The Mail Order Bride's Deception Page 16

  “I didn’t come here to talk,” Al spat then walked to the parlor.

  He stopped in the doorway. Yes, he knew in theory what happened here, but it wasn’t anything like he imagined. He had thought the prostitutes would be scantily clad, sitting on men’s laps, flirting with them. But it wasn’t the scene he witnessed. The women were wearing very little. That much was right. But none of them looked happy to be there. Not truly happy. A couple giggled, but it was forced. One was staring at something in the corner of the room. Another closed her eyes and winced. Music drifted from the phonograph, playing loud enough to hinder any real conversations that they might have engaged in. The men fondled the women between sips of brandy, oblivious to the fact that the women didn’t want them there.

  His mind flashed back to the first nights he’d been with Sadie. The women looked just like she had. They were forcing themselves to be with the men. But they really wanted to be somewhere else. Why didn’t the men notice it? Maybe they did but they didn’t care because they were only interested in satisfying their needs.

  He swallowed. No wonder Sadie hadn’t understood why he wanted to wait until the time was right. And now he knew why it was so important they didn’t rush that part of their marriage. Sadie had been miserable here. She ran to be with him because she needed to get out of this place.

  He recalled the night she’d told him the truth.

  “If James hadn’t shown up, were you ever going to tell me?” he’d asked her.

  She’d turned her gaze away from him. “Why would I tell you something like that?”

  “Because it’s the truth.”

  “Maybe,” she’d softly said, “but it’s not a pleasant one.”

  “I had a right to know.”

  “And if you knew, would you have married me?”

  He didn’t answer her question because he knew she wouldn’t have liked what he’d say. He had wanted to say yes, but he couldn’t. The truth was, he would have asked her to return to the stagecoach, and he even would have paid for her fare back to Omaha. She did the right thing in not telling him. In lying, she had saved herself from this life. Not that it was much of a life. All these women, who looked as if they’d given up all hope, were waiting to die so their misery could end.

  Forcing his eyes off the couples who had stopped what they were doing so they could stare at him, he reminded himself that he was going to get Sadie out of there. He’d get her out and she’d never have to be at a place like this ever again.

  He turned from the parlor and came nose to nose with Jefferson. “You have no business being here,” Jefferson growled then pushed him further into the hallway. “Sadie belongs here. Madame paid for her.”

  Before he had time to think, Al struck Jefferson across the jaw, sending him stumbling until his back hit the wall. He fell to the floor in an unconscious heap.

  “There’s no need to get violent,” Madame Eleanor said, her tone indignant as she stared at him with wide eyes. “I run a peaceful establishment.”

  Ignoring her, Al ran for the stairs.

  Al made it to the top and his gaze swept the hallway. He cursed under his breath. All the doors were closed.

  “Sadie!” he yelled, hoping she’d come out of her room.

  God knew he didn’t want to open the wrong door and find a man intimately engaged with a prostitute. But what if that prostitute was Sadie? His jaw clenched. He’d get the man off of her faster than he could blink, that’s what he’d do.

  A door opened and he headed for it, hoping it was her. “Sadie?” he called out as he came closer.

  Sadie peered into the hallway. “Al?” she asked, sounding as if she wasn’t sure it was really him.

  Al hurried in her direction, relieved to see she was fully clothed. He finally reached her and brought her into his arms, holding her tightly to him. “I’m sorry.” He cupped her face in his hands and kissed her lips, her cheeks, her neck. “I’m so sorry, Sadie. Please forgive me.” He brought his arms back around her and buried his face in the nape of her neck, inhaling the wonderfully comforting scent of her soap. “I had no idea how bad it was for you before we got married.”

  “Y-you came for me?” she whispered, still not sounding sure.

  He lifted his head so he could look into her eyes.

  She blinked a few times. “Am I dreaming?”

  Despite the circumstances, he chuckled. “No. No, you’re not, sweetheart. I’m here. And I never should have left you that night you told me the truth. I should have taken you with me into the house.”

