For a Sister's Love

by Paty Jager

Ty walked to the registration desk. “I’d like a piece of paper, please.” The clerk handed it to him. He picked up the quill by the registration book and hastily scribbled a note.

  He blew on the ink then folded it and wrote Maggie Bancroft room 122. He handed it to the clerk. “Be sure she gets this before she boards the train in the morning.”

  The man nodded, and Ty walked over to the sheriff. “Let’s go.” One thing he’d learned the few short years he worked for his grandmother, it’s best to do your time and cooperate than rant and rave about justice. Justice was a corrupt lady. Kind of like his grandmother.

  ****

  A knock on the door woke Maggie.

  “Wake up call for boarding the train,” a male voice said from the hallway.

  She rubbed her scratchy, swollen eyes. Her throat hurt. She’d cried herself to sleep over the bone deep sorrow of losing one more person.

  When Ty hadn’t returned by midnight, she’d decided he didn’t intend to, and she made plans to continue up river to Wallula and travel to Silver City. She’d put some of the money from Ty’s valise into hers. If he could marry her then dump her like that, she deserved enough money to get to Lora Beth. After all, he promised if she married him he’d get her to her sister.

  Maggie dressed, shoved her night things into her valise, and stared at Ty’s. She’d leave it here. If he came back after she left, he’d have his things.

  A flash of white caught her eye on the floor by the door. Her heart accelerated. Did Ty slip a note under her door? The nerve of him not to face her like a man!

  She unfolded the note and recognized his writing.

  Maggie,

  I did a stupid thing tonight. I’ve been arrested for fighting. Take the money in my valise and continue to Silver City. I’ll catch up when I’m released.

  Ty

  Her body should have been drained of tears, but salty wet drops slid down her cheeks, slipping into the seam of her lips.

  She smiled.

  Joy bubbled in her chest and laughter released her sorrow.

  He didn’t leave her. He was in jail.

  She stepped to the washbasin and wet a cloth. Placing the cool compress over her puffy, sore eyes, she digested his words. He may have told her to continue, but she wasn’t going to leave without him. They’d just have to catch the next boat headed to Wallula. She gathered all the money from her valise and his, shoving it into her handbag. She didn’t know if there would be damages to pay for or just bail, but she’d get Ty out of jail.

  She pulled the door shut, locked it, and placed the key in her handbag. He didn’t leave her! Her steps danced down the hall and stairs.

  “Mrs. Bancroft, did you get the message I slipped under your door?” the clerk asked as she sailed through the lobby.

  Maggie stopped and smiled at the man. “Yes, yes I did. I’m heading to get Mr. Bancroft out of jail. Would you please save our room, we’ll need it until the next ship heads up river.”

  “Certainly.” The man peered around the lobby then added in a quieter voice, “The man he hit had it coming to him, but your man, he kind of went wild. Be careful.”

  The clerk’s words swirled in her head as she navigated the early morning rush headed to the depot for portage to Celilo and the next leg of water travel. The sun threw an ethereal early morning glow down the street. She stopped in front of the jail. Her stomach rumbled with nerves. Ty told her to continue, would he be mad she stayed to help him?

  The train whistle blew. Too late. Her ride just left.

  She pushed open the jailhouse door and walked in. The man behind the desk shot to his feet and pulled a sweat-stained Stetson from his head.

  “Can I help you, ma’am?”

  “You have my husband. Ty Bancroft.” Her gaze drifted to the door leading to the back of the building.

  “He was brought in by the sheriff last night for disorderly conduct.” He leaned forward and added. “That’s fightin’.”

  “I’d like to get him out of here.” She opened her handbag.

  “He’s been in a right sour mood ever since he come in. You sure you want him outta here?”

  The perplexed expression on the man was charming. However, she did want her husband out. She didn’t plan on traveling anywhere without him.

  “Yes. I’d like to get him out.”

  “The sheriff won’t be in for another hour or so. I can’t do nothin’ until he tells me.”

  “Then take me to my husband. I’ll stay with him until the sheriff arrives.” She closed her handbag and walked toward the back hallway.

