by Sue Lyndon
“I don’t understand. I mean, I would have still said no.”
“Then after you said no, I should have done the right thing and paid your passage home to Virginia. You’re too innocent and sweet for a place like this.”
Callie didn’t feel innocent, especially considering the activities she’d enjoyed with Lawrence this week, but she didn’t tell him as much. Instead, she said, “Fifty dollars a night is outrageous enough. I realize you are probably the richest man in these parts, but I can’t accept that much money. It feels wrong.” She ran a hand through her hair in frustration. Where did she go from here? Her heart swelled with affection for Lawrence, but she despaired over soiling his reputation any more than she had already.
“Callie, I will make sure you keep that two thousand dollars and head home very soon, even if I have to drag you all the way to San Francisco and put you on a ship myself.” He put a finger beneath her chin, forcing her to stare into his dark gaze. “God, I’m going to miss you.”
Her thoughts flew into a jumble. One second she wanted to stay and become his wife, and in the next second she wanted to leave Culpepper and forget any of this had ever happened. Matthew. The Gerrards. Lawrence. The Red Petticoat. All of it.
“Promise me you’ll at least think on it, Callie? If I find out you tried to have the money transferred back into my account, I will make sure you don’t sit down for a week.”
She shifted on the bed and rubbed her bottom. “I don’t think I’m going to sit for a week as it is,” she replied petulantly.
“Callie…”
“Fine. I promise I’ll think on it.”
“Good girl.” He kissed her forehead. When he pulled back, his visage grew serious. “I know I can’t keep you from working. I know you don’t belong to me, but Lord how I wish you did. I think we could be very happy together. Goodnight, Callie.” He rose and walked to the door.
“Goodnight, Lawrence.”
*
“I just heard the news! I can’t believe you’ll be going east soon! Oh, I will miss you so much!” Opal said as she sat down on Callie’s bed.
“I can’t believe it either. I expected I’d be here for a few years, at least.” Callie felt guilty the moment she said it, as if she meant that working at The Red Petticoat wasn’t a good place to want to work. But Opal didn’t seem offended in the slightest, and Callie breathed a sigh of relief.
“When does the stagecoach come through?”
“Wednesday. In five days. I must say, I never thought if I returned to Virginia, that I would be returning alone.”
Opal patted her hand. “It will be all right; I can feel it. You’ll reconcile with your family and you’ll meet a nice, handsome man to marry. You’re going to have the life you want.”
“You’ve been a true friend to me, Opal.”
“Don’t get all mushy on me, Amber!” she said in a scolding tone. “I’ve already applied my makeup for the night and I don’t want it running. Besides, I’m hoping that preacher friend of yours shows up tonight.”
Dread twisted in Callie’s stomach, and she had to remind herself that even though she and Opal were friends, she hadn’t confided in Opal or anyone besides Madame Jewel, about her feelings for Lawrence. “Oh really?” She forced politeness into her voice.
“Oh, yes. I’m hoping he walks in and sets his sights on me. Of course, you’ll have to share your secrets and tell me what it is you’ve done to keep him coming back and spending fifty dollars for a… ouch! Did you just pull my hair?” Opal leaned back, but Callie had already reached for another curl. She yanked this one even harder.
Callie didn’t know what had come over her. She’d never gotten into a physical fight before, but she’d just yanked on Opal’s curls, twice. She imagined Opal flirting with Lawrence over the bar and enticing him to go upstairs with her. Callie’s blood boiled.
Opal stood up, but Callie shot to her feet and stared her down, blocking the doorway. She was a few inches taller than the brunette. She grabbed a half-filled glass of water from atop the dresser and hurled the contents into Opal’s face. As she gasped and tried to clean the water off herself, footsteps sounded in the hallway behind Callie.
She didn’t dare turn around to discover who’d witnessed her attack on Opal. She couldn’t fathom the way she’d just behaved. Her face heated with shame. What had gotten into her?
