The Heart of a Soiled Dove, Page 4

  She heard a shuffle near her door. Carrie Anne stood there obviously unsure of what to do. Aurora wiped her tears away by the length of her sleeve – most unladylike she was sure – and stretched out her arms to Carrie Anne. “Come here. It’s alright. Everything is going to be alright.”

  Chapter Four

  The next morning Aurora came upon Emmy seated in a rocking chair beneath the restored window. She eased down to the floor and kneeled at her feet. “I don’t understand how you misunderstood, Em. I set out to purchase this house and land so we could take care of ourselves by its provisions. I chose this town because my past did not follow me here. That was the point.”

  Emmy looked at her now and Aurora implored, “I thought we could make a home, you and I. And now with Carrie Anne, of course. We’ll farm, raise chickens, cattle or whatever else it is we want to do.” Aurora looked down a moment and picked a loose thread free from her skirt. “I want you to know that we have enough money left to see us through winter and beyond.”

  “I can’t farm, Aurora. I have no desire for it. I really thought that we were going to set up our own bawdy house. I knew it would be different because you would be in charge and not Hazel Caruthers. I’ve decided to go into town and see about work. I must be able to support myself. I don’t want to be here all the time – it’s just not in me.”

  Painfully, Aurora digested this. “I want you to know that if something doesn’t turn out right for you, we’ll work together until we find what does.” She had a horrible thought. “You didn’t think that I brought Roman and his men out here for that did you?”

  “As a matter of fact, I did. They turned out to be fine men. Especially that Donovan Ramsey – I almost swooned when he rode up like that, all dangerous looking.”

  Aurora slapped lightly at Emmy’s knees and stood up. “That man is nothing but trouble, coming through here all bossy. Arrogant is what he is and, as far as I’m concerned, he can stay on his side of the fence!”

  “But you oughta admit, he’s handsome arrogant.”

  “Fine, I’ll admit that. But that doesn’t mean I want to see him again.”

  Feeling as though she’d done all she could for Emmy at the moment, Aurora sought out Carrie Anne, who was most likely in the garden. If she wasn’t toiling soil around or plucking this or planting that, she was at the kitchen table with Aurora, who was teaching her how to read. Sure enough, she found her knee deep in dirt. “Emmy and I are going to town. Why don’t you come for a ride with us? We’d love your company.”

  Carrie Anne removed her gardening gloves and shook them out. She sat upright, stretching out her back as she considered. “I reckon I will, seeing how I turned eighteen today.”

  When the girls arrived in town they separated for different reasons – Aurora to the bank, Emmy to find work and Carrie Anne to the mercantile for more seed. An hour passed and when Aurora met up with Emmy, she found her to be in a furious mood.

  “There is either no work, or there ain’t no work for a colored person.”

  “I have just the right something for you, girl.”

  Out of nowhere someone had joined the conversation. Aurora turned to see Kate Philips looking over Emmy like she was a sweet treat in a candy store. She peeled her lingering self off the livery wall and spoke again. “She’s an eccentric beauty. Too bad she works for you.” She turned her gaze to Emmy. “Doesn’t sound like you’re too happy out there on the farm.”

  Aurora noted Kate moved with caution – a snake in the grass. She rustled up her fine silk skirts, flit open her matching parasol, and made her way to Emmy. “What would it take?”

  With swiftness, Aurora had Emmy in her grasp and pulled her away in haste, turning enough to see the competitive glimmer in Kate’s piercing eyes.

  Kate called out to their retreating backs. “What is it y’all are doing out there on your farm anyway?”

  “We keep to ourselves, that’s what we do.” Aurora turned to Emmy. “Where’s Carrie Anne?”

  Kate followed them and said to Emmy, with some respect, “No one will hire you. We don’t succumb to the prejudices others have for your kind down south, but we also don’t hanker on having you climbing higher than us neither. If you need a job, Emmy… yes, I know your name… I have one for you, one that pays very well.”

  Aurora turned on Kate full circle, anger radiating through her. “She’d rather die than lie on her backside for you.”

