Texas Twilight (18 page)

Another week passed and all the while Tante
Harriett’s health went up and down like the rollercoaster Lily had
once seen in Boston. After moving into the rooms above the shop,
she had taken to her bed and they had a hard time getting her to
eat anything at all. It was as if she’d lost her will to live. Lily
pleaded with her to eat and John gave her an elixir to fortify her
blood, to keep her strong. Even with all the coaxing, nothing
seemed to work.

Lily went about straightening the several
fabrics that had arrived with the day’s stage. There was
indigo-blue silk, heavy jade velvet, a taffeta of the most gorgeous
color of lilac she had ever seen, chocolate brown corduroy for more
serviceable, everyday clothing, and a thick cotton with a small
floral pattern of greens and pinks any little girl would adore. She
now had eight bolts in all, plus all the other necessities she
needed to complete several gowns, purchased with the money Dr.
Bixby had so generously paid her to get the place in shape. She
understood that his action, spurred on by John, was more an act of
charity than born of real need, but there was nothing she could do,
with the impossible exception of leaving town, to change their
minds. She had accepted, but had written down the amount in her
book of accounts and planned to save a portion from each sale and
pay the doctor back. She’d also pay rent, no matter what they
argued.

She gazed around in satisfaction. Now all she
needed was a customer. Tomorrow was the official grand opening, and
Charity had insisted that she put a small advertisement in the Rio
Wells Republic, even if it had cost her fifty cents. You have to
spend money to make money, Charity had told her.

Excitement—and a little bit of fear—hummed
through her veins. For the past year and a half, she and her aunt
had been working side by side, measuring and stitching and doing
alterations. Together they had created some of the most beautiful
gowns circulating in Boston today. If Tante Harriett did not get
stronger, and her mental state did not improve, Lily was going to
be on her own. That was a frightening thought. She knew she could
do it, but didn’t want to have to. She and her aunt were a
team.

The little bell that Tucker had fastened
above her door tinkled as the door opened, and he came striding
though the doorway. Since the night of the party he had not said a
word about his accident with the cake.

“I see everything is ready for the grand
opening tomorrow. You excited?”

“Very much so.” She held out her hand and
they laughed as it quivered unsteadily.

“You’ll do fine. John wants to know how your
aunt is this morning. He and Doc Bixby are going to be going out in
a while to Martha Brown’s place to check on Candy. Said he’ll check
on your aunt as soon as he gets back.”

Lily couldn’t stop her smile and the pleasure
she felt at Tucker’s question. John checked in on her and her aunt
so many times a day it was almost getting to be a joke. “Tell him
she’s about the same. That she took several big spoonfuls of soup
this morning and is now taking a nap. She’ll be just fine until he
comes by this afternoon. Also, tell him we can string a wire from
my apartment to the doctor’s office with two cans on the ends, like
we used to do back in Germany. Then we can just talk person to
person.”

“I know what you mean. I think I’ve worn the
leather off the bottom of my shoes, but I’m not complaining. I like
visiting.”

“What is going on over there?” she asked,
meaning the doctor’s office. “Any patients?”

“No. And I can see John’s getting restless.
Charity came over early and is making them breakfast before they
go. Theo’s already been in and out a couple of times for no reason
at all except to look at Charity. I don’t think he likes his new
job at the livery.”

“Is that what he said?”

“In not so many words, but yeah.”

“Well, it was good of Cradle to hire him on,
especially since he is giving him free room and board. He’s lucky
to find work so quickly.”

Tucker laughed. “Maybe. But, I think his goal
is to win Charity’s heart. How can he do that smelling like horse
manure?”

John and Charity stepped into the shop. The
hat dangling in John’s fingers gave Lily a nice view of his freshly
shaven face and his hair, which was still damp around the edges.
Lily’s heart flipped over, as it did every time he was near, and
she had to glance away before he saw the truth in her eyes. He came
in further and looked around nodding, apparently pleased at how the
shop had come together. “You all ready for tomorrow, Florence?”

Lily narrowed her eyes as Charity hugged her.
He chuckled.