  The man scooted out from behind the desk and in front of the door faster than a dog chasing a cat. “I can’t let you go back there. We’ve got more than just your husband locked up. There’s a couple nasty drunks and a horse thief.” He nodded to a chair by the door. “If you’re bent on stayin’ take a seat, and I’ll rustle up some coffee.”

  Maggie sighed. At least she knew where Ty was. She took the seat and folded her hands in her lap. Never one for patience, this time she’d have to be.

  ****

  Ty rolled off the hard narrow cot and onto his feet. The night proved long, cold, and frustrating. The wail of the train whistle died. He missed Maggie already. But he’d catch up with her, eventually.

  A drunk in the cell next to him mumbled, snorted, and farted.

  Ty moved to the other side of his cell. At least Maggie wouldn’t see him at his lowest. He’d do his time, get out, and catch up to her. Hopefully, at Silver City after McDonald had moved on. But he hadn’t had a chance to tell Maggie not to mention being married to him or that she even knew him.

  Damn! He’d have to catch up with her before she reached Silver City. He didn’t want his family to taint her. Getting out sooner rather than later was imperative. Mentally, he counted the money the sheriff put in a drawer along with his pocket revolver, watch, and boot knife. Was there enough to bail him out?

  Raised voices filtered through the door.

  “You said the sheriff would be here by now.” The woman’s husky tone sent heat swirling in his body.

  A male voice mumbled back.

  “I insist you let me see my husband, now!” Maggie’s angry demand rose in decibels.

  Why wasn’t she on the train? She had to have received his note or else she wouldn’t have known he sat in jail. Why had she gone against his wishes? This was Maggie. He smiled at her stubborn streak, and his love for her grew. She fought for those she believed in and loved. Loved. Was that why she battled to get him out? Was she falling in love with him?

  “What in tarnation is going on here?” The sheriff’s voice boomed.

  “I’m here to bail out my husband and this man is refusing to help me.” Maggie’s ire was nothing to mess with.

  Ty leaned back against the bars, waiting. He knew the doors would open soon, and Maggie would step into his arms.

  “I tried to tell her she can’t go back there cuz there’s drunks and a thief back there, but she’s gettin’ all perturbed…” The man’s words faded off.

  Worry nagged at the edges of Ty’s happiness. Maggie’s temper could put them in more trouble without him to tamp it down. He hoped the sheriff had good sense about women.

  The outer door opened, and the deputy tromped down the aisle to his cell.

  “I grant your wife’s a looker, but mister, I don’t envy you livin’ with that temper.” The deputy fumbled with the keys and finally swung the cell open.

  Ty patted the man on the back. “You just need to know how to handle her.” He strolled into the office and right to Maggie. Her puffy, red eyes glittered with tears. A smile curved her luscious lips.

  “Are you giving these fine gentlemen a hard time, kitten?”

  “They just don’t listen to reason. Like someone else I know.” Her beautiful eyes narrowed on him.

  Ty threw his head back and laughed. He loved this woman. Sitting behind bars he realized the best way to take care of his grandmother was to meet her
face to face. Renounce any claim she thought he had to the businesses and get her off his back. He wanted a fresh start with Maggie and no strings to the Bancroft name.

  “What’s my bail?” He placed an arm around Maggie. She leaned into him and wrapped an arm around his middle, causing his temperature to rise.

  “Five dollars.”

  “That’s outrageous! Did he break anything?” Maggie thrust her hands on her hips and glared at the two lawmen.

  “Shhh… Kitten, that’s quite all right. It seems a reasonable fee for keeping me overnight.” Ty motioned to the drawer that held his belongings. “If you’d just hand over my things, I’ll pay you, and we’ll be out of your way.”

  The sheriff sauntered behind the desk and placed Ty’s knife, revolver, and watch, along with his money on the corner of the desk nearest him. Ty picked up the money, counted out five dollars, and shoved the rest in his pocket.

