Chapter 17
For weeks, Sally’s desires could not be quenched. Her s curiosity and willingness to try new and exciting pleasurable acts made her the most popular girl on Beechtree’s roster. Clients would actually wait in line for Sally passing up girls who were readily available and eager to work. Sally was Beechtree’s hardest working girl, although Sally hardly thought it was much work.
She craved sex. Each unique sexual act drove her to seek out different forms of pleasure. She loved to be slapped, evenly lightly choked, and couldn’t resist a hard pounding to her cunt. No matter how hard a client plunged into her, she wanted it harder. In bed, she was uninhibited and felt sexy. She’d never felt she was an attractive girl before, but naked and alone with a man she felt like she was a supreme goddess.
Her clients’ eyes lit up with passion and raw desire for her. Making their cocks rise and harden emboldened her confidence. Not one client remarked on her pale white skin and brown freckles dotting her nose. Her clients didn’t think these were hindrances to her beauty rather they found her unabashedly gorgeous. Even with all this adoration and an abundance of cocks eager to please her, Sally felt something was missing. This feeling gnawed at her causing her to hanker for more and more sex.
Many of Sally’s best and most frequent customers left her extra tips on top of what they paid Ms. Beechtree. Sally’s clients tended to fall for her believing her extraordinary ardor was reserved for only them. Many others were not foolish to believe in such fantasies but wanted to reward Sally for her remarkable talent in bed.
One client in particular, Mr. Bardwell, showed his prodigious appreciation for Sally with extravagant tips and gifts. He brought her jewelry: brooches, necklaces, rings, and bracelets with large diamonds and gems. He purchased stunning dresses in the latest fashions and the finest materials.
Bardwell was the head of a railroad and navigation company that had recently expanded. He had lots of money and loved to spend it on Sally. Bardwell’s wife was not inclined to allow him to sleep with her anymore. She took up residence in a separate bedroom on the other side of his large manor. His wife had been uninterested in sex from the beginning of their marriage; her distaste grew as they marriage carried on.
Bardwell took to the brothels for comfort. He came upon Sally based on rave word of mouth reviews. He was not disappointed. A man with so much money could pay for any girl, but Bardwell, even the successful businessman he was, would wait for Sally, sometimes for hours, to get what he called, “the best kitty in the house.”
“You’ve got what it takes to succeed in business,” he said to her lying in bed.
“Business?” Sally inquired.
“You’ve got a charm about you, Sally. You know how to please a customer. If you apply yourself, you could become more successful than old Beechtree. Not that I want you to stop working,” Bardwell said squeezing Sally’s bare breast.
Ms. Beechtree summoned Sally into her office later that week. Sally sat in Beechtree’s cluttered office wondering what Beechtree wanted from her.
“You are without a doubt, my top girl,” Ms. Beechtree said. She was interrupted by a knock at the door. “Who is it?” Beechtree snarled.
One of the girls, Trina, opened the door. “Ms. Beechtree, Mr. Ketchum is requesting your presence, ma’am.”
“What the hell for?” Beechtree barked.
Trina put a hand on her hip. “I don’t know. He asked for you. I’m just letting you know.” Trina walked away leaving the door open.
Beechtree stood up squeezing her round body in the tight path from her office to the door. She pointed a finger at Sally. “Stay right here. I’m not done with you.”
Sally sat in her chair, her eyes glancing at the stack of letters on the desk. She peeked out the door checking to see if Beechtree was coming back. She grabbed the stack of letters and quickly flipped through them. She found a letter from Sonora, California. She remembered Daisy, the girl she came to Beechtree’s with, who had moved to Sonora to marry that wealthy rancher. Sally tucked the letter in the pocket of her dress. She replaced the stack of letters on the desk.
Moments later, Beechtree came shuffling back into the office. She cleared her throat and sat down out of breath. “As I was saying.” She paused as her chest heaved. Sally watched in distress as the large woman struggled to get her breathing under control. Finally, Beechtree uttered, “You are my highest grossing girl.” Beechtree pointed her fat finger at Sally again. “But, I know you are getting tips on the side. And I know for a fact that Bardwell is tipping you handsomely.”
Sally said nothing determining if she should admit to this or not. Beechtree continued, “It’s not fair to me after all I’ve done for you.” Beechtree shook her head in disbelief. “And the other girls aren’t happy that you’ve been stealing all the customers.”
“Stealing? I can’t help that the clients all request me,” Sally said coldly.
