Hot Springs

The next day I started making plans to go to Hot Springs and, lucky for me, the train ran right to town. Being able to take a train would save a lot of travel time and it would make for a more enjoyable ride as well. It would be a lot better than spending days on horseback, sleeping on the ground every night, and trying to live off my own cooking. I should be well rested and ready to face Jim by the time I got there, providing Dandy was in fact still there.

Doralice asked me again as I was packing up how sure I was that Dandy would remain in town. I'll admit, running off this way on nothing more than a postmark was a risk, but I was pretty sure he would still be there. Hot Springs is a spa town. It's a place filled with society folks and their society wallets. I've also heard tell of the gambling they have there. It's just the kind of place Dandy Jim could be happy in. I was also counting on the fact that Jim wouldn't realize he'd told me exactly where he was.

I'd accepted the only way I was going to get Dandy back was to drag him back, and I really didn't mind. What I did mind was leaving Doralice and the kids. Sure things were settling down, but leaving her alone with three kids was a lot. I don't think she was all that keen on me leaving either, but she understood as well as I did this was the only way so, being the wonderful woman she is, she assured me they would be fine and gave me her blessing. I had a feeling she would have a few words for James when she saw him again though.

The night before I left we decided to let Jack in on what was going on. At least I told him I was going to meet his father; obviously, I didn't give him all the details. After I delivered the news, Jack stared down at his shoes for a minute. "Is his business done?" he finally asked.

"It is," I told him. Jim had no choice but for his business to be done. If Jim wanted to take the coward's way out when this was all over, we'd deal with that when the time came. But for now, Jim was coming to Little Bend. "Is something wrong, Jack?" I asked when the boy said nothing else.

Jack looked up at me. "Do you think he'll like me?"

"Of course, he'll like you, sweetheart," Doralice was quick to tell him. "Who wouldn't like you?"

Jack shrugged. "He'll like you fine, Jack," I said. "You're a charmin' young man; just be yourself." I really hadn't seen Dandy interact with that many children but I knew if Jim could see the Jack who asked me about women's rights he'd be smitten by the precocious lad. I didn't yet know if he'd be smitten enough to accept responsibility for his son, but I had to get Dandy here first.

I left the next morning and was on a train by that afternoon. The trip to Hot Springs was uneventful and as I did every time I was on a train, I found myself marveling at what a difference the railroad made. It was just amazing to me how much faster and more comfortably trips could be made traveling by train as opposed to horseback. There were times a man just wanted to be on a horse, of course, but when time is of the essence, trains are remarkable things. They're even better when the train runs right to exactly where one needed to go.

Once I got to town I found out that most of what I'd heard about the spa town was true. It had been hit hard by both Union and Confederate troops during the war but seemed to have recovered well from the unpleasantness. I was informed almost as soon as I stepped off the train that Hot Springs was home to six different bathhouses and more than twenty hotels and boarding houses; I assumed most of those hotels would have some kind of gaming facility. I wasn't wrong with my assumption about the social class either. A quick look at the people on the streets told me most of them weren't concerned about what things cost. Yes, sir, this was exactly the kind of place Dandy would be at home in.

Despite my confidence that Dandy would have remained in town, I was overwhelmed. With more than twenty hotels, I could spend an entire day or more just trying to find one Dandy had been in. While Dandy did tend to stand out in people's minds, he would stand out less in a spa town than he would most other places. Usually, folks remember the dandified dress and the accent, but with so many people coming and going in this town on a regular basis he might not be all that noticeable. I'd just have to do the best I could.

Sighing I picked up my bag and started down the street. The first order of business was to get a room myself and I started looking for the most modest looking place I could find. I might be here a few days and I couldn't afford to live too high on the hog. I had to smile at that thought. A few short years ago I would have been more concerned with appearances than practicality. I do still enjoy the finer things in life, but settling down had given me a new appreciation for a dollar and sometimes sacrifices have to be made. I still wanted something nice, but I was willing to bypass the hotels that were obviously out of my price range, and those were likely the exact places Dandy would head.

