Irene suspected there was more to it than doing the fashionable thing or worrying about getting enough sleep. Still, Kirk had been gone so many nights over the years, what difference did separate bedrooms make? She still didn’t feel that it was the way marriage was supposed to be, but there was no one to whom she could talk about such things.
Kirk approached her, looking at her lovingly. “Aren’t you the most beautiful creature who ever graced the Rockies,” he said. He glanced at Bea, and Irene caught the look again, the hint of something secret. Again she felt oddly responsible for her parents’ strained relationship. “Turn around for me, girl,” Kirk told her then.
Irene obeyed, feeling her cheeks redden. “I must say you picked just the right dress,” Kirk told Bea.
“The color matches her eyes so perfectly,” Bea replied. Already they could hear guests arriving downstairs, and Bea urged Irene back into her room to wait for her entrance. Bea turned to Kirk, tears in her eyes, following him back into his bedroom. “Kirk,” she spoke up, “I want these hard feelings between us to end.”
He looked in a mirror and straightened the bow tie at his neck, hating his stiff shirt and tight collar. He turned to face her, and she could not help being struck with pride at how handsome her husband still was. She knew how women would look at him tonight. After all, he was the richest man in Denver. He smiled, but she saw the pain behind the smile. “You know I’m not a man to stay angry,” he told her.
“I still wish you would have consulted me about the loan,” she told him. “Our agreement from the beginning was that I would handle such things. That special fund was strictly for new mines and mining equipment. I have never argued with you on those matters.”
He sighed, pulling on a silk waistcoat. “Bea, it’s done. I want to enjoy myself tonight. Can’t we ever get through one day without talking about money?”
She swallowed, turning away. “That isn’t why I brought it up. I only wanted to tell you that tonight I’m—I’m very proud to be able to present Irene as my daughter, and to be able to call you my husband. I realize this marriage started with only a bargain, but I do love Irene, and I’m doing this for her. In spite of our differences we have three lovely children, and everything I do is for their welfare. I hope you understand that.”
“Of course I understand it. And I haven’t forgotten the fact that you have kept your promises, Bea. But I have a certain pride. I’m still the man of this family, and I don’t need you insulting my intelligence.”
She shook her head, turning to face him, her eyes misted. “Kirk, it has nothing to do with intelligence. My God, we wouldn’t be in control of so many producing mines without that intelligence, without your wonderful ability to work with those men up there, your nose for the mother lodes. It’s your nature that could cause us to lose it all. God knows I wish I could be more like you sometimes, but you need me to hold you in check. If not for me you would give away all of it. You’re a drifter at heart, a man who could easily live off the land and nothing more. Can you understand the fear I live with, knowing you never wanted any of this? You’re like a wild animal straining at the leash, and I’m trying to hang on to you. It’s so hard sometimes.”
He came closer, touching her arm. “We want different things. I understand what you want, Bea, and I promised you’d have it. I’m not going to do anything to take it away from you. You should know that.” A tear slipped down her cheek. “Don’t worry abut things so much.” He sighed, pulling her into his arms. “I’m sorry that your cousin refused to come.”
She broke into tears at the words. “Stay home for a while, Kirk,” she sobbed. “Please just stay home.”
He patted a soft, round shoulder. At times like this she was so much still the frightened, reserved young girl he had married. He wished he could understand her better, wished he could find a way to reach the responsive woman who lay beneath all that determination and pride. But he had long ago quit trying. “I’ll be around for a while.”
She pulled away, taking a handkerchief from his top dresser drawer and blowing her nose. “There won’t be anyone here tonight who…I mean, anyone from town…you’ve been with, will there? I hate gossip, Kirk. I know how women talk…and I know how women look at you.”
He sat down on the bed to button his shoes. “I wouldn’t hurt the children by causing gossip.”
She turned to face him. “Who is she, Kirk?” He looked up at her in surprise. “I’ve never minded the flings with the whores with no name,” she continued. “Some men even expect that of each other, and no one would think much of it. I know what you do when you visit the mines, and God knows I can’t blame you. But you’re different lately. There’s one special woman, isn’t there?”