“What’s this?” John looked at the length of
fabric she’d cut yesterday and had left out on the cutting
table.

“The fabric for the frame you built. You
know, my button art piece. It is the last thing on my to-do list. I
want to have it hung up by this evening. At least, that is my
intention.”

Charity came forward and ran her finger along
the green velvet. “It’s going to be so pretty, Lily. I can’t wait
to see how you finish it off.”

John pointed upstairs. “Thought I’d drop in
before heading out to the Brown’s place.”

Lily was thankful John had not told anyone
about the morphine. Everyone just thought her downward turn was due
to old age and deteriorating health. “She is asleep right now. I
tried to get her to come down this morning, but she complained that
she had not slept well.” They exchanged a look.

“I think it’s going to take a little more
than your coaxing. I’ll see what I can do after she wakes up.”

The tiny bell sounded again, and the banker,
Mr. Shellston, flanked by the mayor, Fred Billingsworth, came in.
Another man unknown to Lily followed close behind. He was tall and
foreboding, and dressed in all black. The shop seemed to shrink
before her eyes as they looked around.

“I see your problem worked out just fine,
Miss Anthony,” the banker said confidently, looking the place over,
a coveting gleam in his eyes. “And, with ease it seems. There was
really no need for all your panic over my Spring Street building,
now was there?”

“Things have a way of working out,” she
responded coldly. She noted the way John drew himself up and the
tightening of the muscles in his jaw. The reddishness around his
scar appeared to deepen a little as he looked the newcomers
over.

“Maybe it seems that way to you, Shellston,”
John said. “That this place transformed itself overnight, but Miss
Anthony has been working night and day to get it presentable. I’m
positive you remember how it looked not that long ago.” Charity
seemed to pick up on her brother’s mood and stepped closer to him.
Her chin tipped up as she looked the men over.

The banker had the audacity to laugh at
John’s remark and pass it off as polite conversation. “Nothing of
value ever comes easily, my father always told me. I live by that
rule.”

Lily was having none of it. “With the help of
the good people of this town, all this work got done. It was
because of them and none other.”

Mr. Billingsworth spoke up saying, “It’s
because of those good people that we’re here this morning. We still
have the problem of the vacant teaching position, and the children
are becoming a nuisance running over this town like a horde of
locusts. We wanted to ask your sister, Dr. McCutcheon, if she’d
take over the position just until our replacement gets here,” he
said, looking first at John and then over to Charity. “We’d hoped
to have the problem solved by now, but teachers are scarce.”

“N
uisance?
Problem? Horde of locusts?” Charity asked, taken aback.

Her toe started tapping and John almost
chuckled, getting ready for the explosion he knew would soon
follow.

“This is the mayor, Mr. Billingsworth,” John
said, introducing them and trying to defuse his sister. “The
banker, Mr. Shellston, and Mr. Boone.”

“Really, Mr. Billingsworth,” Charity scolded.
“I’m surprised at the way you feel about the children of the
so-called ‘good people’ of this town. Aren’t these the children of
the same citizens who pay your salary? You should be ashamed of
yourself. And, if they’re as rambunctious as you say they are, I’m
not sure I’d be capable of controlling them.”

A few moments of uncomfortable silence filled
the room as the mayor’s face turned scarlet. “Uh, I’m sorry, I
didn’t mean…”

Charity glanced from one man to the other as
her expression softened. There was something going on in that head
of hers.

“
Forgive
me, Mayor. I
am
pleased to
make your acquaintance,” Charity replied, now going all ladylike.
“I heard the news about Miss Smith. I’m sorry.”

“Yes, it was a horrible tragedy for everyone
concerned.” The pudgy man wiped his forehead with a white
handkerchief he’d pulled from his pocket, then dabbed at his upper
lip. He seemed undecided if he should go forward with their offer.
Mr. Shellston gave him a look and he continued, “What do you think
of our proposal?”

Charity smiled, turning on her charm full
force as she gazed from one man to the other. John didn’t like in
the least how Lector Boone was looking back. “She’s not
interested,” he interjected, feeling protective.

