He studied his bare chest in the oval mirror above the wash stand and was pleased to see he had almost regained his former bulk. His biceps curled and he appraised their size. They were no longer the shape of grapefruits, but looked more like small melons and he smiled to himself. He needed all of that strength in the next day’s rodeo.
The spring festival was underway on the rodeo grounds of Virginia City as night fell, and he was anxious to take part. There would be revelers, games and a sampling of the town’s best foods and brews, live music and dancing, and he hoped to find a certain blond among the throng.
He worked a comb through his dark hair and smiled as he sucked on his bottom lip, still tender from the beauty’s bite. Lord, but he was infected with her. Going a week between kisses had been pure torture. The day Dalton visited him to relay that the dressmaker was no longer under surveillance it had taken all of his willpower not to high-tail it up to her place on the instant.
The second her eyes met his in the shop that afternoon, he knew she had suffered a similar torment during their days apart. Jess was passionate, and could hide nothing from her eyes. She was fighting it, he knew, and he also knew why, but he was determined to show her he wasn’t the monster he reminded her of.
He slipped his arms into the deep brown shirt sleeves and buttoned the pearl buttons to his neck. Next, his black vest slid on and came together. He checked the time on his pocket watch before dropping it into the slit in his vest and pulling on his black great coat. With his black hat in hand, he gave himself a once-over in the mirror and grinned.
“Valentine Kelly, you’ve outdone yourself again,” he told his reflection before leaving the space and making his way down the stairs.
The house was empty, but for Ellie, Sandy and Sadie. Ellie had suspended dinner, knowing most of her boarders would be eating up at the festival. When Val met the trio at the foot of the stairs, they looked as though they weren’t joining the festivities. He frowned.
“Aren’t you all going up to the grounds?” he asked.
“Oh, we are,” Ellie answered. “Just a little later. I’m waiting on Collette. This is the last fitting before she can finish the dress. It shouldn’t be a long appointment and then we’ll head up the road.”
“Collette’s coming here?” he asked, cringing at the happy note in his voice. “When do you expect her?”
“She’s actually a bit late, so I expect any minute now.”
With the lack of chatter inside the house it was easy to hear the “ho!” of the carriage driver pulling up to Ellie’s porch steps. Val went outside and descended the steps, opening the door before the driver could dismount from his perch. Jess reached out to accept his hand and stopped in mid-step when she saw it was him.
“Val,” she said with a surprised swallow. “What are you doing here?”
He smirked. “I live here.”
She huffed. “Yes, but why aren’t you up at the festival?”
“Is that why you came so late? Trying to avoid me?”
Her eyebrow raised and she showed him her shoulder as she stepped down. “Hardly. I would think it would be the other way around.”
“Why?”
“Perhaps because I nearly took your lip off the last time we met. I figured that was a clear enough message.”
He laughed. “If you’re wanting to get rid of a man, nibbling on his lip is not the way to go.”
She stood taller as her back went stiff as a rod. “I certainly wasn’t giving you an invitation.”
“I figured it was your way of leaving your mark.”
“Or rather, it was me marking the beast.”
He threw his head back and laughed. “Marking the beast with the lips of an angel.”
She sighed, and shook her head. “You are almost insufferable, Valentine Kelly.”
“Almost.”
Marlena was next out of the carriage and Val held her hand as they exchanged a friendly greeting. He took the garment bag from Jessie and carried it up the steps for her.
“I was thinking,” he began, drawing Jess’s guarded look. “You ought to tell Ellie the truth about who you are.” Jess opened her mouth to protest but Val cut her off. “She’s a good person, and a true friend. The more friends you realize you have, the less you’ll feel alone in the world. Both of you.”
She was silent as her eyes flicked between him and Marlena and the wooden porch steps.
“If you’re making this place your home, Jess, you’ll have to tell people eventually. Why not start with those you trust? I’ll respect whatever you decide, but please consider it.”
After a deep breath, she nodded softly. Once through the doors Ellie was ready with a warm hug.
