Here Comes the Bride (18 page)

Her only other choice was taking a room at the hotel for now until she could make other arrangements. There must be one decent person in town who would rent her a room, she’d just have to ask around is all. Of course, if her new reputation hadn’t already preceded her, it might be easier; nevertheless, she would somehow make do.

With a lift of her chin and a wipe of her eyes, she began the walk back into town. She would make this work if it was the last thing she did.

The Porter Creek Hotel was far worse than Tess ever could have imagined. The man at the desk, who said his name was Jasper and refused to offer anything further by way of introduction, openly leered at her as she wrote her name in the register.

“Yer in luck there, lass,” he grinned at her through blackened teeth. “I gots one empty room left, but if’n someone else comes a’lookin’ for a room, yer gonna hafta double up.”

Jasper made his way out from behind the desk, his huge belly straining against the confines of his grease-stained shirt and belt buckle. Sweat—yesterday’s and today’s—dripped from his thick brow and chin, as his beefy hand reached for the key hanging behind him.

“Come on then,” he grunted, leading Tess through what might be considered a lobby.

Red and gold carpeting, threadbare in most spots, covered the wooden floor, and a huge potted fern stood dying in the far corner of the room. The one window in the room faced the street, but the grime and filth was too thick to see through it anyway. As such, the room remained dingy and depressing even in the full light of day.

Tess followed Jasper up a flight of stairs and down the hall to the last room on the left. The door opened grudgingly into the most disgusting sight Tess had ever seen.

The room couldn’t have been bigger than most pantries. She didn’t dare do it, but she was certain if she stood in the middle, she would have been able to touch the walls on either side of her. The pillow-less bed, or rather, cot, was pushed up against the north wall, right underneath the tiny, curtainless window. A thin stained sheet covered the sagging mattress and a small round table stood against the adjacent wall, barely large enough to support the chipped blue enamel chamber set that sat on it. A motley framed mirror hung above it, complete with a long, thick crack running the entire length of it diagonally. The bare floor had obviously not seen a broom in more days than Tess cared to consider, and the thought of what was probably living in the room with her sent a rolling shudder down her spine.

She could put up with a lot of things, but a rat was not one of them.

“Dollar a week,” Jasper nodded. “In advance.”

Tess pulled one of Gabe’s silver dollars from her pocket and dropped it in his outstretched hand.

“I don’t allow no carryin’ on in these rooms,” he said matter-of-factly, amazing Tess by saying it with a straight face. “You keep your men out of my hotel.”

Tess’s hand pressed against her mouth, fighting back the bile that began to build in her throat. If he didn’t stop breathing on her, she was most certainly going to lose her dinner on his already dilapidated shoes. He stared at her for a moment longer, then handed her the key and walked out, leaving her to stare about herself in horrifying despair. This was not what she had planned—not even close.

It was then Tess realized how exhausted she was. The work at the restaurant had proved tiring, but it was exhilarating too, knowing she was working toward her goal, each hour worked putting her that much closer to making her dream a reality. The confrontations with both Miss Lutz and Miss Hattie, however, had left her drained and weary. What she needed was a little bit of food and a good night’s sleep, but she still had plenty of work to do first.

With key in hand, she closed the door behind her and boldly walked out of the hotel and into the mercantile. A pale young girl smiled weakly and offered her assistance in cutting the length of white flannel Tess requested and then wrapped it up along with a bar of honey-scented soap and a small oil lamp, complete with whale oil.

“I don’t suppose you sell brooms?” Tess asked as she paid for her purchase.

The girl shook her head. “Pa forgot to get some last time. Be another couple weeks ’fore he gets any more goods.”

Tess sighed. “You wouldn’t have one I could borrow, would you? Just for a few minutes?”

The girl didn’t answer, just stared blankly.

“I’m only taking it to the hotel for a moment,” Tess explained. “I need to sweep out my room so I can see what’s there. Not that I really want to know, I’ll admit, but it’s better than not knowing, don’t you think?”

The girl still did not answer, but reached for the broom and handed it to Tess.

“Thank you.” She smiled. “I’ll have it back to you in a shake.”

She hurried back to her room and set to work. She ripped off a small square of the flannel, dipped it in the murky water of the chamber bowl, and scrubbed the grit from the window. It was truly amazing how much light such a small window could let in.

