They left the restaurant shortly after, and she asked him twice what the surprise was, but he waited until they were at her front door, then said, “Now, ask me in, and I’ll tell you.”
He stepped forward, but she put her hand on his chest and smiled, shaking her head. “A good try, but no cigar, Todd. I’ll just have to do without the surprise.”
She turned to go inside, but he took her arm and shrugged. “All right. I didn’t really expect to get inside your citadel there. But here’s the surprise. Maxwell has agreed to give you a contract to do the lead lady’s role in Block’s new play.”
Priscilla blinked. “Well,” she whispered, “that is a surprise!”
“I’d think so. Any actress in the world would jump at the opportunity to star in anything written by Block and produced by Maxwell. Well, I guess my surprise did catch you off guard.” He pulled her forward, and she knew he was going to kiss her, and she permitted it. When he moved his head back, he said, “I’ve never met a woman like you, Priscilla.”
“You said that before,” Priscilla said, but she noticed a certain seriousness about him that was unusual.
“I might have. But I mean it, Priscilla. I suppose it’s your innocence. There’s not much of that admirable quality left in our world, is there? And some women put it on like a costume and take it off when it suits them, but you really are innocent.”
“I’m not all that innocent, Todd. You know about me.”
“Eddie Rich? That doesn’t count. You were trapped into that relationship by that swine. He deceived you!”
“Nevertheless, I’m sort of shop-worn goods,” she said with a slight strain of bitterness in her tone.
“Don’t think of it like that!” He reached up, stroked her hair, and they stood silently for a minute. When he kissed her again, Priscilla felt her heart flutter in a way she never had before. He seemed different tonight. He stepped back and kissed her hands, saying, “Good night. We’ll talk about this later.” Then he wheeled and left, leaving her staring after him.
Priscilla was surprised at his capitulation. Usually it was a battle to keep him out, but as she turned and entered her apartment, she stopped and thought, What do I really feel for Todd? She stood there pondering the question, thinking of all the times they had spent together. This last caress had been somehow different. “Am I falling in love with him?” she asked aloud, then her mouth twisted with a wry expression. “If I start talking to myself, they’ll lock me up,” she muttered under her breath.
****
The next week was difficult for Priscilla. She could not put her mind on her work. The offer to do a play with Carl Maxwell back in the East was a big decision. Blakely was surprised that she was even considering not doing it. “How can you even think of doing anything else, Priscilla? You’ll never get another big chance like this!”
“I know, but I’d have to move back to New York, and I’m not sure I’m ready for that.”
“It’ll be different,” Blakely said. “I’ll be there with you. We’ll set that town on its ear. You’ll have Broadway at your feet, and the whole city!”
Priscilla listened to him, but at the same time she was being pressured by Porter to sign a contract for another serial. She knew she had grown tired of the movie business and longed to be back on the stage, but Porter’s offer would allow her to stay in California close to her family. Never had she felt so confused.
Finally, two days before the last scenes were shot, Peter came and took her out for dinner to Carlo’s, a small Italian restaurant near the studio. As he sat across from her, expertly rolling his spaghetti up on a fork, he talked cheerfully about his racing car, his eyes bright with excitement.
“I’m glad you named it after Jolie. That was sweet.”
“Well, she liked it. You know,” he said with some surprise, “she’s actually pretty good at mechanics. Nothing big, but she knows how to change oil and spark plugs, and she likes to fool around with a car. And she’s a pretty good driver, too, for a woman.”
“For a woman!” Priscilla said. “I don’t like the sound of that.”
A humorous glint appeared in Peter’s eyes, and he stopped eating his spaghetti long enough to reach into his pocket. “I’ve given a lot of thought to women, and now I’ve found out that I’ve been pretty well right all along.”
“What do you mean by that?”
“Well, I always felt they were a little bit savage. Not quite civilized, you know.”
Priscilla found his foolishness amusing. “You’re the savage, Peter,” she said. “Not me.”
As they talked and enjoyed their meal, Peter’s quick eyes saw that Priscilla was not herself. “You’re getting stale, aren’t you, sis?”
