Shotgun Grooms

by Susan Mallery

  Lucas returned shortly after nine. Trailing behind him were two overly slender girls in worn cloaks. Their eyes were large, their skin pale and Emily read the fear in their expressions.

  “Alice and Mary, meet Emily MacIntyre.”

  The older of the two tried to smile. “Ma’am.”

  Like her younger sister, Alice had bright red hair and green eyes. The two girls held hands, clinging to each other as if they had no one else in the world.

  Emily moved around the desk and approached the girls. “How old are you?” she asked.

  Alice spoke for them both. “I’m fifteen. Mary is thirteen. We’re hard workers, ma’am,” she added. “We’re both stronger than we look. I can scrub and clean. Mary’s real patient when it comes to ironing and she knows some cooking.”

  “Good.” Emily glanced at her husband. “Have they eaten recently?”

  “About an hour ago.”

  She returned her attention to the girls. “I think we should talk about work in the morning. Right now you two need some sleep.”

  She showed them to a small room next to her own. She’d made it up quickly after dinner. The fresh mattress had been delivered just that afternoon. Emily had added a pretty pink coverlet and drapes, along with a pansy-covered basin.

  Alice and Mary stared at the small room, then Alice shook her head. “Ma’am, this is too nice for us.”

  Emily took in the plain walls, the stains she’d been unable to scrub out on the floor and the skinny dresser. She’d been hesitant about renting out the room because it was so small and the window didn’t offer a view of anything nicer than the building across the street.

  Emily touched Alice’s thin shoulder. “I was about to apologize because it wasn’t nice enough. You and Mary are safe here. Get ready for bed. We’ll talk in the morning.”

  With that, she left the sisters alone and shut the door behind herself.

  She found Lucas waiting by the reception desk. “Where did you find them?”

  The anger she’d noticed before returned to his eyes. “Their father tried to sell them to Cherry earlier in the week. She took the girls in because it was obvious he was going to get rid of them one way or the other. She’s been trying to find a place for them ever since.”

  Emily didn’t know what to say. She’d never heard of such a thing. Did fathers really sell their daughters into service to men? Was it possible?

  “That can’t be legal,” she insisted.

  He shrugged. “But it happens. Cherry thought they might be able to clean at her place, but Alice is too pretty to go unnoticed and Cherry was afraid someone would get drunk and hurt the girl. She mentioned the problem to me and I thought you might be willing to help.”

  Emily wanted to know what Lucas had been doing talking to that woman. Had he been at her place of business, and if so, why? She reminded herself that theirs was simply a marriage of convenience and she shouldn’t care if her husband took his person elsewhere. But the words didn’t ease the ache she felt in her stomach or the way her throat started to hurt.

  “I’m sure the girls and I can come to some kind of agreement about employment,” she said stiffly. “I need assistance here and I think they’ll enjoy the work. I’ll pay them a fair wage. If they save, they can leave Defiance and start over elsewhere in time.”

  He stepped closer to her. “You surprise me,” he told her.

  “Why?”

  “I thought you might be shocked and insulted to have those girls here.”

  “You forget I rented a room to Dixie. Mary and Alice are hardly more shocking than that.”

  “I know. When I heard what you’d done for Dixie, I figured I might have misjudged you.” His dark eyes seemed to stare into her soul. “You’re not at all what I imagined.”

  “You mean I’m not a prim schoolteacher who uses dollar words when two-bit ones will do?”

  “Oh, you’re all that, but you’re also growing on me.” He looked thoughtful. “Who would have thought.” Then he leaned close and brushed his lips against her cheek. “You’re not a bad kisser, either, Mrs. MacIntyre. One of these days we’ll have to do it again.”

  Chapter Five

  Alice and Mary were waiting for Emily when she walked out into the reception area the next morning. They had been seated on the worn red sofa she’d rescued from a back bedroom—one that desperately needed recovering but was the only one she had. The two girls, looking just as young, thin and frightened as they had the night before, sprang to their feet and gave her awkward little bobs of their heads.

