The Barefoot Bride (27 page)

“Why, what a surprise!” Iris said, wiping her hands dry on her apron as she approached
the buggy. “Step down and come inside for something cool to drink.”

As soon as Nessie was out of the buggy, she raced over to play with the kittens.

“Rose,” Iris called to her oldest daughter, “keep an eye on things out here while I go sit and visit with Mrs. Kendrick.”

“Yes, Mama.”

Molly made a detour to admire Lily before she followed Iris into the sod house. The coolness of the earthen room was a relief after the heat of the afternoon sun. It took Molly a second to get her bearings in the dimness before she settled into a chair Iris held for her at the table. Iris poured them each a glass of sun-brewed tea and sat down across from Molly.

“Now, what brings you visiting in the middle of the week?” she asked.

“Do I have to have a reason for coming?”

“Most people do.”

Molly smiled. “You're right. I wanted some advice.”

“Ain't much I know about you don't know better yourself,” Iris said. “But fire away.”

“It's about Seth.”

Iris smiled. “Guessed as much. There's more to that man than meets the eye.”

“Do you think he would keep a mistress in town?” Molly blurted.

Iris was silent for a moment before she asked, “What makes you think such a thing?”

Molly explained that Seth had gone to town to check on Mrs. Gulliver, but that Mrs. Biddle had said he didn't stay there very long. “But he's usually gone from home the better part of the evening,” she finished.

“And you think he's seeing another woman?”

Molly nodded. “Dora Deveraux.”

“Tell me, when he comes home these nights he's gone, does he make love to you?”

Molly flushed. “Yes.”

“Does he take his time?”

“Yes.”

“Then I don't reckon it's another woman. Which leaves you looking for another reason why he stays in town,” Iris said, tapping her chin thoughtfully. “Any thoughts?”

“He might be meeting the Masked Marauder.”

Iris's eyes widened. “Does he know who it is?”

Molly leaned forward eagerly. “From things he's said to me, I think so. I just wish I knew for sure one way or the other what he's
doing in town. Because … because I think I'm pregnant.”

“Lordy, lordy, girl. That's great news!”

“I don't know,” Molly said with a worried frown. “Patch and Whit are having enough trouble accepting things the way they are.”

Iris took a swallow of tea to give herself time to think. “I see what you mean. But maybe a new baby is exactly what your family needs.”

“It is?”

“How can they not love the baby? It'll be Patch's kin through Seth, and Whit's kin through you.”

Molly smiled. “I knew there was a reason I came to see you, Iris. You talk such good sense.”

“Glad you think so, Molly. You'd better get going so you're home in time to make supper for that man of yours.”

Molly hadn't gone very far when she got the idea to go to town before she drove back to the ranch. The more she thought about it, the better she liked it. She could buy some material to make Patch a new dress and pick up a pair of trousers for Whit. And she would buy something special for Seth, a present to give him when she told him about the baby. At the crossroads, instead of continuing east
toward the ranch, she turned north toward Fort Benton.

Pike Hardesty could hardly believe his eyes when he saw Doc Kendrick's wife come driving into town perched up on top of that buggy seat. He looked for the doc on horseback following her, but unbelievable as it seemed, she was alone. Well, well, maybe he was going to get a chance to get back at Doc Kendrick sooner than he'd thought.

Molly found everything she wanted at I. G. Baker and was feeling quite pleased with herself when she walked out of the store, loaded down with packages. She was conscious of someone following too close behind her and looked over her shoulder to see who it was.

Pike lifted his hat and said, “Afternoon, purty lady. Let me help you with those packages.”

Before Molly could protest, he had taken the parcels out of her hands. There was nothing she could do without making a scene. She took Nessie's hand and, with her back stiff, and chin high, began walking toward where she'd left the buggy.

Pike walked beside her. “Been wondering when you'd come to town, purty lady. Guess that yellow-bellied husband of yours was scared to show his face.”

“My husband seemed to come away well enough from his last encounter with you/’ Molly said. She had arrived at the buggy. “I'll take those packages now.”

Pike dumped them in the buggy.

Molly lifted Nessie up into the front seat, but when she tried to join her daughter, Pike stepped in front of her, barring the way.

