The Bounty Hunter Page 6

  “I remember those days fondly.” In a few words, the judge revealed his connection to this woman in another capacity.

  Helena looked away, but then seemed to gather her courage and faced both men. “That was another life. I have a different life now. It’s good.”

  So far Nate hadn’t seen a thing that indicated there was anything other than dancing, poker and drinking going on in this establishment. But he now knew firsthand that Lily Divine was a master at deception. He had no doubt that she was hiding everything she didn’t want him to see.

  He moved to stand in front of the bar, and his gaze was drawn to the painting on the back wall. He’d glanced at it before but hadn’t wanted to stare while the room was filled with patrons. Now he took a good look and recognized Lily.

  A slow heat started inside and worked its way to his extremities. Lily…naked. He couldn’t say he’d never imagined Lily without her clothes on. She was a beautiful woman, and he was a man. But until today he’d fought back every last thought of her as a woman and worked hard to see her as a business owner, someone he had to deal with as part of his job.

  There was nothing hiding her femininity in the portrait. Breasts he’d glimpsed today were proudly displayed for any and all to view. Her skin seemed to glow, and her hair looked as though she’d just been made love to.

  And that smile. Nate experienced it all the way to places he couldn’t afford to have involved.

  Lily came from the rear hallway just then, carrying a tray of sandwiches and a bowl of apples. Lily’s gaudy appearance today still startled him. Even during the evenings in which she worked in the saloon, he’d never seen her wear a costume like the other girls or known her to wear color on her face. Today’s appearance was all part of an elaborate ruse.

  And it had worked.

  The black-haired girl was conspicuously missing from the dance hall, but so were several of the others. He’d bet anything that if he went upstairs in the adjoining house at that moment, he’d find Violet in the same room she’d occupied before. Probably scrubbing her face and removing padding from her clothing.

  Lily set one of the tables and placed a platter of savory-smelling meat and stuffing in the center. The judge moved to take a place and eat.

  The saloon owner then approached Nate. She glanced from the painting to his face, her composure undisturbed. “Please join the judge. Dinner is on the house.” She studied him a moment. “You didn’t tell the judge.”

  “About what?”

  “About…anything.”

  “He didn’t ask about anything.”

  She placed her hand over the back of his then, her fingers warm and soft. She’d probably caressed a hundred men far more intimately, but regardless, his chest ached with the sweetness of her touch and the disturbing thoughts that followed.

  “Thank you,” she said.

  The shape of her lips, the feminine scent that enveloped her, the feelings she caused inside him all warred with the knowledge of who she was and how she made her living.

  But the fact that she wasn’t ashamed of anything about her life was what tipped his confidence. He looked at her and saw the woman in the painting.

  He was asking for a lot of trouble.

  CHAPTER FOUR

  EACH DAY breakfast was served at ten in the kitchen of the house. After the dance hall closed, Lily’s help worked late into the night cleaning up, so their mornings didn’t start early. Occasionally there were a few hangovers, but as a general rule, none of her help drank overmuch.

  This morning the girls were cheerful, mostly because of the scheme they’d pulled over on Violet’s father.

  “I din’t say nothin’, Miss Lily,” Saul told her proudly.

  Lily had suffered pangs of remorse about instructing Big Saul to say nothing about Violet. She felt as though she were encouraging a child to lie, but she hadn’t been willing to risk that the big fellow would unwittingly give away Violet’s whereabouts. “It’s never good to lie, Saul, but we had to protect Violet, you understand?”

  He nodded. “Yes’m.”

  “I think we should get in the habit of addressing our newest friend by a different name, though,” Lily suggested. “That is, if you’re planning to stay with us.” She looked to their latest boarder. “Are you?”

  Violet nodded. “Oh, yes. I’d very much like t’ stay. Thank you.”

  “What shall we call you?” Mollie asked.

