Deborah Camp (6 page)

“Why?”

“For something to warm yourself.”

“You think I’m stupid? I know you’re trying to get me away from that staircase. She’s up there, isn’t she?”

“Jack, please.” Regina steeled herself against showing him any panic. “Come into the kitchen and tell me all about it. Tell me why your wife left you.”

“You know why!” He wrenched his arm from her grasp, and renewed fury painted red spots on his face. His breath hit her full in the face and she turned her cheek to the stench of soured whiskey. “Look at me!” He squeezed her chin between his thumb and the knuckle of his forefinger and brought her gaze around to his again. “You can’t keep what’s mine. She belongs to me. Now where is she?”

Glaring at him, Regina battled the cold anger that ballooned in her and lost. She knew how to hurt him. She knew all the soft places and she aimed for the most tender. “You’re just like Mama. Weak. She couldn’t do without her gin and you
can’t do without your whiskey and beer. It owns you, body and soul. Just like Mama.”

“Shut your mouth!” Jack bellowed. He pushed her away and slapped her across the face. “I’m not a coward and I’m not like her. I don’t need to drink. I
want
to. You got that, little sister?”

The salty taste of blood stained her tongue and Regina stepped out of his range. Her heaving gasps burned her throat and tears blurred her vision, but she held on to her senses and blocked the staircase.

“Get out of here, Jack, and don’t come back. She’s not here.”

“Liar. Stand away from the stairs. I’m going up.”

“No!”

He lunged at her and Regina tumbled backward, falling onto the stairs. One edge hit her in the small of the back and she cried out from the sharp pain. Jack’s face swam close to hers and then it was magically whisked away. Regina blinked hard and realized that another man had entered the foyer and had Jack pinned against the wall.

“Jack!” she shouted, scrambling to her feet, then her breath whooshed down her throat when she recognized the other man. “Mr. Dane! Don’t hurt him. He’s … he’s …” She hated to admit it. “He’s my brother,” she said in a rush.

“Your brother?” Theo repeated.

“Half brother,” Jack said with a snarl. “Let go before I pound you into dust.”

Theo smirked. “You and what army?” He stepped back, slowly removing his hand from Jack’s throat. “You’re a tough customer, all right. It surely takes a big man to beat up on his little sister.”

“You bastard!” Jack lurched away from the wall,
but his face suddenly lost all color and he veered from Theo and stumbled onto the front porch. He dropped to his knees at the edge of it and emptied the contents of his stomach.

Theo touched the dot of blood at the corner of Regina’s mouth. “Are you okay?”

She nodded, embarrassed to have him see her in such a state, but glad for his intervention. “Fine. I’m just a trifle dazed. He showed up out of the blue and I … well, he’s very drunk.”

“So I can see.” Theo glanced at Jack, who curled into a puddled heap and moaned. He tapped the toe of his boot against Jack’s shoulder. “You going to be okay, partner?”

Jack groaned and then began to snore.

“Looks like he’s passed out,” Theo observed. “You want me to carry him inside for you?”

“Inside? Oh, no.” She stared at Jack, then at Theodore. “I can’t let him stay here. I—you see … well, I just can’t.”

He patted the air to calm her. “Okay, okay. Want me to take him to a hotel?”

“Would you? I don’t know if he has any money. Let me see if I can find enough for—”

“Don’t worry. I’ll go through his pockets. I’m sure he’s got a dollar on him.”

Calmed by his even, authoritative voice, Regina smiled at him. He was dressed in a suit again—this one a dark brown—and it looked as if he had just shaved. He’s probably on his way to meet a young lady, she thought. Interest sparkled in his blue eyes, startling her. She averted her gaze, shy of the sexual pull of him.

“Regina, I—”

“Is everything all right down there?” Lu called from upstairs.

Regina went back inside. “Yes, and it’s nothing to worry about.”

Lu stepped into the light at the top of the staircase. “Are you sure? Should I come down?”

“No, Lu. Everything is fine. It’s just a disorderly drunk. I’m taking care of him.”

“Okay. Call if you need me.”

Regina listened for Lu’s fading footsteps before going back out onto the porch. Theo had hoisted Jack to his feet and was holding him upright. Jack’s head lolled on his neck, but he was coming around enough to put one foot in front of the other.

“This is so good of you, Mr. Dane,” Regina said. “I don’t know how to thank you.”

