Mary swallowed the lump in her throat. “Gertie’s right. I know Rose has been difficult, but what have we given her in return? I hurt my sister with my secret romance and countless other things, I’m sure. But right now, she’s hurting herself, even if she doesn’t know it. We have to help her.”
Polly looked doubtful, and Mary didn’t blame her. Rose had done a lot of awful things to Polly, like spilling things on Polly’s dress or stealing her ribbons and being downright mean to her.
Mary thought of Emma Jane, who had been one of the most hated girls in town because of her sour attitude. Once Mary had gotten to know Emma Jane, she’d realized that Emma Jane was, in fact, a sweet woman who had been crushed by her circumstances.
Could Rose be the same?
* * *
Will had handled a lot of criminals in his day, but nothing caused him more fear than Mary Stone all riled up. Her face had turned a shade of red that wouldn’t even be complementary to a beet.
“I’m sorry, Mary. I can’t allow you to go with them.” Pastor Lassiter’s voice was gentle, but it did nothing to ease the pinched look on Mary’s face.
“She’s my sister.”
Will met her glare with a hard one of his own. “And you’re a lady. Ladies don’t belong in brothels.”
“I visit Miss Betty’s all the time.” Mary puffed up her chest and stuck out her chin as if she thought it made her look tougher.
Only it made her seem all the more vulnerable.
“You visit the parlor and kitchen during daylight hours,” Frank said calmly. “But The Pink Petticoat has no parlor. It’s a saloon. I can’t allow an impressionable young lady to go there.”
“It’s also not safe,” Will added. “The men are all armed, and not one of them would stop someone trying to take advantage of you.”
“You’ll be there to protect me.” Another stubborn lift of Mary’s chin. Unfortunately, stubbornness got people killed. Or worse.
“I would try. But more likely than not, they’d just shoot me or knife me, and call it an accident. I’d be dead, and you’d be some man’s—”
No way was he going to risk Mary like that.
He’d gladly take lead for her, but it wasn’t going to be because she was too mule-headed to stay home where she belonged.
“We need to get ready for the wedding,” Gertie interrupted. She sent a glance in Jasper’s direction. “Especially you. Why, you haven’t even washed the trail dust off you.”
“Wasn’t planning on it.” He gave Gertie the same kind of stubborn look Mary wore. Will wanted to laugh out loud at the two petulant children in the room, but that wouldn’t have done anyone any good.
“I’ve never heard such foolishness.” Maddie reached forward and grabbed Jasper by the collar. “You’re either going to go get yourself a bath and change your clothes, or Gertie and I are going to take you out back and scrub you down ourselves.”
A tiny smile broke through the clouds on Mary’s face. The first smile he’d seen since she’d received confirmation of her sister’s fate. Her loveliness further prodded him to keep her safe. He wouldn’t have her sullied by being forced to confront the ugliness at The Pink Petticoat.
Jasper’s scowl deepened as Mary’s smile widened. “They’ll do it, you know. Go, have a bath and change into something nice. Neither you nor Emma Jane may want this wedding, but don’t go into it with such an ugly attitude. I know you don’t deserve being forced into a marriage, but don’t make it worse for Emma Jane by further humiliating her.”
The gentility in Mary’s expression strengthened Will’s resolve to bring Rose back safely. She’d defended Rose against Polly’s attacks, just like she’d been defending Emma Jane. Neither woman likely understood what a faithful friend they had in Mary, but Will did. And even Jasper seemed to understand the implications of Mary’s words.
Jasper nodded slowly. “You’re right. I’m sorry. Emma Jane doesn’t deserve further dishonor. I’ll behave, I promise.”
Then he turned and looked at Will. “But I’m still helping get Rose back. I owe Mary for her friendship and wise counsel.”
Mary started to make a sound of protest, but Jasper kept her from speaking. “Don’t bother. There’s only so many fights you can win, and you’ve hit your limit.”
Then Jasper sobered. “Besides, I’ve courted a number of the young ladies in town, and not one of them deserves to be treated the way Ben Perry has treated your sister. If we don’t stop him now, who’s to say that he won’t move on to the next victim? Men like him who take pleasure in hurting others won’t quit unless someone stops him.”
Jasper was right. Ben wasn’t going to stop with Rose. He hadn’t stopped with Daisy, after all. Lord only knew who else Ben had hurt along the way. He thanked God that the damage to Mary had been minimal.
Gertie seemed just as determined to lighten the atmosphere in the room. “But first, we have a wedding to attend, and I expect that there will be nothing to ruin the happy occasion. Mary, I know you bathed and changed, but you could do with a prettier dress to brighten up the occasion.”
“What I’m wearing is fine.”
“Your brother put me in charge of this family while he and Annabelle are honeymooning, and I’m telling you that you will go change your dress. Despite everyone acting like they’re about to attend a funeral, Mrs. Logan is billing this wedding as the social event of the season, and I’ll not have it written up that one of our girls went dressed in rags.”
If it weren’t for the absolute determination on the faces of both Gertie and Mary in this showdown, Will would have laughed at the absurdity of
