The Complete Oregon Series, page 78
“I’m fine, Mama,” Amy said. “I came across Adam at a line shack. And look who else I met.” She pointed at Tess and Frankie, hoping their presence would keep Mama from asking too many questions.
Mama slid her gaze over Amy and then squinted in the dim light. “Who’s that?” The barrel of her rifle pointed in Tess and Frankie’s direction.
“Don’t tell me I’ve gotten so old that you don’t recognize me anymore,” Tess said.
Mama’s rifle trembled before she put it down. “T-Tess? Tess Swenson?”
“In person.” Tess slid out of the saddle.
Then both women flew across the ranch yard and fell into each other’s arms.
Amy used the distraction to hide her pained grimace when she dismounted. Holding on to Ruby’s bridle, she watched Mama and Tess. Mama got along with everyone, but with the exception of Bernice, she wasn’t really close to any of the neighbor women. Years ago, Amy had asked her if she had a best friend—and without hesitation, Mama said that Papa was her best friend. The words touched Amy deeply. She longed for the same thing: a sweetheart who was also her best friend.
The tight embrace looked as if Tess was more than a long-forgotten acquaintance. As Amy watched, another image rose from the recesses of her memory: Mama and a younger Tess standing arm in arm in front of a piano, singing Christmas carols. Was Tess a neighbor, back in Missouri? She tried to remember more, but nothing came.
Tess and Mama stepped back to look at each other, but their reunion was interrupted by loud cursing as Adam struggled to break free of Hank’s grip.
“Get that man out of my sight before I shoot him,” Mama said, her eyes as wild and determined as their dog’s when Hunter took on a coyote attacking the hens.
“Is there somewhere to keep him until I can bring him to Oregon City in the morning?” Frankie asked.
Amy again marveled at Frankie’s confidence. She spoke as if she didn’t expect anyone to object to her actions, as unusual as it was for a woman to transport a prisoner on her own.
“Oh, don’t worry about him,” Hank said, a growl in his voice. “The boys and I will take damn good care of him. We’ll have a nice little reunion, right, Adam-boy?”
Adam fought and cursed, but Hank had a firm grip on his bound arms. He wasn’t gentle when he shoved Adam across the ranch yard and toward the bunkhouse.
A glance at the blackened grass where the old stable once stood smothered any compassion Amy might have for him.
“What are you doing here?” Mama turned back to Tess. “I thought you were in Montana, freezing your behinds off.” Before Tess could answer, Mama hugged her again. When she finally let go, her gaze fell on Frankie.
Amy held her breath. Is Frankie an old friend too? Does Mama know Frankie is a woman?
Frankie dismounted and took off her hat in greeting.
“Oh, you must be Frank.” With a friendly smile, Mama stepped closer, then froze and let her gaze travel down her body.
Smiling, Frankie shook the limp hand. “Call me Frankie.”
“Frankie is a railroad marshal, Mama,” Amy said when she couldn’t stand the stunned silence anymore.
“I know,” Mama said. “But it seems we have some catching up to do on other topics.” She nudged Tess, and the smile finally returned to her face.
Tess chuckled. “That’s exactly what Luke said too.”
“You met him along the way?” Mama’s gaze had been warm and welcoming before, but now she looked at Tess as if she was the most important thing in the world—or brought news of that most important thing.
“Yes. He made it safely to The Dalles and said to tell you not to worry.”
New energy filled Mama’s steps as she walked to the house, her arm still looped through Tess’s. “Let’s find a place for you to stay, and then you must fill me in on everything. I’ve got so many questions.”
“We could stay at a hotel in town,” Tess said.
“Baker Prairie doesn’t have a hotel,” Amy said. Besides, she didn’t want Tess and Frankie to leave so soon. Never had someone as fascinating as these two strangers visited the ranch, and she wanted to learn more about the woman who was a Pinkerton detective and a railroad marshal.
