by Maggie Ryan
The mayor had married Lapis, now called Louise. His brother, Thomas, had wed another gem, Quartz, who became the step-mother of Polly and had added another citizen to Culpepper’s count when she gave birth to their daughter. Following the sheriff’s lead, his deputy, Crawford Slade had found true love in the arms of Ada, known as Sapphire at the saloon. It seemed to be catching as their newest lawman, Patrick Tey had wed Sunstone. The young woman had also graced the stage at the saloon with her quite flamboyant rendition of the new, highly popular Can-can dance.
Even their piano player, Charlie Walker, had changed his ways once he’d set eyes on Silver. The couple were a perfect match. He accompanied her on the piano and her voice filled the saloon with appreciative customers anxious to hear haunting melodies before going upstairs to spend a few moments in a beautiful gem’s arms.
They even had what Jewel considered an “honorary gem.” Gloria Owens had come to town after accepting the new position as Culpepper’s first schoolmarm. While she’d originally been very judgmental about the fallen women at the saloon, Seth McIntyre made it his duty to not only change her views, but to make her his bride. Though they’d spent only one night under the Petticoat’s roof, Gloria had let it slip that Seth had told her she was now his own gem—his lovely Garnet.
As he turned onto the main road that would lead him home, he wondered how many more women would come into their lives. How many would stay like Onyx who’d declared she would never leave. Dottie expressed the same wish to remain as long as they would have her. As for Opal, if John didn’t propose on his own soon, Gabe wasn’t sure that Jewel would not borrow Nettie’s spoon and give him a few whacks as incentive to pop the question. Amy seemed happy to remain behind the bar serving drinks and flirting with their customers but he was willing to bet that one day her heart would also be stolen. Regardless of who stayed or went, he knew that as long as there was a Red Petticoat Saloon and a woman named Jewel, there would always be a roof to put over a weary, frightened, down-trodden woman’s head and love and friendship to help that woman become strong and confident, learning that she could make her own dreams come true.
“So, how was your holiday?” Ben asked, waiting for Gabe to dismount before taking Shadow’s reins.
“Couldn’t have been better,” Gabe said. “Jewel told me to inform you that with the right man, camping is the best way to spend a holiday.”
Ben laughed and shook his head. “I still say that most women would prefer a fancy hotel and a pricey restaurant. You’ve just found the one woman on Earth who’s always thinking of other’s comforts before her own.”
“I can’t argue with that,” Gabe agreed. “Will we see you later?”
“Is Damaris dealing?”
“As far as I know.”
“Then that was a very stupid question.”
Gabe chuckled. “The first drink is on me to apologize for my stupidity.” Ben grinned and thanked him before leading Shadow into a stall where he’d unsaddle, brush him down and feed him a measure of oats.
Continuing down the street, Gabe walked into the mercantile. “Hey, Sam,” he called out, drawing the owner’s attention from where he was restocking shelves.
“Hey, Gabe. What can I do for you?”
“Jewel asked me to stop by and pick up Nettie’s order.”
“Sure thing. I have to admit, the entire town is getting excited about Miss Jewel’s plans. I swear there’s not a day that goes by without some customer or another talking about the feast being planned.”
“It’s sure to be interesting,” Gabe agreed. “Those women have been discussing menus for weeks and they plan on starting on decorating the saloon soon.”
Sam stepped off the ladder and moved behind the counter. Setting a box full of various foodstuffs on the wooden surface, he bent and added another. “Yup, and these just came in. Jewel ordered some pretties to use to do just that.”
Gabe pulled his wallet from his coat pocket and paid for the order. “We’re going to be cutting a tree soon enough. The gems are as excited as Jewel. A lot of these women don’t have good memories of Christmas and Jewel is determined to make this year full of nothing but joy.”
Shaking his head, Sam leaned his elbows on the counter and chuckled. “I’m sure she will but if there wasn’t a single glittering star in the place, as long as Nettie is cooking, it will be the best Christmas ever.”
Piling the boxes on top of each other, Gabe made his way to the door, pausing when Sam called out, “Oh, tell Miss Jewel that her orders are still on schedule.”
