Cowboy from Hell

Chapter 2-1

Chapter 2

Saul Denis sat quietly in church with his Bible opened.

Although he seemed to be reading intently from the word of God as the preacher shouted out his fiery sermon, he actually had a letter lying flat against its pages. It was from a man named Storm Benedict. This Storm character had sent the letter to his sister, Sable, but Saul had found it tucked among her things in her room and snatched it.

Now, after reading the letter, he pulled out the picture that was enclosed. It showed the man leaning over slightly, with one booted foot resting on a chair and one hand resting on the gun on his hip. Saul couldn’t even imagine what it would be like to be with a man like this. He’d been used to eastern men. Those with good manners and not a fleck of dirt on them. But this one, God, what a wrangler he must be. He looked as mean as Hades and had the devil’s own good looks. Saul suspected he was some kind of outlaw but couldn’t remember hearing about the escapades of one called Storm. It was a unique name, to say the least.

He suddenly jumped when the preacher shouted, “The devil loves liars and thieves! There’ll be a special place in hell for the man that spews out lies as easily as he breathes God’s fresh air!”

With those words ringing in Saul’s ears, he looked down again at the wild, untamed man in the picture and saw a big, burly bad boy with a sharp gaze that undoubtedly pierced those he looked at. The longer he stared at the sexy half-smile, the more his heart thrashed in his chest. Slowly, his eyes closed as he imagined himself in this man’s strong, muscled arms, his lips—

Suddenly, he was punched by his mother. “Saul, wake up. It’s time to go.” She frowned at him. “Did you get anything out of the sermon, or did you sit there and sleep all morning?”

“Sorry, Mother,” he said and hurried out of the church, trailing behind her and his sister.

* * * *

While Sunday dinner was being prepared, Sable was in the parlor with her mother, arguing. Finally, she angrily put her hands on her hips, and shouted, “How can you ask me to do this, Mama? I went along with this scheme to please you because you promised that we would cheat just this one cowboy, but now…Mama, what you’re asking me to do is against the law.”

“But Sable, you must, dear. If you don’t, we’ll have to sell the house. What will we do then?”

“If we have to cheat to keep the house, then I don’t want it!”

“Brave words as long as you have a warm bed to sleep in and food on the table. But, Sable, if we don’t get that money, we’ll lose everything.”

“Then figure out something else.”

“But this is the answer to everything. You’ll pretend you want to marry him at first, but then you get cold feet for whatever reason, and just don’t bother to send the money back, that’s all.” She shrugged. “A lot of women do it. Not to just one but several of them. Just think of the money we could make! When it comes time to go, all you have to do is pretend to change your mind. The money will be for…I don’t know…pain and suffering?”

“Pain and suffering? Mama, please! If we take his money, he’ll be the one suffering.”

“Sable, I don’t ask much of you. It seems to me you could do this one small thing for me.”

“Small thing? Mama, you’re asking me to lie, to cheat! Have you even thought of Tucker? What would he think about this if he found out? He wouldn’t want to marry a girl who would do such a thing.”

“Then don’t tell him!”

“You want me to start our marriage with a lie between us?”

Just then the cook came in and interrupted their conversation. “Lunch is served, ma’am.”

“Yes, thank you, Ruby.”

“Right there is a fine example of where our money is going, Mama. Why in God’s name do we need so many servants? We can’t afford them. With money so scarce, you should have let them go when Father left.”

“All right, look,” Lettie Denis said as she got up and took a deep breath. “You’re hungry now. Once you’ve had a good meal, you’ll see things differently. Go change your clothes. I’ll tell Ruby to keep the food warm.”