Last Promise (6 page)

“Good night.”

Before he walked away he watched her through the glass as she turned the lock in the door. He winked at her and she gave him a little wave.

Luke thought about heading to the saloon, but he'd nixed that idea just as he heard a voice call out.

“Hi, Luke, honey, what are you doing at the hotel so late?”

He looked up to see three of L. B.'s gals on the balcony. It looked like every light in the place was lit and he could see the girls were half dressed. He didn't turn around, he knew without looking that Mary Ann was still at the door and if he could see the girls in their state of undress, so could she. “Enjoying a late dinner.”

“Well come on over, honey. It's not too late for us to show you a good time.”

“Too late for poker tonight.” It seemed Mary Ann didn't know what went on in a saloon so maybe he would pull off that response without her being any the wiser.

“We ain't talking about poker, Luke, honey.” The gal's comment made the other girls laugh.

Oh Lord, could this get any worse?
“Night, ladies.”

He walked fast toward the livery to get his horse with female catcalls echoing down the vacant street.

Chapter Six

Colt held up a piece of paper when Luke walked in his office. “This telegram came for you.”

Luke took the telegram and read the few lines. “This is strange.”

“Yeah?”

“I told you about my partner in the Lucky Sunday silver mine, Sam White,” he reminded Colt.

“You've mentioned him several times.”

“The telegram is from his wife, Arina. It says she will be here on the fifteenth.”

“Did she say why?”

“No, just that she would be in on the noon stage.” Luke had only seen Arina a few times before his partner married her. He had only been partners with Sam for two years, and while he considered Sam a friend, they rarely discussed anything other than business. He was aware Sam was courting a younger woman, but he hadn't pried into his personal life. His partnership with Sam happened mostly by accident when they met at a poker table. Sam struck up a conversation with him about training horses on his ranch after he'd heard of Luke's skill with horses. Not long after Luke started working with the horses, Sam approached him with an offer of paying him in the form of stock in the mine, saying it would save him an outlay of cash while the mine was just getting started. Luke knew it was a bit of a gamble, he might never see a cent for all of his hard work, but he was in a position to take some risks. Sam also liked to gamble at the poker table, and Luke liked to win. Over the course of a year, Luke had won half of the Lucky Sunday mine off Sam, which was now turning attractive profits.

Right after Luke attended Sam's wedding he'd left for Wyoming, and he hadn't seen Sam since that day. They'd stayed in touch by telegrams and letters over the last year, but now that he thought about it, he hadn't heard from Sam in a few months.

“Is she coming alone?” Colt asked.

“It sounds like it. I wonder why Sam isn't coming with her. I don't know her very well. I left for Wyoming right after they married.”

Jake walked in and heard the last part of their conversation. “Maybe she got tired of old Sam and is looking for a new husband.”

“Not likely. Sam's a fine man and he's not that old, mid-fifties. Besides, he has more than enough money to make up for his age.” Luke had heard talk among the ranch hands that Arina was marrying Sam for his money. She was an attractive young woman who could have had her choice of many younger suitors. It wasn't much of a stretch to think Sam's money was a factor in her decision-making. But that was none of his business, then or now.

Luke was truly perplexed. He thought about sending a telegram to Sam, but if he was coming with his wife, they would already be on the way. And meeting the stage gave him a good reason to go to town in the middle of the week, and he could see Mary Ann again. He hadn't seen her since the night they cooked together because he'd been busy at the ranch. Well, if he was totally honest with himself, ranch work wasn't the only reason he hadn't been back to town. Knowing Mary Ann had heard every word L. B.'s gals said to him that night, he expected she would give him a cool reception. Then again, he always did like a challenge.

* * *

George moved Mary Ann's belongings to the third-floor private residence. For the first time they were enjoying a nice private dinner away from the hotel restaurant. “Mary Ann, I never dined up here until you arrived.”

“Why not? The quarters are lovely. I never expected anything as grand in a hotel.” He wasn't exaggerating when he'd mentioned in his letters that his hotel was exquisite. Her bedroom was every bit as luxurious as the one she had at home, plus she felt much more relaxed here with her uncle.

