get angry, especially someone like Parker, took a lot but it was worth the wait… Kitty was glad she had never been on the end of it.
Michaels either didn’t notice that Parker was angry or was too stupid to realize it. He simply cocked an eyebrow at the younger man.
“Is that a problem, Mr. Young?”
“It is if you’re openly insulting my aunt.” Parker’s eyes seemed to glow with his anger. “Aunt Kitty is one of the best businesspeople I’ve ever met. You don’t get to open anything in this bank if you insult my family.”
Kitty wasn’t expecting Michaels to give Parker an apology. He had never apologized for anything. So, she wasn’t surprised when Michaels looked amused at Parker’s reaction instead of chastised.
“You’d let me sleep with my money under my mattress?” he demanded. “Instead of putting it somewhere that should be safe?”
“If you don’t offer an apology to Aunt Kitty for your words right now, then yes, I would.”
But Kitty didn’t want an apology. She didn’t want anything fake, even if it was to appease Parker. He could fight his own battles; it was best to leave him to it. She picked up her purse and went to the door.
“I’ll leave you to it, Parker.” She glared at Michaels. “And you will not interfere with my business, Michaels.”
The last thing she saw was Michaels’ nasty grin as she closed the door.
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"Are you sure about this, Genie?"
Genie Ardmore glanced at Marie Donnelly as they waited on the platform. It was crowded, and there was very little room. For a moment, it seemed to Genie as if the whole town had turned out for this last train. They had moved back until they were tucked away against the fence right next to the station house. It seemed to be the only place they could find where they wouldn't be jostled and pushed. It would make it harder to get to the train, but Genie preferred to be where they were, instead of trying to get as close as she could to the track and then getting knocked in front of a train.
Those sorts of accidents were more likely to happen to her, or so it seemed!
"I'm positive." Genie pulled her coat tighter around her neck as the cold wind whipped across the dry and dusty ground. Fighting down a shudder she looked across at her sister. "I can't stay there any longer, Marie. You know how bad it's been lately with Father's temper. I'm not going to hang around and see it get blown to epic proportions."
Once John Ardmore found out what was happening, he would blow his top. For a second, Genie imagined steam coming out of his ears just like it did out the chimney of the steam train. Part of her wanted to laugh, but another part just wanted to run. Genie didn't want to be there when it happened. She had had enough of his temper and lashing out at her. As the youngest child and the only one still at home, Genie took the brunt of his rage. Squaring her shoulders and looking out across the crowded platform she knew... it was time to leave... before it was too late.
"I know... but leaving like this?" Her sister was still not looking sure about Genie's decision. "Father will go nuts."
Genie nodded, she had thought this through, and even though she hated being a coward, she knew this was the best way. "If I tell him face to face... that I'm leaving to get married to someone I've never met... he'll go nuts anyway and then he’ll lock me in my room." Genie shuddered at the thought. "He's been against me writing to David from the beginning. You don’t understand... but I want something for myself, not one of those rich snobs as a husband that Father's been parading in front of me." Genie shuddered. "Things are getting worse, Marie. You know it. I have to go."
Their father's temper had always been bad. He had kept his children under his roof and his control as long as he was able. Marie had been lucky. She had managed to find a man she loved. A man of good standing who passed John's inspections. Now she was happily married with six children. Their brother, Elliott, had gone the way of his father in terms of inheriting his temper. Genie feared the brother she had once cared for. They weren't close... not anymore.
Only it was Genie that John took things out on. She was still living at home and whenever she did the slightest thing wrong Genie would feel the wrath of John’s temper. Usually, he shouted and threw things around but recently he had started using his fists on her. The bruises were only just disappearing from the last episode, and it sometimes hurt to breath.
That was why Genie was desperate to escape. In despair, she had turned to the mail order bride advertisements. She wanted to get out of there before John forced her into a marriage she didn't want. Genie knew it was coming with the number of men who had been brought to the house pretending to see her father, only they spent more time with her. She didn't like them, and she didn't want that for herself. All the men he paired her with were his friends... they were like him, and she would not marry into something so awful. She was afraid of that, and yet she was more afraid of refusing him.
Genie did not know what she expected when she placed the advert. It had been a moment of fear, of anger and, once the replies started arriving, of hope. There were quite a few responses to her advert but one had stood out to her. David Gill. Genie had written back to him straight away and over the next seven weeks they had spoken through their letters and Genie felt they had bonded. She had told him all about her dreams and he had responded in kind. It seemed they had so much in common and could write back so easily. When David brought up the suggestion of marriage Genie agreed immediately. He seemed like the perfect man for her.
The only problem had been telling John Ardmore that she was going to marry someone in the Wild West. Genie knew it would have resulted in her being locked away until there was no more talk about marriage to an unruly cowboy. So, in desperation, Genie had done the only thing she could... she had packed what she could and got her sister to help her get out as soon as it got dark. By the time John opened the family bible and read the note Genie had left in there, Genie would be in Arizona.
She hoped.
"You'll be disowned if you do this," Marie pointed out.
Genie knew this. But she didn't care.
"As long as I'm out and away from him I'll be happy." She shivered as another gust of wind whipped around them. "I wish you could come with me."
"Don't worry about me." Marie hunched over in her coat and put an arm around her younger sister. “I’m out and I’m happy. Focus on yourself. You need to do that for once in your life. This David sounds like a really nice man. Perfect for you."
Genie couldn't help but smile.
"He is. And he wants someone to help out with his farm while he's in the forge. I'm not afraid of a little hard work."
"I know." Marie pulled away and picked up Genie's suitcase. "I'll cover for you when Father finds out."
"Thank you." Genie turned when she heard the sound of the train whistle. "There's my train."
Sure enough, the train was trundling its way down the track. Steam surrounded its approach and in the fading light it looked like a mythical beast come to sweep her away to a magical land. Now that it was really happening, Genie felt the apprehension in her stomach. She was taking a big step. Leaving the safety of her home and go
ing to the middle of nowhere, to marry a man she had never met in person and had only spoken to through letters. It was a big step for anyone to make and Genie momentarily found herself wondering if she had done the right thing.
Then she imagined the sight of her father’s fists and she knew it was right to leave. She shook herself and remembered that this was for her. She wasn't going to be ruled by her father anymore. This was her life... and Genie was going to make the most of it.
Marie helped her carry her two suitcases to the train and they found an empty compartment. Genie loaded her suitcases onto the rack and hopped back onto the platform. She exchanged a hug with her sister, trying to stop herself from holding on when she needed to let go.
She was going to miss her sister.
Marie was the one who pulled back first and kissed Genie's head.
"Good luck. I'll miss you."
"Same here." Genie wiped at her eyes with her sleeve. "I'll write as soon as I can."
Marie grinned.
"You might be a bit busy to write for the next week or so."
"Marie!"
It was then that Genie realized she had forgotten about one part of being a wife. Her cheeks flamed as she remembered the wedding night. Would David be expecting that straightaway? She hoped not. That was something she wasn't sure she could cope with.
Marie laughed and urged her into the carriage.
"On you go. And take care."
David Gill resisted the urge to pace. He didn't want to look impatient for that wouldn't be a good first impression. The last thing he wanted his new bride to see was how nervous he was. That would only put her on edge if she wasn't already.
Still, it was a nerve-wracking time. He had asked a virtual stranger to marry him! All David knew about Genie Ardmore was through their letters. She seemed like an upbeat, sweet woman who wanted to get away from her violent-tempered father. David's compassion had kicked in the minute he had read that but so had other feelings. The way she wrote about herself told David that Genie would be ideal to be his wife.