I finally found what I was looking for a couple of blocks off of bathhouse row. Compared to a lot of the dusty little towns I'd been in during my traveling days it was an impressive hotel, but modest in composition to some of the others I'd seen since getting off the train. I walked inside and was pleased with what I saw. If the lobby was any indication, I would be comfortable here for a day or two.

Getting a room was easy enough. I started out with two nights, figuring I would need at least that but not wanting to pay too far in advance. I didn't plan on hanging around long after I found Jim. Once I settled in, I went back out and explored the town some more. I didn't have much of a plan for locating Jim except just looking around. It wasn't a great plan, but since I had no more information than I did, I wasn't sure what else to do.

I spent the rest of the day walking around and getting the lay of the land. I asked about good restaurants and if there were any good games to be had. I received a few suggestions that sounded promising and by the time I was ready for dinner, I had a few places I planned on checking out the next day. After I ate I went back to my room and got a good night's sleep. Even though I was very aware of the fact I hadn't been sleeping well the last couple of months I hadn't realized just how much sleep I'd been losing. I'd forgotten what a full night's sleep felt like and by the time I got up the next day, I was in a better mood and felt ready to take on anything Dandy might throw at me when I found him.

I had no luck on my first day. I walked and kept an eye out for Jim but saw nothing of him. I went to a few gaming rooms as well, and again, no sign of him. I also dropped some casual questions throughout the day but no one remembered seeing anyone who matched Dandy's description. I was feeling a little discouraged by the end of the day. I knew I didn't have the best plan but it seemed strange that no one knew anything about Jim. Actually, I was afraid Jim had left and I was looking for someone who wasn't even here. In that case, I wouldn't have much choice but simply go home and tell Jack his father wasn't coming. I'd swore I wouldn't do that, but if Jim had left, he could literally be anywhere and I couldn't run around the country randomly hoping to run into him. I finally pushed the negative thoughts away and decided I had at least one more day to look. If I had no success tomorrow I might be forced to reevaluate everything, but I wasn't going to worry about that until tomorrow.

I enjoyed another full night of sleep and got up the next day with renewed vigor. I'd go into every single one of the twenty-four hotels and boarding houses if I had to, but if Jim was in Hot Springs, I was going to find him. And I had to do it soon, not just for Jack's sake, but my own. As much as I'd enjoyed the extra sleep I'd been getting since being away, I missed my girls; the little ones and the big one.

The first part of the day was another bust, but I hit pay dirt during a late lunch, and quite by accident. I was in the dining room of one of the less expressive hotels finishing up my coffee when I overheard a snippet of conversation that made my whole trip worthwhile. I was in the back of the room and heard two of the maids discussing the mysterious Mister Buckley. Apparently, Mister Buckley didn't come out of his room often and was becoming quite a topic of conversation around the hotel's employees. Honestly, I didn't hang around to hear much of what they said; I was in too big a hurry to get to the lobby. Sure, this could have been any Mister Buckley, but this the first real lead I'd gotten, and I wanted to follow up on it as soon as possible.

Once in the lobby, I looked over at the desk and smiled. A young lady was working and I felt confident I could find out exactly what I needed to know. I may be married, but I still know a thing or two about charming a lady. I walked over and gave her my best smile and could tell that she rather liked what she saw.

"May I help you?" she asked.

"I certainly hope so." I did my best to look sheepish. "I'm supposed to be meeting a client here and don't remember his room number. Any chance you could tell me? Buckley. James Buckley."

Her smile dimmed a bit when she heard the name Buckley and I would put money on the fact she'd been instructed not to tell anyone that number. It sounded like Dandy. "I'm not really supposed to give out that information, Mister . . . ."

"Mansfield. Bartley J. Mansfield." I wasn't sure who I was pretending to be but I've used the name before and it does sound more professional than Bart Maverick.

