Silver Springs Page 13

  The dark drive out to the cabin in Alexis’s buggy only added to her grouchiness. She’d much rather have ridden Alexis’s little mare, but the animal was extremely skittish in the dark. Besides, the Angel from South Pass City didn’t ride. Determinedly pushing her unhappy thoughts aside, she secured the buggy behind the cabin and walked around to the front. She closed her eyes and concentrated. The woman Sam knew was as different from her true self as Alexis was.

  After a moment, she squared her shoulders and knocked on the door. “Open up, Sam,” she called. “I haven’t got all night.”

  A heartbeat later, the door swung open and Sam was peering out into the darkness. “Angel, what are you doing here?”

  “What do you think I’m doing here?” she said. “I got a letter from my sister saying she had a contrary bartender on her doorstep demanding my presence.”

  Sam grinned. “Contrary?”

  “I’m sure she was referring to that stubborn streak of yours.”

  “Which I learned from my boss.”

  “Flatterer.” She raised a skillfully darkened eyebrow. “Is there some reason we’re having this conversation in all this fresh air?”

  Sam’s grin widened and stepped aside. “How did you get here so fast?”

  Angel swept past him into the cabin. “I was in Denver visiting friends, so I wasn’t all that far away. Now, what’s this all about?”

  His expression sobered. “Did you meet Jessie?”

  “No, I didn’t have the pleasure, but Alexis told me about her. She’s as beautiful as they come but not overly bright.”

  “You don’t have to be so critical, Angel. Jessie can’t help what she is. She’s been sheltered most of her life.”

  “My, my, aren’t we sensitive? Did she get under that thick skin of yours?”

  Sam ignored her sarcasm as he ran his fingers through his hair. “She’s Molly’s daughter, Angel.”

  “Oh Lord.” Angel sat down in the nearest chair with a thump. Sweet, uncomplicated Molly, whose mother sold her into prostitution at the age of thirteen, had succumbed to influenza a year ago, just a few weeks short of her thirty-sixth birthday. She was also the only one of Angel’s ‘girls’ who hadn’t immediately taken her ‘freedom’ money when it was offered to her. “She never told me she had a daughter.”

  “I doubt if she told anybody. Jessie’s spent most of her life in boarding schools back East.”

  “Where did you find her?”

  “Molly wrote that she’d join Jessie this spring. When she didn’t show up, Jessie came to South Pass City lookin’ for her. Molly told her she worked as a cook at a place called The Green Garden. People figured she meant The Green Garter and sent her there. I can’t help but wonder how Molly paid for an expensive boarding school all those years.”

  “Molly’s opium habit,” Angel said suddenly. “It wasn’t real.”

  “What opium habit?”

  “She told me all her money went for opium, but it wasn’t true. She was using it to support Jessie.” And that must have been why she’d asked Angel to keep the ‘freedom’ money for her until the habit was broken. It was like putting the money in the bank until she was ready for it. She had been planning on starting a new life with Jessie when her daughter finished school. “Oh, poor Molly,” Angel murmured, fighting the lump suddenly clogging her throat. “Her dream came so close to happening.”

  “Jessie didn’t have any idea her mother had died,” Sam said quietly. “She took it pretty hard. I didn’t tell her the truth about what Molly did for a living.”

  “I’m glad.” Angel reached over and gripped his hand. “Thank God you were there, Sam. Think what would have happened if you hadn’t been.”

  “I know. She’s not exactly prepared for the real world.”

  “That’s the understatement of the century.”

  Sam gave her an odd look. “I thought you hadn’t met her.”

  “No, but Alexis filled me in,” Angel said. “The question is, what do we do with her now?”

  “That’s why I brought her to you.”

  “What exactly did you think I could do?”

  “Find her a job.”

  Angel just stared at him. “Find her a job?” she repeated incredulously.

  “Why not? You’re always taking in strays.”

  “First of all, in case you forgot, I no longer have The Green Garter. Second of all, even if I did, I wouldn’t give Jessie a job. Molly would never forgive me for turning her daughter into a soiled dove after she worked so hard to keep her clear of it. Anyway, I don’t believe in corrupting innocents.”

