Pearl (16 page)
‘‘Thank you, Miss Hossfuss, for entertaining my children,’’ Mr. Longstreet said as they were about to leave several hours later.
‘‘You are most welcome.’’
‘‘I . . .’’ He turned his hat in his hands. ‘‘I hope to see you again soon?’’
If only he would look at me instead of his hat brim when he talks
. Could one really make something of this man, as Amalia said?
‘‘We are having a soiree here next Saturday, and we look forward to the pleasure of your company.’’ Amalia flicked Pearl a glance.
A glance of what? Apology? Question?
Pearl stood in the doorway with her mother and father, wishing their guests good-night and Godspeed, but feeling that it might be one of the worst nights of her life.
Little Missouri
‘‘You think he’s going to accomplish all that, or is he just a big dreamer?’’
‘‘Wish I knew for sure, but . . .’’ Charlie wagged his head, slowlike, as if it helped him think. ‘‘From what I can figure, he’s got all the money he needs between his own and someone, or more than one, who owns half of New York.’’
‘‘I wonder if Mr. Brandon knows any of the men you heard the marquis mention?’’
‘‘What difference would that make?’’
‘‘He’d know if this was rock truth or all hot air.’’ Ruby cut another piece of cornbread, drizzled syrup over it, and handed it to Charlie. While the others had all stumbled on up to bed, she’d stayed down to discuss what all Charlie had heard over the last few days.
While no one at the hotel would be sorry to see Enrique leave, the money the group had spent in Little Missouri would go far toward making this a good summer. And if all this about an abattoir and all the housing and stores and building supplies and arriving cattle was indeed true, Little Missouri would become a place on the map.
‘‘So who is going to build all this?’’
‘‘Good question. I heard de Mores has a superintendent coming in, someone to run it all, but I s’pect they’ll run ads in newspapers or something. Like when there’s been a gold strike, a tent city springs up overnight.’’
‘‘Wish we had the money to add on to Dove House.’’
‘‘With news like this, you’d have no trouble getting more money from Mr. Davis’s bank in Dickinson.’’
‘‘Now that I have the loan paid off and a savings account started, I hate to borrow more money.’’ Even the thought made Ruby’s stomach twist and buckle. She had the ledgers memorized by now, knew to the penny how much she spent and how much she had collected. Amazing how one could change in only a year. From a governess in a good home in New York to the hard-working proprietress of a semi-successful hotel in the wilds of the badlands.
If only her father could see her now. Would he be proud? Or would he think she should have left Dove House as a saloon with the girls bringing in the ‘‘hospitality’’ money? As she’d often reminded herself when these kinds of questions reared their hissing heads, it didn’t matter what he thought. All that mattered was what God thought, and He seemed to approve, if the till was any indicator.
Along with her peace of mind.
‘‘Well, tomorrow’s another day. Thanks, Charlie, for all you do to make this place a success.’’
‘‘You’re most welcome. Things is goin’ to get even better. You wait and see.’’
Ruby made her way up the stairs, hearing laughter from the cardroom. After Jake’s drunken scene from the night before last, he’d been barred from the cardroom. Still, she’d seen several locals go in, and the three gentlemen from the East always headed there immediately after supper even though Belle didn’t start dealing until eight. How Ruby wished she could have been a mouse in the corner to hear firsthand the plans for her town, now that it might really become one.
Though she could hardly call the town hers when half the original inhabitants hated her for closing down the saloon and the four women in town still wouldn’t talk with the girls and had tarred Ruby with a similar brush. However, they did come to the festivities Ruby put on and seemed to enjoy themselves—and eat the free food. Ruby thought to the coming Sunday morning, their first service since Easter. Would anyone show up besides Mrs. Robertson and her family?
She turned in her Bible to the passages they would be reading and hopefully talking about. Simple verses of Jesus reminding the rich young ruler of the true commandments. And the all-time favorite, John 3:16. ‘‘For God so loved the world . . .’’ Sometimes she wondered if that included Little Misery the way people here acted. She had to remind herself that it was God who did the loving, hoping men would turn to Him because of it.
Father, I want Dove House to be a beacon of love and hope in this
small spot in your world. I know you brought us here for a reason, and I
know you don’t make mistakes. Please bless our service in the morning
and abide with us as we learn to abide in thee
. Abide, such a lovely word. She remembered one pastor defining it as being hidden within the heart of God. Now wasn’t that some picture?
Lord, it
would help if we had someone versed in the Scriptures to teach and preach
on Sunday mornings
.
You could help Charlie write a lesson
. Clear as a bell, the thought rang in her head.
Hmm
. She tapped a forefinger on the end of her chin. One wouldn’t have to say much. Would he agree? He’d volunteered to read the Scriptures. Well, maybe volunteered was stretching the truth a bit. He’d volunteered after a bit of persuasion. Well, more like pleading if she got right down to the truth. But he’d done so before. And would again in the morning.
She blew out the lamp and snuggled under her down quilt. Even though spring had been here for some time, the nights still got chilly. It was not yet time to put away the quilts.
Belle started playing before the first arrivals. The front door was open, so the music poured out and floated around the town. Somehow the hymns had a bit more life here than in the more formal church Ruby remembered, but she couldn’t criticize this piano player, not if she wanted to have one. At least the girls all wore their more sedate clothing, as if it had done any good at the Easter service or in the weeks since. Although Mrs. McGeeney had smiled at her, albeit frost-tinged.