“She’s expecting more than this?” Gabe asked, hefting the boxes in his arms.
“Oh yeah, she’s been placing orders for the past month.”
“Hmmm, I’ll tell her,” Gabe promised, taking advantage of another customer’s entry to slip out the door. Walking towards the saloon, he wondered what on earth Jewel could be ordering. He was pushing through the batwing doors when his thoughts changed. Shit, what was he going to give her for Christmas? It had to be special, as she deserved the very best. But, the woman wasn’t one to ask for anything. Walking through the saloon towards the kitchen, he hoped that maybe Nettie could give him an idea or two.
“Where’s Nettie?” he asked, surprised to see the kitchen empty except for Jewel.
“Shhh, she’s taking a nap,” Jewel said, nodding towards the door to Nettie’s bedroom.
“So getting her needs met tires her out, huh?” Gabe teased, putting the boxes down on the table where Jewel was sitting.
Jewel giggled and nodded. “Especially when those needs have gone unheeded for years.” She stood and clapped her hands at seeing the bounty. “Thanks for picking these up, Gabe. It’s already beginning to feel like Christmas.”
“You’re welcome and Sam said to tell you that your other orders are on schedule. What have you got planned?”
“You know I can’t say,” Jewel said, already removing items from the boxes. “It’s Christmas and a surprise.”
Deciding to give it another go, he wrapped his arms around her waist, nuzzling her neck. “And what does my girl want to find beneath the tree on Christmas morning?”
“I don’t need anything,” Jewel said. “I have everything I need right here. Well, I will once all my orders come in.”
Her answer didn’t help him at all. With her squeal as she placed a tin on the table, his brow furrowed. “Soot? Why on earth do you need soot?”
“It’s not soot, it’s suet,” Jewel clarified. “It’s for Nettie to use when she makes spotted dick and figgy pudding. Oh, and these are the dried fruits for the mince pies.”
“Whoa, back up. Spotted dick? Seriously?”
Jewel looked up at him, her eyes wide. “Ever had it before?”
“No, I can definitely state I’ve never eaten any dick… much less one with spots.”
Her nose crinkled and then her cheeks flushed as she slapped at his arm. “You are awful! It’s not that kind of dick! It’s a pudding full of currants, raisins and other dried fruit. Suet is used in the cake mix. It’s a bit like lard but is made from mutton fat…”
“Honey, if you don’t want to hear a lot of jokes about that pudding, maybe you should keep its name to yourself. And it probably wouldn’t hurt to keep the ingredients a secret as well.”
“Gabriel Vasquez, this holiday is going to showcase all sorts of dishes that are new to some and traditional for others. Nettie and I have asked all the gems to give us recipes for their favorites…”
“Ah, so I can expect to see a nice pot of chitlins next to your spotted dick?”
Jewel shuddered but shrugged. “I did say I wanted everyone’s favorites to be included, so, maybe.” She smiled and added, “But, it won’t hurt to ask Moses if he has other, less… um, odoriferous favorites.”
Gabe bent close to nibble on her neck and then whispered in her ear. “If you get a hankering for some dick before the feast, I believe I can help you find some.”
Her face flushed beautifully aga
in. “I’ll keep that in mind. Now, go find something to do. I’ve got to organize these and make sure to check them off my list.”
“All right. I’m going to go see Jeb. Tripp has agreed to not only go with me to San Francisco to hire some men, but he’s going to work security for us until we get the staff we need. I’m also going to ask Tey if he wants to earn some extra money. Oh, and I’ve invited Delaney to come stay while we’re gone.”
Jewel left the table and moved towards the larger one used as a work table by Nettie. “It will be fun having Delaney here. I’m sure Damaris will love having her as a roommate for a few days. If you’re going to see Jeb, can you drop these off for Ruby?”
“Sure, but I thought Jeb had her on a strict diet,” Gabe said, accepting the cookies he’d watched Jewel wrapping in paper.
Giggling, Jewel shook her head. “Ah, you didn’t hear? It seems that Anson has decided that Ruby isn’t gaining all that weight from eating. He believes she is going to give birth to twins!”
