“I fed them,” Ruby said, laying out the dishes and silverware on the table. “I even went ahead and put them up, since I thought you’d be tired when you came home.”
“Thanks, Ruby, that was thoughtful.” Meg stood, watching her sisters work together preparing supper, weariness overwhelming her.
She couldn’t eat. She couldn’t even stand the smell of food they were cooking.
This new world they found themselves in was different without their father here to oversee everything. Always before they’d been waiting for his return. No longer would he walk through the door, his boisterous laugh filling the house with love.
Now it was all up to Meg, and she didn’t know what to do.
“We need to talk.” She sank down onto a chair at the table and let the fatigue seep from her bones. She felt like she was a hundred years old, and yet she wouldn’t be twenty for several more months.
Quickly, her sisters joined Meg around the table where the family had gathered for years to make decisions.
Meg took a deep breath. “Today at the bank, I moved the money out of Papa’s account and into one with my name on it. That doesn’t mean the money is mine, but ours. It was a total of one hundred and fifty dollars.”
The girls smiled.
“Thank God,” Ruby said, “I feared we would go hungry.”
“Me too,” Annabelle replied.
Meg shook her head. “It’s not good news. The balloon payment on the house and land is due in less than thirty days. We need double that amount to make the payment and buy food.”
“What did Papa do with his money?” Ruby asked.
Meg shrugged, times had always been tough, but in the last year a blown away barn and a late freeze had hurt their crops. Like a tide, money seemed to flow out, but never come back in.
“Papa spent more time around the farm and hadn’t worked as much. That’s why he went on this last trip. He needed money for the mortgage.”
“How are we going to make that kind of cash in the next thirty days?” Annabelle asked, her face white as she grasped the reality of their situation.
“I don’t have a clue,” Meg responded, wondering if her own face had gone white when the banker had delivered the news. “And the bank is refusing to loan us more money or give us an extension. We must pay the loan in the next thirty days or lose our home.”
Never one to sit still during a crisis, Annabelle jumped up and came back with a piece of clean paper and an ink quill.
“What are you doing?” Ruby asked, frowning at her sister like she’d lost her mind.
“I’m making a list of jobs for us to consider,” Annabelle replied, gazing at her younger sister like she was a fool. “We can either lose the farm or go to work.”
“Oh,” Ruby said, and Meg could almost see the wheels of her mind working as she sat with her chin in her hands gazing at her two sisters. “We could sell baked goods to wranglers passing through town.”
“Like we’re letting you anywhere near those men,” Annabelle replied, shaking her head but writing down the suggestion. “You’d be selling other goods.”
“Hey, that’s not fair,” Ruby responded.
Meg held up her hand to silence the outburst. “This will mean not only working in town, but also our normal chores here at the farm.”
As if there wasn’t enough to do around the farm already, now they would be working in town for eight to ten hours. But if they lost the farm, Meg didn’t know what they’d do.
Ruby frowned and glanced around the table at her sisters. “What kind of jobs can we get?”
“That’s why we’re making a list,” Annabelle responded quietly.
“Everyone give me ideas for a job,” Meg said, trying to keep them centered around how they could earn more money and not about the hopelessness of their situation.
“Saloon girl,” Ruby said with a giggle.
“Do you know the duties of a saloon girl?” Meg asked. She knew Ruby said it in jest, but still it was time this girl got the fantasies out of her head and faced the realities of the situation. Being a calico queen could only be a harsh life. She didn’t want her sisters in that situation.
Ruby stopped, her innocent eyes glancing at each of her sisters. “Not really. I think she just hangs out with the cowboys who come in, and they buy her a drink or dinner.”
Annabelle shook her head in disbelief and rolled her eyes.
Meg gazed at her youngest sister, who thought of herself as a woman but had no clue about real life. “It’s time you knew the truth. A saloon girl does exactly what you said, but her wage is paid by the cowboys who take her upstairs and have sex with her. She is paid every time she allows some man to crawl between her legs and fornicate with her. She’s subjected to disease and pregnancy. Is that the kind of life you want?”
