River Queen Rose

by Shirley Kennedy

  “Why, thank you,” Drucilla softly replied, casting her gaze modestly downward. Amazing. For the first time, Rose’s obstinate sister-in-law had accepted a compliment without some kind of sarcastic denial.

  A jovial mood prevailed throughout the dinner. Whenever Rose looked around, she saw every table full and everyone enjoying themselves. At her own table, she couldn’t remember when she’d laughed so much, what with Drucilla’s dry humor and Deke’s funny stories about herding sheep in Australia. And the food was marvelous. Without question, Gaston’s was an overnight sensation and would take its place as the best French restaurant outside of San Francisco, if not in San Francisco, too.

  Julien had just served dessert when a stir swept through the crowded restaurant. “It’s him!” Rose heard someone say. “Gaston himself!” Looking toward the kitchen, she spotted her French chef threading his way through the tables. For the first time, he was wearing his full chef’s regalia: white double-breasted jacket, hound’s-tooth-patterned black and white pants, an amazingly high white chef’s hat. “It’s called a toque blanche,” Gaston had told her. “The higher it is, the more important you are.” That certainly fit, considering Gaston’s lofty opinion of himself.

  Ignoring proffered compliments along the way, Gaston headed straight to their table. When he arrived, Rose and Deke might just as well not have been there. The chef had eyes only for Drucilla. In turn, she wasn’t acting her normal self at all but was gazing up at him as if she were spellbound.

  Gaston regarded her with a piercing gaze. “So, Mademoiselle Drucilla, did you enjoy your dinner?”

  Drucilla’s cheeks colored a deep red. “I did indeed, monsieur.”

  “And what did you have?”

  “The Coquilles a la Drucilla.” A little smile crossed her face. “I’ve never had a dish named after me before.”

  “Perhaps it will be the first of many. We will talk later.”

  “Yes, I would like that.”

  Gaston finally turned his attention to Rose. “Well, what do you think?”

  “About the restaurant? I think you’ve done a fantastic job. I couldn’t be happier.”

  Gaston nodded with satisfaction, said a quick goodbye, and headed back to his kitchen. Rose turned to Drucilla. “Perhaps Gaston has a few tiny faults, but he’s a brilliant man, so talented in so many ways.”

  Drucilla got a grin on her face. “I must say, I agree.”

  “Maybe an inch or two isn’t so much after all.”

  “Perhaps. At least he looks taller with that hat on.”

  Would wonders never cease? Gaston was a genius for finding the one thing that would make an impression on her prickly sister-in-law. What a relief that Drucilla appeared to have come to her senses. As for her own self…

  She had a lot to sort out. All through dinner, she’d looked at Deke through different eyes, as if a new awareness had awakened inside her. Maybe the crutches had blinded her to what an exceptional man he was in so many ways, but whatever the reason, up to now she’d failed to notice how witty he was, what a compassionate heart he had. And besides all that, she’d worried he wouldn’t know how to handle himself in elegant surroundings, would act like some ill-mannered rube. Instead, his impeccable dress and manners were a match for the most refined gentleman in the place. Up to now, he’d been just a friend, even after those hours she’d spent in his room, but how did she feel now? Was she falling in love with him because he looked good in his evening clothes? She laughed to herself. She couldn’t be that shallow. She needed to talk to him. Alone. What would he suggest after dinner? A buggy ride in the moonlight would be a good choice. After that, she would end up in his room over the stable. In his bed. In his arms. And when that happened, he would know, and she would know, too, that with all her heart, with every fiber of her being, she was falling in love with Deke Fleming.

  At the end of dinner, the three were wending their way through the tables toward the exit when Rose spotted Mason Talbot dining with two men she recognized as among Sacramento’s most prominent citizens. Oh no! The last person in the world she wanted to see. She turned her head away, hoping she could slip by without his noticing, but no such luck.

  “Rose?”

  No way out. She had to stop and talk to him. “Why, Mason, how nice to see you. What a pleasant surprise.”

