The ladies had been disappointed that the tall, handsome U.S. Marshal wouldn't be sleeping downstairs that night. One more than all the rest, but they were somewhat relieved that Jack would be taking his place. Ever since the attack in St. Louis and the near fatal incident with Hannah, all the ladies had been extremely nervous. Every noise, every unexpected move seemed to send them into a panic. Even cool headed Mae caught herself being rattled more often than she cared to admit.
Nightfall found Kitty was sitting at the dressing table intently studying her red locks when Mae came into the room. She moved unnoticed across the floor and didn't say a word until she was directly behind Kitty. "They're not that hard to see Kitty."
"Oh, shut up!" Kitty shot back, dropped the lock of hair and resumed her nightly ritual. Then muttered under her breath. "I'm not old enough to have gray hair."
"You know they do make something to hide it."
"Well then can I use some of yours?" Kitty snidely remarked. Both women laughed. Mae moved across the room, hung up her dress and pulled her nightgown from the dresser drawer then disappeared behind the privacy screen.
"You know Mae that was a real nice thing you did tonight, offering the help Annie like that."
"All kids need their mother. The damn bastard." Mae called out over the screen her emotions still raw from her talk with Hannah. She emerged from behind the screen and sat down on the foot of her bed. "Toss me my brush, will ya', since you seem to be taking all night in front of the mirror." Realizing Kitty was silently counting strokes Mae chanted. "twenty, twenty-one, fifty-two …" Her attempt at humor earned her an angry scowl from her roommate and a close encounter with her flying hairbrush. Mae laughed out loud. "Some things never change do they?"
Mae released her long, deep auburn locks from their restraints and began to brush. She was using the darkened window as her mirror. "I talked to Hannah today. Did you know she was a teacher?"
"No. A teacher, uh?"
"Yeah." Kitty listened while Mae relayed Hannah's story. After she finished both women continued their similar regimens in silence. Kitty finished massaging her expensive, scented lotion into her arms and legs and tossed the bottle to Mae.
Mae sniffed the lotion then poured some into the palm of her hand. "Kitty?"
"Hmmmm."
"Do you think about getting married and raising a family?" Mae asked spreading the ointment onto her arms.
Kitty paused for a second and thought about the question before her. "I have, some I guess. If it were with the right man. There was a time when that's what I thought I wanted. But now, I'm not so sure."
"Why?"
"I don't know, I sorta like my life the way it is. I come and go as I please. I have money. The Long Branch. I guess I've gotten used to my life. If I married I'd have to sell …"
"What about Matt, how does he feel?" Mae interrupted.
"Matt's already married." Kitty replied a hint of sadness edged her voice.
"What!?" Mae asked incredulously. "I didn't see a ring on his finger. And believe me I looked."
"His ring isn't on his finger, Mae. It's on his chest. The badge. The law. That's his wife. She comes first. Always has, always will, until he takes it off. But in the meantime Matt doesn't feel he has the right to marry. His job is so dangerous. He worries about leaving a wife and children behind."
"I didn't realize that's how it was. Isn't that hard on you Kitty?"
Kitty got up from the dressing table and walked over to her bed and started pulling down the covers. "It was at first. And at times it still is. But I've learned to deal with it. And to be honest Mae I wouldn't change it. That badge is a part of him. The law is in his blood."
Finishing with the lotion, returning it to the dressing table, then turning down the oil lamp and climbing into her own bed the green-eyed red head requested. "Tell me about him, Kitty."
"I just did. He's a U.S. Marshal." Kitty answered settling in under the covers. "What more do you want to know?"
"What's he like. Really like, Kitty? Other than the obvious, tall, handsome and extremely sexy. His personality? In bed?" The last inquiry brought a big smile to Mae's lips, as she snuggled beneath her own covers.
