by Barbara Goss
“I wasn’t aware of that,” Jesse said as he packed up the remnants of their picnic. “In some towns like El Paso and Cheyenne there are houses called brothels. Those women are the ones I thought decent people stayed away from.”
“According to Sophia, saloon women are loose women who earn money by flirting outrageously with men. That, according to my sister, is not proper or socially acceptable behavior.
“Sophia also said women who work in saloons could never marry a decent man. Not that I’m interested in marriage.”
“Why don’t you want to marry someday?” Jesse asked.
“Because most husbands have to be the boss, and the wives are nothing more to them than glorified housekeepers and baby factories.”
“I guess I’ve been away too long.” Jesse stuffed the lunch bag into his saddlebag. He returned to the tablecloth and said, “What should we do now? We still have an entire hour.”
“Let’s take off our shoes and socks and wade in the brook,” Charlie suggested.
Jesse laughed, but then he said, “Sure, why not?”
The couple danced in the cold water, but they didn’t stay in long. Jesse moved the tablecloth into the sun, and they laid on it so their feet and legs could dry.
“Do you ever wear a dress?” Jesse asked. “I’ve never seen you in one.”
“I had one on at the wedding, but I don’t think you gave me a second glance.”
“Oh, yes. I do remember. Not that you don’t look fetching in pants.”
“I’m not wearing pants. It’s a split skirt riding outfit.”
“Looks like pants to me.”
She squinted up at him since the sun was shining on her. “If you’d come to church on Sunday’s, you’d see me in a dress.”
Jesse sprang up. “Church? No, not me.”
“Don’t you believe in God, Jesse?”
“Um... er... I never gave it much thought. I think there must be someone in charge, but I know nothing about religion. I ran into a Bible-thumping, circuit-riding preacher once on the trail. We roasted a pheasant together. He preached and preached to me, but I fell asleep. We parted in the morning, but before he left, the preacher said, ‘I’ll be praying for your soul, Jesse Morgan.’”
“Sophia has Sean going to church. He seems to like it well enough.”
“Just between you and me? I can’t go to church or have anything to do with religion because I’ve killed men.”
“But—” Charlie tried to tell him about God’s forgiveness, but Jesse cut her off.
“It’s time to go back,” he said. He helped her to stand before packing the tablecloth away.
Sophia sat on the settee with her head on Sean’s shoulder. “Do you think Jesse and Charlie could come to love each other on the trip to Cheyenne?”
“Yes, I do.” Sean kissed the top of her head. Sophia and Sean had become closer lately, but they still hadn't consummated their marriage. Sean thought it might happen when Charlie was on her way to Cheyenne.
“Hmm.” Sophia moved closer to Sean. “That would be perfect. I’d still have my sister living in Sunset Creek but not in our house. She’d live with Jesse as his wife. I hope it happens.”
“I’ve been praying that it will,” Sean said.
“You’re praying?”
“Yes. You’re a good influence on me. I enjoyed the church services, too.”
“Oh, Sean! That’s wonderful. I think we should start praying before we eat, too.”
“That would be all right as long as the prayers are short since I’m usually starving.”
They both laughed, and Sean pulled her closer.
Jesse packed his necessities for the trip to Cheyenne. They were to leave the day after next. He’d stopped at Judd’s to ensure Judd would keep an eye on his place while he traveled. He opened his private safe which was hidden inside a high, empty kitchen cupboard and removed twenty dollars. He thought it would be enough to cover any expenses he might have. He closed the safe and began making himself some supper. He’d just opened a can of soup when someone knocked on the door, which surprised him since he lived so far from anyone. Who would call on him?
He opened to door to Delia, dressed in a feathery, pink outfit. She was wearing makeup, and feathers in her hair, too. Jesse was too shocked for words.
“Can I come in?” she asked.
“I’m sorry.” He held the door wide so she could walk in.
“I stopped by before work. I need to talk to you.” She pointed at his settee in the sitting room. “Can we sit?”
