The Heart of a Soiled Dove (10 page)

Shutting her eyes and inhaling deeply, she prayed desperately, to the best of her ability. She prayed that God would replace anger with forgiveness, to fill hurt with hope and despair with life. After several moments a sort of calm and peace fell around her. If Roman, heaven forbid, ever did decide to leave and take Carrie Anne with him, she would be all alone.

Out on the range in August could squeeze the breath out of anyone. Aurora’s parched throat competed with the dry, hard-packed earthen soil, both desperate to be laden with water. Which is why today Aurora chose to stay near the house, needing a respite from smelly cattle and scorching sun. It wasn’t as if Roman ever really needed her anyway. She smiled across the way at Carrie Anne and watched her trickle water over the garden. Roman had not heeded to Donovan’s persistence to leave her. One victory she could lay claim to winning this summer.

If her ears didn’t deceive her, she knew a rider was coming. Soon enough, she saw Sheriff Bradbury. What could he want? Aurora tossed down the leather strap she was mending and had a sudden thought of Emmy. Had something happened to her?

Without acknowledging Philippe in any way, Corbin dismounted and handed over his horse. He sought out the area of the ranch.

“What brings you out here?” Aurora asked, not kindly.

He glanced at Carrie Anne, then to Philippe. “I need to talk to you.”

She lifted her chin. It was interesting to her how confidence came when surrounded by friends. “Whatever you have to say, say it.”

He smirked. “Have it your way. I’ve been doing some checking up on you. It has to do with your, ah… occupation in San Francisco.”

“Come with me.” She didn’t need to have the others hear this.

An appropriate distance later she snapped, “What do you care of my past?”

He stepped in close and Philippe looked ready to come to her rescue. Discreetly, she lifted her palm to him, hoping he’d take heed and stand back.

“I have to hand it to you, coming all the way out here to leave your past behind. It happens all the time, which is why I told you before, everybody’s business becomes my own.”

“Please, why won’t you leave me alone?”

“I feel like I should be compensated for what I know.”

“I won’t be bribed.”

“So you’ve said. However, in the long run, you’ll be whatever it is I say you will be.” His words were calm and confident.

She shook her head in defiance. “You are wasting your breath. I’m not that way anymore.”

Corbin picked at his shirt a moment as if weighing his thoughts before looking at her. “Once a whore… always a whore.”

Aurora was backed against the wall and he knew it. She could come out with the truth and risk her reputation and the possibility of being ostracized. Or she had the opposite consequence, which, she judged correctly as she bore his stare, would be appalling. Her insides curled. He smiled shrewdly.

Reading her troubled countenance, Philippe headed her way.

Through the thin line affixed on her lips she said, “What do you want from me?” Her eyes dashed to Philippe, and she put on a pleasant smile as if she welcomed the sheriff’s visit.

“Come to town, noon, tomorrow,” Corbin said. Then he turned and said loud enough for Philippe to hear, “It was so good to see you again, Aurora. You take care of yourself now.”

Her smile faded and Philippe practically walked on Corbin’s heels to see him off. A shiver coursed through her. What was she going to do? His sour odor would not evaporate fast enough. Aurora hated that smell, common among scum. Just as she was gathering herself, Martin Ritter and his horse came roaring through the yard. “Roman’s hurt! Philippe come with me.” He stared hard at Aurora. “Best get the doctor.”

And she would, but first she rushed to Carrie Anne who was about to have a fainting spell. “I can’t take care of you now and Roman will need you.” Aurora saw that her words were not registering with the hysterical wife. She shook her to sensibility. “You must stop it! I’ll be back as quick as possible. Get some water on to boil.
Now,
Carrie Anne!”

Four nights of fever and delirium came to an end, finally. The doctor spoke to Aurora in low tones just outside the door, which Carrie Anne now opened.

“Come in Doctor Hendrix, Aurora.”

He sought his patient. “How is he?”

“Doing better as of this morning. The fever’s broke.”

With caution, he asked, “The signs I told you to watch for?”

“None.”

Not to be gratified until a brief examination was performed, he set open his medical bag. Dr. Hendrix scratched his head. “I don’t understand. No gangrene.”

Roman opened his eyes slightly and the doctor continued his surprise. “You lucky son of a gun. Just a few days ago you had an atrocious gash on your shin and a shard of bone protruding from it.”

Carrie Anne cried with joy and Martin appeared, hat in hand in the doorway, waiting to hear the worst. “He’s going to be fine,” Aurora said with a beaming smile.