  Violet blinked as she thought. “Well…” Her fresh dark hair and bangs made her eyes look very blue. The area around one was still pitifully discolored. “I’ve always thought Francesca was a pretty name.”

  “Very French,” Helena agreed with a nod.

  “And it goes with the dark hair,” Celeste added.

  “Francesca it is, then,” Lily said. “Ladies and gentlemen, meet Miss Francesca Dumont.”

  Thomas stood and bowed in a sweeping gesture. “I shall have to write a song in your honor, Miss Francesca.”

  Violet stood, in keeping with the good nature of the naming ceremony, and made a curtsy. “Thank you, all of you.” She wiped appreciative tears from her eyes. Her chin trembled for an instant before she said, “I’ll work to repay my debt.”

  “You have no debt,” Lily hastened to tell her. “You’ve already been pitching in, so I figure you started your new job a few days ago. You’ll earn your keep, plus get paid at the end of the week just like everyone else. But we do have rules to abide by.” She thought a moment. “Normally the help is allowed two free drinks a night if they want them.”

  “You cain’t save ’em up, though,” Old Jess said with a wink.

  Everyone in the gathering chuckled.

  “But you’re too young, so no drinking for you.” Lily made a point of looking to Old Jess to make sure he understood her edict. He nodded his compliance.

  “No men upstairs,” Helena said, continuing the rule list.

  Violet’s cheeks reddened, and the women laughed.

  “It’s funny, is it not?” Mollie asked. “Half the townspeople think this is a bordello, but there are no men allowed.”

  “It’s a good rule,” Helena said. “This is a place for second chances. There are many of us who appreciate feeling safe and being free of men.”

  “We honor privacy,” Lily told her. “No one enters another’s room without permission. If you want to borrow something, you ask. If you need anything, you come to me. Anyone caught stealing will be asked to leave.”

  “It’s like family,” Rosemary told Violet. “Closest thing most of us ever had, in fact.”

  The others agreed with nods.

  “Chores are divided up monthly, and Helena is in charge of that schedule,” Lily continued. She glanced from one woman to the next before she spoke again. “I think Francesca is too young to dance with the customers. How will the rest of you feel if she doesn’t share that part of the work?”

  “She can wash glasses and help Old Jess clean up,” Mollie suggested.

  The others agreed.

  “I want to do my share,” Violet said with a worried frown.

  “If you are still here in a year or two, you may dance and play cards with the customers,” Helena said. “For now you are too young.”

  Lily was pleased that the others shared her belief. “Never leave the dance hall with anyone,” she cautioned. “If a man approaches you, alert me or Jess or Saul, and we’ll handle the situation.”

  Violet nodded her understanding, and Celeste gave her a hug.

  “Thank you so much.” Emotion laced Violet’s voice.

  “We have a garden in a plot of land Miss Lily owns at the end of the street,” Helena told Violet. “We’re weeding this afternoon, and you can help. Is your bonnet finished?”

  “Mollie has it cut out, but I’ll lend her one of mine,” Lily said.

  “Prepare for the church ladies to walk past and ignore us or scorn us with dirty looks,” Rosemary told her.

  Violet’s blue gaze was questioning. “The ch
urch ladies?”

  The women launched into an explanation of the Women’s Temperance Prayer League’s recent mission, so Lily removed herself to find a bonnet for Violet. When she returned, she found the girl alone, and used the opportunity to speak with her.

  “What about school?” she asked. “Do you normally attend?”

  “I went when I was small,” Violet replied. “But then my father kept me home to work.” A look of anxiety came over her features. “Please don’t ask me to go,” she said. “I’m older than all those children.”

  “Can you read and write?”

  “Pretty much.”

  “Can you figure numbers?”

  “I’m not very good at numbers. But they’d all laugh at me, Miss Lily. Please. Please don’t ask me to go.”

  “It’s okay, I understand. You don’t have to go to school. But I think you should work on writing and numbers every day. I’ll order the proper books for you. I don’t believe it has to be a woman’s plight to birth a baby every year or be cook and laundress to a man and his hired help. You don’t have to depend on a man to take care of you. Women end up in bad situations because they don’t know any other way.”