After they had settled on the settee, he said, “What’s up?”
She pressed her red lips together before blurting, “Are we a couple?”
“What?” Jesse shook his head. “No, we’re friends.”
Delia pouted. “We’ve been having lunch together for over two weeks; I'd call that courting.”
“We’re friends. You’re beautiful, so I asked you to have lunch with me. I wanted to get to know you better, is all. I’m not courting anyone. If a friendly lunch is courting, I wasn’t aware of it.”
Delia moved closer to Jesse. “People saw us meeting at the general store every day. People will gossip if you don’t propose soon.”
“Propose?” Jesse nearly choked on the word. “Hel—Heck, I’m not ready to marry yet. I’d need to get to know you a lot more than I do now before I propose.”
Delia started weeping into her handkerchief. “I’ll be the laughingstock of the entire town.”
Jesse stood. “I don’t believe this.” He paced the floor while Delia cried. Jesse looked closely, and he didn’t see a single tear. Why would she do that? He knew she wasn’t in love with him, so what could she want? His property? His money? He’d kept a low profile around town. He didn’t even use the bank, keeping a safe for his money instead.
“Delia,” he said finally, “why can’t we just remain good friends?”
Delia stood and moved closer to him. Before he could move away, she threw her arms around his neck. “Take me. I’m yours.”
“What’s going on in here?” a male voice shouted.
Jesse pushed Delia off of him. “Roy! What are you doing here?”
“You’ve just compromised my sister-in-law. I’ll expect a marriage settlement by the end of the week.”
“Your sister-in-law? You never let on that you knew her at the saloon. What’s going on? If you think I’m falling for this con job... it’s as old as the hills. I never touched Delia, and you both know it. And I didn’t invite her here tonight, either.”
Jesse gazed at Delia, hoping she’d defend him, but she just stood there with her hands to her mouth. “Tell him, Delia,” he said, but Delia ran from the house. Several moments later, he heard her horse galloping away.
“If you want a fight over this, Roy Barkley, put’em up,” Jesse said, his fists raised and ready to fight.
“I’ll fight you in court.” Roy stormed out of the house and slammed the door behind him.
Jesse covered his eyes with his hands. What had he gotten himself into?
Chapter Seven
A pounding on the door woke Jesse abruptly. He peeked at the window through half-open eyes to see that the sun was just cresting the horizon. He shook his head to clear it. Living away from other people as he did made him wonder because no one ever knocked on the door except for Judd. The thought made him spring up. Maybe Judd had an emergency. He jumped from the bed and slid on his britches. As he ran to the front door, he pulled on a shirt and yanked the door open to find Delia.
He sighed loudly. “What in blazes do you want?”
Delia looked contrite. “I came to apologize for last night.”
Jesse hastily buttoned his shirt. “Apology accepted. Now, please leave.”
“Jesse, let me explain,” she said as she tried to keep him from shutting the door. “Please.”
Jesse let out a louder sigh and let Delia in. He pulled out a kitchen chair. “I’d offer you coffee, but I haven’t had time
to make it yet.”
“It was all Roy’s idea. I did something bad a year or so ago, and he told me to get you to the altar or he’d turn me into the sheriff.”
Jesse nodded, giving her a knowing look. “This all began the night we met. How could you play me like that?”
“I hated doing it. I do care for you, but I don’t want to go to prison or be hanged either.”
“What in blazes did you do?”
Delia traced the pattern of the wood grain on the table. She looked up at him. Her bottom lip quivered. “I killed a man.”
Jesse thought she was either telling the truth or a mighty fine actress. He reached over and patted her hand. “It’s fine. I won’t say anything to anyone, but there is no way we can ever be more than friends. I could never trust you again.”
“No, Jesse, I have feelings for you. Please, give me another chance.”
Jesse stood and walked to the door. He opened it and said, “Thank you for stopping by, Delia.”
Delia put on her least exotic clothes—a dark blue skirt and a ruffled, white blouse. They were the clothes in which she had traveled in to Sunset Creek. She rode out to Sean’s place and knocked on the door with her clean, white-gloved hands.