Beechtree wagged her finger. “Don’t get smart. I run a business here. The right thing for you to do is to be upfront with your tip money so that I can re-allocate the funds appropriately.”
Sally couldn’t believe her ears. She worked for that money. “And if I don’t?”
Beechtree’s eyes narrowed. “Oh you will, my girl. Or I will throw you out on your ear.”
Sally left Beechtree’s office determined. She counted up how much money she had saved. Nearly $3,000 not including the jewelry from Bardwell. Later that night, she confided in Chelsea and told her she was leaving Beechtree’s.
“Where will you go?” Chelsea said mystified. “What will you do?”
“I’m going further West. I have enough money.” Sally took Chelsea’s hands in hers. “Come with me. Let’s leave here together. You don’t have to stay here under Beechtree.”
Chelsea looked at her friend’s pleading face. She turned away. “I can’t Sally.”
“What’s keeping you here?”
“I’m too afraid to go on my own,” Chelsea said, her voice shaking.
“You won’t be alone. You will be with me,” Sally said emphatically squeezing her hands.
Chelsea looked up, her face in apology. “I mean. I’m too afraid to go without a man.”
After leaving Beechtree’s office, Sally opened the letter from Sonora, California. She read the words over and over: “Tall bronzed cowboy looking for a wife to imbibe in romance. Must love to dream. Must be passionate, fiery, and intrigued by love.” Her insatiable burning lust stemmed from copious amounts of sex without love without even a speck of romance. All she ever experienced was incredible amounts of pounding without any emotion. What Sally was missing in life was romance and love, and she was going to go after it. Perhaps she had a chance to meet this man who valued romance, dreams, and love. She had a plan. Maybe not her initial one when she first came to Beechtree’s, but she had a new and improved plan on her terms.Sally left Ms. Beechtree’s brothel for unmatched girls in the middle of the night when Beechtree was asleep. She hugged Chelsea tightly thanking her for everything she had done for her. Chelsea’s friendship and kindness helped Sally adjust to Beechtree’s and discover passion. She asked one more time to be sure, “You can come with me.”
Chelsea hugged her back. “I can’t.”
Sally gave Chelsea an envelope. “Don’t open it until I leave,” she instructed her.
Later when Sally was gone, Chelsea opened the envelope and found two hundred dollars and a sliver of paper that said, “Sonora.”
Chapter 18
Daisy, Lilah, Tallulah, and Silas carried on at the ranch with Henry gone. With little information to how long he would be away, Daisy did her best to adjust to her responsibilities. The girls softened to her more and more every day. Daisy was naturally interested in reading “Little Women” and made a habit of reading a few pages after lunch and dinner. The girls adored the book and would stick around to hear Daisy read. The enjoyed the book together already reading it in entirety once already. Silas would linger as well on occasion to listen, but afterwards, the girls would scamper off to their schoolhouse in the stables preferring their formal lessons with Silas.
Every night, Daisy sang the crab song, she herself grew up with. Tallulah would hold her hands out forming them into crab pincers laughing and throwing herself in the bed.
“What a silly song!” she cried.
“Do you want me to sing something else?” Daisy asked.
“No! Crab song! Crab song!” Lilah and Tallulah cheered.
With the notes from Betsy’s cooking lessons and her newly found cookbook, Daisy made excellent meals for the family. She felt Mamie channeling through her. Daisy must have offhandedly absorbed culinary acumen from all those days hanging around the kitchen as Mamie cooked or it could have been her determination to not fail at her new tasks.
Daisy’s next task to conquer was washing the laundry by hand. This was another activity she knew very little about. After the botched first breakfast, she decided that there was no use in trying things out herself without any kind of instruction. She jumped on her designated black horse for a quick trip to Betsy’s.
Betsy was pleased to see her and offer her help. “How is everything going?” Betsy asked.
Daisy said confidently, “Great. Thanks again for the cooking lesson.”
“Glad to help. Let me show you how I do laundry.” Betsy showed her washtubs and washboard but explained, “Laundry is actually a household chore that takes several days.” Daisy’s eyes widened. Betsy explained that the first step was soaking clothes and linen overnight with warm water and soap. The next day early in the morning, Daisy would need to gather wood for fire, haul 20 gallons of water to a giant copper pot, and fill several other buckets with water. Betsy then demonstrated the four stages of washing: firsting, seconding, boiling, and rinsing. “Afterwards, the clothes needed to be dried on a clothing line,” Betsy instructed.
