The Duchess of Ophir Creek, page 16
part #3 of Behind the Ranges Series
"Have to watch my step," Wilf muttered, remembering how he'd almost been spied this morning.
Maybe he'd back off some. Head back over the ridge tomorrow morning, stay in Bannock City 'til after Christmas. Now that there was a church over there, folks would be attending services. That'd give him a chance to see what they had hid in their tents and shanties, maybe work the trail right outside of town. And it'd let Dewitt relax and stop jumping at shadows.
He surely didn't understand Vester's always going on about his boys not fouling their own nest. What difference would it make if a greenhorn or two got robbed? They was always more coming up the trail.
Once he had some gold jingling in his pants, maybe he'd pay a visit to that new whorehouse. It wasn't as fancy as Tilly's, but he'd bet the gals wasn't as particular, neither. Thoughts of what he could do with a willing whore made him forget his cold arse, until he saw Dewitt close up his store.
He waited another quarter-hour, maybe a little more. And sure enough, there went Dewitt, heading upstream this afternoon. Wilf got to his feet, stiff from the long watch. He stretched, making sure his legs was working. Then he took off along the same path.
* * * *
After a supper of bread and a strange, sharp cheese, Soomey slept surprisingly well on the hard bed that was all the tiny room held. She and Tao Ni had huddled together, grateful for the thick comforter, because the night had turned bitterly cold. Even before they'd retired, there had been ice on the inside of the room's small window.
She had expected the night to be noisy. But their room faced the edge of town, with only a few shacks and tents between it and the denuded hillside. The sounds of the miners' frolic seemed far away.
Most important of all, no one came to the door.
The gaunt woman who'd cooked their supper knocked late the next morning, about the time Soomey had decided to emerge in search of food. "You there, Miss Tilly says you can come to the dinin' room for breakfast."
Surprised and a little uncertain, Soomey smoothed Tao Ni's queue one more time. "Be humble," she told him. "Say nothing unless you are spoken to." Would there be customers at the table? "And do not eat with your fingers."
Soomey had tried to teach Tao Ni to eat with a fork, but he had resisted her efforts. Would their table manners disgrace her in Tilly's eyes? Although she still distrusted the madam, there was a certain obligation on Soomey's part, requiring that she show respect to her hostess.
Tilly and one other woman sat at the table, sipping from dainty, flower-decorated cups. A bureau held several silver dishes with small flames heating them. Soomey could smell bacon and cooked apples, among a medley of unfamiliar but tempting odors. Her mouth watered. Boss had promised dried apples, but had forgotten them when he bought supplies.
She bowed to the women, nudged Tao Ni to do the same. "You honor us by sharing your home with us," she said in Chinese. In English, she said, "Very nice you give bed, food. Thanky very much."
The golden-haired whore giggled, but Tilly smiled and winked. "Well, now that sounded mighty polite, whatever it was you said." She looked older this morning, but still impressive.
"Now fill your plates and sit down. Both of you are so skinny you look like the first breeze would blow you away." She gestured. "This here's Mabel. The other girls aren't up yet."
First Soomey filled a plate for Tao Ni, careful to chose only foods that he could eat with a spoon. It was just as well he did not care overly much for bacon. By the time she had filled her own plate, she was more at ease. Tilly and Mabel spoke together of ordinary things--a grease spot on a garment that had not washed out, the high cost of tobacco, a new strike up on Granite Creek.
She ate a small taste of everything provided, savoring unfamiliar flavors along with the sweet applesauce. If she was going to live in America, she must become accustomed to its food and its customs. All the while, she kept a careful eye on the boy, but he managed his spoon nicely, and kept his eyes politely on his plate.
"Soomey? Is that a Chinese name?" Tilly said to her, once her plate was clean. "I thought they were all funny sounding, like Ah Foo or Chin Chin."
Soomey wondered if Tilly knew how peculiar her name sounded to Chinese ears. "Is my name for many years," she admitted, "but is said better 'Su Mei.'"
"That don't sound any different to me," Mabel said.
