Under a Texas Star (29 page)

Reluctantly, he stepped back. "There, all set."

They took their leave of Mrs. Crowley.

Once they were out of earshot, Marly said, "It feels so strange going out without my gun belt or at least my rifle."

Jase suppressed a chuckle. "I guess you'll have to trust me to protect you."

She gave his arm a squeeze. "But who will protect you?"

Chapter 21

Unlike its adobe neighbors, The Grande Hotel was all terra cotta brick and white-painted wood. Not since The Palace in Wichita had Marly been inside such an opulent building. Even The Oasis couldn't hold a candle to it.

Crystal chandeliers lit the lobby and dining rooms. All the male employees wore black and white and were spotless and clean shaven. There were no serving girls, only waiters. Damask cloths draped the tables and silver glinted everywhere.

Marly was speechless. One part of her was stunned she was in such a place. The other wondered if Jase could afford it.

"What do you think?" he asked.

"I hope the food is good."

"It is. This place was built on the promise of west Texas prosperity. I hear that everyone who's anyone
―or wants to be―comes here."

"Let me guess," she said dryly, "you know the owner."

"Never met him. Last time I was in El Paso, this place was a corral for mail horses."

Marly laughed.

The waiter arrived and conversation was suspended until he took their or
der. Discussion resumed on trivial lines until the plates were taken away and they were left alone with their coffee.

For Marly's part, she wasn't sure what to say. Everything seemed so much more complicated since coming to El Paso. She longed to talk to Fred about what she should do next. As dear as he was, she didn't feel she could confide in Sarge the same way.

"I was talkin' to Mrs. Crowley," Jase said.

His expression filled her with dread.

"She told me that she and the marshal were hopin' you'd stay with them. She's really taken with you."

"They're nice folks, like long lost family. But I don't think I'd be comfortable staying there for more than a visit."

"I understand Langtree wants to take you back to Cherryville. Apparently, the town doctor and his wife wanna send you to nursin' school."

She frowned. "I suppose that's better than the mission school
―but not by much. They are very kind. I guess I'm good at mending broken bones and cleaning wounds, but it isn't what I want to do. I've been over this ground already with Sheriff Langtree." She held up a hand. "Before you ask, I don't want to go back to m
y Aunt Adele either. Besides, the sheriff has pointed out that I do have other options besides nursing and Aunt Adele."

"He offered to marry you."

"He
asked
me," she corrected. "I declined. I'm not ready to go back to Cherryville. And as much as I miss Fred, I don't want to go back to Fortuna or stay in El Paso. For that matter, I couldn't stay here even if I wanted to."

He gave her a puzzled look. "Why not?"

She gave an exasperated huff. "I told you. Egan's coming here. If I'm still here..."

"He can't force you to marry him if you don't wanna."

"Well, I don't. But if I can help it, I'd rather not see him again. I was ready to shoot him last time we met."

Jase gave her an odd smile. "If he steps out of line, I'll shoot him." He signaled the waiter for their bill.

"Where are
you
going?" she asked, sipping her coffee and pretending the question was casual.

"I don't know yet."

A tense silence fell over them.

Their cups were refilled and the bill arrived.

Marly took a deep breath. "I don't suppose I could travel with you as a boy again, could I?" When Jase shook his head, she mumbled, "I didn't think so."

"Wouldn't be proper."

"Of course not."

When the bill was paid, they walked back to the Crowley home. With her hand on Jase's arm, neither spoke.

At the bottom stair of the porch, she stopped and looked up at Jase. "Thank you."

"My pleasure, ma'am." He gave her an exaggerated tip of his hat.

"I mean for everything," she said, a slight catch in her throat.

"You made all of it a pleasure." He paused. "Marly, I
―"

"Marly!" Frank Jr. ran around the corner. "You gotta see this!"

The seven-year-old grabbed her hand and tugged her toward the back yard. She looked helplessly at Jase.

"I'll be 'round this evening," he said. "We'll talk then."

She wished he'd do more th
an just talk.

Jase watched her go. Frustrated, he kicked a stone, sending it skipping down the path.

For some reason, he thought it would be easy once Meese was out of the way and Marly was in her skirts. It wasn't. Their comfortable relationship was slipping away and it looked like he might have to start from scratch to develop another one.

So be it, he decided, heading downtown. If he had to court Marly to win her, he would do it.

First stop was the telegraph office. He had already applied for leave. If a reply wasn't waiting for him, he'd wire Austin and tell them he was going anyhow. He had enough money saved to take some time off. He had enough that he could buy a small ranch. Or he could seek an appointment as town marshal or sheriff.

Whatever Marly wanted. Whatever it would take.

Back at the El Hombre, Pequeño sent a scowl in his direction. "No chico again? Where is he? No one's seen him in a while."

"He's been busy."

"Well, Pedro is very unhappy. I am very unhappy. What game are you playing, amigo? Is the chico in trouble?"

"No trouble. I just can't explain."

Pequeño pushed Jase down into a chair. "Try."

Jase was not about to break the news to Pequeño that Marly was a girl. At the same time, he didn't want to lie to his friend. It went against the grain. He was the one who had persuaded Pequeño
―formerly known as 'Big Pete', 'The Swede' and 'that crazy Viking'―to go straight.

So he settled on partial truth. He told as much as he could about Marly without revealing her gender.

"So the chico has to decide what to do with his life. Tough. Well, you
tell him if he gets tired of civilized company, he can come work for me. Everybody likes him. You tell him."

"Sure."

Pequeño patted him on the shoulder. "Don't worry. The chico will work things out and everything will be better."

Jase hoped his friend was right.

