Wicked Wyoming Nights (31 page)

“Then why in the name of all that’s good and holy did you go and lose her over one measly steer?”

“I never expected her to break our engagement.”

“Good God, man. Did you think to have the girl’s uncle locked up, accused of rustling, and forced to go through a public trial, and have her thank you for the pleasure? Where’re your brains?”

“I never thought she would react this way. Not with her uncle never denying it.”

“Didn’t she tell you exactly what would happen if you insisted on going through with it? Didn’t she beg you not to do it for her sake?”

“Yes, but-”

“Then why didn’t you listen to her? Have you ever known Eliza not to mean what she says?”

“No,” he admitted miserably.

“Of course you haven’t. She’s full of the most rigid principles of anybody you’ve ever met. If she says she’ll do a thing, she’ll do it no matter what.”

“What should I do?”

“Don’t go near her. You’re both so upset you’re bound to say something you don’t mean. I’ll let you know when it’s safe to talk to her again. The girl’s crazy about you and about to die of the misery. Otherwise I wouldn’t get myself involved in a silly mess like this.”

“I’m not going back on what I did, or apologizing for it.”

“I know. That’s why it would be fatal for you two to meet now. You just go look after your cows. Seems that’s the only kind of female you know anything about.”

“You can’t go to bed now” Ira objected peevishly to Eliza. “Croley and Iris are coming up in a few minutes. We’re going to have a celebration.”

“What for?” Eliza asked suspiciously.

“My being judged innocent.”

“I hardly call it
innocent,
” Eliza replied derisively, “when your defense was that you were guilty of the deed but you only did it because you were angry.”

“You sound unhappy that I got off.”

“I’m unhappy your temper forced us into this disgrace in the first place.”

“It was your lover’s arrogance and stubbornness that was responsible for it all.”

“You know he’s no longer my fiancé, or anything else,” Eliza said, nearly choking on the words, “but you also know if you had done what I asked, this wouldn’t have happened.”

“It was worth it to get rid of Stedman. Now we can go back to being comfortable again.”

Eliza was absolutely certain she was the most miserable person alive, and would remain so for the rest of her life, but Croley and Iris came in just then, and she was spared having to try to communicate to her uncle an idea that was completely foreign to him.

“I brought an extra bottle of champagne,” Croley announced jubilantly. “The Sweetwater now has another attraction. In addition to Eliza, Iris, and Sam, we have Ira Smallwood, hero of every little man in the district. And they can’t wait to buy him a drink.”

“I would think you would dislike such notoriety,” Eliza said, half angry.

“I don’t dislike anything that brings in business, and ever since Ira got himself arrested, the place has been about to burst its seams every night.” Eliza angrily retreated to a corner, but Croley didn’t seem to care. He was euphoric over the receipts of the last two weeks.

“Don’t talk yourself dry before you open the bottle,” Iris prompted.

“You’re my kind of woman,” Croley said, pinching Iris on the bottom. He was rewarded with a sharp slap.

“My only job in this place is to sing and dance,” she said, her eyes as hard and unrelenting as Croley’s. “I’ll do what you ask in the way of work, but I’m a decent woman and I mean to stay that way. If that’s not what you bargained for, I’ll get out now.”

“Don’t get your nose out of joint,” Croley replied with a forced smile. “You can be as snooty as you please as long as the customers keep coming in. Eliza’s done very well by it.”

“Miss Highbrow is her act, not mine,” Iris said with a spurt of annoyance, “but I intend to keep my reputation just the same.”

“Have some champagne,” Croley said, pouring out a glass and handing it to Iris. “We’ve all had a tense time with Ira’s trial and your first weeks on the job, but it’s over now so let’s celebrate.”

“I’m celebrating being spared Stedman as a nephew,” said Ira, “even though Eliza can’t seem to get him out of her mind.”

“No girl can get a man she loved out of her system that fast,” Iris said sympathetically. “Even if she knows she’s made a mistake, it takes a long time for the hurt to heal. Only a hussy can turn her back on a man and forget him in the same instant. You wouldn’t want people accusing her of being a heartless temptress, would you?” Iris asked Ira.

Ira was not pleased at having to swallow his words, and he favored Iris with a scowl. “Eliza’s reputation in this town is spotless.”

“Nevertheless, quite a few people know she was engaged to Stedman, and before long everyone will know she’s broken it off. That will add to her attraction in the saloon, but having it appear that she doesn’t care won’t.”

“You’re a smart gal, Iris,” Croley conceded. “I hadn’t thought of that, but of course it will appeal to those romantic cowboys. I might even bill her as the heartbroken songstress.”

“No, you won’t,” decreed Ira. “I won’t have it broadcast about my niece was bowled over by that upstart and is still wearing the willow for him.”

Eliza was too thankful for Ira’s support to care what motivated it. Just the mention of Cord’s name twisted a knife in her belly, and she couldn’t have borne to enter the saloon if Croley had dared to advertise her misery.

Even now she lived in fear she would look up and see Cord watching her, as he had every night since she had broken their engagement, staring at her with pain and a hopelessness that tore at her heart, almost demanding that she give in to him out of sheer human decency. She was sure her singing hadn’t been’ very good and was grateful no one had mentioned it to her, but it took all her willpower just to remain on stage when Cord was in the audience.

“Thanks for defending me,” Eliza said to Iris later when Croley and Ira, immersed in the pleasure of their recent success, had no further thoughts for the two girls.

“Forget it. You’d have done the same. Men don’t understand a woman’s feelings, and you have to remind them ever so often we don’t operate the way they do. You gotta make them remember you’re not about to be stomped on.”

“I never used to be able to do that,” Eliza confessed. “I’m much better now, and occasionally I do things that surprise me, but generally I can’t stand up to anybody about anything.”

