Vegas rich Page 5

  Because of Sallie Coleman.

  3

  "Now, Joseph, do you really trust me to drive this vehicle? Are you sure I can do this? What if an animal runs in front of me? I'm too jittery. I don't like wearing these things over my eyes. What if people laugh at me? I never saw a woman drive a car. Lordy, Lordy, what if it breaks down and I have to walk?"

  Joseph threw his hands in the air. "You said you were ready, Miss SaUie. It's just a machine. Human beings are smarter than machines. Anknals will not run in front of the car, it makes too much noise. Animals run and hide when they hear it. If you don't like the special glasses, take them off, but you'll get grit in your eyes and then they'll get all red and painfiil. No one is going to laugh at you. I do believe they will envy you. If the car breaks down, you have to walk. It's all very simple. Miss SaUie. Sing while you drive. It will make the time go faster."

  '*Would you feel better. Miss Sallie, if I was to come with you?" Anna asked.

  "Of course I would feel better, but no. I have to do this myself. How else will I get Su Li and her brother back here? And Mr. Thornton. TeU me again, Joseph, what I'm to do."

  Five minutes later she was careening down the hill, the hot desert breeze blowing in her face. She started to sing and stopped edmost immediately when her mouth filled with dry sand. She really didn't feel hke singing anyway; she was too jittery. She squirmed uncomfortably in the leather seat. What would Mr. Philip Thornton think about a nineteen-year-old girl who could barely read and write? She tried to imagine the look on his face when she showed him what lit-de she knew. Mr. Waring hadn't said how old Mr. Thornton was, only that he was from Boston. The name of the magical city of Boston was all she'd had to hear. "Hire him," she'd blurted.

  Hours later, when daylight had given way to soft evening twilight, Sallie arrived in town. She parked her car in front of the Emporium and removed the goggles and wide-brimmed hat, brushing at her clothing as she did so. Tucking stray tendrils of hair behind her ears, Sallie walked across the street to the Chinese laundry. Su Li and

  Chue were wsiiting for her, four ti^tly wrapped bundles at their feet They bowed respectfully, their hands folded in front of them. Sallie smiled. "We can leave as soon as I pick up Mr. Thornton," she said. "I hope you aren't fearful about driving in the dark. I need to be honest with you, I've never driven in the dark. There is a light," she added hastily. "Today was the first day of my driving career. I expect I'll get better with practice. Are you afraid?" The young girl and her brother shook their heads.

  "That's good. You can put your things in the car. Fll walk over to the hotel and bring Mr. Thornton back here. We'll leave in a few minutes."

  He v/2ts young. He was also tall, exceptionally so, impeccably dressed in a dark suit, white shirt, and tie. His face was thin, topped with finely arched brows below a thick head of curly dark hair that rested on his collar. It was unruly hair, she could tell, reftising to obey a brush. However, it was his dark eyes and his youth that caused Sal-lie's step to falter. He smiled, his teeth whiter than the pearls she'd bought for her mother. She felt in awe, inferior to this tall man with the unruly hair and angehc smile. He intimidated her. He w2is going to work for her, which meant she would pay him a wage. She was the one with the money, so that made her powerful and in control. That was what Mr. Waring said, wasn't it? "I'm Sallie Coleman. You must be Mr. Thornton. I hope I haven't kept you waiting?" Her words came out in a breathless rush.

  "Not long at all. I like this time of day best, when dayUght gives way to this soft purple evening. Everything seems softer, more gentle. Yes, I'm Philip Thornton. Please call me Philip. Am I to understand you are going to drive me back to your home in the dark?"

  Sallie drew in her breath. Did he think she wasn't capable of driving in the dark? "The way I see it, Mr. Thornton, you can either take your chances and ride with me, or you can . . . walk."

  "Have I offended you? That wasn't my intention. Miss Sallie. What I meant and obviously didn't convey very well was ... I personally never saw a woman drive a car. I would imagine it's a feat in itself Night driving, I also imagine, must be a. . . remarkable feat. I myself don't know how to drive."

