"Answers to the name "Christie Hayes." Have I missed anything?"
"Who are you? Do you know Zee?"
"Sister Florence of the Willows Orphanage, Fairbank, at your service, Miss Hayes. And yes, I have had the pleasure of making Deputy Brodie"s acquaintance." They came to a junction, and the sister reined the horse to a halt and looked about her. "But I really do need directions. I am unfamiliar with Contention. Which way is it to your brother"s house?"
A dazed Christie pointed out the way.
Chapter 11.
"Zee sent you?" Christie and Sister Florence were sitting in Blue"s parlor, drinking a reviving cup of tea from the best china, and Christie"s heartbeat had at last calmed to something near normal.
"No, child. I had to bring Jenny Farnham"s aunt home. Mrs.
Archer is distraught at having lost her charge. And so is Mr. Farnham.
They blame my establishment for its lax security, and I fear they may be right. I shall have to refund their donation and say forty Hail Marys as penance." Sister Florence seemed surprisingly cheerful at the prospect.
"Lost?" Christie held her breath.
"It seems that Jenny went missing in the night. Mrs. Archer fears some demon bent on evil intent spirited the girl away, and she said as much to the Fairbank marshal." Gray eyes flicked to Christie"s face then away again.
Her heart sank. "The marshal"s involved?"
"Nominally. He"s an old friend of mind. It is my opinion that the girl ran away, and I told him so. It happens, on occasion, when a girl is held against her will. I do not think the marshal will be pursuing the case with his usual vigor."
"I see." Christie breathed a sigh of relief. So Zee"s plan had worked. But where was she now?
"I thought you might." The nun smiled. "And so, since I was already in Contention, I thought I might as well call on you."
"I"m very glad you did."
Sister Florence gave her a sympathetic glance. "That unpleasant little man was your ex-fiance?"
"Yes and no." Christie sighed. "Fred"s not the man I knew. He"s become cruel. I don"t think he would have hurt me, but I certainly 303.
wasn"t enjoying our encounter. Thank you for rescuing me."
"You"re welcome." Sister Florence finished her tea and stood up.
"Well, time is getting on and I have a long way to travel. I must be off."
Christie nodded and accompanied her out front where the horse and buggy were waiting. Several bystanders had gathered to specu-late about the vehicle"s owner. When they saw the black habit and veil, their eyes bulged. Christie suppressed a laugh. More food for the gossips.
The horse had finished its water, so Christie retrieved her pail. She helped Sister Florence up into the driving seat.
"I"m sorry to have missed your brother, Miss Hayes." Sister Florence gathered the reins. "Will you tell him that, though I have no knowledge of her present whereabouts, when I last saw his Jenny, she was in good health and spirits? I am sure he will be hearing from her soon."
"I will." Christie paused and debated whether to ask about Zee.
"And, er . . . Deputy Brodie?"
Sister Florence winked. "Better keep a lamp burning in your window tonight, Miss Hayes. If I"m any judge of character, you can expect a visit of the romantic kind . . . Walk on."
GIF.
The sash window jammed. Zee froze; it wasn"t much of a squeak, but in the midnight silence it had sounded deafening.
She waited, expecting the rhythm of soft breathing coming from inside to alter . . . it didn"t.
Been creeping into too many women"s bedrooms lately. Hope this is the last.
She eyed the gap between the partially raised window and the ledge. It would be a tight squeeze, but it would do. She took off her hat and threw it inside, then went through head first, wincing as the ledge pressed into her ribs. Taking her weight on her gloved hands she did a controlled roll, coming to her feet in one smooth movement and scanning her surroundings.
The single bed was against the small room"s far wall. She crossed to it in two strides and knelt beside its head. Christie"s face looked peaceful in repose, the hair fanning out around her on the pillow giving the impression of an angel.
304.
Zee pulled off her gloves and leaned toward Christie. "Darlin","
she whispered, placing her hand over Christie"s mouth and feeling the warm breath on her palm.
Eyelids fluttered open and wide eyes stared up at her. Lips moved against her palm; she withdrew it.
"Zee!" Christie sat up and threw her arms around her.
So much for keeping the noise down, thought Zee. Then Christie"s lips pressed pa.s.sionately against hers, a tongue sought entrance, and she couldn"t think of anything much anymore.
The bedroom door crashed open. "Are you all right, Christie? I heardWhat in G.o.d"s name? Get the h.e.l.l away from my sister, you sonofab.i.t.c.h!"
Zee and Christie broke their kiss and turned, still short of breath, to stare at the silhouette in the doorway. Even in the starlight, Zee could tell a shotgun was pointing straight at her.
"Blue?" croaked Christie. She cleared her throat and tried again.
"It"s all right, Blue. It"s Zee."
"What?" He disappeared from view and reappeared moments later with a lantern. He shoved it forward so the light fell on Zee.
"Howdy." She shaded her eyes against the glare.
"Brodie." His voice was flat. "What are you doing with my sister?"