  “Good morning,” Emily said cheerfully. “You two are up early.”

  Alice, the older and taller of the two, cleared her throat. “Yes, ma’am. We didn’t know what time you wanted us to start.”

  Emily glanced at the small watch she’d pinned to the bodice of her serviceable gray gown. It was barely after seven.

  “Not as early as this,” she told them. She motioned the girls back to the sofa, then settled into the chair opposite them.

  “I would like you both to start at eight,” she said, speaking as kindly as she knew how. “You’re to have Sundays and a half day on Wednesday for yourselves. I’ll provide the meals.” She paused and smiled. “Actually, Mrs. Martin will provide the meals at her restaurant, but I’ll pay for them. You may dine there or have your food delivered here, as I do. Oh, and there’s a small kitchen in the office. I’ll show it to you. Please use that for tea or snacks.”

  Emily could see both girls listening attentively. She longed to ask how they’d survived so far and what had happened to their mother. But she wasn’t going to pry. With time and luck, the girls would begin to trust her. Until then, she could only offer a safe haven and hope they would begin to lose some of their fear.

  “What I would like from you both is simple cleaning of the guest rooms.” She went on to detail the things to be done, then named a salary. “I’ll pay you twice a month, on the first and the fifteenth. When you receive your first pay, we’ll go to the bank and I’ll show you how to begin an account.”

  She turned her attention to Alice. The older girl wore her long red hair pulled back into a thick braid. Her green eyes were wide as she listened and nodded. Emily noticed that Alice’s blue dress had been carefully patched. She made a note to talk to Mrs. Bird, the pastor’s wife, about clothing the church might have to give to those in need.

  She thought about mentioning that she was a teacher and would be happy to give the girls’ lessons, but perhaps there had been enough changes in their lives for one morning. They could discuss that at another time.

  She also decided that she would clean Dixie’s room personally, and not ask the girls to have anything to do with it. The sight of all of Dixie’s finery might bring back unpleasant memories from their time at Miss Cherry’s.

  “Do you have any questions?” she asked at the conclusion of her comments.

  Mary, small and pale, bit her lower lip. “Ma’am, are you going to beat us?”

  Emily’s heart tightened at the words. She’d never considered herself overly maternal, but she found herself wanting to pull both sisters into her arms and hold them tight. Instead she forced a smile.

  “No. I promise I won’t. Not even if you break a pitcher or a basin.” She hesitated. “Did anyone at Miss Cherry’s beat you?”

  Alice shook her head. “No, ma’am. It was our pa. Just with his belt,” she added hastily, as if that made it all right. “When we was real bad. But he didn’t mean anything by it.”

  “Of course not,” Emily murmured, wishing she had the man in front of her right now. She would tell him exactly what she thought of his character. How dare he raise a belt to his daughters and then try to sell them to a brothel owner! He was not fit to be a father. Why if she were a man, she would hunt him down and—

  Footsteps on the stairs interrupted her thoughts. She watched as Bertie, the lad who delivered meals for the restaurant, appeared with a large basket hanging from one arm.

&n
bsp; “Mrs. Martin said you wanted breakfast for three,” he announced as he set the basket on the desk.

  Emily rose, then ushered the girls toward her office. Before going to bed, she’d set up a small table in the far corner. It was big enough for them to eat together. By the looks of things, the sisters hadn’t been having regular meals. But now they were in her care and all that was about to change.

  Emily spent the morning showing Alice and Mary how to clean the guest rooms. When the rest of the new mattresses were delivered, she started working on preparing the remaining rooms for guests. As she worked, she found herself thinking about her conversation with Lucas the previous night—specifically his assertion that she was a good kisser and that they would have to kiss again sometime.