  “You might regret those words some day.”

  “I assure you, I won’t.”

  “Suit yourself then.” Kate retreated.

  “I’ll do that.”

  Aurora sighed. “I seem to stir up trouble every time I come to town.”

  “You wouldn’t be Aurora Young if you didn’t,” said Emmy, whom Aurora side-squeezed. “I apologize for that woman, what she said.”

  “Ain’t your fault. What she said is the truth. For now I guess I’ll be a farm hand.” She left Aurora’s side as they reached the mercantile and solemnly walked up the steps. She would need to deal with Emmy, but decided to let it settle for now. She had much shopping to do. It would be fall soon and she felt the need to stock up on supplies.

  Once she’d finished shopping, Aurora announced to the girls, “Well, I did it. I ordered the store, even items from a catalog. Can you imagine? We’ll now have a new stove.” She peered at Carrie Anne. “Won’t that be grand? And I got us some –”

  Aurora hushed abruptly and halted. Something wasn’t right. A loud, snapping noise pierced the air. They followed the echo, which was around the corner of the mercantile. Tucked between buildings, a man was taking a switch to a woman. Aurora stirred and swung her light weight to the scene. Another snap cracked. The whip made contact upon the woman’s torn clothes and bloodied back.

  “Stop that!”

  He turned at once, and she recognized him from the horrible bidding war where she acquired Carrie Anne. Thatcher Poe, with a crooked, non-repentant smile on his face, looked ready to attack whoever was interfering. Seeing Aurora, he relaxed lazily as if passing the time of day. “Good afternoon.”

  “Leave her alone.”

  With a dangerously calm voice he said, “You’re new here, I can see you are a gentle lady.” He raised his chin towards Carrie Anne, who cowered at the corner’s edge. “You even bought that twit from under my nose just so’s she could get away from us all, but as for this one here….” He raised his whip, threatening Aurora. “I’ll give you fair warning and I’ll only give it once. Turn your pretty little head away and mind your own business.” And for good measure, he smacked the whip again, but onto the girl covered with slashes of oozing blood. An agonizing scream and an unnatural silence followed. Unfortunately for him, he’d lost interest in Aurora so was more than shocked when his whip was snatched from his eager grasp.

  “Run!” Aurora told the battered girl. Her red hair nearly blended into the blood stained skin. Emmy came up to Aurora. “Come on now. We need to leave.”

  Thatcher rounded on them slow and methodical, his hand toying with the knife at his waist. “Josie here knows her place, as you will begin to as well. She ain’t going anywhere until I tell her she is. Give that back to me, or you’ll be more than sorry.”

  “Aurora. Stop. Now,” Emmy whispered.

  “I’d listen to your servant girl.”

  Aurora was focused on the whimpering girl sliding to the dirty ground, weighing her actions. She looked at the whip in her hand then to her arm and dress, now smeared with bright crimson. Someone’s blood. A stranger’s blood. What was she doing? The wretched scene only renewed Aurora’s resolve. “What did she do to deserve this? What can anyone do to deserve a whipping?”

  Thatcher’s laugh was inhumane and his eyes took on an unnatural shape as he sought the full length of Aurora’s body. “Get out of my way and give me back that whip.”

  Emmy adjusted her stance, ever ready to defend.

  “I’m not leaving her with you.”

  “Please
, do as he says, give it back to him,” Josie whispered. The pleading tone revolted Aurora.

  “I reckon Josie’s had enough.” The sheriff, who Aurora knew to be Corbin Bradbury, pushed Carrie Anne aside and his voice broke through the high tension. Aurora turned to him. Finally, the law.

  Thatcher Poe glared at him for several beats, yanked his whip from Aurora’s grasp and demanded, “You gonna obey me now, Josie?”

  She pulled herself together as regally as one could with a torn dress and bloody welts covering her back. “Yes, Thatcher.”

  They walked past Aurora, who was shaking inside and out, the palms of her hands opening and closing until Emmy reached out and took one of her hands.

  “I apologize you had to see that,” the sheriff said.

