Banking on Temperance (8 page)

Basil rolled his shoulders uncomfortably. He had no wish to become part of the Jones family lore. But what role did he want? Temperance was right. He had been helping the family ever since they arrived in town. He told himself it was because they reminded him of his own large family back in New York, but was he really merely trying to tamp down the feelings of homesickness? Or was it something more?

Ever since he’d given into temptation and kissed her last night, he wasn’t so sure his feelings towards her family were as good-hearted and untainted as they’d both thought. Her kisses were sweet and innocent, the taste of her was pure, her mouth soft and gentle. When was the last time he’d kissed an innocent? He couldn’t remember.

And there was good reason why it was such a rarity. He gnashed his teeth together as he reminded himself good, pure, innocent women such as Temperance were not to be toyed with. They were even more dangerous than the saloon girls and dance hall ladies. They were the kind you marry and take home to meet your mother. He was nowhere near ready to be tied to only one woman. Maybe he was ready to settle down with a mistress, but a wife? He was years away from marriage.

His gaze flitted over her face again. Her color was pale in the early dusk. Understandable, since they’d just lain her father to rest. He could only imagine the terror her family was feeling, being in a strange part of the country without the head of the household. Yes, he wanted to make the way a bit easier for them. Maybe his fate with this family had been sealed the very minute Samuel Jones collapsed in his bank. Or maybe it was the minute Basil gave into temptation and Temperance’s lips scorched his when they kissed.

Good Lord, listen to him. He was talking as Joseph had done when he referred to his relationship with Ginger. How he had known from the minute they met they were meant to be together. Basil thought it was hogwash then, and his thoughts about Temperance were hogwash now. Sure, she was a tempting little morsel, but he didn’t have to give in to his baser instincts.

It was much better, for his state of mind, to merely befriend her. After all, he had done that today. He had not had one lustful thought all day. Well, maybe just one, when she was crying on his shoulder, dampening his suit jacket with her tears. And maybe one more, when his eyes fixated on her lips, which had so recently set his on fire.

That was all. Twice in one day, and only because of the circumstances. Well, possibly one additional time, when he took her hand as she faltered during her recitation of the psalm. All right, three times. But what Temperance, and her entire family, needed right now was a friend, not someone to toy with her affections. They were heading on in the spring, with her beau leading the way, and any involvement with Basil would put that goal in peril. He could ill afford that, and Temperance wouldn’t tolerate it.

But still, her lips were very tempting.

In the days and weeks that followed, Basil and Temperance settled into a comfortable, friendly routine. She came to the bank three times a week to clean. On the other two weekdays, he would usually end up out at the public house, where they would be able to snatch snippets of conversation in between her duties as a waitress. Basil’s admiration for her intensified as she worked hard to provide for her family. When she told him of Martha’s impending new child, their conversations took a turn from playful to contemplative.

“Perhaps you should stay in St. Louis for another year, then. Give yourself time to save up the money you’ll need, and give your mother a chance to deliver a baby in civilization rather than in the back of a moving wagon. Besides, Justice has only turned sixteen. He needs at least one more year to be considered the man of the family.”

Temperance poured some water into the glass on his table. “No, we can’t wait any longer. We can’t continue to be a burden to the Lafontaines, and we certainly can’t consider moving out of the soddy, since we have little money as it is. Besides, Jeremiah will be arriving before winter sets in, and we can be married straight away. Then he can get the wagon and supplies we need for the next leg of our trip. He’ll be the good strong man we need to lead us into the wilderness.”

“So you’ve gotten a letter from him?” Basil shifted in his seat as he listened to Temperance talk about Jeremiah. He already had made up his mind that he didn’t care much for the man. How could he have let Temperance go off into the wilderness without him, if he cared for her as much as she claimed he did? Crops or no, if Basil had been in that position, he would never have let her go. Any solid upstanding man would have done so, not just Basil. His opinion of Jeremiah was extremely low because of his foolish decision last spring. At least that’s what Basil told himself. It had nothing to do with the place Jeremiah occupied in Temperance’s heart. Absolutely nothing.

