Deborah Camp (41 page)

“Then, why?”

“I told you …”

“You said you didn’t feel right about staying in the boardinghouse, but what about Eureka Springs? Why do you want to leave it?”

Lu pinched folds in the tablecloth. “I must find work—”

“Which you can find just as easily here as anywhere else,” Regina interrupted. “I saw a Help Wanted sign in Miss Tally’s Dress Shop just this morning. She needs a salesgirl. You’d be perfect for that, Lu. I’m going to do alterations for her myself.”

“You are?”

Regina nodded. “I decided just this moment. She’s asked me to help her out several times, but I always had so much to do here. From here on in, I’ve got to think about my future, too.”
Instead of expecting miracles from Theodore
, she tacked on mentally. She didn’t think he’d be able to stop Mr. Cooper from going through with the sale of her house, and she felt strange for even expecting it of him. If he’d only sworn his love to her … spoken of a future together … then she might not be so nervous about her expectations of him.

“Regina, Mrs. Nation would never leave you homeless or penniless. I think you’re overreacting.”

“Oh, I know she’d take me with her to Kansas if I wanted to go, but I’m not sure I want that. If she does decide to pull up her tent stakes, I’d like to
have a choice and not have to go where the wind blows me. If I could make a living here, I could eventually open a place for drunkards’ families myself.”

“That would be wonderful,” Lu said. “You’ve been running this one, so you know you can do it.”

“Why don’t you go around to Miss Tally’s tomorrow?”

“Oh, I don’t know, Regina …”

“Lu, wouldn’t you hate to leave me? And what about Eric?” When Lu winced, Regina knew she’d struck a nerve. “What, Lu? Has Eric said something … done something to make you want to run?”

“No, nothing as dramatic as that,” Lu said, laughing, but her eyes were sad and troubled. “I have to be careful, that’s all. I’ve demonstrated that I have poor judgment in men. I can’t put Annie through another bad relationship.”

“You think Eric would be bad for you?”

“I think I should concentrate on my daughter and not on courtships. Besides, Eric’s never been married. He deserves a single lady with no children.”

“Has Eric acted as if he doesn’t like Annie?”

“No, Regina. Eric has been perfectly wonderful.” Her smile was indulgent. “I’m not ready to leap into another serious relationship and I shouldn’t expect Eric to wait until I’m back on my feet.”

“I’ve seen the way you two look at each other. I think he’d be glad to wait, if you’d just explain your feelings to him.”

“Oh, Regina, I don’t know if I should trust my feelings. I loved Jack Beck. He’s only been dead a couple of weeks. Don’t you think it would be wise
if I devoted my time to Annie? She’s lost her father.”

“That’s true, but her loss isn’t deep. Don’t look so shocked, Lu. You know that Annie never loved her father because there wasn’t much to love about him by the time she came along. It’s good that you’re being cautious, but I don’t want you to throw away a chance at happiness. Eric Carmichaels don’t grow on trees. He’s one of a kind.”

“You’re right, I suppose—”

A knock at the front door interrupted them. Regina plucked the front of her dress away from her sweaty skin and glanced toward the front of the house.

“That’ll be Miss Cooper, I imagine,” Lu said, pushing herself up from the chair. “I’ll go see to her. I know you don’t cotton to her.”

“No.” Regina pushed Lu back into the chair. “I’ll go. I’m not going to let that woman intimidate me.” She grabbed the dress she’d ironed and strode through the house.

“The rest of her things are beside the front door,” Lu called after her.

Regina didn’t allow herself to glance in the foyer mirror. She knew she looked like a woman who had worked hard all morning. It would be good for Miss Cooper to see how the other half lived, Regina thought as she opened the front door. Irene Cooper was supremely elegant in cream lace and linen. Her stylish hat perched perfectly on her dark red hair. She surveyed Regina with haughty disdain.

“I’ve come to collect my laundry,” Irene said. “I trust it’s ready.”

“Yes.” Regina looked past her to the carriage. “I’ll carry it out for you.” She hoisted the laundry basket with its neatly folded clothes onto one hip
and carried six carefully ironed dresses in her free hand. Following Irene to the carriage, she noted the uniformed driver and elegant silver fittings on the harnesses. The Coopers were doing well for themselves, she thought, so why did they have to claim her house? She beat down the urge to vent her anger on Irene, knowing that the banker’s daughter had no part in her father’s business practices.

Regina handed the dresses and basket up to the driver. Irene opened her tapestry money pouch and counted out the exact amount she owed into Regina’s palm. Not a cent more.

