The Romantic Ruse (Historical Christian Romance)

by Barbara Goss

  Lily felt her heart skip a beat. Gus was gone. She turned and approached another customer, continuing to blink away her unshed tears.

  Later that night when she and Mandy were preparing for bed, Mandy gabbed about the fun she’d had on the picnic with Mac, and how mad Harley had been.

  “Harley did nothing but frown the whole time. He slept on the picnic blanket after we’d eaten and cleared away the food.

  "Mac and I walked…and kissed a bit." She smiled and, blushed.

  Lily forced a smile; her mind unable to get over the news that Gus had left Abilene.

  “Mac confided in me something that I am not supposed to tell you, but I feel you should know,” Mandy said, looking concerned.

  Chapter 10

  Lily had been looking down, avoiding eye contact because her tears had begun to pool in her eyes again, but upon hearing this news, her head popped up. “What did he say?”

  “Harley confronted Gus again this morning outside the saloon. Gus told Harley that he wanted to talk to you before he left town. Harley told him that you and he…well, he insinuated you’d slept together. He said Gus looked shocked, and furious, and that’s when he rode off in a huff.”

  “Oh no!" "Why would Harley do that?”

  Mandy shrugged. “Mac didn’t go into detail, but I thought you should know. I think that if you really love Gus you should take your money and go to Hunter’s Grove and tell him the truth, the whole truth.

  “I think Harley's trying to get the one girl who doesn’t fall all over him. You’re a challenge to a man who has never had a challenge like that before.”

  “That's what I thought from the start.”

  Lily wiped the tears rolling down her cheeks. "He had no right to lie to Gus and insinuate that we were intimate. I’ve never given Harley even the slightest hint I cared for him that way. The fact that Gus had returned to talk to me, means that I still had a chance with him.”

  "Now instead of crying I feel like fighting. I want to punch Harley. He ruined any chance I may have had with Gus.” Lily pounded the dresser. When she swung around, she was pouting. “What should I do, Mandy?”

  “Go to Gus! I’ll miss you, but you can’t let him believe such a thing if you really love him. Love like that may only comes around once. Grab it while you still can.”

  “Come with me?” Lily pleaded. “Or, do you think you might want to stay because of your relationship with Mac?”

  “I like Mac, but it isn’t love. It’s like…his kisses are sweet, but I don't feel as if I couldn’t live without them.

  "I’m also a bit disappointed in him, that he would still be a friend to Harley after what he did this morning. I think Mac’s friendship is part of Harley’s plan to seduce you, I really do. According to Mac, Harley never bothered with him until very recently, and Mac's a weak person who needs a strong friend.”

  Mandy smiled at Lily. “Yes, I’ll go to Hunter’s Grove with you,” she said.

  Lily ran across the room and hugged Mandy. “You will? Honest? Oh, I’m so excited.”

  “This might be my only chance to escape this life and job. But I haven’t saved enough yet. Do you think you can wait until after the next pay?”

  “Sure I can. I’m just so happy to be going after Gus, and having you go with me.”

  Thankfully, Harley didn’t return to the saloon for a few days. Lily was relieved she didn’t have to face him, now that she knew of his conversation with Gus.

  Lily walked to the general store to pick up a few personal items. The sun slowly rose above the horizon and promised to be a welcome companion all day. The street appeared quiet as usual during the day. All she could hear were the heels of her shoes clicking against the wooden walk. While passing an alley between two buildings, a hand snaked out and snagged her waist, and dragged her into the alley. She inhaled a gasp of air in preparation to scream but the man pressed his lips onto her open mouth, muffling her scream.

  She managed to pull away and stared at…Harley!

  “What in blazes are you doing?” she cried. She suddenly despised the man. He was nothing but a womanizing phony who may have cost her the love of her life.

  “Did you miss me, love? I had some business to take care of in Salina. I’ve needed a kiss from you for days, so I decided to steal one.

  "Come here sweet lips.” He chuckled. “There's more where that came from.”