  So many words. Feat, convey, offended—what in the world did they all mean? His tone of voice suggested he was apologizing. Sallie turned her back on him to walk across the street. Over her shoul-

  der she said, "Just because I'm a woman doesn't mean I can't do what some men can do. Maybe I'll teach you to drive."

  "I rather doubt that, Miss Sallie. I am not the least bit mechanically inclined."

  Damn, what did that mean? "Get in," she said curtly. "This is Su Li and her brother Chue. This is Mr. Philip Thornton."

  Slowly and deUberately, Sallie put on her goggles and the wide-brimmed hat. She switched on the Ught.

  "And then there was light!" PhiHp said jovially.

  SaUie winced. Just how smart was this man? Of course there was light. She'd turned it on.

  "Can you converse and drive this machine at the same time?" Philip asked an hour later.

  Sadlie's shoulders stiffened. What did converse mean? Obviously, it was a yes or no question. She opted for no. The evening silence fell around her and the occupants of the car. Maybe she should have said yes. Well, it was too late. If she had made a mistake, she would have to suffer with it.

  It was a beautiful evening, the heavens blanketed with stars, the air warm and softly perfumed. She decided, at that precise moment, that she loved the desert and the sagebrush-scented air as much as Cotton had loved it. She made a promise to herself that she would never, ever hve anywhere else.

  Sallie let her mind wander to the young man sitting next to her. She thought he smelled faindy of camphor. He was a fine teacher with excellent credentials, Mr. Waring had said. Because of his excellent credentials and the fact that he was willing to come all the way from Boston, he was able to demand a high salary. Plus, she would be giving him free room and board. "You better be worth it, Mr. PhiHp Thornton," SalUe muttered under her breath.

  Sallie turned the wheel sharply when a jackrabbit sprinted across the road. The occupants of the car shifted and slid down the length of the seat. Philip Thornton laughed and then righted himself. In the backseat Su Li and Chue clung to one another. "That was very good, Miss Sallie," Thornton S2iid.

  "Yes it was. I had no desire to hit a defenseless rabbit. My Hght must have blinded him for the moment."

  "I applaud your driving skill."

  Sallie could hear the smile in his voice. She knew what applaud me2int. She got applause every n^ht when she sang in the saloons,

  and then later at her bingo palace. "Thank you. Do you feel safer now?"

  "I never felt unsafe," Thornton said gendy. "Things are different here in the West. My knowledge is from books. Experiences such as this must be lived. I'm enjoying myself"

  How sweet his voice was. It was deeper than a woman's, but not as hard and coarse as a man's. She wondered why that was. Because he was educated, she supposed. "I think you'll like my home."

  "How long have you had this tin lizzie?" Thornton asked.

  "What?"

  "This flivver, how long have you had it? Was it difficult to learn to drive? How fast can you go?" Thornton asked.

  Sallie's feet itched to dance on the pedals. If it were daylight and if she were more familiar with the road, she'd give him the ride of his life. "Joseph said he can go forty miles an hour. I don't know if that's true or not."

  "I would imagine that's true. It's got four cylinders. How much farther is it?"

  "A few more hours. The sun is just starting to come up. It's beautiful, isn't it? We should be home by midmoming. If you're tired you can sleep."

  "I'm too excited to sleep. I don't want to miss anything. The day I received Mr. Waring's wire, I knew I wanted to do this. I liked teaching in my school, but I wanted to see other parts of the country, and this job gives me the opportunity. One day I'll go back to Boston and resume my teaching career."

&n
bsp; "Mr. Waring said you charge a lot of money. Are you trying to take advantage of me because I'm a female?"

  "Good Lord, where did you get such an idea?" Thornton gasp>ed.

  "I know what you earned at the school where you were a teacher. You're charging me twice as much. I'll be giving you free room and board, and I did pay for your train dcket."

  "What you said about me charging you twice as much is true. Don't forget my traveling time. When this job is over I have to return. I don't receive money for that. It was right that your solicitor should pay my train fare. He recruited me. I didn't solicit this job. I'm an excellent teacher and could get a job anywhere. I take my work very seriously. I'm padent and I'm understanding, and I'm an honest man. I work with you and no one else. That means you have my undivided attention. Neither one of us will have to worry about

  smother student msiking demands on my time. When we part company, after my job is finished, you wdll be one of three things."

