To Bed A Montana Man (Montana Men) (6 page)

“I’m sorry,” she sobbed.

“Sorry? You’ve done nothing wrong? Have I done something to upset you?”

She shook her head. “It’s not you,” she said, hiccupping through her words. “You’re so kind to be patient with me.”

Realization dawned on Mr. Clark. Red crawled up his neck and settled in his cheeks. “Miss Alison, you are a beautiful girl. I can see now you’re still a child. I’ve got two daughters at home and I could never look at them again knowing that I was a first for you.” He hurried and pulled on his trousers.

“Please stay.” She took part of the blanket from the bed to cover herself.

Mr. Clark was dressed with his suit coat misbuttoned. “You do smell nice.” He turned and slipped out the door.

Allison fell back onto the bed and buried her face in the pillow.

A few minutes later, a soft knock came to the door. “Allison?” Marion asked. “Can I come in?” She didn’t wait for a reply. Marion entered the room and sat next to Allison on the bed. “What happened?”

Allison groaned, buried underneath the blanket.

“Sandy caught Mr. Clark on his way out. He was upset.” Marion put her foot up on the bed and picked at her toenail. “Sandy apologized to him. It took a little convincing, but Sandy was able to send him off with Cassie.” She put her foot back down, and leaned over Allison placing a hand on her shoulder. “I know Mr. Clark is a nice man. If he did anything to hurt you—”

 Allison interrupted. “It wasn’t him. He knew it was my first time when I took off my clothes. I bawled at the first touch.”

“Sandy isn’t mad.” Marion paused. “Allison, this isn’t the job for you. Everyone knows it. That is everyone, except you.” Marion lay back against the pillow. “Oh, Ally.” She sighed. “What are you going to do? Sandy is a great lady, but she’s not a charity. No one stays unless they work.”

“I know.” Allison sat up and wiped her wet cheeks with her fingers. “When I couldn’t find work, this seemed like a solution. I guess it’s not.” She adjusted the blanket to keep from exposing herself. “I’ll talk to Sandy and ask her if I can stay tonight. Tomorrow I’ll look for somewhere to live and figure out what I can do for money.” Keeping the blanket tucked around her. Allison stood from the bed and picked clothing off the floor. “At least I haven’t ordered the wardrobe.” She fingered the soft velvet of the skirt in her hand then handed it to Marion. “I won’t need this.”

“We’ll figure it out together.” She gave Allison an encouraging smile. “After you bathe. With that smell I can’t stay in this room another minute. ” Marion went to the water pitcher. “I’ll return the favor,” she said, picking it up. “Obviously Mr. Clark had intended to stay with you.” She crinkled her nose. “I recognize the scent.”
          Marion returned a few minutes later splashing water in her haste to get back to Allison. “I have the greatest idea.” She set the pitcher next to the bowl. “It’s cold because there wasn’t any hot water on the stove.” She filled the large, ceramic dish. “It’s been a busy night. I guess no one has had a chance to keep up with the demand.”

“I don’t mind cold water,” Allison said. She was grateful for the chance to wash some of the fragrance from her skin. Between the tears, the heavy aroma, and the headache pounding through her temples, she was nauseous.

“Well, I do. I admit it.” Marion put her hand over her heart. “I love what I do. I won’t ever stop. I’m never getting married. Long story, but I’m never getting a baby either so I’ve got no reason not to lay down with whomever I want.” She put her hands on her hips. Her eyes brightened along with the excitement escalating her voice. “And it isn’t bragging to say I’m busy. So busy that I don’t have much time to take care of myself. I deserve hot water and clean clothes. I want my sheets changed whenever they get dirty. I don’t care if that means twice a night.” She stomped her foot. “I need some pampering.” She put a washcloth into the water. “Will you work for me?” Marion handed her a damp cloth.

“I know how much you earn. Sandy already takes so much. You can’t support me, too.” She took the cloth and wiped her arms and neck.

“You’re right. Not alone, I couldn’t. But if you took care of all of us girls, together we could.” Marion sat and took Allison’s hands in hers. “We all see something special in you. You’ve still got what we lost a long time ago. Seeing you throw away your life breaks my heart. If you stay here, you’ll never get married. God forbid if you have a child. No one is going to want to raise a baby for you. Worst of all, you wouldn’t know who the father is.”

Allison felt on the verge of tears again. “I don’t know what to say. I don’t want to leave, either. You’re the first real friend I’ve ever had. Sandy isn’t going to let me keep the room.”

Marion
shrugged. “Who cares? Get dressed. If we can’t convince her that we need you, then you can sleep with me after I’m done for the night. We’ll figure out the details later. For now, let’s see who wants to hire you. I know I’m not the only one who hates fetching water to clean up.” A minute later, Allison was dressed. Marion took her by the hand and led her down the hall. “Lets see how many of us our willing to spend a few coins for a little pampering.”

Business had tapered off for the night and only a few gentlemen were in the parlor and most of the girls were in their rooms. Stopping at the first door, Marion gave a gentle knock. Cassie opened the door.

Marion
pushed inside and Allison followed. “We have a proposition.”

An hour later, Marion, Allison and several girls crowded into Sandy’s office. The only obstacle in their way was Sandy. Anyone who knew Sandy, realized she was a businesswoman first. Letting Allison stay would cut into her profits. The room represented potential income, but not if Allison wasn’t bedding men.