He looked back down at his shoes. “You don’t need to know who it is. She’s a madam, and she’s extremely discreet. You don’t need to worry about the Kirkland name.”
She watched him quietly for a moment, her heart aching, wishing she knew how to be a complete woman, to fulfill his needs—and her own. “Do you love her?”
He lowered his foot and slowly rose, facing her. “Does it really matter, Bea?”
She dropped her eyes, wishing she could fling herself at him, beg him, seduce him, let loose all her passion. “I suppose not,” she answered. “If nothing else, we can be good friends, can’t we? We can share our good fortune and enjoy it. You do like the challenge, don’t you, of seeing just how big an empire you can build?”
He smiled sadly. “You’ve done that much for me. For you it’s the money, for me it’s the challenge. I don’t break promises, Bea.”
Their eyes met. “No, you don’t. I’m deeply sorry I’m not the kind of woman you need, but I’m here, and I…sometimes I need you. I don’t suppose your friend would mind sharing you with your own wife occasionally.”
He saw the rare desire in her eyes, sensed she wanted to say she loved him but could not get the words out. He walked closer, leaning down to kiss her cheek. He put an arm around her shoulders then. “Let’s go greet our guests, Mrs. Kirkland.”
The elegantly dressed elite of Denver discussed their city’s problems and progress over glasses of expensive wine, while they waited to get a look at Irene Kirkland. Many already knew her; a few, including the new governor, did not. Chad waited with the others, looking exceedingly handsome in a gray silk suit with a double-breasted waistcoat. Women in the crowd, married or not, stole glances at him, aroused by his dashing looks and virile stance.
Bea and Kirk greeted everyone, Bea taking a new Methodist minister and his family under her wing. She had met them only days earlier at a meeting of Denver’s wealthier women who were campaigning to raise funds for more churches. She led the Reverend Will Stanner through the crowd, amid talk of Indian trouble, high prices, polluted water, and even boxing. Bill Byers was adamantly voicing his opinion to a Denver businessman that boxing was a barbarous sport that should not be allowed in Denver, although one of Denver’s own, a blacksmith named Con Orem, had already been hailed the boxing champion of Colorado, after a bloody duel that had lasted 109 rounds.
Denver now had two theaters and its own baseball team. Other sports, such as horse racing, fishing, and billiards were also popular, and Denver boosters touted their city as being up to date in all areas, in spite of the fact that the most popular sport continued to be gambling, bringing with it the raucous music, bloody brawls, saloons, and whores that Denver would rather be rid of.
Mr. Stanner represented a wave of ministers and missionaries who had come to Colorado, mostly Presbyterian, Baptist, and Methodist. Bea and her women friends were working diligently with new ministers to urge the expansion of missionary work in the mountain mining towns, where men went for weeks and months without ever hearing the word of God.
Bea led Mr. Stanner and his wife and children over to Chad. She introduced him, saying “This is attorney Chadwich Jacobs, who works for Kirkland Enterprises. Chad is Irene’s escort this evening.”
Chad gave the
new minister, and especially the man’s wife, his best smile, knowing full well the woman was struck by his looks. He moved his eyes to the minister’s seventeen-year-old daughter, Susan, who was literally gawking at him, her mouth half open. “Very nice to meet you, Susan,” he told her.
Immediately, Chad’s instincts and secret passion for women was awakened. Susan Stanner was no Irene in looks, but she was pleasant looking, and being a minister’s daughter, she was the kind of challenge Chad liked. He even considered how delightful it would be to master the minister’s wife with his charm, thinking what a victory that would be.
He was getting restless, putting on this loyalty act for Irene’s sake. It was obvious he was not going to get anything out of Irene until he married her, and in spite of her provocative beauty, he wondered if she was incapable of passion, for he had never sensed a great deal of desire when he was with her. That confused and frustrated him. Sometimes he even thought there might be someone else, but as far as he knew, he was the only man Irene had ever seen regularly or shown any interest in. He had decided some young women just took longer to break down; at any rate, he knew he had to tread lightly with Irene, since she was the one he intended to marry. He was not about to scare her away or lose out on all that money by moving too fast.
