Belle

by jfclover

To tell the story properly, I need to start at the beginning, the day a vibrant whirlwind blasted through the saloon doors and changed my life forever. 

It should’ve been a typical Monday morning, but nothing about the day had been normal and nothing about my world would ever be the same again.

Chapter 1

We needed supplies and driving into town had been my decision.  Taking Candy with me was decision number two.  I know this sounds crazy, but I made most of the decisions these days.  I’d usually send a ranch hand, but I had the urge to get away from the house for a time, and picking up supplies fit the bill.

“I’m leaving, Pa.  Taking Candy with me.”   Candy was as easygoing as they come.  He seldom put up a fuss.

The traffic on C Street never ended.  Between freight wagons and off-shift miners, the procession was especially irritating on Mondays.  Merchants needing to restock their shelves thought they had the right of way and the miners, who shaded their eyes from the sun, gathered in groups in the middle of the street before heading to the nearest saloon.  After handing Jake Hop Sing’s list, I said we’d return in an hour to pay the bill.  He was fine with that and after picking up the mail, Candy and I crossed the street to the saloon.

I laid a few coins on the wood surface, and we picked up our beers.  Both of us leaned back against the bar and hooked our heels on the bottom rung.  The saloon was crowded.  Heavy gray clouds were moving in, and I realized we couldn’t stay too long.  We’d be smart to stick to the one-hour plan I told Jake and get the wagon home before rough spring weather washed out the roads.

Our attention was drawn to the batwings when the doors banged open, and the whirlwind stumbled through.  Though it was rude to stare, the sight wasn’t normal and I couldn’t turn my eyes away.  It wasn’t some old drunk who’d had one too many.  It was a young lady with matted blonde hair and simple clothing that had been ripped from her shoulders. With a skirt blackened from road filth or soot, she was barefoot and gasping for breath.

When I sat my glass on the bar, Candy looked worried but didn’t stop me.  He squinted his eyes as if to say, “Don’t.”  But I couldn’t help myself and I stepped toward the young lady.  She’d fallen to the floor and had curled into a rigid ball.  As I reached for her arms, she slapped my hand away.  I tried again.

“Leave me alone!” 

Her voice was hoarse but forceful enough to put me in my place.  She meant business, but so did I.  I didn’t know where she belonged, but it wasn’t on the floor of a dirty saloon.  With a little more force, I pulled her to her feet.  By this time, Candy stood next to me and helped me move her to an empty chair toward the rear of the saloon.  The last thing she needed was everyone gaping and snickering at her pitiful condition.

She dropped her head in her hands and flinched whenever I touched her.  “Do you need a drink?  A glass of water?  Candy, will you …”

Candy was quick to leave the table and hound Bruno for a glass of water.  Being that this was a saloon, he’d have to sweet-talk the barkeep, but Candy was well aware.  He’d make out just fine.

I tried to console her without touching anything I shouldn’t.  It was difficult to break through the stone wall she’d built around her, but I hammered away.  Sooner or later, I hoped she’d give in and let me help.

“Go away.”  Her voice was just above a whisper.  I could pretend I didn’t hear her, but I went a different route.  

“I’m only here to help.  Do you know where you are?”

“Of course, I do.”

“Is this where you want to be?”

An answer didn’t come, and I wasn’t sure what to try next.  Candy handed me the glass, and I pressed it into her hand.  “It’s only water.  It might help.”  She accepted the glass and nodded.  I took that as a thank-you.

Candy had something to say, and I assumed he didn’t want her to hear.  Since the lady and I had made a smidgen of progress, I couldn’t leave her sitting alone.  I gave him a quick nod and hoped he’d understand.  I had a pretty good sense of Candy’s thought process.  He’d wait till the time was right.  

We must’ve sat without speaking for a good five minutes.  I figured that was long enough, and I tried to make conversation.  Under all the filth and ragtag clothing, she was a pretty girl, prettier than most.  What disturbed me most was when I got a closer look.  She wasn’t just tired and dirty; she’d been beaten.  Bruises—old and new—stained her soft white skin.

“Do you have a place to stay?”

I thought she glanced toward the stairs, although I must’ve been mistaken.  Money and favors changed hands in the upstairs rooms, but this little gal didn’t look anything like a common whore.  She looked like someone had taken his fist to her and beaten her nearly to death, but why had she stumbled into a saloon rather than a boarding house or hotel lobby … or the sheriff’s office?

Rowdy and crowded.  Smoky and stale.  Unwashed men and fancy women.  In every town west of the Mississippi, a man could find the same atmosphere as any other saloon.  My brothers and I christened the Bucket of Blood the night it opened.  In fact, every new saloon that popped up in our little hamlet gave my brothers and me reason to celebrate.  Though Pa never saw the humor in our excitement, we couldn’t wait to christen the newest bar in town and gawk and all the new females. Men like us were experts in the field. 

The little blonde had no reason to trust me.  Hell, I hadn’t even told her my name and I needed to remedy that.  I wanted her to feel comfortable, but I hadn’t made much of an effort.  

“I’m Joe Cartwright.”  Glancing across the table, I said,  “This is my friend, Candy.  We live on a ranch called the Ponderosa.  Maybe you’ve heard of it.”  She looked at me as if I had two heads.  Had I said something wrong?  Had I boasted and not realized?  “I don’t recall hearing your name.”

“If you’re interested, ask Bruno.  He’ll tell you everything you need to know.”

With that said, she stood and crossed the room.  She moved as though nothing was amiss, as if she hadn’t stumbled through the batwings with ripped clothing and ratty hair.  She plowed up the saloon stairs and when she was out of sight, Candy and I heard her slam a well-made bedroom door.

She was a whirlwind of contradictions, or so I thought.  “What just happened?”

“If I knew, I’d be the first to let on.”

I pulled my hat low on my forehead and tried to understand the petite saloon girl that tried to act tough by brushing me off as quickly as she caught her breath and knew she could make it upstairs to her room.

Later that night, when I lay in bed, I couldn’t steer my mind in a different direction.  From her disheveled appearance to the way she marched up the stairs stuck with me like stink on a skunk.  I couldn’t get her out of my mind.

Chapter 2

We had a good crew this year, and branding the new calves went quicker than normal.  We’d use the same men for the drive to Sacramento in a couple of weeks, and they’d be granted a decent bonus if all went well.

Pa planned to sit this one out.  He’d taught his sons well, and he turned the drive and so much more over to me to run as I saw fit.  After Hoss’ death, Candy became a big part of our daily lives.  He also became my right-hand man like Adam had been Pa’s years ago.  But when Adam left for a better life, the three of us ran the show together.  Without realizing what was happening, Hoss stepped aside, which thrust me into the role Adam had years ago.

The last few months had been long and tiresome, and I often dropped into bed without supper.  It didn’t please my father or Hop Sing, but they kept their protests in the minimal range.  By the time Saturday afternoon arrived, Candy and I often quit work early, took a bath, and were ready for a night on the town.  No stinking steers for the next thirty-six hours.  This week wasn’t any different.

“Don’t you smell purdy,” he said.

“Not as pretty as you, my friend.  You ready?”

“Just waiting on you.”