Kitty thought for a minute. "Matt is the kindest, gentlest man I've ever known. The first time I saw him he took my breath away. The first time he touched me, he took my heart." Kitty's mind raced ahead to that first picnic at Silver Creek. She remembered the way he touched her, kissed her, made love to her. Darkness suddenly settled over her. "You know Mae he wanted a woman, not a whore. And I didn't know how to be a woman. I didn't know how to make love to a man. I knew every trick in the book on how to please a man, to turn him on, but didn't know how to make love. As many men as I had been with I was scared to death of this one. I never wanted to please a man more than I did Matt Dillon." Kitty seemed to be drifting deeper into her reverie remembering their first year together. "I had built up a wall. No man was ever going to hurt me again. I wasn't going to let a man get close enough. But he did. As hard as I fought it he managed to get inside. We had been together about a year. It was on a Sunday morning. I remember because Sundays he didn't have to leave early. I woke up and he had his arm around me. He was holding me so tight I almost couldn't breathe. I tried to pull away some, but he just held me tighter. For the first time in my life that I remember, I felt safe, secure, loved. He had knocked down that wall, and I hadn't even realized it." Kitty laughed softly remembering how they spent that morning. "We stayed in bed all morning." Turning toward Mae she asked. "What about you and Charles?"
"Charles is in real estate. I bought the property my saloon is on from him. That's when I first met him. He was different from the rest. I guess like Matt. He didn't see me as a whore, but a woman." Mae thought quietly about how hers and Kitty's lives seemed to parallel. Taking a deep breath Mae announced. "Charles asked me to marry him."
"Oh, Mae that's wonderful. What did you say?" Kitty bolted up in the bed in excitement.
"I told him I didn't know. I would have to think about it." She replied somberly.
"How long have you been thinking about it Mae?" Kitty asked cautiously.
"About a year."
"A year!?" Kitty exclaimed loudly. "Mae, Charles is not going to wait forever you know."
"Let me ask you, Kitty Russell. If Matt Dillon walked in here right now and asked you to marry him what would you say?" Mae parried, trying to make a point.
"Well …I'd …I'd.." Kitty stammered.
"See. You wouldn't say yes right off either." Mae made her point then drove it home. "Kitty, it's like you said earlier. We are independent. When we grew up Kitty, finding a husband was not our first priority, survival was. It would be different if we had been raised by warm, loving families that cared about us and mothers who groomed us to be good wives. But we weren't Kitty. We were raised by the world. Men like Victor raised us. We had no one but ourselves to depend on, to care for us."
Kitty understood. "I guess you're right. But there has to come a time, Mae, when you let someone in and let them take care of you. You have to learn to trust."
"Do you trust Matt?"
Kitty Russell didn't hesitate. "With my life." Settling back down against the pillows she pleaded. "Won't you at least think about saying yes? Please."
"I guess it wouldn't hurt to think about it some more." Mae conceded.
"Good."
The room fell quiet as sleep hovered over them. "Kitty?" Mae called out, a hint of mischief tinged her tone.
"Hmmm?"
"Can I ask you a personal question?" She asked a wide grin spreading across her pretty face.
"Sure."
"Do you ever open up that …ummm …bag of tricks?"
"Why Mae Walker, I think that is just a little too personal." Kitty exclaimed incredulously. In the dark room Mae couldn't see the smile spreading across Kitty's face.
"Just answer the question, Kitty." Mae irritably urged.
"What do you think?" She answered back just as irritably.
"I knew ole too tall had a bit of a wild streak in him."
"And you?" Mae wasn't getting off the hook that easily.
"Why do you think Charlie has waited so long for my answer?" The two women shared a hearty laugh.
Once again the room fell silent. The playful, light atmosphere suddenly replaced by dark realization. This was not a happy reunion between two old friends. The looming darkness served as a potent reminder.
"Kitty." Mae's sexy voice once again broke the silence, this time there was no hint of frivolity.
"What?"
"I sure do wish that tall, sexy marshal was sleeping downstairs."
"Me too, Mae. Me too."
Victor Lawrence waited patiently for the bartender to close the Long Branch Saloon. It was well past eleven when the last night finally dimmed. From his upstairs window he watched as the tall bartender stepped through the front door then turned to lock it. When Sam disappeared down the lamp lit street, Victor left the window and headed for the door.
'This is not very safe my little Tiger.' Victor chuckled to himself as he easily picked the lock of the back door to the Long Branch. Quietly and quickly he felt his way from the back storage room to the front barroom. Even though he had mentally memorized the floor plan of the room, he still moved cautiously to the foot of the stairs.
