Chapter 6
Chapter Six
Melissa Mills stood on the street outside the bank and couldn’t believe her eyes.
Ben Logan was married and to a fat little blonde.
How dare he replace her so quickly? He was supposed to come begging her to marry him.
But he hadn’t. She and Doris were sure he would.
Doris Logan had insisted this was the way to go.
When Melissa returned to Golden, Doris had shown up and begged Melissa to reconsider and marry Ben.
She said she’d consider it. But Ben never came calling.
Instead, he’d found another wife. Where had he found a wife so quickly? And a woman that Melissa didn’t know.
Was it possible he got a mail-order bride?
She knew that Ben’s best friend Nathan Ravenclaw had done so, but that was a different situation.
Nathan was probably the most handsome man she’d ever seen with his coal black hair and blue eyes, but he was half Arapaho Indian.
No white woman in the area would marry him.
She’d always thought he would marry within his mother’s tribe.
But he’d married a woman from New York. The poor thing had a jagged scar from her eye down her cheek to her chin.
It marred her looks something fierce, but Nathan didn’t seem to mind. He was very happy with his wife.
Well Ben getting a wife that way just wouldn’t do.
Ben was hers. Just because she’d changed her mind at the last minute and run away with Richard, didn’t mean she couldn’t change her mind back…
now that she needed a husband desperately.
Besides, Ben was supposed to be there waiting…
not married to someone else. Doris had assured her Ben was suffering.
That was not suffering.
She’d have to find a way to eliminate the blonde. What was her name? Emily. Yes, if Emily was gone, Melissa could console Ben and in his grief he would marry Melissa like they were supposed to.
Now who could she get to rid them of one Mrs. Ben Logan?
Rory Schroder sat in the Branch Water saloon drinking his last shot for a while unless he found a way to make some money.
Jenny, one of the three girls who worked in the Branch, as it was called, came over.
“Hey, Rory. Some lady wants to talk to you. Outside. She said she’d make it worth your while.”
Rory downed the last of his whiskey and went outside. He didn’t see anyone and turned to go back inside out of the midday sun.
“Mr. Schroder,” said a woman with dark hair from the corner of the building. “Please come here so we can talk.”
Rory walked down to the alley and turned down it.
The woman was dressed well. wearing a dark blue dress and matching hat that just happened to be the same color as her eyes. She was easy on the eyes, too. Tall, slender, but with tits. Just the way he liked ‘em.
“What you want, lady?”
“Mr. Schroder, I’d like to hire you.”
“How do you know me?”
“I was engaged to Ben Logan. He mentioned you several times.”
Rory laughed.
“Yeah, I bet he did. What do you want me to do?”
“That’s what we need to talk about. Can you meet me tonight? After dark, at my house?” She handed him a slip of paper.
“Sure. Be there at nine.”
“Perfect. And Mr. Schroder take a bath and put on clean clothes before you come. Here’s part of the money to do the job I want. You’ll get another part after we talk tonight and the second half when the job is done.”
She handed him a double-eagle gold piece.
He hadn’t had twenty dollars to his name in years, at least not all at once.
“See you tonight.”
She walked around him and back out onto the street.
Rory bit the edge of the coin to make sure it was real and looked after the woman. Tonight could be a lot of fun if things worked out like he wanted.
Melissa readied herself to meet Rory. He and Ben Logan had been feuding forever so he was the perfect person to kidnap and get rid of the new Mrs. Logan.
Rory was handsome, in a messy sort of way.
If he was shaved and bathed he might be very handsome.
Maybe not to the same degree as Ben, but Ben was special as far as Melissa was concerned.
She was mad at herself for letting him get away the first time.
That was stupid on her part, but at that moment she’d been in love with Richard.
Now, of course, she was paying for her mistake, but at the time, it was the right thing to do.
But now was different. She’d had six months to sow her wild oats and sow them she had.
In fact now she needed to get married, because her lack of discretion with Richard had taken root and in about seven months she’d have the result of that particular liaison.
She had to get Ben to marry her and then she had to convince him the baby was his child, how she would do that she didn’t know but she had to try.
Rory showed up on time and he had bathed and shaved.
She was amazed at the transformation. He was downright good looking.
He’d combed back his hair and it wasn’t nearly the dirty blond she’d thought it was but was a nice golden blond.
