Silver-Tongued Devil

by Lorelei James

  “Yes, it does. Tell me the truth about why you and West hate each other.”

  He retreated. Took a moment to calm himself. “I couldn’t afford to ranch fulltime so I applied for a part-time railroad job. About a month in, I got a new boss. Ezekiel West. He hated me from the start. I couldn’t do nothin’ right. Thing about railroad men is they expect your after-work hours belong to them too when you’re out of town on a run. The nights we stayed in Gillette, we all went out on the town.”

  “I remember my mother used to complain about my father and his buddies living in each other’s back pockets even when they weren’t at the rail station.”

  “It’s still that way. West liked to gamble. But he was terrible at it. I’d been playin’ cards around the campfire since age thirteen so I’m damn good at readin’ players. Anyway, first night out at the saloon with my new boss, I made the mistake of beatin’ him at cards. He accused me of cheatin’, and he and I had words. Then I was reassigned and I knew it was because I’d shown him up. So from that point on, anytime we ended up playin’ cards, I let him win.”

  “Silas.”

  “Not only did I let him win, I never stood up for myself when he gave me what for on the job. Bastard had me cowed. I’ll admit, my temper got the better of me one night. We started fightin’ and I beat him so badly he ended up in the hospital. I lost my job—which I lied about to my brother, tellin’ him I quit. Zeke has been gunning for me ever since.

  “I haven’t handled it well and he won’t let it go. Now he’s brought you into the middle of it. I hate how damn weak I am. I decided that even if I lost tonight, even if what I agreed to wager felt like humiliation to you, I could fix it. I could somehow win you back.”

  “You never even considered walking away from that wager he offered, did you?”

  “I did when I heard both yours and Jonas’s voices in my head. But I didn’t listen. Now, I have to admit West hit it dead on; I lost you anyway.”

  Dear lord. Were his eyes filling with tears?

  Silas curled into her—more childlike than she’d ever imagined a man who was a foot taller than her could pull off. “I’m sorry. Goddamn, Dinah, I’m such a sorry, selfish son of a bitch. You deserve better. I wish I would’ve walked away. I wish I had that damn time machine we read about and I could start this night over.” His rapid exhalations gusted across her bosom. “I’d do anything to make this right.”

  “Anything?”

  “Anything.”

  Dinah placed her hand on the back of his neck. His skin was clammy with nervous sweat. She tugged on his hair to get his attention. “Okay. There’s a couple of things we need to settle between us to fix this.”

  He finally looked at her again, but wisely didn’t speak.

  “My condition for not breaking this engagement is this: no more fighting with Zeke West, for any reason, ever again. Ever,” she repeated.

  “You’d forgive me?” he asked hopefully.

  “If I have that promise from you, then it would fulfill the first condition.”

  “I promise.” Silas took her hand and kissed her knuckles over and over and over again, saying, “Never again,” between each press of his lips. “What’s the other condition?”

  “Bea and I are attending the burlesque show at Timson’s. While I’d like to seem daring, I don’t know if two women showing up there unescorted is brave or stupid. So you’ll be accompanying us—but you’ll remain in the gambling area until the show is over, and then you will escort us back to Bea’s house.”

  “Lemme get this straight; you’re ordering me to…gamble?”

  Her eyes gleamed. “Oh, gambling isn’t the real reason you’ll be flashing that cocky grin at the card tables. As you’re playing, you will use that charm of yours to weave a new narrative about what really went down at Pettyjohn’s. Yes, you won land; no, you didn’t bet your future with your betrothed to get it. Figure out another ‘prize’ they’ll believe. Showing your face—and mine—together will quiet any rumors. The sooner you do that, the better and the faster it’ll all go away.”

  “Done.” He grinned. “You are brilliant.” He kissed her hard. “Brilliant and I’m luckiest man in the world for this second chance.”

  “Yes, you are. And the last condition is about my journal. I’m detailing our life together, so it’s necessary to include the ‘Silas won a piece of land in a poker game’ as a family legend. But I’m exercising my right to slightly modify the event, so our future children, grandchildren and great grandchildren won’t know that you wagered…your happiness with me.”

  “I’m good with that too.”

