“I don’t know what I feel for him.” That was a lie. She knew very well what she felt, how she felt. She was even coming to understand why she felt. He wasn’t the man she had once imagined she would love, but he was the only man she ever would. “It doesn’t matter what I feel,” she said, “if he doesn’t feel it back.”
“Maybe he does. It might be hard for him to say it right out, but I always figure a woman’s got a sense about those things.”
“Not always.” With a little sigh, she rose. “There’s work to be done, Lucius.”
“Yes’m.”
“There is one question. What have you been doing in the mine?”
“The mine, Miss Sarah?”
“You said yourself I have a good eye. I know you’ve been going in there. I’d like to know why.”
“Well, now.” Fabricating wasn’t Lucius’s strong suit. He coughed and shifted his feet and peered off at nothing. “Just having a look around.”
“For gold?”
“Could be.”
“Do you think you’ll find any?”
“Matt always figured there was a rich vein in that rock, and when Jake-” He broke off.
“When Jake what? Asked you to look?”
“Maybe he might have suggested it sometime.”
“I see.” Sarah looked up to the top of the ridge. She had always wondered what Jake wanted, she thought, her heart shattering. Perhaps she knew now* Gold seemed to pull at the men she loved. “I have no objection to you working the mine, Lucius. In fact, I think it’s an excellent idea. You must let me know if you require any tools.” When she looked back at him, her eyes were as cool and hard as any man’s. “The next time you ride into town, you might mention to Jake that Sarah’s Pride is mine.”
“Yes, ma’am, if you’d like.”
“I insist.” She looked toward the road. “There’s a buggy coming.”
Lucius spit and hoped it wasn’t Carlson. As far as he was concerned, the man had been too free with his visits to Sarah in the past few weeks.
It wasn’t Carlson. As the buggy drew closer, Sarah saw it was a woman holding the reins. Not Liza, she realized with a pang of disappointment. The woman was dark and delicate and a stranger to her.
“Good morning.” Sarah set the rifle against the wall of the house.
“Good morning, ma’am.” The young woman sat in the buggy and sent Sarah a nervous smile. “You sure live a ways out.”
“Yes.” Since her visitor didn’t seem in a hurry to alight, Sarah walked to the buggy. “I’m Sarah Conway.” “Yes, ma’am, I know. I’m Alice. Alice Johnson.” She gave the puppy a bright, cheerful smile, then looked at Sarah again. “Pleased to meet you.”
“It’s nice to meet you, too, Miss Johnson. Would you like to come in for some tea?”
“Oh, no, ma’am, I couldn’t.”
Baffled by Alice’s horrified expression, Sarah tried again. “Perhaps you’re lost?”
“No, I’ve come to talk with you, but I couldn’t come in. It wouldn’t be fitting.”
“Oh? Why?”
“Well, you see, Miss Conway, I’m one of Carlotta’s girls.”
Carlotta? Wide-eyed, Sarah looked her visitor over again. She was hardly more than a girl, a year or more younger than Sarah herself. Her face was scrubbed clean, and her dress was certainly modest. As Sarah stared, thick lashes lowered over her dark eyes and a blush rushed into her cheeks.
“Do you mean you work at the Silver Star?”
“Yes, ma’am, for nearly three months now.”
“But-” Sarah swallowed the words when she saw Alice bite her lip. “Miss Johnson, if you’ve come to see me, I suggest we talk inside. It’s much too hot to stand in the sun.”
“I couldn’t. Really, it wouldn’t be fitting, Miss Conway.”
“Fitting or not, I don’t wish sunstroke on either of us. Please, come in.” Leaving the decision in the hands of her visitor, Sarah walked inside.
Alice hesitated. It didn’t feel right, not when Miss Conway was a real lady. But if she went back and couldn’t tell Carlotta that she’d done what she’d been sent for, she’d get slapped around for sure. Carlotta always knew when you lied. And you always paid for it.
Sarah heard the timid footsteps as she put water on to boil. Before she could turn and offer Alice a seat, the girl was bubbling.
“Oh, my, isn’t this pretty? You’ve got a real nice place here, Miss Conway. Curtains and all.”
“Thank you.” Her smile was full and genuine. It was the first time she’d had company who had thought so. “I’m more and more at home here. Please, sit down, Miss Johnson. I’m making tea.”
“It’s real kind of you, but I don’t feel right, you giving me tea. It ain’t proper.”
“This is my house, and you’re my guest. Of course it’s proper. I hope you’ll enjoy these cookies. I made them only yesterday.”
With her fingers plucking nervously at her skirt, Alice sat. “Thank you, ma’am. And don’t worry. I won’t tell a soul I came in and sat at your table.”
Intrigued, Sarah poured the tea. “Why don’t you tell me what brought you out to see me?”
“Carlotta. She’s been looking at all the dresses you’ve been making for the ladies in town. They’re real pretty, Miss Conway.”
“Thank you.”
“Just the other day, after Jake left-”
“Jake?”
“Yes’m.” Hoping she was holding the cup properly, Alice drank. “He comes into the Silver Star pretty regular. Carlotta’s real fond of him. She don’t work much herself, you know. Unless it’s somebody like Jake.”
“Yes, I see.” She waited for what was left of her heart to break. Instead, it swelled with fury. “I suppose she might find a man like him appealing.”
“She surely does. All the girls got a fondness for Jake.”
“I’m sure,” she murmured.
“Well, like I was saying, Carlotta got it into her head one day after he left that we should have us some new clothes. Something classy, like ladies would wear. She told me Jake said you could sew some up for us.”
“Did he?”
“Yes, ma’am. She said she thought Jake had a real fine idea there, and she sent me on out to see about it. I got me all the measurements.”
“I’m sorry, Miss Johnson, I really couldn’t. Be sure to tell Carlotta that I appreciate the offer.”
“There’s eight of us girls, miss, and Carlotta said she’d pay you in advance. I got the money.”
“That’s generous, but I can’t do it. Would you like more tea?”
“I don’t-” Confused, Alice looked at her cup. She didn’t know anyone who’d ever said no to Carlotta.
“If it’s not too much trouble.” She wanted to stretch out her visit, though she knew that, and the message she’d be taking back, would make Carlotta box her ears.
“Miss Johnson-”
“You can call me Alice, Miss Conway. Everybody does.”
“Alice, then. Would you mind telling me how it was you came to work for Carlotta? You’re very young to be…on your own.”
“My daddy sold me off.”
“Sold you?”
“There was ten of us at home, and another on the way. Every time he got drunk he whipped one of us or made another. He got drunk a lot. Few months back, a man passed through and Daddy sold me for twenty dollars. I ran off as soon as I could. When I got to Lone Bluff I went to work for Carlotta. I know it ain’t right and proper, but it’s better than what I had. I get my meals and a bed to myself when I’m finished work.” She gave a quick, uncomfortable shrug. “Most of the men are all right.”
“Your father had no right to sell you, Alice.”
“Sometimes there’s right and there’s what’s done.” “If you wanted to leave Carlotta, I’m sure there would be other work for you in town. Proper work.” “Begging your pardon, Miss Conway, but that ain’t true. None of the town ladies would hire me for anything.
And they shouldn’t. Why, how would they know if I’d been with one of their husbands?”
It was sound thinking, but Sarah shook her head. “If you decide to leave, I’ll find work for you.”