Finding her room was easy thanks to a very appreciative young hostess Victor had met earlier in the evening. The killer smiled as he picked the lock to the bedroom door, and thought back to how friendly and informative the young woman had been. 'You trained her well, Tiger.'
Slowly closing the door behind him he was instantly enveloped in the tantalizing fragrance of her room. He closed his eyes and inhaled deeply the erotic scent letting it tease his senses.
Moving deeper into the elegant bedroom he pulled the window shades down and lit one of the oil lamps. The yellow flame cast a soft, warm glow over the room. As his eyes adjusted to the new light Victor scanned the elaborate chamber. Once again he smiled as he inventoried the room. 'I see you haven't lost your touch, my little Tiger.'
He ran his large hand over the cold footboard of the oversized brass bed. Then sitting down on the edge of the eider down mattress, he opened the night stand drawer and rummaged through. Not finding anything of use, at least not at this point and time, he moved on to the next one. One by one he opened and searched each of her drawers enjoying the examination of her personal belongings. His vivid imagination ran wild as he fingered the soft fabrics of her intimate apparel.
Opening her large wardrobe he was not surprised to find an overabundance of clothes. As he began to wade through the forest of dresses he noticed a vast difference in their styles. Some were stiff and formal, extremely conservative, obviously for formal, somber occasions. Others he could tell were day dresses, well-tailored, two piece suits, made for traveling or business. The ones he was looking for, however, were found at the back of the massive closet. A sexy, approving grin spread across his handsome face and his imagination once again ran wild as he carefully examined each of the fancy dresses. Some were sequined, some studded with rhinestones. Others were of rich, shiny fabrics traced with elaborate needlework. Some necklines were covered with sheer, filmy fabric that came high and formed a choker around a dainty neck. While others still low cut left ample milky white skin bare and exposed. Some were strapless, some long sleeved, some off the shoulder. Black, red, burgundy, gold, jeweled tones formed a rainbow, colors meant to seduce the eye of the beholder.
'And here it is.' Victor exclaimed as he pulled the gown of choice from the dark closet. Holding the garment up, he examined it closely. Lawrence couldn't help himself as he ran his hand down the fitted bodice and felt the cool fabric warm under his touch.
'Yes, this one will do nicely.' Pleased with his find he carefully laid the garment across the large bed.
After positioning the dress just so, he turned around to find her jewelry box. No outfit was complete without the proper accessories. Lawrence searched through the full box looking for just the right piece to compliment the dress he had selected. Finding an emerald and diamond necklace, he ended his hunt and closed the large, gold leafed box. It was then that he noticed the photograph sitting on her dressing table. Picking up the heavy frame, Victor stepped closer to the light. He held the picture close and studied the image. This was the first time he had seen her in twelve years. She was more beautiful than he remembered. Tearing his gaze from her image he glanced at the man beside her. He was a big man, as big as himself. Victor Lawrence had to admit they made a handsome couple. At first he thought nothing of the man, but closer inspection lead him to realize he recognized him. This was the man he had seen earlier in the day with Jack Bennett. And the man had been wearing a badge.
'I must hand it to you Tiger, you do know how to pick 'em.' Lawrence smiled as he returned the picture to its original place. Placing the necklace with the dress, Victor extinguished the oil lamp and taking one last look around the ornate bedroom made his exit. Retracing his steps he quickly made his way back out the way he came in.
As Victor settled into his bed back at his hotel room, he smiled to himself. 'Sweet dreams tonight. Oh, what sweet dreams tonight.'
Thanks to the somewhat personal conversation with Mae and through the magic of dreams Kitty found herself in the arms of her beloved Matt. It was the first time in their short relationship that Matt had gone away for such a long time. Two or three days, maybe even a week, at the most, was all he had ever been gone. But this time it had been nearly three weeks, and to a certain redhead it seemed like an eternity. Every night she had climbed into her cold, empty bed and dreamed of his homecoming.
She thought she heard faint footsteps on the landing, but dismissed it as just her imagination and longing for Matt's return. But as the steps got closer and louder she realized it wasn't her imagination after all. She impatiently waited until she heard his familiar knock high on her door before opening it. It wouldn't do to appear too eager to see him, he might get the wrong idea.