Daisy was, once again, stunned. It was another household activity she never even knew about it. The laundering process was more complicated than she had ever dreamed. She had wrapped a piece of apple pie for Betsy and offered it to Betsy as thanks.
“Apple pie?” Betsy said surprised.
“I found a cookbook. I hope you like it.”
Betsy, intrigued, took a bite right away and was pleasantly astounded. “This is delicious.”
Daisy blushed. “You really think so?”
Betsy took another bite. “Yes. It’s marvelous. Are you sure you have never baked before?” Daisy smiled to herself. She’d never been naturally good at anything before. She was a decent pianist and her voice could certainly carry a tune when necessary, but baking came to her easily for whatever reason.
Daisy left the Judge’s house mentally preparing herself for the evening’s laundry activities. She had copious notes again to refer to, but was in disbelief that she never knew how her clothes and linens became so fresh and clean. Her respect for the servants she had grown up with bloomed even more. Women like her mother had immense disdain for housework, but she wondered if it was due to laziness or lack of knowledge on how to perform such tasks.
When Daisy returned, Lilah and Tallulah ran up to her; their faces flushed with excitement.
“Miss Daisy! Something truly wonderful has happened!” Lilah said.
Tallulah jumped up with her hands up in the air. “It’s so very wonderful!”
“What is it girls?” Daisy said.
From behind her back, Lilah pulled out a book, “Little Men.” “Mr. Silas got it for us,” Lilah exclaimed. Daisy looked up to see Silas who just waved and disappeared into the stables.
“That is wonderful news,” Daisy said warmed that the girls wanted to share their new book with her.
“Can we read some now?” Tallulah pleaded.
“Bien sûr! Of course!” Daisy called after Silas. “Silas, do you want to come in to read?”
Silas poked his head out. “No, ma’am. I’ve got some work to do out here.” He winked at Lilah and Tallulah. “I’m sure you girls will read it to me or put on a play for me soon.”
The girls laughed as they followed Daisy into the house. “Muchas gracias, Mr. Silas!” the girls said excitedly by their new book. Silas listened to their laughter disappear, and he walked out back to tend to the cows. Silas hadn’t heard back from the marital matchmaker. He was disappointed, but somehow knew that finding a companion wouldn’t be so easy for him.
If his time with Anjelica taught him anything, it was that love was never easy and simple. Things were forever interfering. Finding someone was hard enough, but being able to keep that person was even harder. He thought about what Anjelica must be doing now. She probably became a nurse like she planned and found herself a wealthy good looking doctor. He reasoned that she was probably married with children. Silas was simply not lucky with love.
He held out a small hope that although a Beechtree girl hadn’t gotten back to him as quickly as Daisy had written back to Henry, possibly there was still a girl there that wanted to, at least, meet him. He didn’t want to get his hopes up.
Silas sat on a milking stool and said to Trixie, the milking cow, “You’re the only girl that can stand me, huh?” Trixie responded with a low disinterested moo. “I guess you have no choice,” Silas remarked squeezing milk from her teats.
He carried the milk inside and found Daisy and the girls in the kitchen. Lilah sat reading from their new book while Daisy busied herself making another pie. Tallulah rested her head on her hands on the table intently watching Lilah read.
Daisy took the milk from him. “Thank you so much, Silas.”
“That was the end of chapter two!” Lilah said. “Silas, can you tell us more about photosynthesis?”
“Sure. Do you want to learn about condensation?” he replied. The girls scrambled up.
“Yes!” the girls screamed.
“Miss Daisy, can we read more after dinner?” Lilah asked.
“Bien sûr!” Daisy confirmed smiling.
Daisy continued making a lemon pie using the recipe in her cookbook, “The Great Western Cookbook.” She successfully retrieved eggs early that morning all by herself and was whipping the egg whites into a foam. When the pie was done and cooling, she wandered the house picking up linens and clothes to soak later in the evening.
She heard a knock at the door while gathering Lilah and Tallulah’s clothes. When she opened the door, she couldn’t believe her eyes. It was Rhett Calhoun, in the flesh. Rhett embraced Daisy in a rush planting his lips on her mouth. He picked her up and spun her around. He kissed her again deeply. For a moment, Daisy relented forgetting everything that happened allowing Rhett to kiss her. She came to her senses and pushed him away.
“Rhett Calhoun, what are you doing here?”
“I came to see you. You never answered my letter.”
Daisy turned away from him retreating into the house. “You never came for me that morning.” Her eyes burned into him.