"I can hear a little different sound." Tilly attempted to change her pronunciation. "Soo-mee. Sa-mee. Sa-may." She grinned. "Hell, kid, it is all right if we just keep on calling you Soomey?"
"I not mind."
Another woman entered, this one very young and slim. Her dark hair was a like a billowing cloud, almost obscuring her face. She yawned as she sat at the table.
"Long night?" Mabel said.
"Great night," the newcomer said. Another yawn. "Gawd, I'm plumb wore out." She pushed back her hair and peered at Soomey from eyes as green as the sea. "Hey, you're that Chinese kid. You come in with Buff, didn't you? Man alive, what a cocksman!"
Soomey stared at her. Had she misunderstood? Or was this whore truly speaking of Buffalo, who was still a beardless boy?
Mabel raised an eyebrow. "That good, huh?"
"Never better."
"Girls!" Tilly clapped her hands. "They're just children. Watch your language." She rose and gestured for Soomey and Tao Ni to follow her. They went into the small office off the ornately decorated parlor. As she passed, Soomey eyed a monstrous wooden box sitting against the wall. It had teeth! Many of them, both black and white.
"Now then," Tilly said, as Soomey perched on the edge of a chair, "what are we going to do with you?"
"I do not understand?"
The madam's cheeks turned almost as red as they had been the night before, but now Soomey realized she had been wearing paint. "Well, honey, it's this way. Your young, ah, escort, has discovered women. It could be days before he's ready to come up for air, if past experience is any sign. And as long as he isn't around to keep an eye on you, I can't let you out of the house. Silas wouldn't like it."
Conquering the tears that threatened to choke her, Soomey said, "Then I will stay in the room, since Boss wishes it. Tao Ni will stay with me." Why did she wish to weep over Buffalo's behavior? He was nothing to her. He owed her nothing.
But he was so young. He had been so innocent.
"You will?"
"I promise you I will not go out of your house without Buffalo for two more days. Then it will be time to return to Boss."
* * * *
Soomey and Tao Ni were playing a child's game with twigs and stones that evening when they heard loud voices from downstairs. She went to the door and opened it a crack, fighting the key that wanted to stick in the lock. Listened.
All was confusion below, then she heard a high shrill voice cry, "Buff! They'll kill him!"
"Stay here," she told Tao Ni. "Lock the door." She grabbed her pouch, and ran down the hall.
In the parlor, Celeste, she of the green eyes and black hair, clad only in a filmy robe, wept in the arms of a bearded miner. He was clumsily patting her back. Soomey grabbed the whore's arm. "Where is Buffalo?" she demanded.
"He's down at the Eagle and he's in trouble!" Celeste's voice rose into a wail, and again she collapsed against the miner's chest.
Soomey wanted to slap her, but instead she ran outside and turned toward the Golden Eagle Saloon. The crowd outside its doors was open and shifting, so she eeled between shouting miners until she reached a cleared area.
Slipping and sliding in the slushy mud of the street, Buffalo and three others were trading blows and kicks. Soomey watched for a moment. The four were evenly matched. The fight was not many against one, but many against many. Buffalo, if he fought as well as she believed him able, should be in no danger. Except to his fine leather clothing. And perhaps his pride.
Buffalo landed a solid blow to one man's nose and blood spurted. But even as Buffalo grinned at his opponent, a second man tackled him, and both went tumbling to the ground. The man with the bloody nose stumbled away. But the fourth man stepped forward and began to kick at the two rolling on the ground.
Immediately they left off their fighting and leapt to their feet to face him. He was a big man, wide and far heavier than the slim boy, or his short opponent. The short man backed away when he got sight of his attacker, but Buffalo stood firm.
They circled, then Buffalo struck out, clipping the big man on the chin. The blow had no more effect than a mosquito bite. The big man slapped at Buffalo, sending him reeling backward. Two of the bystanders caught him and pushed him back into the open space.
Buffalo lowered his head and charged, catching the big man around the waist, sending him backward two steps. But the boy's slight weight was not enough to overpower his enormous opponent. The big man grabbed Buffalo's shirt and pulled him up onto his toes. Despite Buffalo's struggles, he was held and struck once, twice in the belly, then released. The meaty sound of the blows made Soomey's stomach tighten.
