River Queen Rose Read online

  “For who? Mason Talbot?”

  “For me, of course. He’s a kind man, and he’s doing me a favor.”

  He laid his hand on her cheek and turned her head directly toward him. “Look me in the eye. Do you really want to sell?”

  “After today, I mostly do.”

  “What do you mean by ‘mostly’?”

  She thought carefully before she answered. “What I mean is, when I learned the hotel was mine, I got this joyful feeling. At last, here was something I could do besides help Coralee in the kitchen. I never even thought twice. I’d done a good job at the Birchwood Inn, so of course I thought I could handle the River Queen. And then today happened and I’m so completely mortified that I…” She heaved a defeated sigh. “What was I thinking? I’m lucky Mason will buy the hotel and get me out of this…‘disaster’ best describes it.”

  Deke cocked his head and gave her a long, puzzled stare. “I don’t get it.”

  “Get what?”

  “Why you’re quitting after one day.”

  “Because they didn’t respect me. Nobody took me seriously.”

  “Will you tell me about it? When you first saw Jake Grunion, what did you say?”

  “I told him I now owned the hotel. Then, as tactfully as I could, I informed him I’d be in charge from now on. I said I was sorry but wanted him to move out of Emmet’s old office because I wanted to move in. I was nice as I could be and let him know there wasn’t any hurry. Then I asked politely if I could see the books and couldn’t imagine why he got so angry. Also, I assured him he’d still be manager because if Emmet trusted him then I would, too.” She flung out her hands. “Is there anything wrong with that?”

  “Oh, my word.” He seemed to be struggling, as if he could hardly keep from saying something he knew he shouldn’t say. “And I suppose you were ‘nice as you could be’ to Gus, that worthless cook?”

  “Of course, Deke. I know my manners.”

  “Oh, my word.” For a moment he looked skyward, as if some kind of divine intervention was necessary after what he’d just heard. He let some time go by, as if he had to calm himself before he spoke. “Manners are important to women, bless their hearts. They don’t want to hurt anyone’s feelings, so they go out of their way to be nice. Men are different, especially when it comes to business. What you didn’t realize is, whoever runs the River Queen lives in a cutthroat world where no one gives a damn about manners and hurt feelings. That’s the way it is, so if you think you’re not tough enough to handle it, then you made a good decision when you said you’d sell.”

  “You’re absolutely right, and that’s why I’m selling.” But wait. She didn’t want Deke Fleming to think she wasn’t tough enough, that she was a cowardly quitter. “I don’t understand. What should I have said?”

  “To be honest, I wouldn’t know where to begin.”

  “Out with it. Don’t spare my feelings.”

  “Here’s where you went wrong. The River Queen Hotel is not the Birchwood Inn.”

  “I know that.”

  “No, you don’t. What worked in Illinois isn’t going to work here. This is the Gold Rush. Up at the diggings, men die every day and nobody gives a hoot. All they care about is finding gold to make themselves rich. Here in town, the saloons are out to get every last nugget, every last speck of gold dust from the poor suckers who’ve worked like dogs at the diggings for whatever they’ve got. Greed drives them all. Nobody gives a damn how nice and considerate you are, and that includes that lowlife crook, Jake Grunion. You think he’s going to let you see the books? From what I hear he’s been skimming for years, and who knows what else he’s been up to? What I mean is, you handled him all wrong. You and your good manners don’t mean a thing in Sacramento.”

  What a surprise. Since she’d known Deke, he’d always seemed so easygoing. Now he spoke with an intensity she’d never heard before. “Then, if you don’t mind my asking, what does work?”

  “You’ve got to think like a man.”

  “Well, I’m not a man, I’m a woman.”

  A corner of his lip lifted in the slightest of smiles. “You think I’m not aware of that, Mrs. Peterson? What I mean is, you don’t have to be a man, you have to think like one.”

  “How do you mean?”

