An Unlikely Place for Love Page 19

  He seemed startled to have their full attention. “Alright,” he slowly began. “I want to build a new shed. I also need to make a new door for this shed. Who wants to do what?”

  Sam looked at her. “Where will you be?”

  “Watching you men do the work,” she sweetly replied.

  Her plan worked. She watched in satisfaction as they scrambled to volunteer for the supplies they would need. She sat on the tree stomp and viewed the scene before her in amusement. The men were fighting over who got to do the tasks which would give her a direct view of them. Though they were in the shed, she could hear the three of them fighting.

  “I want to lay down the foundation for the new shed,” Jeff snapped from inside the shed.

  “We can do that together,” Tim insisted.

  “So no one wants to make a door?” Chad asked.

  “No way. We want to do real work,” Sam huffed.

  “Very well. I’ll take care of the door,” Chad replied.

  She hid her laughter as the three men finally agreed on their assigned tasks and ran to do it. They scrambled around in order to be the first one to work on their project. She spent the afternoon watching them work hard to do a good job in a timely manner. They sweated in the sun and weren’t able to chat, so she knew they were miserable. It serves them right for trying to get a glimpse of me naked.

  Meanwhile, Chad took his time in carefully constructing a new door. He was always within viewing range of her, so she could watch him as he quietly did his work. It was fun to be able to admire him instead of fighting her feelings for him. He was very attractive with his broad shoulders and slender frame. His skin was tan from the hours he spent in the sun, and he had gained considerable strength in his arms and legs from his years of working on the farm. She hadn’t taken the time to enjoy looking at a man’s body before but found the masculine form to be intriguing. Chad was handsome. He’s going to be my husband, even if he doesn’t realize it yet.

  ***

  The rest of the week was stressful for Kate as she struggled between her roles as Billy and Kate. Fortunately, Lacy didn’t come back for another visit, but Tim, Sam, Jeff and Todd brought her flowers, candy and other trinkets. She politely thanked them and threw them out. She could tell their attention bothered Chad but he held his peace. Finally, she had to make a deal with them that she wouldn’t go to the potluck on Saturday if they continued to pay more attention to her than their work since they weren’t getting anything done despite her insistence that she loved hard working men. They seemed to think she was more delighted with their affections. As the week wore on, she found more reasons to appear as Billy than as Kate. She didn’t like being with Tim, Sam or Jeff when she was Kate. She didn’t trust them at all.

  That Friday after she spent the evening with Chad, she headed to barn loft so she could read. Just as she reached the ladder, Sam, Tim and Jeff called out for Billy. She quickly dodged behind the pile of neatly stacked hay so they wouldn’t see her.

  She cleared her throat and called out, “Over here,” in her best Billy voice.

  They began walking to her.

  Panicking, she quickly said, “Don’t come any closer. I’m not decent.”

  “Well, get decent,” Jeff replied. “We’re taking you out to the next town. We thought you might enjoy a night out after all the work we’ve been doing this week. I swear that Chad’s been overworking us.”

  “We should ask for a raise,” Tim muttered.

  “Actually, I’m tired. I think I’ll rest up for the night so I can be ready for tomorrow’s potluck,” she stated.

  “We’re not taking no for an answer, Billy,” Sam responded. “If you don’t come on out, we’ll go back there and drag you out. Come on! It’s time we had some fun!”

  She groaned. She wished she had taken Chad up on his offer to walk her to the barn. She had declined because she was afraid he would discover her secret when he didn’t see Billy.

  “Alright!” she shouted before they moved closer. “Get out of here and I’ll meet you outside the barn. I have to get dressed. I just took a bath and I’m not presentable.”

  “That’s right. We forgot you were abnormally modest,” Sam replied, laughing.

  The three men left the barn and waited outside.

  As soon as she got dressed in some clean Billy clothes, she took Reliable and met them outside the barn. To her surprise, Chad was talking to them. Chad looked over at her.

