Old Fashioned Romance

Chapter 2: Heat and Cast Iron

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Holding hands with Vincent Spiederman, Jude walked slowly home. Looking over her shoulder every few seconds looking for the man that undoubtedly was following. She knew he was hiding somewhere in the darkness that surrounded them.

"How was your first show?" He asked, slightly distracted.

"Alright I guess. I didn't really pay much attention to anything around me. Did they at least like me?" She looked up at him with wide eyes. A small smile playing at the edge of her lips.

"They're crazy if they didn't love you," he gave her a quick kiss on the forehead. But his eyes kept darting left and right, looking for any sign of danger. She permitted a soft laugh before she took on her serious composure.

There was no sign of a threat anywhere as they came closer to her small wooden home. Jude happily trotted through the door of her home and said her good night to beau. He always tried to get more than a kiss on the cheek but she almost always refused, as politely as she could. But he didn't push her, something she liked very much about him.

She moved around the house looking for anything that was out of place. Checking all the windows, closing the drapes.

There were footsteps coming from the back of the house. No on was supposed to be home, not for another hour or so. "Sadie? Papa?" No reply, but also no more footsteps.

Usually she would shrug off the sound as something her mind was doing to play a trick on her. But now, with her "admirer" and his bold ways, becoming more bold as the days went on, while he was in town that is, she didn't know what to do. She grabbed a cast iron pan from the modest kitchen and started to look out all the windows.

As she reached the front of the house a tapping startled her. Her hand flew to her chest as she steadied the heavy pan she held. She wanted to remain brave but it was too much for her to handle. She sank into a dark corner and held her weapon out in front of her.

She was about to yell out, hoping it was Spiederman playing one of his unfunny jokes on her. But even he wouldn't be this cruel.

On the brink of tears she whispered out her beau's name. Then a shadowy figure past the window. Everything inside her froze. The breath in her lungs, every muscle was taut as she looked on. It didn't resemble the man that couldn't take no for an answer. But she couldn't be too sure."Jude?" all her senses when on high alert.

The voice was coming from above her head. She had forgotten about the window that was there. She craned her neck to try and see who was there without being seen. "Jude? I can't get the door open." she saw a flash of blonde hair and blue feathers.

"Sadie?"

"Who else would it be?" Jude hurried over to the door to let her older sister in. She found it difficult at first but with some effort the door opened. The house wasn't old but it was in need of repairs. This was just another one to add to the list.

"What's the matter with you?" She took a swipe at the confused face of Sadie. "I was nearly scared to death because of you," she walked back over to her corner and picked up the pan.

"Jude, you do know he's not in town. Hasn't been for a long time." She knew the fear her sister lived with everyday.

"Yes, but I've been hearing that he's coming back from college. And I don't want to be caught off guard." Jude placed the pan back in its place as thoughts of what occurred a few months ago went through her brain.

"Aw, little sister," Sadie went over to the shaking girl. "You know that we won't let anything happen to you. So don't worry so much," she held her sister face in both hands."Okay?" Jude nodded and Sadie gave her a small kiss on the forehead. "Now, off to bed. We've got an early morning."

They trudged up the stairs, arm in arm, to the room they shared. Jude helped Sadie loosen the laces of her corset so she would be able to sleep. She was thankful that she didn't even need to consider the restrictive garment. Though her father often teased her about her eating habits, ones she picked up from her beau and his posse, she didn't seem to keep any weight. Most women in the town resented her for it.

She finished with her nightly rituals and was settling into the large bed she and her sister also shared. She was close to sleep when a group of horses went by the house. The pounding of hooves was something she thought she's never get used to. She immediately thought that it could be him. She hurried to the window but she was too late to see anything.

She opened the window more, trying to cool the room the best she could. She fanned herself with her hand taking a deep breath of the fresh air. A quick glance revealed someone standing in the middle of the street. With only a sliver of moon she couldn't tell if the person was facing the house of across the street.

Jude did her best to sneak away, not wanting anyone to see her in her undergarments. She didn't think she would be able to get back to sleep but with a little effort she was gone into the plains, all worries behind her.

This is not exactly how I intended on spending the night. Tom thought as he looked up at the stars above him. His room was too small for him to want to be in there for too long of a time. He decided it would be better to get some air. But every time that blonde girl was near him she started talking incessantly. So here he was, laying on the pitched roof of the hotel. To make matters worse, he was alone. And in desperate need of a womans gentle touch.

People wandered past his hiding place, talking about there plans and few were saying goodnight. He could hear women strolling along. Their pretty voices made him think back to the girl he saw on the saloon's stage. Jude, he believed to be her name. She looked so out of place in a saloon. Too innocent. Just the type he liked for nighttime company. Though he wouldn't mind her company no matter what time of day it was.

But just thinking about her made everything feel hotter. The sweltering night was that much worse as thoughts of her persisted. And just looking at her made him like the thought of being burned. Engulfed completely.

A few minutes passed before he sat up and looked down at the people. He saw the working girl, Shana? on her way home. Or he presumed she would be going home now. Most men liked cheaper looking women at this time of night. Unless he was out, then the best needed to be available. He didn't settle for just anybody, and he was never planning on starting.

After his train of thought had passed, why he was thinking about cheap hookers he didn't know anymore. But he watched as the blonde traveled away. And she wasn't alone. The man that looked like the piano player was with her. They kept to the shadows as they walked.

When they thought they were good and hidden they stole a kiss. Tommy's eyes widened as he saw what transpired. They had a lot of guts to be doing that in public. Some of the places he'd been in made that against the law. A colored person kissing someone that wasn't? He never understood why they made laws for that but he never really cared.

So maybe she wasn't a prostitute. She sure acted like one with him. He forced her from his mind as he climbed back into his room. The space was still too small for him to be comfortable enough for him to sleep. Deciding a walk would help, he put his boots back on and retrieve his hat from the table next to the door.

He walked down the main road. All was quiet but it was a nice change from the cities he had been in. People were always rowdy and getting to trouble. Most cases they wanted him out of their town. Or trying to take what he had rightfully stolen. They didn't learn any lessons when they crossed him. They ceased to exist.

He kicked a rock with the toe of his boot as he grew bored of nothing to do. His hands were shoved into his pockets as he strolled along. But a commotion behind him caused him to turn. A large team of horses went passed him. The carriage they towed looked extremely ornate. He saw the carriage turn off onto another road. But he could hear the horses slowing. He felt a smile creeping to his lips as he thought of the possibilities of making some more money. It was obvious that someone here had money and plenty to spare.

As he continued with his walk he passed a small house. Nothing to hold his attention normally but the light in the upstairs window caught his eye. A slight figure was silhouetted. But the illumination quickly dissipated. However he was sure someone was still by the window.

He gazed up, waiting to see if the person was the one he had been thinking about for the past few hours. He was disappointed when all he saw was some light colored hair and then nothing at all.

Tommy had a couple of goals in mind as he walked back to the hotel: find the girl and find the person with the lavish carriage. He was sure he was going to have his riches of both kinds.

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