  Lily swung her hand and slapped him in the face. “Stay away from me," she told him. "Do you hear? I don’t want anything to do with you, I mean it!” She swung around and began walking back to the wooden boardwalk, but he grabbed her elbow and dragged her back to him.

  “Someone told you about my conversation with your old beau, I see.

  "See here, no one gets away with slapping me! And I won’t stay away. You will give yourself to me. I won’t leave you alone until I’ve possessed you completely.” He spoke with determination in his voice, and his eyes grew serious. “I promise you’ll enjoy it,” he said, and he gave her a venomous smile.

  Lily yanked her arm from his grasp. “Never!” No sooner had she spoken, then Harley’s lip curled into a sneer.

  “I’ll have you right here and now.” He pulled her against him and spoke inches from her face. “On second thought, I’d rather take you home where I have special effects for the fun. We are going to my place. Now!”

  “I’ll scream,” she threatened.

  “In this town? No one will care; women's screams are part of Abilene’s ambiance.”

  Lily frowned. She raised her leg and kicked him where her brother had once told her would be effective, and Harley doubled over in pain. She sped away, with Harley calling after her, threatening in ribald language. He told her what and how he would violently assault her in terms she’d never heard before. She felt a cold chill down her spine as she ran back toward the saloon. Lily didn’t chance a look back, but ran as fast as she could into the saloon and up to her room.

  Before work that evening she told Sadie about her encounter with Harley and how she feared revenge if he should show up at the saloon. Sadie promised Lily she’d handle it if he came in, and told her not to worry.

  That night, Lily, filled with relief, and confidence, mingled with the men as usual. After about an hour, the place grew loud and boisterous, and then became suddenly silent. Lily felt a lump in her throat, fearing Harley had entered looking for trouble. She reluctantly turned toward the door, in the same direction as where everyone else’s eyes were focused.

  When she saw who was standing there, she squealed with relief and delight, and then ran into the arms of her brother, Charles. Emma stood behind him; looking shocked by her surroundings. Lily reached over and hugged her, too.

  “We have to get her out of this place,” Emma whispered to Charles.

  “That’s why we’re here, sweetheart,” Charles whispered back.

  Sadie came over to see what the commotion was about, but by then, the activities in the room had resumed to what it had been before the interruption.

  Lily made the introductions.

  “I don’t have anymore spare rooms, but there is a good hotel down the street on the right. Feel free to stay and visit with Lily as long as you like, and Lily, you may have tonight off.” Sadie smiled at them and walked away.

  “Should I tell her now or later that you are quitting?” Charles said.

  “Later,” Lily said, as she gave her big brother a bear hug. “I’m so happy to see you both. I’ve missed you.”

  Emma gazed around the saloon with a look of distaste. “Can we go elsewhere and talk?”

  “We can go to my room,” Lily said. “C’mon.” She pulled them both to the stairs.

  Emma looked around Lily's room. “Well, this is pleasant,” she said.

  “Mandy is my roommate and friend, and she’ll be coming to Hunter’s Grove with us. Is that all right?”

  “Of course,” Emma and Charles said, simultaneously. Then Emma said, “How soon can we start—did you sa
y Hunter’s Grove? I thought we’d be going home to St. Joseph.”

  “We were waiting for our next pay to purchase stage tickets. I have unfinished business in Hunter’s Grove. If you would be so kind as to drop us off there.”

  “That’s fine, but you won’t need tickets,” Charles said, trying to make himself comfortable in the small, pink, ruffled armchair in the room. “We’re taking the train; it’s faster.”

  Lily laughed at the picture of her huge, manly brother sitting in the ruffled armchair with his knees scrunched up so that they almost touched his face.

  Emma noticed what Lily was laughing at and joined in.

  During the trip to Hunter’s Grove, Emma and Mandy chatted and became good friends. It pleased Lily that they got along, because she'd worried Emma wouldn't like Mandy.

  Mandy wasn’t cut from the same cloth as Emma, so to speak, but in spite of this, Mandy was a descent young woman, and she seemed to fit right in with Charles, and Emma especially.