  “Do you want to go with them?” Chad asked her.

  “We’re taking him out for a night of fun,” Jeff stated. “It doesn’t matter what you think. You don’t own him. It’s after work hours.”

  “I won’t have you bullying my farmhand.” She noted the tension in Chad’s voice.

  “What are you going to do, Chad?” Tim wondered. “I mean, there are three of us.”

  “I do have a gun.”

  “If you can get to it in time...”

  It suddenly occurred to her that this wasn’t the first time they gained up on Chad to get what they wanted.

  “I don’t mind going,” she lied. The last thing she wanted was to be responsible for a fight. “I can handle myself.” She knew she was safe in her Billy disguise. They wouldn’t try anything with her as a man.

  Chad sighed. “Very well. I’ll see you tomorrow, Billy.”

  She nodded as he turned back to the house. She breathed a sigh of relief. Chad was right. These men were not pleasant to be with. She had been hasty to say anything just to get along with them. She originally thought it would help to fit in, but she was beginning to wonder if that was such a bright idea. Perhaps keeping her distance would have been a better choice. Oh well. It’s too late now. She was stuck with the role she chose and would play it out.

  They rode their horses until they got to town. They boarded the train and headed for the next town. By the time they arrived there, it was after sunset.

  “The saloon here has the best beer in the state,” Sam said. “It’s a great place to listen to music too.”

  “You know, my sister wouldn’t be happy knowing you three come here,” she told them, hoping they would finally back off from pursuing her as Kate.

  “Well, Lacy wouldn’t be thrilled either but we won’t tell if you don’t.” Jeff winked.

  She forced herself not to gag. No self-respecting woman would choose to be near them.

  They led her into the saloon where music played loudly and the beer was in great supply. They bought her a bottle of beer and sat with her at a round table.

  She waited until they were talking to some other men before dumping her bottle of beer into the empty glass on the table next to her. A man who was already drunk noticed his glass was suddenly full, shrugged and drank the liquid in it.

  Sam, Tim and Jeff had already begun their third bottle when a scantily clad woman got up on stage and did a dance number. They hollered and cheered along with most of the other men. She shook her head. The poor woman was probably no older than fifteen. She wasn’t really a woman. She was a child. How did she get stuck doing this horrible job? She heard that some women were forced into working in less than honorable jobs because they were orphans. She suddenly felt sick to her stomach. She hadn’t considered how fortunate she had been to enjoy the life her parents had worked so hard to give her.

  She stood up to leave. She didn’t care if she upset the three farmhands or not. She couldn’t sit there and watch the girl be lusted over.

  Sam turned to her. “Hey Billy, why don’t you go with her upstairs? She does more than dance.”

  Tim and Jeff chuckled.

  I’m going to throw up. These men are disgusting! She quickly prayed to God for forgiveness for making light of enjoying beer and women. In her quest to fit in with them, she had endorsed this horrible environment.

  “No thanks,” she argued. “I don’t feel well. I’m going to go outside.”

  As she made her way to the door, Tim and Jeff grabbed her.

  “We kno
w what will make you feel better,” Jeff said.

  Before she could protest, they carried her up the stairs and dumped her in front of a door.

  “You’ll thank us when you have a big smile on your face.” Tim patted her on the back.

  She was ready to run down the stairs but a woman opened the door. She was older than Kate and wore immodest clothing. “What do we have here, boys? Another costumer?” She slyly smiled at her.

  Kate cringed.

  “Poor Billy here hasn’t seen any action for awhile so we thought we’d do him a favor and bring him by.” Sam grinned. “We know you’ll find a soiled dove to take care of him.”

  “He seems a little shy,” she replied. “I’ll send him to the new girl.”

  “New? Is she a virgin?” Tim asked.

  “Won’t be after he gets through with her,” the woman replied.

  “You’re lucky, Billy. She’ll cost a pretty penny but it’ll be worth it,” Sam remarked.

