by Bobbi Smith
“Do you want me to pay you now?”
“Later. Let’s go,” he urged, ushering her back to the stagecoach door.
Lacey was completely surprised when the other man held the stage door for her and took her elbow to help her in. A shiver of awareness went through her at his simple touch and she paused to look up at him. The moment left her breathless when she saw the true look of gentleness and kindness in his dark eyes. “Thank you.”
“What is going on?” Mr. Wilson demanded of the driver as he watched the girl climb in.
“This young lady was stranded out here and needs a ride, so she’ll be traveling with us,” he explained.
“You were stranded? Out here?” Mrs. Wilson shifted closer to her husband, casting a disdainful eye over their new companion.
Lacey had dealt with folks like them before. She said nothing, trying to scoot as far away from the woman as she could on the seat.
Nick got in after her and sat back down beside Steve. He took one look at Mrs. Wilson’s expression and offered to the new girl, “There’s more room on this side, if you don’t mind sitting with us.”
“Why, thanks. I don’t mind at all.” Lacey didn’t hesitate to switch. She certainly had no objection to sitting next to him, and she could just imagine how awkward the ride would have been if she’d had to try to keep a distance between her and the older woman.
Steve smiled at the new lady. “Hi, I’m Steve. What’s your name?”
Lacey was surprised the boy talked to her, especially after the way the couple had reacted to her presence. She smiled warmly at him. “My name’s Lacey. It’s nice to meet you, Steve.”
“It’s nice to meet you, too. This is Reverend Miller. We’re going to Sagebrush, Texas. Where are you going?”
Lacey looked quickly at the handsome man beside her, startled by the news that he was a minister, but then she realized she had sensed something special about him. “Hello, Reverend.”
“Lacey,” he returned.
Knowing he was a man of God, she felt uncomfortable now with her first thoughts about him. “Why, I’m heading toward Sagebrush, too.” Lacey told herself it wasn’t a lie. She was on the same stagecoach they were. “I’m just glad you came along when you did. My horse went lame and I’ve been walking for quite a while.”
Nick couldn’t even imagine how she’d ended up where she was, but he knew he was glad that they’d happened upon her. There was no telling what danger she might have encountered all alone out in the middle of nowhere. “We’re glad we did, too.”
Lacey was touched by his kind words and smiled a little timidly at him. She remembered her earlier prayer for help and knew it had been answered. She didn’t know where she was going from here or where she’d end up, but, at least for the time being, she was safe.
They all fell silent as the stage traveled on. They still had a long way to go until they stopped for the night.
Nick hadn’t found himself in a situation like this one before, but he had a feeling there might be a little trouble when they did stop at the way station. The girl named Lacey had brought no luggage with her, so she had only the clothes she was wearing, and he knew it wouldn’t be appropriate for Steve to see a lady dressed in such a manner. As long as Lacey kept her coat on, there wouldn’t be a problem, but once they stopped to eat and bed down for the night, he wasn’t sure what would happen. Determined to protect Steve, he made up his mind to take Lacey aside when they stopped and offer her a change of clothing. He had an extra shirt he could give her, but he didn’t know what to do about anything else. He could give her a pair of his pants, too, but he knew they would be far too big for her. With her boots, the pants would work, if they could find a length of rope to use for a belt—if she was willing. One way or the other, he would soon find out.
It was just about dark when the stage pulled to a stop at the station. The Wilsons got out first, and then Nick climbed down. He waited while Steve got out and then offered Lacey a hand to help her descend. For a moment as she stepped down, Nick got a clear view of her lovely legs, and he had to force his gaze away.
“Thank you, Reverend,” Lacey said, smiling up at him.
Nick looked over to see that Steve had already gone into the station. “Lacey, I was wondering if I could speak with you for a moment.”
She glanced at him, a little unsure. “What about?”
“Steve.”
“The boy?”
“Yes.” Nick didn’t pause as he continued. “I saw that you didn’t have any luggage with you, and I couldn’t help noticing that the gown you’re wearing is . . . well . . .”
“Fit for a saloon girl,” she finished for him.
“Yes, and Steve’s still a young boy, and I don’t think it would be appropriate for him to see you dressed this way.”
“You don’t have to worry, preacher man,” she replied, her tone curt. “I’ll keep my coat on.” She was humiliated, but she understood what he meant. The boy seemed sweet and innocent, and she wanted him to stay that way. She started to turn away.
Nick saw her reaction and felt bad. He hadn’t meant for her to be insulted. He’d just wanted to help. Instinctively, he caught her by the arm before she could walk away. “Wait, that isn’t what I meant.”
She looked from his hand on her arm up to his face, her expression challenging, and Nick quickly dropped his hand from her.
“What I wanted to do, since you obviously don’t have a change of clothes, was to offer you something else more comfortable to wear. I’ve got an extra shirt and an extra pair of pants. I’m sure they’ll be too big for you, but they might be more comfortable for riding on the stage.”
Lacey had rarely had anyone take care of her. She told herself he was a man of God, but still, she didn’t trust him, or anyone else for that matter. Her eyes narrowed as she demanded of him, “What do you want from me?”