Susan Stanner was another matter. He cared nothing about hurting her or losing her. In her he saw the possibility of another conquest, and he had contained himself far longer than he had in years. Perhaps he could find a way to seduce this one quietly. He could see the passion in her brown eyes, sensed she was totally taken by his handsome appearance. He took her hand and kissed it, rubbing his thumb over the back of her hand lightly before letting go of it. She was so struck by his looks that all she could muster was a nervous smile.
Elly stood near the stairway, watching Chad, feeling a little better about Chad and Irene. Not only had she spoiled things for Irene and Ramon, but she sensed Chad liked all women, not just Irene. He might marry her, but he would not be true to her. She wanted nothing more than for Irene to hurt inside for the rest of her life, just as Elly was going to hurt. How she wished Chad would look at her the way he looked at Irene…the way he was looking at Susan Stanner now.
She looked down at her dress, quickly pushing up her breasts to be sure they were temptingly exposed in the low-cut bodice. She had screamed and begged and argued with her mother for a week until she was finally allowed to wear it. She was still only thirteen, but her big build made her seem older, and her sexual drive had awakened early. She had dreamed of being Chad’s wife, had studied herself in the mirror, had touched herself in ways that were sinfully delightful, pretending it was Chad who was touching her. Perhaps someday, when she knew all she could about men, when she was older and prettier, she would find away to make Chad want to touch her that way.
Bea did not seem to notice Chad’s eye for women. Elly wondered if it was just because the woman didn’t want to notice, or if her mother was simply so cold to men that she didn’t understand their desires and passions. Somehow Elly already did understand, and she found it exciting and challenging. She noticed then that her mother seemed irritated, disgusted. Elly looked in the direction of the woman’s gaze to see Red McKinley standing near a fireplace, talking to Governor Evans himself!
Dr. John Evans, a stately, handsome widower with a neatly manicured beard and earnest eyes, had been appointed governor by President Lincoln through pressure from the Methodist church. Elly had learned through careful listening to her parents’ conversations that Evans was himself a staunch Methodist who had helped build Northwestern University in Illinois, and had helped get Lincoln into the presidency. Methodists had been lobbying for more representation in the West, and Lincoln owed Evans a favor. Thus did Evans become governor of Colorado Territory.
Favor for favor. Elly understood that kind of thinking already. That was how a person survived in this life, taking advantage of opportunities, guarding one’s backside, having lots of money and never giving any of it away. Everything had its price. Already Bill Byers had made himself a close ally of Evans’s, to make sure some of his personal projects got attention from the new governor. The two men were working hard at attracting more people to Denver, including farmers, stressing again the need for Colorado to produce its own food.
“What is he doing here?” she heard Bea grumble to Kirk, referring to Red McKinley. She had led Kirk away from the Stanners before lighting into him about Red’s presence. “He’s barely gotten started in that lumber business of his. He’s certainly not a part of the circle of successful businessmen of Denver!”
“I invited him,” Kirk answered, looking irritated. “I couldn’t have a big party like this and leave out my old friend.”
“Well, he doesn’t belong here. Look at him, standing there talking to Governor Evans as though he were a rich, important man!”
“Someday he will be rich and important,” Kirk told her, keeping his voice down, neither of them noticing Elly standing close by and listening. “I invited him, and that’s that.”
Elly moved her eyes to Red McKinley. She found him fascinating, if somewhat crude and unpolished. Something about his rugged looks and all that red hair intrigued her, and she realized that all men were beginning to stir her curiosity, as well as desires she was sure must be uncommon for someone her age. But she did not fight them; she enjoyed them.
There was no more time for her parents to argue about Red’s presence. “It’s seven o’clock,” Kirk was telling Bea. “I’ve got to go and get Irene now.” He ascended the stairs, and moments later he appeared at the stairway landing. “Ladies and gentlemen,” he announced. People quieted and looked up. “I would like to present my daughter, Irene Louise,” Kirk told them, holding Irene’s arm as she descended the wide, carpeted stairs with her father.