Rhett ran to her grabbing her hands and lifting them to his face. “I know. It was wrong of me. I made a terrible mistake. You are the only one for me, Daisy Manigault. I was afraid.”
Daisy wrung her hands from Rhett’s. “Things have changed, Rhett.”
“Have they? Our love surely couldn’t die in such a short time.”
“It’s been months, Rhett, since that day you left me,” Daisy said.
“I wrote you,” Rhett persisted. “I wrote you a letter!”
Daisy remembered the letter in her undergarments drawer. She’d rummaged through her drawer several times seeing it unopened, but she hadn’t bothered to stop and open it. A part of her didn’t want to let Rhett have the closure he did not allow her to have. She assumed it was a letter apologizing and maybe rationalizing what he’d done to her. She hadn’t expected Rhett to travel this far to see her after one unanswered letter.
“I never read it,” she admitted.
Rhett’s face fell. “I knew it. That’s why I had to get on the train and see you.”
“You can’t be here,” Daisy said. “Do you realize you got on the very train that we were supposed to take together? But you left me,” she said again.
“I never expected for you to get on the train without me. I never dreamed you would just leave. All of a sudden, you were gone. Your family doesn’t even have a single clue where you are.”
“Did you tell them?”
Rhett looked away. “No.”
“Of course you didn’t. Then you’d have to admit your hand in all of this. You told me you loved me,” Daisy cried.
“I do love you, Daisy.” Rhett said walking towards her cautiously. Daisy took a step back. I came all this way to see you. I’m staying and not leaving until you leave with me. What are you even doing here anyway?” Rhett looks around with a look of distaste. “You can’t tell me you live here.”
“How did you even find me?”
“The saloon. A man there knew you. A judge?”
Daisy nodded. Of course. Judge Conner. Rhett was dressed handsomely. Rhett was here at Henry’s with his debonair style and gorgeous face. He looked sorely out of place. She couldn’t possibly leave with Rhett after everything now. She was a married woman. Outside, Daisy heard the rumble of a stagecoach and horses and looked outside the window.
A yellow stagecoach stopped in front. A beautiful woman with stunning red hair climbed down. The woman saw ruggedly handsome man with dark hair and bronzed skin emerging from the stables. Sally waved away the stagecoach driver who promptly pulled away. When the man approached closer, she knew who he was but asked anyway. “I’m looking for Mr. Rodriguez.”
Silas said to the woman shyly, “That’s me.”
The woman smiled at him. They stared into each other’s eyes. Silas was enchanted with this woman’s smile and her beautiful bright red hair. The woman said, “You don’t know me… yet. But, I love to imbibe in romance. I am a dreamer. And most of all, I am intensely intrigued by love.”
Silas’s heart swam as she said recited parts of his letter to Beechtree. He stuttered, “You didn’t write. No one wrote. I thought that… I never received a letter.”
The woman said, “I didn’t want to write. I wanted to see for myself. I wanted to meet you in person.” Silas swooned; his face exploded in a big smile.
Lilah and Tallulah peek out from the stables watching Silas talk to the woman in fancy clothes and a hat with a long white feather. Tallulah was enraptured with the long feather watching as it swayed when the woman talked. She took a few small steps forward and said, “Who are you?”
The woman said happily, “Sally. My name is Sally.”
Tallulah took a few more steps towards them. “My name is Tallulah.” She jerked a thumb backwards towards Lilah. “That’s Lilah. My sister.”
“Nice to meet you,” Sally said to her. “Nice to meet you, too,” sally said to Lilah.
Tallulah stepped closer. Lilah was now close behind her. Tallulah took Silas’s hand and said proudly, “This is Mr. Silas.”
Sally looked at Silas and said, “I know.”
Inside, Rhett pulled Daisy away from the window. He pleaded with Daisy. He grabbed her hands again and looked at them closely. “Your beautiful soft hands! What happened?”
Daisy pulled away. “It’s called hard work, Rhett. You wouldn’t know.”
Rhett persisted and swooped Daisy into an embrace. He began to dance with her around the sitting room. “Why work when you can dance, my darling?” Rhett swung her around and Daisy remembered the grand banquets and extraordinary social gatherings Charleston was known for. She closed her eyes and imagined she was dressed in an elegant dress at Magnolia Hall with Rhett.
“Who are you?” Lilah said interrupting Daisy’s daydreaming.
Daisy pushed away from Rhett when she saw Lilah standing there looking at them strangely. “This is an old friend, Lilah. This is Mr. Calhoun.”