"Mister Mansfield, I'm afraid Mister Buckley has left instructions not to be disturbed."

"I understand, but Mister Buckley is expecting me."

"Oh." She looked unsure of what she should do. "He didn't leave any word . . . ."

I sighed. "I see you're very conscientious in your job Miss . . . ."

"Collins."

"Miss Collins." I sighed and tried to look guilty. "I have to be honest. Mister Buckley isn't expecting me. We were to meet in Dallas next month, but something has come up and it's very important I speak to him right away." I lowered my voice and gave her what Pappy and Bret call my puppy dog eyes. "It's about his son."

"Oh." I could see she was now giving serious consideration to what I said.

"Mister Buckley hasn't seen his son for some time," I added hoping she had some kind of maternal instinct.

"Is something wrong?" she asked her eyes widening.

I chuckled. "Sort of. Nothing life or death mind you, but it is important for young master Buckley to see his father soon." I was doing my best not to lie to her. What I was telling her might not count as the whole truth, but it wasn't exactly a lie. "See, Mister Buckley has been traveling taking care of a personal matter and it's been rather difficult to locate him these last few weeks, but I recently received a telegram that he is staying here."

The girl bit her lip and dropped her eyes. When she looked back at me she gave me a shy smile. "Well, yes, Mister Buckley is here."

I gave what Bret says is a killer smile. "Excellent. I was hoping I could catch up with him. The matter is far too complex to explain in a telegram. If you'll just give his room number I can run along and speak to him."

"Well, as I said, I'm not really supposed to give out that information . . . ."

For a moment I was afraid she was going to refuse and I wondered if I was either getting old or losing my charm. "I understand, Miss Collins, and I don't want you to do anything you aren't supposed to but I'm afraid if this isn't handled soon, it will be too late."

"You did say his son?"

"Yes, ma'am."

"That would be something he would want to know about."

"Yes, ma'am."

"Well, under the circumstances he's in two-eighteen."

"Thank you so much, Miss Collins." I winked before walking off. "No one will know where I got my information from." It was nice to know the charm still worked.

I climbed the stairs and made my way down the hall to room two-eighteen. I knocked on the door without saying a word and waited. When I didn't hear any sound that indicated there was anyone in the room I knocked again, louder this time. I finally heard someone moving around and the door opened a crack.

"Mister Martin, the rent has been paid through the end of the week. I thought I made it clear I . . . ." The rant abruptly ended as Jim got a good look at me. "Bart."

That wasn't quite what I'd been expecting. I almost expected Jim to slam the door in my face and barricade the door, but he just stood there. "Jim," I said.

A very pregnant pause followed and I took a good look at the man in front of me. He didn't look like Dandy. He didn't look bad or run down, just plain. No bright colors or flashy prints, no waistcoat, no tie or cravat of any kind. Nothing but plain black trousers and a white shirt, with the sleeves rolled up at that. It had been a while since I'd seen him that relaxed.

After a moment, he opened the door and fully stepped back into the room. I took the open door as an unspoken invitation to enter and did just that, closing the door behind me.

Jim walked over to the sideboard in the corner and pulled out a decanter and two glasses. Only then did he look at me again. "I haven't forgotten your temperate stance but under the circumstances . . . ." He held up the decanter.

I shook my head. "I don't need it."

Jim sighed heavily. "I do." He poured himself a glass and sat in one of the room's chairs. "Please, sit. We might as well have some measure of comfort."

I did sit and I waited for him to say something; after a minute of silence, I decided to start. "What are you doin' here, Jim?"

"This," Dandy said holding up his glass. He then took a look around the room. "This is how most of my days have been spent lately."

I looked at the man in front of me; I couldn't believe that. Dandy's not a sot, he's not even that big a drinker; one thing he understands is the benefit of a clear head. He wasn't drunk now and it didn't look as though he'd been drunk in the recent past. Maybe he'd been up here hiding, but I didn't for a moment believe he'd been up here drinking his days away. "I don't believe that."