  Kate shook her head. “No, I don’t think so.” She tried to bolt for the steps but the men stopped her.

  “Haven’t you ever been with a virgin?” Tim asked. “They’re the best kind to sleep with.”

  Tim and Jeff hauled her to the room where the fifteen year old was waiting for her. They threw her in and shut the door.

  Kate looked at the frightened girl and was overwhelmed by the wave of sympathy that washed over her. Lord, I am in the devil’s playground. This poor girl doesn’t belong here anymore than I do. Forgive me for making light of sinful behavior.

  There was a knock on the door. The older woman opened the door. “Remember what I told you, Chloe. Don’t take less than $5.” Then she shut the door.

  Kate looked at the window. She ran over to it. “How many floors are we up?” She threw the window open and peered out of it.

  “You...You’re not a man?” Chloe asked.

  Kate turned to her and gave her the “shush” sign. “I can’t explain the details but we need to get out of here.” She ran back to the door and quickly opened it. She noticed that the other men were making allowances for their own soiled doves. She hid her disgust and called out to them, “Now don’t wait for me. I plan to enjoy myself for a long time in here.” She hoped she sounded enthusiastic.

  Sam chuckled. “There you go, Billy boy.”

  She shut and locked the door in disgust. Those men are creeps!

  She turned to Chloe and grabbed her hand. “Come on. We have to get out of here.”

  “But I can’t,” Chloe quietly protested. “I have nowhere else to go.”

  “Nonsense.”

  “My parents are dead and I have no other relatives to care for me.”

  Kate stopped, realizing she was going to have to talk sense into this poor, scared girl. “When did they die?”

  “A couple of days ago. My uncle sold me to Beatrice.”

  “That’s the woman who just talked to you?”

  Chloe nodded.

  “I am sorry for you,” Kate told her. “I recently lost my parents too. But you can have a better life than this. Here.” Kate took out her wallet and handed the girl all the money she had. “There’s a train due to go east that will arrive here in half an hour. I want you to board it and go to Richmond, Virginia. When you get there, take a buggy to Paul and Olivia Tanner’s residence. You tell them that Kate Tanner sent you. Paul is my brother. He and Olivia will make sure you find a good, honest job.” As an afterthought, she added, “Don’t let anyone know you have all this money.”

  The girl began to cry. “Why are you doing this for me?”

  “Because you have your entire life ahead of you and it doesn’t have to be spent here. By the way, how old are you?”

  “Fourteen.”

  She shook her head, forcing her own tears from her eyes. “You’re a child. You have no business being here. My family is wealthy. You don’t need to worry about being turned away. Paul is a good man who will set you up with the right job.”

  “It’s better than being here,” the girl agreed.

  “You need to give your virginity to your husband, not to a stranger. You promise you’ll do that for me.”

  “Yes, I promise.” The girl cried into her handkerchief.

  “Do you have any decent clothes?”

  She nodded and quickly got dressed in a skirt and shirt. She put the money in her purse.

  “Good. Let’s get out of this snake pit.” She climbed out the window and helped Chloe down the side of the building.

  Once they were safely out of sight of the saloon, Kate thanked God and took the girl to the train station and saw her on the train. She wrote a quick note for Chloe to give to Paul so he would know for sure that Kate sent the girl.

  She felt much better for Chloe. She decided that she would wait for the next train going west at the train station. She had no desire to return to that saloon.

  A woman ran into the station and yelled that her house was on fire and her son was trapped in the flames. Kate didn’t think. She joined the other men to the house and saw that the house was beginning to crumble despite the many men who were pouring water on it.

  A man walked over to her. “You’re thin enough to fit through that narrow doorframe. Will you save the boy?”

  “What’s his name?” she asked.

  “Raymond.”

  She didn’t think. She simply nodded and ran through the fallen frame. She crawled through the dark and smoky house. She heard someone coughing and crying.

  “Raymond?” she yelled. She stayed still and listened.