“Good.  Let’s go.”

I told Pa we wouldn’t be late, but even at my age, my father would sit up until I returned home.  He might doze off in his chair, but he wouldn’t climb the stairs until his boy was home.  Some things never changed.

Though I didn’t say anything to Candy, I was anxious to see the girl with no name.  She’d told me to talk to Bruno, but I didn’t go that route.  If she wouldn’t tell me herself, then we’d call it a day and I’d walk away, but I wanted to see her standing tall, her hair piled on top of her head, and in a new dress that turned men’s heads.

We tied our mounts and walked into the saloon.  Everyone and their brother came out for drinks on Saturday night, and the Bucket didn’t disappoint.  Every table was taken so we inched closer to the bar and I signaled Bruno for two beers.  As I combed the room for the girl, I think Candy was doing the same.  “You see her anywhere?”

“Nope.  You?”

“No sign of her.  Bruno wouldn’t let anyone take Saturday night off.”

“Maybe you should ask him … you know?”

“All right.”  I cut through the crowd of thirsty men to the end of the bar, where the barkeep filled two glasses with beer.  “Hey, Bruno.  Got a minute?”

“Whatcha need, Little Joe?”

“What happened to that little gal that stumbled in here last weekend?”

“Little blonde?”

“That’s the one.”

“Long gone.”

“Really?  Where’d she go?”

“Just up and left.  Didn’t even ask for her pay.”

“Really?”

“Nothin’ new, Little Joe.  Them kind of gals come and go like fireflies in the night sky.”

“Yeah.  Guess you’re right.”  

As I muscled my way toward Candy, I pointed to a table where a poker game had just ended.  He got there before me and stared at the two men who thought they’d gotten there first.  God knows I was in no mood for a brawl.  I was tired and disappointed and would rather ride home than have to fight two burley miners for a lousy table.

POW!  

Candy took the first punch and all hell broke loose.  Not only did the four of us carry on like eighteen-year-old boys, but half the men in the saloon were ready for a Saturday night brawl.  After a large man nailed me with a left hook, I shook it off and butted him with my head.  He flew over the empty table and I moved to the next in line.  

Halted breaths had me pressing my hands against my thighs until I could stand up straight.  With my breathing under control, I had time to look up.  The room had quieted to a low roar and Candy and I were the only ones standing.  I motioned my head toward the door, and the two of us slipped through the batwings before anyone knew we were gone.

I don’t know why, but my mind drifted off to the little gal from the saloon rather than the ruckus we’d sunk low enough to be part of.  Why she filled my thoughts was a mystery except, for the first time in a long time, something inside me felt alive.  My wife died nearly eight months ago, and I hadn’t thought of even looking at another woman.  Not that the saloon girl and I would ever … but she stirred something deep inside that I thought might be dead forever.

Chapter 3

Night watch was always the worst, but we vowed that our men wouldn’t have to do anything we wouldn’t do.  We were three nights into the drive to Sacramento, and tonight the rotation belonged to me to stay up half the night with a bunch of willful steers.  I pulled Cochise from the remuda.  He wasn’t a cutting horse, but he’d do anything else I asked, and I needed a reliable mount to guard the herd.  I whistled and sang, and I began remembering songs my brother used to sing on long, lonely nights in the saddle.  Adam knew more verses than I ever would so I probably bored the cattle to death.

By the time we reached Sacramento, we’d only lost two head in a river crossing.  I would tell the buyer, but he’d pay for the entire herd anyway.  We never inflated our price.  We always played fair.  The Cartwrights were honest and upright, and we expected the same in return.

After thanking the crew for a job well done, I added an extra ten spot to everyone’s pay.  They’d spend it all in one night, but that was their choice.  I planned to do a little celebrating myself.  After securing a room, a bath, and a clean suit of clothes, Candy and I were ready to hit the town.  

“Where should we start?”

“Anywhere you say, Boss.”

That was all I needed to know.  “First saloon we come to?”

“Works for me.”

The dang saloon was so crowded, we couldn’t push through the doors.  “How about the second one we come to?”

“Yeah, let’s go.”

Number two proved to be the same, but we managed to work our way up to the bar in number three—The Gilded Dove.  We weren’t the only cowpokes in town although I don’t remember ever seeing Sacramento so overrun by out-of-towners.

Candy bought the first round—I’d given him an extra twenty—and we drank that glass dry in seconds.  The rest would go down at a slower pace.  If not, we’d be sleeping in the jailhouse rather than the two plump feather beds I booked at the finest hotel in town.  Pa would be pleased with such a successful drive.  Even though I’d been trail boss, I still wanted my father’s approval, a pat on the shoulder, and those ever-important words.  “I’m proud of you, Son.”

As I scanned the room over the top of my beer, I saw her.  The little gal.  The ratty little girl that had stumbled through the batwings in Virginia City.  I elbowed Candy.  “Look over there.  The green satin.”

“Well … what do you know.”

“Never thought we’d see her again, did you?”

“Nope.”

I leaned back against the bar and watched her work the room.  She was older than I first thought, an experienced barmaid, far from the kid I thought she was at first glance.  The lady knew her stuff and she knew how to strut, that’s if women strut.  Maybe not, but she knew how to make men’s eyes shift in her direction.  I followed her with both eyes as did half the men in the saloon.  Did they see the same thing I saw?  Did their insides stir as much as mine did?

This whole thing was silly.  I felt like a fool kid, not a grown man whose Pa trusted him to do the right thing.  When a man worries about his appearance, when he wonders if his clothing is up to snuff, or if his wild, curly hair is combed to perfection, he wonders if she’ll take notice of him as he leans against the bar.  After running through his list of “ifs,” he wonders if he’s lost his mind.

Candy pointed to a poker game.  Two men were leaving and he wanted to join in the fun.  I wasn’t that keen.  “Go ahead, Buddy.”

“You don’t want to try your luck?”

“Not right now.”

Candy picked up his beer and moved to the table with three other men.  I gave him a quick “good luck” nod before ordering a second beer.  After laying a coin on the bar, I heard my stomach growl.  We hadn’t thought about supper and it was closing in on nine o’clock.  Seeing Candy pull out a month’s wages; I guessed he’d be tied up for a couple of hours.  I wasn’t sure I could wait that long for a meal.  I smiled as an idea came to mind.

“Excuse me, Ma’am.”

She stared at me for about two seconds before she asked a disturbing question.  “Are you following me?”

“NO!  Not at all.  We drove our cattle to market and … and we just happened to pick this saloon for a drink.  I’m not accustomed to following women around the country if that’s what you think.”

“I just asked.  I don’t need a damn lecture.”

“Fine.”  My hands rose to my waist in frustration.  “I don’t lecture.”

“Sure sounded like one.”

“I’m hungry is all.  I wondered if you’d have supper with me.”

“Supper?  After I accused you of …”

“Is that a yes?”

“Can you wait an hour?  Arnie gave me the early shift.  I’m out of here at ten.”

“Yes, Ma’am.”

“Name’s Belle.”

“Nice to meet you, Belle.  I don’t know if you remember or not but—”

“Joe Cartwright.  I’m not stupid, you know.”