“I do. You can call me Theo.” He quirked one brow, waiting.

Regina surrendered with a smile. “Thank you, Theo.”

“You’re more than welcome, Regina. I’m glad I was around to help you out of this jam.” He slanted one of Jack’s arms across his shoulders and grabbed him around the waist. “Let’s go, partner. There’s a warm, dry bed waiting for you.”

“Good night, Theo, and thanks again.”

“Good night, Regina.” He helped Jack off the porch, then glanced back once, his understanding smile making Regina think twice about him.

Maybe he’s not so bad, she considered. He didn’t have to offer his help tonight. He could have simply stood back and let her handle Jack. She was awfully glad he’d taken over, however, because she’d never been good at handling Jack. Her mother had been verbally abusive, but Jack struck out with his fists.

Theo had arrived in a hansom cab. The driver helped him pile Jack under the canopy. Theo climbed in beside Jack and the driver took his place on the elevated bench. The two horses’
hooves thumped against the packed earth and the carriage rolled away.

Regina went back inside and bolted the door. She rested her forehead against it and sent up a prayer of thanks for Theodore Dane’s timely intervention.

“Regina, did he hit you?”

Turning, Regina watched Lu Beck descend the stairs, worry clearly evident on her pale, round face. “Yes, but it’s nothing.”

“Oh, dear.” Lu rushed to her and cradled the stinging side of Regina’s face in her warm palm. “I should have come downstairs.”

“I’m glad you didn’t. It would only have made matters worse.”

“I heard that other man. Who was he?”

“Theodore Dane, the lawyer. An angel of mercy tonight.” Regina laughed softly. “He’s going to take Jack to a hotel and let him sleep it off there.”

“That’s good. You poor thing.” Lu took one of Regina’s hands between both of hers. “Let’s brew some tea.”

“I would love that.” Regina released a long, shaky breath. “I admit Jack gave me a fright. I was so afraid he’d storm up the stairs and hurt you or Annie.”

“I knew I shouldn’t have come here. I’ve brought more trouble on you, and that’s not fair. You’ve faced so much of it in your life already.”

“Don’t worry about me, Lu. I’m pleased that you came to me.” Regina sat at the kitchen table, her knees suddenly weak, and let Lu prepare the tea. “I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

“Many times I have regretted marrying Jack, but then I remember that the marriage gave me Annie and you. I’m so thankful to have you as my sister-in-law, Regina. You’re so strong and brave.”

“I’m not,” Regina said, feeling unworthy of such high praise.

“Did you tell Mr. Dane we’re related?”

“No.” Regina touched a fingertip to her tender mouth. “I told him Jack was my half brother, but I didn’t mention you or Annie.”

“You can tell him, if you want.”

Regina shrugged. “It’s none of his business.” An inner voice chided her.
Secrets
. Keeping them had been a common practice during her younger years. It was a hard habit to break. “Maybe I’ll tell him later if the subject comes up.” She sighed. “But I doubt that I’ll see him until Mrs. Nation’s trial.”

“You should tell Mrs. Nation, shouldn’t you?”

“Yes, I will … when the time’s right. I don’t want Mrs. Nation to think I have so many problems that I can’t help others.”

“She wouldn’t think that.”

Regina resorted to silence, unable to tell Lu that she’d come to Arkansas for a fresh start and she hated to admit to Mrs. Nation that not only was her mother a drunk, but her brother as well. Shame. God, would she ever escape it?

Lu set a cup and saucer before her. “Does your lip hurt?”

Regina ran the tip of her tongue over it. “It tingles.”

“It’s beginning to swell.” Lu poured the steaming tea into the cups. “Why does Jack do it? He’s such a lamb when he doesn’t drink. But that liquor makes a devil of him. Why can’t he see that and have nothing more to do with it?”

“It flows in the blood.” She took a sip of tea and winced when it made her lower lip throb. “I’ve felt it.”

“Felt what?”

“The seduction of liquor. You think that it’s
helping you, when all the while it’s destroying you. Mama passed it on to me and Jack.”

After a moment, Lu nodded. “I have to stay away from him for Annie’s sake.”

“And for yours.” Regina touched her swelling lip. It felt hot, feverish. “I remember when I left home. I thought I’d be so happy, but I wasn’t.” She smiled sadly, remembering the midnight train ride and her mixed feelings. “I didn’t have to dread coming into the house and finding Mama sick and saying hurtful things to me and making me clean up after her anymore, but I hated running away from her. It was weak of me. Cowardly.”