  She tilted her head back. “Since we’re in public, a proper kiss will do. But next time we’re alone? I expect the other improper ‘kiss and make up’ type of kiss that you showed me.”

  Smiling, he nuzzled her cleavage. “Liked that, did you?”

  “Mmm-hmm.” She puckered her lips. “Kiss me quickly.”

  “Nope. I’m gonna kiss you right.”

  And kiss her he did. By the time he finished, she was grateful for the brick wall behind her holding her up.

  Silas straightened her clothes. “By the way, sugar pie, I love them britches you’ve got on. Feel free to wear them any time you want.”

  Chapter Fourteen

  Saturday night Dinah hastily donned her apron outside the door to Doc’s examining room as she juggled the hot teakettle.

  An exasperated female voice said, “You’re being ridiculous. I’m fine.”

  “You’re bleedin’, madam. Mrs. Mavis said she’d box my ears if I didn’t bring you here and I’m way more skeerd of her than I am you,” Jimmy blurted out.

  So the midnight patient was Madam Ruby.

  Dinah stepped beside Doc and poured the warm water into the ceramic bowl he’d placed on the table.

  It’d been a long day for him and he looked a fright with his hair sticking up all over and his robe thrown on over his long johns. He dried his hands on a towel. “Dinah, dear, bring that lantern closer so I can see the damage to Miss Ruby’s cheek.”

  Doc had rigged up a lantern in a long, milky-white glass tube that was much brighter than a regular lantern. He’d attached it to a base with a rope and pulley system so he could move it and adjust it to various heights. He turned the flame to high and light blazed across the space.

  Miss Ruby’s eyes were wide, her gaze moving between Dinah and Doc. She held a frilly lace handkerchief cloth to her face—it might’ve been ivory but now it was bright red.

  “Turn your head, please.”

  Ruby dropped her hand and stared at the ceiling. Blood ran in a thin red stream from the apex of her cheekbone and dripped onto the table. The skin around the wound had already become swollen, making it difficult to see the size of the cut.

  “Ruby, dear. Tell me how you got this gash.”

  Her gaze zipped to Jimmy then back to Doc.

  Without missing a beat, Doc said, “Jimmy, wash your hands and go to the icebox. Break off a big piece of ice, wrap it in a clean rag and bring it to me.”

  “Yes, sir.”

  As soon as Jimmy was gone, Ruby said, “Thank you. Although I don’t know why I feel the need to protect him.”

  “Because he’s a good boy with a soft heart,” Doc said as he began cleaning the wound. “Continue.”

  “We had a new customer. Traveling salesman of some type. He acted like a big spender and I sent him to Millie, who is my best girl. After he finished with her—they were in the room for about five minutes—he complained I was cheating him with a new whore. He claimed that a seasoned whore would’ve spent the entire fifteen minutes arousing him. Then the snooty bastard demanded his money back or he wanted his remaining ten minutes with an experienced whore. Namely…me. I refused, told him to leave and never return. He backhanded me with the finesse of a man used to striking a woman. Of course he wore a big, tacky ring to inflict more damage.”

  Dinah was absolutely riveted and repulsed.

 
; “Dangerous business you’re in,” was all Doc said.

  “It’s been a long time since I’ve personally had to deal with this. Millie was so outraged by his insult to her skills and that he’d dared to hit me, that she kicked him in the bollocks.”

  Doc winced. “And then?”

  “I grabbed my Winchester and poked him in the ass with it until we reached the door to Sackett’s. Blubbering fool was bent over, clutching his cock when I left him with Dickie. Then Mrs. Mavis called for Jimmy and forced him to bring me here.”

  “It’s likely no surprise that you’ll need stitches. Six, maybe seven.”

  Dinah’s stomach turned over. Ruby was a stunningly beautiful woman with flawless skin. No pockmarks, or scars at all. She didn’t even have wrinkles, so it was impossible to gauge her age. She had to be devastated by the fact her perfection would be ruined.

  But Ruby merely sighed. “Get on with it then.”

  Doc’s hand trembled when he reached for another cloth.

