Ballad Beauty (4 page)

“I said, I’ll take him. How much?”

He named his price, which she thought rather low, but she withdrew the cash from her reticule. “Thank you, sir. I’d like to come get him before nine tomorrow morning, please.”

Whitey looked at her as if she’d been declared legally insane. “You’re welcome to come any time for him, ma’am.”

Jenny called out Comet’s name and was surprised when he trotted over to her. She’d always fostered a love for animals.

“I can’t believe you’re mine,” she whispered to him as she stroked his velvet nose. The horse nickered softly in return.

“I do believe we’ll get along fine, Comet. I’m a fast learner. I’ve always had to be, and you’ll help me along.” She leaned over and kissed him.

She decided she better eat and get in the one last luxury she’d missed ever since she left Boston—a hot, steaming bath. Who knew when the next one might be?

She went back to her lodgings and ate with the hotel owner and his wife. Obviously, not a lot of paying guests came through Apple Blossom, from what they indicated. She expressed her wishes about the bath and after it was ready, she stripped her clothes off for a nice soak. She laid her head back to rest on the edge of the tub and let her thoughts float.

Jenny wondered what this trip to Prairie Dell would bring. She was nervous about going such a long way, especially with a dubious guide, but she knew her father must have very good reasons to ask her to journey to such an out-of-the-way place.

The noise in the total quiet caused her head to pop up. It had been a soft, scraping sound. Her eyes quickly roamed the room, noting the door was locked as before and the window sealed tightly from the cold wind. Then she spotted a single sheet of paper lying near the door. What could it be?

She quickly scrubbed until her body was pink and shining, her long hair hanging wet down her back. She grabbed the toweling and wrapped it around her as she went to pick up the sheet.

Watch the man following you.

The single line leaped at her from the page. A sudden image of the tall stranger with sky blue eyes appeared. So he
had
been following her.

But why?

She thought of what her father had sent to her in his original letter and hurried to her reticule. She dumped its contents out onto the bed.

It was there. Safe.

She replaced everything in its usual order and calmed her shaking hands. She perched on the edge of the bed and took a deep breath.

Who was the tall, handsome cowboy with the strong build? Better yet, who warned her about him?

CHAPTER 5

Snake Burton wasn’t coming. Jenny sighed again, for the seventh time in twenty minutes. She looked around at the crowd that gathered around her. Or at least what would pass for a crowd in Apple Blossom, Texas.

The day had started beautifully. It was clear, no wind to speak of, and only moderately cold. She’d held such high hopes. Despite the ominous note she’d received the previous evening, she slept soundly and awakened rested, eager to begin the last leg of her journey.

And then Mr. Burton didn’t even bother to show up—drunk or sober.

At least he could have sent her a message. Why would any gentleman let a lady wait at the appointed place, horse and supplies in hand, only to be humiliated in front of most of the population of Apple Blossom?

She knew the answer. Snake Burton was no gentleman.

She looked up and down the street. Again. No Mr. Burton in sight. Well, if he wasn’t coming to see her, she would go to him—if only to tell him what deplorable manners he had.

“You.” She pointed to a young man barely old enough to shave. She remembered him from the saloon yesterday and had been upset to see one so wet behind the ears in such a disreputable place. In her best schoolmarm voice, she said, “Come here.”

“Me?”

He looked ready to jump out of his skin and leave it behind in one piece. Jenny didn’t dare break eye contact with him. She learned that lesson from teaching after only two days in the classroom. She was surprised it took her that long to figure it out.

“I want to have a word with you.”

He slowly came her way. Those gathered on both sides of the street did the same. If words were to be spoken, the citizens of Apple Blossom didn’t want to miss them.

She stared at the young cowpoke, grateful for once that her height left them eye to eye. “Do you know a Mr. Snake Burton?” she asked crisply.

“Oh, I reckon ‘bout everyone between here and Fort Worth knows Snake,” he said affably, and the crowd chuckled along with him.

“Then could you tell me where I might find him at this hour of the morning?”

He started to answer then thought better of it. Her gaze never wavered. Finally, he broke.

“I s’pose he’s up at Miss Lulu’s still.”

“And where might I find Miss Lulu?”

“Oh, you don’t want to go finding Miss Lulu, ma’am. She’s six feet under or better and has been nigh on five, maybe six years now.” He looked over to another man in the crowd. “Tom, how long do you think Miss Lulu’s been gone?”