  Aurora heard his words but he seemed to lack much sincerity, and he neglected to acknowledge Emmy, who was witness just the same. “Are you going to do something about this?”

  “Josie should do what her job requires, no complaints. What there was to be done about it – is done,” he answered with resolve.

  What could she do? The victim was no longer present. She was defeated. Feeling the heat of being scrutinized, Aurora turned and saw a group of useless bystanders had gathered. Not one had stopped to help Josie, but they sure wanted to see what would happen to her through her interference. Because Josie was a nobody, because she was a whore, and whores chose their own paths, didn’t they? They chose to have their body purchased for pleasure, for beating, for whatever any man decides to do to them.

  Aurora’s stomach hurt. What could she have done? Josie would be in more trouble had she continued to intervene. Yet what kind of human being could walk away from such a violent display? What kind of person was she to allow this injustice to go on? Had she failed somehow? Aurora wished Reverend John was not an itinerant preacher. She wanted his wisdom accessible. She wanted to be more like him and know when to do the Lord’s will and when not to act. She didn’t like being unsure in things. Allowing Josie to go back to Thatcher Poe didn’t seem right, yet she didn’t feel as if it were time to intervene. How was that possible? It should be time. Not another day should go by, if she could help it, of these prostitutes being in such bondage. Confusion and uncertainty did not set well and Aurora wanted to know His will, but it would not come in that moment.

  The air became sultry and she felt lightheaded. Beads of perspiration filled her corset. Aurora rushed passed them all. Men treat horses better than that. She refused to believe that Josie did not want her help. What had she been planning to do with that whip anyway? She would have used it on Thatcher Poe is what! Then she would have to find herself repenting. She knew enough from Leona that that would not be a godly way to behave.

  She gathered Emmy and Carrie Anne and did not look back. She had much to process and wanted to do it while looking out at her vast lands. She needed to reacquaint herself with His beautiful creation. She knew she had been sent here for a purpose. Regardless of what the girls said, or gave her credit for, Aurora would never believe she’d rescued them. She never felt as though she’d acted alone.

  Chapter Five

  It being the last official Saturday night of summer meant men of all occupations would come visiting the whorehouses in Pine City. Besides the Lady of the Night Saloon, men had a choice between Kate’s Place and Iris’s Meadow Lark Inn. It was no different for the six dusty and dirt worn riders approaching the middle of town and halting in a small-banded group. Donovan and his men were finished with their cattle drive and were at a decision-making moment. With abhorrence, Donovan knew what his men would choose. Sure enough, with a spew of tobacco leaving his mouth, Christopher announced heartily, “Come on boys! Let’s have us some women!”

  Jed and Victor followed him to the Lady of the Night Saloon and Luke hesitated a moment before joining up. Donovan gave Roman a perplexed look. Why wasn’t he going? Roman said to no one, “I’m going home.”

  Donovan had no appetite for women, only spirits, as cold as he could get them. So he pushed open the double doors for his cronies and turned to see Roman ride off by himself. Since when did he not participate in their end of the cattle drive celebration? For an annoying moment, the blasted newcomer, Aurora Young, came to his mind. He was no fool. He too appreciated her beauty. She was long, lean and had hair he wanted to pull his roughened hands through. Her face looked like it’d feel like silk and not a blemish on it. But then she had to be indignant and ornery, kind of took away some appeal. He wondered if she had Roman tied around her little finger and that’s why he wasn’t joining them. And that thought, of Roman riding off to be with her, brought a pinched feeling in his gut. Where had that come from? Surely he wasn’t jealous. He was angry with the woman for taking his land. What was it to him? He only wanted that land back and was still wondering how he was supposed to manage that with his men being all cozy with her.

  Donovan adjusted his eyes to the dimness once inside the doors. He’d stay long enough to satisfy his parched throat with the coldest drink he could order. He was above being with soiled doves. They were nothing but disease-carrying trouble.

  Josie Callahan took him to his table. Her lavender scent wafted beneath his abrupt inhale, and the shot of whiskey she was offering up gave him the briefest temptation of killing two birds with one stone.