I wanted to smile, but I held back.  The woman made my head spin, but a part of me believed she was half crazy.  First, she couldn’t stand the sight of me, and then she was all sugar and spice.  

The woman who stood in front of me was a different woman than that ragtag girl I tried to help nearly a month ago.  The difference was amazing.  Her complexion had changed from pasty white to rosy and bright.  She looked fabulous, and I looked forward to dining with the feistiest woman on earth.  

Chapter 4

At ten o’clock sharp, we stepped through the batwings and onto the boardwalk where Belle stopped, closed her eyes, and took a deep breath.   I wasn’t sure why this was important, but there wasn’t much I understood about the young lady.  Only that she intrigued me more than anyone had in a long time.

“Ready to go?”

After wrapping her hand just above my elbow, she looked up at me and smiled.  I’m starving.”

“Good.  I know just the spot.”

I remembered a place that served a decent steak—probably Ponderosa beef—and all the fixings.  Al’s Steakhouse was only a couple of blocks away, and I didn’t think a carriage was necessary.  Besides, I liked the warmth of her hand on my arm.

By the time the evening ended, I was nowhere closer to understanding the girl named Belle than I was a month ago.  If I asked a question, her answer was vague.  Maybe my answers would be too if she asked any, but she didn’t want to know anything about me.  She ate.  She laughed at the appropriate times.  She was as polite as any young woman would be who had a fella buy her supper and not expect anything in return.  Although, she offered.

When I returned her to the saloon, I didn’t want her to think I didn’t want her.  I wanted her more than anything, but not this way.  Not a payment for a steak, red potatoes, and peas.  I’d never been that kind of guy, and I wasn’t about to start that night.

“May I see you again?”

She cocked her head to the side.  “You’re leaving?”

“Yeah.  I have to get up early and head back to the ranch.”

“In Nevada?”

“That’s the one.”

Her hands flew to her hips.  “I don’t understand.”

“What’s to understand?”

“You come to Sacramento, take me out to dinner, and ride back to your stinking ranch.  That’s it?”

“No that’s not it.”  My blood pressure soared.  “I asked if I could see you again.”

Her brow furrowed and her eyes tightened.  “How does this all work, Cowboy?”

“I make arrangements to return.  That’s how.”

“Maybe you haven’t noticed but this is my home.  Virginia City just happened to be a spot on the map I thought I might like, but it didn’t work out.  I’m a working girl, Joe.  I take men upstairs to my room.  Sometimes, I take more than one a night.  Sometimes, I pleasure more than one at a time.  I charge premium prices.  I’m top of the line.  Don’t you understand?  I don’t want you to come back.  You don’t belong here.  I don’t ever want to see you again.”

The look on my face might’ve been one of shock, although wasn’t that the point of her rant?  To shock me?  To push me away?  I wasn’t that easy to get rid of, but I knew a challenge when I heard one.

“What can I say that will change your mind?”

“Go home, Joe Cartwright.”

At that, she gathered her skirt and ran up the stairs to her room.  Candy glanced toward the commotion and threw in his hand.  His poker friends would have to do without him for the rest of the night.

“Let’s go, Buddy.”

My friend was right.  There was nothing left to do.  I dropped my head, followed him out of the saloon, and started across the street to the hotel.

The shot came out of nowhere.  The bullet entered my right side just above my belt, and I whirled on one heel before diving shoulder-first onto the dusty street.  I heard guns firing but I couldn’t reach my holster.  I couldn’t begin to defend myself and wondered if I might die.

I must’ve passed out.  When I woke, bright lights poured into my eyes, and a man I’d never seen hovered over me and groused at me to lay still.  I squirmed and tried to get off the table.  The fingers prodding my wound were nearly too much for a man to handle.  Every time I tried to swat the irritation away, my arms were pulled tight and pushed to the side.  When I opened my eyes, everything became real.  The doc.  My best friend.  

Candy pressed down on my shoulder and said something I couldn’t quite catch.  After accepting that the man with thick fingers was a doctor, I felt him wrap a clean, white bandage around my waist and told me to stay put, that I wasn’t going anywhere until morning.

The first thing that came to mind was how much money we wasted on a fancy hotel room we’d never use.  Candy hovered next to an overstuffed chair, said he’d stay the night and the doc could go to bed.  I didn’t mention the hotel.  I didn’t say a word.  I was too tired to complain.

Early morning light showed through lace curtains and dappled the room with the beginnings of a new day.  I slept through the night only to be poked and prodded the minute I woke.  The doc’s fingers were like ice and it felt like he was rearranging my skin to cover the new scar.

When the doctor was finished, he wrapped the wound again and started for the door.  Candy stopped him before he left the room and words were spoken.  I didn’t catch their exchange, and it was only moments before I slept again.

The sound of voices woke me and though they chatted in whispered tones, I was aware of their presence.  I knew Candy’s laugh.  If he tried to keep his presence subtle and lowkey, he failed miserably.  

At noon, I woke again.  Candy told me the sheriff had stopped by and he filled him in.  The officer wanted to hear the story from me, but I didn’t know anything more than my friend.  The man’s bullet happened to hit me, not him.  That was the only difference, and our stories would be the same.

The doctor stepped into the room and said lunch was on the way.  I smiled the best I could, but I didn’t much care about eating.  Candy poured me a glass of water and I drank it down.  Food was a whole different story, but I would try.

“I wired your pa.”

I blew out a breath of frustration.  Pa would worry himself crazy.

“Don’t fret.  I said you were okay and we’d be home in about a week.”

“Hopefully, he’ll stay home.  He’s too old to go galivanting.”

“Better not tell him that.”

I smiled but tried not to laugh.  My body wasn’t ready to be jostled over Candy’s comment.  “When do I get out of here?”

“Maybe this afternoon, but you’ll have to ask Doc Morrison.  He’s a good man, Joe.  You can trust what he says.”

“Okay.”  I barely got the words out before I drifted off again.  

Chapter 5

Candy hauled me to the hotel in the back of a wagon.  If I hadn’t felt so lousy, I would’ve complained.  He and one of the hotel porters helped me up a flight of stairs and into our room, and I flopped down on the bed exhausted.  I just wanted to sleep.  When Candy said he needed to get out and walk some, I understood.  He was a bit like me.  It was hard for him to sit at all, and that’s just what he’d done for two full days.

“Go have a beer on me, Buddy.”

“I might do just that.” 

Candy was a good friend.  I could’ve laid in the street and died. I couldn’t do for myself, and he made sure I had what was needed.  He did everything he could to see that I was taken care of, and he’d spend the rest of the week nursing me so I could sit a horse and ride back to the Ponderosa. The least he deserved was a cold beer.  Maybe two or three and a trip to one of the upstairs rooms with a fancy barmaid.  It seemed as though I’d just fallen asleep when there was a knock on the hotel door.

“Who’s there?”

“Joe?”  A female voice answered back.  “You in there, Joe?”  As much as I wanted to answer, I didn’t have the strength but it didn’t matter.  The door opened and in walked Belle.  Dressed in saloon garb—green satin with black lace throughout the bodice—she looked like a million bucks.  “My, God!  What happened to you?”

“I was shot.”