“There.” Irene smiled at Regina, but her smile was as cool as a November morn. “I saw Theo earlier. I hear you’re delinquent on your taxes. Will you move into Mrs. Nation’s boardinghouse or out of town when this place is auctioned off?”

Regina flinched and felt her pain so acutely she wondered if a knife weren’t actually buried in her heart. Theo had spoken to this woman about her private business? Was this his idea of helping her find a solution to her problem? It was all she could do to keep her voice level, although she knew that Irene already sensed her inner anguish and feeling of betrayal.

“I won’t move from Eureka Springs,” she said, amazed that she could sound so firm. “I’ll simply move my things to the boardinghouse.”

“Too bad you’ll be taking up a room that might be needed for a drunkard’s wife,” Irene said. “Perhaps you might think about making your own living and paying your own rent somewhere else in town, instead of living off Mrs. Nation.”

Regina narrowed her eyes and wished she wasn’t a lady so she could spit in Irene Cooper’s face. “And perhaps you should examine your own lack of livelihood before being critical of someone
else’s. I work for my rent, if that’s any of your business.” She thrust out her reddened, chapped hands. “I scrubbed your dirty clothes in boiling hot water and pressed one or two of those fancy dresses.” She jammed her lips together. “I don’t owe you any explanations or excuses, Irene Cooper.” Regina noticed that the driver was grinning from ear to ear, pleased by Regina’s tongue-lashing.

“No, you don’t.” Irene spun around and offered her hand. The driver took it and steadied her while she climbed into the open carriage. She fluffed her overskirts and underskirts. “I was only curious about your plans so that my father could make other arrangements for a washerwoman, should you decide to leave town.”

Washerwoman! Regina fumed. One step below scullery maid, no doubt! Oh, how she’d enjoy smashing Irene’s jaw with her fist!

“We aren’t leaving Eureka Springs,” Regina said. “You can assure your father that we’ll be here to take in your wash and your father’s kept woman’s wash as well.”

The driver faced front and tried not to grin too big. Irene Cooper narrowed her eyes to dangerously glinting slits and her breath rushed past her taut lips.

“How dare you!”

“Oh, don’t be so shocked. You know about that woman on the hill. Heavens, the whole town knows about her!” Regina placed her hands on her hips and rocked back on her heels, glad to have gotten Miss High and Mighty’s goat.

“You have no room to talk about kept women,” Irene said. “Look in the mirror, dearie. Jonathan, let’s go!”

The driver slapped the reins and the two dapple grays set off. The carriage rolled away on oiled
wheels with silver-painted spokes and bright red rims.

“Regina, are you all right?”

Regina whirled to find Lu standing on the bottom porch step. “Did you hear that? That powder puff can’t get it through her head that I work for my living here! What does she think I do all day, buff my nails, gather rosebuds?” She folded her arms defiantly. “She hasn’t a brain in her head. I’m surprised Theo has anything to do with her.” She frowned, stung by Theo’s betrayal of her privacy. “How can he be so close to a woman like that?”

“Maybe they’re not as close as Miss Cooper would have you believe,” Lu ventured.

“Which only points out the obvious. Theo Dane and I need to have a heart-to-heart talk about a few things.”

“Regina, got a minute?” Joy called from next door. She was carrying two cases, which she set down before crossing the yard to them. “Whew! Me and Bitsy are packing up our things today. We’ve rented a room in town at Minnie’s Boarding House.”

“I hear that’s a nice place,” Lu said.

“It is. Not as nice as this, but me and Bitsy won’t be living there all that long. Which brings me to a request.” Joy’s eyes glittered with delight as she faced Regina. “We want you to sing at our wedding, Regina. Say you’ll do it.”

“Me! Sing?” Regina retreated a step, the thought of singing in front of people—alone—sending that old dread through her again. “Oh, no, Joy. Don’t ask me to do that.”

“Please?” Joy begged. “You sang so pretty at Mr. Beck’s funeral! It’s all me and Bitsy have been talking about. You sounded like an angel, Regina. Won’t you sing something pretty at our wedding? It’ll be like a blessing to us.”

“Regina, it won’t be like singing in front of strangers,” Lu advised. “You’ll be among friends.”

“Why, sure,” Joy agreed. “There won’t be more than a handful of folks there. We figure about twenty, at the most. You’ll know every last one of them. Please, Regina?”

Regina caved in. “Very well. What did you have in mind for me to sing?”

“Oh, we don’t care. Just something pretty about love.”

