Wild Sweet Love by Beverly Jenkins
Chapter 17
Teresa ran over to Madison and Molly. “Isn’t this wonderful?”
Madison couldn’t help but enjoy her happy excitement. “Yes it is.”
She gave Mrs. Nance a strong hug. “Thank you for all you’ve done for me. Thank you so much,” she gushed.
Molly held her tight. “You’re welcome, dear.”
Harper declared, “I say we move this celebration to the nearest water hole.”
The brothers shouted agreement like raucous Vikings.
Teresa asked Madison, “Do you want to come? You’re welcome to.”
He shook his head. “No, you go on with your brothers and have a good time.”
“Are you sure?”
“Positive. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
“Okay.” She gave him a fleeting look, then ran to catch up with her siblings.
On their walk back to the hotel, Molly and Madison were silent. Only when they got to Molly’s suite did she speak. “I guess we’re going to lose her,” she said sadly, taking a seat on the pale blue sofa.
“Looks that way.”
“I’m going to miss her so much.”
“I know you will.”
“It’s wonderful news for her, though.”
“Yes, it is.” And it was. It was yet another complication, but he was happy for her.
“Oh, I almost forgot,” Molly said, getting back to her feet. “I received a letter from Emma today, and she included something you need to see.” She hurried into her bedroom and came back to hand him a small folded newspaper article.
Madison opened it and read the headline:
REPUBLICAN PARTY BOSS RICHARDS KILLED
Stunned, he scanned the story. Richards had been shot to death by Charlotte Richards, the Louisiana-born mother of his three children. According to the article, Richards arrived home one evening last week accompanied by “a young female from Memphis visiting the city.” Mrs. Richards—the article mentioned his other two wives—was lying in wait and opened fire, killing him and superficially wounding his lady friend. Apparently, Mrs. Richards was sent over the edge by the delaying tactics used by Richards and his attorney to keep the case from going to court. The story ended with the news that Mrs. Richards was being held in the city jail and charged with open murder.
Madison shook his head.
Molly said, “You tried to warn that silly Paula. Sounds like she was lucky to escape with her life.”
Madison read it over again. “I hated the man, but I certainly didn’t wish him dead.”
“Apparently his wife did. I hope she has family able to care for the children.”
Madison hoped so too.
Molly looked at him and asked, “So, what are we going to do about Teresa?”
“What do you mean?”
“You’re in love with her, Madison. Have you told her?”
He didn’t respond.
“Don’t try and deny it, it’s very apparent…so have you told her?”
He shook his head. “No.”
“Do you plan to?”
“No.”
“For heaven’s sake, why not?”
“That’s between us, Mother. Please don’t meddle.”
She pursed her lips and then sighed with resignation. “All right. I’m sorry. I’m just—Never mind. I’ll stay out of it.”
“Thanks,” he said with a smile. “In the meantime, we’re still leaving as scheduled, so keep that in mind.”
“I will.”
“You sound disappointed.”
“Just when I’m starting to get the hang of things here, it’s almost time to return home. Do you know that they have both a literary society and a historical society here? There are even plans to start a lending library. I see what Teresa meant now. There’s a freshness and an excitement here that I don’t feel in the city.”
“Next, you’ll be wanting to stay.”
“Don’t think I haven’t considered it.”
That startled him. “You’re joshing, right?”
“No. I’m serious. Everyone here looks like me, and you, and Emma, and Rebecca. The town is bustling and the trains run on time. What more can one ask? The pace is a bit slower, yes, but I’m in my sixties. My days of fast living are over.”
“You’re serious, aren’t you?”
“I am. You may be between funds right now, but I’m not. I can afford to live anywhere I choose.”
She was right, of course. Molly’s father Cecil had accumulated quite a fortune as a caterer to Philadelphia’s wealthiest citizens before and immediately after the war, and the wise investments made by many of those White clients on his behalf continued to fatten his mother’s bank account. Couple those funds with the monies left to her by his father, Reynolds, and his mother had no wants. Except maybe grandchildren. He put that thought aside. “So do you want to delay going home?”
“I do, but there are two of us here. If you wish to honor our tickets and leave, that’s fine with me, but I’m going to come back here in the spring just to see if I feel the same way.”
“Fair enough. I’ve been bitten by this place too, in a way.” With his business no longer viable, he could pick up and start over wherever he chose, and why not choose here, where the race was accomplishing remarkable things and opportunity depended on nothing but one’s own entrepreneurial spirit and knowhow? Of course, if Teresa decided to live in Henry Adams instead of returning to her home in Indian Territory, that might present a problem. “I’ll think about all this and let you know what I decide.”
