That wasn’t true. This town was filled with men. Some of them were decent.
“Fuller,” Rafe said. “What about him instead?”
“The undertaker?” Cabot shook his head. “A noble profession, but can you imagine the reaction from a lady?”
“Understandable,” Rafe grumbled. “Tate Thomas, then.”
“Wasn’t he in prison for a year?” Billy said, handing Jackson’s letter back to him.
“Right.” Rafe clenched his jaw, every other name coming to mind one that could be immediately dismissed. Perseverance was filled with men of dubious backgrounds. He stared down at his letter, wondering what had possessed these men he’d call friends to consider such a scheme.
“You want to bring unsuspecting city ladies here,” he said. “ToPerseverance.”
“That’s the plan,” Cabot replied.
“We have five saloons and one church without a building. Not to disparage saloonkeepers,” he added with a glance at Watson. The man nodded, well aware he ran the nicest one in town.
“All the more reason we need women,” Billy said, a little too eagerly.
Rafe thought of the few women who already lived here. There was Lina, Sheriff Rodgers’ wife, the daughter of an outlaw. Miss Danforth, who ran her laundry service with a pistol on her hip. Mrs. Garner, whose diner required Billy’s presence to keep the soused men from the saloons on either side of her from causing trouble. Mrs. Huron, a forthright widow who somehow ran a dress shop with very few customers. Both the postmaster and the proprietor of the hardware store had wives, both of whom kept to themselves. And that was all. Except, of course, for the number of women of questionable morals, who spent their days sleeping and their nights in the saloons.
Andthiswas where his friends wanted to bring a passel of innocent ladies. He could have laughed out loud at the prospect. He and Hawk Rodgers, the sheriff, kept the worst at bay. They required the help of Billy and Bart Jackson more often than not. The jail was eternally full, and outlaws regularly roamed the mountains that overlookedthe town. At least there wasn’t an official brothel in operation in Perseverance—and that was about the only good thing he could say.
“I think you’ve all lost your minds,” he said, standing up. “Besides, I’ve got no interest in marriage.”
“Just the other day you were saying you wished you had someone to bring you lunch,” Billy said. “Remember? When Lina came by with—”
“I didn’t mean a wife,” Rafe said quickly. Although that had been exactly what he’d meant, but only in passing. Couldn’t a man wish for a good meal without tying himself down? “And where are you going to keep a wife, Billy? In that room you let at Cabot’s Boardinghouse?”
“My rooms are well-kept,” Mayor Cabot said, lifting an eyebrow at Rafe’s insinuation.
“You’ve got that house with a second room upstairs,” Jackson said to Rafe. “Seems a shame to keep it for yourself.”
Before Rafe could rebut, Watson added, “You’re more qualified than I am. All I can hope is the lady doesn’t turn up her nose at my profession.”
Rafe shook his head. He had no interest in the responsibility of ensuring a woman’s safety out here. He tapped the letter he’d laid on the table. “Find someone else.”
He started to turn as Cabot said, “I suppose we could ask the undertaker.”
“Living with the dead can’t be too terrible,” Jackson added. “He makes a good living.”
“Have you noticed how pale Fuller is? The man’s half-dead himself,” Watson said.
“Surely Miss White won’t mind. She won’t get to do much socializing though, seeing as how she’ll be so busy fixing up folks for their burials,” Billy said.
Rafe paused near the door. He squeezed his eyes closed, trying to shut out the images of some vivacious young woman, trapped for life with a dull, listless fellow like Fuller.
“I’ll go fetch him,” Jackson said. “It won’t take much convincing, I’m sure.”
Rafe’s conscience got the better of him. “All right. I’ll do it.” He turned around to find Jackson right behind him. A smile lit up the man’s face.
“Only because that poor woman deserves better. If you marry her off to Fuller, she’ll go running for the hills,” he grumbled as he sat back down.
Cabot went on to discuss the details of the women’s arrival. Rafe half paid attention, his mind wandering as he tried to imagine upending his entire life.
Part of him wished he’d walked out that door. But as he glanced down at the feminine script on the letter, he had to admit he was curious.
Even though he didn’t wish to marry, the idea of getting to know Miss White was intriguing.
