Deborah Camp (11 page)

“Everyone knows that most men vote the way their wives want them to vote.”

“That’s not the same as having one’s own vote. Other states allow women to vote. Why not
all
of them? Wyoming has elected women to office! Besides, why should women have to ask their husbands to vote for them, thus giving a man double the voting power? He’s voting for two, right? And what about women like me who have no husband, have no man to coerce?” She propped one hand on her jutting hip and met his gaze with burning
irritation. “What makes your opinion any more important than mine, Theodore Dane?”

He grinned. “Do you have any idea how fetching you look right now, Miss Regina Rose? I can’t think of anyone who could rival your beauty.” He plucked the hat from her hand, tossed it onto the porch rocker, and flattened her hands on his chest. His lids drooped and his gaze locked onto her lips. He slipped his arms around her. She looked at his mouth and recalled its firmness, its fire.

“I’m not sure Mrs. Nation would approve of this, either.”

“I don’t give a damn,” he said, then his lips touched hers. He nibbled the corners of her mouth, getting a smile from her.

Regina combed her fingers through his hair. The short strands tickled the skin between her fingers. She opened herself to him and he sipped her, suckled her, taught her tongue how to dance with his. The sensual delight made her wonder if this man might be special, because she’d never wanted to give so much to a man. Before Theodore Dane, men had wanted much more than she wanted to give. He was different. She wanted to spoil him with her gifts, rain kisses upon his face, wrap her limbs around him tightly, lavish him with caresses and deep, drugging kisses.

His lips peeled slowly from hers. His brows met in a slight frown.

“I do believe you’ve cast a spell over me. Why else would I have so much trouble keeping my hands off you?”

“Maybe because you’re a ladies’ man.”

He tightened his arms around her. “Must be more to it than that.” His gaze dropped to her pink, glistening lips. “I do declare, Miss Rose, I wouldn’t be surprised if I’m smitten.”

Regina pushed him away. “Don’t do that.”

“What?”

“Make light of tender feelings.”

“I didn’t know I was doing that.”

“You’re teasing me.”

“And you like it.”

“To a point.” She backed up onto the next step. “I’m going in now.”

“You were magnificent tonight.”

She regarded him, wondering what part of the evening had so impressed him.

“Tonight at the meeting,” he clarified. “Before Mrs. Hampf interrupted, you had that council right where you wanted them. You’d make a great attorney, Regina. You could sway any hard-nosed jury to your side.”

She smiled. “Could I beat you in court?”

He smiled back. “Not a chance.”

“I’m clever enough to be an attorney, but not intelligent enough to vote.”

He rolled his eyes. “Regina, not that again. Please.”

Regina sighed and glanced around at her neat front porch with its pots of flowers. “You’re going to take it all away from me, aren’t you?”

“What?” He looked around, searching for her meaning.

“My home. My life here. You’ll march into the courtroom, flash your smile, fling out your persuasive words, and that jury will fall all over themselves to award Tom Wilson a parcel of money. Mrs. Nation won’t have the money and she’ll have to sell her property. I’ll lose my home. I’ll lose my life here. I’ll have to start over again with nothing.”

Theo stuck his hands in his pockets and rocked on the balls of his feet. “Regina, she shouldn’t have broken the law.”

“Why not, Theo? Why should we be so respectful
of laws that give us nothing? Why should we uphold laws that condemn us to a life of no voice, no vote, no hope?”

“Regina, it’s not that bad. You’re getting all worked up and missing the point that—”

“And you don’t know what you’re talking about, Theo Dane!” Her voice rose with her spirit. “The law says it’s perfectly fine for a husband to rule his wife, and if she breaks the rules, the law says he can take a strap to her.” She held out her hands in an appeal. “Why should any woman care about preserving those laws? Answer me!”

Theo retreated, shaking his head. “I’m an attorney, Regina. Law is the foundation of my life. If a law is unfair, it’ll be changed eventually.”

“Eventually,” she repeated scornfully. “When
men
see fit? That’ll be too late.” She turned and went up the rest of the steps to the porch.

“Good night, Theo.”

“Good night, Regina. You’ll save a waltz for me at the cotillion, won’t you?”

She nodded. “If you want …” And then she was inside and the door closed behind her.