“I’m not so sure about that, John. I’ve yet
to hear what the offer is. Just what would be required of me and
how much does it pay?”

Taken aback, John started to object, but she
stopped him with a tip of her head. “Let’s hear what the mayor has
to say, John. It might be a way for me to fill my time. You know
how the days have been dragging on.” Oh, geez, she was laying it on
thick. He heard Tucker chuckle.

“It’s a temporary position until the new
teacher we hired from Abilene can pack her things and get here. I
predict it shouldn’t be more than three weeks to a month.”

“The pay, Mayor?”

“Two dollars a week.”

Charity tapped her finger on her chin, making
them wait. “Hmm, the teacher in Y Knot is a friend of mine and she
makes twice that much. I don’t know…”

“It’s only for half day,” Mr. Shellston said.
“Just keep them in for the morning, give them some homework and
send them home. How hard can it be? Two dollars a week is more than
generous.”

“In that case, I decline.”

The mayor gaped. “But, we need you. Won’t you
reconsider?”

“I would if I had the support of the town for
the education of the children. I don’t want to be just a
babysitter. What good is that? And, if I’m teaching them something,
then my time is worth more than pennies a day.”

The two men looked at each other as Mr. Boone
watched from the back.

“The town will pay you four dollars a week,
Miss McCutcheon,” Billingsworth said.

“Five. Temporary positions always pay
more.”

The bank owner frowned. “That’s robbery.”

“Pay the woman,” Lector Boone said, stepping
forward. “She’s educated. And smart. Maybe the locusts will learn
something.”

Charity turned on him, eyes blazing.

He laughed, making her all the madder.

John reached out and put his hand on
Charity’s shoulder, calming her youthful anger, and disliking the
whole situation intensely. What was Charity thinking, taking this
job? She was here for a visit and that was all. He stared back at
Boone until the man dropped his gaze.

Boone was silent for a moment, then asked,
“Any information on the gem I asked you about Monday evening?”

Lily gave a small gasp and Boone immediately
looked at her. A bird caught between two cats couldn’t have
appeared more uncomfortable. John groaned inwardly. “No,
nothing.”

“I need to check on Tante Harriett,” Lily
said, going at once to the back of the store. Her slim figure
disappeared around the partition and her steps were heard quickly
ascending the stairs.

“I’ll take the job, Mayor.”

“At that pay, I should take the job,”
Shellston grumbled.

Mr. Billingsworth smiled and wiped his head
again. “Good. Good. You can start tomorrow, if that’s acceptable
with you.” He seemed oblivious of the interaction that had just
occurred between Lily and the gunman. He held out his hand. “Here’s
the key to the supply cupboard in the schoolhouse.”

Charity took it. “I presume there are books
and slates?”

“To a degree.”

“Chalk?”

“Yes.”

“By the way, Mayor, what made you think of
me? I mean, I haven’t been in town but a few days and have met only
a handful of people since coming to Rio Wells.”

Mr. Billingsworth looked more relaxed now
that the negotiations were concluded and Charity had agreed.
“Because you’re a McCutcheon and I learned through the grapevine
that you’re well versed and smart.”

John wondered where that information had come
from.

“What about my cousins, Madeline and
Becky?”

He shrugged. “They seem more ladylike. I
don’t think they could handle the children. Any woman who can
travel from Montana to West Texas on her own has to have some
grit.”

A blush crept up Charity’s neck and onto her
face and kept going until it reached her hairline. The comment was
meant to be a back-handed compliment, John was sure, but it looked
as though Charity didn’t take it that way.

Mr. Shellston stepped to the door, opened it,
and then stopped and turned back. “Tell Miss Anthony good luck
tomorrow. The shop is now one of Rio Wells’ finest.” He went out,
followed by Mr. Billingsworth and Mr. Boone.

John turned on Charity as soon as the door
clicked closed. “What are you doing? You’ve never expressed
interest in teaching.”

She straightened defensively.

John pointed his finger in her face. “I never
know what to expect with you.”