  “Here’s what I owe you. Sorry for being so belligerent.” He tucked the knife in his boot, the revolver into his inside coat pocket, and clipped the watch fob to his suit coat. “My hat and we’ll be on our way.”

  The deputy handed him a mashed hat smelling of whiskey and tobacco spit.

  “On second thought, burn it.” He captured Maggie’s hand.

  Eleven

  Maggie sat across the table from Ty, watching him devour the heaping plate in front of him. He was a changed man. Could one night in jail change a person this much? She swirled her egg yolk into her fried potatoes. Neither one had said a word about last night. She couldn’t stand it any longer. Her stomach rumbled with hunger, yet her unease over his actions the night before stalled her hand from delivering the nourishment.

  “What happened?” She put the fork down and stared at him, waiting.

  Ty placed his utensils on his plate, wiped his mouth with a cloth napkin, and leaned back in his chair. The serious glint in his eyes stalled her breath.

  “I received another telegram. A reply to one I sent inquiring about Sam McDonald.”

  “The man with Lora Beth? Is she in danger?” Maggie’s throat constricted thinking of her younger, trusting sister traveling with a scoundrel.

  “No, I’m sure he’s taking good care of her. He’s actually a decent man. One who shouldn’t get messed up with my grandmother.” He scowled and picked up his water glass. Sipping, he stared at a point beyond her head.

  “You never mention any family but your grandmother and never in a good light.” She reached across the table, covering his hand. “What has she done that you can’t forgive her—your family?”

  His eyes focused on her, the usual good humor gone from his features. In its place, his lips curled in disgust, anger darkened and narrowed his eyes.

  “What has my grandmother done? I don’t hold the fact she was a sporting girl against her. Her family was poor with many children, and her father put her to work. Her luck was to have my grandfather fall in love with her and fight his family to marry her.” He smirked. “It also helped his family made their money as privateers so marrying a prostitute wasn’t far beneath their moral code.”

  Maggie didn’t know what to say. Ty’s culture and manners made it hard to believe he came from such…heinous beginnings.

  “My grandparents opened gambling houses in New Orleans. With their dubious backgrounds it makes sense they cheated people and paid the law to ignore what was going on.” He drew in a breath and squeezed her hand. “My mother and younger brother died during childbirth. It left my father with a three-year-old son. We moved in with my grandparents, and my grandfather died when I was eight.”

  “We’ve both suffered so much loss.” She wanted to sit in his lap and smooth away the tension in his face.

  “I wasn’t that close to my grandfather. He rarely came home. In fact, I spent most of my time with the Creole servants. That is until my father died. I was around twelve. My grandmother started taking me to the gambling houses. I learned how to play all the games and found I had a knack for them. She’d bet grown men I could beat them and kept me up all night playing until I won or the others conceded.” He peered into her eyes. “I didn’t know until I turned twenty, but she’d put all my winnings in an account in my name. That’s the money I’ve been living off of. My own.”

  “She doesn’t sound so bad.”

  He flinched. Nothing she said would change his mind about his grandmother. She saw that in his cold gaze. She wished at that moment he could have experienced the childhood she and Lora Beth had.

  “That was the only good thing I can say my grandmother did. When I turned fifteen she started bringing me to all the family business dealings.” He averted his gaze and drew his hand out of hers. “Maggie, I’ve seen men beaten because they owed her money, women thrown out of the only place they had because they were pregnant and couldn’t do ’business’ any more, and houses taken from families who had nowhere to go.” He snorted. “And law officials take money and use women from one of her brothels to look the other way.”

  He grabbed both her hands. “Two years ago I couldn’t stand it any longer and told her I didn’t want anything to do with the family or the tainted money. I’ve been traveling around since, sitting in on games, trying to figure out what to do. When I heard Ainsworth was looking for a partner to run his gambling salons, I jumped at the chance to prove I’m different than my family.”

  Maggie hopped out of her seat, sunk to the floor at his side, and wrapped her arms around his waist. “You are different. You have character and morals. I’m proud you had the strength to walk away.”