“Christmas, the year of that bad storm. I believe that would be ‘69, Ed.”

Ed grinned. “You’re right, Tom. That was when—”

Jenny interrupted their exchange. “I’m sorry to press you, but is Mr. Burton at this Miss Lulu’s house? Seeing that she’s dead?”

Ed scratched his head but gave her a wide smile. “I reckon you could say that, ma’am.”

“Then show me the way.”

The crowd murmured its disapproval, and she wondered what she’d said wrong.

“I’ll show you where Miss Lulu’s is.”

The throng parted, and her heart caught in her throat. It was the dark-haired stranger with the cold, sky blue eyes. She almost took a step back as he approached then thought better of it. Treat him like Lucinda Smith, the ringleader of the bullies that picked on her in those early days when she first arrived at The Thompson School.

She drew herself up to her full height and raised her chin a notch for good measure. He came toward her slowly, an easy confidence in his gait.

He must be an even six feet, she judged. Muscle hardened his otherwise lean frame. His jet-black hair had a slight wave to it. His complexion was dark, as if he spent most of his time outdoors in the bright Texas sun. Chiseled cheeks and a strong jaw accompanied a sensuous mouth.

But what she focused on now was the small scar. Funny, she hadn’t noticed it before. It ran just above his chin, white against his tanned face. She thought it might be from a knife, based on her experience in the free clinic. She wondered how he’d gotten sliced in such a tender spot.

He paused as he reached her, his hat in his hand. “I can show you. But I don’t think you’ll want to go in.”

Her eyes flashed. “And why not?” she asked in a haughty tone.

“Because Miss Lulu’s is a house of ill repute.”

Jenny bit her bottom lip hard.
Hold on, hold on, don’t panic.
She met his level gaze. “If you’ll give me a moment to hitch my horse, I’ll go pay a call on Mr. Burton.”

Audible gasps filled the air. She looked around and saw the shocked look on some of the ladies present. What did she care? She’d never see these people again.

Ed came to her aid. “I’ll hitch up the black, ma’am, if ‘n I can get close enough.” He started toward the horse, but Comet snorted loudly. Ed backed off. “Maybe you better do it after all.”

She led her horse to the rail and stroked him with affection. “Be good, little love. I’ll be back shortly.”

She fell into step beside the man that brought strange emotions to her surface. On one hand, she was scared of him. He looked dangerous, like an outlaw in a dime novel, dressed all in black—hat, vest, and pants. His steady gaze seemed almost deadly. Yet another part of her found him to be terribly attractive. She didn’t know which scared her more.

“It’s not too far. Everything in Apple Blossom is just a stone’s throw away.”

They walked a minute or two in silence. She didn’t have to look over her shoulder to know that most of the population of the town traveled hot on their heels. They must be hard up if she happened to be the biggest entertainment draw in town.

When they reached a large, two-storied house, he stopped. “This is it.”

She stared at the white paint and neat, yellow trim. The yard held planted flowers and several shrubs, immaculately trimmed, lined up just below the front porch.

“Surprised?”

She nodded. This was certainly not her idea of what a brothel looked like—not that she had ever tried to picture one in her mind. If she had, though, she definitely would not have envisioned this.

“Thank you,” she managed. She walked up the stairs, lifting her skirts daintily. As she knocked, she took a deep breath and wondered what would happen next.

So did Noah. He watched with an amused look on his face. This girl was unpredictable, indeed. He kind of liked that about her. In a way, she reminded him of Moira. That shouldn’t have surprised him. This was Moira’s niece, albeit one she’d never seen before. Jenny McShanahan had an air about her, though, that made her fun to watch. He didn’t know what she’d pull next.

He never imagined her going this far. When the clerk said the guide Sam hired was dead, he expected her to fold up like a flower which had gotten too much sun. Much to his surprise, she’d had the guts to enter a saloon and try to find one on her own. He admired her gumption, both then and now.

He watched the door open. She spoke with someone a moment before being admitted. Noah raced up the stairs just before the door closed. No way he was going to let Jenny McShanahan out of his sight now. Who knew what kind of trouble she would get into?

A pockmarked girl holding the door allowed him in. He gestured for her to close it behind him. No need for the good people of Apple Blossom to see everything first-hand. Better to give them something to speculate on. Gossip was no fun any other way.