Dandy stared at me with those dark eyes he'd given his son. "You don't have to waste time on pleasantries, Bart. We both know why you're here and I'm sure you have plenty to say so why don't you say it." He took a sip of his drink. "I'll warn you, however, I doubt you can call me anything I haven't already called myself."

"What happened, Jim? I mean the whole story."

"I was notified of the . . . situation about three months back. I received a letter from Winters. And Lenora. "

"His mother?" The only answer I got was a nod. "Alright, you said you were goin' to St. Louis. This isn't St. Louis and as far as I can tell you have been there recently."

Jim took another sip. "Yes, well, about that. I needed some time to clear my head; resign myself to my fate as it were. I was on my way to St. Louis when . . . I made it to Hendersonville before I turned around and started back."

"Back? Then you really were coming back."

"Yes."

"Why?"

He shrugged and chuckled humorlessly. "I'd resigned myself to my fate. However, the closer I got the more preposterous the notion became. "

"Okay, why'd you have him sent to Little Bend to start with?"

Jim gave me one of those looks of his, the one that says what he's saying should be as plain as day. "Isn't it obvious, old boy? I have many ladies I can call on for company, many acquaintances, even those I could call on if I needed help in a swindle, but there aren't many I can count as . . . ." Jim stopped and stared down at his drink. "A friend," he finally said quietly. He looked back up. "I trust you more than anyone else. Who else would I leave my son with?"

I'd spent nearly a month with Jack. He looked like Jim and I'd heard him mention his father many times. It was still sort of a jolt to hear Jim reference his son, however. "You sent him to me because you trust me?"

"Of course; I stated as much in my letter. There's no one else I'd trust him to. Lenora wanted him cared for. Who else could I count on to do that?"

I sort of smiled. Jim had been sneaky and underhanded but really it was flattering to know I was the one person Jim would trust his child with. I would prefer a different expression of his faith in me but Jim's never been conventional. "Tell me about his mother," I said genuinely curious about the woman who'd gotten Jim to agree to take a child.

"There's not much to tell. Her name was Lenora and we met in Biloxi; I knew her three or four months."

"And?"

Jim shrugged. "And the result of our time together is obvious."

"Did you love her?"

"Of course not." The answer came a little too quickly. I didn't say anything but just waited. Jim sighed. "Maybe . . . perhaps. In some way or another."

I wasn't expecting that. I'd never heard Jim even come close to admitting he might have that kind of feelings for anyone. "So tell me about her."

"She was . . . different."

I could easily believe that. After having spent as much time with Jack as I had, and knowing Dandy like I do, the young lady couldn't be anything but unconventional. "That's it? Just different?"

"You must understand the women I knew in England, Bart. They were all primed for advantages marriages, all followed this strict set of rules for how they should behave and what they could and couldn't do. They were proper almost to the point of being dull. The women I first met here were quite a pleasant change. They were so much more independent and less docile if you will. The further west I got the truer that became." Dandy heaved a sigh. "But when I met Lenora, she was unlike any woman I've ever known, even all the American women I'd know." Jim took another drink and when he spoke again his voice had dropped considerably. "She was independent and passionate, unconventional almost to the point of being scandalous, and the way her mind worked." Jim stopped and a wistful smile coming to his face.

I was stunned but pleased with what I was hearing. There was admiration in Dandy's tone even if there wasn't affection, which I still wasn't sure if that was the case. "She sounds remarkable."

"Oh, she was that, my friend."

I fought back a smile. If Jim hadn't held some kind of affection for Jack's mother I knew nothing about love. "I still don't understand why you accepted him just to send him somewhere else?"

Jim sighed. "Once I was told of Lenora's wishes, I couldn't see the boy sent away. Her son had to be taken care of. I knew you'd see to that."

"Winters said you never denied he was yours."