  "What three things?"

  "Either you will be smarter than I am, as smart as I am, or you will be almost as smart."

  "If you were a gambler, Mr. Thornton, which one would you bet on?" Sallie asked sweedy.

  "If you are as dedicated and determined as Mr. Waring led me to believe, then I'd wager you will be as smart as I am."

  "I have common sense, Mr. Thornton."

  "There's a lot to be said for common sense. That's a trait I lack. That's because my life is books. Nothing can take the place of book learning."

  "And nothing can take the place of common sense," Sallie said tighdy.

  "I think we're both right. Perhaps you can teach me common sense, and I'll teach you from books."

  "Perhaps. How much do you think I should charge you?"

  "Touche, Miss SaUie."

  Sallie wasn't certain about what he had just said, but she smiled in the early dawn.

  "I would never have believed this was possible," Philip said as he stepped from the flivver. "Your home is beautiful. Actually, it's magnificent. What is that smell?"

  "Sagebrush. Why don't you wsilk around and see everything for yourself Anna or Joseph will show you to your cottage. They'll arrange for you to have a hot bath and some breakfast. If you need to take a nap, that's fine. Tomorrow wiU be soon enough for us to begin our lessons."

  Sallie knew she looked like a ragamuffin as she ushered Su Li and Chue into Anna's kitchen. Anna beamed and embraced the brother and sister. "They speak some English. You may have to show them things instead of explaining. Su Li's legs are younger so you might want her to do the upstairs work. Please don't burden her, Anna. I don't want either one of them to think I'm a slave driver. They can share the cottage next to Mr. Thornton and take their meals here in the kitchen. Make sure they always have plenty of food. They like rice. Mr. Waring brought up two sacks on his last trip. See if you can get them to eat other food, too. I don't think it's too good for a

  person to eat the same thing ever' day. They might not be used to eating three times a day, so go slowly. When things are all settled, I plan on asking Mr. Thornton if he will teach them English in his spare time."

  "I'll take care of things, Miss Sallie. You run along and take your bath. I turned down the covers on your bed and opened all the windows. There's a fair breeze this morning. I'll wake you for supper."

  Sallie smiled gratefully. She hugged both Su Li and Chue. She pointed to Anna and said, "She's going to take care of you. Today is a day to do nothing but rest. You won't work sixteen hours a day in my house. When you go to sleep at night, you will look forward to waking in the morning."

  Sallie climbed the stairs to her room. She was almost too tired to wash her hair and bathe. She did it because she knew she would sleep better, and she wanted to look presentable at supper for Mr. Thornton. She wondered, as she rinsed the soap from her body, what color Mr. Thornton's eyes were. She rather thought they would be puppy-dog brown. The thought pleased her.

  Sallie slept deeply and dreamlessly until Anna woke her at five o'clock.

  Sallie glanced out of the window to see Chue on his knees, weeding the flower beds.

  Thirty minutes later, dressed in a pale blue dress with matching band around her curls, Sallie entered the dining room and took her place at the head of the table. The moment she was seated, Philip Thornton entered, freshly shaven. He wore a casual shirt, open at the throat, and neady pressed trousers. "Good evening, Miss Sallie. I hope you had a good rest. I know I did. Your home is beautiful. I grew up in a house much like this one. Someday I hope you can travel to Boston to see the botanical gardens. Would you like to travel the country someday?"

  "I don't think so. This is my home now. I had ... a home . . . once. It was . . . terrible. I made up my mind the day I had my own home I would never leave it. I can't see myself changing my mind. Will we start our lessons tomorrow?"

  "Yes. I have everything ready. We need to talk first, though. Perhaps after dinner we can sit in the garden and you can tell me . . . what you think I should know. In the summertime we always have our after-dinner coffee in the garden. It's a wonderful custom. Do you do that?"

  "I have lemonade in the garden in die afternoon. Is a custom something you do every day?"