George looked around the room as though he'd never seen it before. “It always seemed too lonely, but now that you are here, we will do so much more often while the home is being built. We should invite guests, too.” He was thrilled to have his niece living with him. He'd left England several years ago, and this was the first time he had the opportunity to really get to know her. She was an amazing young woman, quick to learn everything he'd taught her about the hotel business, and she was particularly adept with mathematical calculations. “We could invite Luke. I haven't seen him since the night he helped you cook.”

Mary Ann had tried not to think about Luke after the last time she'd seen him. She'd started to second-guess her opinion of him that night, thinking she had misjudged him. Right up until they said good-bye. Then she saw those women at the saloon in their underclothes conversing with him. She may not have understood what those women did at the saloon when she was discussing it with Luke, but she was no longer in the dark. Listening to their comments to him that night, there was no doubt in her mind what type of entertainment they provided upstairs. Subsequently, she'd had ample time to observe the saloon women, and the many men coming and going. Her bedroom window faced the saloon, and she had seen and heard the men upstairs with the women on warm nights when the windows were open. She couldn't have been more shocked. And to think they knew Luke well enough to speak to him on the street. He must have had a good laugh at her naïveté. Her first impression was right on target. He was a scoundrel. “Uncle, what exactly do the women at the saloon do?”

George choked on his steak. “Pardon?”

“I want to know what type of entertainment the women at the saloon provide. I assume you go there to play cards.”

George couldn't stop coughing.

“Are you quite okay?” It was all Mary Ann could do not to laugh at her uncle's discomposure.

Unable to speak, George nodded.

She waited and watched as he sipped his tea.

“The women serve drinks.” He thought that response should appease her.

“And what do they do upstairs?” she asked sweetly.

“Well . . . they . . . ah . . . provide companionship with men that desire their . . . that sort of thing.”

“Companionship?”
Is that what it's called here in America?

Once he composed himself, he wanted to find out the reason for her inquiry. “Why do you ask, my dear?”

“When Luke was leaving the hotel that night, the women at the saloon were talking to him. They were on the balcony in their undergarments asking him to come upstairs. It seemed most inappropriate.”

“Yes, that behavior is most inappropriate, but they are not conventional young women. They haven't had the benefit of education and family, so we must allow for that.”

“Hmm. They seemed to know Luke quite well.”

“I'm sure they do. The men from all of the ranches go in to play poker most weekends. That is their form of entertainment.”

“Do the women also offer him their
companionship
upstairs?”

He saw no good end to this conversation, so he wanted to change course. “I don't think that is for me to answer. Now, would you like to go out and see the house at the ranch? It is really coming along nicely.”

“I would love to see it.” She didn't mind the change of subject, she knew she was making him uncomfortable. As a matter of fact she was trying hard not to laugh. She was reminded of Luke's discomfort when they discussed the saloon women.

“Wonderful. We will ride out there soon one morning so you can see where we will be living. You do still ride, don't you?”

“Yes, I love to ride, but I didn't bring my sidesaddle.” She'd considered adding her saddle to her trunk, but she didn't have room.

“Not a problem, I have one here somewhere I am sure.”

* * *

Luke wasn't able to leave the ranch as early as he'd wanted to go meet the stagecoach, but he still hoped to have time to go to the hotel first to see if he might persuade Mary Ann to have lunch with him. He was pushing his horse to go faster when he saw two riders ahead of him. Recognizing one of the horses as belonging to George Granville, he figured the other person riding sidesaddle and wearing a blue hat with feathers had to be the very woman he wanted to see.

When he caught up to them he slowed his horse next to Mary Ann's. “Good morning, folks.”

“Why, Luke, what a nice surprise,” George said.

Luke waited a beat to see if Mary Ann was going to say hello. Obviously not. “Were you out to see the ranch?”

“Yes, I was showing Mary Ann around. I was just telling her how helpful you and your brothers have been with my venture into cattle ranching.”

Luke nudged his horse so close to Mary Ann's that his thigh was actually touching her leg. He looked over at her. “How do you like George's ranch?” Just as he expected, she was acting very cool. No doubt she was going to hold it against him for the behavior of the gals at the saloon.

She made an attempt to get her horse to sidestep closer to her uncle's horse, but the contrary animal wouldn't heed the command. “It's a beautiful place, and my uncle picked a perfect spot for his home.”