With that completed, she rinsed the cloth and took to washing down the walls, the table and the mirror, and finally, the chamber set itself. When she finished, she took the broom and swept the floor until new blisters formed on her hands. She pushed the filth out into the hallway and closed the door again. The remaining flannel was soon transformed into a plain curtain and matching sheet for the bed with enough left to lay over her as a blanket. It wasn’t much to look at, but it was a darn sight better than it was an hour before.

She returned the broom to the girl at the store and made her way back to Miss Lutz’s restaurant. She needed to eat and since there was nowhere else . . .

An unfamiliar woman greeted her with a weary smile and a cup of coffee.

“Hi,” Tess smiled back. “I’m Tess. Miss Lutz hired me for the breakfast and lunch shifts.”

“Lucky you,” she chuckled. “I’m Lily, it’s nice to meet you.”

Her white-blond hair, held back in a single plait by a raveling pink ribbon, needed a good brushing, and her moss green eyes appeared almost lifeless behind the dark circles that shadowed them. Her smile was friendly enough, though, and her hands and face had been scrubbed pink.

“How long have you worked here?” Tess asked, eager to make a new friend.

“Seems like forever,” Lily whispered back, “but it’s only been a couple months, since my Charlie passed.”

“Oh,” Tess sighed. “I’m sorry.”

“Not your fault,” she smiled sadly. “He’s the one who got himself drunker ’n a skunk and fell into the creek. Weren’t for the little ones, I’d hardly notice he was gone.”

“You have children? How many?”

“Three.” Lily’s face lit up like the north star. “Betsy, Fredrick, and little Aggie. She was a year last week.”

“My goodness,” Tess breathed. “How do you manage with three children, a home and having to work? You must be run ragged.”

Lily chuckled sadly. “My kids are the only thing that keep me going everyday. I’d be workin’ the breakfast and lunch shifts if I could, but I have to wait for Betsy to get home from school before I can leave. She’s such a good girl, watchin’ over her little brother and sister.”

“How old is she?”

“Just turned nine.”

Tess inhaled sharply. The poor thing was still a child herself and already she was forced to take on the responsibilities of a grown woman.

“Lily!” Miss Lutz’s voice sliced through the restaurant. “It doesn’t matter that she is the only customer, there is still work to be done. Now take her order and move on.”

Tess fought back the urge to stick her tongue out at the nasty woman, but Lily, who stood with her back to Miss Lutz, grinned openly.

“Not exactly the warmest woman in the world, is she?” Lily whispered.

“I’ve met warmer December mornings.”

Lily didn’t even try to suppress her laughter. “It’s going to be so nice having someone on my side.”

Tess caught sight of Miss Lutz glaring at them from the kitchen doorway.

“If I don’t get us both fired first,” Tess whispered back. “I’ll have a ham sandwich, please, with a glass of milk.”

Lily nodded and hesitated a moment before she left.

“Don’t let her get to you,” she said quietly. “I know who you are and what she thinks about you, but it’s none of her business. It ain’t anybody’s business, Tess, except yours. Remember that, because this town is awful small and it seems everybody thinks they’re better ’n everybody else. You just keep your chin up and pay no mind to what she thinks.”

Tess couldn’t speak past the lump in her throat. She forced a smile, but it only served to push out the tears that shimmered against her lower lids. She wiped them away quickly and looked down at the table. Lily patted her shoulder gently and walked away to the kitchen.

A friend, Tess thought. That’s exactly what she needed after the day she’d had. Now if she could find a different place to stay. A wave of guilt immediately washed over her. Here she was feeling sorry for herself when poor Lily had three children and a house to look after and no husband to help her. Well, if Lily could make it work and keep a smile on her face, then so could she.

She took a deep breath, wiped away the last tear, and lifted her chin. Her circumstances could be a lot worse, that was for certain, so she would make the best of what she had to work with and carry on.

Lily returned with her meal and refilled Tess’s coffee cup.

“I’m done here in a few minutes,” she said. “Would you mind if I joined you for a cup of coffee?”

“I’d like that.” Tess smiled.

