dandified, his reaction varied little from that of the liveryman Waite. In a matter of moments Rolf and Nathan were being escorted to their rooms.
“You just paid him a hundred dollars?” Rolf whispered when they were back in his room.
“Yes, but look at all the service we’re getting!”
“Yeah,” Rolf said. “I never even dreamed that I’d stay in a place nearly so nice.”
“Well,” Nathan promised, “just stick around, because things are even going to get better.”
“What do you mean?”
“I mean food, wine, and women,” Nathan said. Earlier, he had asked the old desk clerk, who’d turned out to be an exceptionally accommodating fellow, “Mister, where can I find pretty women to share our supper and company?”
The old gentleman acted offended. “We have only two kinds of females in Whiskey Creek. Ladies and … and whores.”
“I want two whores,” Nathan said happily. “The best that money can buy in this town. Send for them right now.”
“I can’t do that! Please, sir! This is a respectable establishment!”
“Here,” Nathan said, peeling off another hundred-dollar bill. “You just find us some respectable-looking girls and do this anyway you want. Pay them fairly and keep the change, but serve them up with our dinner. If I’m happy, you’re going to be very happy when we check out in a few days. Understand?”
The old man showed every last one of his teeth—even the molars—as he folded the bill and hurried away.
“It’s going to get better real soon, Rolf. Real soon.”
“What?”
“Take a bath and come over when dinner and the girls arrive,” Nathan told his young friend. “Shave and put on something that smells good.”
“I lost my shaver and-“
“We’ll provide those,” a young hotel clerk said, appearing like magic.
“Excellent,” Nathan said, tipping the boy with a twenty-dollar bill. “And use that to find us both some clean, dry clothes. Things serviceable for the trail, but with a little style. Do you understand?”
“Perfectly,” the young man assured him. “But the stores are probably closed, sir.”
“Here,” Nathan said, giving the young man another twenty. “Besides the clothes, bring us whiskey—no, Champagne. The most expensive cigars in town and … well, I’ll think of other things as the evening progresses. Right now, of course, we need our bathtubs filled!”
“Yes, sir!”
The next several hours were like a dream to Rolf. He took a long, hot bath and was embarrassed at how muddy the water became because of the grime on his body and in his hair. Afterward, Rolf shaved his cheeks and the little stubble on his chin with a fine, sharp razor, then doused himself from head to toe with cologne and tried on a new set of clothes. Just before going next door to Nathan’s room, he even combed his hair, parting it neatly in the middle.
“If only you could see me now, Mother,” he whispered just before going out to knock on Nathan’s door.
“It’s unlocked!” Nathan shouted. “Come on in, Rolf! You’re holding up our party!”
When Rolf opened the door, he saw Nathan and two pretty women sitting on the bed. Before them rested a large silver cart with a silver tray loaded with steaming potatoes, steaks, and all manner of wonderful-smelling food.
“Hungry?” Nathan asked with a wink.
“Like a winter-starved wolf.”
The younger of the girls was no more than Nathan’s age. She wasn’t as pretty as the woman that had her arm around Nathan’s waist, but she was plenty nice with long red hair and she was slender, the way that Sally had been before she started having children. She had a pointed chin and big robin’s-egg-blue eyes.
“Hello,” she said sweetly as she came up to stand before Rolf. “I’m going to enjoy becoming … friends.”
Rolf gulped. “We’re going to become friends?”
“That’s right. Nathan has told me all about you. You’re much handsomer than I’d expected, and I know that you are very brave.” Her fingertips brushed Rolf’s stinging cheeks and sent shivers racing up and down his spine. “Are you really, really hungry?”
“I’m starved, actually.”
“Good! My name is Teresa and I’m starved too. Let’s go eat first.”
Rolf hadn’t the slightest idea what the “first” part meant. But he could smell the food, even over all the stinkwater that he’d doused himself with. Pushing past Teresa, he went to gobble up his share.
“Rolf, slow down and quit stuffing your face. And you gotta go a little easier on cologne,” Nathan said, waving at the air and making a face. “You’re just a little overpowering.”
Rolf’s feelings were hurt. “I’m sorry, sir. Maybe I should leave.”
“Hell no! But after you’ve had your fill of eating, let Teresa give you a bath and wash some of that cologne off.”
Rolf blushed and he felt like Teresa must also be withering with shame. “Besides,” he managed to say, “I just