“Does that include Cord?”

“W-what do you mean?”

“Are you still determined not to marry him, even if he were to come in here this very minute and plead with you?”

“Uncle wouldn’t let him in,” Eliza answered rather desperately. “And if he did, I wouldn’t see him.”

“Are you sure? You looked badly bitten to me.”

“I’m quite sure, and if I look
badly bitten
, as you put it, it’s because of my disappointment rather than languishing for a man who is quite obviously not the kind of person I believed him to be.” Eliza’s words sounded hollow even to herself, and she asked abruptly, “Why do you want to know?”

“I thought you’d come down off your high horse the minute you thought someone was after your precious cowboy,” said Iris.

“I beg your pardon,” said Eliza offended.

“Save the grand-lady act for the patrons,” Iris advised her brusquely. “It doesn’t impress me.”

“I’m not
acting
!” warned Eliza, rapidly becoming angry and jealous. The feelings were aggressive and unfamiliar but they were a relief from the pent-up emotions of the last few weeks.

“Forget it. I just wanted to know if you were done with Cord.”

“Yes.” The single syllable was torn from Eliza.

“Because I intend to go after him.”

“You!”

“Don’t act so surprised. It’s not flattering.”

“I didn’t mean it like that. Only it’s so unexpected.”

“Cord’s a good catch. I don’t like being a widow or working for people like Croley Blaine and having to fight off his pinches. I want a husband and a home of my own, and Cord Stedman would be just perfect. I’ve never seen a better-looking man, and my competition out here isn’t what it was back East. I know I’m not a looker like you, but I’m decent, not bad looking, and I know how to make a man happy.”

“I no longer have any claim on Mr. Stedman’s affections,” Eliza stated. “What you, or he, does is none of my business.”

“I just wanted you to know,” Iris said, preparing to depart. “I’m not the shy type, or overly conscientious when it comes to a man, but I draw the line at trying to take away another gal’s fella.”

“He’s not my fella,” Eliza said, then burst into tears and ran from the room.

Chapter 23

“I don’t care what anybody thinks, Sanford. I will not invite Ira Smallwood.”

“But it’s rude to invite Eliza and not her uncle.”

“Next I suppose you’ll tell me it’s just as rude to invite one partner without the other.”

“Well, it is, especially since both of them are clients of my bank.”

“Then give a party at your bank. You can fill the place with squatters and claim-jumpers for all I care.”

“Would you serve as hostess?”

“I most certainly would
not
. I took on the schoolhouse because there was no one else who
could
do it, but my charity goes no further. I will not invite people into my home whom I consider unfit company for my daughter.”

“She’s my daughter too,” her husband pointed out.

“Then I’m surprised you don’t take a greater interest in her future.”

“I offered to send her to any Eastern school she liked, but she refused every one of them” Sanford said somewhat pettishly. “What more can I do?”

“Find her a husband.”

“A husband!” Sanford echoed as though the idea had never occurred to him before.

“And one who can support her suitably. Not some merchant who’ll expect her to work in his dusty store.”

“Then she should have gone East. She’ll never meet that kind of man here.”

There is one suitable man here, one that Melissa already feels a certain partiality toward.”

“And who in the hell is that?”

“Sanford, I will not be
cursed!
” his spouse warned him awfully.

“Sorry, but who
are
you talking about?”

“Cord Stedman. Who else could I possibly mean?”

“Stedman?” repeated her dumbfounded husband. “But he’s close to ten years older than Melissa. Besides, he’s involved with the schoolteacher.”

“Ella Baylis says she’s broken their engagement.”

“And what are you expecting me to do? Walk up to him and ask him to marry my daughter.”

“No, but you can speak to him more often, seek his friendship, even include him in a few of your business deals.” The greedy look grew in her husband’s eyes. “I know you can’t bear to part with a cent, but think of it as an investment in your daughter’s future. You’re going to have to leave your bank to Melissa’s husband some day, and I can’t think of a better businessman than Cord Stedman. When you consider what he’s done with that ranch—”

“And the size of the check he deposited with me just last month.”

“—and it’s all free and clear.”

“I’ll think about it.”

“Do, but put inviting Ira Smallwood out of your mind. I may invite Mrs. O’Sullivan, but I will go no further.”

“But I don’t want to go. I’ll be miserable.”

“You and Iris are the only ones the old dragon
did
invite. Iris has to work, so you’ve got to go.”

Eliza knew her primary reason for not wanting to go to the party was a fear of meeting Cord, but upon reflection she decided it was unlikely Mrs. Burton would invite anyone she considered a cowboy, even so well-to-do a cowboy as Cord. Eliza wasn’t sure why she had received an invitation, but she decided it must have been Ella Baylis’s doing and since Ella was going, it would be okay.

So while Eliza relaxed in a luxurious bath, heavily scented with the bath oils Cord had given her, Lucy pulled out a dress made from some of the material Cord had given her, one she’d never had a chance to wear until now. It was a deep ruby-red velvet lavishly trimmed with Cord’s creamy lace, and cut low enough to raise a few eyebrows, even with Cord’s tippet of minks thrown around her shoulders.

“My, my,” said Lucy when she finished piling Eliza’s raven locks on top of her head and securing them with a red velvet band and an imitation diamond pin. “You are going to turn heads tonight.”

“If I’ve got to go to this dreadful party, I might as well look my best. There probably won’t be a man present under fifty, so it won’t matter what I wear.”

“Whoever told you old men didn’t notice pretty girls must have been a gelding,” said Lucy. “I don’t doubt they’re not quite as ready to paw you and jump straight into the hay, but it’s what they’ve got in mind, no matter how long it takes to get around to it.”