She was ever grateful of Reverend John’s faithful timing during his circuit. He’d made a round on them the day after Roman’s accident, and prayed for Roman to regain strength and healing. Aurora was always encouraged when he came. He was also a good shoulder to cry on when it came to her Emmy. She left out feeling abandoned by God at the sheriff’s attack on her. She didn’t want to throw too much the Reverend’s way. Besides, he’d been there for Roman and Carrie Anne, and that’s what needed to matter at the time.

Aurora wanted to leave the couple alone to celebrate the good news and stepped onto the porch, where she saw Donovan ride in. Immediate thought of her appearance crossed her mind. Then she was upset that she even cared what she looked like in his uncouth presence. With an unamused glance her way, Donovan handed Philippe the reins to his horse and sauntered past her as if she blended into the weeds. It unnerved her as she witnessed a pleasant smile coming from him at seeing Carrie Anne. Was it so hard to send a smile her way as well? Too agitated to do anything else, Aurora brooded about, waiting as an outsider to this family in the cabin. It was an hour later when Donovan came from Roman’s. Aurora was fetching water and assumed the man was leaving.

When he retrieved his horse from Philippe, he headed out towards her cattle instead of off her property. She stopped the bucket mid-way and asked Philippe, “Where does he think he’s going?”

Philippe had no answer and she looked hard at him. Before she could give the order he stated, “I’ll get your horse,
Senorita
.”

Donovan was riding the line and swore under his breath when he saw her coming. He saw Martin pivot to see where this irritation had come from.

“Aurora.” Donovan scowled. He spit out tobacco juice and Martin teased, “Do you not like women in general, or just her?”

Donovan smiled dangerously at Martin, who shut his trap.

She arrived all too soon. “May I ask what you are doing on my range?”

“Take it up with Roman.”

“I’m taking it up with you.”

“You don’t want to do that.” Intensely, he held her eyes with his.

“I want to know why you are in the mist of my cattle, Mr. Ramsey.”

“And I told you to take it up with Roman.”

“Do I have another choice?”

He stayed firm and unresponsive.

“I’ll go see Roman then.”

“You do that.” Donovan and Martin set about rounding up the herd. They’d gotten too far and loose with Roman being out of commission. He’d found five on his land this morning. He figured Aurora meant well, but she didn’t have a clue how to run a ranch. Why, if she didn’t have his brother around to keep things in order…. The thing of it was, the only reason he ever wanted to own this property was to give it over to Roman. Donovan glanced back under the rim of his hat to see Aurora heading back to him.

What in tarnation?

This was
her
land. She did not answer to people, they answered to her. She gained courage in the pleasure of seeing Donovan’s arrogance dissipate as she drew near. He dismounted, so she did likewise – to be on even ground. Although he stood several inches taller, in her newly revelatory state of mind, she was not to be swayed.

He peered at her with intimidating, sadistic eyes. He was going to eat her alive.

She raised her prideful chin – she could do this. He smirked. It was almost in a playful way, and she realized he was enjoying this… this… standoff. If that’s what it took to get a smile out of Donovan, he would not be disappointed. Venturing on in this new braveness Aurora said, “I don’t need to check with Roman about anything. I am the
owner
. And I want to know why you are here. Are you checking up on my cattle? My land?”

“Plan on me being here for a while.”

She took a step away from his sudden closeness. “Why would you be here a while?” Suddenly the air became thick around her, and it had nothing to do with the heat from the sun. “You have your own ranch. Roman might be down a while but I have Martin and Philippe.”

“I don’t
want
to be here,” he said, cutting her to the quick. “It’s a personal favor for Roman. I’m in the middle of getting together my own cattle drive, so don’t test my patience.”

“How can I test your patience when you don’t have any?”

Martin had been silent until now. Unfortunately, he chose the moment to let out a low whistle.

To her horror, Donovan picked her up and set her atop her horse. “I better not see you in this pasture again. Roman might put up with your pretty face out here but I will not.” Donovan slapped the horse’s rump with a small force and the animal took off. Caught off guard, Aurora scrambled for the loose and wild reins. She was a mile away before gathering the horse and calming him. She expressed a sly smile. Donovan had called her pretty.

Someone was tapping the doorknocker. Aurora wiped sweat from her brow with a handkerchief and pulled open the heavy front door.

“Josie….” She looked past the woman, wondering who was with her, hoping it was Emmy. Setting aside her disappointment she stepped aside so Josie could cross the threshold.

“Come into the parlor. It’s the coolest room. I’ll bring you some water, although it’s a bit warm.”

Aurora returned to see poor Josie looking like a foreigner in the parlor. The floral wallpaper, photographs on end tables and books in bookshelves surrounding Josie in her prostitute’s attire made her stand out. Aurora tried to make it a home in every sense of the word – for Emmy, even though it appeared the gesture was for naught. What she didn’t want though, was Josie’s envy.

