unhappy. Can you ever forgive us?” Ma’s tears fell on my chest as I lost myself in her loving embrace.
Grace’s stifled cough caught my attention, and I smiled, grabbing her hand. Bringing her into the circle of love being showered on me, I said, “Grace, this is my ma, Annie Moore. And this is Aunt Lettie. This is my family. What do you think?” Grace smiled happily as she went around the circle shaking hands with everyone.
“I didn’t know how much I had missed you all!” I exclaimed as we walked toward the waiting railroad car. I was so absorbed with my family I hadn’t focused anything else until Grace suddenly grabbed my arm. I saw a horrified expression frozen on her face. Following her gaze, I looked down the platform and released a cry that hushed everyone’s laughter. Patrick stood on the far end of the platform, watching the ladies from the Silver Dove. He clearly could see that these prostitutes knew me very well.
I tried to step away from the embrace of my loving family, but Patrick had already seen everything. His face told the whole story. His anger glared from his blazing eyes. Without a word, he walked toward me and threw my forgotten shawl, which he had come back to return, down at my feet.
“I didn’t believe Mark when he said the only ranch he knew west of Denver belonged to a madam. It all fits now.” The deadly venom dripped from his words. “Birthing babies, shooting coyotes, and your willing appetite. I am a fool not to have seen it. You’re one of Them ! Dungarees, I can abide; this I cannot!”
Patrick jumped from the platform and landed in the wagon. A startled Sheba reared as he slapped the reins against the surprised horse’s rump. She wasn’t used to this type of treatment, and in fear she leapt forward against her harness and jerked wildly. The buckboard careened from side to side as the horse and wagon pulled the maniacal driver away.
“Patrick!” I called after him, “Please, it’s not as it seems!” But anger and distance deafened his ears as he whipped Sheba to a full gallop toward the ranch. Only dust and emptiness remained. Lettie and Ma silently watched my reaction. All my words had evaporated after him. Hot tears flowed from deep within my broken heart. Suddenly, my world had shattered.
I watched the reactions on the faces surrounding me. The people who loved me were silently holding watch as my world crumbled. Beautiful women, strong women, women of passion and love, stood before me. Tearing my work bonnet from my head, I loosened my hair. “Dammit, I’m tired of living in fear. I love that man, and I don’t want to lose him, but I can’t continue to be something I am not. I’m tired of hiding my past, and I won’t live in fear of people judging me. No man’s hand ever touched me until my wedding day, and I’m proud of who I am and what I do. If he can’t love me because of his narrow-mindedness, then to hell with him!”
Grace stood imploring me, “Please, Ada, don’t be hasty. Let me reason with him. He’ll have you back when he sees the truth. A hothead he may be, but he is a reasonable man. Please let me talk to him.”
“No, Grace, I love you and I love him, but if he can’t ‘ abide ’ this, I can’t ‘ abide ’ his pigheaded foolishness. I will not live in fear of the truth anymore. I have nothing to be ashamed of.
“Aunt Lettie, if you have a seat in your railcar, I’d like to come back and work at the ranch. I believe I have all the skills required, and I don’t expect much pay. Room and board is all I ask.”
“Are ya sure, Honey?” Aunt Lettie’s raspy voice was filled with emotion.
“I’m sure, Aunt Lettie. Please, let’s go home.”
Aunt Lettie nodded in grim silence and motioned toward the waiting railcar as the locomotive belched fire and growled its discontent.
I hugged Grace as she tried to reason with me again, but I was beyond reasoning. Her skirts brushed the rough steps as she dismounted the platform.
Grace’s stifled cough caught my attention, and I smiled, grabbing her hand. Bringing her into the circle of love being showered on me, I said, “Grace, this is my ma, Annie Moore. And this is Aunt Lettie. This is my family. What do you think?” Grace smiled happily as she went around the circle shaking hands with everyone.
“I didn’t know how much I had missed you all!” I exclaimed as we walked toward the waiting railroad car. I was so absorbed with my family I hadn’t focused anything else until Grace suddenly grabbed my arm. I saw a horrified expression frozen on her face. Following her gaze, I looked down the platform and released a cry that hushed everyone’s laughter. Patrick stood on the far end of the platform, watching the ladies from the Silver Dove. He clearly could see that these prostitutes knew me very well.
I tried to step away from the embrace of my loving family, but Patrick had already seen everything. His face told the whole story. His anger glared from his blazing eyes. Without a word, he walked toward me and threw my forgotten shawl, which he had come back to return, down at my feet.
“I didn’t believe Mark when he said the only ranch he knew west of Denver belonged to a madam. It all fits now.” The deadly venom dripped from his words. “Birthing babies, shooting coyotes, and your willing appetite. I am a fool not to have seen it. You’re one of Them ! Dungarees, I can abide; this I cannot!”
Patrick jumped from the platform and landed in the wagon. A startled Sheba reared as he slapped the reins against the surprised horse’s rump. She wasn’t used to this type of treatment, and in fear she leapt forward against her harness and jerked wildly. The buckboard careened from side to side as the horse and wagon pulled the maniacal driver away.
“Patrick!” I called after him, “Please, it’s not as it seems!” But anger and distance deafened his ears as he whipped Sheba to a full gallop toward the ranch. Only dust and emptiness remained. Lettie and Ma silently watched my reaction. All my words had evaporated after him. Hot tears flowed from deep within my broken heart. Suddenly, my world had shattered.
I watched the reactions on the faces surrounding me. The people who loved me were silently holding watch as my world crumbled. Beautiful women, strong women, women of passion and love, stood before me. Tearing my work bonnet from my head, I loosened my hair. “Dammit, I’m tired of living in fear. I love that man, and I don’t want to lose him, but I can’t continue to be something I am not. I’m tired of hiding my past, and I won’t live in fear of people judging me. No man’s hand ever touched me until my wedding day, and I’m proud of who I am and what I do. If he can’t love me because of his narrow-mindedness, then to hell with him!”
Grace stood imploring me, “Please, Ada, don’t be hasty. Let me reason with him. He’ll have you back when he sees the truth. A hothead he may be, but he is a reasonable man. Please let me talk to him.”
“No, Grace, I love you and I love him, but if he can’t ‘ abide ’ this, I can’t ‘ abide ’ his pigheaded foolishness. I will not live in fear of the truth anymore. I have nothing to be ashamed of.
“Aunt Lettie, if you have a seat in your railcar, I’d like to come back and work at the ranch. I believe I have all the skills required, and I don’t expect much pay. Room and board is all I ask.”
“Are ya sure, Honey?” Aunt Lettie’s raspy voice was filled with emotion.
“I’m sure, Aunt Lettie. Please, let’s go home.”
Aunt Lettie nodded in grim silence and motioned toward the waiting railcar as the locomotive belched fire and growled its discontent.
I hugged Grace as she tried to reason with me again, but I was beyond reasoning. Her skirts brushed the rough steps as she dismounted the platform.
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