Sean was the only one besides Charlie who knew her as a saloon woman, so she hoped he wouldn’t answer the door. Fortunately, it was Charlie who answered. “Why, hello, Delia. Won’t you come inside?”
“Um...” Delia gazed around the area. “Is there a quiet place where we can talk?”
“I guess we could sit down by the creek.” Charlie stepped out of the house and led the way. She was wearing her riding outfit, so Delia figured she'd planned to go somewhere or had just returned.
They sat on a log near the creek. Charlie gazed up at her with a curious look. “What’s up?”
“I’ve battled with myself for days over this—should I tell Charlie, or shouldn’t I?”
Charlie’s eyebrows raised.
“Don’t trust Jesse Morgan. He’s only out for one thing from women. He tried it with me, and I’m finished with him. Just because I work in a saloon doesn’t mean he can take liberties. It was a good thing Roy walked in, or he’d have had his way with me.”
“That’s strange,” Charlie said. “He’s never even tried to hold my hand. I trust him; I have to—he’s escorting me to Cheyenne tomorrow. We leave at dawn. Sean would never allow me to go with him if he thought Jesse wasn’t a gentleman.”
Delia brushed imaginary lint from her skirt. “Don’t take my word for it. The other girls at the saloon can vouch that what I’m saying is true. They’ve all been with him.”
Charlie shrugged. “Why not? He’s single.”
Delia stood. “Well, don’t say I didn’t warn you. Have a wonderful trip.” She went back to her horse and rode away.
While Charlie doubted Delia’s truthfulness, she still had a strange feeling in the pit of her stomach, and she wondered why. Jesse and she were friends and nothing more, still, Delia’s words had stung somewhat.
She returned to the house to wash dishes. Sophia was upstairs making beds, and Sean was in the barn. Still feeling uneasy about Delia’s words, she threw down the washrag and went out to the barn.
“Sean?” she called, gazing around while her eyes adjusted to the darkness of the barn.
“Over here,” he called from a nearby horse stall.
“I need to talk to you,” she said.
“I’m in the middle of grooming a horse—can it wait until lunchtime?”
“No. I need to know the truth now.”
Sean stood and brushed off his pants. “This sounds serious. Let’s sit down on the front porch.”
Charlie followed Sean to the porch where they both sat in rocking chairs.
“What’s wrong?” Sean asked.
“Delia from the Rusty Spur Saloon just paid me a visit.”
She watched Sean’s eyes widen. “And?”
“She warned me about traveling with Jesse. She said he’s a womanizer and that he attacked her and also slept with every woman at the saloon.”
Sean threw back his head and laughed. “Don’t you see what she’s doing? She’s trying to scare you off so she can have Jesse.”
“Jesse is just my friend.”
“I know, but she’s afraid of losing whatever kind of hold she might have on him.”
“So, do you think it’s safe to travel with him?”
“Listen, I haven’t known Jesse long, but he’s a straight-shooter. Once a month, the three of us meet at the saloon and enjoy a few drinks and some conversation. I’ve never seen Jesse react to the saloon women until the day he saw Delia. I think he took a shine to her, and she might want to protect that. Despite being a bounty hunter, with women, Jesse is a gentleman. I've never even heard him swear near a woman, though he's not a churchgoer. The stories he tells are never about women but wild animals he's come face to face with or some other adventure. If I didn’t trust Jesse, I’d never allow you to go with him.”
“Even if it meant having me hang around longer?”
Sean laughed again. “You’re a pleasure to have around. It’s not personal, Charlie. We just need some time alone to get to know one another. That’s all.”
“Do you think I could come back after you two know each other well enough?”
“Of course, but why do you dislike Niagara Falls so much?”
Charlie frowned. “Our mother is very controlling. She wants me to wear pretty party dresses and go to hotel dances and such. Now, don’t get me wrong: I love being a woman, but I just don’t like the way women have to behave back home. Here, things are less rigid. I can ride astride, wear what I want, and go where I want.”