“Ewww. No, that sounds dirty.”
“Stay away from the saloon, Ruby. I know you’re an innocent, but those men would take advantage of a young girl like you,” Annabelle said quietly.
“I will. So that leaves us with, waitress, cook, housekeeper, and dressmaker,” Ruby said, a frown on her beautiful face. “Like someone is going to hire us. We’re the trouble making McKenzie girls.”
So they were known around town as being unique—Meg because she wore men’s clothing, Annabelle because she never let the mercantile man overcharge them, and Ruby because she liked to kiss boys. They each dealt with the realities of life the best way they could.
“Speak for yourself,” Annabelle replied.
“Your turn, Annabelle,” Meg said, ignoring them. Ever since Deke brought their father home, they had fought like two cats in a hen house. Never before had they sparred quite so much.
“She took all the jobs. The only thing I can think of is accountant—like the bank would hire one of us to take care of their books,” Annabelle said.
“There’s always marriage,” Meg acknowledged, watching the expressions on her sisters’ faces. They often dreamed of a man who would sweep them off their feet, professing his love for them. But did life really happen like that? “Who are the eligible bachelors in the area? I know it doesn’t sound ideal, but we’re not bad looking. We don’t have a dowry, but we’ve got a nice little farm. Surely some man would want to marry one of us.”
“That’s not going to get us a husband,” Ruby replied. “They want a pretty woman who makes them feel like a man. Someone dependent on him for her every need.”
Meg didn’t know where Ruby got her ideas about what men wanted. She refused to believe that was what a man wanted in a woman. She wanted to think there was more, so much more, that a man looked for in his wife. “Well, I’m not donning a fancy dress or going to a saloon or batting my eyes at anyone.”
“Who are the available bachelors?” Annabelle asked, twirling the quill in her fingers as she thought. “Ugh, there’s Jimmy Brown, the hog farmer. I’d rather starve. He can’t seem to quite get the pig smell off him.”
Annabelle was ever the practical one. She always wanted a list to see what her options were before she made her decision. Yet, Meg feared the men that were here were slim pickings and a girl could do better looking outside of town.
Ruby smiled, “Don’t forget Bill and Bobby Saunders, the twins.”
“Oh, please, they aren’t men. They’re Mama’s boys. I wouldn’t marry them if they were the last available men in the state of Texas,” Meg assured, shaking her head and gazing at Ruby like she’d lost her mind. “I can out shoot, out ride, and out smart them anytime.”
Ruby shrugged. “Maybe that’s a good thing.”
“I refuse to take care of any man. He is either my equal, or he’s not my husband,” Meg replied. She’d raised two sisters; she wasn’t raising a husband. She wanted a man who would treat her like an equal and was a man’s man. Not a sissy. Someone like…Sheriff Zach Gillepsie.
“Who else,” Annabelle asked. “Who’s available that we would want to marry?”
“The banker’s son, Jo
seph Clark,” Meg said.
“He’s a dandy.” Annabelle quivered with revulsion, a grimace on her beautiful face.
“But you’d have money,” Ruby responded, drawing out the last word. “I’ll check him out.”
“I just bet you will,” Annabelle said softly.
“Hey, I’m your sister. You’re supposed to be on my side.”
“Yeah, I know,” Annabelle mocked. “And you’re crazy about boys. Don’t you dream about love? About a man courting you and professing his undying love for you?”
“That’s why I want a man. Not boys,” Ruby snapped, her blue eyes flashing daggers at Annabelle. “And good luck finding any sod buster from around here that would profess his undying love for you.”
“Stick to the plan,” Meg reminded them, not really wanting to share the one name she’d thought about. She’d been thinking about him for a while now, but she seldom went into town, and when she did, she looked more like a man than a woman. Why would he be interested in her?
Annabelle looked down at the list. “I’m like Meg. I don’t want any man I have to defend if there was a problem. Joey, as they call him, couldn’t shoot to save his life.”
“But his money could buy you security.”