Rand set his hat on the table closest to the door, along with the guitar case, and came forward to tune the instrument with the piano.
‘‘Fine mornin’, Miss Torvald.’’
‘‘Yes, it is.’’
He tipped his head slightly to listen to the chord he’d strummed, waited for Belle to hit the note he wanted, and turned the pegs to adjust each of the strings.
Realizing she’d been studying him, Ruby felt the heat rise in her neck. Yes, he was a good-looking man, but he was still Rand Harrison, who managed to infuriate her without any visible effort on his part.
‘‘Hey, Mr. Harrison.’’
‘‘Hey yourself, Opal. How’s Bay?’’
‘‘She’s the best horse. She comes when I whistle now.’’
Ruby groaned inside. How was she ever going to help Opal become a proper young lady when everyone around encouraged such unladylike behavior? She knew Cimarron had a hand in this one.
‘‘I don’t even use two fingers no—’’ Opal glanced at Ruby— ‘‘
any
more.’’ Her freckled nose wrinkled slightly as she grinned at her sister.
Ruby glanced up to see Rand studying on her. His direct gaze caused the heat to rise again.
Ruby Signe Torvald, what on earth
is the matter with you?
She squared her shoulders, straightened her skirt with a twitch, and headed for the door to greet those arriving.
At promptly ten o’clock Belle played a series of loud chords, and everyone took the hint to stand for the opening hymn. Thanks to the sheets of songs Opal had so carefully printed out, everyone was able to sing along.
‘‘Sorry we are late,’’ Mrs. Robertson whispered as she and her family tiptoed in.
‘‘Welcome. We still have plenty of chairs.’’ Ruby pointed toward the front as she handed them the song sheets.
When Charlie finished reading the Scriptures, he paused.
‘‘Anyone have anything to say about this?’’
Ruby watched as several people glanced sideways at one another, shuffled their feet, and squirmed in their seats, setting the chairs to creaking.
‘‘Think I’ll read it again. ‘Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbor as thyself.’’’ He paused again and looked out over the gathering. ‘‘Now I got to say, folks, do we live up to that?’’
Ruby saw some heads nodding, others shaking.
Mrs. Robertson cleared her throat. ‘‘Those are hard words to follow.’’ She glanced at two of her daughters who stared down at the floor. ‘‘When we can’t even do so in our own homes, how can we do so to others?’’
When no one else added anything, Charlie closed the Bible.
‘‘Could you read something else? Like one of the Psalms maybe?’’ Mrs. Paddock from the livery asked. ‘‘It’s so long since I heard Scripture read out loud.’’
‘‘Any favorites?’’
‘‘Twenty-third Psalm,’’ someone said.
‘‘Think maybe we can all say this one together.’’ Charlie found his place. ‘‘ ‘The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. . . .’’’
One by one voices chimed in, some stumbling, and others were silent, but all agreed on the amen.
He read two others, including Psalm 91, his voice mellow and rich, like coffee with plenty of cream. He strung the words together, rising and dipping as if he’d been reading Scripture aloud all his life.
Ruby caught the smile on Opal’s face as she nodded her encouragement. Maybe they didn’t need someone to preach. Perhaps they all just needed to hear the Word of God—aloud and together.
‘‘Anyone here want to lead us in prayer?’’ Charlie asked after a long silence.
Mr. Benson, one of the newcomers, coughed and cleared his throat. ‘‘Lord God, I thank thee that we can gather together in thy name, that thou hast given us this place of refuge, these thy people who believe in thee and desire to worship together. We praise thy holy name and glorify thee. Amen.’’
‘‘That was some purty,’’ whispered Daisy, loud enough that Ruby, off to the side, could hear.
He sounded like an educated man, not a sodbuster.
When will
you learn to not make judgments?
Ruby sighed. Here she chose the verses to try to get the women in town to speak to each other, and God poked a finger at her.
Lord, please, I want to honor you first
and not be judging on appearances alone. Not to judge but to love as you
do
.
‘‘We’ll sing ‘Onward Christian Soldiers,’ down at the bottom of the second page.’’
Belle hit the opening chords, and away they went, singing three more songs before Charlie read the benediction that Aaron spoke to the people of Israel. ‘‘‘The Lord bless thee, and keep thee. . .’’’
‘‘Charlie, it does my heart good to hear you readin’ like that. Thank you kindly.’’ Mr. Robertson, his bald spot showing white since he’d taken his hat off when walking in the door, shook Charlie’s hand.
Ruby joined the girls in the kitchen as they picked up the trays of cups and rolls to serve those who’d come. Cimarron used two padded potholders to grasp the hot, full coffeepot and followed the others through the door.
Ruby watched as Cimarron poured a cup for Rand, laughing at some comment he made.
That’s who he should marry
. The thought brought a smile to heart and lips. Of course. He said he needed a wife, and she has all the experience of ranching that a wife for him should have. They’re friends. Surely he will overlook what happened to her. After all, he went after the attackers.
‘‘You’re plotting something.’’ Charlie stopped beside her.
‘‘Why, Charlie, whatever do you mean?’’ Guilt grabbed her throat so that she had to clear it before continuing. ‘‘I just had an idea, that’s all.’’
Should I confide in him? No, he wouldn’t understand
. Ruby continued her rounds, stopping to speak with each guest.
‘‘Those Frenchies didn’t think it necessary to worship, eh?’’ Mrs. McGeeney’s voice hinted at a snide barb.