Looking up with surprise, Priscilla smiled wryly. “You’re pretty sharp, Peter.” She told him about the two offers, adding, “My head’s going around in a whirl. Sometimes I just want to leave it all and go someplace and do something I’ve never done before—anything to get away for a while.”
Peter leaned back and studied her carefully for a moment. Then he said, “Let’s do it, then!”
Startled, Priscilla said, “Do what?”
Peter leaned forward and took her hand and held it. “Let’s go home for a visit. We haven’t seen the folks in a long time. I’m sort of tired myself. I could use a little vacation.”
“Why, we can’t do that!”
“Why can’t we? The serial will be over tomorrow or the next day, and you’ve got plenty of money, and I’ve got a good car.”
The more Peter spoke, the more Priscilla was intrigued with the idea. “How long would it take?” she asked.
“What difference does it make? We’ll stop when we get tired, eat when we get hungry, drink when we get dry. It’ll be a big surprise for the folks, and I’d like to smell some of that fresh Wyoming air. Let’s do it!”
Impulsively, Priscilla agreed with her brother. “All right,” she said. “We’ll go as soon as the serial’s over. Maybe Thursday.” She leaned forward and patted his cheek. “You’re good medicine, Peter. This savage woman needs someone like you!”
****
The next day Peter told Easy he was going home and asked him to come along. Easy shook his head firmly. “Nope. I reckon I’ll head up to Frisco. I’ve got a friend there I haven’t seen in a long time, if he’s out of jail. You go and have a good time.”
Later that day Peter stopped Jolie as she was walking across the set with an armload of scripts. “Priscilla and I are going home to Wyoming to see our folks day after tomorrow. I’d like to have you come along, Jolie.”
Jolie was taken aback. “Why, I couldn’t do that.”
“Why not?”
“Why, I’m right in the middle of my studies. I’m afraid if I quit, I’ll lose what little learning I got.”
“Well, I think that’s wrong,” Peter said. “You don’t learn everything out of a book. You’ve never been on a cattle ranch, have you?”
“No. You know I haven’t.”
“We’ll call it a field trip. I’ll show you how cattle are raised and how a ranch operates. That could come in handy if you marry a wealthy rancher someday, or if you marry a poor one, for that matter.”
Jolie pursed her lips and thought rapidly. “If you really want me to go, Peter, I will. I’ll tell Tom we’ll be gone for—how long?”
“Oh, probably a few weeks. When we get there, we’ll relax and put you on a horse and go packing. It’ll be a lot of fun.”
“It sounds wonderful, Peter. Thank you.” As he turned and walked away, Jolie watched him go, thinking of how much this tall young man had brought into her life. I may have saved his life when he was about to get thrown off that train, she thought, but he’s paid it all back a hundred times.
****
The trip from Los Angeles to the ranch was a delight to all three of them. Some of the roads were practically nonexistent, and Priscilla had commandeered a large Maxwell touring car instead of the race car that Peter p
roposed to drive. “I’m not going to be packed in that little old car, the three of us, all the way to Wyoming,” she had stated flatly. And Porter, still anxious to sign her to another contract, had been glad to furnish the transportation.
It was the middle of June 1906, and unseasonably hot, especially after they left the coast. The heat beat down unrelentingly, and dust clouds rose behind them as they headed into the mountains. Overhead the bright blue skies were cloudless. At night they stopped wherever they could find an inn or hotel in some of the small towns, avoiding the large cities.
It was a time of release for Priscilla. As soon as they left Los Angeles, she immediately put all the problems of decision making behind her. She and Jolie became very close, laughing at Peter’s foolishness, and sharing the same room when they stopped each night.
They arrived at the ranch at dusk, and Peter stopped the car a short distance from the house. “Look! Mom and Dad are on the front porch. Bet they think we’re traveling salesmen,” Peter grinned. Then he pulled up in front of the porch with a great clashing of brakes, stood up, and yelled, “Hey! Is supper ready?”