“I can’t believe you pulled my hair! And ruined my makeup!” Opal touched her cheek and gave a pout. “If you like the pastor so much, then why didn’t you tell me? I would have never gone after him then. Amber, I thought we were friends.”
Callie felt the anger draining from her. She couldn’t believe she’d actually pulled someone’s hair, especially Opal’s, or tossed a drink in her face. The lively brunette had gone out of her way to show Callie kindness since her arrival at The Red Petticoat. She opened her mouth to apologize, but the person standing behind her interrupted.
“What’s going on here?” a deep voice from the doorway boomed.
Callie gulped and spun around. Gabriel stood just inside the room, his arms crossed as he glared at her.
“Oh, um, nothing,” Opal said, her eyes looking from Gabriel to Callie.
“I suggest you don’t lie to me, young lady. I’m neither deaf nor blind. Why are you wet?”
“Um…” Opal gave Callie an apologetic look before she continued. “Callie was just upset. She threw water in my face. And before that she pulled my hair.”
A stern look crossed Gabriel’s face, and too late Callie realized there would likely be consequences for her actions. Madame Jewel and Gabriel had gone over the rules with her. One of the biggest rules they had emphasized was that gems were supposed to treat one another with respect. There was nothing respectful about hair pulling or tossing a drink in someone’s face.
It was no secret that Gabriel kept the gems in line. If someone snuck out after dark unescorted or broke any other rule, he was the one to administer discipline. He uncrossed his arms, and she found herself staring at his hands, wondering if he would really spank her.
But didn’t she deserve it for losing her temper? With a sigh, Callie lowered her head. “It’s true,” she admitted. “I pulled Opal’s hair and threw water in her face. She didn’t do anything wrong. It was all me.” She turned to her friend. “I’m so sorry, Opal. Please forgive me. I know you didn’t know about my feelings for Lawrence, or you wouldn’t have said what you did about him.”
“Opal, why don’t you go get cleaned up.” Gabriel moved farther into the room. “And close the door behind you.”
Callie took a deep breath after Opal left. “I said I was sorry. I apologized right away for what I did.” Her bottom lip quivered and her nervousness grew. Gabriel had been so kind to her during these last few weeks. Until now, she hadn’t broken any of the rules or crossed him in any way. She’d come to think of him as the protective older brother she’d never had, and she couldn’t imagine him actually punishing her.
“So let me get this right. You lost your temper over something and took it out on poor Opal?”
“Yes, sir. I feel terrible about it.”
Nerves churned in her stomach as she watched him roll his sleeves up. He moved the tall-backed chair from against the wall into the center of the room. Her breath rushed from her chest when he sat down and patted his thigh.
“Over my lap, Amber. You know you were naughty.”
As if in a trance, she moved to his side. Would he lift her skirts up and spank her over her drawers? Or would he take her drawers down and punish her on her bare bottom? Her behind clenched and she gave him her most apologetic look.
He guided her over his lap. “You knew the rules of this establishment as well as all the other gems. Fighting is most certainly not allowed. If you had a problem with Opal, you should have brought it to her in a civil manner, rather than pulling her hair and throwing a drink in her face. You ought to be ashamed of yourself, young lady.”
Oh, she was. She was
so very ashamed. Tears burned in her eyes. Would Opal ever forgive her? Callie had apologized and asked for her forgiveness, but Opal hadn’t responded one way or the other. Sadness clutched her heart. She hoped she made up with Opal before the stagecoach came through town.
Gabriel lifted her skirts and petticoats, but mercifully left her drawers in place. But, as she was about to find out, her drawers didn’t offer her much protection from the sting of Gabriel’s descending palm.
“After your spanking, Amber, you will stand in the corner and think about your behavior. Then you will go apologize to Opal again.”
Callie sniffled. “What if-what if she doesn’t forgive me? I’m leaving soon, and…” Her voice trailed off and the burning in her throat intensified. As badly as she’d wanted to leave Culpepper soon, she regretted that she had to bid farewell to her new friends, and she couldn’t possibly imagine leaving if one of them was cross with her.