Lily returned to her duties, wiping up the last of the tables and setting out the cutlery for the next day. When she finished, she untied her apron and disappeared into the kitchen, returning a moment later with a steaming cup of coffee in one hand and a small bowl of pea soup in the other.

They huddled over the table, keeping their voices low.

“How long’ve you been in town?” Lily asked.

“Less than a week. I was staying out at El Cielo with the Calloways, but . . .” Tess stopped.

“Tess, you don’t have to explain anything to me. Like I said, it’s none of my business or anyone else’s.” She reached out to cover Tess’s arm with a dry, callused hand. “If you want to tell me about it, I’m happy to listen, but . . .”

“No,” Tess hurried to explain. “It’s nothing like that. It’s . . .” Again she stopped.

Lily looked up from her bowl, a knowing look coming over her face. “Which one is it?” she asked.

“Which one is what?”

The other woman’s eyes flooded with emotion—sympathy, empathy, and experience.

“Which one of them Calloway boys are you in love with?”

Tess’s chin dropped. “How did you know?”

“There ain’t a woman in the world who’d stay in a place like Porter Creek, working for a woman like Pauline Lutz, unless there was something—or someone—holding her here. So which one—Bart or Gabe?”

Tess’s face flamed. “I . . . I . . . oh, heavens, it’s Gabriel.”

Lily sat back in her chair and crossed her arms over her chest. “Thought so. Does he know?”

“Oh, yes,” she sighed. “He knows all right. I’ve made it abundantly clear to him how I feel, but all he can think about is getting me on the first stage out of town.”

“Mm-hmm.” Lily nodded.

“I guess I should have played coy with him or something,” Tess admitted. “But I don’t believe in playing foolish games. Life is too precious and far too short to waste time pretending you don’t feel something when you really do. I guess it doesn’t matter, though, does it? All I managed to do was make him angry and more determined to get me out of his life.”

“And yet here you are, still in town, with a job.”

“Yes.” She nodded frankly. “I’m determined to save myself enough money to buy my own place and live off the land.”

Lily eyed her carefully for a moment before she spoke. “You’re serious, aren’t you?”

“Absolutely. Do you think I’d be working here and living at the hotel next door if I wasn’t?”

“You’re living at the hotel?” Lily gasped. “Good Lord, Tess, that place is worse than hell itself!”

“I know,” she sighed. “But Miss Hattie . . .”

Lily’s tongue clicked loudly. “The old boot wouldn’t rent you a room, would she?”

Tess shook her head.

“That nosy old woman should have her secrets aired to the whole world and then we’d see who was considered ‘respectable.’”

“Oh, Lily, I can’t really blame her. After all, I did stay at El Cielo without a chaperone. . . .”

“What about Rosa? She lives there too.”

“Yes.” Tess smiled. “Rosa is wonderful, but I guess she’s not considered proper either since she and Miguel have never actually married.”

“Oh pish! They don’t make women any better than Rosa, I don’t care what anyone says. She raised those two boys like they were her own, and despite their faults, she did a darn fine job.”

Tess pursed her lips. “Can I ask you something, Lily?”

“Of course.”

“Every time the Calloway name came up today, both with Miss Lutz and Miss Hattie, it was greeted with a sniff and a look of disdain. Why is that?”

Lily grinned wickedly. “It’s a toss-up between old man Calloway and Bart. The old man drank himself stupid after Emma died. And Bart, well, he was a bit of a wild one growing up. Seen more than his fair share of women come and go. The old biddies in town blame him for ruining more than a few of their precious young girls. But if you ask me, it takes two to make an argument, and I didn’t see any of them precious young girls telling him no.”

Tess couldn’t help but grin; Bart did have a certain charm about him.

“But what about Gabriel?” she asked tentatively. “Was he the same?”

“Gabe? Lord no! Straight as an arrow, that boy. In fact, I’ve only ever known two or three women who have ever gotten close to him, and none since highfalutin Catarina left him.”

“Then why do the ladies in town consider him to be such a rogue?”

“Guilty by virtue of his name, Tess. After his mama died, his pa sort of fell by the wayside, keeping company with Dottie and her girls over at the saloon. And then came Bart with his charm and his way with the ladies. The Calloway name eventually lost the respect it once commanded. Nothin’ Gabe did or didn’t do.”