Ten

The feel of Quinn’s hand on her back did disturbing things to Kathleen’s equilibrium. She’d never been this close to a man other than the members of her family. The scent of soap and leather mingled together. A powerful longing to rest her head on his shoulder and surrender to the unnamed feelings sprang up inside her.

When he’d invited her to attend the evangelist meetings with him, she hadn’t known what to say. Had she heard right? This independent, self-reliant man wanted to hear the Word of God? He would willingly accompany her? Somehow, his invitation didn’t ring true; but she would go with him, if only to get him there. Glorianna mentioned she and Conlon had been praying for Quinn. That meant at least three people consistently prayed for his salvation. Maybe the preacher could bring the message that would touch Quinn’s heart. The thought thrilled her.

“Are you always this quiet when you go out?” Quinn’s low drawl close to her ear sent a shiver down her spine.

“I don’t go out.”

He drew away, staring at her veil as if he could see her face through the gauzy material. “What do you mean, you don’t go out? Don’t tell me you’ve never gone to a dance or at least a social of some sort.”

She shook her head. “I didn’t go many places when I lived at home. I went to church on Sunday morning and that was about all.”

His eyes widened in amazement. “Why?”

Turning her head, Kathleen tried to think of a way to hide the truth but couldn’t. Quinn had seen what she looked like. Surely he would understand her mother’s position and reasoning. “You should be able to guess, Deputy. I didn’t want to disgrace my family.”

His mouth dropped open, and he gaped for a few minutes before he spoke. “First off, I wish you would stop calling me Deputy. My name is Quinn, and you’re welcome to use it.”

His eyes snapped with anger. “Second, why would you disgrace your family? You’re a kind, God-fearing person. The only thing you do that’s shameful is wearing this veil to cover one of the prettiest faces I’ve ever seen.”

This time her mouth fell open. “How can you say that? You’ve seen my face.”

“If I remember right, there’s nothing wrong with how you look. Your eyes could make a man lose his sense of direction.” His face reddened and he grinned. “You’ve managed to make me lose my savvy. I don’t know when I’ve paid a woman a compliment like this.”

“Mr. Kirby.” Kathleen paused when she saw the anger darken his eyes again. “Quinn. My parents had good standing in our community. Having a daughter with a mark on her face could have hurt their reputation. People are often unkind in what they say. My mother taught me early to cover my deformity so the family wouldn’t be ostracized.”

Quinn’s arms tightened around her. She hadn’t noticed how he was moving closer to the outer door each time they came around the floor until he swept her outside. As the last notes of the song faded, he released his tight hold but kept a firm grip on her hand.

“Let’s walk for a minute. We need to talk.” He growled out the words, a scowl wrinkling his forehead.

The cool night air felt good after the warmth inside. With all the dancers and crowds of people, the building had become stuffy. Kathleen took a deep breath of fresh air, trying to calm her jangling nerves. How could she explain her mother’s actions to Quinn? Even Glorianna didn’t understand.

“Are you telling me you’ve never attended a church social or been courted by a young man because your family might be embarrassed?” The muscles of Quinn’s jaw clenched and loosened as he talked.

“Mr. K—Quinn, you mustn’t think this was a terrible hardship. I’m glad to sacrifice for my family. I remember quite clearly the early years before Mother had the idea for me to be veiled. The children were horrible with their taunts. Sometimes they even resorted to violence against me.”

The quiet stretched between them. Her fingers were becoming numb from Quinn’s grip. She wasn’t sure he even realized he held her hand.

“Didn’t your father talk to the parents of the children who did this?”

Kathleen sighed. “That wouldn’t have helped. You have to understand that the community we lived in was superstitious. Many times, people of all ages would cross to the other side of the street when they saw me coming. They kept their distance, as if the mark on me would rub off on them.” She tried to keep the bitterness out of her voice.

“But the people of your church should have treated you right.”

“Religious people tend to be easily swayed. They can be so eager to watch for Satan’s traps that they see him everywhere rather than looking for God.” Quinn nodded and she continued. “Many of the taunts and remarks made about me originated from the people in our church. Some of them believed I was marked by the devil. ‘Satan’s spawn’ was a common jeer the boys yelled at me.”

Quinn halted and pulled her around to face him. His eyes narrowed as he studied her. “I’d like to say I’m angry with your parents for not standing up for you, but I’ve experienced something similar. My sister too was the brunt of jokes and pranks. My father refused to do more than pray with her and teach her Scripture that said God loved her no matter what.” He looked off down the street, his thoughts seeming to be far away. “I could never understand why God would allow someone like my sister to suffer so much.”

Shaking his head, Quinn said, “I believe it’s high time you experienced some of the things you missed as a girl. Tomorrow I’ll come by for you. I want you to be dressed for a picnic. I know a beautiful spot down near the Santa Cruz River.”

Kathleen couldn’t think of an argument. A picnic. She’d always wanted to go on one. Excitement made her tremble. Maybe just this once she could agree to go with Quinn and fulfill her longtime dream. As a young girl, she used to picture going on an outing with a handsome man who made her laugh and feel beautiful.

The dance was winding down. People gathered their things, preparing to go home. Kathleen hurried inside to help Glorianna with the babies. She did her best to ignore the townspeople who stared at her as she worked her way through the crowd. No matter how many years she lived, she would never get used to everyone gawking as she passed by. If she removed her veil, would they stop ogling her as Mrs. Monroy suggested, or would they then begin to sling ugly comments along with the stares?

❧

“Ouch!” Kathleen pricked herself for the tenth time this morning. Picking up a rag, she quickly dabbed at the drop of blood. The tip of her finger had never been so sore. At this rate, she wouldn’t have Mrs. Monroy’s new dress done for another week.