  “I’ve heard some of the girls talk about how they got by before,” Violet said. “It’s a harsh living, they said.”

  “If that’s not what you want, then you have to learn to take care of yourself.”

  Violet looked at her with admiration. “Like you do?”

  “Plenty of western women are working on ranches and running shops of their own. If you’re not lazy and you’re smart, you can take care of yourself. We all need other people, don’t get me wrong. But we need the right kind of people and the right help.”

  “You’re a smart lady, Miss Lily. I’ll listen to whatever you say.”

  “I hope I’m worthy of your praise,” she replied and gave the girl a hug. “Now get along with the others.”

  Violet hurried to join the women, and Lily locked herself in her small study, where she kept the ledgers and a safe. After an hour of work, she carried a deposit to the bank.

  Amos Douglas spotted her from where he sat with his office door open and came out to greet her. “Good day, Miss Divine. I understand you had a bit of excitement at your place when Judge Adams was in town.”

  She tried to avoid him, but it seemed the man looked for opportunities to talk to her. She tried to gloss over the incident. “It was a misunderstanding, but it’s all smoothed over now.”

  “That’s good. May I have a word with you in my office?”

  Lily glanced around. She had a particular aversion to this man. She’d seen the way he treated his wife and held no respect for him. He might have power in the town, but if there was another bank, she’d move her money quick as the shake of a lamb’s tail. “I guess so.”

  He ushered her in and closed the door.

  “What’s on your mind?” she asked.

  “Please, have a seat. I’m just wondering if you’re considering improvements to the Shady Lady.”

  She sat on the edge of a chair. “Improvements?”

  “Yes. You know, new tables and chairs, perhaps a renovation to bring the place up to date.”

  “None of the furnishings are that old, Mr. Douglas. I outfitted the dance hall when I took it over—that was just seven years ago.”

  “Yes, well, one does want to keep up, the competition being what it is and all.”

  Lily knew all about her competition, and it wasn’t fancy fixtures or decorations that drew customers to the other two saloons. “I think we’re faring well enough.”

  “Should you need to expand or even build another place, I’d be pleased to help you with finances. Just keep that in mind. Your credit is always good at my bank.”

  “Thanks, but I don’t need credit. You’re certainly aware that the Shady Lady makes a tidy profit every week.”

  “Indeed. And a shrewd businessman expands into more property and more businesses.”

  “What kind of business would you suggest I invest in? I’m not one of the most popular people in Thunder Canyon right now, you know. I don’t know how much support I’d have.”

  “You would have my support.”

  “Well, thanks.” Eager to get away from him, Lily stood.

  “Miss Divine, be aware that my wife is not one of those militant do-gooders working to shut down your business.”

  “I am aware.” She knew more about his wife than Amos Douglas thought she did. “Thank you.”

  Catherine Douglas was one of the few women in Thunder Canyon who’d been here for years and wasn’t part of the newly formed resistance. Because of their husbands’ businesses, it was unwise for any of the wives to try to hurt Lily’s, but it would probably be most unwise for the wife of the banker. Half of Lily’s savings were held in this bank. And she was sure that even if Catherine had a mind to join the Intolerants—which Lily knew for a fact she didn’t—this man would discourage her any way he saw fit.

  “Well, have a lovely day. Should you need anything, don’t hesitate to come see me.”

  His eagerness to lend her money was strange, but not uncommon. He’d said similar things on more than one occasion. Lily shrugged it off. He knew how much money she held in his bank, and she suspected he wanted a chance to dip into some of it. The day she asked him for anything would be a frigid day in hell.

  At the end of the street, her ladies were weeding the garden in the afternoon sun. Lily stopped to visit with them and look over the summer vegetables. “What is that you have there, Francesca?”