Sandy
listened, but continued to shake her head. “I’m not a charity.” She sipped a cup of tea. “Girls, it’s been a long and tiring night. I don’t want to argue. You know the rules. We have contracts. I can’t justify the expenditure.” She sat behind her desk, removed her wire-rimmed reading glasses, and messaged her temples. “Allison, you’re a lovely young woman.” She sighed. “I knew this wasn’t going to work. You don’t belong here. You need a nice husband and a baby on each hip.”

“She doesn’t have anywhere to go,” Marion said. “I’ve been with you a long time, Sandy. I’ve never wanted more than what I have right here. God knows it’s far better than where I came from. We both know how cruel life can be.” She pointed her finger at Allison. “I don’t want her to know,” she said. “We have a chance to do something right.” She wiped a tear from her cheek.

“Marion,” Sandy said, sharply inhaling. “Don’t cry. I’ve never seen you cry, and I’m not sure I want to now.”

“If it’s the room, she can stay with me. If it’s money, don’t worry about it. I told you, the girls and I are going to give her a cut of our share. There isn’t any reason why this won’t work.”

Sandy
turned to Allison. “Aren’t you going to say something?”

“I understand your position. I’ll stay on and work just as everyone else.”

“No!” Marion and Sandy said in unison.

“I’m sorry about Mr. Clark. It’s going to be tougher than I thought.”

“Well Allison, it doesn’t get any easier than Mr. Clark,” Sandy said. “I already decided you aren’t working for me.”

After what seemed like an eternity, Allison said, “Can I work for them? If it doesn’t work out, I’ll leave.”

Sandy
threw her hands in the air. “We’ll try it. Until I need your room, you can stay.”

Marion and Allison hugged each other. Sandy came around the desk. They pulled her into the hug, too.

“Now stop and settle down,” she chided. “Marion, I leave it up to you to decide on Allison’s wages. She’s your employee.” She clapped her hands together. “Now get out of my office and get some sleep.”

Marion and Allison left together with the other girls following. “I have a job,” Allison squealed.

And first thing the following morning, Allison went to the kitchen to make sure there would be plenty of hot water for everyone.

Chapter Four

Allison found, for the first time in her life, a small family of friends. As the sun set behind the horizon and the men came in from the mines, Allison worked without a break. Between changing sheets and replacing dirty water, she helped Marion and the girls mend and clean their clothes.

“Sandy wants to see you,” Marion said, coming into her room. Allison had just tucked a fresh sheet onto the bed. She got off her knees and tightened the apron around her waist. To keep cool and to keep it from getting in the way, she kept her hair pulled high and pinned into a bun. She pushed a few stray tendrils behind her ear.

“Is she in her office?”

“Actually, no.” Marion raised an eyebrow. “She’s in her bedroom. And by the look of her, she’s getting ready for a little business.”

“Sandy doesn’t work. Not that way.” In the several weeks Allison had been at the brothel, she’d never seen Sandy anywhere but downstairs. She flirted, but drew the line at taking men to her bed for service.

“Oh, she has a few regulars. I haven’t seen her cowboy in a long time. I’ll bet it’s him. Now that’s a man I’d gladly take care of.” She fell back onto the bed. “Lord, have mercy on women. Men should not look that good.”

“That good?”

“Good doesn’t come close. We’ll all be happy tomorrow because Sandy is going to be in one hell of a grand mood. If you want something, it’ll be the day to ask.”

Allison laughed as she left the room.

She made her way down the long corridor. Doors to bedrooms lined both sides of the hallway.

Allison lightly knocked on Sandy’s door.

“Come in,” Sandy said. “Good, I’m glad you hurried. I’m going to be busy for the next couple of hours.” Scrutinizing herself in the mirror, Sandy added a little more rouge. “Occasionally I entertain certain gentlemen. I have a long history with his family. He’s had a run of bad luck lately.”

“Marion said you still see a few.”

“Honey, every woman has needs.” Sandy stood in front of the dresser mirror and fluffed her ruffles. “I used to see his father.”

“This gentleman you’re seeing tonight?”

Sandy
nodded. “The apple didn’t fall far from the tree.”

Allison wondered why Sandy was confiding in her.

“Will you put on one of Marion’s outfits?”

Confusion clouded Allison’s thoughts. Did Sandy expect her to work? In the parlor? With the men? Fear, stark and vivid, constricted her chest. The taste of bile rose into her throat. “What? Why?”

“Calm down, Allison. You should know by now I feel the same way as Marion and the girls. We want you here. I thought you could linger downstairs as hostess. Play me for a few hours.” She shrugged. “I never like leaving the parlor unattended.”

“I’d love it. Dress up, have a sweet drink. One of those tall ones Cassie makes.”

“Just one,” Sandy said. “You’ve proven you don’t handle alcohol well.”

“I’ve only been sick twice. Both times Marion is to blame. She gave me too much, too fast.”

“Three times in two weeks. One drink or forget the whole thing.”

Allison sat in the giant chair. “One drink.”

“Don’t sit down.” Sandy took Allison’s hands and pulled her to her feet. “Go get dressed and get downstairs. I’ll see you in a few hours.”

“This is going to be fun, right?”

“Yes.” Sandy winked and pushed Allison out the room.

Fifteen minutes later, Allison wore her favorite dress of Marion’s into the parlor. She paused in front of the sconce mirror. The deep violet color enhanced her complexion and made her green eyes sparkle like emeralds. As she sipped her drink, she arched an eyebrow and tried to see herself as the men in the parlor did. With her corset pulled tight, her cleavage crested over the top. Pale candlelight made her skin appear creamy and flawless.