“I know a lot of those,” Regina assured her. “And Lu can accompany me on the piano. Will there be a piano?”

Joy nodded. “We’re getting married in the Methodist church.”

“And you’re moving out today?” Lu asked. “What’s the hurry?”

“We’ve got our jobs and we’re anxious to begin new lives,” Joy explained. “But we’ll come around to visit, so don’t think you’re seeing the last of us.”

“You’d better drop by often,” Regina said in a mock scold. “It’ll be lonely here without you two.”

“Not to mention busier,” Lu added. “You and Bitsy have pulled more than your load.”

“Bitsy and me will come by two or three mornings a week to help y’all feed the poor.”

“You don’t have to do that,” Regina said.

“We want to,” Joy stated firmly. “We believe in the work going on here, so we want to share in it.” She gave a cunning wink. “And don’t think we won’t be talking to those men of ours about supporting this place better, too. It won’t take us long to whip them into shape!” Laughing, she swung about and retraced her steps to the cases.

“It’s good to see her so happy,” Lu said with a contented sigh. “She and Bitsy are walking on air.” She shaded her eyes with one hand. “Look who’s
coming up the lane on his fancy black horse! If it isn’t Theodore Dane, come calling on his lady friend.” Lu dimpled and wiggled her fingers in a wave. “I’ll just go next door and finish that load of laundry I was in the middle of earlier. Have yourself a heart-to-heart with your beau.” She patted Regina’s shoulder and then crossed the yard. “Hello to you, Mr. Dane!”

“Hello there, Mrs. Beck. Where are you off to?”

“Oh, I have work to do in the boardinghouse,” Lu told him, then went up the steps. “I’ll be in here for a good two or three hours, should you be interested.”

Theo looked confused for a moment, then he tipped back his head and laughed. “Thanks, Mrs. Beck.” He hitched Diablo to the post and strode toward Regina, hat in hand.

“Don’t you look pretty today.”

Regina looked down at her simple, wrinkled dress. She pushed a lock of hair off her forehead. “You need to have your eyes checked, Theodore. I’ve been slaving over an ironing board all morning, so I know I don’t look anything near pretty. I look like a wilted dandelion.”

Theo wrapped an arm around her waist. “To my eyes, you’re as beautiful as a wild rose.”

“Theo, behave yourself!” She pushed at his shoulder when he dipped his head to nuzzle her neck. “Stop it! It’s broad daylight. Have you lost your mind?” She grabbed one of his hands and tugged. “Come inside before you create a scandal.”

“A scandal?” he teased. “That gets my blood to boiling. We’d better get inside before I get out of hand.”

Regina hurried inside with Theo on her heels. Once inside the foyer, he caught her around the
waist and pulled her flush against him. His mouth slanted across hers in a quick, soul-jarring kiss.

Regina sucked in a breath. “Theo! Anyone could walk in. Please.”

“Okay. Let’s go upstairs.”

“Upstairs?”

“To your bedroom.”

“My bedroom!”

“I want to see it.” He grinned, his voice dipping to a growl. “I’ve shown you mine. Now you show me yours, honeybee.”

“Theodore, I want to talk to you.”

“Now?” He tossed his hat onto a table and smoothed his hands over her hair. “You want to talk now? You sure, Regina?” He kissed the corners of her mouth. “You positive, darlin’?” He sucked gently on her lower lip. “Or would you rather talk later?”

A voice inside her wailed that she should make him propose marriage before she allowed him any further intimacy. But her heart beat like a wild thing, and her eyes loved to look at him, and her breasts and womb filled with sweet, sweet longing. Powerful forces were at work within her, and she didn’t have the strength or the conviction to fight them. She took his hand and led him upstairs. With a flourish, she opened the door to her bedroom and scurried inside before her confidence totally deserted her.

“Well, this is it,” she said. “Rather ordinary, I’m afraid. And my bed isn’t as big as yours. It’s meant for one person.”

Theo eyed the narrow bed and grinned. “We can manage nicely. We’ll snuggle real close.” He unknotted his tie and flung it toward a chair. It missed and dropped to the threadbare rug. “This room isn’t you, Regina. Your room should be decked out in roses—all pink and purple and
plum. I do believe I’m the only one in this town who knows the real Regina Rose.”

“I’m not that girl at the Gold Star, if that’s what you’re thinking,” she stated emphatically, then caught her reflection in the mirror and gasped. “Oh, I look a sight!” She poked some stray strands of hair back into her chignon. “I need to wash off. I’ve been up to my elbows in hot water and steam and I’ve—”