  Violet held up a basket of ripe red tomatoes.

  “I’ll look forward to those at dinner.”

  Out of the corner of her eye, she caught movement at the mercantile as the shade was drawn down over the window. Probably not as much to hold out the afternoon sun as to shield Blythe Shaw from their contaminating presence, she thought, and chalked up the rudeness to those Bible thumpers.

  Beatrice Gibbs exited the mercantile just then, turned her face aside and walked past. Lily watched the woman approach the sheriff’s office.

  “I’ll have cold lemonade ready when you get back,” Lily told the women and made her way home.

  A TELEGRAM HAD BEEN DELIVERED to Nate that morning, and he read it over again. It was from the governor, asking for a report on the Brand girl. Nate hated paperwork, but it appeared as though the law was taking the situation seriously, and it was his duty to respond with the facts so the governor could make an informed decision.

  He looked up from the stack of papers on his desk as the door opened and a buxom woman in a blue dress and matching hat entered the jail office.

  He stood.

  “How do you do, Sheriff,” she said affably. “I’m Mrs. Peyton Gibbs, the mayor’s wife.”

  “How do, ma’am.”

  “I trust you’ve found your lodging adequate.”

  “The boarding house is fine, yes.”

  “That’s nice. I understand you’re thinking about purchasing a house?”

  “That’s so.”

  “Well, that’s just lovely. There’s nothing like one’s own home to make one feel at home, is there?”

  She’d just spoken in circles, but he nodded as though she’d made sense.

  “I’d like to make you feel more welcome and invite you to our home for dinner tomorrow evening. The mayor and I desire to get acquainted with you.”

  “Thank you, ma’am. That would be nice.”

  “Lovely. Seven o’clock, then. It’s the big house with the red shutters on First Street.”

  “I’ll be there.”

  She turned and swept out of the office with a swish of skirts, like a queen making a royal exit.

  Nate moved to peer out the window, observing that she passed the garden lot across the street without so much as acknowledging the women who toiled in the sun.

  His gaze took in the rows of beans and mounds of blossoming melon plants. He’d noticed the well-tended garden right
off, and after inquiring about the owner found it no surprise that the property belonged to Lily Divine. Quite an ingenious watering system had been set up, with troughs fed by a mountain stream in the nearby hillside.

  The women from the Shady Lady didn’t seem to notice that Mrs. Gibbs had passed by without a greeting or sideways glance—or if they had, they had ignored her as well.

  Mitch Early paused on his way past the garden, and Celeste offered a smile. The two spoke for a moment, and then Mitch backed away with a jerky wave. Celeste shaded her eyes with a hand and watched as he passed to the other side of the street on his errand.

  One of the other women must have teased her, because Celeste picked up a dirt clod and tossed it at her.

  Nate had been in hundreds of frontier towns, had frequented his share of saloons and dance halls, and he’d never given much thought to the women who worked in them.

  He’d never stayed in one place long enough to notice the distance regulated by the other women or the lowly place the saloon girls had been given in society. Working women were a class all their own, but a fact of life. They followed mining camps and railroad construction and westward expansion and were simply a part of western civilization.

  Maybe he should feel bad that he hadn’t held any convictions one way or the other about them. It sure seemed to matter now, and a big part of his job hinged on them.

  Nate didn’t think about women much, period. At least, he hadn’t until he’d met Lily Divine and her houseful of soiled doves. If ever he had need of a woman, he didn’t think, he just took care of the itch. There’d only been one woman he’d ever let into his head—and his heart. And that had been a lifetime ago.

  Being in Thunder Canyon was the new life he’d wanted, though. Now he had to deal with it.

  THE FOLLOWING EVENING Nate paid for a bath and a shave, then dressed in the best clothes he owned, dark trousers and a white shirt and string tie. He walked to the Gibbses’ home.

  A slender girl with a white apron over her dress and a matching cap covering her red hair answered the door. She took his hat and ushered him into the parlor.