Luke grinned at her attempt to move away. Maybe she thought he couldn't get his horse to make the same move. He didn't know how he was going to get back in her good graces, but he was determined to find a way. “George, I have to meet the stagecoach today, but I'm early so why don't you and Mary Ann have lunch with me.”

“I'm sorry, Mr. McBride, but I have responsibilities to see to upon my return.” She'd called him Luke that night in the kitchen. She really was miffed.

George didn't have the same objections. “My dear, as your employer I think we can take time to lunch with Luke.”

“Excellent.”
Score one for me,
Luke thought. He had a feeling not many people could outmaneuver this little lady. He glanced her way again. She sure did look fetching in her blue hat and riding habit. “I like your blue hat.”

That comment made her look his way. He had an uncanny way of surprising her by complimenting her wardrobe. She wondered if he complimented the lack of wardrobe on the saloon women. Mary Ann decided when they reached the hotel, she would go to her quarters to freshen up and take her sweet time doing so. And remove her blue hat. She didn't give a hoot if he liked it or not, she was certain he didn't like it half as much as he liked seeing those women in their corsets. If he thought he could force his unwanted attention on her as he did with the tarts from that saloon he was sorely mistaken. She wouldn't do anything to offend her uncle, but she was determined not to be in the company of this scoundrel.

“Are you expecting a relative on the stage?” George asked, oblivious to the undercurrents between Mary Ann and Luke.

“No, I have a business partner in Arizona, and his wife telegraphed me saying she is coming to Promise, but she didn't say if he would be with her.”

Arriving at the hotel, Luke and George walked to George's preferred table in the restaurant while Mary Ann excused herself to go upstairs. The men waited so long for Mary Ann's return that George finally sent Eb upstairs to fetch her.

She joined them at the table a few minutes later and smiled sweetly at her uncle. “I do apologize, but I needed to change. I fear I collected more dust than I thought possible.”

Luke liked the pink dress she was now wearing, it reminded him of her pretty pink hat she'd worn the day she came to town. He stood and helped her with her chair. “You look lovely in your pink dress, it was well worth the wait.” He'd already figured out her game, but George was completely clueless. He'd bought her innocent little explanation without question.

“As Luke says, it was worth the wait, my dear. But we must order soon, the stagecoach is due and I want Luke to be able to appreciate his lunch.”

No such luck. They heard the stagecoach while they were placing their orders. Luke stood and reached for his hat. “I am sorry, but you will have to excuse me.”

“No need to apologize. I assume your guest will be staying at the hotel, so we will go with you to greet her and she can lunch with us.” George stood and held out his arm to Mary Ann. “Come along, my dear, let's go with Luke.”

Luke grinned at the pained expression on Mary Ann's face. Without a word she walked with them to meet the stagecoach, positioning herself very close to her uncle's side and far away from Luke.

A man jumped down from the stage first, and when Luke saw the driver hold his hand to assist the next passenger, he stepped forward. Before Arina stepped to the ground she looked at Luke and literally leaped into his arms. “Oh, Luke.” She proceeded to wrap her arms around his neck and kiss him on the lips.

Luke automatically put his hands on her waist when he caught her in the air. When he recovered from the shock of her lips on his, he tried to lean backward to break contact, but her body and her lips followed him. He eased her to the ground, released her waist, and leaned back so their lips were forced to part. His eyes, as if they had a will of their own, drifted down to her cleavage . . . he couldn't help it, her chest was bare and on display and her . . . well . . . they were right there under his nose. He had never noticed how well-endowed she was, but he was certain it wasn't proper for a lady to display so much skin in public. He hadn't seen that much cleavage since the night the gals were hanging over the balcony at L. B. Ditty's. Remembering George and Mary Ann were standing behind him, he glanced their way. It came as no surprise to see their faces mirrored his own shock as they interpreted this strange greeting.

“This is my partner's wife, Arina White. Arina, this is George Granville and his niece, Mary Ann Hardwicke.” Luke could tell by Mary Ann's appalled expression that Arina's kiss just put the final nail in his coffin. As if he needed a final nail. Even though they had spent a pleasant evening together that night in the kitchen, the gals at the saloon had rekindled her ill opinion of him. And now there was no telling what she thought seeing his partner's wife land a big kiss on him.