“Whoa! Two?” Gabe grinned. “Two little red-heads joining that family. Well that should keep the sheriff on his toes.”
“Yes, but now Jeb feels very guilty for being such a meanie that he’s allowing Ruby a treat a day.”
“A treat? There’s at least a dozen cookies here.”
“But all the same kind of cookie… therefore, we can count them as a treat,” Jewel stated, returning to the other table.
“I swear, the females of the species have been gifted with the inexplicable ability to turn everything around to their advantage,” Gabe said.
“Don’t be jealous,” Jewel quipped. “It makes us interesting.”
“That it does, that it does.” He wasn’t even sure Jewel heard him as she was squealing about another tin she removed from the box. Not absolutely sure he wished to know its contents, preferring to just eat whatever delicacy Nettie managed to turn it into, he smiled and went to find Jeb.
Chapter 12
“Promise me you’ll be careful,” Jewel said, wrapping her arms around Gabe’s waist.
“I promise, querida,” Gabe reassured, bending to place a kiss on top of her golden hair. “We’ll be back before the end of the week. Charlie and Moses will be here and Jeb and Crawford know to keep an even closer eye on the Petticoat. Tey will split his time between town and the mine.”
“I know we’ll be fine.” She had no real concern for her gems’ safety. Though they were indeed desired by many, the men protecting them assured they were not ripe for stealing. Jewel couldn’t say that about the three strongboxes that were beneath a tarp in the back of the wagon. Men had been known to attack and even kill for far less than the amount of gold that Gabe was transporting to San Francisco. Jewel returned a final kiss and then watched as Gabe mounted Shadow. Opal gave a squeal when John popped her behind with a warning of “be good.”
“I’m always good,” she quipped, rubbing her backside and grinning.
“Can’t argue with that,” John said with a smile, kissing her again before climbing up onto the wagon seat.
“Have fun,” Tripp said, giving his wife a kiss and with her giggle, he added, “And behave!”
“I will but I’ll miss you,” Delaney said. “Hurry back.”
The three women stood on the steps of the Red Petticoat, waving as the trio rode off. Each man had a rifle in the scabbards of the horses or tucked beneath the wagon seat and all wore gun belts around their waists. Each was experienced with traveling about the country and none were foolish enough to believe that every stranger they came across could be trusted.
“They’ll be fine,” Opal said, her arm around Jewel’s waist.
“I know,” Jewel said. “I’ve just not spent a night without Gabe since we met.” She shook her head, realizing that was not only true, it had been almost a year. “All right, enough of this. We’ve got enough to keep us busy. Customers will be arriving soon and I’ve got to finish planning the party.”
The three women entered the saloon, though Jewel looked over her shoulder in the direction the men had gone. She’d never truly considered that with the discovery of a large vein of gold would come the feeling of trepidation. Yes, the money would be used to help a great deal of people, yet she prayed it didn’t come at a price that she and Gabe hadn’t considered.
“You all right, Miss Jewel?”
Looking back into the interior of the saloon, Jewel smiled. “Yes, Moses, just missing Gabriel already.”
The huge man nodded, his smile slow and easy. “I think that’s one of the nicest gifts a person can receive… being missed by someone who loves them. Don’t you fret, ma’am, he’ll be back in the shake of a lamb’s tail.”
His words had Jewel giving a real smile as she instantly pictured Nettie as Moses’ little lamb. She impulsively gave Moses a hug. “You’re a good man, Moses. I can’t tell you how happy I am that you found our Nettie.” His grin said he was pleased to have done so himself. “Speaking of Nettie, is she in the kitchen?”
“Yes, ma’am. Shooed me out saying she can’t get anything done dodging a bear so I’m off to the shop but I’ll be back before you get busy.”
Jewel watched him leave. He’d opened the furrier shop in town stating it would be a convenient place for other trappers to bring their furs. He tanned them and resold them. Jewel couldn’t blame the man for making the decision to become a businessman as it kept him in town and close to Nettie. Deciding he had the right idea about keeping busy, she made the decision to concentrate on things she could control. After getting a pad of paper and a pencil from her office, she began to walk through the saloon. Her list grew from room to room. There would be no time to begin decorating since it was Friday night and the saloon would be full with the beginning of twilight. But, if the weather cooperated, perhaps on Sunday she could start gathering the greens to make garlands to hang across every doorway and along the windows.