She nodded.
“Now, I’m going to my room. Will you be okay here alone? If Teresa comes back at all tonight, it’s likely to be very late.”
“I’ll be fine. I’ve some decorations to work on for the dance the town’s having in a few days, to benefit the school, so that should keep me occupied until bedtime. You should ask Teresa to go with you.”
“You’re meddling, Mother.”
“No, I’m not.”
He grinned. “I’ll see you at breakfast.”
She grinned too. “I didn’t ask about your foray this morning. Did you find anything to invest in?”
He thought about the land he’d seen with the trees and water. The perfect place to build a house, Teresa had declared. “A few.”
She nodded. “Okay. Good night, son.”
“’Night, Mother.”
Alone in his suite, Madison looked into the mirror hanging on the wall and stared at his reflection. This is ridiculous. He wanted Teresa, Colt and all, lady or not, pregnant or not. He couldn’t see not having her in his life for the rest of his life. His mother was right. He needed to do something about Teresa, and he needed to do it soon.
The Julys were seated at a large table inside of the Liberian Lady, the big fancy saloon on the edge of town. There weren’t many people in attendance, but the piano player’s tunes were lively enough to make the place seem full.
Harper held up his drink. “To Teri,” he said in salute. “May she be smart enough to stay out of jail from now on.”
The brothers raised their glasses. A happy Teresa shook her head but relished the tribute. She raised her own shot glass. “To the best brothers an outlaw woman could have.”
They all downed their drinks, and when their glasses were empty, they bought more. Teresa limited herself to one small shot. Last week’s hangover in Philadelphia was still very vivid. She didn’t want to ever spend another morning lying on a washroom floor. She was also a bit melancholy.
As the evening progressed and the Lady began filling up with customers, her brothers eventually drifted away from the table to sit in on poker games, play pool, and flirt with some of the saloon’s girls. She and Neil were left sitting with each other, watching the fun.
Neil asked, “Can I get you another whiskey?”
“No, I’m okay.”
He leaned over and peered into her face. “Are you sure you’re my little sister. Not like you to forgo a celebration.”
She told him about her last tequila encounter.
He nodded his understanding. “Not like you to be sick after a night of drinking either.”
“I know, but it put me on the floor the next morning.”
Neil studied her.
“Why’re you staring?”
“Just looking at you all grown up. Trying to see what’s different about you and what’s the same.”
“I’m still me, but what’s different is that I won’t be stealing anymore. Learned my lesson.”
“So have I. Working for the railroad’s not been as bad as I thought it might be. They pay well. Want me to put in a word for you?”
“Sure,” she said, shrugging. “Why not? I’ll be needing a job now that I’m staying.” The idea of not having to go back East made her extremely happy, but the knowledge that she’d more than likely never see Mrs. Nance or Madison again left her unsettled.
“What’s the matter?”
“A little unhappy about having to leave Mrs. Nance. She’s been like an angel. I’ll miss her a lot.”
“And her son?”
Teresa met Neil’s eyes then slowly looked away. “I’ll miss Madison too. He’s been very kind.” Thinking about him and all they’d shared, she added softly, “Very kind.”
“Do you have feelings for him?” he asked gently.
She nodded. “I do, but nothing’s going to come of them. Two different worlds. Where he’s from, women don’t get drunk on tequila, or fight in the middle of the street.”
“So you think you’re not good enough for him?”
“Of course I’m good enough, I’m just not right for him. There’s a difference.”
“Have you told him how you feel?”
“Sort of, but like I said, it doesn’t matter. He’s going back to Philadelphia and I’m staying here. End of story.” Only fairy tales had happy endings.
Neil placed a brotherly hand over hers. “It’ll work out.”
“I know, but it probably won’t be in the way I wish.”
“You never know. Who’d have ever thought I’d fall in love with a real lady like Olivia?”
Teresa rolled her eyes. “I’m not in love, Neil. I saw what love did to you, and I don’t want any part of that.”
He sat back and folded his arms. “Oh really?”
Teresa snorted. “Love? Please. I don’t mean any disrespect, but there is no way in hell I would have put my life in Judge Parker’s hands because I was in love with some man.”
“No, you put your life in his hands because you were a hot-headed know it all, and where did it get you?”
She evaded his mocking eyes.
He told her, “At least my reasons were sincere. Olivia was and is the best thing to ever happen to me. I thank the Ancestors for her love every day. Maybe if you’re lucky, you’ll get to feel that way about someone too.”
She felt an inch tall.
