Breathless(26)

“I wish someone would save me from Salt,” Rhine said. “He wants me to help fund his school in addition to his father’s grocery.” Although his words were about the Salts, his green eyes were focused on Portia and Kent. She knew him well enough to know he was trying to determine what was really going on between them. She also knew he’d be speaking to Eddy about it, and in turn Eddy would find a way to speak to her. To keep him off balance, she asked, “Are we going home soon?”

“In a while. Have you seen your sister?”

“She was here a few minutes ago but I believe she was on her way back inside. Is something wrong?”

“No. Just trying to keep up with the ladies Carmichael. Where’s Eddy?”

“In the kitchen.”

“Okay. I’ll let you know when we’re ready to head home. Kent, you’re the official unwanted-suitor sheriff for the rest of the evening.”

Kent saluted.

Rhine chuckled and left.

Kent looked her way. “I now have an official title. Can I shoot them if they get too close?”

“Are you planning on shooting yourself?”

“I’m not unwanted.”

“Yes, you are.”

“That’s not what your garters are going to say.”

She said quietly but with emphasis. “You aren’t going to get close enough to my garters to hear them say anything.”

“Remember you said that.”

“As long as you remember what I said.”

“Don’t worry. I’ll be writing it down just so I can make you read it once we put the fire out.”

She rolled her eyes even as she wondered how fiery garters might feel.

“Be grateful for all these people, though. Otherwise . . .”

He didn’t need to say more. The timbre of his voice and the look in his eyes were enough to put a shimmering in her blood.

“I’ll never put you in a position to be gossiped about. Okay?”

She nodded and her opinion of him rose higher. “Where did you work before coming here?”

“Spread up in Colorado.”

“Cattle or horses?”

“Both, plus the owners ran a sawmill so we cut lumber on the side.”

“What made you leave?”

He shrugged. “Restless, I guess. I never like staying in a place for very long.”

“And before Colorado?”

“Montana and Wyoming. And before that Canada.”

“My. And how long will you be here?”

“Not sure. I’m getting kind of tired of pulling up stakes and starting over. So who knows, I may stick around for a while. That okay with you?”

Portia wanted to say it didn’t matter but found herself nodding instead.

“Good,” he replied with a smile. He’d finished his food. “I’m going to take this plate back inside. Thanks for the company, Duchess.”

She watched him get to his feet, and as he walked away, she wanted to call him back. She’d enjoyed conversing with him and learning just a bit more about him. She also enjoyed their bantering. He was right about not many men being able to make her smile and yet she did with him. That he hadn’t wanted her to be the subject of gossip pleased her. Her mother had had no reputation to speak of. Those who knew her called her Corinne the Whore, as if it was the name she’d been born with. One of Portia’s most painful memories was being with her mother one day on the streets of Denver. She couldn’t have been more than nine or ten, but old enough to know how her mother made her living. She didn’t remember where they were going or why, but watching her mother be verbally confronted by another woman was as vivid as if it had happened yesterday. The woman screamed at her mother for entertaining her husband and said Corinne was going straight to hell. She then leaned down to Portia and snapped, “And you’re going to be a nasty little whore, too!” Portia remembered her terror and trying to shrink into herself so the raging woman would leave her be. Corinne finally snatched Portia by the hand and stalked away. Tears running down her face, Portia had hurried to keep up, all the while vowing never to be a whore or anything else that would allow anyone to make her feel so small and dirty again.

“Portia?”

She snapped back to the present. “Yes?”

It was Regan. “Are you okay?”

“Just wool gathering. Did Uncle Rhine find you?”

“Yes. Mrs. Landry just announced the funeral will be this evening, so we’ll be going to the cemetery first and then home.”

“What?” The funeral was supposed to be tomorrow at dusk.

“Reverend Cordell is as surprised as everyone else. Mrs. Landry said she forgot to tell him, but apparently the grave is ready and waiting.” Regan continued to study her as if hoping to discover why Portia had been lost in thought. “Are you sure nothing’s wrong?”

Portia offered a small smile. “I’m sure. When are we leaving for the cemetery?”

“In a few minutes. We’re to meet at the buggy.”

Portia picked up Eddy’s blanket and folded it so it could be carried. “All right. Let’s go.”



After returning from the funeral, Portia took off her hat and walked outside onto the small porch attached to her bedroom. Taking a seat on the padded bench, she drew in a deep breath of the cool night air and looked up at the star-filled sky. She would miss Mr. Blanchard. He’d lived a long full life and she hoped he would rest in peace. As she savored the silence, the tension of the day melted away. Off in the distance came the familiar high pitched call of a coyote. She loved the night but it had taken moving to Virginia City to do so. Nights in Denver with Corinne had been filled with constant footfalls and the sounds of the old front door opening and closing as her mother plied her trade. Portia and Regan slept on a rag-filled pallet on the back stoop, which also doubled as her mother’s waiting area, so it was not unusual for them to be startled awake by a strange man standing nearby. But in Virginia City there’d been no rag-filled pallets or strange men, just the velvet night and the low-voiced hum of the mining machines. Jim Dade taught them the names of the stars and Rhine let them use his spyglass to take a closer look. She and Regan often sat out at night giggling and talking. Eddy hadn’t minded as long as their school work was done and they were up fresh and ready for lessons with their tutor the following morning. After the mob that burned their house made it impossible for them to remain in Nevada, she’d been afraid of the darkness and had nightmares for weeks, but eventually they passed and her connection to the night reestablished itself and again brought her peace.