“You are a gem, Collette,” Ellie said. “I’ve sure put you through the ringer with these alterations, and now here you are, missing the festival to be here with me. I don’t think I have enough money to pay you for your dedication.”
Jess smiled, and to Val’s surprise, spoke in her real voice. “Just load me up with a few jars of your pickled beets and I’ll consider it payment enough.”
Ellie’s smile faded a degree and her confused eyes darted from everyone in the room, to be sure she had heard the woman’s voice correctly. Jess seemed amused by the reaction and giggled.
“No, you haven’t gone mad,” Jessie said. “You heard me correctly. I have a confession to make.” She took a deep breath and glanced at Val, who nodded in reassurance. “My name is not Collette and I’m not French.” She reached out and put an arm around Marlena’s shoulders to bring the girl to her side. “I am Jessica and this is my sister, Marlena.”
“Nice to finally speak to you,” Marlena said with a smile. Ellie’s grin returned, though it still didn’t mask her confusion.
“Likewise, darlin’,” she said. “But I don’t understand Coll…I mean Jessica. Why the façade?”
Jess closed her eyes and took a long, slow breath before she reached up to untie the bow at her throat. She pulled her hat off as her eyes opened and she listened to the horrified gasps with a quiet stoicism. Val heart ached with pride at the sight of her standing tall and proud with her past on display.
“We have something we’re running from,” she finally told Ellie, whose mouth hid behind her palm. “But as Val reminded me, I do have friends here, and I trust my friends to both know the truth, and to help me protect it.”
Ellie regained her composure and smiled as she reached out a hand, which Jess took. “Nice to meet you, Jessica.”
“Call me, Jess,” she said, looking over at Val. “All of my friends do.”
Once she received similar gestures from Sandy and Sadie, the women all disappeared upstairs to go about their business. Val joined Sandy in the parlor for a whisky and cigar. He had only taken one puff before remembering the day Jess split his cigar in two and he snuffed the thing out, ignoring Sandy’s perplexed look.
“Heard any more from Leonard Stacy?” Sandy finally asked.
Val studied the book spines and sipped his whisky. “No. I’m starting to wonder, or perhaps hope, the man has given up his pursuits.”
“I hope you’re right, but what if you’re not?”
Val met his partner’s eyes. “What can I do, Sandy?” He was truly at a loss.
“I don’t think there’s anything you can do, Val. One way or another, Leonard Stacy will own that mine if he wants it.”
The hairs on his arms stood on end and icy tingles shuddered down his spine. He didn’t want to believe those words. There had to be a way to beat the bully without hurting anyone. He fought the man on a matter of principle, but as he stood sipping his drink he began to question himself for the first time, wondering what it was worth to be right.
“I want you to know, Val, at the first sign of trouble, Ellie and I are selling,” Sandy said as he cleaned his spectacles with a handkerchief. “We have more money than we need. Our life together is just starting and I’m not willing to risk that for anything. She’s my silver mine. I
’ll be rich as long as I have her with me. So, the second I sense anything amiss, I’ll be on Stacy’s doorstep with a deed. I just wanted you to know first.”
Val nodded. He had nothing to say. How could he argue with that? He finished the rest of his whisky in one swallow just as he heard the women returning to the main floor. They all met at the foot of the stairs, and when he locked eyes with Jess, she frowned and came to his side.
“What’s wrong?” she asked quietly. “Is everything all right?”
He smiled and chucked her beneath the chin. “Everything is fine, beautiful.”
“Let’s head up to the festival,” Ellie announced as she doused the lamp near the stairwell.
“You all enjoy yourselves,” Jess said, and Val frowned along with everyone else.
“You’re not coming up?” he asked.
“No. I’ve got a lot of work to do.”
Marlena stepped forward with a plea in her eyes. “Aw, Jess. Can’t we go for a little while? I want to try one of those candy apple sticks. I’ve got my own money.”
Jess held out the garment bag. “And what am I to do? Wander around a dirty cluster of people with Ellie’s wedding gown slung over my arm?
