Sure, there were also good men frequenting The Duchess, hardworking men looking for a little respite and a drink or two before they moved on. When Callie mentioned arming the girls with pistols, he’d about lost his mind. He had serious doubts about whether his wife or her girls were capable of handling such deadly weapons. They were more likely to accidentally shoot each other than to shoot an unscrupulous wrangler passing through. Hell, they’d be lucky if a piece of vermin didn’t take the gun away and use it on them.
Picking up a piece of burlap he began to rub down the team. Doc seemed to have the same feelings on the matter. Something wasn’t quite right with him either and Morgan began to wonder what had transpired since the wedding when he’d appeared to be in good spirits. He’d offered to look after the place and the girls seemed to like him. Now it appeared they had a real axe to grind against the man and Morgan had no idea why. There seemed to be so many undercurrents he couldn’t decide which to address first. Suddenly he felt that life in 1880 wasn’t going to be as easy as he’d imagined.
He had a wife who wouldn’t mind him. A parcel of young females who were not easy to manage, and he suspected a mother who would be put out with him when he entered the house. Callie Mae would have told her what was going on, most likely pressing her side of the issue. As hungry as he was, he was in no hurry to finish up and he took his own sweet time in the barn. Looking up he saw Matthew strolling into the barn rubbing his stomach.
“Better get a move on big brother. Ma’s fixed you a plate, but it won’t stay warm forever. Besides, I know how much you appreciate second helpings.”
“I’m almost finished here,” Morgan replied. “You heading into town tonight?”
“Yep, same as always. Callie Mae says The Duchess is opening Thursday. I figure Miss Laurie could use a hand getting those box meals started.”
“When are you going to stop pussy footing around and sweep that gal off her feet?” Morgan asked in disgust. “I swear she’s leading you on a merry chase.”
“Now, you just don’t understand how things are done,” Matthew contradicted. “I gotta court her proper like. Life hasn’t been kind to her, and if I push the issue, I’m not likely to get anywhere. I figure you can catch more flies with honey, and I aim to be as sweet as I can be.”
“Well, there’s such a thing as giving a woman too much power over you,” he nearly growled in reply as he straightened up and pressed a hand to his back.
“Sounds as though Callie Mae is giving you a hard time,” Matthew stated with a grin as he saddled his horse. “Seems to me you don’t have all the answers, Morg. You can’t keep her from opening The Duchess, even though the whole town knows she promised you she’d keep it closed until you found someone to run it for her.”
Morgan scowled at his younger brother and approached him as he mounted.
“You worry about what Laurie Dixon is doing. I’ll worry about my wife,” he snapped, slapping Matt’s horse on the rump.
Reining his mount in, Matt turned until he was facing Morgan. Resting his arms on the pummel he leaned forward.
“Oh, I’m not worried. One day soon Mrs. Laurie Dixon will realize what a catch I am and change her tune,” he stated confidently.
“And if she doesn’t?” Morgan asked as he began to leave the barn, heading to wash up.
“Look, I chop her wood for the stove, help out with her three boys, and do whatever I can to make life easier for her. She’ll see the light soon enough.”
“All I see is a pretty woman, set in her ways and determined not to marry again. Ask anyone. She tells them all the same thing. Maybe a trip over your knees would make her see that you’re not a man to be played with or taken advantage of,” he suggested as Matthew trotted slowly behind him.
“Laurie’s husband had a mean streak. He did not treat her kindly, and she needs time and a gentle touch. She’ll come around. You’ll see.”
Morgan washed his hands and stared up at his younger brother. He truly hoped he was right, for he could see Matthew had his heart set on Laurie Dixon.
“Well, good luck to you then,” he said as he dried off with the towel his Ma had hanging on the porch rail.
Matthew laughed.
“It won’t be luck, big brother, but skill, lots of charm and loving ways will win her over,” Matthew crowed as he turned to ride into town. Then he suddenly paused. “And if that don’t work, I may well have to compromise her,” he stated firmly. “A woman is obligated to marry a man whose known her, in the biblical sense, I mean.”
“She’s more likely to hit you over the head with one of those cast iron skillets than she is to let you into her bed,” Morgan said with a laugh.
“Could be, but then she’d feel real bad about it and might nurse me back to health,” Matt replied with a grin. “Tell Ma I’ll be home later, and tell Callie Mae I’m on her side. The Duchess needs to be opened back up before Lilly figures out a way to drive those girls out of town.”
Morgan watched him ride away, wanting to contradict him, but he knew it was the truth. Lillian Piersal would not stop until she’d managed to shut The Duchess down for good and gotten rid of those pretty girls. Opening the back door, he prepared himself for lectures from both his wife and his mother. Instead, he found a quiet kitchen with a towel covered plate keeping warm on the stove. He almost called out, but decided he’d rather eat his supper in peace.
CHAPTER9
PRESENT DAY
Two weeks later Mead was walking with a cane and itching to get back to Kansas. The extensive therapy worked remarkably well, and he was shocked at how good he felt, better than he had in a long while. The constant nagging pain and stiffness he’d experienced after being injured the first time was all but gone, replaced by some soreness. Even so, he moved easily around the huge house Cara and Witt owned and spent as much time as possible in the pool or the hot tub. Still, he was uneasy.
What if he got home only to find things had changed drastically? What if Lilly had managed to drive the girls out of town? He had images of seeing the lot of them tarred and feathered, even though he’d never known that to happen to a woman. However, he realized that a group of angry women, once banded together and determined to shut down The Duchess could cause a lot of damage, not to mention the embarrassment of being shunned. Somehow, he didn’t think Marilee could hold up to such distain.
At least at the Duchess, he knew where she was. If Lilly got her way, the girls could be scattered across the west like leaves in the wind, and there was a good possibility he would not be able to find her before real damage was done. And if the stigma of being a saloon girl driven out of town was hurtful enough, Marilee might not want to be found. That would make locating her even more difficult. She could change her name and disappear. God, he hoped Morgan and Matthew were keeping an eye on all of them. Damn, he should be back by now!