  He stood, threw his napkin down, and strode around the table to greet her. Dressed impeccably as always, he was all congeniality as he reached to shake her hand. “May I offer my congratulations? My friends and I have been enjoying a most excellent dinner. Your new restaurant is an instant success.” He peered over her shoulder to where Deke and Drucilla stood waiting. “Good evening, Miss Peterson, and this is…?”

  Deke stepped forward. “We’ve met before.” He did not extend his hand.

  “Ah, yes.” Mason lost his smile. “The Australian. I remember.”

  “How could you forget?”

  “I hear you’re peddling ice now.”

  Rose couldn’t miss the nasty undertone in Mason’s voice. She hastily broke in before Deke could answer. “We must move on. Lovely seeing you, Mason.”

  Once outside the restaurant, Drucilla made a quick escape, claiming she must get home. Rose turned to Deke. “What was that all about? You looked as if you’d like to punch him in the nose.”

  “Did I?” Deke shrugged his shoulders. “Let’s not let the likes of Mason Talbot ruin our evening. Want to go for a buggy ride?”

  Indeed she did. Any further discussion concerning Mason could wait. “That would be lovely. I must stop by my room first to freshen up.”

  He flashed a smile that grabbed at her heart. “I’ll get my carriage and meet you in front.”

  Her spirits soared as she practically ran upstairs to her room on the second floor. She’d had high hopes for this evening. So far, it had gone even better than she’d expected, and it wasn’t over yet. She made haste to freshen up, left her room, and started down the staircase. A man was waiting at the bottom, only this time it wasn’t Deke. “Hello again, Mason.” She tried to ignore the cold, hard stare he was giving her. “So you enjoyed the dinner?”

  “We must talk.”

  He was angry. She could tell not only from the tight set of his jaw but from the fast, short breaths he was taking. She heartily wished she could put him off, but her good sense warned her she’d better not. “Shall we go to my office?”

  “Fine.”

  Filled with anxiety, she led him toward the back of the hotel. Except for that one occasion when he’d told her she ought to sell the River Queen, Mason had always been so friendly and congenial. Obviously something she’d done had set him off, but she wasn’t sure what it was. He followed her down the dimly lit hallway until they reached her office, now nearly pitch black inside. “Wait a second, Mason, while I light the lamp.”

  “Don’t bother. Leave the door open. There’s enough light from the hallway.”

  He gripped her arm and led her inside. She went willingly and didn’t pull back, not sure he’d have let her get away. In front of the desk, he turned to face her. Even in the dim light from the hallway she could see enough of his expression to know how furious he was. She would try to keep her voice calm. “Why are you so angry?”

  “Do you know who I am?” His voice held a strangled quality, as if he could hardly keep himself under control.

  “Of course, I know who you are.”

  “Apparently you don’t. What you don’t understand is, I am not a man to be trifled with.”

  “I’ve never trifled with you in my life. What have I done?”

  “What have you done? How can you ask after all the help I’ve given you? The time I’ve taken to advise you? All the gifts I’ve given you?”

  “You know I’m grateful.”

  He burst into bitter laughter. “So grateful you chose to dine with someone else
.”

  Ah, so that was it. He was jealous she’d invited Deke for dinner. What could she say? Mason had good reason to be jealous, and she wasn’t going to lie. “I appreciate all you’ve done for me, but I’m not obligated to you in any way.”

  Cursing softly, he gripped her shoulders. “I’ve tried to be patient, but this is the thanks I get?”

  Such venom in his voice! No sense reasoning with him, just get out of here. She tried to back away. With a snarl of anger, he pulled her close. “You need to be taught a lesson, my dear.” His arms locked tight around her and pulled her toward him so roughly the breath went out of her. Before she could even begin to struggle, he bent her over his arm and kissed her, his lips crushing hers, not in a loving way but in a cruel, hard way that made her skin crawl. Locked tight in his arms, she couldn’t begin to struggle. All she could do was gather her strength and try to get out of here the second he let her go. If he let her go. In a panic, she started to struggle.

  “Blimey! What the hell?”