Theo walked away, glancing once over his shoulder to see the sputter of an oil lamp being lit in the front parlor. He recalled how flags of bright color had fluttered in her cheeks when she’d spoken vigorously about the laws being stacked against women. The white dress had made her seem angelic, saintly.

She’d surprised him earlier when she’d addressed the council so forcefully. Her soft voice had held steel and her words had possessed power. If Harriet Hampf had kept her mouth shut, Regina would have had her proclamation. He wasn’t sure such a document would do much good, but it would have given Regina a small victory. Better than nothing.

Her presentation had reminded him of his mother, a woman who had a gift for public speaking. Since he was in short pants, he had memories of his mother speaking at club functions. His mother was always in demand to recite poetry, deliver book reports, and introduce speakers. She had a commanding, robust voice, similar to Mrs. Nation’s, but her diction was better, her vocabulary less biblical.

His steps slowed as his thoughts circled back to Regina. Her soft voice wasn’t meant for a roomful of people but for pillow talk, yearning whispers, sighs of satisfaction. One on one. That’s where Regina was most potent. One long look from her made him dizzy. When she said his name, he wanted to die, his desire for her was so strong.

Stopping under a spreading elm to light a cheroot, he cautioned himself not to fall too hard for a woman who obviously saw him as the ruination of her life. When Carry Nation was found guilty—and he had no doubt she would be—Regina would despise him. She refused to understand that he meant her no harm, that he was only doing his job.

Moving on, he wondered who he would ask to the cotillion. The prospects failed to excite him. By the time he’d reached his own street he’d narrowed down the possibles to Irene Cooper, the banker’s daughter. A tall redhead with green eyes, she was a study in good breeding and the best schools money could buy. She’d bore the stuffing out of him, but she’d be easy on the eyes.

“Have you seen Jack around town?” Lu asked, coming into the parlor.

Regina looked up from the article she was reading. “No, I think he must have gone back to Topeka.”

“I don’t know …” Lu wrapped a strand of her brown hair around her finger. “He’ll be back. I know he will.”

“Let’s not worry about that now, Lu.” Regina returned to the article.

“What are you reading?” Lu asked, sitting across from her.

“
The Temperance Beacon
.” Regina held up the pamphlet published by the Women’s Christian Temperance Union for Lu to see. “There’s an article in it written by one of my favorite essayists.”

“Who?”

“Teddy Bea. Oh, she has a wonderful way with words. She talks to the heart of mankind. She doesn’t preach like Mrs. Nation.” Regina placed her fingertips to her lips. “Oh, I didn’t mean that the way it sounded. You know how highly I regard Mrs. Nation. She’s the kindest, most—”

“I know, Regina,” Lu said, reaching across to pat Regina’s knee. “You don’t have to convince me of your devotion to Mrs. Nation. And I understand what you mean. Mrs. Nation does tend to preach instead of educating.”

“True enough, but she is a stirring orator, nonetheless. I remember when she came through Dodge City. She stood in the back of a wagon on the main street and people couldn’t help but stop to listen. Even the saloon owners ventured out from behind their bars to lend an ear.”

Lu gestured at the pamphlet. “What’s the article about?”

“Shame and how so much of it is undeserved. It makes me remember how ashamed I was growing up.”

“Of your mama?”

“Yes. I told my friends that Mama was an eccentric, wealthy writer and that’s why no one saw her much. I was ashamed of her and ashamed to have
to lie all the time about her and me, and why we led such a small, dark existence. We never went anywhere. We didn’t have any friends. There was no head of our household. Except for me, of course.” Regina realized her voice had faded to a whisper. She snapped out of the past, out of the sadness. “You should read this, Lu. Teddy Bea explains it better. She can see into the heart and soul.”

“Are you still upset about last night’s council meeting?”

“It doesn’t do any good to be upset. Mrs. Nation will be so successful on this tour that she’ll get more respect. This town might take note of something like that.”

Lu smiled suddenly. “Aren’t those dresses something, Regina? I’m not sure we can wear them to the cotillion. They’re rather fancy.”

“I’ll help alter them. Pick the one you want and we’ll work on it together.”

“I think you should take the green one.”

“Really? I was thinking the pink …”

“Oh, no!” Lu shook her head. “That celery green will look wonderful on you. Rip off some of that lace and take in the waist and it will be perfect. The sheriff’s eyes will pop out.” Lu plucked the Temperance paper from Regina’s fingers. “I don’t want you to think I was snooping, but I glanced out the window last night and saw that Mr. Dane escorted you home.” She flipped through the pamphlet. “Those council meetings run rather late, don’t they?”