Nick was shocked by her reaction to his offer and his expression showed it. “Why, nothing—nothing at all. I just thought you needed some help and I wanted to do what I could for you. As children of God we’re supposed to help each other in times of need.”
Lacey was used to men leering at her, and she was completely taken aback by his response. She realized then he truly was acting out of kindness and generosity. “Thank you, Reverend Miller. I appreciate your offer, and, yes, you’re right. I do need a change of clothes.”
“I’ll get them for you as soon as they bring our bags inside.” Nick gave her a gentle smile and followed her into the station.
Mindful of Reverend Miller’s concerns about little Steve, she kept her coat on, even though it was comfortably warm inside. It wasn’t long before the other travelers’ bags were brought in.
Nick took his bag back into the men’s sleeping room and took out a pair of black pants and a white shirt. As slender as she was, he wished he’d had an extra belt to give her, but he had a feeling she was resourceful enough to think of some way to keep the pants on.
“What are you doing?” Steve asked, having followed him into the room.
“I thought our new friend might be a little cold, so I was going to give her some warmer clothes to wear.”
“You want me to take them to her?” he offered.
“Sure,” Nick replied. He gave Steve the clothes and then followed him back out into the main room. He watched as the boy hurried over to where Lacey was standing all by herself.
“Here!” Steve said. “Reverend Miller said these are for you!”
“Why, thank you, Steve.” Lacey took the offered clothing and looked across the room to see the preacher standing there watching her. “And you, too, Reverend.”
“You’re welcome,” Steve said proudly. “Are you gonna put them on now, so you’ll stay warm?”
“Yes, I am,” she told him. “I’ll be right back.”
Lacey knew the married couple was watching her, so she hurried off into the room she’d been told was the women’s sleeping room, and she shut the door. She took
off her coat and quickly shed the red dress. As she threw it down on one of the cots, she knew she never wanted to wear it again. She took off her socks and her boots and unlaced her corset. As big and baggy as the preacher’s clothes were going to be on her, she didn’t see the need to wear it any longer. She stripped off her garters and stockings, and then pulled on the pants. They were way too large for her. In fact, she knew they wouldn’t stay up unless she could figure out something to use as a belt. She took one look at her garters and quickly fastened them together. A makeshift belt was better than none, and she was right. It was tight enough to keep the pants from slipping down. Lacey donned the shirt. It, too, was far too big, but she didn’t care. She tucked it into the waist of the pants and then put on her socks and boots again.
Lacey had just started from the room when she caught sight of her own reflection in the small mirror over the washstand. She stopped to stare at herself. The Lacey who’d worked at the saloon had disappeared. The girl looking back at her with her hair straggling down, wearing men’s clothes, looked like a total stranger.
Only then did she realize just how dirty she was from all the riding and walking she’d done. She went to the washstand, rolled up the shirtsleeves, and quickly scrubbed her face and arms clean. She longed for a real bath or even a brush to tend to her hair, but she knew that wasn’t going to happen. Instead, she tore a small piece of ribbon off her dress and used it to tie her hair back.
Lacey took one last quick look in the mirror and knew this was as good as it was going to get. She smiled at the thought that if she cut her hair off, she might even pass for a boy, dressed in the baggy clothes she was wearing. She doubted Phil would even have been able to recognize her then, not that he would chase after her this far, but it did make her feel better knowing she would never have to go back to working for him again. Somehow, she would survive. Lacey got her small change purse out of her coat pocket and put it in her pants pocket before going back out into the main room. She had to keep it with her. She couldn’t risk losing what little money she had.
“Oh—” Mrs. Wilson looked shocked at Lacey’s attire as she came back into the main room.
Lacey had expected the other woman to react this way, and she slanted her an easy smile. “These clothes are definitely warmer than what I was wearing. Thank you, Reverend Miller.”
The Wilsons went to sit in two chairs before the fireplace so they could ignore the others.
Steve and Nick were seated at the main table and they both looked over at Lacey and smiled.
“You look like a boy!” Steve laughed in his innocent way.
“I know,” she returned, laughing, too, as she went to join them at the table. She sat across from the reverend, next to the boy.
“I’m glad the clothes worked out for you.”
“So am I.”
Right then the stage driver came in.
“Well, ain’t that a change!” he said, catching sight of her dressed that way for the first time. “All right, girly, I need some money from you now. Nobody gets a free ride on my stage.”
“I know,” Lacey replied. She got up from the table and went to talk with him quietly. She didn’t want anyone to know how desperate she was. “How much is it to Sagebrush?”
He quoted her the price, and she knew she wasn’t going to Sagebrush.
“How far can I get on twenty-five cents?” she asked.
As quiet as she was trying to be, Nick and Steve could still hear their conversation. Steve looked up at him, his expression anxious after he realized just how poor she was.
“We gotta help her,” Steve said in a low voice, urging him on.
Nick didn’t say anything, he just got up and went to join the conversation. “Steve and I will cover her fare for the rest of the trip to Sagebrush.”
The driver was surprised. “Are you sure, Reverend?”
“Yes.”
The driver told him the cost of her fare, and Nick paid him.
“All right,” the driver said. “You’re going to Sagebrush.”