  “I’ll show you.” He sprang from the carriage and helped her down. “You’ve got to use your imagination.” He swept an arm over the rubble-covered ground. “This is Emmet’s office. I’m Jake Grunion. I’ve taken over the office and I’m sitting behind his desk over there.” He nodded toward a short stack of lumber lying nearby. “You’ve just knocked on the door.” Deke went to the lumber pile and sat on top. “Come in, Mrs. Peterson. I’m busy. What do you want?”

  She wasn’t sure what he was up to, but she’d play along. She pretended to open a door, stepped inside his imaginary office and up to his “desk.” “Good afternoon, Mr. Grunion. I’m sorry to bother you—”

  “No! You’re not sorry you bothered me. This is your office and you want it right now. Try again.”

  “Very well.” She retreated, then went through the pretend door again. “Good afternoon, Mr. Grunion. I want my office back, and if it isn’t too much trouble, I’d like to take a look at the books.”

  “No! Men don’t ask if it’s too much trouble. They don’t say they’re sorry, and they don’t apologize. Try again.”

  She went through the routine again, and again was informed she hadn’t got it right. She tried for the fourth time. “Good afternoon, Mr. Grunion. I want my office back, and I mean right now. The River Queen is mine. If you have any doubts, you can check with Mr. Archer Field, my solicitor. If you’re still not convinced, I shall call the sheriff, show him my deed to the property, and then let him decide. I shall also call the sheriff if those books aren’t on my desk by five o’clock this afternoon.”

  Deke clapped his hands. “That’s it. You’ve got the hang of it.”

  At last. She delighted in his praise. “Now I see what I should have said. Too bad it’s too late.”

  “Is it? Let’s do Gus.”

  She agreed and listened to Deke’s advice on how to deal with Gus Hurdlicka. “You handle him same as Jake. The man’s all bluster and no backbone. Don’t ask for the menu. Demand to see the menu. You make it clear who’s boss and he’ll crumble.”

  She practiced only once this time, and Deke said she got it right.

  Tillie LaTour was another matter. Deke cocked an eyebrow in surprise when Rose described how she’d told Tillie the third-floor ladies had to go. “’Pon my word, are you sure? The River Queen will lose a lot of business if you chase the fancy ladies away.”

  A small shadow of doubt crossed her mind, but she quickly dismissed it. “I’ve gone along with this, but does it matter? I haven’t said I wanted to try again. The trouble is, I’m bold and brave when I’m talking to someone friendly like you, but Jake Grunion? If I were to go back, and I’m not saying I would, when he looks at me with those mean little eyes and gets that nasty expression on his face, will I turn and run? I’m not sure.”

  “You don’t know until you try.”

  Could she do it? Had she acted in haste? Maybe she had. The more she thought about it… Yes! Deke had made her see she’d given up far too soon. And Mason hadn’t helped with his offer of an easy way out. “All right, I’ll try again. I don’t suppose you could…?”

  “Could what?”

  “Nothing.” She was about to ask if he’d come with her when she went back to the River Queen. How comforting it would be to have a man by her side when she faced Jake Grunion. Not a good idea, though. She had to be strong, and that meant she would rely on no one but herself. “I forgot about Mason. I pretty much told him I’d sell. He’s not going to like that I’ve changed my mind.”

  “To hell with him. This is your decision, not his.”

  “He’
s invited me to dinner tomorrow night. I’ll tell him then.” The weight pressing on her shoulders had disappeared. It was almost as if she could stand straighter, hold her head higher. She could do it! With what she knew now, she wouldn’t make the same mistakes again.

  * * * *

  After Rose left, Deke stood looking after her as she drove down Front Street. Mitch joined him and gazed after her, too. “Do you like her?” he asked.

  “She’s a bonza girl, all right, but she wouldn’t be interested. She just lost her husband.”

  “That so? Can’t say she looks much like a grieving widow.”

  “She hadn’t seen him for two years.” Deke nodded toward the ice house. “She said she was glad I’d have a little money coming in.”

  Mitch chuckled. “You didn’t tell her we’re about to make a fortune?”