“You look so serious,” Amy said, coming down the stairs and pausing on the last step.
“Oh, thank you, Amy. I’d forgotten the stairs!”
“The stairs?”
“Yes, wouldn’t it be lovely to have greenery woven along the banister? The scent of evergreen boughs will be wonderful.”
Amy ran her hand along the wooden bannister and grinned. “And might help to disguise the aroma of unwashed men. Lord, you’d think the miners wouldn’t mind taking a bath at least once a month!”
Jewel smiled, remembering her own bath up on the mountain. “I admit, I thought the same but I can attest that the river is mighty cold.”
“True, but we do have a bathing room,” Amy reminded her, coming down the last step to move behind the bar. “Oh, I’ll have a list for you soon. God forbid a miner doesn’t have enough whiskey to ease the chill.”
“Great, but make sure you add to your list. The bar will need to be well stocked for the party.”
Amy assured her she would and the women parted, both scribbling on paper. After making a quick sketch about how to rearrange the dining room and noting that she would need to speak to Gabe about setting up makeshift tables to hold the large array of foods planned, she saw Charlie walking out of the kitchen.
“Charlie, I was thinking. What do you think about putting the Christmas tree on the stage?”
Shoving the last of the cookie he was eating into his mouth, Charlie gave the question some consideration. Chasing the cookie with a large swallow of coffee, he said, “That would work. Well, as long as the gems remembered it was there. Sometimes they get a bit rowdy with their dancing. Especially that Can-can that Sunny made so popular.”
“Oh, I hadn’t thought of that,” Jewel said. “Hmmm, perhaps we can have the girls dance in front of the stage?”
“We can certainly try that,” Charlie agreed. “Our next rehearsal is in an hour. If we move the piano over a bit, then the gems would have more room down front. Yup, I think that’ll work.”
“Great. I hope to get the tree when Gabe returns.”
The two parted and by the time the first customers began to arrive, Jewel had several additional lists and was anxious to actually begin the decorating process. She changed her clothes in preparation for greeting her clients. Unpinning her hair, she reached for the brush, realizing that it had been a long time since she’d brushed her own hair. One of her greatest pleasures was sitting before Gabe as he drew the bristles through her locks, his fingers stroking the curls before pushing them aside to nuzzle the nape of her neck. He’d whisper naughty, suggestive things into her ear, making her nipples harden and her sex moisten in anticipation. Good Lord, all the man had to do was give her a look and she was ready to rip off her clothing and willingly participate in anything he suggested.
“This is going to be a long week,” she mumbled, pinning her hair up into a chignon before rising.
Strains of the popular song, Oh! Susanna, greeted her as she stepped from her room. Though she loved the fact that Charlie’s piano playing was often accompanied by the voices of miners as well as his wife, Silver, she couldn’t wait to hear the rooms filled with songs of the season. Making yet another mental note to check with Sam as to the arrival of the sheet music she’d ordered, Jewel began to walk through the saloon, greeting miners as well as townsfolk as they gathered at the Red Petticoat for a bite of supper, a bit of entertainment, a glass or two of whiskey, a few hands of cards and an hour or two spent in the arms of a woman who made the men feel like life was worth living.
“What are you doing?” The question was asked softly as Jewel paused next to one of the felted card tables.
“Dealing,” Delaney said, giving her a grin.
“Did Tripp say you could?”
“He didn’t say I couldn’t,” Delaney said. “Besides, you have to admit, your customers seem mighty pleased to see both of us dealing. I bet we don’t have an empty seat all night.”
Jewel couldn’t argue the point as the two adjoining tables already had every chair filled and men standing just a bit apart, waiting for a seat to become available. Diamond and Coal looked so much alike they could pass as twins… especially since they’d obviously taken great care in dressing identically. While she hadn’t planned on her ex-gem returning to work, she decided that not only was Delaney a grown woman capable of making her own decisions, who was she to deny the sisters a bit of fun as they flirted with men who couldn’t decide which woman was which.