Ellie stepped forward. “We’re all going up in the buckboard. You could ride with us and we’ll drop the dress off at your shop along the way.”
“I already have a carriage waiting for me outside.”
“That’s easily remedied,” Val said, heading toward the door, ignoring Jess’s shouts of protest.
He paid the driver and sent him off. Jess came bounding down the stairs with a look of fury on her face.
“What the hell are you doing?” she asked. “I told you we weren’t going.”
“I just changed your mind for you,” he returned.
She placed a hand on her hip. “Why does everyone want me to go to this damn festival?”
He couldn’t help himself. He snaked an arm around her waist and pulled her against him. If anything, her face turned more defiant, her eyes shooting violet sparks at him, but she didn’t try to pull away. He grinned.
“Because I want to dance with you tonight.”
She tilted her head in challenge. “I don’t want to dance with you.”
Her heart thundered against his chest, belying her protest. His smirk widened at the effect he had on her.
“Tonight, you do.”
Chapter 21
Sandy steered the buckboard to a halt in front of Jess’s shop and Val hopped down to assist Jess. He knew she would have refused his help if not for the heavy garment she carried. Once she disappeared into the shop, he turned a conspiratorial grin onto the occupants of the wagon.
“Y’all go on ahead. Jess and I will walk and meet you there.”
They nodded, with Val and Marlena sharing a wink before Sandy snapped the reins and the mules trotted off. Val leaned against the tether rail and smirked when Jess emerged from the shop. She glanced up and down the street before sighing and shaking her head.
“You sent them off, didn’t you?”
“Uh huh.” He offered his arm. “Shall we?”
She took his arm and walked beside him. The streets were all but deserted, with the town emptied into the fairgrounds. Val studied the gait of the man ahead of them, the confident swagger, the thief-like visage with which he scanned the world about, looking for some story to steal for his newspaper. He could tell by the sharp intake of breath that Jess recognized him, too.
“Samuel Clemens,” she said with disgust. “When Lila told me about his part in what happened last summer, I was so angry I could have spit nails.”
“You and me, both,” Val agreed. The man was responsible for putting everyone in danger last summer with his powers of exaggeration and subterfuge.
“Someday he’ll get his comeuppance, and I hope I’m there to see it.”
Val nodded, then stopped abruptly as an idea entered his mind. “Let’s make that day, today.”
“What?” she asked, her face full of skepticism.
“Let’s go this way,” he said, turning them down a street too soon.
“But the fairgrounds are that way,” she motioned.
“I know. We can cut across through an alleyway back over to that street to get ahead of Samuel.”
He didn’t give her a chance for more questions, just pulled her at a run. Laughter bubbled from his chest at what he was about to do. When he was sure they’d moved down enough, he pulled her through an alleyway headed straight for the street traveled by the unsuspecting reporter.
Jess leaned against the wall as she panted for breath. “What are you planning?”
“Shhh…” he said as he pulled out his bandana and tied it around his face in a mask, and she stifled a giggle with her hand. Next, he pulled his pistol and removed the bullets. He plastered himself against the wall, bringing her beside him as he put a finger to his lips. As soon as Samuel walked past the alleyway, Val stepped out behind him and cocked the gun hammer.
“Don’t move a muscle,” Val commanded as he pressed the cold barrel to the back of Samuel’s neck. “Put your hands up.”
The reporter’s hands inched upward, his fingers trembling.
“Now hand over your valuables,” Val said. “Just empty your pockets right there on the ground.” One by one, trinkets fell to the dirt. A wallet. A pocket watch. A few cigars. A tiny notepad filled with scribbles. The quaking of Samuel’s arms almost made Val regret his prank. Almost. “Now, toss out your gun.”
“I don’t carry a weapon,” Samuel said, his voice filled with false bravado.
“I don’t believe you. Any man with any sense carries a weapon.”
“The pen is mightier than the sword, my good man.”