Pleased that he’d made his point, he drained his glass. “Now, I see Diego taking a seat at the poker table. Think I’ll join the game and help Shafts and Harp clean out his big fat billfold.”
“Big fat billfold. Diego rob a bank?”
“Nope. Baby brother owns a Yukon gold mine.”
“What?”
But Neil was already moving away, and she was left with her mouth hanging open. Teresa knew better than to demand an explanation while her brothers were playing cards, and for sure Diego wouldn’t take kindly to having his business aired in the middle of a saloon. But a gold mine! She made a mental note to collar him later.
In the meantime, she sat and brooded. Neil had a way of cutting a person so smoothly they didn’t even know they were bleeding until after he’d gone, and that’s how she felt. He’d sliced her up in his gentle big brother way, leaving her to deal with the aftermath, which for her was to acknowledge that what he’d received in return for his capitulation to Judge Parker far exceeded her own. In exchange for turning himself in, Neil had been sentenced to work for the railroads, which meant he didn’t have to go to jail and maybe lose his beloved Olivia while he was gone. She, on the other hand, had not only refused to work for the railroads, period, but went back to robbing trains soon after Neil’s trial, all but daring the authorities to hunt her down and bring her in. They had, of course, and where Neil’s reasons had been sincere and genuine, hers were rooted in hubris.
He has the silence inside that you need.
The words of Tamar haunted her and turned her thoughts to Madison. Everything about him made her smile, from his buttoned-up suits to his scandalous use of orange marmalade. Was he her silence? Olivia was definitely Neil’s silence. A person only had to know the Neil of before to see how being in love had affected both his personality and outlook on life. Now, she wondered if Madison or someone like him could do the same for her, and if maybe this whole love business wasn’t so loco after all.
Sumner Booth stepped into the saloon, and all the Julys looked up. Eyes followed him as he walked over to the bar, ordered from the barkeep, and took his glass. He turned toward Teresa, who was now standing a few feet away making small talk with Handy from the livery. Booth quickly tossed his drink down and slammed the glass down on the bar top. “Teresa, that was a terrible thing you did to young Anderson.”
“Was that his name?” she asked calmly. “He was so busy calling me out of my mine, I never caught his.”
“He’s got a cracked sternum, three busted ribs, and lost a bunch of teeth. Doc said he’ll be drinking from a straw for months.”
“Well, good. Tell him I send my regards.” She turned away.
“I want my money, July.”
She sighed. “Sumner, if you tell me that one more time, I swear I’m going to plug you.”
“You shorted me.”
“Dammit, I did not. Even if I did owe you, I’m flat broke. I just got out of jail, remember?”
He paid for another drink. “Your fancy boyfriend and his mama look pretty flush. Get it from them.”
Teresa held onto the last of her temper. “First of all, he’s not my boyfriend, fancy or otherwise, and second, if you go anywhere near them, I will shoot you—on the spot.”
He downed his drink and slid the glass to the keep. “This ain’t the end. I’m getting my money, one way or another.” He looked out at the Julys staring his way with hard eyes, and said again, “One way or another.” Then he walked out.
The next morning when Teresa got out of bed, Mrs. Nance had already left the suite. Teresa had gotten in pretty late and was still a bit bleary-eyed. The note she found on one of the front tables said Molly and Madison were at breakfast and that she was welcome to join them if she cared to. She appreciated the invite and thought that if they were still in the dining room when she got downstairs, she’d sit and have some coffee. Since returning here last week, the hearty breakfast she was accustomed to eating each morning seemed to upset her stomach. The only thing she could attribute it to was maybe the change in locale and altitude, but she figured whatever the distress was related to, it would be made right eventually.
Madison and his mother were still eating when she walked into the dining room. “’Morning, everybody.”
Madison gestured her to a chair. “Join us.”
“Thanks. How are you two?”
Molly took a sip of her coffee and then set the cup down. “We’re fine. Did you have fun last night?”
“I did.” Her eyes were on Madison and his were on her. “Are you looking at properties today?”
“Yes, but in town. The mercantile down the street. Sophie says the owner is looking to sell. What are you doing this morning?”
“Riding. How about you, Mrs. Nance?”
“I’m going to help Olivia and her committee finish up the decorations for the dance tomorrow evening.”
Teresa asked, “Is this the one for the school?” She’d seen the posters tacked up around town.
“Yes. Are you going?”
She shrugged. “Hadn’t thought about it, really.”
“Madison is looking for someone to escort.”
Madison choked on his coffee. Shooting daggers at his lovable but meddling mother, he picked up his napkin and wiped his mouth.