  “I didn’t mean a job like that,” Sam said, his face darkening in embarrassment.

  “What kind of job did you mean?”

  “I don’t know. Something like you gave Becky Ellinson, I guess.”

  “Becky spent three hours a day mending! How much mending do you think I have now that The Green Garter’s closed? Besides,” she said, jumping to her feet and pacing the floor, “Becky didn’t live there. Every night she went home to her husband.”

  “I’m sorry, Angel,” he mumbled. “I didn’t know what else to do.”

  She stopped pacing and looked at him. “No, Sam,” she said after a moment, “I’m the one who’s sorry. You did exactly the right thing. It just kind of threw me for a minute. I’ll think of something. I feel responsible for her.” In fact, by rights, she was more than responsible, as she owed Jessie a rather large sum of money. Unfortunately, Angel had invested it in The Silver Springs Express, along with everything else she had. She wouldn’t be able to pay her debt to Jessie for at least several months.

  “How about your sister?” Sam asked abruptly.

  “You mean Alexis?”

  “She must know people in Cheyenne. Surely she could find some place Jessie could work.”

  “I guess it’s worth a try—”

  A knock at the door interrupted her. She and Sam exchanged a startled glance. “Were you expecting someone?” she asked.

  Sam shook his head and shrugged as he stepped over to open the door.

  “Evening, Sam,” said a familiar voice. “Thought you might be bored, so I brought some cards and a little something to warm your innards.” Ox Bruford strolled in and set a bottle of whiskey on the table. “Nothing like a game of poker to—Angel!” The look of astonishment on his face was almost comical as he caught sight of her near the fireplace.

  “Hello, Ox,” she said. Ox Bruford was the last person she wanted to see right now. The whole purpose of a night-time visit was to avoid him.

  “Well, I’ll be damned,” he said with real pleasure. “Alexis didn’t expect you for a week or so yet.”

  “She didn’t realize I was so close by.”

  “How have you been?”

  “Good. How about yourself?”

  “Never better.” Ox grinned. “Did Alexis tell you what we’re up to?”

  “If you mean the havoc you plan to inflict on my poor unsuspecting father, that’s all she could talk about.”

  Ox chuckled. “Alexis said you’d be pleased. Would you like to join us?”

  “I wish I could. His downfall is something I’d love to participate in.” She sighed. “Unfortunately, I’m rather involved in a business venture of my own right now.”

  Sam raised his brows. “You are?” From the hurt tone of his voice, it was obvious he thought she was deserting him.

  “Yes, and when I get it all put together, I fully intend for you to help me run it, Sam.”

  Ox hung his hat by the door. “Have you two solved the dilemma that brought Sam to Cheyenne?”

  “I think we’ll leave it up to Alexis,” Angel said. “It appears she’s in a better position to help than I am. In the meantime, she says the two of you have urgent need of Sam’s talents.”

  “Truer words were never spoken,” he pulled out a chair and sat down. “What do you say, Sam, are you ready to talk business?”

  Sam looked at Angel, then shrugged. �
��I guess so. What exactly did you have in mind?”

  Angel let Ox do all the talking, since she wasn’t supposed to know any of the details of his plan with Alexis.

  “So,” Sam said when Ox finally finished, “the whole idea is to take as much business away from The Flying T as possible and make it look like The Silver Springs Express is somehow behind it.”

  “Exactly.” Ox grinned. “That’s where you come in. If anybody asks, and they will, you’re just another paid employee. You’re rather curious about who the owner really is yourself and will speculate quite freely, I imagine.”

  “Dropping all kinds of clues that point to either Treenery or Brady,” Sam said, “depending on whose man I’m talking to at the time.”

  “Of course.”

  Sam rubbed his upper lip. “Could work.”

  “Are you with us then?” Ox asked.

  “I don’t know.” He looked at Angel. “Am I?”