  “He took me.” She cleared her throat. “Hazel’s cousin. James. He told me you and Gilbert were dead.”

  “No, we’re alive. Gilbert’s with Aunt Betty and Bear.”

  He almost told her about the letter James had left but figured they could talk about everything later. Right now he had to get her out of here. Wrapping his arm around her shoulders, he turned toward the door in time to see Jefferson standing in the doorway, his nose bloody.

  Sadie gasped and clung to Al.

  “Get out of our way,” Al demanded, not willing to let go of his wife. Now that he found her, he wasn’t going to release her. “We’re going home, and you’re not stopping us.”

  “That’s not for you to decide. It’s Madame’s choice what happens to her property,” Jefferson replied in a tightly controlled voice.

  “Sadie’s not anyone’s property,” Al barked and pulled out his gun.

  “Al?” Sadie whispered.

  He squeezed her shoulders. “Get out of our way,” he told Jefferson.

  Jefferson’s eyes went to the gun. “There is the matter of payment. If you are so insistent on having her, you’ll have to buy her.”

  “I’ll do nothing of the sort. Now, go!” Al waved his gun, gesturing for Jefferson to let them pass.

  Anxious footsteps came down the hallway, and Jefferson moved aside in time for Madame Eleanor to see what was going on. “He’s demanding I let them go, Madame,” Jefferson told her. “But I insisted he pay first. Needless to say, he’s not willing.”

  “No, I’m not,” Al said. “And if you don’t let us go, I’m going to start shooting the ceiling and telling everyone in this place that you’re holding a husband and wife here against their will.”

  Madame gasped. “You wouldn’t!”

  Al cocked his gun and pointed it at the ceiling.

  “Let him go,” Madame finally said. “The men are already getting skittish with all the commotion. I can’t afford to lose all this business. A couple of the men downstairs already left. As soon as the ones up here are done, who knows if they’ll even come back?”

  Jefferson sighed. “Very well. Go. But be quiet on your way out. We don’t want to upset anyone else.”

  Relieved, Al strengthened his hold on Sadie and led her out of the room. They moved aside for them, and though Sadie glanced over her shoulder, Al refused to give them the satisfaction of looking back. He didn’t make eye contact with any of the men or women who watched him and Sadie as they walked out of the brothel. It wasn’t until they were on the street that he felt safe enough to put his gun away.

  He felt the tension ease from his body as he led Sadie down the street. She was back with him, where she belonged. That was the important thing. He pulled her closer to him, glad she continued to hold onto him. It assured him she was with him. More importantly than that, she wanted to be with him. And after seeing where she’d been, getting an idea of what she’d been forced to do… He held her more tightly to him.

  His steps slowed and he glanced around them, making sure no one was following them from the brothel. Assured when he saw they were alone, he kissed her temple. “Sadie, I’m sorry I didn’t take more time to listen to you.”

  “You were upset, and you had every right to be. I lied to you about who I was.”

  “Yes, but I should have heard you out instead of running to the cabin.”

  “Al, wait.” She stopped walking so he turned to her. “It wasn’
t easy lying to you. I was just afraid.”

  He cupped her face in his hands and caressed her cheeks, noting that her eyes were still puffy from all the crying she’d done earlier that day. He didn’t need further proof to know how much it pained her to be at the brothel. “What you must have gone through at that place,” he whispered. “No one can blame you for being scared of what would happen to you. You didn’t have anyone else to help you. I was the only person you could go to in order to get out of that life.”

  She nodded. “I found Hazel by chance in a restaurant. She was coughing up blood, so I took her to the doctor.” She swallowed. “She didn’t make it. Before she died, she told me she was on her way to marry you. She gave me her purse and the letter you sent her. She knew what I’d been going through and wished to rescue me. You would have liked her, Al. She was a very nice person.”