  "Pretty much so."

  "I'll ponder the matter. Do you like your supper?"

  "It's delicious. I don't think I've ever had such tasty meat."

  "Do you eat differendy in Boston?"

  "Yes. We boil things as opposed to. roasting or frying. People in Boston make very tasty baked beans. It's good. You get used to eating a certain way. This is a robust meal to be sure, and I haven't even seen the sweet yet."

  What was a robust meal? Sallie looked down the length of the table. Roast beef, mashed potatoes, gravy, com, cranberries, a lettuce salad with crisp bacon bits sprinkled through it, fresh biscuits, yellow butter, and strawberry jam. "We're having chocolate pie for dessert. I like sweet things, especially Hcorice sticks."

  "Really! I do, too. We have something in common, Miss SaUie. I like getting up early, before the sun comes up so I can watch it. I like to get a head start on the day. I usually retire quite early. Do you have a preference?"

  If she knew what it was, she might. "I get up early. It's like a relief that I made it through the night. People die in the night. That frightens me. I go to bed early, too."

  "As the days go on we'll fmd out we have other things in common. It's wonderful to learn things about people. You learn by asking questions. Don't ever be afraid to ask questions. Miss Sallie. By the same token, should I ask you something you don't wish to respond to, tell me so. I'll understand."

  His eyes were the color of Anna's warm chocolate pie. Gende eyes. Warm eyes.

  "Is something wrong?"

  "No. Why do you ask?"

  "You were staring at me as though you wanted to ask me something, then changed your mind."

  "I was thinking that your eyes are the color of chocolate pie."

  Phihp threw his head back and laughed. It was one of the nicest sounds Sallie had ever heard. "I'm going to take that as a compU-ment."

  "And well you should," Sallie shot back.

  "Your eyes are the color of the sky on a bright summer day. Did you ever see a bluebell? My mother used to have them in her flower garden. They were the same color as your eyes."

  Sallie flushed. "Thank you."

  "Chocolate pie and bluebells. A great combination," Philip said in a teasing voice.

  Later, in the garden, Sallie said, "I think this is my favorite time of day. The day is over and supper is finished; the sun will set and the evening darkness hugs you. My mother alw^ays used to say that when I was afraid of the dark. You need to work hard during the day so you can appreciate the tired feeling when the night hugs you. Does that sound . . . strange to you?"

  "Not at all. As a child I was afraid of the dark, too. I had a toy soldier I used to place on the floor by the door to protect me. I called him Ivan. I still have Ivan. If I ever have a son, I'
ll give it to him if he's afraid of the dark."

  "Sometimes I wish I could see into the future and what it holds for me," Sallie said.

  "I don't want to know," Philip said.

  "I said sometimes. Not all the time."

  "Life would be very dull if we knew what to expect from one minute to the next."

  What he said was true. Because she didn't know how to respond, she nodded her head in agreement.

  "If you don't mind me asking. Miss Sallie, how did you come to be so wealthy? Mr. Waring said you were the richest woman in the state, maybe in the four bordering states."

  Cotton Easter's words rang in Sallie's ears: There's no call to tellyour secrets to other people. If you do, your past will come back to haunt you. "I inherited my fortune. Mr. Waring handles all my legal afiairs. I think he was wrong to tell you I was rich. That should be no concern of yours or anyone else."

  "I'm sorry," Philip said. "Please, don't be offended. Mr. Waring didn't come out and say, 'Sallie Coleman is rich.' He implied it. It was what he didn't say that made me draw my own conclusions. He did nothing wrong. He certainly didn't betray any confidences. Please accept my apology. I had no right to ask such a personal question. Remember what I said, if I ask you something and you don't want to answer it, don't. You should have told me to mind my own business."

  "Yes, I should have. I don't like to be rude."

  "You aren't upset with me?"

  "No. Tell me where we're going to start tomorrow. What will we

  do first? How long is it going to take before I can read a newspaper?"

  "I don't think it's going to be long at all. Wanting to learn is half the battle."

  "This is the month of July. Do you think I'll be able to read and write, say, by Christmas?"