  Just thinking the words made her chest flutter in the most peculiar way. She suspected he was teasing her. Lucas did enjoy making her squirm. And yet there was a part of her that wanted to believe he meant his words. That he had been pleased by the incident and that he too was thinking about it. She wanted him to do that to her again, which should have scandalized her but didn’t. She reminded herself that they were married and therefore those kind of familiarities were acceptable, even expected. Except theirs wasn’t a regular sort of marriage.

  He’d married her because of his uncle’s will. Emily paused in the act of dusting a dresser. She couldn’t let herself forget that. For Lucas, this situation was to be endured until he could claim that which he obviously cared about. And for her, the marriage was a means to an end. By marrying Lucas, she obtained the use of the hotel at a very reasonable price, along with a cash bonus when the marriage was annulled.

  Emily sat on the edge of the bed. A spark of truth flared inside of her. She wanted to ignore the brightness and the accompanying revelation, but she’d always been painfully honest with herself. She didn’t pretend everything was fine when it wasn’t and she didn’t ignore either her assets or her faults. So now she stared right into the light of the truth and allowed it to illuminate the pitiful state of her heart.

  She liked being married to Lucas. Yes, it had only been two days and he hadn’t spent much time with her, but she enjoyed his company. She liked dining with him in the evening and the way he teased her. She liked how his smile made her limbs tremble and the fact that he’d brought her Alice and Mary. She and Lucas had…possibilities.

  “No,” she murmured aloud. “We don’t.”

  Because this was a marriage of convenience, nothing more. At least nothing more to him.

  Emily shook off the thoughts. So Lucas was charming. She’d only known him a short time. He would be easily forgotten when he was gone from her life.

  She winced as she felt a sharp pain deep in her chest. While she was being honest with herself, she might as well admit she didn’t look forward to the day when he would want to end their marriage. She’d never thought about the marital state because she’d long assumed it would not happen to her. But now that it had, she saw it was as desirable as she’d imagined when she’d been a younger woman.

  Without quite being aware of what she was doing, Emily left the bedroom, walked through the reception area, down the back stairs and into Lucas’s office. From there she made her way to the door leading to the rear of the saloon.

  She cracked open the door and waited for Lucas to glance up and see her. From her position, half-hidden from the patrons of the saloon, she had a clear view of the bar and the gambling tables beyond. It was still morning and only a half dozen or so men were scattered about the room. One of the gaming tables held four players and they looked as if they’d been at it all night. She didn’t understand men’s need to gamble. The idea of wasting money on the turn of a card didn’t make sense to her. But then much of the world was beyond her comprehension. She also didn’t know why men would spend money to be with a woman. Yet they obviously did, going in and out of Miss Cherry’s at all hours.

  Emily was about to change her mind and head back upstairs when Lucas turned in her direction. Any doubts she might have had about speaking with him were completely erased when he smiled and started walking toward her. At the sight of his smile, her limbs began their obligatory quivering. She felt her own lips tug in response. A light feeling seemed to flow through her, making her want to laugh.

  “Good morning,” he said when he’d entered the office and closed the door behind him. “How are you this morning?”

  “Well, thank you. The girls were up early. They’ve been fed and have started their work.” She found herself suddenly nervous. Coming down to see Lucas had been an impulse. Her question could have waited.

  But Lucas didn’t seem inclined to leave. He simply continued to smile at her and waited for her to continue.

  She found her gaze drawn to his silky mustache. She liked the way he kept it neatly trimmed. She wanted to run her fingers over the short hairs and feel the contrast between the smooth length of the hairs and the stubby ends.

  Shocked by her brazen thoughts, she took a step back and forced herself to speak.

  “Last night, when you invited me to dine with you, I realized I had forgotten an important aspect of running a hotel. People. Alice and Mary will take care of cleaning the rooms on a daily basis. I know who to hire for heavy cleaning, but I’m less sure about who I might employ to watch the desk at night. I thought you might have a suggestion.”