  “I have no doubt she was. What happened to her was tragic. There’s no denying that. But Sadie, I hope you understand that you’re nice, too. I’ve had a lot of time to think about our marriage on my way to find you, and there was no way you could have pretended to be someone else that entire time. You might have been using Hazel’s name, but you were Sadie the whole time. You were worth rescuing.” Tears filled her eyes and he gently brushed them away when they slid down her cheeks. “It’s not important that you used to be a prostitute. What’s important is that you’re my wife. And I’m the luckiest man in the world because I have you in my life.”

  “Thank you, Al,” she replied, her voice breaking on his name.

  He gave her a soft kiss. “Let’s find a place to sleep for the night. Then we can talk more in the morning, alright?”

  “Alright.”

  His arm wrapped around her shoulders, he guided her down the next street.

  Chapter Twenty

  Sadie stirred from her sleep, afraid it’d all been a dream and that she was still at the brothel. But when she opened her eyes, she saw Al watching her in the dim light of the kerosene lamp, his hand tracing her breasts. He smiled at her and brought her into his arms. The sheets were still tangled from their recent round of lovemaking, but judging by his erection, he was ready to go again.

  Sliding her hand between them, she stroked his penis and gave him a playful grin. “I thought you wore yourself out earlier.”

  “Wore myself out? I was just getting started.” He rolled her onto her back and kissed her.

  Closing her eyes as he deepened the kiss, she gave into the comfort and joy of being intimate with him. This was how it should be when a woman made love to a man. It should be something she looked forward to, something she could enjoy.

  His tongue brushed hers, and a low moan escaped her throat. She wiggled against him, her sensitive nub pressing against his arousal. A spark of pleasure coursed through her. She began to rock her hips, encouraged when the pleasure grew stronger.

  His tongue sparred with hers, making her aware of his increasing desire for her. She focused on the way he smelled, the way he tasted, the way he groaned. All of it was wonderful because it was all coming from him. Her body responded so easily to him. Already, she detected the heated wetness between her legs, prompting her to grow more insistent as she continued rubbing intimately against him. And soon he was moving his hips in time with hers. She gave herself completely to the moment and soon, her body exploded with pleasure.

  His mouth left hers and he kissed her neck, murmuring her name. When she relaxed, she wrapped her legs around his waist and took him into the warmth of her body. He let out a low moan and proceeded to make love her.

  In the dim light, she examined his face, noting the way he looked as he made love to her. She wanted to sear the image into her memory forever so she would never remember any of the other men who’d done this to her. They hadn’t ever made love to her. All they’d done was satisfy themselves by using her. But Al was expressing his love for her, and that made all the difference.

  At one point, he opened his eyes and for a moment, his thrusting slowed. “Sadie,” he whispered.

  She swallowed and nodded. She had no idea that it’d make her feel so vulnerable for him to call her by name during this act.

  “I love you, Sadie.”

  “I love you too, Al,” she replied, blinking back her tears. He really did love her. And it seemed much more profound that he should say it while making love to her.

  He lowered his head and kissed her before he resumed his lovemaking. Her hips rose to take him in deeper. They worked together, both striving for the same goal, each one needing to be claimed by the other. She was his and he was hers. That was the way it had been since they married and it would be that way for the rest of their lives.

  She tightened her hold on him and murmured his name. Deep in her core, she became aware of the now-familiar mounting pleasure that would result in her release. Deciding to pursue it, she rolled him onto his back and rocked her hips, sliding her sensitive nub intimately against him, an action which intensified her pleasure.

  “Yes, Sadie. Come for me, honey.”

  Letting out a cry, she did, her body growing still as her flesh clenched around him. Once the waves subsided, she began rocking her hips again, this time with the intention of satisfying him. He thrust deeper into her, going with the rhythm she had established. And soon, he grew taut and she stopped moving. He throbbed inside her as he released his seed.

  Once he relaxed, she settled in his arms. Not in any hurry to get off of him, she remained where she was. She didn’t think she’d ever enjoy the feel a man’s penis inside her, but she did with Al. And being so intimately connected to him even after lovemaking was a very pleasant experience. It took a couple minutes before her breathing returned to normal. He wrapped his arms protectively around her, and she smiled.