  “If you’re referring to the matter we discussed earlier, you’ve done your part. I’ll take care of it from here. As for the rest of it, the choice is yours, but I’d feel a whole lot better if I knew you were involved. There’s a lot riding on the success of this.”

  His gaze held hers for a long moment, then he looked down at the hem of her dress.

  She followed his gaze. There was nothing unusual about her feet or her skirt, but Angel had the oddest feeling what he saw there decided him.

  “All right. When do we start?”

  “As soon as possible. I’ll bring Alexis out in the morning and we’ll make plans.” Ox turned to Angel. “Are you sure I can’t change your mind somehow? We really need you.”

  The simple statement sent flashes of heat through her whole body. He needed her? If only it were true. “Don’t see what I could do that Alexis can’t. Besides, I can’t spare the time right now.”

  “You’re sure?”

  “Positive.” Angel could have sworn his voice had a note of longing in it but knew it must be wishful thinking on her part. She felt a sudden overwhelming need to get away. “Well, gentlemen,” she said standing up, “it’s been a little piece of heaven, but it’s time I left you to your cards and your whiskey.”

  Ox pushed back his chair and stretched. “Actually, I’d just as soon leave it for another night. What do you say, Sam?”

  “Suits me fine. I’m for bed.”

  Angel gave Sam a quick hug. “Take care, old friend. I’ll be in touch. Alexis will see to that other matter for us.”

  “All right.” He smiled. “And thanks, Angel. Didn’t know what else to do.”

  “You did exactly right.” Angel hoped to slip away while the men were saying good night, but she had barely cleared the door before Ox was right behind her.

  “Angel, wait. What’s your hurry?”

  “I wanted to talk to Alexis before she goes to bed.”

  “Ah yes, Sam’s mysterious errand.” He picked up her hand and pulled it through the crook of his arm. “At least let me walk you to your horse.”

  “I brought a buggy.”

  “A buggy? Now, that’s a surprise.” She could hear the amusement in his voice. “From what Betsy said, I thought you’d probably ridden here bareback on the wildest horse you could find.”

  “Betsy! Where did you see her?”

  “At Alexis’s house, usually within the first few minutes after I walk in the door. In fact, she and I have become very good friends.”

  “I thought you didn’t like children.”

  “Your baby sister is pretty hard to ignore. She has a way of getting just about anything she wants.”

  Angel smiled in the darkness. “I see you know her well. Have you met Jared and Shannon yet?”

  “Mmm. You could say that. They made quite an impression on me.”

  “They have a way of doing that. Here’s my buggy. I’m glad I got to see you. I wasn’t expecting to.” She tried to pull her hand loose, but he wouldn’t let go.

  “Do you need a place to stay tonight?”

  “Wh...what?” Her stomach dropped. Please don’t let this be what I think it is, she thought to herself.

  “I know you always stay at the cabin, but you can’t this time because Sam is here. Since your father and his wife are at Alexis’s, that’s out too, but you’re welcome to stay with me if you want.”

  “Stay with you?” She stared up at him in disbelief.

  “Sure, why not?” he said matter-of-factly as he studied her face in the moonlight. “God knows I’ve stayed with you often enough.”

  Angel’s heart froze in her chest. He was hardly the first man to make her an indecent proposal, but coming from him, it hurt to the point of agony. She couldn’t even bring forth a scathing refusal or a flip answer the way she usually did. Her voice had mysteriously deserted her.

  Ox seemed completely unaware of the devastation his words had caused her as he reached up and traced the curve of her face with his hand. “I’ve missed you, Angel.” His voice was a soft, husky rumble that went through her like a knife. “I haven’t been able to get you or your good-bye out of my mind.”

  The last was whispered against her lips. His kiss was gentle and incredibly sweet, like the first rain of spring or the delicate inner petals of a rose. A warmth unlike any she had ever known uncurled in the pit of Angel’s stomach and started to spread through the rest of her body.

  As her lips parted beneath his, Angel knew if she didn’t stop him now, she never would. With that thought came the knowledge she didn’t want him to stop. The truth was, she wanted him to make love to her more than she’d ever wanted anything in her life.

