Pearl (23 page)

Daisy had sheets bubbling as she stirred the caldron with a heavy stick Charlie had smoothed for just such a purpose. One at a time she lifted out a sheet, let it drain, and dumped it into a bucket to take to the tub of rinse water. Milly rinsed one, sloshing it up and down in the first rinse, then half wrung it and tossed it in the second rinse. Finally she and Opal each took an end and twisted in opposite directions to wring out as much water as possible before they hung it on the line.

With many of the rooms full, they had fewer sheets to wash than when she changed them for frequent new arrivals. Long-term guests got clean linens once a week. Belle had often commented on Ruby’s washing the linens to death, but clean was clean, and that was the way her hotel would always be.

‘‘Miss Ruby, could I have a word with you?’’

The voice set her neck on fire. ‘‘Really, Mr. Black, I have nothing to say to you.’’

‘‘But I have something really important to say to you.’’ He stood, hat in hand, sun trapping fire in his brown hair.

Now, why did I have to notice that? I don’t ever want to see him
again, hear him again, or even think about him ever again
.

‘‘Please.’’

All the years of her mother’s, her grandmother’s, and Mrs. Brandon’s training in ladylike manners joined together, and she turned to face him. Teeth clamped to keep back her flurry of words, she waited. ‘‘Well.’’

‘‘I-I come to ask your forgiveness for the way I treated you.’’

Attacked me, you mean
.

‘‘I know you must hate me, but I got to tell you. I’m ashamed to think I did such a thing to Per’s daughter—and a right fine young lady. I mean to change. I promise I’ll never touch liquor again. I never made such a promise before, but if you can see your way free to forgive me, I’ll work to be the kind of man worthy of your grace.’’

Oh, Lord, now what am I to do?
She closed her eyes and fought to keep her anger at bay.

‘‘What makes you think—’’ Her words hissed through clenched teeth.

‘‘My mamma didn’t raise me to be an animal. I did that all on my own. And I do plead that you will forgive me.’’

‘‘All right, Mr. Black. I forgive you.’’
Liar. Forgiveness is more
than just words, you know
. ‘‘Now, excuse me, I have work to do.’’

‘‘Thank you, Miss Torvald.’’ He placed his hat back on his head, touched the brim, and turned back toward the garden.

Oh, please, just go away
. Ruby turned back toward the kitchen in time to catch Opal and Milly staring at her with saucer eyes.

Ruby shook her head, forestalling any questions, and continued on through to the kitchen, where she sank onto one of the straight-backed chairs.

Lord, how can I forgive him?
She propped her head on her hands.

I forgave and forgive you
.

I know, but I never . . .
She rubbed her forehead. She could hear someone whistling outside. Charlie never whistled like that. His was more a tuneless sort of song. This whistle danced merrily through the air and tickled her ears. It invited her to sing along and even come on out to jig in the sunshine.

If putting her fingers in her ears were not so childish, she would have succumbed. She could hear Opal and Milly laughing. Cimarron’s horselaugh rose above the others.

Shame she can’t learn to laugh in a more ladylike way.

Ruby Signe Torvald, how cruel can you get? You even think such a
thing, and somehow it will come out. Now you behave yourself and quit
sitting here pouting
.

Sometimes giving oneself a good talking to worked, and other times it didn’t. Which was it to be today?

‘‘You noticed the difference in Jed?’’ Belle asked one night at supper.

‘‘He scrubbed the cardroom floor for me today.’’ Cimarron shook her head. ‘‘Whistling all the while.’’

Ruby ordered her face to smile and her head to nod.

‘‘But he never stayed around like this before. Came in, got cleaned up, played some, and headed on out again. Usually drunker ’n a skunk before he left.’’

Ruby tried to ignore the discussion as she scraped the last of her gravy into Cat’s dish. The two remaining kittens dashed across the floor and skidded to a stop in front of the dish, pink tongues lapping at the treat.

The other kitten had gone to live with the Robertsons, much to the delight of the girls.

Ruby picked up the orange-and-white kitten and cuddled it under her chin. A rumbling purr immediately greeted her stroking fingers. Her verse that morning had reminded her to not let the root of bitterness grow. She had yet to figure out the difference between bitterness and justifiable anger. Far as she could determine, one was the extension of the other. But it always came back to the same thing.
‘‘Be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted,
forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.’’

Sometimes memorized Bible verses came back to haunt one.

She set the kitten down and shifted the dishpan to a hotter part of the stove.

‘‘I’ll do the dishes.’’ Milly leaped up from the table.

‘‘No. You and Opal go for a ride or something. I’ll do these.’’ But washing dishes gave one too much time to think too.

‘‘Hey there, Mr. Harrison.’’

Ruby flinched at the news. Bad enough with Mr. Black here, but now Rand Harrison also? He must have come in to play cards, since he wasn’t here for supper.

‘‘She’s inside.’’

Ruby could tell Opal had raised her voice. Was she trying to warn her big sister?

Ruby quickly dried her hands on her apron and, with a couple of deft motions, had all the strands of loose hair tucked back in the snood she’d worn all day, removed her dirty apron, and snatched a clean one off the hook behind the stove. She just finished tying the strings when he came through the door.

‘‘Good evening, Mr. Harrison, what a nice surprise.’’