Mama nodded, not letting go of her friend’s arm. “And even if it did, I wouldn’t hear of you staying at a hotel. I’m sure we can make room here on the ranch.” She glanced to where Rika was silently waiting on the veranda. “Hendrika, I know it’s a lot to ask, but do you think you could stay at the main house for a while so that Frankie and Tess could have the cabin? Just until we find another solution.”
Amy tensed. She knew what that meant. Her parents’ bedroom was their sanctuary and not open to visitors. Nattie’s room was small and already doubled as an office where the ranch’s books and Nattie’s notes on the breeding program were kept. That made Amy’s room the only logical choice.
Rika’s gaze met hers from across the veranda. Even in the falling darkness, Amy felt the gaze like a touch.
“Sure,” Rika said.
Tess seemed to become aware of the other people on the porch for the first time.
“This is Nattie, our younger daughter,” Mama said, wrapping her arm around Nattie’s shoulder. “And this is Hendrika Bruggeman. She’s gonna marry Phin, our foreman, as soon as he gets back with Luke.”
The stab this thought sent through Amy was more painful than Adam’s vicious kick. It’s none of your business. Be happy for Phin and stay away from Rika. She climbed the two stairs to the door. I think I’ll bed down in the stable with Ruby tonight.
Her daughters and the ranch hands crowded around the table, listening to every word Tess and Frankie said. Everyone was starved for stories of faraway places and wanted to hear about the towns Tess and Frankie had visited.
Everyone but Nora. The questions tumbling through her mind had nothing to do with Tess and Frankie’s travels. Her questions couldn’t be asked in front of others. She tapped her finger against the rim of her plate as she waited for supper to end, but her curious daughters kept the questions coming.
“Oh, Independence sounds so exciting,” Nattie said, her supper forgotten on the plate in front of her. “Why did you leave?”
Frankie and Tess exchanged a quick glance.
“During the war, there were two horrible battles in Independence, and after the first one, Frankie convinced me that it was too dangerous to stay. When the railroad bosses sent her out again, I went with her.” New lines formed around Tess’s mouth when she smiled at her companion. Clearly, she didn’t regret her decision to leave Independence and follow Frankie across the country. “We spent a few years up north, far away from Independence and the war.”
“Did you ever go back?” Nattie asked.
“No. Independence was never the same again. There’s nothing left for me there.”
Nothing left? Not even the brothel? Back when Nora had worked for her, Tess had toyed with the idea of selling the brothel. But her sense of responsibility held her back. Unlike the owners of other establishments, Tess made sure her girls were well fed, had access to a doctor, and got fair wages for their services. “So you sold the livery stable and the restaurant and...all of your other businesses?” Nora asked.
Tess’s gaze met hers, and a silent understanding passed between them. “Yes. But don’t worry, I left everything in good hands. None of my employees will suffer just because I’m no longer there to see to things. But for me, it was time to start a new life.”
Every woman in Tess’s brothel had wanted that. But unlike the young girls, Tess had long ago stopped dreaming of white knights charging in to rescue her. Now she seemed more hopeful and full of life than ever before, making her appear years younger than she was.
Nora looked at Frankie, who had changed into a beautiful dress. Sometimes, white knights come in surprising forms. She still couldn’t figure out Frankie Callaghan, but the affection in Tess’s gaze was unmistakable. Are they really...sweethearts? Tess’s letters indicated it, and in hindsight, all her little hints about how Frank was as special as Luke now made sense. Back when the letters had first arrived, Nora had grinned at how smitten Tess sounded, but she never thought Frank might be Frances, a woman.
“And how did you meet Mama and Papa?” Nattie asked.
Nora tensed. Up until now, Luke and she had managed to answer questions like this one with vague explanations. After a while, their daughters stopped asking. Until now. Nora’s stomach churned, and she shoved back her still half-full plate.
