she remembered
playing poker with stopped in front of the table. “You’ve come for another
visit.” He set his bowl down and sat across from her.
It was natural for her to tilt her head in a
playful manner. Life in the whorehouse had conditioned her to respond to men
one way. “Cake’s delicious cooking called me back.” She lifted her spoon and
sipped the hot, corn chowder.
After the first man sat down, her table
quickly became crowded. Without trying, she had the attention of every man in
the shack. When she stood to get a cup of water, one was immediately placed in
front of her.
Nervously, she watched the door for Train.
At first, it seemed like a good idea, if he found her now it didn’t take a
genius to know how angry he’d be. “I enjoyed my lunch, but I really should be
getting back to the house.” She stood.
“Could we interest you in a game of cards
tonight?” Jack persisted no matter how hard Marion tried to ignore him.
She shook her head. “Perhaps another time.”
She turned toward Cake. “Tasted better than it smelled,” she said, licking her
lips.
“Any time you’re hungry, sunshine, you come
find me. You could use a little fattening up.”
She put her hands on her belly. “Be careful
or you’ll be seeing me for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.”
Marion left the shack and lifted her face to the cool breeze coming through the
canyon. Now that she had a full stomach, she realized how tired she was.
Covering her mouth, she stifled a yawn.
Allison hung clean sheets on the line. “This
is a perfect day for laundry. If there isn’t any wind, the clothes feel stiff
after they dry.”
Marion shielded her eyes from the bright sun with her hand. “Do you care if I take a
nap?”
“Do you want me to wake you up in an hour?”
Marion shook her head. What was the point in staying awake when she had nothing to do?
Train had made it clear he wouldn’t be sleeping with her tonight so she didn’t
care if she slept until morning.
“Marion…” Allison touched her arm before she
could walk away. “I know it doesn’t feel like home. Neither did the Dusty Rose
when I first arrived in Copper City. You showed me kindness when I had nowhere
else to go. It’s my turn to pay you back. I know you feel trapped, but if you
treat this place like home, you’ll see, it will be.”
Marion pulled her arm back until Allison’s fingers slipped from hers. “I’m fine, just
bored.”
“I want to see you happy because I love
you.”
“I know. But remember I’m only going to be
here for a week.” Her hair whipped around her shoulders as she made her way
across the front porch. Climbing the stairs, her feet felt like dead weight. When
she entered her bedroom and saw the bed she shared with Train, she fell onto
the blanket and buried her face in the pillows. Sitting up long enough to remove
her shoes and clothes, she slid beneath the covers, inhaling the clean scent of
the pillows.
She vowed one thing as her eyelids became
heavy. With the window open and the cool breeze caressing her cheek, she swore
she’d never sleep in a dirty bed again.
Chapter Seven
The following day, Train surveyed the amount
of land he’d turned for the house he intended to build for Marion. In the beginning,
it would be one large room. When the horse business became prosperous, he’d
planned to add on. With that in mind, he and TJ decided to build the walls in
sections. When ready, it would be easier to create entrances into the additions.
Stacks of lumber arrived at first light. TJ knew whom to talk with to get
things done quickly.
“Seems dauntless, doesn’t it?” TJ slapped
him on the back. Train had helped build countless homes, now several friends turned
up to repay the favor.
The sun blazing high in the midday sky,
Train began to see the skeleton of his home. Unlike TJ’s log cabin, Train
wanted a simple dwelling. Knowing Marion had an aversion to cooking and
cleaning, he wanted to keep it simple. He
playing poker with stopped in front of the table. “You’ve come for another
visit.” He set his bowl down and sat across from her.
It was natural for her to tilt her head in a
playful manner. Life in the whorehouse had conditioned her to respond to men
one way. “Cake’s delicious cooking called me back.” She lifted her spoon and
sipped the hot, corn chowder.
After the first man sat down, her table
quickly became crowded. Without trying, she had the attention of every man in
the shack. When she stood to get a cup of water, one was immediately placed in
front of her.
Nervously, she watched the door for Train.
At first, it seemed like a good idea, if he found her now it didn’t take a
genius to know how angry he’d be. “I enjoyed my lunch, but I really should be
getting back to the house.” She stood.
“Could we interest you in a game of cards
tonight?” Jack persisted no matter how hard Marion tried to ignore him.
She shook her head. “Perhaps another time.”
She turned toward Cake. “Tasted better than it smelled,” she said, licking her
lips.
“Any time you’re hungry, sunshine, you come
find me. You could use a little fattening up.”
She put her hands on her belly. “Be careful
or you’ll be seeing me for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.”
Marion left the shack and lifted her face to the cool breeze coming through the
canyon. Now that she had a full stomach, she realized how tired she was.
Covering her mouth, she stifled a yawn.
Allison hung clean sheets on the line. “This
is a perfect day for laundry. If there isn’t any wind, the clothes feel stiff
after they dry.”
Marion shielded her eyes from the bright sun with her hand. “Do you care if I take a
nap?”
“Do you want me to wake you up in an hour?”
Marion shook her head. What was the point in staying awake when she had nothing to do?
Train had made it clear he wouldn’t be sleeping with her tonight so she didn’t
care if she slept until morning.
“Marion…” Allison touched her arm before she
could walk away. “I know it doesn’t feel like home. Neither did the Dusty Rose
when I first arrived in Copper City. You showed me kindness when I had nowhere
else to go. It’s my turn to pay you back. I know you feel trapped, but if you
treat this place like home, you’ll see, it will be.”
Marion pulled her arm back until Allison’s fingers slipped from hers. “I’m fine, just
bored.”
“I want to see you happy because I love
you.”
“I know. But remember I’m only going to be
here for a week.” Her hair whipped around her shoulders as she made her way
across the front porch. Climbing the stairs, her feet felt like dead weight. When
she entered her bedroom and saw the bed she shared with Train, she fell onto
the blanket and buried her face in the pillows. Sitting up long enough to remove
her shoes and clothes, she slid beneath the covers, inhaling the clean scent of
the pillows.
She vowed one thing as her eyelids became
heavy. With the window open and the cool breeze caressing her cheek, she swore
she’d never sleep in a dirty bed again.
Chapter Seven
The following day, Train surveyed the amount
of land he’d turned for the house he intended to build for Marion. In the beginning,
it would be one large room. When the horse business became prosperous, he’d
planned to add on. With that in mind, he and TJ decided to build the walls in
sections. When ready, it would be easier to create entrances into the additions.
Stacks of lumber arrived at first light. TJ knew whom to talk with to get
things done quickly.
“Seems dauntless, doesn’t it?” TJ slapped
him on the back. Train had helped build countless homes, now several friends turned
up to repay the favor.
The sun blazing high in the midday sky,
Train began to see the skeleton of his home. Unlike TJ’s log cabin, Train
wanted a simple dwelling. Knowing Marion had an aversion to cooking and
cleaning, he wanted to keep it simple. He
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