  They pulled into Hunter’s Grove in late afternoon after riding the stagecoach from the train station in Topeka. They brushed off the dust from the trip and walked to Pete’s Restaurant.

  They all ate dinner, but Lily only half-listened to the conversation. She was too worried about how she would approach Gus to join in the conversation.

  “What do you think, Lily?” Emma asked.

  “Lily?” Charles nudged her.

  Lily bolted from her thoughts. “Oh, I’m sorry, what?”

  "Charles suggested we get a hotel room for the night, and we can ride out to Gus’s tomorrow,” Emma said. “We were wondering if that was all right with you.”

  “The hotel is fine. I don’t know about riding out to Gus’s. I’m terribly afraid to face him. I’m not sure that's the right way to handle this situation.” She looked from Emma to Charles for support. “If he rejects me…I just don’t know what I’d do.”

  Emma put her arm around Lily's shoulders and squeezed. “I've had the opportunity to get to know Gus through our correspondence, and I think he is a very levelheaded and upright person.” She looked at her husband. “But maybe a bit of intervention would help the situation?”

  Charles took a sip of his coffee and then nodded. “When Gus and I rode out to Maud’s cottage he told me she’d rented it from someone in town. I wonder if we could rent it for Lily, if it's still available, and we could just let Gus court her as he had originally planned.”

  “We’d have to first let him know she's living there, if it’s still available,” Emma said.

  “If you do,” Lily said, “please just tell him I’m in Hunter’s Grove, and that’s all. I want to do the explaining myself.”

  “I’ve been thinking about that too," Charles said, "and I don’t think you should explain a single thing to him.

  "This presents a perfect test. If he really loves you he’ll accept you, even if he thinks you're used merchandise—I know I would.” He winked at Emma. “Although Emma was not exactly used, she did write to Gus for almost two years, and they must have gotten tender at times. She agreed to come to Hunter’s Grove to be courted by him, but then again, I’d left her and couldn’t expect her to stay true to me after what I did to her. I'm the one who needs to do the repenting in that case, not Emma.”

  “Our situation's a bit more serious,” Lily said, playing with the food on her plate. “I do agree with you, though. If he really loves me then nothing should stand in his way.”

  “Save the truth for your wedding night,” Emma said with a mischievous grin.

  “What a wonderful wedding gift that will be,” Charles said.

  Lily smiled. “All right. But how will he begin courting me? How do we make it happen?”

  “You just leave that to us,” Charles said. “We’ll stop over and see him, drop a few hints, and leave the rest to him.”

  “And if the cottage is already rented?” Lily asked.

  “We’ll find another one, or arrange for you and Mandy to stay in a hotel.”

  “You’ve forgotten one big fact, Charles,” Lily said. Her eyes started to tear.

  “What?”

  “We have very little money.”

  Chapter 11

  Charles, Emma, Mandy, and Lily entered the shabby, two story hotel across from the hardware store, relieved that the inside looked much better than the outside. Though there were no thick carpets like the hotels in St. Joseph had, it did have clean, wooden floors, and the place appeared to be well kept.

  The four of them climbed the groaning stairs to their rooms, and then all stood in Lily and Mandy’s room to chat.

  “Lily,” Charles said, looking at her intently. “We can finance you for the next month. We’ll go back and talk to father. Once he gets over his anger, I’m sure he’ll support you for a while longer. Especially when he hears about the changes I’m making to the store.”

  Emma smiled and nodded to show she shared Charles's sentiment.

  “Anger? You mean because I left?” Lily asked.

  “That, and…” he looked askance at Emma, “and…”

  Emma put her arm around Lily's shoulders. “Sit down, Lily.” She gently pushed Lily onto the edge of the bed.

  "Owen Matthews took his business to the dry goods store across the street. Noble's store is thriving, and our store is faltering. Mr. Noble had even begun to build an addition behind his store so he can stock more merchandise.”

  “I’m so sorry, Charles!” Lily cried.

  “Pay it no mind. Our business should not depend on your being ‘pleasant’ to a rich snob. If we want the store to prosper, it should be done through hard work and innovative ideas, of which, I have a few.” Charles patted his sister’s hand. “I’ll get our store going again without Owen Matthews.”