“I’d also have to sleep with him, and I’m not marrying a yellow belly,” Annabelle said, giving Ruby a quelling look.
“Come on, girls, isn’t there anything else we can do or someone we can marry?” Meg asked. “Is there no one on that list that interests either of you?”
Not that she wanted to marry them off, but they were down to the blanket in money, and she’d rather they had husbands than become a painted cat.
“There’s that new sheriff, Zach Gillepsie. He’s got a good job, and he’s not half bad on the eyes,” Annabelle suggested, raising her brows at Meg. “I saw you flirting with him in town last week.”
Meg glanced at Annabelle. Yes, she’d flirted a little with Zach, and he’d seemed to reciprocate her attention. Would he consider marrying her and taking on her two sisters and herself?
Ruby raised her brows at Meg. “I didn’t think you had it in you, Meg.”
“Why? Because I dress like a man?” she growled, raising her voice in frustration. For being so smart, her youngest sister could say the stupidest things.
“No, I just wasn’t sure you wanted a husband and children.”
“And just when do you think I would have had the time or the opportunity to show I’m interested in courting? Deke is the only man who has come around here, except for Papa. I seldom go into town,” she replied, her voice raised, and her eyes focused on her bratty sister. “I’m still a girl with dreams.”
A hush fell over the table, and Meg sighed and waited a moment, trying to quell her frustration with her youngest sister. “What’s the plan? Are we looking for husbands or getting jobs?”
“I’m looking for a job,” Annabelle declared. “There’s not a man on that list who’s worth having, except for Zach, and you’ve got dibs on him. Maybe if Deke returns.”
Annabelle turned her gaze on Ruby with a do-not-mess-with-me glare.
Ruby gave her a smirk. “Deke is mine.”
“No ring,” Annabelle reminded her.
Ruby raised her brows and gave her a haughty look. “Believe me, when I tell you I know just how to get Mr. Culver.” She smiled a knowing sneer. “You don’t stand a chance.”
“You little witch!” Annabelle spat.
“Stop it, you two!” Meg exclaimed. “We’re in serious trouble. Unless you want to make your living on your backs, then you need to pay attention and quit fighting over Deke. I doubt he would have either one of you.”
Meg didn’t know if that was true or not, but she was tired of listening to the two of them argue over a man she really didn’t think was all that interested in either one of them. And they’d both acted like a fool over him the last time he was here. Poor man would probably never return.
“I’m keeping my options open on the men. There may be one who comes along I take a hankering to. But in the meantime, I’ll see what kind of job I can get,” Ruby said, turning her face away from Annabelle and speaking directly to Meg.
“Good. I’m going to find a job,” Meg said.
“What about Zach?” Annabelle asked.
Zach was an unknown. Yes, he was a man she could consider tying herself to, but if he wasn’t interested, then she’d need a back-up plan. Hell, maybe she needed both. All she knew for sure was she needed someone to help her save the farm.
“I’ll talk to Zach and, if I get the feeling he might be interested, I’ll ask him about marriage,” Meg replied. “So all three of us are going to town tomorrow to find jobs.”
“Looks like it,” Annabelle confirmed, laying the quill down.
Ruby sighed and put her chin in her hand. “A job. I can’t believe I’m going to work.”
“And what a lovely little waitress you’ll make.” Annabelle teased her.
“I wouldn’t be making fun of me. You might be the one with the waitress job, while I’m working at the mercantile or something more lucrative.”
“I didn’t know being a scullery maid was such a lucrative job.”
“What’s a scullery maid?”
“You clean and scour the floor, stoves, dishes.”
“Ewww. It’s bad enough doing that here. I hope I find something better,” Ruby said.
They all laughed. It was good to hear laughter once again in the house. Papa was gone. They would always miss him just like they missed their mother, but for the first time in days, Meg felt more secure about the future. They had a plan. They had a focus. And now they could start working to pay off the bank.
Ruby couldn’t believe she was working for one of the richest families in the town. Scrubbing floors and cleaning the outhouse wasn’t what she dreamed of doing for the rest of her life. But there were times a girl had to help the family, and this was one of those times.