“We … uh … we went for pie and coffee afterward. I wanted to ask him about Jack.”

“What about Jack?”

“I thought he might know if Jack was still in town, but he didn’t. Theo paid for one night at the hotel for Jack. Jack left the next morning and Theo
hasn’t seen him around town. So, it looks as if he’s gone, Lu.”

Lu handed the pamphlet back to Regina. “I hope so, but I’m going to keep my eyes peeled. I think he’ll try to see Annie again.”

“You don’t think he’d try to kidnap her, do you?”

Lu shrugged. “Jack gets mean when he drinks. There’s no telling what kind of evil he’ll cook up.” She rose from the chair. “I should repay Mr. Dane.”

“He won’t take your money. He wouldn’t take mine.”

“He’s courting you, isn’t he, Regina?”

“No! Don’t be silly, Lu.”

“Regina …” Lu narrowed her eyes in speculation. “Are you telling me that he hasn’t held your hand or tried to steal a kiss from you?”

Regina pressed her lips together and pretended to be absorbed in the Temperance newsletter.

Lu laughed. “You should see yourself! Your face is the color of strawberry jam. I think it’s romantic.”

“What?”

“Him courting you. He’s such a handsome man and so successful, you should be thrilled!”

“Lu, he’s trying to ruin Mrs. Nation!”

“Oh, Regina,” Lu said, scolding her. “You don’t believe that. He’s simply doing his job. Tom Wilson is the real culprit, and you can’t rightly blame him. Mrs. Nation
did
destroy his property.”

“Lu, how can you defend a man like Tom Wilson? He might be serving drinks to your husband this very minute.”

“I wish every saloon was closed tomorrow. But if that happened, Jack Beck would find a way to get drunk. He might have to build his own still,
but he’d do it and drink himself into a roaring rage.”

“Theo said almost the same thing….” Regina put aside Theo’s ideas and reminded herself of Mrs. Nation’s tireless deeds. “Don’t you believe in Mrs. Nation’s work?”

“Of course, but breaking the law isn’t the way to change it, Regina. She might be able to smash saloons in Prohibition states, but not here. She’ll only anger the businessmen in town, and where will that get us?”

“Teddy Bea once wrote that we must wage a dignified war by chipping away at the walls that imprison us.”

Lu laughed softly. “Perhaps Mrs. Nation should exchange her ax for a pick.”

“Perhaps,” Regina said, latching onto the image and seeing the soundness of it. “Perhaps we all should.”

“What are you thinking?”

“Theo said that I had all the men in town afraid to speak to me.”

“Oh, I don’t believe that.”

“I do, and I believe the men see all of Mrs. Nation’s followers as fist-waving shrews. Maybe if they saw us differently …”

“You mean we should flirt with them? Regina, I’m a married woman and I couldn’t—”

“No, not that, Lu,” Regina interrupted. “Just speak kindly to them on the street. This cotillion will give us a chance to let them see us as normal, ordinary women. Once they understand that we don’t all carry axes and spout lectures at the drop of a hat, they might be more supportive.”

“I think you’re right, Regina. Bitsy said she heard a couple of men in town say that we were women who had nagged our husbands until we were kicked out of our own homes.”

“Sounds like some of the knotheads in town. I’ll talk to the others tomorrow about this. The cotillion will be our first step. We’ll dress up, smile prettily, and serve punch instead of
punch
!” She swung a fist through the air and shared a laugh with Lu.

H
e almost didn’t recognize her when she arrived in the dance hall. If Regina hadn’t been on Stu’s arm, Theo wouldn’t have known that the temptress in pale green and the blushing angel of a few nights ago were one and the same.

The noise around him dimmed as Theo focused on the ravishing Regina Rose. She’d stripped every bit of black lace off the gown and had used it to create a rose that she’d pinned to the back of the dress, just above the place where her hips swelled. She’d reshaped the low neckline into a more modest heart shape, piped in black satin. Her upswept hair looked soft and shimmery in the flickering light of lanterns and candles. She smiled at something Stu said, and her smile was so sweet and winning that Theo felt an urge to smash his fist into Stu’s face. Once again he was struck by a strong chord of familiarity. He’d met her somewhere before, but where … and when?