  “But how?” Lily asked.

  “I traveled to New York City by train and got a few ideas from a man named Rowland Macy. I met him at a trade show there, and he gave me some interesting advice. The first change I’m making is to give Emma an executive position and make sure she has a real presence in the store—women shoppers'll love that.

  "I’m also adopting his most successful idea: the one-price system, in which the same item is sold to every customer at one price, and quoting specific prices for goods in newspaper advertising. No more haggling of prices with customers.

  "I’ve already begun the advertising, and Emma has agreed to be our buyer, as well as our customer service person.”

  “As a woman, I agree. We do most of the shopping in the dry goods store, so who better to help the shoppers and order stock?” Lily said.

  “Exactly,” Charles said. “This is why we need to get right back to St. Joseph after we get you settled. Father's been feeling defeated lately, so I’m going to talk him into retiring and being a silent partner for now. I’m sure he’ll soften toward you when he sees the results from my new methods.”

  Mandy spoke little during their family discussion, but finally put her arms around Lily’s shoulders and gave her a supportive hug. “I’ll be with you all the way, Lily. We can do this together," she said.

  Emma smiled. “I’m so thankful you're here for her, Mandy. We’re trusting you to take good care of our sister.”

  Charles took Emma’s hand and said, “Our room is right next door if you ladies need anything.” He winked at Emma. “But be sure to knock first.”

  Charles walked to the hardware store early the next morning, leaving the women to chat over breakfast and coffee.

  After mutual greetings, Charles asked Stony, “Do you know who owns the cottage Maud Barkley rented a while back?”

  “Oh yes,” said Stony, "indeed I do. That would be Daniel Farnsworth. He’s elderly now and lives out on his son’s ranch. The cottage was broken into twice recently, and the damage is still being repaired, but I hear it’s almost ready to rent again. Are you interested?”

  “I am, as a matter of fact. Can you direct me to the Farnsworth place?”

  “Yes, and if you want to
hear what I know of Maud and—”

  “No!” Charles practically shouted. “That’s all right,” he said in a normal tone. “If you’d give me directions, I’ll be on my way. I’m in a bit of a hurry, you see.”

  As Stony drew directions on the back of a receipt, he continued to babble on about Maud and the kidnapping anyway.

  “By the way,” Stony said looking over his wire-rimmed glasses, “are you new in town? Will you be living here? Where are you from?”

  Charles shook his head. “The house is for a family member. I’m from Missouri, and I have to get back to run my business.

  "Thank you for the directions,” he called over his shoulder as he hurried out of the store.

  Charles sat on the front porch of the Farnsworth ranch, sipping lemonade with the elderly Mr. Farnsworth.

  “Yep, your sister and her friend can rent the cottage. Yep. Gus Tanner broke into it a while back to look for evidence when his friend got herself kidnapped. Yep. A few days later, another break-in occurred. I don't know what this town is coming to, I'll tell you. We need more deputies. Yep. We think maybe Maud or her crew also broke in because all they took were her personal belongings.” Farnsworth stroked the white beard falling from his chin to the middle of his chest as he spoke.

  “My sister, the kidnapped friend, is back in town now, alive and well. She’s decided she likes Hunter’s Grove and would like to stay for a while,” Charles explained. “When can they move in?”

  “Well, as you probably know, the place comes furnished, and it’s move-in ready except for the repairs to the back door. Yep. Gus has promised to fix it, but I don’t think he’s finished the job yet.

  "You can ride over and see for yourself. Yep. If you feel it’s safe for your sister and her friend, she can move in today. Yep.

  "I’ll collect the rent now, and hereafter it’s due on the last day of the month, if that suits you.”

  Charles pulled out the purse he wore attached to his belt and paid Daniel Farnsworth the first month’s rent. After a moment of considering the problem Lily had to overcome, he then gave him double the rent. “I’ll pay for two months,” he said. He replaced his purse and hurried off before he could hear another ‘yep.’