  “Help me,” a boy cried out.

  “Keep talking. I’ll follow the sound of your voice.”

  He obeyed and kept calling out to her.

  She followed his voice until she found him huddled in the corner. She coughed and wiped the tears from her eyes. It was getting harder to breathe. Just as she crawled through the doorway of his bedroom, the door fell behind her and a flame of fire shot up behind her. It was so dark that she couldn’t see much of anything but a sliver of light from the moon that poured in through the open window.

  “Raymond?” She realized she was using her female voice but it didn’t matter in her state of panic. She had to get them out of there.

  “Over here!” a man yelled from outside the window. “Give us the boy and we’ll take him. Then we’ll pull you out.”

  She did as instructed and was greatly relieved when two men pulled her out of the burning house. She collapsed on the ground and breathed the fresh air. After several coughs, her lungs felt normal again.

  The boy’s mother ran over to her and hugged her. “Thank you, sir!” She was sobbing loudly and handed her a necklace. “It belonged to my mother, and I want you to have it. Give it to your wife.”

  “I’m not married,” Kate said, using her Billy voice again. “I don’t need it.”

  “Please, take it. It’s all I have that is worth anything.”

  “No, ma’am. You keep it. You just lost your home tonight.”

  “Will you take this teddy bear?” Raymond walked over to her and gave her his stuffed toy.

  Kate stood up and saw the four year old boy holding the bear out to her. “Raymond,” she softly began, “that bear would be better loved by you. Really, a simple thank you is all I need.”

  “You are a good man,” the mother cried. “Thank you. What is your name?”

  “Billy Ingram,” she replied.

  “If I have a boy, I’ll name him after you.”

  “You’re pregnant?”

  “Three months. I’m not showing yet.” The woman dabbed the tears from her eyes and held her son. “My husband died two months ago. My children are all I have left to remember him by.”

  “I’m sorry,” she whispered.

  “He was a good man. Raymond was his name. Thankfully, he has a namesake.” She kissed her son on the forehead. “I don’t know what I would have done if I lost my children.”

  Kate hugged her and the boy. “Do you h
ave anywhere to go?”

  “Yes. I was going to move back home to my parents. The house was for sale but it doesn’t matter now.”

  “So, do you need money?” She suddenly remembered that she no longer had any money.

  “No. We have enough at the bank. You are really a thoughtful man.”

  A man ran up to them and took their picture.

  Another man quickly followed him. “What is your name?” he asked. He held open a notebook.

  Obviously, we will be in the next day’s paper. Kate was relieved she had on her Billy disguise. She didn’t wish for anyone to find out where she was at.

  “This brave man is Billy Ingram,” the mother reported.

  Kate was startled by the sudden wave of attention from the people who surrounded them as they answered the reporter’s questions. She hadn’t expected everyone to take note of her. Even Tim, Sam and Jeff came over to her.

  “You saved a boy?” Sam looked impressed.

  “He sure did,” the mother told her. “Billy is a hero. I’ll never forget him.”

  “He’s my guardian angel,” the boy agreed.

  “Good going, Billy.” Tim patted her on the back. He almost knocked her over. He steadied her. “That smoke must have weakened you. I can’t wait to tell everyone in town about your heroic deed. It beats the other thing you were going to do.”

  “Saving lives is more important,” Jeff agreed.

  She sighed. “Yes, well, let’s get back home. I’m exhausted.”

  Chapter Twelve

  Chad knew he was in love. In the course of a couple of days, Kate had turned his world upside down. He reasoned that it was because she was the first woman who came into his life who seemed to be genuinely happy to be with him. He felt as if he had known her his entire life. It was easy to be vulnerable with her, and he didn’t fear that she would laugh at him. He longed to take her in his arms and kiss her but worried that it was too soon to act towards her in such an amorous way. He marveled that she could so easily push aside Tim, Jeff, Sam and Todd’s affections in favor of him.