“Seems kinda strange you defending the doc after what he done to you.”

“And what is that?” Molly asked.

“Caught him myself in Dora Deveraux's bed, not more'n two weeks after you was married,” Pike said.

Molly's face blanched. “You're lying.”

“Come along and ask Dora yourself if you don't believe me.”

Pike had hold of Molly's arm and wouldn't let go. He started dragging her away from the buggy toward the Medicine Bow Saloon, halfway down the street.

“Wait here for me, Nessie,” Molly called over her shoulder. “I'll be right back.”

Molly looked around at the townspeople they passed, for someone she knew, someone who would help her. But when Pike glared at them, they all looked down at the ground. Molly wasn't sure what Pike had in mind for her, but the thought of going upstairs in the
Medicine Bow Saloon with him sent her heart into her throat.

She wasn't without hope. She was sure that if Red Dupree saw her come into the saloon with Pike, he would intercede. Only Pike didn't go in the front door. When they reached the shadowed alley alongside Bas-sett's saloon, he headed through it to the back of the building.

It was then that Molly realized that if she was going to escape, she had to do it on her own. Just as they reached a set of back stairs to the second floor, she stomped on Pike's foot and yanked hard to free her arm. He was so surprised at her attack that he let her go and grabbed his foot.

When Pike saw her start to run toward the street, he came after her. Molly had nearly reached sunlight when she was caught from behind. Pike grabbed her by the shoulder and swung her around so she slammed against the wood-slatted building. His fisted hand swung around and hit her hard in the chin. Everything went black as Molly slid down the side of the building onto the ground.

When she came to, Molly was terrified, because she was in a strange bed. A quick look at her surroundings left her confused. The
entire room was littered with dolls. A cherubic doll with a ceramic face lay on the pillow next to her. Molly sat up and put a hand to her sore jaw, working it carefully until she was sure nothing was broken. She heard voices arguing outside the room—a man and a woman—and looked around for a weapon. She opened a drawer in a bedside table and found a small gun. At first she was afraid to touch it, but as the voices got louder and angrier, she took it out and held it in her hand.

When the door opened, the derringer was pointed at Dora Deveraux.

“It's not loaded/’ Dora said. She walked over to Molly and took the gun out of her hand. Then, to Molly's chagrin, she unloaded the bullets into her palm and dropped both gun and ammunition onto the bedside table.

Molly stared wide-eyed at the woman, wondering what her part was in this kidnapping.

“I sent Red out to keep an eye on your kid,” Dora said. “You wanta tell me what you're doing in town without Seth?”

“I came to get some material for a dress,” Molly said, “and to get a present for Seth. I wanted to surprise him.”

Dora put a hand on Molly's chin and
turned her bruised face to the light. “He's gonna be surprised, all right.”

“Were you arguing with Pike Hardesty?” Molly asked.

Dora clucked her tongue in disgust. “Stupid fool. If any of those men down there knew he'd hit you, they'd lynch him to the nearest tree. Don't know that Seth won't kill him anyway when he sees what Pike did to your face. I told Pike he oughta get out of town for a while. He didn't like gettin’ advice from a woman. But at least he wasn't dumb enough not to take it.”

Molly very much feared it was Seth who would be killed in any encounter between the two men. Pike had already shot at Seth once. The next time, he might not miss. She would just have to come up with some story about what had caused her bruise that didn't involve Pike Hardesty.

“Please don't tell Seth about this,” she said to Dora.

“He's gonna find out.”

“Not if you don't say anything.”

“Why did Pike wanta haul you up here, anyway?”

Molly cleared her throat. “I called him a liar when he said Seth was here in bed with you right after we were married.”

“Ain't that a sack of hell,” Dora said. “I told Seth he should've explained to you about that.”

All the blood drained from Molly's face. “Then he
was
here?”

“Why, sure he was, honey. But that's because—Hey! Don't you go fainting on me now.” Dora put a hand on Molly's head and forced it down between her knees.

Molly felt dizzy. She could hear a buzzing sound in the background that she knew must be Dora talking, but she couldn't understand any of the words. Her chest hurt. And her eyes burned. And her stomach felt nauseous.

“I'm going to throw up,” she said.