  Desire rose within her like a tide of molten rock. With her body yearning for his and the passion beginning to consume her, Angel did the only thing possible. She pulled back her arm and slapped him as hard as she could.

  Chapter 14

  We should have done this months ago. The surprising thought flickered through Ox’s mind as Angel’s lips parted beneath his in delicious acquiescence. Her mouth was warm and inviting, her body softly yielding in his arms, the essence of a dream he didn’t even realize he’d had. A magical haze of longing surrounded them as she shifted in his embrace, and he tightened his arms around her.

  He had no inkling of danger, no warning. One moment Angel was melting in his arms, the next, a hard stinging slap snapped his head back.

  “What the hell was that for?” he asked, rubbing his cheek in bewilderment.

  “What do you think it was for, Bruford? I don’t appreciate being mauled!”

  Ox’s heart lurched when he saw the expression on Angel’s face. Behind the mask of naked fury was a deep anguish he was somehow responsible for.

  “How dare you assume I’d sleep with you?” she cried, shoving against the solid wall of his chest.

  “I didn’t—”

  “You can stay with me,” she mimicked. “Damn it, Ox, just because I used to run a whorehouse doesn’t mean I fall into bed with any man who has the urge.”

  “Angel—”

  “Don’t Angel me, you…you…Judas. I thought we were friends.”

  “We are friends.”

  “That’s not how I treat my friends, Bruford,” she said, climbing into the buggy. “In the future, I’ll thank you kindly to keep your hands and your lips to yourself!”

  Ox could have sworn he saw a sheen of tears in her eyes as she untied the reins and pulled the whip out of the socket. “For God’s sake, Angel!” He started to reach up and stop her, but a glare from her smoldering gray eyes halted his hand.

  “Don’t touch me,” she said tightly, then flicked the whip over the horse’s rump.

  “Damn it, Angel, wait!” He reached out beseechingly, but he might as well have been invisible as she drove out of the yard without a backward glance.

  “Hell and damnation!” he swore. His cheek was on fire as he stalked around to the front of the cabin where he’d tied his horse. What in tarnation ailed the woman anyway? All he did was offer her t
he use of his mother’s empty room for the night, and she acted like— He came to a sudden stop as an appalling thought occurred to him. What a fool he was. Angel had misunderstood his invitation completely because she had no way of knowing he had an extra room since his mother left for Chicago. No wonder she’d reacted that way.

  Ox felt a slash of guilt as he untied his horse and swung up into the saddle. She thought he associated her with her former profession. The truth was, he hadn’t ever seen her in that light. There wasn’t a man in South Pass City who didn’t know Angel was off limits; even newcomers figured it out right away. Though she ran a brothel, she was definitely not part of the merchandise.

  Ox hadn’t planned that kiss; it had been an irresistible impulse brought on by moonlight and enchantment. The kiss and the invitation to spend the night weren’t related at all. He’d been almost as surprised as Angel, and there was about as much chance of her believing that as there was of Sam taking up knitting.

  Ox turned his horse toward the open prairie. As a rule, a long ride on a good horse helped him get his life back in focus. Tonight, it had little effect. Somehow, working off anger at his grandfather was a much simpler task than dealing with the confusing emotions Angel inspired. He’d kissed his share of women over the years, but none had ever affected him this way. Until they’d said good-bye in South Pass City, he’d always thought of her as a good friend, and kissing her had never crossed his mind. Now, he could think of little else.

  It was long after midnight when he finally returned home, but he was no closer to understanding than he was before. Too bad he’d left the whiskey with Sam; getting rip-roaring drunk might have put things into perspective. Then again, maybe it was just as well, he thought with a wry smile. Facing a still angry Angel with a hangover might well prove to be lethal, especially with Alexis on her side.

  Ox felt a sudden flash of anticipation as it occurred to him the twins would be together tomorrow. Would the differences he thought he’d detected between Angel and Alexis stand up in the light of day? If they dressed alike and fixed their hair the same, would he be able to tell them apart, even side by side? To tell the truth, he wasn’t sure.