Jim shrugged. "There was no point in that. I have no doubt I fathered the boy. Lenora was not the kind for drama; she would not have provided my name if she wasn't sure. His age also lines up with the time Lenora and I kept company together. I'm confident there were no other men for her during that period."

I was surprised at the detail Dandy had just given me, but it seemed there was no doubt Jack was his son. I thought about my next words for a while before I said anything. "You said you sent him to me because I would see to it that he was taken care of."

"And I've no doubt that you've done just that."

"I have. But I can't keep him, Jim. Not indefinitely."

Jim sighed. "I know. Granted I'd hoped you see the good sense in my solution and allow me to bow out gracefully, but I didn't really think you would."

"So what do you plan to do?"

Jim walked to the window and gazed out of it. "I don't know that either. That's what I've been contemplating for days now."

"I think you do know," I said getting to my feet. "I talked to Winters before he left and he told me a couple of things, things I'm sure you already know. I can't keep him and you said you didn't want him in a home. That doesn't leave a lot of options, Jim."

Dandy dropped his head against the window. "Bart . . . ."

"It really leaves only one."

"Look at me, Bart." Jim turned back around. "What woman in her right mind would leave her child with me?"

"A woman who loved you."

"You're a romantic, Bart, but we didn't love each other."

"You sure about that."

Jim gave me a look then smiled sadly. "Quite sure. Oh, there was some affection perhaps, respect maybe, but nothing so permanent as love. Neither one of us could have stood that."

Maybe I was a romantic but Jim would never convince me he felt nothing for Jack's mother; a man didn't agree to take on a child just because he'd enjoyed the time spent with a woman. Jim was either refusing to see things as they were or he didn't know enough about love to see what was in front of him. Either one was possible but I wasn't going to debate it; there was a more pressing matter to address. "Maybe a woman who didn't want to see him in a home," I offered. While I'll agree Jim wouldn't be my first choice of guardian for my girls, he was better than a home somewhere.

Jim sank back down in his chair. "She didn't."

"No, I think she wanted him with his father."

Jim dropped his head into his hands. "I don't know anything about raising a child, Bart, and I have no business trying. That's why I sent him to the best man I know."

"I'm flattered but it doesn't change the fact I can't keep him, or the fact his mother wanted him with his father."

"Father," Jim muttered shaking his head.

He fell silent after that and I could tell he was deep in thought. I hoped I was right about the direction his thoughts were going. "I haven't been a father very long, but my girls have taught me one thing, a kid can change your life by just existing."

"That's precisely what I'm afraid of."

"He just lost his mama, Jim; the only family he had. He's just lookin' for somebody to love him."

Jim looked back up at me. "Don't you understand, Bart? I'm not sure I can do that."

I was still taking it as a good sign Jim hadn't completely shut down or refused to come back at all. I really felt Jim was conflicted right now. He was still Dandy and therefore had the urge to run, but I was sure there was a part of him that really wanted to at least meet Jack. I was hoping that part wanted to do far more than meet him, but that was a start.

"Why don't you come back to Little Bend with me? Just meet him, talk to him . . . ."

Jim stood up and walked back to the window. "And what will that prove?"

"It won't prove anything, but you agreed to take him. It seems like meeting him is the first step."

"Do I have a choice?"

"No."

"Bart, I . . . I can't make any promises."

That's what I was afraid of, and my understanding was starting to wear thin. Jim had agreed to this. He could have refused, denied Jack was his, who would or could have questioned it? But he hadn't done that. He'd agreed to take charge of Jack and then he'd suckered me into doing his dirty work. Frankly, at this point, I didn't care if Jim was scared or uncertain. He was going to own up to this and come back with me one way or another. "You owe me, Dandy." The words didn't exactly sound friendly, and I gave a Beauregard look my best shot. I must have gotten my point across because Jim grimaced when he turned back to face me again.

"Yes, well, I suppose I do."

"Then start packin'. We're pulling out first thing in the morning."