“I heard someone had been gunned down on Tenth Street, but I never thought it might be you.  I figured you were back in Nevada by now.”

“You can’t get rid of me that easy.”

“What in the world are you talking about?  You know what kind of girl I am.”

“You think I’m some kind of saint?”

She shook her head and smiled.  “I don’t know what to think.”

“Then have dinner with me.  Candy’s buying.”  She’d taken a seat next to the bed, but she stood and moved toward the window.  Had I upset her somehow?  Had I said the wrong thing?  Granted, my mind wasn’t clear, but I didn’t mean to put her off.  This was the most excitement I’d had in two days.  “Please?”

When the door opened and Candy came barreling through, she backed away from the window.  “You awake?”

“Yeah, why?”

“I saw your friend.  She asked about you.”

“Really?”

“I told her you … oh,”—his eyes nearly popped out of their sockets—“you’re here.  How did you get in?”

“Wait.  Slow down, Candy.  It’s okay.”  

“I should go.”

“No.  Please stay.”

She repeated, “I should go,” and she was out the door.

“Thanks a lot, Buddy.”

“I didn’t know.”

 “I know.”  I settled deeper under the blanket. 

When I woke, the sun had set and the room had grown dark.  Candy snored softly in an overstuffed chair by the window.  Since we didn’t know who shot me, it was probably smart for him to stay inside the room and not run all over town after dark.  He’d had his beer.  It was time to hunker down and call it a night. 

A sudden knock and I turned my head toward the door.  I didn’t know the time, but had I been forgiven?  Was she ready to talk to me? Candy half-stumbled to the door.  “Sheriff,” he said.  He stepped away and let the man inside our room.  I tried to sit up taller but failed. 

“Sorry if I don’t get up, Sheriff.”

“Please don’t.  Doc would have my hide.”

“Okay.  What’s up?”

The sheriff glanced at the chair next to the bed.  “May I?”

“Sure thing.”

“We may have found the shooter, but without an eyeball witness, it will be hard to prosecute.”

Now, I was interested.  I palmed my hands on the mattress and pushed up from my waist.  “Who do you think did this?”

“His name’s Shaw.  Ezra Shaw.”

“Never heard of him.”

“Word around town is you know his wife.”

I tried to push myself up again.  This time with Candy’s help, I managed a sitting position.  “I’m sorry but I don’t know anyone named Shaw, Sheriff.”

“Her full name is Isabelle Shaw.  Most men know her as Belle.”

I dropped my gaze and my entire body sunk under the weight of his statement.  I thought the woman was in trouble.  I thought I could help, and she thanked me by sending her husband out into the night to gun me down.  When had I become such a lousy judge of character?  When had I lost all perspective?

I never thought I’d say it, but she was nothing more than a saloon whore, a whore with a husband.  No wonder she didn’t want me around.  Why didn’t I listen to her?  She tried to get rid of me in Virginia City, but I didn’t believe she was serious.  Then, I pursued her in Sacramento, but I was more than ready to ride back to the Ponderosa with Candy.  Nothing could keep me in town a day longer than necessary.

Chapter 6

Two days later, Doctor Morrison said I was fit enough to ride.  I’d been shot before and his instructions for a complete recovery were standard fare.  Candy and I would leave the following morning.

“I should wire your pa.”

“That’s probably a good idea.  Tell him we’ll be home before church on Sunday.”

“Yeah.  He’ll like that.”

My energy was lacking, but I got out of bed and moved toward the window.  I needed to get my strength back before I tried to sit Cochise and ride over rough mountain terrain.  It wasn’t an easy journey with a herd of cattle but for a man in a weakened state, it would be a bear of a ride.  I needed to get outside the hotel and walk until I couldn’t take another step.  But I wasn’t stupid.  I’d wait till Candy got back.

A knock on the door had me moving away from the window and crossing the room.  “Forget your key, Buddy?”

I swung the door wide only to find Belle, the whore, the woman who sent her husband to kill me, standing like a demure, apologetic little girl.  It had been over a month since I first laid eyes on her, and nothing had changed.  She fought me then and she could fight me now, but I wasn’t Joe Cartwright the pushover loser any longer. 

“You’ve got the wrong room, Lady.”

“No, I don’t.”  I started to shut the door but she thrust her forearm through the narrow opening.  “Please, Joe.  I need to explain.”

I let go of the latch and walked toward the overstuffed chair.  She crossed the room behind me.  Although I didn’t turn and face her, I could hear her movements until she came to sit on the edge of the bed facing me.  Even though I wasn’t her client and I had no intention of continuing our curious friendship, she felt comfortable sitting on a man’s unmade bed, but that’s what whores do.  They have a certain power over a man.  He’s vulnerable and when his weakness shows, she draws him into her web.  Not with me, though.  I knew the type, and I wasn’t about to let her get under my skin and distract me from going about my business. 

She’d had me shot, nearly killed.  Had she come to beg my forgiveness?  “Why are you here?  What do you want?”

“I want you to know the truth.”

“I know the truth, Mrs. Shaw.  The sheriff has your husband in custody, but he’ll probably be released before the day’s out.  Do you plan to have him repeat his actions a second time?”

“You and the sheriff have it all wrong.”

Candy returned after his errand, and not knowing exactly what to do after seeing Belle, he stopped just inside the door.  “Come on in, Buddy.  Belle’s going to explain why she had her husband shoot me.  If he’d been a better shot, Lady, I’d be dead.”

She stood from her seat on the end of my bed and planted both feet in front of me.  With her hands on her hips, she began her rant.  “For the last time, I had nothing to do with the shooting.  Ezra saw you with me the other night and he’s a bitter, bitter man.  And before you ask, the answer is yes, he knows what I do for a living.  It’s his way of maintaining control. He keeps track of my earnings and as long as I make enough to keep him at the poker tables, he leaves me alone.”

“Why do you stay with a—”

She held up her hand.  “Let me finish.  I got fed up with Ezra and I saved enough money to take the stage east.  My earnings got me from San Francisco to Virginia City but three weeks later, my husband showed up.  He’s not one to give up easily.  The day you found me, he’d beaten me and shoved me through the batwings, told me I better not try a stunt like that again.  He was out of money and since I’m his cash cow, he wasn’t going to let me get far before dragging me back and putting me to work.  He saw you escort me to a late supper and ask for nothing in return.  That’s not the kind of man he wants me spending time with, and that’s what set him off.”

“Wait a minute.”  I stood and pulled her toward me.  “The night we first met … your husband was the man who beat you?”

“Estranged.”

“Did you ever tell Sheriff Coffee?”

“It wasn’t the first time and it won’t be the last.  There’s nothing any sheriff can do.”

“I beg to differ.”

“Let it go, Joe.  It doesn’t matter.”

I turned and started across the room.  I needed a minute to think.  Maybe she was right.  Estranged didn’t mean divorced.  She was still married to the man, and that’s what kept the sheriff from acting on her behalf.  As far as the law was concerned, Roy’s hands were tied.  I knew what I had to do.

“Can you ride?”

“What?”

“A horse.  Can you ride a horse?”

“Of course, I can ride a horse.”

“Then you’re coming with me.”

Her hands flew to her hips.  “Back to Nevada?  You can’t be serious.”

