Morgan said nothing. She had him there. His mouth curled to one side as Finn closed in.
“What’d I do?” asked Finn, sidling closer.
Mrs. Sterling reached across the desk and flicked Finn’s stubborn cowlick. “Nothing but speak the truth, I expect.”
Finn regarded Mrs. Sterling with suspicion. “That’s something I’m thinkin’ you should tell my gran. She harbors considerable doubts about my veracity. I heard her say so.”
Morgan reached into his pocket for a coin. He held it out to Finn. “See if there’s a room in town to be had for the night.”
“You can have mine.”
“That’s generous.”
“It will hardly cost you.”
“And enterprising,” Morgan said dryly. He dropped the coin in Finn’s palm. “I’ll take my chances that there’s bed somewhere else.” Morgan tilted his head toward the door. “Out you go.”
Grinning, Finn clutched the coin and hurried off.
“You spoil him,” Mrs. Sterling said.
Morgan started to deny it, intercepted Mrs. Sterling’s faintly accusing stare, and merely shrugged instead.
Ida Mae Sterling shook her head. “You think you’re such a stranger here that I don’t see what’s going on right beneath my nose? Could be that Finn reminds you of someone. I’m not saying who, because it’s none of my never mind, but it comes to me every time I see you with him.”
Morgan listened without comment.
“I guess I know you better than most folks. I’ve never forgotten that my Benton vouched for you all those years ago.”
Morgan had not forgotten either. He did not say so aloud. He did not have to. Ida Mae knew the truth, his truth, and honored her husband’s memory by keeping it to herself.
“So who is she, Morgan? The way Finn tells it you were waiting for her. Pushed Dr. Wanamaker aside and plucked Miss Middlebourne off the train like she was a Wyoming wildflower.”
“He’s a doctor?”
Mrs. Sterling cocked an eyebrow.
Morgan sighed. “It might have happened that way.”
“There was something said about a photograph.”
“Finn’s gran is not the only one who harbors doubts about his veracity.”
“Are you saying that child is lying?” she asked. When Morgan looked away, she said, “You know what I figure? I figure you’ll tell me what you’re up to when you know it better yourself. That sound about right?”
“About right.”
Mrs. Sterling reached across the desktop, laid her hand over Morgan’s, and gave it an affectionate pat. “It’s true I don’t have any rooms to let, but there’s the apartment on the third floor that the Coltranes use when they visit. I don’t like to let it go, but for you, I could be persuaded, specially if it’s just for the one night.”
Morgan shook his head. “Thank you, but it’s better if I bunk somewhere else.”
“Better?” She removed her hand and cocked her head to one side as she studied him. “Yes,” she said at last. “That’s probably true. God knows you’re a better man than you have any right to be.”
CHAPTER 2
Morgan waited for Jane in the Pennyroyal’s dining room until half past six. He ate alone, politely but firmly refusing invitations to join Ted Rush, Harry Sample from the land office, or the other new arrival to Bitter Springs, Dr. Ellis Wanamaker. Morgan lingered over his meal and took a second helping of the apple brown Betty that he had not particularly wanted the first time it was put in front of him. When he got up from the table, he was not the last diner to leave, but only two latecomers remained. Everyone else had gone home, returned to a room, or wandered over to the saloon.
Morgan could not return home without speaking to Jane, and he was in no hurry to walk to the bathhouse where Finn had secured him a room. That left the saloon. He wandered there.