Behind Lilah, Sally gasped. “Daisy!”
Daisy recognized Sally instantly. The women ran to each other and fell into a tight embrace. “What are you doing here?” Both women exclaimed.
“I came to meet Mr. Rodriguez. I hoped that I’d see you here in town. I didn’t know you two where so closely acquainted.” Sally said.
Rhett asked perplexed. “You know each other?” How could Daisy know people he didn’t know. For most of their lives, Daisy and Rhett only knew the same people from Charleston. Anyone Daisy knew, Rhett knew.
“We met at a boardinghouse,” Daisy answered.
“Boardinghouse?” Rhett’s face scrunched up uneasily. “You stayed in a boardinghouse like a common person?”
“What’s wrong with a boardinghouse,” Sally asked. “I intend to open one right here in town.”
Daisy grabbed Sally’s shoulders and brought her in for another hug. “That’s fantastic, Sally!”
“There is nothing wrong with boardinghouses,” Rhett said correcting Sally. “Absolutely nothing wrong if you’re poor.” He crinkled his nose. “I prefer staying at reputable inns, which is where Daisy and I will be staying for the remainder of time we are in town.”
Tallulah shouted to Daisy, “You’re leaving?”
Rhett answered for Daisy, “Yes. Now, run along Daisy. Get your things. Or leave it. We’ll get you brand new untainted things.”
Lilah was in a panic. “You can’t leave. Papa isn’t here. You can’t leave Miss Daisy,” she tugged at Daisy’s skirts.
Daisy assured the girls, going to them and smoothing their worried brows. “I never said I was going anywhere, Rhett.”
“I’ve seen enough of this rundown place to know that you would not be staying her if you could help it. You don’t have to say a word. No one knows you better than me. We’ve known each other our entire lives.” Rhett walked around surveying the interior more and said, “My heavens! Where are your servants?”
“There aren’t any,” Sally said.
Rhett raised a hand to his forehead trying to fathom such a thing. “You’d have to do every single thing yourself. What kind of life is that, Daisy?” He flung his hands into the air. “I’ve seen enough. Let’s go.”
Suddenly, the front door opened. Henry came shuffling in dragging in a large bag and holding his side. His face was pale and stricken. He threw himself in a chair and grimaced at the resulting pain.
“Papa!” Lilah and Tallulah said rushing to him.
“Henry, what happened? Are you okay?” Daisy said coming to his side.
Henry held his hand up. “I’m okay. I’m okay.” Daisy pulled his hand away and saw blood staining his shirt.
“Henry, blood!” Daisy shrieked. Lilah and Tallulah began to cry at the sight of it. “Sally, can you take the girls into their room?” Daisy said. Sally nodded yes and herded Henry’s shaken daughters away.
Daisy peeled off Henry’s shirt. Daisy examined Henry’s torso and found an entrance and exit wound in his right lower abdomen. She sprang up and ran for the linens she had previously gathered for laundry. She ripped a sheet in half and wrapped it around Henry’s muscular torso.
“What happened?” Silas asked as Daisy tied the sheet tightly around Henry’s waist.
Henry looked down weighing his words. He might as well be out with it. “The boys and I robbed a train.” Daisy pulled away as he spoke. He kicked the bag he had drug in. “It was a good haul: $40,000 in gold coins, $8,000 in silver, $15,000 in gold bars, and stacks of bank drafts,” he uttered. Silas opened the bag revealing gold and silver coins. “It’s not all here. We split it and hid most of it.”
Henry looked at Daisy’s horrified face. Rhett stood by completely appalled and reached for Daisy’s hand. Henry watched as Daisy, dazed and baffled, let Rhett comfort her. Henry continued. His voice shook. “We overtook the train and forced the conductor to hit the brakes and separate the engine, tender, baggage, and express cars. We hustled the engineer to the express car and got him to ask the expressmen for entry. The expressmen weren’t suspecting a thing so they opened with no problem. When they opened the doors, we were there with our shotguns.”
Daisy let out an audible gasp. Henry said, “We didn’t hurt anyone. I’ve never shot and killed anyone ever.” He paused before saying, “Except in war.”
“Who shot at you?” Daisy asked.
“That didn’t come until later. After we made off with the goods.” Henry shook his head hardly believing it himself. “The Espinosa brothers wanted more than their fair cut. They wanted it all actually. We had a shoot-out at Wiley’s.” Henry paused looking up at the ceiling. “Wiley’s dead, but Buster, Bellamy and I got away. We split up in New Mexico.”