  “And sound like I’m bragging? Didn’t think it was necessary.” Deke had been tempted, though. The Fleming & Carter Ice House was nearly finished. With its double-thick, charcoal-lined walls it could store up to a thousand tons of ice. Orders were pouring in. Everybody wanted cold beer now. That meant every saloon in town would gladly buy all the ice they could lay their hands on. At ten cents a pound, how could they lose? Unless something went wrong, and he couldn’t think what, they were bound to end up rich. Thank God, the crutches were gone. At least he hadn’t seen any pity in her eyes today, not like before, but so what? She was having dinner with Mason Talbot tomorrow night. He clenched his jaw at the thought of how she might get hurt at the hands of that evil man.

  Chapter 9

  The closer Rose got to the farm, the lower her spirits sank. She was about to spend another cold, awkward evening with her in-laws. But maybe…? Deke had opened her eyes to a new way of handling things. She should speak up, be firm but honest, like she planned to do tomorrow at the River Queen.

  It was worth a try. Anything was worth a try if she could avoid another miserable night of being shunned at the dinner table.

  When she arrived, she stepped into the entryway, removed her bonnet, and smoothed her dress. She squared her shoulders and stepped into the parlor where Ben was reading his Bible and Coralee was knitting. “Good evening. We need to talk.”

  Ben looked up and frowned. “What about?”

  She sat on the sofa, taking extra time to smooth her skirt while putting her thoughts together. Total honesty was best. Now was the time to pour her heart out, which wouldn’t be easy considering they both sat stiffly, eyes filled with dislike. She opened her mouth to speak, then had to clear her throat and try again. “I want you to know I love the both of you and wouldn’t hurt you for the world.”

  “Ha!” Coralee gave a scornful sniff.

  “I don’t blame you, Coralee. You must think I’ve been horribly selfish, and perhaps I have been. It’s hard to explain, but when I learned the River Queen could be mine, I saw it as a challenge, a chance to do something special in my life. I know it sounds vain, but I could see my name on the door—Rose Peterson, Owner and Manager.”

  “You weren’t content being a wife and mother?” Ben’s voice was heavy with sarcasm.

  “I mostly was, except I’ve always yearned for a home of my own. But besides all that, I’ve felt something was missing from my life. The River Queen is the answer. I’m eager for the challenge. I want it to be a first class hotel, and why shouldn’t it be? Thanks to Emmet’s bank account, I’ve got the money. I plan a new restaurant, nicer hotel rooms, a better—”

  “What good will that do?” Ben gave her a hostile glare. “First class or not, Emmet’s hotel will still be a den of iniquity.”

  “Not so much. It’s true they serve spirits, but, to be honest, Ben, don’t you take a drink now and then yourself? As for the gambling, from all I’ve heard, the Gold Rush will soon be over. That means we won’t have thousands of miners pouring into town on a Saturday night, bent on throwing their money away on the gaming tables. Looking ahead, I see a time when I could get rid of the gambling and simply run a first class hotel.”

  Coralee slammed her knitting into her lap. “What about those women of ill repute? You think everyone will admire you for owning a hotel, but the way I see it, you’ll be running a common whorehouse, and you know what that makes you.”

  “I’m getting rid of them immediately. I’ve already made it clear they’ve got to go.” Surely that last would please them both. Rose sat back and waited.

  Both appeared to be caught off guard. Ben said nothing. “Truly?” asked Coralee.

  “They’ll be gone first thing.”

  Ben still looked skeptical. “You know how much we love our granddaughter. For all we know, you plan to move to the River Queen and take her with you.”

  “Never! Lucy’s home is here with you, and so is mine. That is, if you want me. The only reason I’d leave would be because you continue not speaking to me. I can’t tell you how hurtful it is when you…” Rose’s voice almost broke. She gulped and continued, “You don’t have to approve of everything I do. Just try to understand I’d never do anything to hurt you or Lucy.”

  Ben looked at his wife. “Should we believe her?”

  “I think she means it.”

  Rose could easily have leaped from her chair and done a joyful little dance, but her straight-laced in-laws wouldn’t appreciate such recklessness. “Of course I mean it.” She watched as Ben and Coralee exchanged a long, meaningful look. Finally Ben gave a slight nod.

  Coralee stood and gave her a smile. “Time to start dinner. Come along. You can peel the potatoes.”