Witnessing Madison’s reaction, Teresa was sure Mrs. Nance was playing matchmaker again, so she asked him, “Is that true?”
“Yes, it is,” he lied. The time had come to put his cards on the table. He was determined not to lose her. “Would you like to go?”
Teresa sensed he was up to something, but she didn’t know what. “Okay, I’ll bite. Yes, I’ll go. I’ll even wear one of the fancy gowns your mother insisted we bring along, and you can pick up my brothers’ eyeballs.”
He chuckled. “You have a deal.”
Molly asked, “Did Madison ever teach you how to waltz?”
Teresa eyes were still on Madison. “No.”
“Well, you should learn between now and the dance.”
“Fine.”
Madison asked, “Shall we meet here around two and practice?”
“Okay.” She stood. “I’ll see you then. ’Bye, Mrs. Nance.”
After her departure, Mrs. Nance said, “See how easy that was?”
Madison shook his head at her antics and poured himself more coffee.
The price the owner wanted for the mercantile was reasonable, but Madison wasn’t sure if Ben wanted to own a general store. Of course, he could hire one of the locals to run the place for him, so he added the store to the list of other prospects. He’d notified Ben by wire about what he’d found and was waiting for his reply.
At two that afternoon he knocked on the door to the suite Teresa and his mother were sharing. Teresa opened the door. The sight of her dressed in a skirt and blouse threw him for a moment. She looked like she’d look back home.
Noticing his reaction, Teresa looked down at herself and said, “I figured if I’m going to be wearing a gown to the dance, I should probably practice in this instead of my leathers.”
Seeing her dressed that way made the memories of her in his bed rush back. “That’s a good idea,” he managed to say evenly. “Are you ready?”
“Yeah. Come on in.” She stepped aside and he entered.
“Is Mother here?”
“Nope. I left her over at Olivia’s. She put my brothers to work cutting out doilies for the tables. They were not happy about it.”
“I’ll bet they weren’t.”
For Madison it was good being alone with her again, in spite of the issues between them; issues he wanted resolved so they could move on.
“How do we start?” Teresa asked. Being alone with him was so heady, her heart was already pounding.
“Like this.” He placed one hand lightly on her waist, and with the other took her hand in his and raised it in the air. He then walked her through the steps. “One, two, three. One, two, three.”
It wasn’t complex and Teresa caught on quickly. As he increased the pace, she said delightedly, “This isn’t hard at all.”
“No, it’s not.”
So they waltzed all over the suite, back and forth, past the windows and around the furniture. Their gazes were locked, their steps in perfect sync. He then taught her the waltz glide, which was the Negro version of the dance. The steps were basically the same, but it was a bit more rhythmic and a lot less stiff than the original.
As they practiced the glide, Teresa could feel his hand burning her waist through the fabric of her skirt and could smell his cologne. Although she had denied being in love while talking to Neil last night, she’d already admitted the truth to herself, she just hadn’t wanted to acknowledge it. She was a lady outlaw, or at least she used to be, and women like her didn’t confess to having a weakness for any man. But her weakness toward one Madison Nance was turning into the damnedest experience of her life.
The sound of a key in the lock slowed their steps, and when Mrs. Nance entered, Madison’s hands were still positioned.
She smiled their way. “Good. I see you two are practicing. How are things going?”
“Just fine,” Teresa said, feeling Madison’s hands drop away and wishing he were still holding her.
He asked, “Done with the decorations?”
“No, my doily cutters staged a mutiny. Olivia wants everyone to come to dinner so we can finish it all after we eat.”
“How much is left to do?”
“There’s still a bit. I came back here to change my skirt. I’ve paint all over the front.” She showed them the big black splotches.
“How’d it happen?” Teresa asked.
“Your brothers, of course.”
Teresa echoed with resignation, “Of course.”
“Diego and Shafts were flicking brushes at each other. It was all good-natured fun, but I was caught in the cross fire.”
Teresa said, “Let me change out of this skirt and we can walk over together.”
“Good idea. I’ll get out of this paint-stained one and be right back.”
After Molly disappeared into the bedroom, Teresa looked up at Madison. “You didn’t have other plans for the evening, did you?”
“Nope.”
The look in his eyes was making her nipples stand. “I’ll go change.”
“I’ll be here.”
After yet another satisfying dinner courtesy of the July brothers, they were spread out all over the house and in Olivia’s dress shop in front, working on the decorations, when they heard from the street, “Teresa July! Get your ass out here!”
It was Sumner Booth, and he sounded drunk.