“Sophia told me you two were close growing up.”
“Yes, we were, and I’ll miss her terribly in New York.”
“A lot of people would love living in a city with the largest cataract in the United States. What’s it like?”
“It’s enormous. People come from all over to see it. Some days we can hear the roar of the water fall from our home. Sophia and I used to go to the Falls often. It’s a magical place, especially when no one else is around. We imagine the tale of how the Indians sacrificed one maiden from their tribe to the Falls each year. They placed her in a white canoe with flowers painted on the sides.” Charlie sighed. “Those poor maidens.”
“I’m hoping that Sophia and I can make the trip there someday.”
Charlie stood. “So, I’ll be safe with Jesse?”
Sean gave her a sisterly hug. “Perfectly safe.”
The first thing Charlie did to prepare for traveling was to cut her long hair. She used Sophia’s sewing shears and cried the whole time she snipped away. She kept telling herself that it would grow back. Some lads wore hair that went past the neckline, so she cut hers the same.
Charlie wondered what she should pack. She had a closet full of clothes at home in New York, and just the thought of returning made her stomach churn. Could she somehow talk Jesse out of going? Maybe she could hide out somewhere until Sean and Sophia were better acquainted. Or, the thought kept crossing her mind, she could run away. Instead of waiting for Jesse to stop at the house in the morning for her, she’d have left already. She had a gun, she’d take a horse, and she could rustle up supplies. Sophia was packing a saddlebag full of food, so she’d have that, too. If Cheyenne was east, she’d go west or south. She’d find another town, and maybe become a saloon woman. Hmm… she’d better think this over carefully. She’d heard there were Indians on the outskirts of town. A chill ran through her. She needed a better plan.
Chapter Eight
“We’re not taking a stagecoach?” Charlie asked when their packed horses headed for the nearby woods instead of the stagecoach stop.
“I considered it but thought for sure that someone would recognize you as a woman. Besides, we can get to Cheyenne faster by taking shortcuts.”
Charlie shivered. Delia’s words rang in her ears, despite S
ean’s assurance. Now, here she was, trotting through a path in the dark woods with someone Delia had implied was a womanizer. He led, and she rode behind him.
After about an hour, Jesse stopped and dismounted.
Charlie tensed—why were they stopping in the woods? She was reluctant to get down from her horse, but Jesse came to take her hand.
“C’mon—we need to water the horses. There’s a stream up ahead.”
As soon as her feet were on the ground, she pulled her hand from his. “How do you know there’s water here?”
“I’ve been this way many times. Next time we stop, we’ll have lunch. The horses need an occasional rest.”
Sure enough, just a few feet away, she saw the brook.
The horses drank while Jesse checked his supplies. “Since I didn’t tell you we weren’t taking the stage, I grabbed an extra bedroll.” He must have noticed her eyes widen, because he continued, “Don’t worry—I’ve been traveling like this for ten years.”
When they stopped for lunch, Jesse spread a tablecloth on the grass, opened the packages of food, and fixed them each a tin plate of food. “Tonight I’ll try to shoot us something so we can eat a hot supper.”
Charlie nodded.
“What’s wrong, Charlie? You haven't been your usual bubbly self. Are you not feeling well?”
“It’s nothing.” Charlie took a bite of her sandwich and wrapped it back up. “I’m not hungry.”
Jesse stared at her for several moments. “You heard about Delia’s visit the other night and Roy’s accusations, haven’t you?”
Charlie shrugged. “No, but—”
“But what?”
“It’s nothing,” she said.
“I’ll tell you exactly what happened: Delia stopped over and threw herself into my arms just as Roy Barkley came bursting in. He demanded that I propose or he’d take me to court.” Jesse put his sandwich down as well. “I swear that’s what happened. This is an old trick desperate women used to hook men before taking them to the altar. I’m not marrying Delia, and I did nothing wrong.”
