Banking on Temperance (23 page)

He sniffed the air as he walked down the sidewalk, lost in thought.
Spring’s coming, I can smell it. I should decide once and for all, what I’m going to do with Temperance.

He didn’t falter in his decision to test her to prove to himself, and to her, that she could handle the wagon. Then, if she passed his test, he’d ask her to marry him and offer to take her family on the train. He finished the last of the cigar he had lit up in the bank, and drew the tobacco smoke deeply into his lungs. Yep, it was time for Jake to marry, and he could think of no one he’d rather be with than Temperance Jones.

• • •

In the next few weeks, Basil anxiously kept track of signs of snowmelt. He walked to the shores of the river daily, knowing the wagon trains would soon be on their way out of town. Temperance was stubborn enough to tag along behind the trains, if Jake refused to give her a proper spot within the train. And that thought made Basil’s blood run cold.

While he paced the city streets, he thought about Temperance and her family. Hell, he had thought of nothing else since the night he told her to leave before he lost control and took her virginity. Was Ginger right? He groaned as he ran a hand over his face. God forbid he should take advice from his younger sister. He was always the one who took care of her. Lately, though, it seems their roles had shifted. She had been right about Joseph, and he had been too stubborn to see it. In fact, he was the one who forced them apart, until a disaster brought them back together. He’d been an ass, and she called him on it.

Was he that slow? Or that rigid? Did he really think he should pass up the opportunity for true happiness with Temperance simply because she and her large family were a package deal? He hated to think that a man would pass over one of his own sisters simply because she came from a large family. Big families were expected. It was part of what made America the great country that it was. So why was he letting it get in the way? What kind of twisted logic was he employing when it came to Temperance, anyway?

Besides, hadn’t her family already wound their way into his heart? Could he possibly say goodbye to all of them and watch them head off into the West where he’d never see them again? He wouldn’t be able to ever again play with Noble and enjoy his wide-eyed expression every time he found a new species of animal to touch. Or Faith, who reminded him so much of his own little sister, Saffron, back in New York.

Having the Jones family here helped ease the pangs of homesickness and loneliness that sometimes overtook him. He smiled when he thought of Prudence and Etienne, who were growing to love one another, even though they were so young. Could he watch that budding relationship be torn apart simply to fulfill a desire of a dead man? Was Basil so selfish, so set in his ways, that he’d let that happen? And what about Martha Jones? The last time she was in town, he noticed she was well along on her pregnancy. She would probably give birth in the back of their wagon before they were on the trail more than a week or two.

Childbirth was one of the leading causes of death for a woman under the best of conditions. Was that the best possible circumstance for her? Martha Jones could tell it wasn’t, but she would go along with Temperance’s wishes in spite of her feelings, he was certain.

Goddamn it, Ginger was right. He had been taking care of the Jones family ever since that first day in the bank. He enjoyed getting to know them, and relished his role as their protector. And he had so wanted, on that fateful night in January, to destroy Temperance’s reputation just so they would be forced to get married. Then the decision of what to do would have been taken from him, and he would gladly accept the responsibility of the entire Jones family along with Temperance, to pay penance for his actions.

I am a coward
. Basil stopped at the riverfront and stared at the water.
Holy hell. I’m just a big chicken. All my life, I’ve been finding the easy way of doing things. My job’s been handed to me by Father. I’ve dallied with actresses and dance hall girls because they don’t expect anything from me other than money and a good romp for one night. And the easy way now is to say goodbye to the Jones family and Temperance and turn my back on them once they leave. Maybe it’s time to become the man Ginger would prefer to have for a brother. And the man Temperance deserves to have as a partner. Am I strong enough to admit to the world that I’m a cad? Can I do it?

Ginger thought he could. He wasn’t so sure.

“Are you and Jake going out again?” Martha Jones studied her daughter as she combed her hair.

“Yes, Ma, we are. He’s coming out to the Lafontaine ranch to look at the horses and decide how many to buy. I’m going to help him pick the best ones, and then we’re going to have dinner at the public house, even though it is my night off from there.”