Rand held his hat in his hands, the line between white and tan even more obvious now than the last time she’d seen him.

‘‘You have any coffee left, by chance? We ran out.’’

‘‘You came all this way for a cup of coffee?’’ She moved the pot to the front of the stove.

‘‘Nope. Bought some over at the store. But I hoped you’d still have some left that’s ready to drink.’’

‘‘Have you had supper?’’

He halfway shrugged.

‘‘Is that a yes or no?’’

‘‘Too long ago to tell.’’ He crossed the room, his spurs jingling as he moved. Taking the chair she indicated, he sat down and set his hat on the table beside him.

‘‘Belle going to be dealing tonight?’’

‘‘Does the Little Missouri run north?’’ Ruby set a cup in front of him. ‘‘There’s gingerbread left.’’

‘‘I’ll have some if you’ll join me.’’

Ruby could feel the heat climb up her cheeks. What was the matter with her anyway? Fixing up just because Opal announced Rand’s arrival and now letting that slow smile of his agitate her further. As if she wasn’t agitated enough these days, with Jed around.

Not that the two were in any way similar. Other than unsettling. She cut two pieces of gingerbread, spread applesauce over both, and set them on the table. She checked the coffeepot to make sure it was hot enough, then poured the coffee before sitting down.

‘‘I can make you a sandwich if you like.’’ Now where had that come from?

‘‘No, this is plenty. Thank you.’’ He cut a piece and put it in his mouth, eyes closing in pleasure. ‘‘Ah. Every bit as good as my mother’s.’’

Good thing it was slightly dim, or he would have noticed the red she could feel again. ‘‘Thank you.’’

‘‘You made it?’’

‘‘Yes. I do
part
of the cooking around here.’’ Why did the man always provoke her to sound spiteful?

Or perhaps she was becoming spiteful? The thought made her set her fork down and hide behind her coffee cup.

He must have been terribly hungry or he really did enjoy the cake. ‘‘Can I get you some more?’’ Ruby asked.

‘‘Ah, I hate to be a pig.’’

‘‘No, just a hungry man.’’ She brought the pan to the table, along with the bowl of applesauce.

‘‘But you can’t . . .’’ Opal came through the door talking over her shoulder.

‘‘Yes, you can.’’ Milly insisted.

‘‘Is there more left?’’ Opal slid into the closest chair, eyeing the pan of fragrant cake. ‘‘Hey, Mr. Rand, you are one lucky guy.’’

‘‘Really?’’

‘‘Yup. Ruby told us we had to save the rest for paying customers.’’ Rand glanced from sister to sister, one wide-eyed and grinning, the other glaring a dagger or two.

‘‘Yup, guess I’m just lucky all right.’’ He drained his coffee. ‘‘Thank you, Miss Torvald. Will there be a charge?’’

‘‘None at all.’’ Ruby picked up the cake pan and returned it to the pantry. ‘‘Hope you win a hand or two.’’

Rand left the kitchen through the swinging door to the dining room, a chuckle floating over his shoulder.

Someday, Opal Torvald, I am going to get you and get you good
.

By Saturday Ruby had perfected the art of ignoring Jed Black. No matter that he showed up every day, helping Charlie with the garden and Daisy with the laundry, scrubbing the card-room for Cimarron, and bringing Belle a handful of wild flowers. He also set Opal and Milly to laughing with his jokes and antics.

‘‘How come you don’t like Mr. Black?’’ Opal asked one night after they had blown out the lamp and lay back in bed.

‘‘What makes you ask that?’’
Lord, how do I answer this? I cannot
explain the attack. She is too young. I am too young. Do any of the others
know? I never told anyone. Did Charlie? Mr. Black? Did he brag to the
men in the cardroom? No, then Belle would know and she would have said
something—wouldn’t she?

‘‘You treat him mean.’’

Ruby sighed and rolled on her side. She propped her head on one hand and closed her eyes, fighting to come up with a reasonable answer.

‘‘Well?’’

‘‘Opal, there are some things we cannot talk about yet. When you are older you may ask me again, but in the meantime I would appreciate it if you did not mention what you have observed to anyone else. This is a private thing. Do you understand?’’ ‘‘No.’’

‘‘But you will do as I ask?’’

‘‘I guess, but—’’ ‘‘No buts. Just know that this is important to me.’’

‘‘All right, but I still think you should be nice to him. After all, he is helping all of us, and he never asks for anything.’’

Only the hardest thing for me to give
. ‘‘I will try. Now go to sleep or we will both be so tired we’ll be worthless.’’

‘‘All right.’’ Opal yawned and murmured, ‘‘I love you.’’

‘‘I love you too.’’ Ruby rolled back to lie flat, her eyes closing as she relaxed.
Lord, help me to do your will. Please, help me
.

She woke in the predawn darkness. It was Sunday morning, and they would be gathering for worship in the dining room. The choir had practiced during the week, Charlie would read the Scriptures again, and this time he would ask if anyone else had anything to say. She’d chosen the book of Acts, where the early church meetings were described. She thought to one of the verses. People joined daily because they saw how those early Christians loved one another. Wouldn’t that be an amazing thing to have happen right here? In Little Missouri. At our hotel. Can we learn together? Grow together? Can we get Mrs. McGeeney and Mrs. Fitzgerald to talk to each other?