Teresa, in the kitchen working with Harper and Madison, looked up from the stack of doilies she was counting, and she was sure steam could be seen pouring out of her ears. She’d had it. Getting to her feet, she snatched her gun belt off the table and headed to the door.
Harper said calmly, “Put the gun belt down.”
“I’m going to settle this once and for all.”
“Put it down, Teresa,” Madison echoed.
Teresa left the kitchen and stalked into the parlor that led to Olivia’s shop at the front of the house.
In the parlor, Neil looked up. “Where the hell you think you’re going?”
She kept walking.
By then the massive frames of Two Shafts and Diego were blocking her exit.
“Get out of my way,” she told them.
Of course they didn’t. “Put the belt down and we will,” Two Shafts told her.
“Step aside,” she demanded.
From outside, Sumner hollered again, “Damn you, July! Come out or I’m coming in.”
Standing in the door of the shop and looking out at him, Olivia said over her shoulder, “He’s so drunk he can barely sit his horse.”
Neil shook his head at the fire in his sister’s eyes. “Teri, put the belt down. Booth’s not worth going back to prison for.”
Madison and Harper had followed her into the room, and seeing Madison’s tensely set face, Neil said, “Would you hurry up and marry this woman so we can turn the reins over to you? We’re getting too old for this.”
“Hey,” Harper chimed in. “Speak for yourself.”
Teresa was staring at them as if they’d lost their minds. “Madison isn’t marrying me.”
“Sure I am.”
Her eyes narrowed. “No, you’re not.”
“Yeah, I am. I love you, Teresa.” Madison knew this was neither the time nor the place to do this, but he didn’t care. “Marry me.”
Teresa shook her head. “The only reason you’re saying that is because you think I might be carrying.”
In unison, the July men shouted, “What?”
Wrong thing to say.
Madison found himself under intense scrutiny, but he ignored them and spoke to Teresa. “My reasons for wanting you to be my wife have nothing to do with that.”
“Teresa July!” Sumner called out drunkenly.
Neil snapped, “Will somebody please take care of that yahoo so we can get this settled?”
Shafts smiled coldly. “Thought you’d never ask,” and he left the room.
Madison walked over to Teresa and looked down into her sullen face. “Marry me, Angel.”
The last word resonated through every inch of her body with such power it melted her anger. “You know that’s not fair.”
He smiled fondly. “Have to use what I can.”
“I’m not marrying you, Madison. You want a fancy lady.”
“No. I want you.”
Teresa could see everyone staring shamelessly. She shook her head again. “No.”
Neil had had enough. “Dammit, girl, the man just proposed. Who else is going to be loco enough to want to give you their name?”
A snarling Olivia snapped, “Stay out of this, Neil July.”
Diego said, “But Neily’s right, Livy. It’s not like she’s got a barn full of suitors begging for her hand.”
Harper drawled, “She going to give him fits, but I’m putting my money on him.”
“Would you all shut the hell up!” Teresa demanded, fire in her eyes. Wishing she’d been born an only child, she looked up at Madison. The humor in his eyes didn’t help.
He said again, “I love you, Teresa July. I really and truly do.”
She was totally unprepared for any of this. Did he really love her? He certainly looked sincere. She looked over at Molly, who had tears in her eyes. Teresa turned back to Madison. “Give me a few days to think about this.”
“So you can talk yourself out of how I know you feel? No. I need your answer, now. In a few days, I’ll be heading back to Philadelphia.”
Teresa thought about not having him in her life. Could she stand it? She knew she loved this man more than she loved Cloud, walking trains, and her dumb-butt brothers, but could a marriage between such different people really work? Once again she thought about a life that didn’t have him in it, and knew what she had to say. “Okay, city boy. You got yourself a wife.”
Cheers went up. Not caring who watched, a happy Madison pulled her close and kissed her until she saw stars.
Two Shafts came back inside, and hearing all the noise, asked, “What did I miss?”
Neil said gleefully, “Brother, we’re having a wedding.”
Shafts looked at the happy Madison and then at his baby sister and grinned. “About damn time.”
Olivia asked him, “What did you do about Sumner Booth?”
“Grabbed him off of his horse, tied his shirt around his face, put him back in the saddle, and slapped the horse’s rump. He’s probably halfway to Topeka by now.”
Molly stared.
Olivia saw the look. “Molly, if you’re going to be family, you’re going to have to get accustomed to the way the Julys play with their prey.”
Molly still looked stunned.
Teresa added, “And don’t worry. We never play with family.”
Everyone laughed, and Madison hugged the smiling Teresa close to his side. Things were going to be all right from now on.