He didn't want to intrude on the Crowleys for supper again, so he waited a reasonable time for them to eat before returning to the house. With courting in mind, he arrived at the door, a hat in one hand and flowers in the other.

"Thank God," Crowley said. "Jeannie, it's Strachan!" He ushered Jase into the house. "Did my deputy find you?"

Jase shook his head, puzzled.

"He must have just missed you. I've got another one checking the livery and one looking for Langtree. Marly's gone."

"When?"

"We're not sure. Not too long before supper, I imagine. She was playing with the kids 'til Jeannie called them in to wash up and set the table. The girl has taken all her things. Left us a note thanking us for our hospitality, apologizing for leaving so suddenly and promising to stay in touch. Mentioned something about a fellow named Egan being after her." Crowley narrowed his eyes. "You didn't tell us anything about that."

"The man wants to marry her," Jase said, his mouth curling in exasperation. "He's a cattle baron, not an outlaw. It's not like he's gonna kidnap her or anything."

"I don't know, Strachan. Some of those cattlemen...I'd sooner trust outlaws."

Mrs. Crowley emerged from the kitchen, bearing a package wrapped in brown paper. "Ranger Strachan?"

"Ma'am?"

"You'll be going after her immediately, I expect."

"Yes, ma'am."

"If you can, bring her back here. If you can't, please give her this and my best wishes." With a gracious inclination of her head, she retreated to the kitchen.

"If I find out anything, I'll send word," Crowley promised. "She left a note for Langtree, but nothing for you. I expect she knows you'll find her."

"Don't worry. I'll find her, and I'll let you know when I do."

"Just remember, son, that girl is like a daughter to me." A hint of the old Confederate Sergeant stared out from the marshal's eyes. "Do right by her. Understand?"

"Yes, sir."

Jase left, flowers forgotten on the dining room table.

His first stop was the livery where he ordered Grandee saddled. The stable boy admitted to seeing Marly earlier when she came for Portia. His description confirmed his suspicion that she was one again travelling in boy's clothes. The stable boy couldn't be sure what time she left and didn't pay attention to what direction she went.

The El Hombre was much more useful. While Jase was being grilled by Pequeño earlier, Marly had been in the kitchen with Pedro.

"What?"

"The chico came back to say good bye," Pequeño said, shrugging. "I knew he would. Pedro packed him some food for the trail."

"Where'd she go?"

"She?" Pequeño gave him a knowing look. "So, now you come clean? Perhaps if you had told me sooner..."

The look on Jase's face made Pequeño rethink his strategy.

"Pedro's brother-in-law runs a roadhouse," he said with a shrug. "It's on the way to Santa Fe. The chica said she needed to get out of town, some place safe, but not too far away."

Jase turned on his heel and left the saloon. He packed up his belongings and cleared out of the shed in minutes, almost missing the deputy who had been sent to find him.

Crowley's man was able to confirm Marly's directions.

"Thank you," Jase said. "It's nice to hear that not everyone is workin' against me."

Pedro's brother-in-law's roadhouse was just outside El Paso, in an area that had been settled by Tigua Indians up until a few years ago. Now the surrounding land was farmed by white settlers.

By the time Jase arrived, it was getting dark. The peach glow of the setting sun contrasted dramatically with the inky purple shadows spreading across vineyards and orchards. Even in the dim light, he recognized the roadhouse from Pedro's description.

It was an old mission that had been converted for commercial purposes. What had been the dining hall now served as a saloon. The chapel was being used as the family's quarters and the building that had housed the brothers was being used as an inn. From the look of the fortifications, the place was accustomed to being raided. No doubt it had protected its occupants from Apaches, Mexicans and gringos on both sides of the law.

Jase told a scruffy boy outside to watch his horse. He told a slightly older boy to saddle and bring Portia out into the court.

That taken care of, he went inside.

He was not too surprised to find that he was expected. Pedro's nephew, a tough looking hombre, greeted him with a broken-toothed grin and directed him to Marly's room.

Without knocking, he flung open the door and strode inside.

"Oh," Marly said, lowering her carbine. "It's you."

If she thought her calm greeting was going to get her off the hook, she was crazy as a loon.

"What the hell do you think you're doin' runnin' off like that?" he demanded.

"I was going to have a hot bath ready for you, but they don't have a tub. Too bad," she smiled, "you could use one."

That derailed him.

"I just had a bath."

"But it would have relaxed you."

"Maybe, but that ain't the point." He revved up again. "I wouldn't need to relax if you hadn't run away. You've got the Crowleys worried and Sarge threatenin' me with bodily harm. Thank heaven I didn't run into Langtree. And Pequeño thinks
―hell, I don't know what he thinks, but I could've killed him today, not tellin' me you were there."

"Would you like a glass of beer?" she asked with maddening calm. "I asked Juan to bring up a pitcher and two glasses when I got here. I smelled the coffee.
Vile stuff."

Jase slumped down beside her on the bed, took his hat off and wiped his eyes free of dust, while waiting for his racing pulse to slow.

Marly stood and he grabbed her wrist. "Why?"

"Why what?"

He gave her the best hard stare he could muster.

She blinked. "Why did I run away? Because I couldn't think of anything else to do."

She sat down again and he took her hand in his.

"Marly," he said, "I know you'd like things to go back to the way they were. But I can't treat you like a boy. That's not the way I feel about you."

"You never actually said how you feel."

"I didn't think it was right. You were under my protection. I didn't wanna take advantage."

"But I did think you might care for me," she said. "Maybe even love me."

"I do."

Marly sighed with relief. Had she really doubted his feelings?