Lacey went back to sit at the table with Steve.
“Reverend Miller takes care of everything,” Steve said with confidence.
“So I’m finding out,” she replied. Once the reverend sat down across from them again, she offered, “I’m going to pay you back. Take what I’ve got here and—”
“Don’t even think about it,” he said.
“I don’t like owing people.”
“You don’t owe me anything.”
“But—”
Nick cut her off. “Consider it an early Christmas present.”
Humbled, Lacey looked up at him, knowing she’d never met anyone like the reverend and Steve before.
“Thank you,” she said quietly, and she meant it.
Chapter Thirteen
Penny stared out the window at the now vaguely familiar Texas landscape and knew their long trip would soon be over. She was almost home—with her father. The driver had told them when they’d started out that morning that they would make it to Sagebrush that very day, and she couldn’t wait.
As excited as she was, though, her mood was torn between the thrill of finally being back and uneasiness over what kind of reception she was going to get from her father. He obviously wanted her with him or he wouldn’t have sent Dan all the way to St. Louis to get her, but she couldn’t help wondering, as the moment of their reunion drew near, what he would think of her. She certainly knew how she’d felt when she’d never heard from him for so long, and she was sure he believed the same about her—that she didn’t love him or care about him. Starting this afternoon when they were reunited she was going to make every effort to convince him that she had nothing to do with her mother’s and her aunt’s deception. She just hoped he would believe her.
“Penny, are you all right?” Dwylah asked when she noticed how quiet she had become and how serious her expression was.
“Yes, I’m fine. I was just thinking about my father. It’s been so long. Do you think he’ll be in town to meet us, Dan?”
“I don’t know. I sent the wire to let them know when we’d be arriving, so it will probably depend on how he’s feeling.”
“I hope he’s there.”
“So do I,” he agreed.
It was midafternoon when the stage made its way down the main street of Sagebrush to the stage office to drop off the passengers and see about picking up new ones. When they came to a halt in front of the office, the driver jumped down and opened the door for them. Dan climbed out first, while the driver and the man riding shotgun went to unload their bags.
“We’re here,” Dan said as he helped Penny and Dwylah down from the stage.
Penny looked quickly around, hoping to find her father there waiting for her. She was sure she would still recognize him even after all this time, but she saw no sign of him anywhere and her spirits fell.
A man came out of the stage office just then to greet them.
“Good to see you made it back, Dan.” He went to shake Dan’s hand.
“Finally,” Dan replied.
The man looked to the two women with Dan and quickly introduced himself. “I’m Ben Harper, the clerk here in Sagebrush. I take it you’re Miss Anderson?”
“Yes, I’m Penny Anderson, and this is Miss Carpenter, my traveling companion and chaperone.”
“Well, Miss Anderson, it’s nice to meet you. You, too, Miss Carpenter. Looks like Dan did a fine job getting you here.”
“Yes, he did,” Dwylah agreed.
“Is Jack in town, Ben?” Dan asked.
“No. One of the hands came in earlier by himself to wait for you to show up. Why don’t you come on in the office while I send for him?”
“Thank you.” Penny and Dwylah started to follow him, leaving their bags outside.
“You don’t have to send for him. I’ll go find him,” Dan offered as he held the office door open for them. He knew Lou was probably the one who’d come to pick them up, and he knew right
where his friend would be biding his time, waiting for the stage to pull in. “I’ll be right back.”
Penny sat down next to Dwylah on the small bench near the office door to await Dan’s return.
“Are you all right, dear?” Dwylah asked, seeing the look of sadness in the young woman’s eyes. She had thought Penny would be excited when they finally arrived in town.
“It’s my father. I know he’s ill, but I was hoping he would be here.”
“I understand,” she sympathized, knowing she was finally going to have to face the reality of her father’s weakened and deteriorating condition. “Is it a long ride out to the ranch?”
“About half an hour.”
“If he’s as ill as Dan said he was, he’s probably better off staying on the ranch waiting for you there to save his strength.”
“I know.” Penny sighed and looked out the window at the main street of the town. Wanting to distract herself for a moment, she added, “Sagebrush has grown since I’ve been away.”
“Really?” Dwylah was surprised. There didn’t seem to be much to this “town” now, so she could only imagine what it had been like when her mother had taken her away all those years ago.
“It was only about half this size when we left.”
“Are you looking forward to staying here permanently?”
“I think so.”
“It’s going to be a hard decision for you, I know, so I’ll stay on with you for as long as you want me to.”
She was thankful for the offer and her mood lightened a bit as she teased her, “Forever?”
Dwylah teased back, “You never know. If I can get Danny to go find the justice of the peace with me, I won’t be going anywhere—at least, I wouldn’t be going anywhere without him!” She got a smile out of Penny, and that was what she’d been hoping for. She patted her hand affectionately. “You’ll be back with your father very soon now. This is the day you’ve been waiting for, for so long, and it’s finally here.”
Penny lifted her hopeful gaze to hers. “Yes, it is.”
“You want another whiskey, Lou?” Mike, the bartender, asked as he came back, bottle in hand, to where the ranch hand from the Lazy Ace was standing at the bar.