“You two have become mighty friendly pretty fast, don’t you think? Whatever happened to proper courting?”

Temperance glanced at her mother. “Things are different on the frontier, Ma. Jake explained it to me. Things are more uncertain here, and it’s best not to dally, if you know something’s right. Besides, you see what luck I’ve had with proper courting so far. Jeremiah lost interest in me long before he got around to thinking about marriage. Maybe I’m the kind of woman who needs to marry fast, before my intended discovers who I truly am.”

Martha stood beside her daughter and smoothed her hair. “Your ‘intended’ needs to know your strength of character before you marry. And to be aware of what a wonderful woman you are. Maybe your strong temperament will put some men off, but they’re not the men for you, then. You need someone who’s just as resilient and capable as you are. That’s the only way to find true happiness. You can’t try to be someone you’re not. Here, why don’t you sit and let me comb your hair? How long has it been since we’ve done that?”

Temperance sat in front of her mother. “It’s been a long time. But I used to love it. We never seem to have the time for small pleasures these days.”

Martha Jones ran the brush through Temperance’s hair. She leaned over and sniffed. “That new shampoo you’re using smells nice.” She straightened again and began to brush all the snarls from her daughter’s hair. “You have been working awfully hard since we pulled into St. Louis. I feel bad about the burden of responsibility you’ve taken on.”

Temperance shrugged. “It can’t be helped. I’m certain Da had no intention of placing us in such dire straits when we left our life in Pennsylvania behind.”

Martha sighed. “And now you want to uproot us again, and possibly place us in even more danger.”

“We must, Ma. St. Louis was never in our long-range plans. The boys aren’t safe enough from the war here. We were only going to pick up a train, and head on out.”

“But that didn’t happen, did it? We’ve had to settle in here, and thanks to Mr. Fitzpatrick and his sister, we have been blessed to find a roof over our heads and food in our bellies. Do you really want to have us go back to living in a wagon, and not knowing where our next meal is coming from?”

Tears threatened at the back of Temperance’s eyes. “But we must, Ma. We must,” she replied in a soft voice as she laid her hand over her mother’s.

“No, we mustn’t. You have to realize that there is another solution. I’ve let you go on thinking that we’re heading to Oregon because I know that’s what you promised your da, and it was a way for you to grieve for him. In your da’s eyes, you could do no wrong. He raised you to be the strong, capable woman you are, and I admire the connection you two had. But it’s time to put that aside, and figure out what’s truly best for this family, at this moment in our lives.”

“I can’t put it aside, Ma. We must leave. Or I must, at least.”

“I can tell you are sad. You have been for months now. Something happened between you and Mr. Fitzpatrick, didn’t it?”

Surprised at her directness, Temperance glanced up at her. “Uh, no, of course not. He was my employer, and we shared some laughs together. That’s all.”

“So why did you give up your position as his cleaning lady and go to work for the laundry? Your hands have suffered so because of it.”

Temperance hid her rough, red hands in the folds of her new green dress. “I wanted a different challenge.”

“Right. Honey, don’t you know you can never fool your ma? Your da and I loved each other very much. So I know what love looks like, and you’ve had it written all over you since we first pulled into town. I don’t know what caused your rift, but whatever it was, you turned to Jake Shelton only after it happened. But Jake’s not the answer to your problems. Mr. Fitzpatrick is.”

Temperance attempted to dispel her mother’s accurate line of reasoning. “You have never been more wrong, Ma. All Basil Fitzpatrick has done since the day I met him is cause problems for me.”

“But he’s done so much to help our family. How can you call that a problem? All I know is that you were happy when you and Mr. Fitzpatrick were talking to each other. I haven’t seen a smile on your face since last December.”

Temperance stood and embraced her mother. She gave her a tremulous smile. “See, I’m smiling right now.”

“Maybe on your lips, but not in your eyes, honey. And that’s where it counts.”

Temperance turned away from her mother’s gaze. “Enough talk about me. What about you? Are you feeling all right? You seem more tired with this baby than with the other children. Or am I just now old enough to see the strain it puts on you?”