  Victor came to his rescue by stroking her cheekbone. “Get us a deck of cards would ya?”

  Out of thin air he heard a light voice say, “I’m going to entertain Donovan’s boys.” Donovan watched Lauren McClure, sporting a bruised cheek, walk over to them. Her once fancy dress looked like it’d been worn a hundred times too many and she massaged her throat, as if it had been traumatized.

  Sheriff Bradbury intercepted her. “I want you tonight.”

  “I’ve dibs on her already,” Donovan said.

  “Is that so?” The sheriff flashed an angry look.

  “Yes.”

  Now that he’d defended Lauren he couldn’t very well leave her to the wolves and leave. To make a good show and to protect her fate, Donovan followed her lead to her room, where he planned to sit in a chair – far away from the bed and far away from Lauren. He didn’t know why he’d been spontaneous and spoke up for her, other than he didn’t like the sheriff, plain and simple, and he’d only saved her briefly. Certainly he didn’t deserve her gratefulness pouring out all over him for the duration of his stay.

  After a good amount of time passed, Donovan emerged from her room. He received guffaws from a few guys on his way out and he realized Lauren still had the entire night ahead of her. Perhaps he should have remained with her a little longer.…

  He put on his hat and decided it wasn’t on him to save her and stepped outside for some fresh air. The instant he did, he nearly turned back inside. He’d rather be in the Lady of the Night Saloon than deal with the man standing in front of him. Reverend Johnny.

  “Mr. Ramsey, good to see you.”

  Donovan glanced at him. They were standing in front of a whorehouse, and he doubted very much the Reverend was glad to see him there. “Been waiting here long, Reverend?”

  “Long enough to catch you at the perfect time.” Reverend John tied his horse’s reins to the post in front of Donovan, standing between him and his own horse. Donovan was weary from the trail ride and wanted to get home to his bed. “If you’ll excuse me….” He mustered up that much of a response, more than the interfering preacher deserved.

  “Mr. Ramsey, if you recall we didn’t really get to finish our last conversation.”

  “Listen Reverend, it’s late and there was a reason we didn’t finish. I ain’t interested in what you are offering.”

  “How can you not be interested in knowing what forgiveness feels like? In what peace feels like?”

  The man was trying his patience, but he was a man of the cloth and that didn’t give license for violence. He wasn’t that stupid. And looking upon the Reverend and his cocky stance, he appeared to know that already.

&
nbsp; “I know what reality feels like. That other stuff, it’s for weaker men. Now, I’ve asked once and I don’t aim to ask again, please step outta my way.”

  The Reverend held his ground a moment longer than was wise, but receded back in surrender. “Alright then. I’m going to be having a service come morning, would be an honor to have you in attendance.”

  Donovan grunted a response. “Not for me, Rev.”

  With ease, he mounted his horse and headed home. That man always seemed to be after him, popping up whenever. He did not give up easily and Donovan was more annoyed than ever. Aurora, Roman, Reverend Johnny, Lauren and her pitiful gratefulness at him sparing her a poke with someone.... Blast them all! He needed some peace of mind all right. He pulled out a flask from inside his duster and took a satisfying swig. “This is the kind of peace that’ll be all I’m needing.”

  Chapter Six

  Despite wearing work worn gloves, Aurora’s hands were raw. Wood grated against them and the newfound coldness was chapping. She dropped kindling onto the porch, stomped her feet clean and entered the kitchen. It was refreshing to be greeted by the smell of roasted coffee, the smoky scent of frying bacon and Carrie Anne’s cheerful face.

  “It’s good of you to take care of us like you do.” Aurora helped herself to a scoop of scrambled eggs. Carrie Anne placed a bouquet of flowers onto the table. “It won’t be much longer before we won’t have any more of these.”

  “You’ve done well with the garden, Carrie Anne. We would’ve half starved if it wasn’t for you.”

  “Next year, I aim to have us double. ‘Cause I’ll have a full season to do it right.”

  Emmy joined them, swaddled up within a woolen blanket. “When did it get so cold?”