“Espinosa?” Daisy said remembering the ominous men that stood on the porch weeks ago. Daisy’s voice trembled. It slipped her mind to mention they were here looking for Henry. “They were here,” Daisy said softly. Her voice strained.
“What?” Henry said. “They were here? When?”
“Weeks ago. Before you left. They were here! Looking for you.”
Henry’s face filled with alarm. His eyes darting in realization. “They know where we live?”
Rhett pulled at Daisy as he walked to the door. “We’ve got to leave here at once, Daisy.”
Henry stood to face Rhett. “Who are you?”
Rhett replied, “Who are you?”
Daisy interrupted the men’s standoff. “I’m leaving Henry.”
“You can’t leave. You’re my wife,” Henry said. Rhett’s eyes raised in shock.
“You lied to me. You are a thief!”
“I have money now, Daisy,” Henry pleaded.
“Stolen money,” Rhett said coldly.
“Stay out of this,” Henry said pointing a finger at Rhett.
“I married you under false pretenses. I am getting our marriage annulled.”
Lilah and Tallulah run out from their room with Sally trailing behind them. “You’re leaving!” Lilah screamed.
Daisy knelt down to the girls. “I can’t stay here. I have to go home.”
“This is your home,” Tallulah cried.
“Please don’t go,” Lilah pleaded.
“Prends bien soin de toi. Take care of each other,” Daisy kissed them on their wet cheeks. “Silas is a wonderful teacher. You will learn so much more from him than I could ever teach you,” Daisy said looking at Silas. Silas looked at Daisy with a conciliatory look.
Daisy hugged Sally. “I’ve only just come and now you are leaving,” Sally said.
“Silas is a kind wonderful man,” Daisy said. She kissed her on the cheek.
Rhett led Daisy outside. She could hear the girls crying even louder. The sound of the wailing struck Daisy hard. She motioned to turn back, but Rhett stopped her. “Those aren't your children or your responsibility. That man is a liar and criminal.” Daisy nodded sadly in agreement and climbed up on the Rhett’s rented wagon. “We’ve got to get out of here. Those men are coming, and I don’t intend to be here when they show up.” Rhett grabbed the reins of the horses and led them away.
Daisy turned her head to watch the ranch house as they rode away. Rhett said, “I'll get things sorted with Nelly when we get back and explain to her that although we are married, you are the women I love.” He rested a hand on Daisy's thigh. “I've missed you.” He squeezed her thigh hungrily kneading his fingers into her flesh.
“What does that mean for me, Rhett, if you’re married?”
“Does it matter? As long as we are together.”
“Why don't you divorce her?” Daisy stammered.
Rhett laughed. “Daisy, I cannot do that. Think of the money at stake!”
Daisy's heart sunk and shattered. Rhett hadn't changed, but she had. It's so easy to fall back into old habits and friends, but Daisy had changed since they last saw each other. She was no longer the same girl Rhett once knew.
Chapter 19
Henry buried his head in his hands. Although Daisy was gone, it meant that, for now, she was safe and it was one less person that Henry had to worry about. Henry’s chest twisted. He couldn’t let anything happen to his little girls.
Henry said to Silas, “Get the wagon ready. You and the girls have to leave.” He looked at Sally. “Including you, Miss…?”
“Sally. I’m Sally.”
Henry nodded. “All four of you have to leave now.” Sally said nothing understanding the gravity of the situation.
“What about you?” Silas asked Henry.
“I’ve got nothing to do, but wait for them.” Henry answered taking out his double pistols out of their holsters on his hips. He examined them before putting them back in place. He peeked out the front window.
“I can stay with you and help,” Silas pleaded. “I’m a good shot. Not as good as you, but I can hold my own.”
“I know you can, Silas. You are a good man,” Henry said clapping Silas on the back in thanks. “But, no. If something happens to me, I need you to take care of my girls.” He faced Silas and grabbed him by the shoulders. “Promise me, you will see after my daughters if something happens to me.”
Silas nodded understanding that if they both died it would leave the girls truly alone now that Dinah and now Daisy had left. “I will. Yes, you can count on me.”
Henry heard horses trotting up. He peered out the window again cautiously. His chest twisted into a tighter knot at what he saw. It was Daisy, but the Espinosa brothers were with her. Jorge had a pistol pressed to Daisy temple as he dragged her off his horse. “Baker!” Jose yelled. “Baker, come out!” Daisy was crying but trying to keep her composure.