  Mason let her go. She pushed away from him and looked toward the door. Even in the dim light, she could see it was Deke standing there. She searched for words, but before she could get them out, he spoke again.

  “Sorry. Don’t let me interrupt you.”

  The next second he was gone. She stared at the empty doorway. Dear Lord, what have I done? But she hadn’t done anything. How would Deke know that, though? Judging from what he’d seen, he must be thinking the worst of her. She must find him, tell him he was wrong. She started toward the door, but Mason grabbed her arm. “I’m not through with you.”

  “Oh, yes you are.” She gave him a swift kick in the shin. He grunted and dropped her arm. Fast as she could go, she ran from her office and along the dim corridor. When she reached the saloon, she slowed her pace and gazed with desperation around the crowded room. No Deke. He must have already gone outside. She lifted her skirt and hurried through the saloon, vaguely aware of the many curious eyes that were following her. No doubt she was making a spectacle of herself, but she didn’t care. Let them laugh at the finely dressed lady who’d lost her decorum. All she cared about was finding Deke before he got away.

  She pushed through the swinging doors. He’d parked his carriage directly in front. He had just climbed in and was picking up the reins. She ran to the carriage, grabbed hold of Sidney’s harness, and looked up at him. “Don’t go. Let me explain.”

  “What is there to explain? I have eyes, haven’t I?”

  The coldness in his voice stabbed at her heart. “I know what it looked like, but it wasn’t what it seemed. Mason Talbot means nothing to me.”

  “It didn’t look that way.”

  “But it wasn’t my idea. Didn’t you see he was forcing me? He—” What was she doing? The more she defended herself, the guiltier she sounded. “Please, Deke, we need to talk.”

  “Why? I have nothing say to you.” He gazed down at her, a lethal calmness in his eyes. “He’s the man who killed your husband. Had you forgotten?”

  What was he getting at? “Of course I haven’t forgotten, but Mason wasn’t to blame. It was Emmet who insisted on the duel.”

  His mouth took on a cynical twist. So unlike him. “You’re a fool, Rose Peterson. Go talk to Jake Grunion. He’ll set you straight about your wonderful Mason Talbot. Let go of the harness.”

  She released the harness and stepped away. Flinging her hands out in simple despair, she watched as Deke drove away without another word, never once glancing back.

  Chapter 16

  Rose somehow got back to her room. Numb from shock, she flung herself on the bed. She couldn’t even cry, just lay there, trying, and failing, to understand why Deke had turned on her. He’d always been so friendly, so full of humor. But tonight? That stony expression on his face, those cold eyes… Why couldn’t he see she wasn’t at fault? That Mason had grabbed her?

  She could hardly bear the thought of it.

  And why did he tell her to speak to Jake?

  After a time, she pulled herself together enough to get ready for bed. The simple task of removing the cream satin gown reminded her of how happy she’d been earlier in the evening, back when Deke had looked at her with love in his eyes. Now everything had gone wrong. What was left? Not only had she lost Lucy, she’d lost Deke, too. That night, she couldn’t sleep, just tossed and turned. Maybe things would look brighter in the morning, but she highly doubted it.

  She was right. The next day, a gloomy sky awaited when she got out of bed. A perfect match for her dark mood. She didn’t even want to get dressed and leave her room, but life went on, she supposed, and the worst thing she could do was hide from the world and wallow in self-pity.

  And besides, what had Deke meant? She very much wanted to speak to Jake Grunion.

  Dressed in the brown wool bombazine—it suited her mood—she knocked on the door of Jake’s office. He called to her to come in and broke into a gleeful smile when he saw who it was. “Have you seen the receipts from Gaston’s last night? The Frenchie did all right. We made a small fortune.”

  Seating herself, she couldn’t even pretend to smile. “That’s not why I’m here.”

  Jake’s smile faded. He couldn’t miss the woeful state she was in. “So tell me.”

  She wouldn’t hint around. A direct question would be best. “From what I understand, you were at the duel between my husband and Mason Talbot. Is that correct?”

  Jake got a leery look in his eye. “I was there.”

  “You were Emmet’s second.”

  “I was.”

