It had been a month since the tragic events, and Ida was wearying of her atonement, wondering how long this had to go on before she could revert to normal. She was worn out being good. There was money to be made and it was driving her crazy seeing the other girls sitting with the men who had money.
"Enough! I'm going downstairs tonight and find me another Hank! If I'm lucky he may even be good-looking like Perce." She smiled at herself in the mirror as she got ready to go to work. Ida had on her tightest, most figure-hugging red dress with the sewn-on sparkles along the bust line.
Halfway down the stairs, Ida's smile faded. At HER table in the middle of the room sat a beautiful young saloon girl she had never seen before. Her glossy black curls, light green eyes, and stunning figure had attracted a cluster of admiring men, buzzing around her like bees finding honey.
Worst of all, the wealthy, middle-aged rancher, Pete Tremont, was the one the new girl was favoring, sitting close with her left arm clinging to his right, smiling up with sparkling eyes. Pete had been hovering around Ida for the past month, but she had put him off, sitting with the poor farmers and cowboys in her attempted martyrdom.
"Who does she thing she IS?!" Ida was steaming mad at the loss of HER property…the man she had chosen as her new Sugar Daddy as soon as her reputation had been sufficiently repaired.
Storming down the stairs and pushing her way through the admiring crowd of men, Ida stood over the young woman, hands on her hips.
"So, WHO are YOU?!" Ida snapped, glaring down at those long-lashed eyes in the innocent-looking face.
"Hello! I'm Charlene. This is my very first night and it's so exciting! Everyone is so nice to me!" she chirped. "Miss Kitty said that I can ask the old girls, like you, for any help if I need it!" Charlene's big eyes had a smirk in them as she looked Ida over.
Ida spun around, shoved her way free of the laughing men, and headed to the bar, where Miss Kitty stood, taking in everything that went on in her establishment. Ida saw Kitty, and purposely went to the opposite end of the bar, leaned her back against it, and surveyed the room.
Kitty was watching Ida carefully, waiting for the proud, vain woman's reaction to meeting Charlene. Kitty had not been taken in nor fooled by Ida's attempts to come across as a grieving, regretful, and reformed saloon woman. She was a little surprised that Ida had been able to maintain her charade for a month, but knew the threat of Charlene had brought that to an end.
A young man looked over the swinging doors, spotted Ida at the bar, and came inside. Wearing muddy boots, dusty jeans, a torn blue shirt and tan vest, the cowboy walked hesitantly over to Ida. Taking off his sweat-stained, battered hat, he cleared his throat and pushed a dirty hand through his shaggy black hair.
"Excuse me, Miss…er…Ma'am…could I maybe buy you a beer? I'd sure be pleased. Ain't seen or talked to a woman in three months." He shyly smiled and looked at her, his hazel eyes full of hope.
Ida, still leaning back with her elbows on the bar, looked the young man over head to toe, then stared over at the flock of men still surrounding Charlene and Pete, laughing and drinking whiskey.
"BEER! I'm Ida Poe! I only drink whiskey, you cheap tramp! The girls you want are over there," she said scornfully, indicating with a quick nod the two young saloon girls at a back table. Ida didn't see the humiliated and hurt expression on the young cowboy's face since she had already turned her back on him.
Kitty was fuming, having seen and heard the entire exchange. She walked over to the embarrassed young man, and took his arm, pulling him along with her.
"Kate!" Kitty beckoned to one of the young saloon girls at the back table. "Come here, please."
The pretty blonde hurried over. "Yes, Miss Kitty?"
"Kate, you let this cowboy buy you a beer, and go sit and talk with him, all right?"
When the red-faced boy looked up at Kate's warm, smiling face, he grinned, and let her lead him to a table.
Ida still had her back to the saloon until Kitty grabbed her shoulder and yanked her around to face her. With her face inches from Ida's, Kitty spoke in a low, but seething voice.
"Ida, I'm only going to say this to you once! I didn't want to keep you on after Perce died, but figured everyone deserves a second chance. The only job you have here is to be nice to ALL of the customers. You don't get to pick and choose. If you EVER treat another one like you just treated that boy, I will personally throw you out of here! Do you understand?"
"Yes, Miss Kitty." Ida answered in a low voice through gritted teeth. If only she didn't need the money from this job! And she was afraid to quit and try another salon in Dodge after the cold shoulder she was still getting from Perce's death.