On the wagon with Rhett, Daisy realized what kind of life she would be returning to with him in Charleston. Rhett was asking a lot from her, more than he, himself, would ever give her. His needy hand creeping up her thigh unsettled Daisy. Rhett was not in love; he was in lust. His lust wouldn’t ever be enough to fill her heart.
“Stop the wagon,” Daisy said.
“What? Why?” Rhett asked incredulously.
“Stop the wagon this instant!” Daisy screamed. Rhett halted the horses. “I can’t do this with you, Rhett. You haven’t changed. You don’t love me.” She gave him a quick kiss on the cheek.
“I love you, Daisy. Sure. I do,” Rhett said. His voice didn’t convince Daisy he really meant it.
“Go home, Rhett. Go home to your wife. She deserves more than this. So do I.” She climbed down off the wagon. She turned and walked back towards the ranch. She said over her shoulder to him, “Say hello to Mamie for me. Good bye, Rhett.”
Rhett stood in the wagon watching as Daisy walked away. “I came all this way,” Rhett said.
“I know. So have I. I’ve come a long long way, Rhett.”
Rhett was wounded from Daisy’s sudden decision. He rode off on the wagon and never looked back.
When Daisy was nearly to the house, she heard horses behind her, thinking it was Rhett she didn’t bother to turn around. Instead, she felt her body being lifted up off the ground. She felt hard metal press into the small of her back. “Let me give you a lift,” Jorge Espinosa said ominously.
Now, Jorge was dragging her in front of Henry’s house. Her feet were stumbling over each other with each of his steps as she shook with fear.
“Silas, take the girls and sneak out back. Head to the Judge’s,” Henry said as he walked to the door.
Lilah and Tallulah ran up to look out the door. “Daisy!” Tallulah screamed. Lilah, seeing the gun to Daisy’s head, pulled Tallulah back.
“Let’s stay inside, Tallulah,” Lilah told her little sister.
“Go with Silas,” Henry said to his daughters. Lilah quickly led Tallulah back away from the door. Sally herded them to the back door.
Henry picked up the bag of coins and walked out onto the porch. He hadn’t bothered to put a shirt on. His face and chest were beaded with sweat. His face was impassive as he watched Daisy stumble in Jorge’s arms.
Daisy screamed, “Henry!” when she saw him.
“Not a sound, puta.” Jorge sneered. Daisy continued to cry silently. Her lips shaking uncontrollably.
“Let her go,” Henry ordered.
“You know what we want! Give us that, and we will let her go!” Jose screamed.
“You have your cut,” Henry said coldly.
“Obviously, we want it all,” Jose said shaking his head pulling out his pistol and pointing it at Henry. Jose moved robotically unnerved by threatening another person with violence.
Jorge said, “I could kill her and you right now if I wanted to, Baker. But that would be stupid, wouldn’t it?” He glanced over at his brother for confirmation. “I need to know where you hid it - all of it. That would be mighty stupid of us to kill you before we figured that out.”
“I can give you my share.” Henry threw the bag at Jose’s feet. Jose stooped down to look into the bag.
Jose surveyed the contents of the bag and said, “Baker, this is nice. Thank you. We appreciate it, but this is not nearly enough. This is not even your full share. You must think we are really stupid,” Jose laughed.
“This is my share. I can’t tell you what the other guys did with theirs.”
“Your friend, Wiley, the dead one? We obviously got his share,” Jose said with a laugh. His laugh broke threateningly, “But, we know the lot of you buried the loot somewhere here to Nevada.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
Jorge sighed, “Matter of fact, we could murder your entire family right in front of you until you tell us where the loot is.” He yanked Daisy closer to him. “Let’s start with her.” Jorge cocked his gun.
The sound of the gun cocking back triggered an instinct in Henry that hadn't been awakened since the war. With a brutally fast motion, Henry grabbed his two pistols out of their holsters. The brothers were caught off guard. Henry shot both brothers square between the eyes firing both pistols at the same time. He was a magnificent sharp shooter, a talent that made him a war hero and now had saved his wife. The Espinosa brothers’ bodies went down with two solid heavy thuds.
Daisy screamed and ran from Jorge’s falling body into Henry’s arms. Her mind was swarming, and she had to get out everything. “I told Rhett to let me out of the wagon. I wanted to come back to you. But then… They grabbed me. They…” Daisy trailed off into loud sob.