Jenny marched straight up the stairs, no hesitation in her step. Oh, he loved watching this girl from the rear. Walking behind her was a real treat. Her behind twitched and swayed as she climbed the stairs. It was a sight for sore eyes. It momentarily stunned him that she had such an effect on him. He had to fight to concentrate on the issue at hand.

He followed her up, keeping a safe distance. He didn’t want to interfere in whatever happened next. He almost wished he could sell tickets.

Each time Jenny came to a door, she knocked hard and marched right in. Her heart danced wildly in her chest, not knowing what she would find. She had seen the results of carnal knowledge at the clinic, the unwanted pregnancies and diseases that even Dr. Randolph spoke of in hushed tones, but she only had a vague idea of what actually went on behind closed doors. Thank goodness she’d seen nothing that had added to her limited knowledge. Yet.

She hit pay dirt on the fourth try. She pounded the door with three heavy swings of her fist and threw the door open. She heard Snake Burton before she saw him, his noisy snores filling the dark, shabby room. A girl lay next to him, her hair disheveled, the bedclothes tangled around her as she opened sleepy eyes.

Jenny tried to hide her surprise as the girl, years younger than she, rose and padded naked across the room as she pushed the hair from her face. She slipped on her tattered wrapper and brushed by Jenny, a saucy smile on her lips.

“He’s all yours, sister. Too drunk to get it up, though.” The girl left her alone with Snake.

She walked to a table that held a ceramic pitcher and basin. She filled the basin to the brim and took it to the bed. Fortunately, the girl had thrown the sheets across Snake when she got up. She took a deep breath and tossed the water into his face. He barely stirred, which angered her even more.

“You no-good, dead-drunk, skunk of a man!” She shook his shoulder a good half-minute and then raised her hand and gave him a powerful slap.

That woke him. He gazed up at her, a dazed smile on his unshaven face. She didn’t think it possible, but he smelled even worse than before.

She shook her finger at him. “I gave you money in good faith. I thought you would get a haircut and a shave, maybe eat a decent meal.” She wrinkled her nose in disgust. “And God forbid that you would think to take a bath!”

In reply, he smiled up lazily at her. “I did enjoy spending the money, ma’am. I haven’t had a woman in . . . dang, I can’t recall. And ain’t that a fact,” he mused.

“You, Mr. Burton, are despicable.” She turned to go but whirled around to face him again. “And you . . . are . . . fired!”

She stormed from the room. She flew down the stairs and flung open the door to her waiting audience. She never broke stride until she reached the saloon.

It was empty, all except for the same bartender from her previous visit. Did the man never sleep?

“Where is everyone?” she demanded.

“It’s only ten in the morning, ma’am. My regulars ain’t even out of bed yet. What’d you expect?”

“More than I’m getting from this sorry excuse for a town!” she cried angrily and stomped back outside.

As she anticipated, the group had followed her and hovered at close range. Exasperated, she called out, “I have paraded down this street and back again. I am looking for a guide to take me to Nevada. Are there any takers?”

There were none.

Eventually, in ones and twos, those gathered faded away, knowing they had to get back to their tasks at hand.

All except her shadow.

He approached her cautiously. “I’ll take you to Nevada. But it’ll cost you,” he added.

She thought it over. She didn’t know who the steel-eyed stranger was. She wasn’t sure why she was so wary of him. She wondered how seriously she should take the anonymous warning she received about him under her door.

But he’d have to do. She was in a desperate situation that called for immediate action. She had to get to her papa. She wanted what she’d missed out on all these years—his love and companionship, a home together for the two of them—no matter what the cost. And for some inexplicable reason, she knew time was of the essence.

Miss Thompson would have an apoplexy if she knew Jenny was ready to cross the desert with a complete stranger. She smiled to herself, knowing that alone made her decision final.

“I must reach my papa in Nevada, sir. It’s against my better judgment, but I am willing to strike a bargain with you to act as my trail guide.” She named a price and thrust out her gloved hand. “Do we have a deal?”

He took her hand in his. “Noah Daniel Webster, ma’am, at your service. And you would be?”

A giggle escaped her lips. She brought her free hand to cover her mouth. She composed herself before she blurted out, “What kind of name is that?” and then erupted into peals of laughter.