“A bit of both, probably. I’m five years older now than the last time I delivered a child. And it’s been a sad time for me, with your da passing, and this child coming into this world without a father. It has been more challenging to keep up with everything. I feel bad, too, when I think that this will be my last baby.”

“You never know, Ma. Maybe, in Oregon, you can find a man who wouldn’t mind taking on our brood. Mr. Walters seemed quite interested until you went into confinement.”

Martha Jones’s cheeks pinked with color at the mention of the postal officer. “He’s a very nice man.”

Temperance stared at her mother’s flaming cheeks. “Have you seen him recently?”

“He’s come out here a time or two with letters from back home.”

“I stop into the post office weekly for the mail. Why would he need to come all the way out here?”

“Maybe he thinks they should be hand-delivered. Maybe he wants to talk to someone. I told you he’s been lonely since his wife passed a few years ago. We have a pleasant time together.”

“Really, Ma? I’m happy that you’ve found someone to be friends with, but it is a bit unseemly for him to come here without any chaperone in sight.”

Martha laughed. “Don’t be getting your back up. Look at me, Temperance. What man would want to take advantage of someone who’s carrying around another person inside them? Believe me, I’m no temptation for Mr. Walters. We merely have nice conversations and he tells me what’s going on in town.”

Temperance took one more look at her mother. “If you say so. But I know your next husband, if there is to be one, does not reside in St. Louis, but rather in Oregon. So we need to start outfitting our wagon for the trip.”

Martha shook her head. “We have so little money as it is. I don’t think that’s the wisest way to spend it. We can’t afford oxen, which is what we need for the journey over those mountains. Our mules will never last. And we’ll need food, wagon parts, medicine, clothing — the list is endless. I’d prefer to wait, at least a year.”

“And I feel if we don’t go now, we’ll never get there. I made a promise to Da, and I intend to keep it.” Temperance began to cry.

“I understand, honey. Really I do. But it’s just us now, not your da. What he wanted was for us to be happy and to live a better life than the one we had in Pennsylvania. And look at us. We have a roof over our heads, food on the table, nice neighbors, friends. Plus your da is buried here. We must be sensible.”

“But we must go.” Hot tears cascaded down her cheeks. “I must go.”

• • •

Not only did she need to convince her doubting mother and siblings that their best move was to head out of town on a wagon train in a few weeks, Temperance also had to make the wagon master see there was no other option. Jake was a delightful man. He was handsome in a traditional way, with his shock of wheat-colored hair, and his bluer than blue eyes. And those dimples, oh my. His frame was large and strong and made her feel small and feminine next to him. He cared for her. He had even given her the lovely bonnet she was wearing today. Basil had never given her anything but a rough time.

So, it was time now to make her intentions towards Jake crystal clear to him. She had seen a glimmer of lust in his eyes when she allowed him to kiss and fondle her, and was aware his thoughts went straight to the bedroom. But lately, he’d been so busy outfitting his train, which was due to pull out in two weeks, that she hadn’t seen the ardor in his eyes for her. His mind seemed elsewhere whenever they were together. They still went out and were seen around town, but they spent little time alone. When they did, Jake’s thoughts were a million miles away and not focused on her.

It was time to remind him again of what he could have every night on the trail, if only he’d take her and her family with him. Yes, she needed to make him see what she had to offer.

She gave herself one last look in the mirror, tucking the stray locks of her hair in place before she set out. Today was her day off, from both the laundry and the restaurant, and she was going to find Jake and press harder to be allowed on the train. She wore the green dress that Ginger had bestowed upon her and that, combined with her new bonnet, complemented her light brown hair and her green eyes.

She’d studied the ladies in town over the winter as they dealt with their men. Even the respectable ladies employed their feminine wiles to make a man see things their way. That type of behavior was not restricted to the dance hall girls only. She’d take her cue from them, and tempt Jake with kisses until he would agree to anything she wanted, if only he could have more of her. She’d whip him into a frenzy of lust. At least she hoped she would.