“He wrote about a month ago. I sent him a letter right after Da died, letting him know he was now going to be the head of this family. He responded right away and told me he couldn’t wait to get here, so we could pick up where we left off.” She blushed prettily as she cleared the dirty dishes from Basil’s table.

“Where exactly did you leave off with him, Temperance?” Basil asked quietly, as he took hold of her wrist.

Temperance pulled her hand from his. “That’s an impertinent question, sir.”

“I just don’t want you to be disappointed if he changes his mind. I know the ways of men, and it’s a heavy burden you’re placing on him — it won’t be just you and him, but your entire family as well. And a newborn.”

“He won’t change his mind. He loves me.”

“Maybe so.” Basil put a few bills on the table to pay for his dinner, stood up, and placed his hat on his head. “He’d be a fool not to. But even love has its limits. And I’m telling you, as a man, I wouldn’t want to be heading west with a wife, five children, and a mother-in-law who was about to have a baby. It’s hard enough getting from St. Louis to Oregon without stacking the deck against yourself.”

Temperance’s green eyes sparkled as she stood before him. “Well, then, it’s fortunate for us that Jeremiah will be the man heading west with us, and not you. He’ll come. You’ll see.”

• • •

Temperance hadn’t shown up for work after the bank closed. Despite their rather heated discussion about Jeremiah the other night at the restaurant, she wouldn’t leave town without saying a proper goodbye. Of that, Basil was certain. She’d lord it over him and introduce him to that blasted Jeremiah, had he shown up, finally. Basil had not seen her at all yesterday, either, since he had a meeting in the evening with one of the bank’s clients and did not make it out to the public house. He paced the floor of his apartment, as it registered that, since she had rolled into town with her rag-tag family and her disaster of a wagon, Temperance had been a part of his daily routine. Except for the past few days.

He wondered if something new had befallen her, and was mildly concerned for her welfare. But she was a strong, capable young woman who didn’t let anything get in her way. By five o’clock, she’d be starting work at the restaurant, so he rode out. He tied his horse up at the hitching post out front, and went inside, only to find she had not shown up there, either.

He was out of the restaurant and halfway to the soddy before he realized he had decided to ride out and see what was going on. It wasn’t Temperance’s nature to shirk her responsibilities. He told himself that, as her employer, he had a right to check on her. But his mild concern ratcheted up a few notches when he discovered no one had seen her for two days.

As he drew closer to the soddy, his horse’s muscles tensed as it went on high alert. If a horse sensed danger, something was truly afoul. The nearby howling from a pack of animals sent shivers running down his spine. He slowed his pace, pulled his gun from its shoulder holster, and cautiously turned the corner to the dirt tracks leading to the humble dwelling.

Seven wolves circled the small home as dusk fell around them, and one more was on the roof, trying to dig a way into the structure. A half dozen or more carcasses lay around the yard. Basil’s heart twisted in his chest as he studied the movement of the wolves, careful not to get too close.

“Temperance?” he yelled out to the soddy.

“I’m here, Basil.” He caught the glint of a rifle from between the slats of the shutters. “We’re all here, and we’re all safe, but we haven’t been able to get out for two days. I’ve been keeping the damned animals at bay with our rifle, but as soon as I shoot one, two more appear in its place.”

“Why are you handling the gun? Where’s Justice?”

“Justice can’t hit the side of a barn from ten paces away. I have much better aim.”

Despite the dire predicament, Basil grinned at Temperance’s straightforward statement of her capabilities. “I’ll take care of the one on the roof for you. If the children aren’t already on the floor, make sure they lie down so they won’t be hit by a stray bullet.” Basil waited a few moments for her to pass on his instructions to the rest of her family. Then he took aim and killed the large wolf on the top of the soddy. The wolf tumbled to the ground with a thud, further agitating the others who were circling the small dwelling.

“I’m going to ride over and get some of the Lafontaines to help us. I’ll be back in a few minutes. Will you be all right?”

“Yes,” she yelled through the drawn shutters. “But hurry.”