"Welcome home Cowboy." She seductively greeted, opening the door wide and stepping back allowing his entrance.
Without a word her long overdue Cowboy tossed his hat onto a nearby chair and pulled his fiery temptress to him. His mouth quickly captured hers in a hungry kiss that left them both quite breathless.
"Are you …"
Matt pressed one post like finger to her lips to quiet her. He held her mesmerized with his eyes. Her body began to tingle as his finger slowly made a trail over her chin and down her slender neck and out to her shoulder, where his rugged hand slipped beneath the fabric of her robe. Her breath caught as his warm hand made sensuous contact with her soft flesh. His mouth took hers in a kiss, this one slow and passionate, gradually building in intensity until they both thought they would explode with desire.
Soft moans of pleasure escaped her as his lips left hers and moved to her ear, where he whispered his wants and needs. The feel of his hot breath on her skin, the feel of his wet mouth on her neck, the feel of his hands as they gently caressed her back made her light headed and dizzy. So dizzy in fact she didn't even realize he had carried her to the bed and now lay hovering over her.
Once again his mouth devoured hers in a tantalizing kiss that made her whole body tremble with desire. Her skin burned as his hands made fiery paths along her body. "Oh Matt, I've missed you so much." She whispered as his mouth nibbled the soft, milky white skin of her neck.
She arched upward, pressing her body to his, letting him know she was ready, while enjoying the sensation of his throbbing manhood against her.
His breathing became ragged and shallow as he slipped his hands under her buttocks and gently kneaded them, pressing her harder to him. Breathlessly he whispered as his mouth sought her erect nipple. "I've missed you too, Tiger."
Her blue eyes flew open wide. She struggled beneath him to free herself, but his weight kept her pinned. Roughly his hands grabbed her arms and jerked then high above her head, knocking her hands painfully against the brass headboard. "I've waited twelve years for this, my little Tigerlily." He declared as one hand came down hard against her face.
Tears blurred her vision as she fought feverishly to free herself from the madman's grasp. His mouth was brutal as he forced her tightly closed lips apart. Her assailant's hands were savage as they roughly fondled her breasts. "Please stop! Please, Victor. Oh God no!" She cried, begging him to stop as his hard, tight body bore down on hers forcing her legs apart.
Kitty's nightmarish pleas reached the ears of her roommate. Throwing the covers back, Mae raced to her dear friend. "Kitty! Kitty!" Mae screamed her name trying to rouse her from her dream. "It's alright. It's just a dream. Wake up." One beautiful redhead pleaded to another.
Kitty bolted upright in the bed and looked wide-eyed at Mae, clearly still in a state of shock. As Mae held her by the arms she could feel Kitty's entire body trembling. Looking around the room wildly, slowly Kitty became aware of her surroundings. With tears streaming down her face and silent sobs racking her body, she leaned into Mae's supportive embrace.
"Oh God, Mae." She cried into her beloved friend's shoulder.
"It's all over now, Kitty. It's all over." Mae soothed while calmly stroking Kitty's red mane.
As Kitty's crying subsided Mae cautiously asked. "Do you want to talk about it?"
Sitting up straight, Kitty looked into Mae's emerald green eyes. Without a shadow of doubt, she stated. "He's in Dodge, Mae. He's here." Mae remained speechless as Kitty revealed her prophetic dream.
Suddenly a shiver shook Kitty's lithe frame as vivid scenes came rushing back at her. The dress, emerald green. The necklace, diamond and emerald. They were hers. Wide eyed she looked at Mae. "He's at the Long Branch …in my room."
"You're upset Kitty. It was the dream. It seemed real …" Mae tried to convince Kitty it was just the effects of the nightmare.
Kitty got up off the bed, walked over to the window and looked out into the darkness. Again chills took her, despite the warm temperatures of the room. She wrapped her arms tightly around her and rubbed her upper arms. Shaking her head she confirmed. "I can feel him." Images of him in her room going through her personal belongings flashed in her mind sending waves of terror though her.
As the fear worsened, panic over took her good senses. "I've got to get out of here." Kitty suddenly turned and bolted for the door. Mae, who was closer, intercepted her path and roughly grabbed her by the arm.
"And just where do you think you'd go? He'd find you, Kitty, you know that. You're safest right here with the rest of us."