"What does it look like?"
A blush stole over his face. "Oh." They locked gazes, neither willing to be the first to look away, and Zee was aware of Christie"s eyes tracking between the two of them.
"Will you stop pointing that thing at me?" said Zee at last. "It"s getting to be a habit."
He looked at the shotgun as though wondering how it had got there, then placed it on the floor.
"Much obliged." She perched on the edge of Christie"s bed. A hand slipped into hers; she squeezed it. "Didn"t mean to wake the whole household, but since you"re here." She reached her free hand inside her vest pocket, pulled out a folded piece of paper, and held it toward Blue.
He stepped forward and took it. "What"s this?"
"Directions. To Angie"s Palace in Benson. Jenny"s waiting for you there."
"Jenny?"
She rolled her eyes. "The blacksmith"s daughter. Attractive girl . . .
305.
Belly out to here?" At the last remark, a finger prodded her in the back. She ignored it.
"I know who she is." Blue flushed. "But she made it clear she doesn"t want me. She"s going to marry Andrew LeRoy."
Zee turned to Christie. "Was this slowpoke dropped on his head as a baby?"
The question got her another prod and a whispered, "Don"t be mean."
"Look," she said, as patiently as she was ablethe feel and scent of Christie was making her itch to do things she shouldn"t while a brother was present. "Farnham hornswoggled the both of you real good. Told you Jenny wanted to marry someone else. Told her you didn"t want a baby complicating your life."
Blue"s jaw worked. "She thought I didn"t want her?" His voice was barely audible and the lantern light reflected off unshed tears.
"That"s right." Zee gentled her voice. "But she knows better now.
And she"s waiting for you, in Benson." When he still showed no inclination to move, she added, "Thought you might need a horse. It"s in the back yard."
"But the . . . the store . . ." Blue reminded Zee of a man coming awake after a nightmare, unsure whether it was over.
"Forget about the store," came Christie"s soft voice. "You have no customers anyway."
"d.a.m.ned right," chimed in Zee. "Anyway, what"s more important? The store or your happiness?"
"Go to her, Blue," urged his sister. "What are you waiting for?"
The transformation had continued while they spoke. Blue"s shoulders no longer slumped; his eyes were bright. "She"s in Benson and she wants me?" His voice was questioning, almost shy.
Zee nodded.
He reread the note again, twice, then beamed from ear to ear.
"Sonofab.i.t.c.h! She"s in Benson and she wants me."
Zee exchanged a wry glance with Christie. "Reckon he"s got it."
"A horse, you said?"
"Yeah. A gray. In your yard." She gave Christie a sidelong glance.
"Probably eating your flowers. Will you stop prodding me?" She rubbed her back and pouted.
A grinning Blue was already turning, almost tripping over the shotgun in his haste. The door slammed closed behind him.
306.
Christie shook her head. "Where are his manners? On Blue"s behalf, I"d like to say thank you, Zee."
"It"s all right, darlin". It"s understood." She turned and pulled Christie toward her. "Now. Where were we?"
"Here, I believe."
While they kissed, Zee registered the sound of drawers opening and closing in the room next door, followed by footsteps thundering down the stairs. The back door crashed open and shut, and in the yard a horse whinnied.
A thought struck her and she broke the kiss. "And make sure you marry the girl," she yelled.
"I will," came Blue"s faint reply.
As hoofbeats faded into the distance, eager lips reclaimed Zee"s and she laughed and rolled onto her back, stretching out on the bed and pulling Christie on top of her.
GIF.
Zee yawned, squinted against the bright sunlight, and listened to the sounds of Contention waking up. Through the still half-open window drifted the clip clop of a horse going past, the rumble of a buckboard"s wheels, a shouted "Good Morning."
She stretched, careful not to disturb the naked woman draped over herChristie"s nightdress had ended up on the far side of the room, along with Zee"s boots and most of her clothes. A fair head nestled against her breast. Zee"s gaze traveled on, lingering on the curve of a shoulder, the tapered waist, the swelling b.u.t.tocksher own feet shattered the vision of loveliness. They were jutting over the end of the tiny bed.
d.a.m.n! Got another hole in my sock. She wiggled the offending big toe and yawned again.
It was long past their usual getting up time, but Zee felt no urge to rise. Her recent exertions had tuckered her out. They had made love twice, pent up pa.s.sion making the first time fast and furious and causing them both to cry outpartly, in Zee"s case, because she had aggravated her ribs. Later, they had taken things more slowly and tenderly, but still reached an intensity that left Zee shaking and a tearful Christie in need of cradling.
She drew a circle with her index finger on a downy back that 307.
begged to be touched, and Christie gave a contented sigh and snuggled closer.
"We should probably get up," came a m.u.f.fled voice a little later.
Christie breath was warm on Zee"s breast. "Hey, that tickles!"
"What does?" A tousled head rose and green eyes regarded her.
"Nothing."