“You can’t stay here.”

“But I can’t go to Nevada.”

“Yes, you can.”

“I suppose Bruno would take me back …”

I turned toward Candy.  I hadn’t asked him if he minded, but I didn’t have time to set everything straight.  The decision was made.  Belle Shaw was coming with us, and she wasn’t working for Bruno or any other barkeep.  I’d make sure of that.

Chapter 7

After buying a gentle roan for Belle and collecting enough supplies for a week, the three of us headed east.  For Belle’s sake, I thought Candy and I should take a slower pace, but the girl rode like she’d been raised in the saddle.  She had no problem keeping a lively pace, and it made our adventure more bearable than I initially thought.

There wasn’t much to say, and we rode in silence.  I tried to get over the fact that I was protecting Ezra Shaw’s estranged wife and wondered how long the sheriff could keep the would-be assassin behind bars.  There was no mention of a trial and no reason to think there ever would be.  That was fine with me.  I didn’t need the hassle of returning to Sacramento to testify.

I didn’t have plans for Mrs. Shaw either.  Letting her work in one of the saloons was out of the question, but I wondered if she had any other qualifications.  Could she sew?  Cook?  Nanny?  Giving those womanly options some consideration meant realizing whoring might be the only thing she knew.  If I took her straight to the Ponderosa, I’d have a lot of explaining to do, but it might be worth the look on Pa’s face after the story was told.  It’s certainly not a simple tale, and the more I thought about it, the more I enjoyed rummaging the story around in my head.

We made camp that night in a wooded grove of cottonwoods.  They often grew next to streams or good-sized rivers, and I always camped next to water.  A good pot of coffee was essential, and that’s when Belle came alive. 

“Give me the pot.  I’ll do it.”

“I don’t mind.”

“I can just imagine what your coffee tastes like.”

“Hey.”

When I heard Candy snicker, I handed the lady the pot and sat back on my haunches.  Fine, she could make the coffee.  Hell, she could make the whole dinner.  At least I’d know if she was any kind of a cook.

I figured Candy and Belle were tired, but they didn’t have a healing wound just above their waist.  I did, and it made all the difference when it came to sitting a saddle and riding for eight hours straight.  I had no doubt the doc did a good job and I’d heal up fine, but the healing process was a burden I had to carry.

After hearing the two of them giggle, I closed my eyes.  They could have fun without me.  I was in no mood for silly jokes or idle conversation.  I was too tired to be the butt of their jokes or add to their banter.  They’d have to carry on without me.

The dream seemed so real … 

The way my black, leather belt fell away from my waist.  The way her hand traveled deliberately across my belly and pushed the front of my trousers lower on my hips aroused me and caused me to roll from my side to my back.  Lifting my hips off the bed made the process easier for the woman who would be handsomely rewarded before I left her room.

Though my eyes were closed and I couldn’t see her face, I sensed she was pretty and her skillful touch awakened feelings I forgot a man could enjoy.  When her lips encased my shaft, I waited for a gentle rhythm to begin.  When it did, my breathing became labored and my body came alive.  Confusion only lasted seconds.  As I reached for her face, I opened my eyes and recognized who found it necessary to …

“What the hell?”  It wasn’t a dream at all.  It was real. 

“You don’t like?”

“Is this a game for you?”  I eased my trousers to my waist before Candy … but he wasn’t asleep.  He was wide awake and found humor in my discomfort.  Lying on the far side of the fire but facing the two of us, his smile stretched from ear to ear.  I wanted to pound him but this wasn’t the time or place.  “This isn’t right, Belle.”

“I was just trying to say thank you.”

“There are other ways.”

“Like what?”

“Like saying thank you.  That’s all that’s needed.  You don’t have to go and … and pleasure a man every time he does something nice.”

“It’s what I do, Joe.”

“Not anymore.  That life is behind you.”

“You don’t know what you’re saying.”

“Yes, I do.  I won’t have you working in a saloon ever again.”

The voice from across the campfire was adamant.  “Will you two put a lid on it and go to sleep!”

Chapter 8

We sat at the top of the ridge overlooking the ranch house.  “There’s your new home.”

“Are you serious?”

“I am.”

She looked at Candy for confirmation.  “Yep.  We’ve been on the Ponderosa since mid-morning.”

It was as plain as day.  Belle was impressed.  We zigzagged down the slope and headed toward the house.  I’d give her one of the guest bedrooms, the one with lacy curtains and a frilly bedspread.  She could camp out there until we figured out the rest of her life.  Whether it took two days or two months, I didn’t much care.  If I could overlook last night’s antics, we could move forward and enjoy each other’s company.  No strings attached, just a few laughs and plans for a new life.

Pa must’ve heard us coming.  The front door swung open and he stepped out to greet us.  “Welcome home, Son.”

“Hi, Pa.”

The stitches pulled at my side when I dismounted.  Healing took time.  Pa knew that and he didn’t excuse the grimace he saw on my face.  “You okay, Joe?”

“I’ll live.”

“I’m sure you will, but I want you laying down as soon as possible.”

I turned away from my father and reached up to help Belle then realized I didn’t have the strength.  “Candy?” 

She placed her hands on the foreman’s shoulder, and he set her feet on the ground. 

“Pa, this is Belle Shaw, and I’ve offered her a place to stay.”

“Happy to meet you, Miss Shaw.”

“It’s Mrs., Mr. Cartwright, but it’s a long story.”

“I hope you enjoy your stay, Mrs. Shaw.”

“Thank you.  I’m sure I will.”

After handing my reins to Candy, I let him lead the three horses to the barn.  I’m sure he understood.  Belle and I crossed the yard and porch, and Pa opened the door wide for our guest. 

“Welcome to our home, Mrs. Shaw.”

“It’s beautiful, Mr. Cartwright, but please call me Belle.  I’ve never been one for formalities.”

“All right … Belle it is.  Hop Sing’s been cooking all day, but you two have time for a short nap and a good wash before supper.  Do you want to show our guest to her room, Joseph?”

“That’s the plan, Pa.”

Belle didn’t own much.  Her small satchel and mine were easy to carry upstairs.  After setting mine by my bedroom door, I took Belle to the frilly room down the hall.  I hoped she’d be pleased.  And she was.  She oohed and aahed appropriately.

“Take a nap or clean up.  Whatever strikes your fancy.  Supper is at six, so you have time for both.”

“Thank you, Joe.  I can’t tell you how much—“

I smiled and kissed her cheek.  “Don’t think a thing about it.”

More than anything, I wanted a bath and a nap but Pa deserved an explanation.  I ventured down the stairs and plopped my aching bones onto the settee.  Pa didn’t hesitate to pour me a cup of coffee, sit back, and wait for me to explain.  I felt like that ten-year-old kid that had to confess a wrongdoing, but meeting Belle and bringing her to the Ponderosa wasn’t a wrongdoing at all.

Though I had to make the story real, I didn’t need to enhance because everything I’d done had been on the up and up.  Belle was the victim, not me.  She deserved a chance at a normal life without that sleazy husband of hers dragging her through the mud.

“I hope he’ll never find her here.  I pray she’ll find her way and be happy.”  After simple details were explained, I conveyed my sentiments the best I could to my father.