  * * * *

  Late that night, Rose had just crawled into bed next to Lucy when Drucilla came in, perched on the bed, and began to chat. “I see Ma and Pa are talking to you again.”

  “They are, thank goodness. I paid a price, though. It wasn’t easy standing up to them like I did.”

  “I admire you for it. I wish I could.”

  “You?” Rose couldn’t keep the surprise from her voice. “You’re the most strong-minded woman I know. Look at how you’ve managed to stay single all these years, despite all that pressure from your mother.”

  “But what have I got to show for it?” Drucilla’s faint smile held a touch of sadness.

  “I’m surprised. I thought you were perfectly happy.”

  “I’ve been thinking a lot about it lately. I’ve let my parents rule my life. I ask myself, what am I living for? Helping around the house and going to church on Sunday? I have my horse and my books, of course, but when I look at you and see all the exciting things you’re doing, I have the most dismal feeling that life’s passing me by. What’s worse, I don’t know what to do about it. All I know is I need to get away—do something different.”

  “There’s no reason why you couldn’t do the same as I’ve done. You’re a grown woman. You don’t have to do what your parents say.”

  “That’s what I’m thinking. The problem is, what can I do? I refuse to marry, as you know, but when the time comes, do you suppose I could work in your hotel? There must be something I could do—make beds, maybe, or sweep the floors? I just need to be more like you and have the courage to break away.”

  Rose hid her surprise. Her sarcastic sister-in-law had always seemed so satisfied with her life, but apparently not. “I’m not that brave. With a little help, I realized I had to stand up for myself. If I didn’t, I’d live to regret it, so I took the chance and it worked—at least so far, it has.” Considering the bad day she’d had, she wasn’t being entirely truthful, but now was the time to sound positive. “Of course you can work in the hotel. Only…”

  “Only what?”

  “You’re the smartest woman I know. I’d hate to see you scrubbing floors when you know so much about so many subjects. You speak French, for heaven’s sake! How many women can say that?”

  Drucilla frowned in concentration. “I’d love to do somethin
g with my French. I do speak it well, as you know, and though I’ve never been to France, I’ve studied that country so much I could have been born and raised there.”

  “Then why don’t you teach it?”

  “That’s a good idea, but where? Sacramento’s such a primitive town I doubt it has any schools.”

  “I’ll find out.” Rose had no idea whom she could ask, but she’d do her best. How wonderful that for the first time ever, Drucilla was showing signs of wanting to break away from her domineering parents. She’d do everything she could to help.

  The next morning, Rose dressed with care. She didn’t need Deke to tell her not to wear the frilly blue silk taffeta gown and fancy bonnet. She’d wear the practical brown wool bombazine and no hat at all. Standing before the mirror, she liked what she saw. The modest cut of the high-necked bombazine couldn’t hide her trim waist and full bosom. She hated to wear her hair pulled into such a severe bun, but she looked more serious-minded that way, not like some giddy female without a brain in her head. She would make sure she had plenty of time to come home and change before Mason picked her up for dinner. When the time came, she’d look her absolute best in the deep ruby gown with the double-puffed sleeves. Maybe put some flowers in her hair.

  With Raymond’s help, she hitched up the buggy and started for the River Queen. Strangely, she felt no butterflies in her stomach. Maybe that was because Deke’s advice had made her realize exactly what she’d done wrong. That wasn’t going to happen again. Even the thought of facing Jake Grunion didn’t faze her. She’d imposed an iron will on herself. This time no apologies. No saying she was sorry.

  When she reached the hotel, she went straight to the reception desk. Howie raised his eyebrows in surprise when he saw her. “Uh, Mrs. Peterson? I didn’t think you’d be back so soon, I…uh, I mean after yesterday.”

  She smiled serenely at his confusion. “I shall be in my husband’s old office.”

  “But didn’t Jake tell you—?”

  “The office is mine now.” She glanced at the wall clock. “It’s eight thirty. This next half hour I shall be having a talk with Mr. Grunion. Will you inform Mr. Hurdlicka I wish to see him in my office at nine o’clock?”