But Tess didn’t blink an eye. “Oh, I met your papa when he was a dashing, young soldier about to fight in the Mexican War. He protected me from the unwelcome advances of a drunken man. That’s how he broke his nose. We became friends when I patched him up.”
It was the truth—or at least part of the truth. Luke had told Nora that she had protected Tess from a drunken customer in the brothel.
“And Mama?” Nattie asked. “How did you meet her?”
A half smile played around Tess’s lips when she looked at Nora. “Well, I guess your mama was drawn to horse places even back then. We met in the livery stable I owned in Independence, and I offered her a job.”
Nora had almost forgotten what a smooth liar Tess was. It was a necessary skill for the madam of a brothel. Tess knew how to tell just enough of the truth to make people believe they knew all of it.
“Is that where you met Papa?” Nattie asked Nora.
“I was the one who introduced them.” Tess came to her rescue again. “Your papa was rather shy around women back then. Left to his own devices, he wouldn’t have talked to your mother.”
Nattie giggled. For her, it was probably hard to believe that Luke, the confident rancher, had once been a shy young man.
Nora, however, vividly remembered the self-conscious expression on Luke’s face the first few times she had unwrapped her chest in front of Nora. It had taken many years before Luke became comfortable enough to enjoy her own body as much as Nora did.
A sudden wave of longing gripped her. Oh, how I wish Luke was here and could share this evening with me. Everything was so much easier, so much clearer when they were together. She sent a silent prayer, hoping that Luke and the boys had found a good place for the night and had enough food.
Finally, supper ended and the ranch hands filed out of the house, but Nattie and Amy still peppered Tess and Frankie with questions while they cleared the table.
Oh, no. Nora wanted some answers of her own. “Amy, you go up and clear some space in your room for Hendrika. Nattie, please help Hendrika pack a few things she might need.”
“But, Mama,” Nattie said. “I wanted to ask Tess some more questions.”
“You can ask her tomorrow. Now it’s my turn to catch up with her,” Nora said.
Without further protest, Hendrika and Nattie left the house. Amy trudged up to her room.
Frankie blinked when she found herself alone with Nora and Tess. “Um. I think I’ll check on Adam, make sure the ranch hands don’t let him escape.” One last glance at Tess, then the door closed behind her.
Nora smiled and dragged Tess to the cozy kitchen. “I see she’s as good as Luke at avoiding these situations.”
“Are we having a situation?” Tess asked. Mirth danced in her blue eyes.
No time to play games. Nattie would be back soon with more questions for Tess. “Your letters sounded like you were in love,” Nora said, remembering how happy she had been for her friend when she had first mentioned Frank.
Tess’s smile softened. “I am.”
“With Frankie?”
“Yes.”
The certainty of her answer surprised Nora, maybe because she had struggled for a while when she found herself falling in love with Luke. “Does that mean you’re...” She searched for the right words. “...like me?”
Tess grinned. “I wish. You’re still so beautiful.” She trailed the back of her fingers over Nora’s cheek. “And here I thought ranch wives were supposed to look old and careworn.”
Nora captured the hand and held it between her own. “Flatterer.” She softened her words with an affectionate smile. “You know that’s not what I mean.”
“If you mean am I a woman who loves another woman with all her heart, then the answer is yes.”
Nora had always thought her feelings for Luke were unique. “So you are...?”
Laugh lines deepened as Tess grinned at her. “I am what?”
“Sharing Frankie’s bed?” Before she could chicken out, Nora sought refuge in the bluntness of the prostitute she had once been.
“I share everything with Frankie—my life, my dreams, and yes, my bed.” Tess’s gaze was calm as she nudged Nora. “Don’t look so baffled. It’s hard enough for an old madam like me to find love. I wasn’t about to let this chance at happiness pass me by, just because most people think it’s unnatural.” She rolled her eyes. “I’ve done a lot of things in my life that felt unnatural, but loving Frankie isn’t one of them.”
