The Green Lace Corset, стр. 14
She ran her hand along a blue, yellow, and red posy print. “How about this one?”
Danica pulled it from the stack and carried it to the counter. “You have good taste. It’s very pretty, and practical, too, because it won’t show the dirt as much.”
Oh, for heaven’s sake.
“How much do you want?”
“Five yards.” Sally Sue made her way to the door and watched Cliff and Darrel stop in front of the saloon. Cliff held open the swinging doors for Darrel, but he shook his head and they continued on.
“Where’s the livery?” Sally Sue asked. Perhaps she could make it to the sheriff while they were there.
“Down the road a spell.”
“Past the jail?”
“Just on the other side.”
Sally Sue would need to wait before she could hurry to the sheriff.
10
A blond little one dashed across the room and stopped in front of her. “Hellooo.”
“Aren’t you a big boy?” Sally Sue smiled.
His bright eyes stared at her. “Pitty.”
“Do you mean ‘pretty’? Thank you kindly.” Her heart melted, and she wanted to gather him in her arms.
“How old are you?” she asked.
“I’s three.” He propped a thumb on top of his pinky finger and held up his hand.
“Isaiah, don’t bother Mrs. Canyon.” Danica shook her head.
“Oh, he’s fine.”
Isaiah rummaged in his overall pockets and pulled out his hand.
“What have you got there?” Sally Sue knelt down.
“Marblie.” He handed it to her.
She studied it—“It’s a beautiful blue marble”—and tried to give it back to him.
He pushed her hand away. “You keep. Blue like sky.”
Danica nodded and grinned.
He pointed to her head.
“My hat?” Sally Sue untied the ribbon, removed her bonnet, and held it out to him.
He patted the silk flowers. “Isaiah wear?”
Sally Sue set it on the boy’s head, tilted it back, and tied the bow. She smiled as he ran in a circle, halted at the mirror, and giggled at his reflection. The bonnet toppled off his head.
“Oopsy-daisy.” She picked it up off the floor.
“Oopsy-daisy.” He giggled again, cocked his head, and ran out the door.
In her new boots, Sally Sue followed him down the steps as a stagecoach created ruts in the mud and the snorting horse pulled up and stopped in front of the hotel. A cowboy lurched out of the coach and made his way across to the saloon. Sally Sue ran back inside the mercantile, snatched her basket, hurried down the steps, and stopped.
Mr. Bjork unloaded a trunk off the top of the coach and carried it into the hotel. She scanned the street to make certain Cliff wasn’t nearby. As quickly as possible, despite her tight skirt, she made a beeline to the stagecoach.
The driver, with a scraggly mustache and a floppy hat, held the door open for her. “Ma’am, where’s your luggage?”
She held up her basket and handed him a few coins. “I travel light.”
“Runnin’ away, are you?” He chortled.
“Maybe.” She feigned a flirtatious giggle.
He blushed and closed the door.
She breathed more easily and sat back in the empty coach, offering a silent prayer of thanks to God. It seemed to take forever before the stagecoach began to roll down the street.
From outside a man yelled, “Hold the coach!”
It slowed down and stopped, and the door flew open. Mr. Bjork pointed a rifle at her. “Here she is,” he called.
“Where’re you off to?” Cliff, out of breath, said from behind Mr. Bjork.
Her heart flip-flopped in her chest. “I need to get back to Ma and Auntie.”
Cliff glowered. “This coach is going west, not east, darling.”
“Oh, my stars and garters.” Even though her heart was beating fast, she forced a laugh. “Silly me. I meant west.”
Cliff gently pushed Mr. Bjork’s gun down and spoke to him. “Thank you kindly. I’ll take care of her from here.”
Mr. Bjork stepped back. She heard Darrel’s voice outside the stagecoach. “Can you take Mr. and Mrs. Canyon and their supplies to Sven’s place to pick up their wagon and horses?”
“Be happy to.”
Cliff settled in beside her, and they rode up the street to the mercantile. As he got out, Sally Sue followed him, but he lightly pushed her back inside.
“Let me go,” she squealed.
“I can’t do that, darling.” He slammed the door and closed the leather curtains.
She crossed her arms. She had no option but to wait while Cliff helped load their goods on top of the coach. Everyone in town by now believed she had suffered some kind of breakdown.
Cliff piled in a few crates, then climbed in and sat across from her.
Darrel handed him one filled with apples. “These are complimentary. Good luck.”
Cliff put the crate beside him on the seat and shook Darrel’s hand. “Thanks. I’ll pay up at the end of the month.”
“Sure thing.” Darrel closed the door and hit the side of the coach.
Sally Sue sat back as they pulled out of town. “Let me go. I’ll just be a burden to you. I won’t tell anybody who you are.” She folded her hands under her chin.
“We’re going to the homestead.”
Her eyes opened wide. “But that’s out in the middle of nowhere.”
“That’s the point.”
She sat back with a groan. The dark, stuffy coach smelled of musty leather, sweat, and grime. It picked up speed and began to rock back and forth.
Cliff put his saddlebag on top of a mail pouch, picked up her feet, and slid them over it. “This should make you more comfortable. It might be a rough ride.”
“I’ll be fine.” She stared at the saddlebags. Was the money in there?
He pulled an apple from the crate and offered her one. Even though she was hungry, she shook her head. She wouldn’t give him the satisfaction of taking anything from him.
“Suit yourself.” He shined the apple on his thigh, took a big bite, chewed, swallowed slowly, and licked his lips, then pulled his Stetson over his eyes.
Famished, she grabbed an apple from the bin and munched it down fast. Soon, the