Dan and Hope Winslow leaped to their feet and ran out to the car. Dan threw his arms around Priscilla, lifting her clear off the ground, and whirled her around. “I ought to paddle you for springing this on me!” he growled. “Why didn’t you tell us you were coming?”
“We wanted to surprise you!” Priscilla laughed. She hugged her father, then turned to her mother and exchanged embraces. “Mom, you’re looking younger.”
“Now, don’t try to pull that theater talk on an old woman!” Hope said in a sprightly fashion. Then she turned and said, “And who is this you brought with you?”
Peter said at once, “Oh, this is a good friend of ours, Jolie Devorak. Jolie, these are my parents, Dan and Hope Winslow.”
“Well, it’s real nice that you came with the children,” Hope said. She went forward and kissed Jolie’s cheek impulsively, not seeming to notice the scar on the young woman’s face. “Have you ever been on a ranch before?”
“No, ma’am,” Jolie said shyly, embarrassed by the kiss, and yet pleased at Hope’s warm acceptance. She was not at all sure of herself in this strange world, but as Peter took her arm and guided her inside, she began to feel better.
As the rest bounded up the front porch, Priscilla and Hope held back for a moment. Arm in arm, they turned and looked out over the front yard of the ranch. The rose bushes near the porch were in full bloom this time of year and Priscilla noticed the barn was almost packed with hay. A herd of beef cattle were grazing in a nearby field. Sighing, she turned toward her mother. “You have no idea how much I needed this trip.”
Without uttering a word, Hope patted Priscilla’s arm and gently kissed her cheek.
****
That night as the two young women prepared for bed, Jolie looked around the room at all the pictures of actors and actresses, all of the mementos of childhood, even some dresses that Priscilla must have worn when she was no more than ten or twelve. “It must’ve been wonderful growing up in the same place with fine parents like you have. I bet you had a happy time here.”
Priscilla turned and studied the younger woman. “I should have,” she said quietly, “but I made quite a pest out of myself. I never realized how good I had it back then. All I could talk about were all of these actors and actresses. I guess because I always wanted to go east and see them, nothing seemed good enough here. At the time, Jason was the foreman, and I treated him shamefully,” she added quietly. “I wish he’d come with us, but he couldn’t get away.”
The two girls slipped into their nightgowns and crawled into bed. Jolie lay awake for a long time, enjoying the sense of enormous space all around her. As they had driven onto the ranch, she had seen the mountains in the distance and the flat tableland that stretched all the way to the horizon. Finally she went to sleep thinking of how nice it was to be a part of a family . . . in a way.
****
“But I’m afraid, Peter. That horse looks mean.”
Two days after they arrived, Peter had brought Jolie out after breakfast to the corral and saddled a buckskin mare. “Don’t worry. Princess won’t do anything to disturb you. She won’t do more than a slow walk. Here, put your foot right in the stirrup.” He had shortened the stirrups for Jolie and had held on to her arm while she gingerly put her foot in, then he boosted her up. “Throw your leg over, and you’re there. You see?”
Jolie looked down from her perch and held on to the saddle horn grimly. “I’d rather ride in the car, Peter.”
“Ah, cars are nice, too. Here, these are the reins. Hang on to them while I get mounted.”
“But she may run away!” Jolie said.
“Not Princess!” Peter insisted. He swung easily into the saddle with a grace that Jolie had always admired and pulled the bay up close. “Come along,” he said.
“How do I make her go?”
“Kick her in the sides, shake the reins, and say, ‘Giddy up!’ ”
Apprehensively, Jolie gave the mare a minor sort of kick, and to her surprise Princess stepped out slowly. She hung on to the reins with one hand and the saddle horn in the other.
Peter laughed, saying, “Settle back. Princess is a lady.”
For the next hour, Jolie grew accustomed to the sedate pace of the mare and was able to look around. Peter took her on a tour of the ranch, explaining the various aspects of ranching. As they headed back, he grinned and said, “You’re doing fine. You want to try a little trot?”