“Is there anything more I should know about?”

“What do you mean, Pa?”

“Are we asking for trouble?  If the sheriff can’t contain that Shaw fellow … what then?”

I shifted in my seat.  “I’m not sure, but if that day comes, I’ll handle it.”

Chapter  9

The guest room was empty.  Her satchel was nowhere in sight and neither was she.  If Belle and I weren’t seated at the dining room table with Pa in the next ten minutes, Hop Sing would be fussing and carrying on like a banshee.  I’d just finished my explanation to my father and now I had to pull off a brand-new version of the girl who was supposed to be upstairs.  This whole thing had turned into one big, troublesome mess, and this new situation was hard to figure.   

I tromped down the staircase as though my whole world had collapsed and I’d been backhanded across the face with an iron fist.  I’d done everything I could do for Belle, and she appreciated nothing.  She played me for a fool, a damn fool.

“She’s gone.”

“What do you mean she’s gone?”

“Gone, Pa.   Vamoosed.  Left the house.  What don’t you understand?”

“No need to be disrespectful, Joseph.”

“I’m sorry.”

“You’re sure she’s not outside or in a different room.”

“I’m sure.  Her carpetbag is gone too.”

Pa closed in.  It was his way of keeping the conversation alive.  “Sit down, Son.” 

Perching beside me on the settee, he laid his hand on my knee.  I felt so young and vulnerable; I didn’t feel like the man who ran the largest spread in Nevada, but even worse, I was just beginning to feel human again, but that blasted woman stripped me of every step forward I’d taken since my wife’s death. 

“I give up.  If this is the game she wants to play then I’m done with her.”

“You did the best you could, Son.  I suspect this woman is used to a different kind of life.  Maybe she felt as though she couldn’t fit in.  I don’t know, but don’t let her disappearance affect the way you sympathize with those who are less fortunate.”

“I guess you’re right.”

“I know I am.”

Chapter 10

Three days later, Candy and I drove into town for supplies.  Walking into a saloon for a cold one and watching Belle entertain some man was the last thing I hoped to see, but how does any man change his whole way of thinking?  How does he avoid the only woman who occupies his mind night and day?

As we walked through the batwings, my nerves fought each other like a Kansas tornado and as I breathed in the stench of spilled drinks and unwashed men, I saw that Belle hadn’t come to the Bucket of Blood to start her new life.  After realizing how many saloons were in Virginia City, I wondered if I’d ever run into her again.

“She’s not here, Joe.”

“I know.”

“Want to try the Silver Dollar?”

I gave Candy a look I doubt he appreciated.  “I didn’t come looking for Belle.  I came for a beer, okay?”

“Whatever you say.”

“Well … that’s what I say.”

“The beer’s usually colder at the Silver Dollar.”

“Fine.”  I set my full glass of beer on the bar harder than I should’ve and half of it spilled.  “Let’s go.”

Candy was full of it.  The beer wasn’t any colder and there was no sign of Belle. We tried several more saloons along C Street but luck wasn’t on our side.  It could’ve been her day off.  She could’ve been upstairs with some filthy miner.  She could’ve been anywhere, and I shouldn’t have cared, but I cared more than any man should about a woman who doesn’t want to be found.

After Candy and I picked up supplies and hopped up on the wagon to start for home, a boy about ten years old came running down the boardwalk calling my name. 

“Mr. Cartwright!  Mr. Cartwright!”

Candy and I turned in our seats and I recognized him as James Simpson’s son.  “What’s up, Jimmy?”

“Doc sent me.  He wants you to come to his office.”

I glanced at Candy and back at the boy.  “He tell you why?”

“No.  He gave me two bits and told me to ride out to the Ponderosa.  He said he’d give me another quarter after you showed up at his office.”

I reached into my pocket and gave the kid his due.  “Here.  You’re even with the doc.”

Candy and I left the buckboard in front of the mercantile and hurried down to Paul Martin’s office.  All I could think of was something had happened to Pa.  Since I was out searching for Belle, instead of driving straight back to the Ponderosa, one of the hands had to bring my father into town.  Did he race down the bumpy roads or did he drive as carefully as I would have under such circumstances?  I should’ve been home with my father.  At his age, anything could happen, and I was out goofing around, drinking warm beer, and looking for a woman who couldn’t stand the sight of me.

Like a ten-year-old kid who was afraid of losing his Pa, I burst through Doc’s front door and shouted,  “What’s happened?”   

Paul came out of his surgical room and reached out to shake my hand.  “Joe.” 

My heart raced.  “Is it Pa?” 

“No.  As far as I know, your father is fine.”

“Why’d you want to see me?”

“A woman.”

“Parden me?”

“A woman named Belle.”

I don’t know what the look on my face said to the good doctor, but it was too late to hide my feelings.  “I don’t understand.”

“I assume you know the girl.  A group of miners found her in the alley next to the Silver Dollar and brought her to me.  Although she’s badly hurt, she managed to call out your name.”

“May I see her?”

“Her face is bruised and swollen, and I don’t want you to look shocked when you walk inside.  Think you can keep a straight face?”

“Of course, I can.”

“Okay, but just for a minute.”

Doc opened the door to his back room, the closet-sized space where patients slept who weren’t ready to head home just yet.  I stepped inside.  He opted to stay behind with Candy and let me have time alone with Belle.  Looking at that once-beautiful face made me want to turn away and run out the door, but when she made a muted sound, I realized she knew I was there and it was too late to get away.

“Belle?”

Atop a thin, patchwork quilt, her arms rested at her sides.  I could see that Paul had been forced to undress her to check her bones and whatever else might be amiss, but he trusted me enough to leave the coverlet in place and not take advantage of the girl who lay broken and bruised.

I reached for her hand and held it between both of mine.  Cold against warm.  The contrast was frightening.  Had she not made that sound, I might’ve thought she was dead.  And why not?  What did she have to live for?  Another day of satisfying drunken, foul-smelling men?  Why in the world had she gone back to that life? 

“Joe?”

“I’m right here.”

“Don’t leave me.”

“I’m not going anywhere, but when you’re well enough, you’re coming with me.  No questions asked.  No answers needed.”

“No.”

“What do you mean no?”

“He’ll find me.  He always does.”

“Who?  Who’ll find you?”

“Ezra.”

“He did this to you, didn’t he?  He followed us here.  Is that why you came to town … to be with Ezra?”

I turned when the door behind me opened and Doc Martin poked his head inside.  “She needs to rest, Son.”

“I’ll only be a minute.”

When Doc closed the door, I turned back to Belle.  “Why do you want to be with a man like him?  I don’t understand.”

“He …”

“He what?”

“Didn’t want.  He said he’d kill you if I refused to …”

Her voice began to fade.  She was tired and I needed to let her rest.  “You need to sleep, and I need to go.”

“Don’t go.”  When she started to rise from the bed, I took hold of her bare shoulders and stopped her from sitting up.  “Her voice was so soft, I barely heard her repeat, “Please stay.”

“I won’t go anywhere.  I’ll be right outside the door.  No one will get passed me but the doctor.  Okay?”