What had possessed her last night to agree to go with Quinn? The romantic evening, dancing in his arms, and his sweet compliments all caused her to lose her common sense and agree to something dangerous. Even if Quinn were to become a solid Christian sharing a like faith with her, she couldn’t marry him. She could never allow that. She shuddered to think of bringing a child into the world to suffer as much as she had.

All morning she’d prayed and tried to think of a way to get excused from this afternoon’s outing. Yes, she would enjoy the picnic and seeing the river, but not with someone as attractive as Quinn. He made her lose her common sense. A sudden idea made her sit up straight in the chair. She folded the unfinished dress and placed it on the table beside her. This plan just might work.

❧

Quinn stretched the wanted poster out and tacked it to the wall behind his desk. The bounty on the Veiled Widow just went up. She’d made her way to California, leaving two men dead and several more a lot poorer. The woman had to be stopped. What was the matter with the lawmen in the cities where she struck? Weren’t they watching for her? Did she come to town without her disguise? If so, why couldn’t anybody identify her? The only picture on the poster was that of a slender woman dressed in black, her face covered by a veil like the ones Kathleen often wore. This could be any woman.

He retrieved his hat from the rack and stepped outside. Señora Arvizu had prepared a basket lunch for him, and he’d made arrangements to rent a buggy from the stables. Whistling, he left to gather what he needed. He and Kathleen could have a picnic, and he would still be back in time to meet the evening stage. No one in Tucson could say Quinn Kirby wasn’t doing his job. Protecting the citizens of this town was his first priority. A grin stretched across his face. Courting a certain hazel-eyed beauty was his second priority. He chuckled. Maybe even his third, fourth, and fifth priorities.

The smell of fried chicken wafted out of the basket next to Quinn’s feet as he drove the buggy to Mrs. Monroy’s boardinghouse and pulled to a stop. He jumped over the side, tied the horse, and strode up the sidewalk. He rapped on the front door, then fiddled with his hat as he waited for someone to answer. By the third knock, he realized no one was home or they were in a part of the house where they couldn’t hear. Where was Kathleen? She’d said she would go with him. She’d even acted excited about the idea.

Quinn strode around the side of the house to Kathleen’s shop. A bell trilled as he pushed the door open.

“I’ll be with you in a minute.” Kathleen’s voice came from the adjoining room. She sounded a little winded. Quinn smiled. She was probably excited about the outing.

A few minutes passed before Kathleen entered the room accompanied by another younger woman, Luisa Espinosa. Quinn had seen her around town and knew her father but had never met Luisa. She appeared nervous, her hands fiddling with her skirt. Her long, dark hair was smoothed back and fastened with a bow. Long ringlets draped over her shoulders. Dark eyes peered from beneath long lashes, sought his, then glanced away. A deep gray dress hugged her slender figure, making him wonder about her age. She looked to be still in school, yet she seemed ready for a gentleman caller, so perfect were her dress and demeanor.

Kathleen, on the other hand, looked like she’d run out to the new fort and then home. Her hair straggled down in strands from the hat perched at an unnatural angle on her head. Wrinkles and a few stains marked her dress.

“Quinn, have you met Luisa?” Kathleen tried to straighten her hat and sweep up the falling tendrils of hair as she spoke. Her ministrations didn’t meet with success. The instant she released her hold on the hat, it tilted sideways once more. Quinn longed to rip it off so he could see her with the shining locks falling around her face. He could imagine how charming she would look. For a moment his fingers ached to reach up and tug her hair free, allowing the heavy dark mass to float down around her shoulders. Would it fall to her waist?

“Quinn?”

He jumped. His face flamed. He’d forgotten her question.

“Quinn, are you all right?” At his nod, she asked again, “Have you met Luisa Espinosa?”

“I know her father. I’ve seen Luisa around town, but I don’t believe we’ve been introduced before.” He nodded at the young girl. “Pleased to meet you, Miss Espinosa.”

“Luisa is here for a fitting. I’m making a dress for her and one for her mother. They want them done by next week. I also have to finish Mrs. Monroy’s dress. She’s talking about ordering another.”

“Sounds like you’re getting busy.”

Kathleen’s sewing business was taking off. He knew she would feel better about herself if she were able to make her own way in the world.

“The ladies here are very excited about getting the newest styles. Mrs. Monroy says they sometimes don’t see the catalogs for two years after they’ve come out. I brought some with me, so several of the women in town have taken to dropping by and looking at the patterns.”

Quinn mumbled something he hoped was appropriate. He couldn’t understand women’s fascination with fashion. Who cared whether you had the latest design or not? As long as the clothes fit and wore for a good length of time, what more did a person need?

“I’m told there are a couple of freighters in town who might be able to get me materials if I order by the bolt. Do you know them?”

“Of course.” Quinn frowned, trying to decide who would be more likely to fill Kathleen’s order. “Pinkney Tully and Estevan Ochoa would be the ones to talk to. Charles Lord and Wheeler Williams do freighting, but theirs is mostly government contracts. They haul in a lot of the lumber and outfitting for the new fort.”

“Then I’ll seek out Mr. Tully and Mr. Ochoa tomorrow morning.” Kathleen folded her hands in front of her.

“Are you ready for our outing?” Quinn didn’t want to be rude, but he could picture some dog wandering down the street and smelling that basket full of chicken. There would go the lunch his stomach was calling for.

“Oh, the picnic.” Kathleen’s hands crossed over her breast. “I’m not at all ready to go. In fact, with all the work I’ve just been given, I don’t know how I can get away right now.” She pursed her lips as if she were thinking. Her hands clapped. “I know. You can take Luisa with you. That food shouldn’t be wasted. Luisa, are you free to go?”

At the Mexican girl’s bright smile and nod, Quinn knew he’d been set up again.