“I guess not,” Jolie said cautiously. “Not today.”
“All right,” Peter said. He slouched in the saddle, his eyes constantly searching the horizon. His flat-crowned gray hat was pulled down over his eyes, shading them from the August sun, and he seemed almost a part of the handsome bay. He looked like he belonged to the land.
“Peter,” Jolie said, “I love your parents.”
“Well, so do I,” he grinned at her. “They like you, too.”
Jolie’s hand went to the scar, as it frequently did, and Peter suddenly said, “Jolie, have you ever been to a doctor to see about that scar?”
“No, I haven’t.” The girl’s answer was curt. She did not like to be reminded of it and now turned her face fully away.
“Don’t turn away from me, Jolie,” Peter said quietly. “I don’t know much about such things, but I know doctors can do a lot.”
“They can’t help me.”
“How do you know that? You’ve never been to one to find out,” Peter argued reasonably. “As soon as we get back to Los Angeles, we’re going to go have an expert surgeon take a look at it.”
“What good would it do? It would cost too much even if something could be done.”
“I know what my mom would say.”
“What would she say? She wouldn’t talk about my scar.”
“She’d say, ‘The Lord owns every doctor’s office in the world, and if He wants Jolie Devorak to get treated by one, it’ll happen.’ ” He smiled gently and said, “Mom’s always one to believe that God will do what has to be done.”
Jolie turned to glance at him. She truly admired him, with his easygoing nature and handsome, masculine features. “Do you believe that, Peter?” she asked quietly.
“I believe it because Mom and Dad do, but I think it’s something you have to try for yourself before it’s any good.” He did not speak for a while and seemed troubled. “Sis is a Christian, and so is Cass and Cody. I’m the black sheep.”
“I’m a black sheep, too.”
He looked over, pulled his horse closer to hers, and slapped Jolie lightly on the back. “Then we’ll form a flock of the black sheep of Wyoming,” he said, smiling.
“It’s all right as long as we’re both together. Sheep aren’t so bad.”
“You don’t know ’em like I do,” Peter said with a cynical twist to his lips. “Dumbest animal on the face of the earth.”
“But the little ones are cute, aren’
t they?”
“Yes, they’re cute—they’re delicious, too.”
“Peter, don’t talk like that!”
“Well, why are you so holy? I noticed you bucked into that bacon this morning. Those little pigs were cute, just like lambs.” He teased her all the way back to the ranch, and as she stepped down, he said, “Tomorrow we’ll take a longer trip. Go out to the river and maybe have a picnic.”
****
“What about this young friend you brought along, Priscilla?” Dan inquired. “Where did you say she was from?” He had walked out to the edge of the corrals with his daughter, and the two had leaned against the bars studying the horizon. The sun was starting to dip low in the sky, casting Priscilla’s eyes into the deeper shadows. She turned to face her father, and after a moment’s pause, she said, “It’s hard to say, Dad. It’s rather strange the way Peter picked her up.” She had already told him of how Peter had found Easy and Jolie, and now she said thoughtfully, “She seemed almost like a little girl then, but this last year she’s matured into a lovely young woman, except for that scar. Too bad about that.”
“Peter’s told me he’s going to take her to a surgeon to have him look at it.”
“I imagine she’s pretty sensitive. Any young woman would be.”
“Yes, she always keeps her face turned away. I hope it works out for her.”
The two talked on and after a while walked on down to the tiny creek that wound its way in a serpentine fashion around a group of cottonwoods. They stood looking down, and Priscilla said, “I remember how I used to come out and try to swim in this creek when it was up. Nearly drowned a few times.”
“I remember that,” he said. Dan Winslow was sixty-two, but still strong and hale and intensely masculine. He looked over at this daughter of his and had long thoughts that marked the creases of his mouth as he moved his lips slightly. “You were quite a handful to raise,” he smiled. “But you’ve turned out real well, daughter.”
“I was just awful, Dad,” she said emphatically. “I don’t know why you didn’t throw me in the well.”
The Silver Star Page 25