Kitty jerked her arm free, rubbing where Mae had gripped her tightly. The redhead glared into Mae's green eyes. "We're not safe, not any of us. Now move out of my way. I'm not staying here another minute."
Mae didn't budge. "Kitty, this isn't like you. You've never been one to run, to hide. We have to stick together if we're gonna' win. And you know Matt isn't going to let …"
Giant tears pooled in Kitty's blue eyes at the mention of Matt's name. Turning away from Mae Kitty explained. "Don't you see Mae, it isn't just my safety. It's Matt's. You know what Victor will do to him. I just can't let that happen. Not again." Her last words just barely above a whisper.
Mae stepped up behind Kitty and gently placed her hands on her trembling shoulders. She started to speak but the sound of Jack's voice from the top of the stairs halted her words.
"Is everything alright up there?" Jack called.
Mae went and opened the bedroom door and stepped out on to the landing. "Yeah Jack its fine, just fine. Kitty's having a little trouble sleeping that's all. Nothing to worry about."
Jack studied the statuesque redhead, looking for an indication as to whether or not she was telling the truth. Then reluctantly he offered his services before heading back downstairs. "Well, if you need me just call. I'm right down here."
"We will." Mae promised, knowing full well that she wouldn't.
Back in the bedroom Mae found Kitty sitting in front of the vanity staring blankly at her reflection. Consolation was not Mae Walker's strong suit. She knew Kitty was scared and had good reason to be, probably more than the rest. But it still tore her up to set Kitty so upset and despondent. The last thing Mae wanted to do was fill her with a bunch of empty promises that she knew couldn't be kept. But she had to try and console her somehow. Talking into the mirror at Kitty's reflection she started. "Kitty, I know you're scared. Hell we all are. But Kitty you have to remember that …" Mae changed tactics midstream. Anger suddenly tingeing her voice, "Damn you Kitty Russell, you can't give up. You have to fight! We have to fight that bastard! And win, damn it."
Startled by Mae's sudden outburst Kitty looked at her, eyes wide.
Reading the questioning look in her eyes, Mae stood up and walked to the window. "You have to survive this Kitty. I need you." Mae paused, tears filled her emerald eyes. "When this is over, I'll expect you and Matt to come to San Francisco … to a wedding." Mae turned back to face Kitty, a hesitant smile playing at the corners of her mouth. Kitty looked up at her, a knowing expression on her face. "I've decided to say 'yes' to Charlie." She waited expectantly for the smile she knew was coming before adding. "I want you to stand up with me, be my maid-of-honor?"
The fear and anxiety vanished as Mae's smile broadened. An overwhelming joy and happiness quickly replaced the dark, heavy hopelessness that had just a second ago filled Kitty's heart. "Oh Mae that's wonderful." Kitty rushed over to the bride-to-be and extended a warm, heartfelt hug. Pulling away Kitty couldn't help but wonder. "But Mae, isn't there someone else you'd rather have as your maid-of-honor? I mean someone closer to you. Someone from San Francisco maybe?"
"Oh, Kitty, from the day Charlie asked me I knew who I wanted. You. Even if all this," Mae made a grand gesture of the room with her hands, "hadn't come up I was going to ask you anyway." Trying to hide her emotions, she turned once again to the darkened window. "You see Kitty even though we haven't kept in touch …well... I've always felt close to you. I always thought of you as a sister. You were closer to me than any family I ever had." For emphasis Mae turned back to face her dear friend. "There is no one I'd rather have with me on my wedding day than you Kitty." Tears of joy and happiness poured from green eyes and blue eyes alike as the two women hugged and shared in Mae's special decision.
Sleep was forgotten as the two women stayed awake the rest of the night talking wedding plans. Adrenaline flowed freely as the conversation turned this way and that. Happy chatter of wedding gowns, veils, bouquets of flowers and multi-tiered wedding cakes momentarily replaced the talk of fear and running away.
A new man, Charles Lewis, temporarily replaced the man of the hour, Victor Lawrence. Wedding flowers replaced Passion Flowers. Wedding dresses replaced working dresses. Tears of joy and hope replaced tears of pain and fear. For tonight, for a few hours all was well at the old Johnson farm.