  Lucas’s dark eyes crinkled slightly at the corners as his smile broadened. “What about Hep?”

  Emily knew instantly who he meant. Hep was an old miner. The pain in his joints kept him from working his stake. He supported himself with odd jobs.

  “I understand you two are already acquainted,” Lucas said. “When he found out we’d married, he mentioned that you’d taught him to read.”

  “Yes. Last year. He’d replaced a broken window in the schoolhouse. I discovered him attempting to read what I’d written on the blackboard. When he admitted he couldn’t read at all, I offered to teach him.”

  “Why?”

  She didn’t understand the question. “It was my job.”

  “Your job was to instruct the students. No one paid you to teach Hep to read.”

  “I know, but I wasn’t going to send him away. So many people aren’t interested in learning. He seemed intelligent enough. Actually it didn’t take but a few months. We met every day after I dismissed the regular students.” She laced her fingers together in front of her waist. “You’re right, Lucas. He’s an excellent choice for a night desk clerk. When you next see him, would you please send him upstairs so that I may speak with him?”

  He surprised her by pulling her close for a quick hug. Emily went easily into his embrace, enjoying the strength and hardness of his body against hers. She felt something brush against her hair.

  “I’ll send Hep your way,” Lucas promised when he released her. “Perry doesn’t start until this afternoon. I need to get back to the saloon.”

  With that, he was gone, and Emily was left staring at the spot where he’d stood just moments before. Every part of her body felt warm and alive. All that just from Lucas’s hug. Imagine how she would feel if he kissed her again? She must think of a way to make that happen, she thought happily.

  “So you’re really married?” Jackson MacIntyre asked incredulously before downing a shot of whiskey.

  “Nearly a week now,” Lucas told his brother. “And it’s time for you to start thinking about doing the same.”

  Jackson, just as tall, big and stubborn as his brother, shook his head. “I ain’t gonna take a wife. If some lawyer wants to think the mine don’t belong to me, let him come and try to take it.” Jackson grinned. “Or better yet, let him try to move me off the land.”

  With his too-long hair and untrimmed beard, Jackson looked as wild as a bear. Lucas knew his brother was also as strong as the ornery critter. Damn. Lucas was willing to take on just about any man in a fight, but with Jackson, he knew the match was nearly dead even. Which meant neither one was going to win and
both of them would end up sore in the morning. He didn’t mind the pain as long as it accomplished something.

  “There’s more at stake than the mine,” Lucas reminded him. “What about the saloon and the ranch?”

  Jackson looked uncomfortable. “They belong to us. It’s wrong to say otherwise.”

  “It might be wrong, but the terms of Uncle Simon’s will state things real clear.” Lucas tried to swallow his frustration. He leaned across the table and stared at his brother. “I’m not asking you to marry for real, just take a temporary bride for a few weeks.”

  Jackson grunted. “Is that what you did? I heard you married that schoolteacher. What happened to your fancy mail-order bride?”

  “She wasn’t fancy and she changed her mind.”

  Jackson chuckled with amusement. “She get a look at you and turn tail?”

  “She never got on the train.”

  “Someone must have told her you were an ugly cuss.” He flicked his fingers toward Lucas’s bright purple vest and grinned. “She was probably worried about her husband dressing better than her. What does your bride think about you, Lucas?”

  “I have no idea,” Lucas said honestly. Not that he spent much time thinking about Emily’s opinion of him. “We get along.”

  Which was a surprise. He hadn’t thought about her one way or the other until he’d realized she was the answer to his problem. He still considered their marriage one of convenience. However, he found himself enjoying her company more than he would have thought possible.

  “She’s a bit on the skinny side,” Jackson said, pouring himself another drink. Then he leaned back in his chair. Unlike Lucas, who always dressed in a clean white shirt, dark trousers and a colorful vest, Jackson preferred denim jeans and wool shirts. “Not real pretty and she walks like she’s got some kind of stick—”