Val chuckled. Leave it to Samuel to fight back with words. “But both can take your life, my good man,” he returned.
“You are very right.”
“So, we must be extremely careful and cautious how we use each, yes?”
“I should say so.”
“Good. I’m glad you agree,” Val said. “Now, turn around and apologize to me.”
“Apologize to you?” Samuel sputtered, turning indignantly on his heel as Val tugged down the bandana. When Samuel recognized him, he threw his hands up in the air and released a full puff of air. “Valentine Kelly! What is the meaning of this? You scared the twilight out of me. I say! I nearly bungled my bowels in the street.”
Val laughed. “Good. Now you know what it feels like to have someone else play with the power they have over your life.”
Samuel’s sigh was exasperated as he shook his head and combed his wishbone mustache with his fingertips. “Still haranguing me for that little misunderstanding with your sister-in-law, I see.”
“Little misunderstanding?” Val peered sideways at the man while he reloaded his gun. “That little misunderstanding earned me two bullets in my back and shoulder, not to mention Morgan and Lila’s father almost died.”
“Yes, well as Mrs. Kelly so aptly pointed out last year, I am not the son of God. I cannot be blamed for the actions of other men. You Kelly folk certainly are a dramatic lot.”
Val snorted. “There is more drama in your stories than there is in the whole of my family. But that’s all right. All will be forgiven when you print a retraction tomorrow.”
“A retraction?” Samuel’s face scrunched into quiet laughter. “I have never printed a retraction in my life.”
“You’ll print your first one tomorrow.”
“I most certainly will not.”
“No?”
Samuel shoved his hands into his pockets and shook his head crisply. Val cocked the gun again and brought it up to Samuel’s face. His voice turned deep and gravelly and the wide brightening of fear stole into the reporter’s eyes as he backed up against the wall.
“You print that retraction or I’ll make sure everyone in this town knows how you pissed yourself at the sight of my gun.”
“I…I…did no such
thing,” Samuel stammered, looking down as if to confirm he was right.
“My dear Samuel,” Val said as he brought his face closer. “You of all people ought to know. Facts aren’t essential to truth. You said so yourself.”
Samuel’s eyes narrowed, remembering the words he’d spewed at Lila when she confronted him about his libelous article. “No one will believe you. It is your word against mine.”
“On the contrary,” Jess said, emerging from the alley to stand beside Val. Her nose scrunched in distaste as she waved a fan in front of her face. “I believe I do detect the strong scent of fear in your piss there, Samuel. I’m sure I’ll be able to describe it for the rest of my days.”
Samuel knew how damaging words could be, and he was a man with enough pride not to test Val’s threat. His lips tightened, and he nodded once.
“All right,” he said. “I will print your confounded retraction.”
Val nodded. “And print it clearly, you hear? I want you to spell out the names of the people you wronged. Got it?”
“Yes, yes! Now, get that barbaric piece of steel out of my face, if you please.”
Val slid his gun back into its holster and chuckled. “You know I would have never shot you, right old boy?”
Samuel straightened and brushed at his suit sleeves. “Yes, yes, I know, Val.” His voice was resigned. “Just as I’m sure you know I would have printed your retraction.”
Val frowned. “You would have printed it without my threat?”
The handles of Samuel’s mustache twitched upward as his beady eyes shimmered with mirth. “I already printed the retraction, my dear boy. Printed it last year after the truth came to light, but seeing as how none of yous was around to read it, I shall happily print another.” He tugged on his vest pockets and grinned even wider.
“Why didn’t you say so?” Val asked in disbelief.
“You were so intent on proving your point, I figured I’d let you prove it with as much meat as you could muster.” He closed a triumphant fist around the word “meat.” A short, incredulous breath coughed from Val and Jess giggled by his side. Samuel turned to her. “Not to worry, Miss. Your declaration was most convincing and I’ve no doubt you would have seen it to fruition, if necessary. The Kelly boys sure do like grit when it comes to their women.”
Desert Sunrise (Love in the Sierras Book 2) Page 14