Buffalo staggered a moment, then straightened. He stepped in close and struck repeatedly at the big man's belly and chin, only to be caught in long arms the size of small logs.
Fingers jabbed at Buffalo's eyes and Soomey squinted in response. But Buffalo was quick. He ducked his head and clipped the bigger man on the chin. The click of teeth was so loud that Soomey heard it over the shouts. Buffalo wrenched himself free.
Only for an instant. Soomey's breath caught as she saw the huge arms tighten again around Buffalo's slim body. But suddenly one of Buffalo's legs was wrapped around his opponent's, and immediately both men were on the ground, rolling. Buffalo's wiry strength almost countered his opponent's bulk. Soomey saw the big man again try to dig at Buffalo's eyes, and hoped he could somehow manage to escape before he was seriously hurt. She slipped her hand into her pouch, grasped the butt of her gun.
The short man rejoined the fight, attacking Buffalo.
The miners were no better pleased than Soomey. "Leave' em alone!" someone just behind her called.
"Fair fight! Fair fight!" from another.
"Git outta there!"
"Two agin one ain't in the rules!"
"They ain't no rules."
"They air too!"
In a moment those two miners were trading blows and the crowd's attention shifted to the new dispute. Soomey saw the glint of a knife in the short man's hand.
She fired from within her pouch, aiming at the ground beside him.
The shot brought silence, except for the grunts and pants of the still-fighting miners. Even Buffalo and his opponent ceased their struggles and drew apart.
Quickly, before the crowd could discover who had fired, Soomey darted forward and grabbed Buffalo's wrist. "Come. Now!" She tugged, but he simply stared blankly. His opponent did the same.
"Buffalo! Please, you come. Now. Quick!" She tugged and slowly he struggled to his knees, then his feet.
"Hey, ain't that one of Dewitt's Chinee?" someone said.
"I reckon it is," she heard another reply. "I don't want no trouble with him."
"Me neither."
She stifled a smile. Boss already had a reputation of strength. She had made the right decision to trust her fate to him. Now that they knew Buffalo belonged to Boss, no one would bother him again.
Buffalo leaned heavily on Soomey as she led him through the crowd. No one attempted to stop them, although not every man moved readily from their path. The man Wilf, who had been vanquished by Boss twice, blocked their way just before the door to Tilly's.
"You ain't always a'gonna have Dewitt to save your bacon," he said in a low, rough voice. "Sooner or later someone'll catch you alone and show you what folks think of you Chinee scum."
Soomey ignored him, hearing the bluster in his voice. She guided Buffalo around him and toward the back of Tilly's. Once in the kitchen, she poured warm water into a basin and found a clean cloth to sponge the blood and dirt from his face.
"Le'me 'lone," he muttered, fighting her touch.
Soomey ignored him and kept washing until she was certain he had no cuts that needed stitching. "You are very foolish boy. Tomorrow you will hurt very much," she told him, dabbing once more at the split in his lower lip.
The door burst open. "Buffalo! Are you hurt?"
He looked up and tried to smile at the green-eyed whore. "'Course not," he said. "There was only three of 'em."
Celeste knelt beside Soomey and framed Buffalo's face in her dainty white hands. "Oh, you poor boy! Look how they marked you."
"You ought to see them," he boasted. "It was a real whing-dinger of a fight!"
His lip must have hurt to smile so widely, but Soomey knew he would never admit it. Disgusted, she tossed the cloth back into the basin. "You will live," she said, knowing he could not hear her words while the pretty whore made much of his deeds.
Perhaps the woman would keep him so occupied that he would find no more trouble until they were ready to return to Centerville. She hoped so.
* * * *
Two days later they were on their way home.
Buffalo's curly hair was stringy and lank, his eyes bloodshot, his body slumped in the saddle. And his fine leather garments were dirty and torn.
"You are a very stupid boy," she told him, once they had maneuvered their horses through the congestion at the edge of town and were relatively alone on the trail. "What will your mother say to you?"
He muttered something. Soomey did not think it was polite.