His brown eyes were the color of the whiskey she would offer him.
He had a great smile, but had yellowed teeth, which didn’t matter anyway; she didn’t plan on kissing him.
“Rory. Thank you for stopping by. Come in, please.”
She stood back and let him into her living room. This house wasn’t as big as the one she’d had before she left with Richard, but the price was right.
As he passed she got a whiff of sandalwood. Her favorite. Oh, she was a wicked woman, but she’d just decided to take him to her bed. He’d be much more pliable that way.
“Have a seat on the sofa. Would you like some refreshment? We have coffee, tea or aged bourbon whiskey.”
“Whiskey…uh…please.” He sat on the edge of the sofa cushion
“Certainly.”
She went to the liquor cabinet and poured him two fingers. Just enough to wet his whistle and not enough to get him drunk. Although a man who drinks as much as he does wouldn’t get drunk on six fingers much less two.
“So what is it you want me to do and what are you willing to give me to do it?”
“Cutting right to the chase. Very well, I like a man who doesn’t beat around the bush. I want you to kidnap and dispose of the new Mrs. Ben Logan. I’m willing to pay you five hundred dollars.”
She sat down next to him.
“And we’ll seal the bargain in my bed.”
He downed the liquor in two swallows and cocked his eyebrow.
“Miss Mills, you know my price and it appears I can be had. Shall we retire to your bedroom now and complete this transaction?”
“Yes, I believe we shall.”
She put his empty glass on the table, stood and took his hand, leading him to her bedroom.
True to his word when they got home from town Ben started teaching Emily to ride, beginning with saddling the horse. He brought Champagne out into the middle aisle of the barn, making sure her little one didn’t try to follow.
“First, put a blanket on her back. This protects her from getting sores where the saddle rubs on her. Next, take the saddle, hook the right stirrup over the horn and place the equipment on her back. Move it up so it sits just behind her shoulders. See this little hump?” He patted the horse on the bump he was talking about.
“That should be covered by the very front of the saddle. Now you try it.”
Emily tried, she really did, but the saddle was too heavy for her to lift that high.
Frustrated she asked, “Does this mean I can’t ride?”
Ben smiled. “No, it just means you only ride with me, which is how I want it anyway. I’ll saddle her for you.”
He finished equipping the horse including the bridle.
“Now, notice we’re on the left side of the horse. You always mount from this side. This routine makes it easier but the original reason we mount on the left was because the early riders wore their swords on the left and couldn’t mount from the right.”
“Really?” She petted the mare’s shoulder. “I never would have guessed that.”
“Now grab the saddle horn, put your left foot in the stirrup and pull yourself up, swinging your right leg over the back. Sit in the saddle and put your right foot in the stirrup.”
She huffed and strained. Finally on the third try she managed to mount Champagne and grinned from ear to ear.
Ben grinned back.
“Very good. Now, take the reins in your hand and move with the horse as she walks.” He led Champagne out of the barn and then in a circle in front of it. “That’s right, with her, not against her. Good. Very good. You may be a natural.”
“I rode a donkey once but it was nothing like this. He was small and skinny and only had on a blanket. I didn’t like it at all. I like being taller than you. I can see all the gold in your hair glinting in the sunlight. This is fun.”
“I’m glad you think so. Do you want to go a little faster? She’ll start to trot. It is the worst gait for the rider but a good one for the horse. She can go longer distances more easily at a trot. You ready?”
“Yes, let’s give it a shot.”
Ben began to slowly jog with Champagne.
Emily had to hang on to the saddle horn with both hands.
“Ben stop. Please.”
He slowed down so the horse was walking again, and then he stopped all together.
“I don’t like that second gait. It’s not comfortable at all. Can I get down now? I think I’ve had enough riding for one day.”
Ben chuckled.
“Yes. Let me help you.”
He went to her and raised his arms.
She leaned over and placed her hands on his shoulders.
He lifted her and then let her slide down his body.
“Come with me.”
His voice was deep and held an urgency she was beginning to recognize.
He took her to the stall where the hay was stored. A couple of bales had been broken apart and there was a nice soft bed of fragrant hay.
“Lay down…please but take off your bloomers first.”
Knowing what he wanted, she was more than happy to comply.
“What if someone sees us?”
“They won’t. They are either getting ready to go or have already gone to town. It’s Saturday remember.”