“Callie,” he said, and she appreciated that he was addressing her by her real name in this moment, because damn if she didn’t feel more vulnerable than she had in a long time. “Opal is a stubborn girl, but she will forgive you. If not today, then tomorrow. I promise.”
“I hope you’re right.”
“Now, back to the task at hand. You are being punished for your poor behavior. If you get angry in the future, what will you do differently?”
She gulped. “I will try to stay calm and talk it out. I definitely won’t pull anyone’s hair. Or throw water in their face. Oh God, I can’t believe I actually did that!” Sniffles left her and she buried her face against Gabriel’s leg.
“Let’s get this over with.” He started spanking her in the next moment, landing sharp smacks on her bottom cheeks through her drawers.
The intense sting surprised her. She had hoped her undergarments would have offered her some protection, but it felt as if he were spanking her on her bare bottom. The only good thing about keeping her drawers on was that it saved her the humiliation of him looking upon her nakedness. She cried against his leg as he spanked her. All her bottled up pain and regret came pouring out.
He ended the quick spanking with two firm slaps to her upper thighs, then he pulled her skirts and petticoats back down and helped her to stand up. He pressed a kerchief into her hands as he guided her toward the corner.
“Está bien,” he said, stroking her back. “You are going to be all right.”
Am I? She didn’t know. All she knew was that she was leaving the only friends she’d made in Culpepper in five short days. She was leaving her late husband behind on a claim that still wouldn’t sell. She hadn’t heard from Lawrence since the night he announced he had deposited two thousand dollars into her bank account, and Lord help her but she wished her time in Culpepper could have gone differently. Differently enough that she could have become Lawrence’s wife in an honest way.
Gabriel backed away from her, but she didn’t hear him leave the room. She must have sounded especially pathetic, because after only a minute in the corner, she found herself wrapped in his arms. He gave her a hug and then guided her to the bed.
“Sit and rest a while. You can find Opal later. Just promise you’ll apologize again and try to make up with her.”
She pressed the kerchief to her running nose. “Of course. Thank you, Gabriel. Again, I’m sorry I was naughty.”
“It’s all over now, Callie. In the past. I trust you will be on your best behavior until the stagecoach arrives in a few days?” he asked, his voice teasing.
She managed a smile. “Yes, sir.”
A light knocking on the door made her eyes go wide. Callie didn’t want anyone to witness her in this state. But the door cracked open and Opal popped her head through.
“Gabriel! Heavens, what did you do? Did you take a belt to the poor girl?”
He gave Opal an annoyed look. “I only used my hand, and I didn’t spank her very hard at all.”
Callie’s stinging bottom begged to differ, but she kept silent. It was embarrassing enough that Gabriel had had to turn her over his knee and spank her like a naughty child, but now Opal was here to witness the aftermath of her shameful punishment.
“She is upset about matters of the heart, I believe. Perhaps you can console her.” Gabriel left the room and shut the door behind him.
“Come here, Amber, everything will be fine.” Opal sat on the bed and let Callie cry against her chest.
“Why couldn’t he have wanted to marry me before I came here? We spent some time together, but then he decided to return to his cabin in the mountains to hide. It’s a cruel twist of fate, for him to realize he wants me as a wife after I’ve been soiled.”
“You are not soiled. And correct me if I’m wrong, but you didn’t come upstairs with any other man but Lawrence this whole time you’ve been here, did you?”
“No, I didn’t.” Callie straightened and wiped the tears from her face. She breathed in and out, willing herself to calm down. “Lawrence is the only customer I’ve been with.”
“Do you love him?” Opal gave her a sad smile as she asked the question.
“Please don’t make me answer that question.” Callie felt love for Lawrence, but it was a heartbreaking emotion that tore her up inside, because she had pushed him away so insistently that she worried he wouldn’t give her another chance should she change her mind about marrying him.