“Watch your back.  Ezra …”

Chapter 11

Candy and I sat in front of Paul’s desk.  He handed us each a glass of whiskey before explaining Belle’s injuries.  “She has a strong constitution, Joe.  Not many could survive the abuse she’s been through.”

I averted the tears that threatened and looked up at Paul.  “Will she be okay?

“I think so, but what kind of man beats a woman like that?  The damn beast should be imprisoned for the rest of his natural life.”

“Her husband.”

“Her husband did this to her?”

“Estranged.”

I hadn’t even told Candy the whole story.  Now, they both knew the truth about Belle and her husband and they might understand why I brought her home with me.  The girl needed a break from the brutality, but maybe I hadn’t been the right choice.  He’d discovered my presence twice.  The first time, I’d been shot, but this time he went too far.  He beat the woman I loved.  He knew that would hurt more than a bullet ever could. 

“She’s not safe here, Doc.”

Paul downed his shot of whiskey and nodded.  “I believe you’re right, Son.  Do you have a plan?”

“I’ll stay until she’s ready to be moved.  Then, I’ll take her out to the ranch.  This time, we’ll have armed guards twenty-four hours a day.”

“All right.”

I changed my focus from Doc to Candy.  He’d been quiet all this time, a damn good friend, and never intrusive.  I appreciated that in a man.  “I want you to ride home.  Tell Pa what happened and that I’ll be home when I can.”

“Sure you don’t want me to stay?”

“You go.  I’ll take care of things here.”

When all was said and done, Candy left for home.  Doc grabbed his bag and headed out to see some patients in town who were too feeble to come and see him.  Since I was the only one left in the office, I locked the front and back doors, kept my sidearm loaded and ready, and took up residence in an overstuffed chair next to Belle’s bed.

Seeing her sleep and appreciating how peaceful she looked nearly brought tears to my eyes.  She’d been through so much and survived a bastard of a husband that I figured she could face anything the world shoved at her and come out a winner.  This gal was strong and determined.  Even with matted hair and sallow skin, she looked beautiful to me.

The day was long and I fell asleep in the chair.  When I woke, it took me a minute to orient myself and realize why I’d crashed like dead weight in Paul’s bedside chair.  I didn’t know how tired I was.  Playing bodyguard and being on high alert was exhausting, but sleeping on duty was against all the rules.  My back was stiff.  I shifted in my seat, and that’s when I noticed a set of blue eyes staring up at me. 

Busted!

She must think me a fool.  She’d watched her protector—her gallant hero—sleep like a baby.  “I must’ve dozed off,” I said.  She didn’t speak.  She continued to stare, and I felt as low as low could be.

“Come lay with me.”

“What?”

“Lay beside me.”

“No … I shouldn’t.”

“Please?”

I stood and looked around the room as if someone was watching, but it was silly.  If someone was in the room, it would be Doc or her asshole husband, and it would be too late to draw my gun and rid the house of the would-be assailant.

Belle was curled on her side.  I crawled onto the bed behind her, lay my left arm across her waist, and let my hand fall to the mattress.  She reached for my hand,  pulling my arm across her breast and edging tighter against my body.

Improper as it may have been, I lay next to a married woman, and nothing in my brain told me to jump up and run away.  I liked the feeling.  I had to put Pa and his good sense out of my mind.  He’d never approve and neither would Paul Martin, who might walk through the door any time.

I hadn’t been this close to a woman since Alice and I shared a bed.  Was I ready to move on or trying to convince myself that’s what society expected me to do?  I never thought that time would come, and I still wasn’t sure.  My body and my brain were at odds with each other and turned my thinking into a jumbled mess of contradictions.

I’d always found enough work to keep me busy through daylight hours, but the nights were long and sleep was hard to come by.  If I could’ve worked day and night, I would have, but life didn’t work that way.  That’s the only way I could make it through the day after the fire.  I was lost and feared my life was over.  How does a man bury his wife and child when there’s nothing left but ashes?

Pa worried day and night.  I could see it in his eyes and the deep lines that formed.  Telltale signs that he wasn’t faring much better than I.

And then came Belle.  Savior or the demise of Joe Cartwright?

Did she know my nerves were on fire?  Could she feel the beat of my heart?  Would she sense that I knew this was wrong and longed to let my left-hand roam across her soft, white breasts? 

As soon as she fell asleep, I eased myself from the bed and took up residence in the chair.  I’d never leave her alone, but lying beside her wasn’t the answer either.  Paul would think me a cad and Pa … I didn’t want to think what would go through his mind.  I wasn’t a kid, but pulling a stunt like that made me feel like one.

I stayed with Belle for another two days.  Doc popped his head in numerous times and always pronounced improvement.  Maybe he saw progress, but I couldn’t see past all the cuts and bruises marring her soft, white skin.  We spoke little.  She slept while I watched and waited for Ezra.  Did he want us both dead?  Was that the plan?  Belle couldn’t take much more.  I didn’t have to be a doctor to know how badly she’d been beaten this time and how long her recovery would be.  I even turned to prayer.  My father had always been a true believer.  I didn’t think it would hurt to ask Him to watch over my friend.

By day three, she was ready to sit up in bed and try some simple conversation.  She seemed pleased to see that I kept my promise, that I never left her side while her body healed. 

“I’m taking you back to the Ponderosa as soon as you’re able.”

“Why?  Why are you doing this for me, Joe?  You barely know me.”

I shifted in my chair.  How much could I tell her?  I didn’t want to push her away.  I had to take it slow and give her time to love me back.  “I know you’re a good person, and you don’t deserve a husband like Ezra.  If you’ll let me, I’ll find an attorney and we’ll get you divorced.”

“I don’t understand.  I can’t pay you back.  I have nothing.”

“Don’t you get it, Belle?  Isn’t it obvious?  I love you, dammit.”  There.  It was said.  “I hope someday you’ll feel the same.”

Chapter 12

Miracles happen, and I would soon become the luckiest man on earth.  After almost a week of recovering at Doc’s, Belle agreed to come back to the Ponderosa with me.  Although I wasn’t sure how things stood between us, I kept my hopes alive.  I’d expressed my feelings loud and clear, but she kept hers to herself.

I promised to watch over her.  I promised she’d be safe.  Pa, the permanent hands, and I would do a better job of watching over her.  There’s no way Ezra Shaw could sneak onto the ranch and take his wife so he could teach her another lesson.  I promised that would never happen again. 

In time, Belle came into her own.  She learned to trust me and the people around her.  She wasn’t a common whore, but it took time to convince her that she was worth more than that.  She was a lady, as good as any of the so-called socialites of Storey County and because she was eager to learn all the social graces, I was happy to teach her the ropes. 

I found that her high-pitched giggle was similar to mine, and that drove everyone crazy.  When we each got tickled over some ridiculous notion, the ranch house exploded with laughter.  I could see the gleam in Pa’s eyes when Belle entered the room.  He hadn’t been taken with her at first.  He thought I’d lost my mind, but the tide had turned and he realized she might be worth saving.

“You’ve done a fine job, Son.”

“I had good reason.”

“I’m proud of you.”

“I hope you’ll approve of what I’m about to say.”

“I’ve never doubted your ability to make good decisions.”