• • •

Joseph and his brother Gaston joined Basil as they returned to the site of the soddy within ten minutes. Rifles and guns were out of their holsters and they were ready for battle. Basil called out to Temperance to make certain everyone was on the floor before the men began to fire off their weapons. Each man picked a target, and a round of gunfire thundered through the falling darkness.

The pack was now down to four wolves. Each man took aim on a target again and another round was fired. One lone wolf remained standing. Temperance aimed her rifle out the window, took quick aim, and fired. As the last wolf fell, Temperance opened the door and the children tumbled out, free for the first time in days.

Temperance held the rifle under her arm, the butt end of it in her armpit, as she moved wearily toward Basil. He slid off his horse and put his hands on her shoulders. “Is everyone all right?”

She nodded slightly, as tears welled in her eyes. “I thought we were doomed for certain this time. Those wolves just kept coming and there was no one to hear us. We ran out of food inside the house, had no firewood to make a cup of tea even if we had water, which we didn’t. Ma’s been so sick every morning, and only tea will quiet her stomach. It’s been an awful couple of days.”

Basil pulled her into his rough embrace. “You gave me a fright. A wolf pack has caused death on the prairie more than once. But you’re safe now. You’re all safe.” Basil’s heart, which had constricted when he spied the circling wolves for the first time, finally began to unclench and slow to a normal rhythm. Temperance backed out of his embrace quickly, but stared up at him with eyes full of trust.

“I had faith you would come sooner or later,” she whispered.

The air sparked as their eyes met. Basil noticed the trust she bestowed on him, and took a deep breath. “You realize, don’t you, that you referred to me by my given name? That’s the first time you’ve ever done so.”

He caught the sudden movement as her shoulders lifted. So that made her uncomfortable? He smiled.

“It was the stress of the situation. I would never refer to you as such in the bank.”

“But we’re not at the bank now, so it’s appropriate. Who would have guessed you were such a crack shot, though?” He smiled, trying to lighten the mood. “You killed seven of those monsters all by yourself. That’s not an easy thing to do, since they were running and darting the whole time.”

“I’m just glad they’re all dead now. What shall we do with the bodies?”

“Joseph and Gaston will load them up on a wagon and take them to the ranch. They’ll use the pelts to make clothing and blankets. Not much will be wasted. Their mother knows how to get the most out of an animal.”

He caught the involuntary movement as Temperance shuddered and ran a hand over her eyes. “I’ll have nightmares about this for weeks.”

“You’ll be all right now. All of you. I know you have a lot to take care of, having not been out in days. I’ll help you get in a supply of wood before I leave you to make the soddy right again.”

“Thank you for coming to our aid. My family is once again in your debt.” Temperance executed a small curtsy to him.

Basil had an overwhelming desire to take her into his arms again, and to kiss her full lips. As her tongue ran over them, he groaned inwardly.

“You owe me nothing. I’m glad I came before the wolf got in through the roof. We all have to help each other in the West, otherwise no one would survive.”

“Nonetheless, Basil, my family appreciates all you’ve done.” On a sudden impulse, it seemed, she grasped his arm, raised herself up on her toes, gave him a peck on the cheek and a huge smile before she ran into the house.

He controlled, just barely, the impulse to run after her.

It was the heat of the moment, that was all, Temperance told herself as she ran towards the soddy. She would not have kissed him otherwise. But she was so grateful and relieved that Basil had come to her family’s rescue. She had held off the wolves for two days, and she smelled the terror emanating from both herself and her family during the long siege. They’d thought this might be the final situation from which they could not escape. Thanks to Basil they had, but now her eyes were blurry from lack of sleep and her emotions were rubbed raw.

When Basil rode up to the soddy, she could have sworn he was on a white horse, and the sun glinted off his coat of armor. It was the tiredness, that was all. He was no knight rescuing the damsel in distress. She tried to shake the cobwebs from her tired brain to eliminate the unwanted image of Sir Basil. He might be a ladies’ man, and totally outside of her social class, but he alone had saved her from an impossible situation.