After her father’s death, losing the farm would be like her parents dying all over again. In all of her life, she’d never felt so devastated as when her father had passed. She barely remembered her mother, and now her father was dead.
She wrung out the rags in the pail of water and once again applied the wet soapy cloth to the floor. On her hands and knees, she scrubbed the floor and hummed as she worked. Frankly, cleaning the outhouse could only be compared to scrubbing the chicken coop at home. And knowing Meg, Ruby would still be required to clean up after those nasty chickens. When she was rich with a family of her own, she’d never make her children do such horrible jobs. She’d never have a job cleaning outhouses and chicken coops.
“Hi,” a deep male voice called from behind her.
She jumped at his greeting and then glanced up from her place on the floor. It was Clay Mullens, the owner’s oldest son, a bachelor of approximately eighteen years of age. “You’re new,” he said, his brown eyes twinkling.
Tall with a dark curl of hair coming across his forehead, he was the type of man any girl would want. And suddenly Ruby wondered why she and her sisters had forgotten to put him on their list? Maybe because he was way out of their social range. His father was even richer than the banker. There was no way a Mullens’ boy would find himself marrying one of the McKenzie girls.
She rose from the floor and curtsied. “Yes. My name is Ruby.”
He reached out to shake her hand, and she stepped back. “Oh no, I’ve been cleaning the floor. My hands are nasty.”
He laughed and grabbed her hand. “Nice to meet you, Ruby. I’m not afraid of a little dirt.”
His flesh felt warm and soft, and his smile had probably broken many hearts. Slowly, he released her hand. She couldn’t help noticing the way his eyes were trained on her breasts, and for a moment, a nervous tremor went through her. She was being silly. He was just an immature boy who was curious about the female body.
She smiled at him. He was very nice on the eyes and had a pleasant smile and so far a ni
ce personality.
“You don’t look like you’re old enough to be out of school,” he commented.
“I finished this year,” she said, feeling uncomfortable. If the news of how she’d been expelled got around, she could lose this job, and her sisters needed her pay.
“What about you?” she asked. “Are you in school?”
He sat down on the edge of the table in the kitchen. “I’m going back East to attend college this fall. Until then, I’m having fun.”
“Sounds lovely,” she responded, wishing her life were so simple.
“Not as lovely as you,” he flirted.
“Why, thank you, kind sir,” she responded, giving him her best coquettish smile. “I probably should get back to work before you get me fired.”
“Oh, you’re not getting fired. I’ll make certain of that,” he promised.
She heard his mother calling his name and watched as a frown appeared on his face. He glanced one more time at her.
“That’s a summons from my mother, so I’d better respond.” He stood and winked at her. “See you around.”
She winked back at him. “Later.”
Well, at least the scenery would be nice while she worked around here.
“Someday my dress designs will be in windows, and women will be ordering their wardrobe from me,” Meg yelled and slammed the door. Bitches! The urge to take out her gun and pepper her initials in their wall was overwhelming, but she resisted.
Moisture welled up in her eyes, and she clenched her hands so tight her fingernails cut into her palms to keep the tears from falling. No tears. She refused to give in to this weakness here in the middle of Main Street.
Why could no one see the real Meg hidden inside? Why could they not see the woman she longed to become? Why did no one want to give her a chance?
She walked down the wooden sidewalk, her boots making clunking noises as she stomped away from the ladies’ shop. They didn’t believe she could sew. They didn’t believe she had an eye for women’s fashion. And yet, she couldn’t argue with them. She didn’t own a dress. Since she’d turned sixteen, she’d given up her only dress to Annabelle because it dragged in the mud when Meg worked around the farm. But that didn’t mean she didn’t long to wear pretty dresses and be considered a lady. That didn’t mean she couldn’t sketch a beautiful outfit, design the pattern, and then sew the dress, complete with lace tatting.
Lipstick and Lead Series: The Complete Box Set With a Bonus Book Page 4