“That’s not true. It takes courage to leave. You tell us that all the time here.”

“I know that now. I’ve learned that here. After I left home, I rented a room in an old, dilapidated hotel. It was quiet and peaceful. No drunks lived there. But it was lonely.”

Lu sniffed. Regina was surprised to see tears standing in her eyes.

“Have I upset you?” Regina asked.

Lu laughed under her breath. “I was just thinking about your childhood and how terrible it must have been for you.”

“You don’t want Annie to go through that, Lu. You must be strong and not believe Jack if he tries to woo you back. You heard him tonight. He’s as bad as he was before you left. He certainly won’t change overnight.”

Lu fell silent for a minute. “Hey, why did Mr. Dane come here tonight?”

“I … I don’t know.” Regina thought about his arrival, but couldn’t recall any reason for it. “He came in a cab … so he was probably on his way to somewhere else and heard me and Jack going at it.”

“Jack’s such a bully when he’s drunk.” Lu sipped the tea. “Perhaps Mr. Dane was calling on you, Regina.”

“On me? Why would you think that? A man as handsome and successful as Theodore Dane certainly wouldn’t be interested in someone like me.”

“And why not?”

Regina shrugged. “I haven’t two cents to rub together and I’m no raving beauty.”

“You need to give your mirror a good cleaning, Regina Rose. You’re the loveliest girl in all Eureka Springs.”

Regina felt herself blush. She waved a hand to stop Lu’s compliments. She’d never been able to accept flattery gracefully. Kind words always made her feel uncomfortable, wary even. Her mother used to say nice things to her just to get her to run around to the back of the saloon where Regina would give the bartender money and he would hand over a bottle of gin. She’d learned early that compliments were empty and usually required something in return.

“Let’s go to bed,” she suggested. “It’s been an eventful night, thanks to Jack Beck.”

“Do you think he’ll come back tomorrow?”

Regina slipped an arm around Lu’s shoulders. “If he does, I’ll deal with him. Don’t you worry. You’re safe here. This is your haven and I won’t let anyone—not even my kin—hurt you or your daughter. If I must, I’ll send Jebidiah for the sheriff. I don’t think it’ll come to that, though.”

Lu hugged her. “I feel guilty for making you face his awful drinking again. You must hate him.”

“No, I hate the whiskey he drinks.”

Lu pulled her robe more tightly around her slender body. “You’re right about him making hollow promises. When his mama died, he swore to
me he wouldn’t touch another drop because the liquor was what had killed Mrs. Lilah in the end. But it wasn’t a week later that he came home drunk as a skunk.”

Regina steeled herself against the old pain. “How many people were at her funeral?”

“No more than a dozen. We sent you a telegram.”

“I got it, but I didn’t see any point in going.” She looked at Lu and saw that Lu couldn’t fathom any reason that would keep Regina from Lilah Rose’s last rites and Irish wake. “Funerals are for mourning. I mourned the loss of my mother years before she died.”

T
heo dug his heels into the horse’s flanks to urge him up East Mountain. The chimney of Carry Nation’s house came into view through branches of oak and sycamore trees. As he grew near he saw movement along the porch of the house next door.

Regina Rose straightened from watering the pots of pink and red geraniums. She lifted the can’s spout to the pot of hanging fern. With her free hand she shaded her eyes against the morning sun. The bodice of her gray, shirt-waisted dress tightened across her breasts and brought an appreciative grin from Theo.

“Good morning,” he called ahead to her. “You wouldn’t have some coffee still heating on your stove, would you?”

Regina lowered the watering can slowly and stared at the striking figure of Theo Dane astride a midnight-black stallion. He brought the big horse to a prancing halt no more than two feet from her front steps. The horse bobbed his head, trying to slacken the reins, but Theo held him firmly in place. Dressed in a dark blue suit and pale blue shirt that accentuated his golden coloring, Theo had never looked more handsome. Just the sight of him made Regina shake. Her heart pounded
and she felt hot and alive and intensely female. She set down the rusty can with hands that trembled.

“Mr. Dane, I’m surprised to—”

“What was that?” he interrupted, turning his head to give her the eagle eye. “What did you call me, Mistress Rosy?”

She smiled and looked away from the twinkle in his eyes. “Theo.”