Henry held her close to him. Daisy rested her head on his bare chest. He shushed her. “It’s okay.”
“I don’t care about the money. I don’t care if we don’t have any. Please. You don’t have to do this again for me… or anyone.”
Henry felt something unfurl in his chest. The constant demand to be a bandit, an intrepid desperado, a feared outlaw, all roles that rooted in violence and aggression, wore heavy on Henry. Since his days as a fierce soldier, all Henry wanted to do was live a peaceful life. Dinah marveled at the bandit lifestyle, the rush and adrenaline of taking. She pushed that on Henry. He accepted her prodding to please her. Daisy had no demands on him. She could be happy if Henry was who he wanted to be.
Henry kissed Daisy quieting her. “It’s okay. I won’t ever do it again,” he said, and he truly meant it. He led her back inside. They found Silas, Sally, and the girls huddled near the back door.
“We were on our way out,” Silas said. “But, then we heard the shots.”
Lilah and Tallulah ran up to Henry and Daisy, tears streaking their small faces. “Papa, who were those men?” Lilah cried.
“We thought you left us!” Tallulah whimpered to Daisy.
“I’m not leaving you. I’m staying right here,” Daisy assured her.
“It’s okay now. Nothing to worry about now,” Henry soothed her. To Silas he said, “Go get the Judge and the Sherriff. Pretty sure those boys outside are wanted men.”
Silas nodded and headed out. “I’ll go with you!” Sally said to him not wanting him to leave her side. Silas stopped and turned back to her. He held out his hand. Sally took it with a firm hand. Silas smiled as he led her outside.
Silas mounted his horse and helped Sally climb up behind him. She clasped her hands around his solid waist. “Life out here isn’t usually so eventful. I’m afraid that this isn’t very romantic either.” Silas said.
Sally held onto him firmly. “This is the most romantic day of my life.”
“Really?” Silas asked.
Sally nodded. “Arriving to meet the man of my dreams before a shoot-out between outlaws. It’s the most romantic Wild West story ever.” She laughed, her eyes mischievous with mirth.
The Sherriff and Judge came to Henry’s and identified the bodies of the men, Jorge and Jose Espinosa.
“Nice work,” Judge Conner said.
“Do you know that these brothers were wanted in four states: California, Nevada, Colorado, and Montana?” the sheriff asked. “You’re in for a handsome reward.”
The sheriff and Judge asked Henry no further questions because the severity of the brothers’ brutal crimes outweighed anything that Henry had ever done. Both the sheriff and judge felt it was better to not know in what capacity Henry had known the Espinosa Brothers. Henry was lauded a hero for taking down the brothers.
Later that night, Sally and Silas laid together on Silas’s bed. She allowed Silas to slowly undress her. Sally, so used to ripping clothes off and getting to the dirty bits of sex, let Silas take his time with her. She pressed her hands into his muscled back as they kissed. Silas kissed Sally all over her body and found that charming freckles on her nose where also dotted sparingly on her chest and stomach. He covered the freckled with light kisses.
He made his way down to her soft lips that were covered with red fiery hair. His tongue nestled between her hot slit and licked. Sally writhed with the touch of his wet tongue. Silas sucked her hardened nub making Sally moan intensely. She squirted her juice out between her legs. Silas licked up her liquid.
Sally’s passion took over. She pushed Silas’s face from between her legs. “Lie down,” she ordered. Silas did as he was told. Sally climbed on top of him grabbing his thick cock with her hands. She rubbed the tip on her wet slit teasing Silas. Then she plunged down on top of him with force.
Silas moaned, “It’s so wet.”
“You made me wet,” Sally hissed with pleasure.
She shimmied herself up making Silas’s cock almost slip out before slamming back down on him. Sally rotated her hips in a delicious motion hitting that beautiful spot inside her. When she felt she would burst, she slammed down harder on Silas until she came with violent force. Silas watched as Sally came; a look of delicate bliss flooding her face.
Before Silas knew what was happening, Sally was off of him and throwing his giant cock down her throat. She gagged at his length and girth but persisted in her deep throat ministrations. Silas squirmed and tensed as Sally sucked his cock. Then, he blew his load right down Sally’s throat. He felt his entire body empty into her mouth. Sally swallowed Silas’s cum savoring every drop.
Sally collapsed into Silas’s arms and kissed his neck. Their lovemaking satisfied her. The nagging urge to stuff herself with more cocks was absent. She felt happily spent after just Silas and she drifted off to sleep.