"I was ashamed for you, when the whores talked of you at meals."
"Damn it, Soomey, shut up!"
"I will not. You look as if you have been drunk for a week."
"Haven't had a drink since last night."
"That is good. But this morning that Celeste whore, she tells us that you drank a whole bottle of French champagne out of her shoe. How could you?"
Another mutter, this one less belligerent. The smile on his face spoke of treasured memories.
"And another thing--you gambled. I will not believe you won."
"Did too."
"Ah, but how much? Do you have more money than when you began?"
"Hell no, but what's that got to do with anything? Tarnation, Soomey, a man's gotta celebrate sometimes. And celebratin' don't come cheap." He groaned and rubbed a hand across his face. "Do you have to talk so much? And so loud?"
"Bah! Perhaps you are a man. A boy would not be so foolish."
"You are cruel, Elder Sister," Tao Ni said softly from behind her. "Buffalo is in pain. You should not shout at him."
"I am not--" Soomey realized she was indeed shouting. "Do all males defend the stupidity of one another?" she said, but not loud enough for anyone to hear.
Chapter Fifteen
Four days. That's what he'd told Young Buff. Come back in four days.
Silas looked once again at the sun, low in the sky now. In another hour it would be behind the hills, and the winter night would quickly follow.
Are they here yet?
Maybe Buff had counted wrong. Or one of those bastards that hung around the Golden Eagle had given him some trouble. Or Soomey had got herself into mischief. God knew, she had a knack for it.
He told himself to stop worrying. It was at least a six-hour ride from Bannock City under the best of conditions. As cold as it had been last night, Buff probably wouldn't have wanted to start until the frost was off the trail. Silas slipped and slid down the talus below the outcropping he'd just investigated and made his way to the bottom of the slope.
He'd be glad to see them. It wasn't just Soomey he'd missed, but all three of the children. That's what he'd told himself each night as he laid alone in his tent and listened for the sound of her breathing. There had been no faint scent of jasmine, and he'd not eaten a bite of rice for four days. Sure had been quiet, too, without Soomey and Buff drilling Tao Ni on his grammar.
The boy was picking English up real fast. He still didn't say much, but Silas knew he understood almost everything he was told. Once more Silas wished he could pick up a new language as quickly. His ineptitude had often worked to his disadvantage in trading.
He peered through the fading light. The trail stretched, pale and empty, back into the forest. If they weren't at the tent when he reached it, he'd just have to head up the trail and look for them.
Even if he had to go all the way to Bannock City.
* * * *
"Boss is not there," Tao Ni said as they passed Appledore's store. "His tent is dark."
"Likely he's out in the woods," Buff said, "lookin'." He dismounted and reached up to take Tao Ni from behind Soomey, then turned to help her down.
But she had slid off the horse and stood beside it, waiting for life to return to her legs. How she hated riding the great beasts. They were so tall and so wide. She much preferred the dainty little donkey Li Ching had allowed her to ride once on the way to Bannock City.
"Fetch water, Tao Ni, and I will start our meal. Boss will be hungry after a day of searching."
The boys went their separate ways while Soomey read the note she found pinned to the tent flap. 'Don't unpack,' it said it a bold, black hand. 'We're moving on tomorrow. I'll be in about sundown.' The signature was a scrawl that seemed to combine Boss's initials, but she could not be perfectly sure.
So. They would move again. Had something happened, or was Boss simply convinced that his treasure--his mysterious, secret treasure--was not to be found in the hills surrounding Centerville?
She would certainly like to know what it was he sought. Meanwhile, she should begin preparing supper. When Boss returned, he would be hungry.
"Where the hell were you? Did you have trouble on the trail?"
Soomey almost dropped her cooking pot. She spun around to see Boss standing, fists on hips, glaring at her. "What you mean, where were we? We were coming from Bannock City. Where else?"
"You should have been here hours ago!"
Measuring rice into the pot, she deliberately did not look at him. He would see in her face, in her eyes, how much she had longed for his presence. And that would not do, for it would make him feel far too important. "We did not start until late, so we did not arrive until now."