“There was a time, Pa.”

My father covered the growing smile with his right hand.  “It’s been a lot of years since I questioned your good sense, Joseph.”

I squatted down in front of Pa.  “I’m going to ask Belle to marry me, and I’d like your blessing.”

Pa reached for my shoulder and squeezed hard.  “She’s a lovely woman, Son, and I think you’ll be good together.  You always have my blessing.”

As the years go by, I often remember the early days, but there’s not enough time to dwell on the past.  My father and I have been through a lot.  We were the four Cartwrights, riding and protecting the perimeters of my father’s dream.  I will always protect his dream, and if I have Belle by my side, I feel we can accomplish anything we set our minds to.

The first miracle happened on a sunny, summer morning when Belle and I drove into town for supplies.  She carried Hop Sing’s list and had even added a few things of her own.  Being a Southern lady, she had become the biscuit- making queen of the Ponderosa.  “Buttermilk.”  That’s all she said.  Hop Sing sang her praises, and that was a first.  If Hoss had still been alive, he’d have eaten the entire platter of Southern delights.

Just after giving Jake our list of supplies, I noticed Clem Foster waving his hat above his head.  He was heading our way.  I took hold of Belle’s hand, and we started up the boardwalk toward the man who’d taken over for Roy when he retired. 

“Clem.  What’s up?”

In a breathy voice, he pulled out a telegram and said,  “Here.  Read this.”  Even though I’d extended my hand in order to receive the missive, he handed it to Belle.  I was bewildered at first, but it could only mean one thing, and I prayed I was right.

She looked up at me and smiled.  “He’s dead.”

Smiling was in bad taste, but I couldn’t hold back my emotions.  Belle handed me the telegram to read.  The man she’d married when she was fifteen years old had been shot down early yesterday morning during a bank robbery.  After finding out he had an estranged wife, the sheriff in Carson City wanted permission to bury her husband’s remains in the city’s Boot Hill.

“Yes,” she said to Clem.  Tell them yes.”

“I’ll wire the sheriff right now, Ma’am.”

“Thank you.”

After Clem turned to walk away, I picked Belle up off the ground and swung her round and round.  “You’re free, Mrs. Shaw.”

“I’m free, Mr. Cartwright.”

“Let’s celebrate.”

“Now?”

“Tonight.”  I pushed a stray hair from her face.  “I want you to get all dolled up and we’ll do the town.”

“All right.”

““`

We didn’t have time to drive home and back again, and I booked two rooms at the International House.  Second, neither of us had the proper attire for a night on the town.  After walking Belle down to Madeline’s Dress Shop, I told the clerk to spare no expense.  I wanted only the finest for the most beautiful woman in Virginia City.

“Take your time, Belle.  I’ll be back in an hour.”  I had shopping of my own to do.

By late afternoon, I’d had a bath and sported a new suit of clothes.  I didn’t look half bad, but I was more than anxious to see my girl outfitted to the nines.  With her new clothing boxed and tied with a pink ribbon, I couldn’t see what she bought.  I liked surprises, and I figured Belle would do her best to shock me with her appearance.

If the woman I loved agreed to marry me and if we decided to live in the house with Pa then indoor plumbing was the first thing on my list of renovations.  The International had done just that.  No longer did bellboys have to tote buckets of water up several flights of stairs.  It was pure nineteenth-century luxury.

As soon as I dressed in my finest, I slipped the ring I’d ordered from the most reputable San Francisco jeweler inside my vest pocket and knocked on Belle’s adjoining door. 

“Belle?”

“Yes?”

“Are you decent?”

“Come in, Joe.”

When I opened the door, I realized I hadn’t heard her right.  “I’m sorry.  I … I … ”

“Don’t go.”

Belle sat at the dressing table.  Although she faced the mirror and had to back to the door, she was buck-naked, and my face flushed in several shades of red.

When she stood from the chair and started across the room, I was torn between slamming the door and running back to my room or taking her in my arms and caressing her pale, white skin.  I gave in to the latter and drew her close.  With my hands encasing her waist, I leaned in and pressed my lips to hers, but I didn’t want things to go this way.  I wanted her to wear my ring before we did anything that was socially unacceptable.  Should I change my plans?  Was it mandatory that we have a candlelit supper at Luigi’s? 

I leaned back and stared into the eyes of the woman I wanted to marry.  Taking her hand, I guided her back toward the dressing table and pressed her into the standard wooden chair.  After kneeling in front of her, I reached inside my vest pocket and pulled out the ruby and diamond ring.

“Will you do me the honor of becoming my wife?”

“Joe …”

“That’s not an answer, Ma’am.”

“Oh, Joe.  Of course, I’ll marry you.”  I slipped the ring on, and kissed the top of her hand before she pulled it away to stare at her jeweled finger.  “It’s beautiful.”

“You like it?”

She skimmed her fingers up the back of my neck and played with the longer strands of my hair.  “I love it.”

After pulling her to her feet and lifting her from the chair, I laid her on the bed and lowered myself beside her.  As I ran the back of my fingers between her breasts, and down her belly, she raised the knee farthest from me and reached for my hand.  Taking the initiative, she guided me between her legs so my fingers could wander inside the warmth of her body.

Maybe we should’ve waited, but laying in the same bed alongside my beautiful fiancée brought more joy than I’d felt in a long time.  We explored each other’s bodies, and we satisfied each other until the sun peaked over the mountains and birdsong filled the air.  Even though I was a middle-aged man, I felt a slight pang of guilt, but was it wrong to make love to the woman I loved and planned to marry?

Epilogue:

The only place Belle considered having her wedding was on an autumn weekend at the ranch house.  She envisioned Pa helping her down the staircase and me holding her up during the ceremony.  “My nerves will be running amuck, you know.”

“I understand.  This isn’t easy for me either.”

“If you want to back out, you better say it now.”

“Me?  Back out?  Are you crazy?”

“Well?”

“I’ve waited all my life for you, Belle.  You’re every man’s dream come true, and you settled for me.”

“Settled?  Is that what you think?  Do I need to show you how settled I feel?”

“Anytime you want.”

She took my hand and led me upstairs to the room of my birth.  This would all change after we were married.  We already had plans for a larger room with one of those newfangled bathrooms – a large, clawfoot tub, shaving sink, and a flushing toilet.  The possibilities were endless but Belle and I worked out only what was necessary for everyday comfort.

Though she wasn’t a fancy girl, she was more than happy to help plan our special room and give it a woman’s stamp of approval.  She was by my side during the planning and added touches only a woman would think of.  Larger windows.  Light and bright.  “I’d rather not live in a cave, Joe.”

My life was almost complete.  In two weeks I’d be a married man.  When Alice died, I thought my life was over and the chance meeting with Belle changed everything.  I wasn’t looking for love.  In fact, I planned to drink more than I should have that day, but when she burst through the batwing doors, something clicked inside me.  I felt alive for the first time in months.  The feeling was more than I could ask for.  When I set my beer down on the polished bar and moved to aid the fallen girl, my heart beat like a base drum. 

Love at first sight?  I never believed it before, but I do now.  Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Francis Cartwright were ready to begin their new adventure together.

The End

7-2023