  He smoothed a hand over her head. “McDonald is the son of my grandmother’s lawyer who handles her legitimate businesses. I doubt he even knows why grandmother sent him to find me.”

  She peered up at him. “Why would she send someone after you? How did she know you were in Timberland?”

  “I read a newspaper while in Timberland that said my mother’s brother had been killed. I telegraphed my grandmother asking her if she had anything to do with it.”

  Maggie gasped. “W-why would she kill your uncle?”

  “He’s one politician she couldn’t pay off. He’s been trying to clean her businesses up for years. He’d never accepted his sister married my father. But he was good to me. I think he saw I wasn’t like them, but like my mother.”

  “That’s why you left. You are your mother’s son.” She smiled and placed a palm on his cheek.

  He grasped her hands, stood, and deposited her in her chair. Ty stood beside her, gazing down. “I’ve always prayed that’s so.”

  “Do you know why your grandmother is looking for you?” She couldn’t imagine the pain he must go through every day, knowing the horror his family had caused.

  “Not really. I’m assuming to try and talk me into rejoining the family business. Once you and Lora Beth are reunited, I’ll leave you with her and pay my grandmother a visit.” He pulled his chair over and sat in front of her, his knees touching hers.

  “I want to go with you.” She didn’t want to be left behind.

  He shook his head and captured her hands in his. “I was tempted last night to leave, to keep her from discovering you and tormenting your life.” He raised her knuckles to his lips. “But running from her the rest of my life is cowardice. And not fair to you.”

  “Was that why you were so quiet and distant?” Her heart ached for his misery.

  “I was hoping McDonald wasn’t the one I knew, but the telegram came confirming it was, and then that moron with the bowler made a crack, and I hit him.” Ty smiled for the first time since their conversation started. “Actually, I pummeled the man pretty good.”

  A smile quivered on her lips. She knew the feeling, remembering how the bottle had vibrated in her hand when she’d hit him over the head. She inhaled deeply and stared into Ty’s gleaming eyes.

  “Where do we go from here?”

  “I’ll telegraph Ainsworth and let him know you have a family emergency we’re attending to. I�
�ll write him a letter about how I’ll stay in contact with Dickens, Edmonds, and Aldeen. We’ll catch the train in the morning, continue to Wallula, and take the stage to Silver City.”

  “What about the man with Lora Beth?” She chewed her top lip.

  “We have a few days to figure out how to handle him.” He pushed his chair back to his spot at the table. “Eat.”

  Ty picked up his fork and watched the feisty woman dig into her meal. How could he have thought leaving her was for the best? She had proven time and again her strength and resilience. He hid a chuckle thinking of the way she laid into the sheriff and deputy. The passion she put into everything she did was what drew him to her and made him think about her every waking moment.

  He planned to explore more of her passion tonight.

  ****

  Maggie knew it was silly given they’d made love once already, but the jitters and fears made her talk even faster than normal. Her skin shivered and heated in anticipation. “Did you ask the clerk to wake us for the train?”

  Ty had bought a new hat. It hung on top of his jacket on a hook by the door. He stood in the middle of the room, his eyes slightly hooded by his eyelids as he watched her pluck the hair pins from her curls. His perusal didn’t help her jitters.

  “Yes.”

  Her fingers fumbled with the buttons on her dress.

  “Let me help.” In three strides, he stood in front of her, releasing the buttons from their bonds.

  “I can—”

  “I know, but I like being close to you.” He leaned down, kissing her neck.

  “I-I like you being close.”

  He pushed her dress off her shoulders, down her arms, over her hips, and to the floor.

  “Is that why you didn’t follow my orders and get on the train?”

  “No. You made a promise to help me find Lora Beth. I wasn’t going to travel alone when I have a husband to travel with.”

  His tongue touched her earlobe and trailed a wet path down to the valley between her breasts. He raised his head and peered into her eyes. “So you like having a husband?”

  “Y-yes, it comes in handy for traveling and safety.” He ran a fingertip lightly back and forth across the mounds of her breasts. Tingles vibrated to her toes. “Oh my!”