  While Doc was able to stitch a gut-shot man back together and save his life, that didn’t mean his stitches were anything besides serviceable. With the late hour and the fact Doc had already had a full day of delivering a baby, and resetting a broken bone, he shook with exhaustion. He’d sew Ruby up, not without care, but to the best of his ability.

  And Dinah’s sewing ability far exceeded his.

  That’s when Dinah noticed a single tear rolling from the corner of Ruby’s eye before it disappeared into her hairline.

  So the madam wasn’t as unaffected as she pretended.

  Dinah set her hand on Doc’s arm. “Doc? If it’s only a few stitches, let me do it.”

  Both Doc and Ruby stared at her.

  She locked her gaze to Ruby’s. “I’m a seamstress and I specialize in fine embroidery. No offense to Doc, but I will make much finer, smaller stiches than he does, so the chances of scarring will be less. Provided you follow post-surgical infection prevention.”

  “Have you ever stitched on skin?”

  Dinah nodded. “One of my students sliced her hand open and Doc was gone so I stitched her up. I’ve helped Doc a few other times.”

  “Dinah, dear…you’re sure?” Doc asked.

  “Yes. You’re exhausted. You’ve already cleaned it. I just need to numb the area and dose her with a relaxant, right?”

  “Right.” He fixed his gaze on Ruby. “Dinah is being square with you, madam. She’ll do a better job than I would in this case. She’s competent and compassionate…but the choice is yours.”

  Ruby looked between them. “I’d rather not look like Frankenstein’s monster, so it appears I’m entrusting you, Miss Thompson.”

  Dinah smiled. “While I adored Mary Shelley’s story, I promise I won’t try to replicate Victor Frankenstein’s work on your face.”

  Jimmy returned with the chunk of ice, wrapped in cloth.

  Doc placed it on Ruby’s cheek. “Ten minutes ought to numb it. What relaxant do you prefer?”

  “Rum.”

  “Dinah. Two full shots.”

  “Yes, Doc.”

  Doc and Ruby murmured in low tones while Dinah prepped the surgical supplies. Doc used both a sewing hook and a needle, but both of them were too large for such delicate work. So she excused herself and returned to her room for a better needle.

  By the time she’d scrubbed her hands and sterilized the needle, Doc declared the area of skin numb enough.

  He patted Jimmy on the shoulder. “Come along. There’s pie leftover from supper. Then you can stretch out on the couch until it’s time to escort Madam back to town.”

  Dinah inhaled a deep breath before she settled on the stool next to Ruby’s head. “Fair warning; the first stitch is the worst. Hold very still.”

  “I will.”

  It’s just a thick piece of fine leather, Dinah told herself as she poked the needle inside the bottom edge of the wound.

  Ruby hissed out a breath and said, “Goddamn that man’s little prick straight to hell.”

  Thankfully the only thing that moved were her lips.

  Dinah blotted the blood that welled out of the center. “That’s more to the point than Silas’s outburst the last time he was in here.”

  “If I hadn’t seen Silas’s injury firsthand the night of the blizzard, I might’ve believed he’d injured himself so he could spend more time with you,” Ruby offered.

  “Oh, he did that once too.” She paused. “Thank you for taking the risk and bringing him here in that snowstorm.”

  “Better here than in one of my rooms where I would’ve had to care for him,” Ruby retorted. “And you’re welcome.”

  “He was an impatient patient. But I didn’t mind.” She inserted the needle again, pressing the skin and pulling the thread simultaneously.

  “Holy mother of god, that hurt just as much as the first stitch,” Ruby said through clenched teeth.

  “Yeah, I kinda lied about that. They’re all gonna hurt.” Dinah tugged on the thread, better aligning the skin for the next stitch. “Is this the first time you’ve had stitches?”

  “Yes,” she hissed out. “But not the first time I’ve been on the receiving end of a man’s fists.”

  “I can’t imagine. Did you report him to the deputy?”

  Ruby released a husky, bitter laugh. “Miss Thompson. Whorehouses are illegal. There’s plenty of folks that’ll say I only reaped what I sowed.”

  “Not Deputy McKay. He’s a good man.”

  “He is a good man, but that doesn’t change the fact I am a lawbreaker. Ow, motherfuck that hurts.”