“I brought some warm lemonade in case you prefer that to warm water.”

It was too late when she noted Josie take in the silver serving tray and crystal pitcher of lemonade. She hadn’t meant to overdo it. It was just simply nice to have some company.

Aurora settled herself and sighed. “It’s good to have you over, Josie.”

“Aren’t you offended to have a prostitute come a calling?” Josie looked her hostess over. “I didn’t come on my own accord.”

Aurora’s interest was piqued. “I am not offended in the least. God loves us all the same. I ought to try to as well. But since you brought it up, why did you come?”

Josie cleared her throat. Whatever she’d come for didn’t seem to set well for her. “I came because of the sheriff. Were… were you supposed to see him this week?”

“Not officially. He ordered me to but I never agreed. Besides, Roman injured himself and I’ve not been able to leave.” She answered in half-truth. She did not want to leave because Donovan came every day to perform Roman’s duties as foreman. Having Donovan around her property had given her a sense of protection and an oddly welcome calm that everything would be alright.

Josie picked at a lemon peel on the tray. “The sheriff made me come. He knows he can’t barge on out here now that you have men here to protect you.”

Aurora snickered. “Oh, yes. I have a man who only today started using a crutch and an old Mexican who cares for the stable, and two others who sleep under the stars with cows.” She left out Donovan. He wouldn’t want her to include him in this family she wanted to be hers. And if he only knew the sheriff thought he was protecting her, nearly made Aurora double over with laughter.

“Corbin said to tell you that if you want him to keep quiet, you’ll need to pay him.”

Her statement digested a few moments in Aurora’s mind. “Did he tell you this secret he’s keeping?”

Josie shook her head. Aurora calculated the situation. Did she want to share her past with Josie? No. She wouldn’t be bribed and she wouldn’t be pressed into sharing what was her own business. She would wait on God to tell her when and to whom to expose herself to – not Sheriff Corbin Bradbury. “What happens now?”

Josie’s curiosity seemed to be dashed as well as her hope. Gingerly she set the lemon peel down. “He said he would hurt me if you don’t come to him.”

This was inconceivable. “Why should he harm you?”

“Apparently he thinks you have a fondness for people like me.”

“How can he think anything of me? He does not know me.”

“You purchased Carrie Anne in front of the whole town. You let Emmy live here with you.” She looked around the cozy home with care. “I don’t even know why she left this place.”

“Emmy has made her own choices,” Aurora said.

The hurt was still fresh and Aurora began to cry. “I have no idea why she chose to do this to herself. She did not have to. No one ever has to.”

Josie misunderstood and quipped, “Not all of us have it as easy as you, Aurora Young. Don’t be so quick to judge why
we
live the way we do.” Josie headed straight for the front door.

“Oh, you have little cause to be angry with me.”

Josie stopped. “What do you know? You have all you need and more, yet you belittle those of us who need to earn a living. We who need to work in order to have a roof over our heads, food in our bellies.”

Aurora made haste and followed hotly. With a challenge, she asked, “Is that why you are a whore?”

The question looked to throw Josie’s balance. “How dare you?”

Aurora held her ground. “I would like to offer you that home you speak of, that roof over your head.”

Josie’s laugh was harsh. “You’ve got to be kidding me! You can’t have someone like me living here. What would people say?”

Aurora smiled now. “In case you didn’t know, I don’t care what people say or think of me. The only one I have a care about in terms of how they think of me is my Lord.”

“I couldn’t leave Thatcher and the town.”

“You just said you only do what you do because there is no other way. I’m offering you another way.” Aurora had her attention now. “Think about it. You could be free to do as you please.”

Aurora knew what it was like to be bound to someone, to be their prisoner. She could feel the same old haunts reaching out to her now. Gently, she held on to Josie’s sweaty palm and pulled her to the edge of the yard. Behind her house they could see cattle grazing and roaming around the hills. “The feeling of racing a horse through these pastures is euphoric, Josie. I’ve never felt such joy. I’ve come to know about forgiveness and true freedom over the last year. It can all be for you, too – for anyone who decides to seek it out.”

“I… can’t.”

Aurora released Josie’s hand. She would need to want this for herself. “Then you sell yourself for different reasons other than what you said to me. Be honest with yourself, Josie. Remind yourself the next time you lie with a strange man who is invading your body for a few dollars, of what you declined with me here today.”

Without another word exchanged, Josie gathered her horse from the water trough and Aurora was left there disheartened and filled with sadness. She then clenched her fists and decided that Corbin Bradbury needed to be dealt with.