Chapter Five #3
Malika’s imagination was vivid, however, and she willingly entered into the spirit of things.
“My brother brought me West with him in search of gold,” she said.
“I was conducting an inappropriate affair with one of his servants. He challenged my lover to a duel and killed him, and we had to flee our country with nothing but the clothes we had on, and some money stuffed in my boots, because the servant turned out to be the runaway son of a wealthy and important emir. The emir is very angry over the murder of his favorite son and has placed a significant bounty on my brother’s head.
After arriving in Montana Territory, we were kidnapped by rogues who hoped to collect, but a handsome cowboy came to our rescue and led us through the mountains to safety.
My brother’s life remains in danger. More bounty hunters could find him any day.
He’ll be on the run from them forever.” Take that, Adeel.
“I’m ruined, so I’m no longer marriageable. I’m doomed to spinsterhood.”
Anyone who read Western historical romances knew that spinsters and widows led the best lives. Mavis, who had no husband, and wore men’s clothing, was an excellent example.
Mavis, to Malika’s great disappointment, nodded as if she’d heard the same story dozens of times. “Tell me a bit about life in your country. Before the inappropriate affair,” she added.
This answer required no creative effort.
“Djitania is mostly desert, although my village exists on a large oasis. The villagers grow mostly olives and dates.” Adeel also invested heavily in the management of Djitania’s oil fields, but she knew nothing about that, and besides, the fields wouldn’t have been active in the mid-1800s.
They weren’t on the same level as Saudi Arabian fields, either.
“I played with the neighborhood children, and my nieces and nephews, until I was thirteen. I have no sisters my age.”
Her father had passed away when she was too young to remember him.
Adeel had assumed responsibility for her, but he’d had bigger issues to deal with than an infant sister.
She’d enjoyed those early years when no one paid any attention to her, and she could roam as she pleased.
Living in the United States gave her a similar freedom, despite the roommates constantly underfoot. She liked it here.
“You come from a large family,” Mavis said. “I’d imagine that gives you plenty of useful skills to bring to a boom town like Burning Scrub.”
She wasn’t sure what Mavis considered useful, or what skills Burning Scrub needed.
In Djitania, servants had handled the daily chores of cooking and cleaning.
Adeel’s mother, and Basma—her father’s second wife—as well as her mother, and her older sisters, had overseen management of the various households.
Malika, as the youngest, had been sent off to boarding school in the city because she’d been more of a bother than useful to them.
From boarding schools in Djitania and London, then through college in the United States, she’d had roommates to make life run smoothly.
Pearl, who Malika greatly admired, helped Tilly and two others clear plates from the tables.
Her young daughter Linda, and very cute baby son, had fallen asleep snuggled together on the floor in a corner.
Malika watched Pearl with envy. Her talents were many and they appeared to come naturally to her.
“Yes. I have plenty of useful skills,” she said to Mavis, hoping she wouldn’t be asked for examples.
Mavis returned the cards to their packet. “Let’s wrap things up for the night, ladies. It’s already late, and tomorrow’s going to be a big day for Belle.”
Crashing the bachelor party wasn’t mentioned again. Tilly seemed like the type of woman who’d take matters into her own hands if she so desired, but if she did have a plan, Malika wasn’t invited to take part.
Malika considered crashing the party on her own. She knew how to find the saloon. The town wasn’t that large. But Adeel would be there, and finding her brother engaged in debauchery wasn’t a sight she longed to see.
Belle approached her as she was guiding her arms into the tight sleeves of the sturdy cotton duster that Pearl had loaned her.
“Would you mind if I walked with you to the lodge? I’ll need some fresh air if I’m going to get any sleep,” Belle said.
Malika had no objection to spending a few moments alone with the woman who’d won Beau Jones’s heart. She longed to discover what was so special about her, because it had to be more than her beauty. Beau could have had any number of beautiful women if looks were all that he wanted.
And yes. She was curious as to why Jayce was so obsessed with her too.
The street outside of Belle’s house was very dark despite the large, looming moon and the blinding tangle of stars. Belle carried a lantern. Its light spun crazily into the many nooks and crannies around and under the neighboring houses.
“I assume you were asked to walk me home because everyone else is busy crashing the bachelor party,” Malika said.
She’d thought at first that the other women hadn’t wanted Mavis to know what they were planning to do, but in hindsight, since Malika was the outsider, this made more sense. “How come you didn’t go with them?”
“I don’t want to spoil Beau’s party for him.” The light from the lantern caught Belle’s smile, and her smile lit up the night. “If I’m there, he’ll try to behave. I’d rather he behaves himself tomorrow.”
Malika felt a rare stab of jealousy. Belle really was kind and sweet and smart, just as Jayce claimed. Then sympathy jabbed her, as well.
Not sympathy for Belle, however. Malika felt sorry for the unlucky woman who believed she stood a chance at winning Jayce Hanson’s heart.
The competition was fierce.