People oohed and aahed, smiled and clapped, and the hurt ran deep when Elly looked at her mother and saw how the woman watched Irene with tears of pride in her eyes. Elly’s thirteenth birthday party had been held only a week ago, not nearly the extravagant party that was being held now for Irene. She knew she would have just as fine a coming-out party as Irene, but that was three years away, and her young, jealous heart could not think about that now. Hatred for Irene and love for Chad had blurred her ability to reason, and her stomach burned with intense jealousy as complimentary remarks about Irene’s beauty swept the room.
Elly glanced at Chad, and the look in his eyes was all she needed to make her turn and weave her way through the crowd to the kitchen and outside, where she kicked at rocks, secretly hating her mother more for bringing Chad and Irene together, for seeming to love Irene more than herself, and most of all for bestowing upon Elly, albeit not intentionally, her tall, big-boned build and plain, dark looks.
Inside, John watched proudly as Irene came down the stairs. He sipped on a small glass of wine, the first alcohol his father had let him drink, and he liked its taste. More than that, he liked the way a few more sips soothed his inner heartache and frustration over having to work at Kirkland Enterprises and eventually go off to college, instead of doing what he really wanted to do, simply to be left alone to work on his wood carvings. Wine, he was discovering, made a person feel better. It could even make a sad person feel happy. It made all his troubles less important somehow, and as a maid walked by with another tray of filled wineglasses, he took his third helping.
Susan Stanner looked on with a flicker of envy as Chad watched Irene descend and begin greeting guests. She knew it was sinful to be jealous, but Irene Kirkland was indeed a beautiful young woman, the kind a man like Chad Jacobs would certainly desire, compared to a plain, simply dressed minister’s daughter. She wondered at all the wealth she saw represented here, wondered how rich Chad Jacobs might be, wished sometimes she could live this kind of life. Immediately she said a secret prayer, asking God to forgive her lust and greed.
Bea led Irene to the Stanners then, introducing them. Susan was amazed at how warm and friendly Irene
was. She wanted very much to like her, but when Chad Jacobs slipped an arm around her, his face glowing with what appeared to be love and desire, she felt a surprising dislike that disturbed her. She decided Chad Jacobs must surely be possessed of the devil to arouse such sinful feelings in her soul, for within seconds of her first prayer for forgiveness, she found herself whispering another.
The Kirklands led everyone to an immense, marble-topped table, its huge supporting legs and the matching high-backed chairs made of mahogany. Governor Evans sat at one end of the table and Kirk at the other, with Bea just to the right of the governor, Irene to his left, and Chad next to Irene. Bill Byers and his family sat to Bea’s right, and the Stanners next to them. John sat beside the Stanners’ son, Sam; and the chair beside John was empty. It was Elly’s chair. Bea ordered one of the maids to go and quickly find Elly and tell her to get herself to the table.
Across from the Stanners and the Byers, and next to Chad, sat the other two attorneys from Kirkland Enterprises, Robert Slade and his wife Betsy, and Sigmund Brown and his wife Ramona. Beside them sat Henry Brown, Denver’s most successful contractor, and the man who had built the new Kirkland mansion. Four more of the most prominent men of Denver and their wives sat next to him; and, much to Bea’s chagrin, Red McKinley sat to Kirk’s immediate right, completing the large table.
Bea cast Elly a look of chastisement as the girl arrived at the table late. She ordered that the food be served, feeling the secret pride of being exactly what Kirk had said they would be when they first came here—one of the first families of Denver, “old money” in the eyes of nearly everyone at the table. At the moment she had the grandest home in the foothills of the Rockies, and she doubted anyone would build anything comparable anytime soon. The streets of Denver might still be unruly and dirty, but someday it would be as important as Chicago and New York. People like herself and those who sat at this table would be recognized as Denver’s founders.
In the Shadow of the Mountains Page 25
