“We have no crates here for you, Missus,” one man said, as he doffed his hat.
“No,” she corrected. “I’m looking for Captain Pickens. Do you know if he’s returned to Fort Benton?”
“Cap’n A.J.?” the other man said, as he scratched at his head and spat a wad of tobacco to one side. “Aye, he’s down there a ways.”
Lorena nodded her thanks, scurrying away from them. She moved with an alert adroitness, as she maneuvered around carts, men, and horses. “Mr. A.J.!” she called out, when she saw the wiry man smoking his pipe, as he listened to a story from another.
“Missus!” he said, with a whoop of delight. “I thought I wouldn’t see you until this evenin’, when I called at Seamus’s.” He paused as he looked at her, a hint of concern in his brown eyes. “Are you well?”
“Yes,” she said, as she beamed at him. When the man behind A.J. grunted with displeasure, she flushed. “I beg your pardon. I should never have presumed to interrupt your important conversations.”
A.J. waved at the irritated man. “Ah, ignore old Cookie. He always hates having a story interrupted.” A.J. winked at her. “But he’s so long-winded, I’ve yet to hear the end to one of his tales.” He urged her to a quieter part of the levee and waited for her to speak. “What couldn’t wait until this evening? I plan on stoppin’ by and visiting the O’Rourkes.”
She wrung her hands and flushed. “I know it is improper, and none of the O’Rourkes will ever inquire after her, but I needed to know …” Lorena bit her lip, her red cheeks enhancing her pale complexion and her red hair.
A.J. stared at her, before nodding. “Ah, you want to know if I’ve any news of your sister. Of Winnifred.” When Lorena shrugged her shoulders, A.J. sighed, with a hint of remorse, as though regretting what news he had to impart. “You’re a good woman. Even though she thought to harm you and destroyed your business, you still worry about her.”
“She’s my baby sister,” Lorena said. “She’s alone.”
Blushing, A.J. rubbed at the back of his neck. “Well, I ain’t so sure she’s spendin’ all that much time alone.” He looked at her, shrugging, as Lorena paled. “Rumor is, she’s cozied up with a wealthy man in Saint Louis.” He stared at her with pity. “I’m sorry, Missus, to be the bearer of bad news.”
Lorena nodded. “It’s not your fault, Mr. A.J. It’s mine. For having any hope.”
He squeezed her hand. “Now don’t be foolish, Missus. Life ain’t worth much, without hope.” He looked over her shoulder and frowned. “Seems that puffed-up baffoon hasn’t left town yet.”
She turned to follow his glance and half smiled at A.J., continuing to misspeak. He enjoyed mangling words, either to befuddle those around him or to turn them into words that more aptly met his needs. Lorena knew he referred to her uncle as both a baboon and a buffoon. “No, my uncle is still in town, although he rarely speaks with me.”
“Well, today ain’t one of your fortunate days,” A.J. muttered. “Urea,” he said, as the man approached, dressed in a flamboyantly colored waistcoat.
Uriah Chaffee believed himself to be well respected and a much-sought-after lawyer. However, few legal disputes were had in Fort Benton, so he had entered into an agreement with a saloon owner to entice attractive women to serve the thirsty men at that establishment. Unfortunately for Uriah, he had been unable to entice his nieces Lorena and Phoebe to work for Mr. Bell as barmaids, and the women were astute enough to understand more than serving drinks would have been required of them.
Winnifred had worked at the saloon for a short time, before she left town the previous year, her precipitous departure a grave disappointment to their uncle. As for other newly arrived women to the Territory, few women who passed through Fort Benton were so desperate that they needed work at the Daybreak Saloon. “You’re back then,” Uriah bellowed. “You meddlesome man.”
A.J. beamed at him, as he stood with his hands on his hips, his head cocked to one side. “Aye, I’m like a good penny. Always turnin’ up when you most need it.” He winked at Lorena, when she giggled. “You’ve come to inquire after your niece in Saint Louis?”
Uriah shook his head. “Why should I care what happened to that tease? She promised me she could coax her sister into workin’ at the saloon. Instead this one up and marries an O’Rourke, and Winnifred disappears.” He sighed, acting as though he were the most aggrieved man in Fort Benton.
“Some would say you’re as tenderhearted as a rattlesnake,” A.J. said, any friendliness having disappeared from his gaze and his demeanor.
Lorena stared at her uncle with contempt. “I have nothing to say to you.”
“Oh, but you do,” he groused. “You’ve nearly cost me my good standing in this town.” He puffed out his ever-growing paunch, the scarlet waistcoat straining to contain his girth. “You’ll rue the day you ever defied me.”
Watching her uncle half-walk, half-waddle away, Lorena spoke in a soft voice. “Why did he want to speak with me?”
A.J. watched the other man, a gleam of speculation in his gaze. “I ain’t sure, Missus. Could be he wanted to torment you a little. Could be he was curious about your sister.” He rocked back onto his heels. “If I were him, I’d be hopin’ your gullible sister was returnin’ home too.”
Lorena heaved out a breath. “Forgive me for being so foolish. I shouldn’t want her to return to Fort Benton. She’d wreak havoc again.”
Chuckling, A.J. shrugged. “Well, that she most likely would. I ain’t ever met a young woman so keen on causin’ chaos.” He nodded and winked at her. “I’ll see you later, Missus, if I’m able to get free.”
Lorena nodded, her gaze on her devious uncle, who remained on the boardwalk, now chatting with the owner of