  She paused for moment.

  “Besides, I can’t run to a man to save us every time another man raises his hands to me or one of my girls. I’m the one they run to. And to be honest, I’m glad that idiot struck me and not Millie.”

  The wound had started oozing again. Dinah reached for the ice. “Hold this here. Cold slows the bleeding.” She figured Ruby could use the break. Doc’s estimate of the number of stiches was about half as many as it’d actually take. “Would you like another shot of rum?”

  “Yes, please.”

  Dinah handed her the glass and Ruby lifted her head only enough to drink and swallow.

  Silence stretched between them.

  Finally Ruby sighed. “I’d rather we keep talking.”

  “About?”

  “Anything to keep my mind off of this.”

  “Your dress is gorgeous.” The burgundy velvet was off the shoulders with cut away cap sleeves. A black silk horizontally pleated bodice showcased the tops of her breasts and the deep valley between them. The low and formfitting waistline of black lace had been sewn atop the velvet, giving that section of the dress the appearance of an entirely different color. The skirt wasn’t voluminous, in keeping with the latest slimmer style.

  “Thank you. I reworked the top and cut enough fabric from the skirt I could almost make another dress out of it.”

  “You sew?”

  Ruby turned her head and looked at Dinah. “Out of necessity, yes. No dressmakers in Labelle and the ladies’ shop in Sundance refused my patronage. Their loss. I have four women to dress who adore pretty things, so I’ve learned to adapt.”

  “Is it offensive if I ask how you became a madam?”

  “Seeing how you’re fixing my face and I’ve had enough rum not to care what you think of me, I’ll grant you the true sordid saga of Ruby Redmond.”

  That barbed comment got Dinah’s back up. “Should I thank you for lumping me in with the other judgmental idiots who live here? Because you’re not the only one who’s been subjected to ugliness and rumors, Miss Redmond.”

  Ruby’s eyes turned sharp even beneath the glassy effects of the rum and pain. “I like to hear you snap back, Miss Thompson. Most women are too flustered in my presence to say much of anything. Or they’re frothing pure venom out of their mean mouths. There’s usually no in between.”

  “I’m not bragging when I say I’m not like most small-
minded women in this town.” She paused. “And please. Call me Dinah.”

  “Okay, Dinah. Where are you from originally?”

  “Cheyenne.”

  “What brought you out here?”

  “Money. Frontier teachers make more. I’ve been on my own for the most part since I was thirteen.”

  “Me too.”

  Dinah’s focus dropped to the ice pack and she narrowed her eyes. “If you can’t keep that where it’s supposed to be, we’ll have to stop talking.”

  Ruby smirked and adjusted the ice. “Better?”

  “Yes. Now my life history is boring. Tell me the sordid saga.”

  “My parents joined the throng of people migrating to Deadwood, intending to get rich striking gold, except they got there too late. I was ten, my brother Eddie was fifteen.”

  “Where did your family move from?”

  “Minnesota. For two years we lived in a miner’s camp and when the fever went through, it took both my parents. Eddie and I survived the fever and the mining camp for another year. My brother had bigger aspirations than scrabbling in the dirt for gold or felling timber. And caring for his sister wasn’t in his plans. So he sold me to Madam Marie of the infamous Deadwood Gold Nugget brothel.”

  Dinah’s mouth dropped open.

  “At the time I was thirteen, but Eddie told Marie I was sixteen. I’d developed a womanly shape early so that was believable. Marie had a harder time believing I’d retained my virginity living in a miner’s camp. Until I told her I dressed in baggy men’s clothes, forewent baths and didn’t venture from our campsite. Our parents had been savvy enough to pick a spot against a hill with a small cave. The only reason we survived the winters was because that dirt cave kept us dry and out of the wind and snow. The front section under the canvas offered a windbreak for a campfire.”

  “You’re probably numb enough.” Dinah removed the ice pack. “Keep talking.”

  Ruby faced the ceiling but kept her eyes closed. “Eddie worked odd jobs that year it was just the two of us. He hunted and fished. I cooked what he caught. I hauled water and if no one was around I hunted for berries and other edibles in the forest.”