  “I want you to tell me what happened. Exactly what happened.”

  “Be happy to, but it’s nothing you don’t already know.” Jake accompanied his remark with an elaborate shrug.

  “So tell me anyway.”

  “Well, it was like this…” In his harsh voice Jake told the same story she’d heard before. It had all started when Emmet—Mr. Peterson—figured he’d been insulted by Mason Talbot. Declared it an “affair of honor,” and demanded satisfaction in a duel. Who fights duels anymore? Everyone thought he was crazy, tried to talk him out of it, but he got stubborn and wouldn’t change his mind. “That’s when he asked me to be his second. He’d asked Deke Fleming first, but Deke didn’t want to get involved and had the guts to say so. Not me. I didn’t want to lose my job, so I couldn’t say no.” Jake frowned in exasperation. “Are you sure you want me to go on with this? It ain’t pleasant.”

  “Just tell me what happened.”

  “All right, if you’re sure. Since I was Emmet’s second, it was up to me to arrange everything, like finding a site for the duel. It couldn’t be just anywhere. Being as dueling’s illegal, it had to be a place where the sheriff couldn’t find us. I discovered the perfect spot—two miles from town on the river, lots of trees, no farms around. The next day, shortly after dawn, that’s where we met. I remember how cold and foggy it was—perfect weather for a duel, they said. Not many were there, only a few people from town who’d heard about it. Emmet’s farmhand, Deke, was there. I’d found a doctor to be on hand, and of course Mason’s second, Rudy Avery, was there, and that’s all.”

  Jake opened a desk drawer and pulled out a flask. “Throat’s scratchy.” He took a swig and held out the flask to her.

  She could tell how nervous he was. “Too early for me, Jake. Please go on.”

  He sighed and returned the flask to the drawer. “Mr. Talbot was the one who was challenged, so he got to choose the weapon. It’s no surprise he chose pistols. Over in France, they fight their duels with swords, but I don’t think either Emmet or Mr. Talbot ever owned a sword in their lives. When the time came, they stood back to back, each pointing their pistol up in the air. I’m the one who had to call ‘Begin.’ It was like some kind of bad dream, you know? I’d never seen a duel in my life, but here I was, about to see two people try to kill each other. The
y walked ten paces and turned. Each aimed at the other. Emmet fired and missed. Less than a second later, Mason fired and you know what happened.”

  “He was killed instantly?”

  “Uh…yes.”

  Jake’s hesitation told her a lot, but she ignored it. Hearing how Emmet had suffered would only add to her misery. “So that’s all you know, Jake?”

  “Uh…yes.”

  Why did he hesitate? Plain to see her shifty-eyed manager had either lied or left something unsaid. “You’re not telling me everything. What did you leave out?”

  Jake took his time answering, just sat frowning, rubbing his jaw. Finally he gave a firm nod, as if he’d come to a decision, and looked her in the eye. “You’re right. I didn’t tell you everything. Kept my mouth shut. Feared for my safety.”

  A chill gripped her heart. “Tell me now. I want to hear all of it.”

  “You’ve got to understand, Mason Talbot has a lot of power in this town.”

  “I’m well aware of that.”

  “He’s got connections. He could do you serious harm.”

  “Just tell me. I’m ready for anything.”

  “All right, you asked for it, Mrs. Peterson, although I dunno what you can do when you find out.” Jake shut his eyes a moment, as if to get his thoughts in order. “Like you already know, Mr. Talbot’s second was Rudy Avery. The night before the duel, he came to my door and said he had to talk to me. Since one of my duties was to negotiate, see if I could keep ’em from actually dueling, I said sure and asked him in. So he comes in and…” Jake nervously ran his hand over his slicked back hair. “Damn, I don’t like talking about it, but you say you’ve got to know?”

  “I’ve got to know.”

  Jake took a deep breath. “Rudy had a message from Mr. Talbot that he wanted me to give to your husband. He said to tell him that when the duel started, and they’d walked their ten paces and turned, he would fire his pistol over Mr. Peterson’s head. So, of course, he wanted Emmet to do the same.”