Nora felt the same way about Luke, but still, she never thought other women would want to share their lives with a woman rather than a man. “Have you ever...? I mean, I know you’ve been with Luke, but other than her, did you ever...?”
“Once or twice,” Tess said.
“And?”
“I liked it.” Tess shrugged. “I liked being with some of the men in my life too. But I love Frankie. Just Frankie.” Her blue eyes held an expression more loving than any Nora had ever seen on her friend.
They sat in silence, their hands clutched together.
“It feels good to finally say it out loud,” Tess said.
“You haven’t told Frankie?”
“Oh, she knows.” A wicked grin spread across Tess’s lips. “Believe me, she knows. But everyone else thinks we’re cousins.”
Sometimes, the lies she and Luke had built around their lives, around their pasts, felt like a prison, but at least they didn’t have to hide their love. Were the lies really a prison if they allowed them to love each other openly? She and Luke could share a bed without having to tell people they were cousins. On Sundays, Luke could hand her down from the wagon and lead her up the church steps without anyone whispering about it behind their backs. And when Luke kissed her good-bye, she didn’t have to pretend that her heart wasn’t aching.
Gently, she squeezed Tess’s hand. “I’m glad you have her in your life, even if it isn’t always easy.”
The door swung open before Tess could answer. Nattie entered, excitedly chatting with Rika.
Nora groaned. “Ready for more questions?”
“I don’t mind. Nattie is a wonderful young woman, curious for all life has to offer. She’s exactly like you would have been if your father hadn’t been such a cold-hearted bastard.”
The truth of her words still cut deeply after all those years.
Tess patted her hand and stood. “We’ll talk later.”
Hamilton Horse Ranch
Baker Prairie, Oregon
May 21, 1868
Rika slowly climbed the stairs, savoring the few seconds alone. Tess and Frankie’s arrival unsettled her, and she tried to figure out what it was that made her nervous.
At first, she thought it was Frankie’s unusual appearance. Even in Boston, the “cradle of liberty” according to Mrs. Gillespie’s magazines, Rika had never seen anyone like this woman.
That’s not true. For a moment, she was transported back to the time she’d worked as a nurse in a Union hospital. A young, pale soldier had been rushed into the tent, his foot shattered by a minié ball. Rika’s stomach churned when she remembered helping to hold down the soldier while the surgeon cut off the mangled foot. After a day, gangrene set in. Rika would never forget the stench of the rotting flesh.
At death’s door, the soldier confessed her true identity to Rika. She was a woman who had donned men’s garb and joined the Union army to stay with her betrothed.
But Frankie wasn’t like that. She didn’t hide her gender; she was simply a woman who dressed in men’s apparel and didn’t care what other people thought.
Weeks ago, Rika might have been appalled, but after getting to know Amy, she no longer thought wearing pants was improper.
Maybe it was her guilty conscience that unsettled her. Frankie was a marshal after all, and Rika had broken the law by traveling west with tickets that didn’t belong to her. Soon, she would trick Phineas into marrying her.
Don’t make yourself crazy with thoughts like that. This is your life now, the only life you have. If she was careful, no one would ever find out. Instead of worrying about Frankie and Tess, she should focus on the here and now.
In the beginning, Amy had been adamant about not sharing a room. Was she truly fine with it now? Sometimes, she seemed so friendly and nice, but the next moment, she was distant again. In the five weeks since Rika had arrived at the ranch, they had made it through a few dangerous situations and had experienced Lucky’s birth together. At times, she even felt close to Amy but would then find herself pushed away for no reason she could understand.
It scared her. She needed Amy’s acceptance because she was Phineas’s boss and friend.
But if she was honest with herself, she had to admit that Amy’s position on the ranch was no longer the only reason she sought her company. She spent time with her because she liked it. Liked Amy.
When she reached the top of the stairs, she knocked on the door.
A grunt came from inside.
“Amy?” she called through the closed door. “Everything all right?”
“Yeah,” Amy answered, sounding out of breath. “Just give me a minute.”