He wasn’t in Culpepper right now. He’d left town. She hadn’t seen him since the night he gave her more than enough money to reinvent herself back in her home state.
“Well, the stagecoach won’t arrive for five days, Amber. A lot can happen in five days. Perhaps the two of you will work things out. But even if you don’t, know that you’re a strong and smart woman. There is happiness waiting for you somewhere, I just know it.” Opal stroked the side of Callie’s face, then gave one of her curls a quick yank.
They burst into laughter, and for the moment, Callie chose to believe that Opal was right. She chose to believe happiness was waiting for her somewhere, but the journey there might not be as smooth as she hoped.
Chapter Seven
The cabin felt lonelier than ever. Sleep eluded Lawrence, and he often found himself sitting on the front porch in the middle of the night, staring at the moon and stars. He thought about Callie every second of the day.
The rising sun peeked through the curtains in his bedroom, casting an orange glow across the floorboards. Morning already. He had been awake the entire night.
He felt like a man gone mad. The only reason he’d come back to his claim was because he couldn’t bear to be in Culpepper if he couldn’t be near Callie. She had refused him. Over and over again. Short of kidnapping her and dragging her up to his cabin, he didn’t know what else to do.
He scrubbed a hand down his unshaven face and got out of bed. If he visited her one last time, would she change her mind? Maybe she missed him. He had been absent from The Red Petticoat for six days now, and those six days felt like an eternity.
He walked onto his front porch and stared down the mountain. If he rode hard, he could make it to Callie before noontime. In a few short hours, he might hold her in his arms again.
“Lord, give me guidance,” he prayed, staring at the sky.
The circuit judge was probably still in Culpepper. The man had been due yesterday and typically remained for two or three days each time he passed through. Lawrence had been counting down the days until his arrival, still hoping Callie would come to her senses and agree to become his wife.
She was perfect for him. And damn if it made him conceited, but he thought he was perfect for her too. She responded to him like a flower bud unfurling its petals each time he’d taken her upstairs in The Red Petticoat. She enjoyed his roughness and she especially enjoyed the spankings.
His cock hardened as images of all the naughtiness they’d enjoyed together sped through his mind. Once, he had even punished her by slapping her breasts. He’d tied her hands to the bed railing and taken his time pinc
hing her nipples and scolding her, before he’d began a steady rhythm of slapping her luscious breasts. After he’d picked up the belt, she had arched into each blow, offering herself to the punishment even though some of the strikes had brought tears to her eyes.
If he had her in the cabin, he could do whatever he wanted to her without fear of anyone hearing. He could pound into her long and hard until she screamed his name. He could take a paddle to her, or even make love to her on the front porch where he was standing now.
Callie. My sweet Callie.
Before he realized what he was doing, he had ventured back into his house and had started dressing for the day. He hurried to get his boots on and rushed outside to saddle Abraham.
He made the ride to town, which normally took four hours, in about three and a half. It was as if Abraham sensed the urgency to reach Culpepper Cove in record time. As he guided his horse over the bridge that led into town, he passed two covered wagons and a group of miners riding down from the foothills. The rising sun warmed his back.
He deposited Abraham at the stables in the capable hands of a young groom named Dalton. Rushing out into the street, he headed straight for The Red Petticoat. As he hurried down the street, he passed the sheriff and his wife Rebekah, both of whom tried to wish him good morning, but he ran past them without more than a quick nod of acknowledgment.
Callie. He had to find her. He had to see her. He had to convince her not to take the next stagecoach to San Francisco. Hell, he didn’t even know what town in Virginia she called home. If she left Culpepper, tracking her down would be next to impossible.
His spirits darkened and his heart felt weighed down at the prospect of losing contact with Callie. At the very least, he wished to say goodbye one last time and ensure her well-being. Nerves twisted in his stomach as he neared the saloon. What would he find inside? Would Callie be working even though she had the funds to travel home? What if she’d decided to give his money back?