“Now, now—”

“I'm going to throw up,” Molly repeated.

Dora ran to get a basin from the dressing table and held it while Molly was sick. She dampened a cloth with water from the pitcher and wiped Molly's mouth.

“You don't look so good. Maybe I better ask Red to drive you home.”

“No!” Molly knew there was no way she would be able to explain things to Seth if Red came along. “I'll be fine.” She got to her feet and was none to steady. “I think if I could just have a sip of water, I'd be fine.”

“Haven't got any more water, honey. But
how about a little shot of something stronger? Probably be just what you need.”

Molly nodded and held out her hand for the shot glass full of whiskey Dora poured for her. She took a tentative sip and felt it burn all the way down. It warmed her inside, where she was so terribly, terribly cold. She sipped again, but got too much, coughed, then swallowed the rest. She handed the empty glass back to Dora and said, “Thank you.”

Molly walked very carefully, though unsteadily, to the door. When she got there, she turned and said to Dora in a perfectly calm voice, “Stay away from my husband. If you go near him again, I'll scratch your eyes out.”

She left the room, then realized she had no idea which door led to the back stairs. She opened Dora's door again and asked, “Which way to the stairs?”

The beautiful Soiled Dove was grinning ear to ear when she said, “Last door on your left.”

When Molly got back to the buggy, Red took one look at her and said, “Son of a bitch. What happened to you?”

Molly had yet to think of what reason she was going to give Seth for her bruised face.
What popped to mind was, “Some yard goods fell on me from the top shelf at I. G. Baker.”

“Lordy mercy. Looks like that smarts,” Red said as he helped her up into the buggy. “You gonna be able to get home all right?”

“I'll be fine,” Molly said.

And she was. In fact, she was so dead inside that she didn't even feel the pain of her jaw. When she arrived home it was after dark, and every lantern in the house was lit. As soon as she drove up, Ethan, Patch and Whit came running out to greet her.

“Where have you been?” Whit demanded anxiously. “I got worried when you didn't come home.”

“Where's Seth?” Molly asked.

“He went looking for you after it got dark,” Ethan said. “I expect he'll be back when he doesn't find you somewhere on the road between here and the Marsh place.”

“I decided to go to town to get some things.”

Ethan didn't say anything, just looked at her in a way that spoke volumes. Molly nearly fell as she got down from the buggy. Ethan caught her in his arms and carried her inside.

“Mother!” Whit cried. “Is she all right?”

“I think she's just worn out,” Ethan said.
“Why don't you go help get Nessie to bed and then you can come say good night to your mother.”

Ethan laid Molly on Seth's bed and reached down to take her shoes off. Her eyes were closed when he started undoing the buttons on her dress. They flashed open in alarm, and she grabbed at his hand.

“Figured you better loosen the laces on that corset you're wearing,” he said.

Molly tried to get up to go behind the screen to change and slumped back down again. Tears slid out of the corners of her eyes. “Go ahead,” she said.

Impersonally, deftly, Ethan unbuttoned Molly's dress. He lifted her and slipped the bodice off her shoulders, then turned her over and untied the laces on her corset. Molly sighed in relief. He put his hands on her shoulders and began to rub the tension out. “Would you like to talk about how you got that bruise on your face?”

“It happened in town,” Molly said.

“I figured that. How?”

“Some yard goods fell on me.”

“Uh-huh.”

“Did you know Seth was seeing Dora Deveraux?”

Ethan's hands froze. “Who told you that?”

A shuddering sigh escaped Molly. “I had it right from the horse's mouth.”

“You saw Dora?”

“Thanks to Pike Hardesty.”

“What does Pike have to do with this?”

“He's the one who told me Seth was seeing Dora.”

Ethan swore under his breath and began to rub Molly's shoulders again. “Everything isn't always what it seems, Molly.”

“I should hope the hell not,” Seth said from the doorway.

Molly pushed herself up on her hands, realized she was only half-dressed, and pulled her dress up to cover her chemise as she scrambled into a more presentable position on the bed.

“What are you doing in my bedroom with my wife?” Seth demanded in a cold voice.

“Molly wasn't feeling well when she got home. I carried her in here.”

“And took half her clothes off? That was mighty considerate of you.”