The Outlaw's Kiss (an Old West Romance) (Wild West Brides) Read Online Free PDF Page A

this-or-that.
    Father had taken to calling him my cowboy-fiancé,
which caused me all manner of embarrassment, even as a private joke.
    “Mr. Masterson,” my father said. “I thought we’d
agreed that Clara and I would be staying away from town, on our claim. Why have
we stopped here? There’s such a great mess that I’m not sure I can handle this
myself, much less subject my daughter to it.”
    Eli sucked on two of his teeth. “I was thinking
about that, Mr. James, and I’m not sure that’s the best idea. Itan and his band
won’t give you any trouble, but I can’t say the same for the rest of the Sioux.”
    They looked at one another for a moment. “I don’t
know,” Father said. “This seems –”
    “What’s this? New load of grist for the mill?” A
man shouted from a balcony overhanging the street. “Did you ask me for
permission to bring those, what are they?” He squinted at us. “Limber-livered yankees?”
    “Miss and Mr. James, meet Al Swearengen. Closest
thing to a boss the little town of Deadwood’s got.” Eli pursed his lips and
turned to us. “Best watch yourself around him,” he said quietly. “Mr.
Swearengen, how does the morning treat you? These two, yes, will be joining
your camp, though I expect they’d like to join as little of it as possible.”
    The round-bellied man who wore only long johns and
dark trousers grunted a laugh and smoothed his mustache. “Give me a minute,” he
said. “I’ll be down. Bring them in. No one’s about just yet to offend the lady,
or to excite the old man.” With that, he disappeared into what I assumed were
his chambers.
    “Do we really need to deal with that ruffian?”
Father hopped down off the wagon, following Eli’s lead. I climbed out of the
back and went along. “And Clara, I’d really like it if you’d stay back there.
We’ve no idea what’s going to be lurking in that... brothel .” He said
the word like it was poison.
    I pursed my lips. “Father, I’m going to be living
here as well. And that Mr. Swearengen said there was nothing scandalous
happening at present, so I don’t see the problem.”
    “She’s right,” Eli said. “Just like with Itan. The
best way to avoid trouble is to at least pretend like it don’t bother you. But
as to what Al said. Al Swearengen says a lot of things. A whole lot of them.
But if you stay aright with him, he’s not the type to stab you in the back, or
the guts as the case may be. But never, never , cross him. Do you both
understand me?”
    Father chewed the end of his mustache and nodded.
“Is he some sort of criminal? Gang boss?”
    Eli shook his head. “No, he’s just the smartest
damned person in this camp. As soon as gold was found in the hills, he took a
fortune up here and started building. The Gem, where we’re headed now, was
first. Come on, he’s also not the type to keep waiting for too long.”
    Pushing through the door of the Gem Theater and
Saloon, I took a step back in time. It was, as Mr. Swearengen said, devoid of
life, except for two women. One of them had gray streaks starting at her
temples, and wore a modest cotton gown in the same high-necked style as mine.
She had stern hazel eyes and a tightly bowed mouth that didn’t seem very apt to
start joking.
    The other was a younger woman, stunningly
beautiful, and adorned in a pair of stockings that seemed to be held together
by threads. She knelt on the floor, pushing a broom through a puddle. Both of
them stopped and watched when we entered, though their mouths didn’t fall open
until they saw me.
    “Now there’s an unsoiled flower if I ever saw one,
Miss Gretchen,” the younger woman said. “The Hell’s she doin’ here?”
    “That’s enough Tammy,” the older woman clicked her
teeth. “I’m sure the lady has some business here or she wouldn’t have come in.
Though, miss?” She turned to me and raised her voice. “I’d watch your hem.
There’s a bit of, ah, well, mess on the floor there. You might want