  “I think I might be able to go back to sleep now,” he whispered.

  “You’re finally satisfied?” she teased, lifting her head so she could look at him.

  “At the moment,” he replied and kissed her. “But don’t be surprised if I wake you up again.”

  “I’d be disappointed if you didn’t.” Her smile widening, she rested her head on his shoulder and soon fell back to sleep.

  ***

  The next morning, Al took Sadie to the doctor she’d been to that fateful afternoon when she found Hazel in the restaurant. Just walking into the small room and seeing the bed brought back all the memories she’d relived many times over the past few months.

  “May I help you?” the doctor asked as he stood up from his desk and approached them.

  Al shut the door and went over to Sadie’s side, his strength a much needed comfort to her. He placed his hand on the small of her back but looked at the doctor. “Last September, my wife came here with a sick woman. Her name was Hazel McPherson. She was coughing up blood and had a fever.”

  “She had reddish brown hair and was wearing a dark blue dress,” Sadie added. “You said she had pneumonia.” She cleared her throat. “She died a couple hours after she got here.”

  “I remember her,” the doctor softly replied. “And I remember you.”

  “Did you ever find her next of kin?” she asked.

  “No, I didn’t. There was nothing to identify where she came from.”

  “She was on her way to marry me,” Al spoke up. “I had posted a mail-order bride ad and she answered it. I never got a chance to tell her father what happened to her.”

  “She’s in the cemetery a few blocks from here,” the doctor replied. “I’m sorry but I can’t tell you anything else.”

  “What you told us is fine,” Al assured him. “I know where to send the letter. I just wanted to be sure I could tell him where her body is.”

  The doctor nodded. “It’s never easy to lose someone that young. You said you married Sadie?”

  The doctor turned his gaze to Sadie who quickly looked away. The doctor knew she used to work at Madame Eleanor’s, and though Al did as well, she really hoped he wouldn’t bring it up.


  “Yes, I married her,” Al replied, his hand still on her back. “Best thing that ever happened to me.”

  “I’m glad,” the doctor said. “For both of you.”

  Sadie glanced at him and caught the doctor’s smile. Relaxing, she returned the smile. “Thank you.”

  Al tipped his hat and led Sadie out of the building.

  “You know how to contact her father?” Sadie asked.

  “I do but the address is back at our home. I can’t send a letter until we’re back in Rapid City.” As they headed down the street, he added, “Let’s find out when the next train leaves. If there’s still time to eat, we’ll catch breakfast at a restaurant. If not, we’ll eat on the train.”

  “I’ll be happy if I never see Omaha again.”

  He cupped her elbow with his hand. “You won’t have to come back here. I promise you that.”

  She looked up at him, picking up on the tenderness in his eyes. “I love you, Al.”

  He gently squeezed her elbow. “I love you too, Sadie.”

  In silence, they walked to the train station.

  ***

  A day after Al and Sadie returned to Rapid City, Sadie was hanging up the laundry behind the cabin when she heard Aunt Betty’s familiar greeting. She paused, the clothespin hovering over Gilbert’s blanket. But then she quickly secured the blanket to the line and picked Gilbert up from where he was playing in the grass. She took a deep breath to steady her nerves and went to the front of the cabin where Aunt Betty was standing by the door, a basket in her arms.

  After a moment, Sadie pressed forward. “Hi, Aunt Betty.”

  The older woman turned in her direction. “I missed you when Al came by to get Gilbert yesterday.”

  She shifted so that the boy was better settled on her hip. “I thought it might be best if I didn’t stop by.” She cleared her throat. “In case you didn’t want me there.”

  Aunt Betty put the basket down and headed over to her. “Oh Sadie, of course I wanted to see you. Al told us what happened, and it just broke our hearts to think of everything you’ve been through. No one can blame you for doing what you did, and the way I understand it, Hazel wanted you to get a new start on life.”