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Esther's Temptation

By Lena Nelson Dooley

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Chapter 1
August 1896 – Deep in the heart of Texas
Jac Andrews sure hoped that was a town up ahead and not a mirage. His head ached from the bright sunlight and long hours. He’d been in the saddle so long he felt as if it were fused to the seat of his pants. Pants he’d worn until they could almost stand up by themselves. Finally, he could have a bath, clean clothes, a shave, a hot meal, and a real bed. In that order.
But the long ride had been worth it. He was bone weary, but he could sense that indefinable excitement he always felt when he was about to catch his prey. Peter Graham and his daughter had to be just ahead. He’d been chasing this gang for too many years—through hard winters, mostly mild summers, and he’d seen a lot of the territory in the United States. But this was the farthest south they’d ventured. Denton, Texas, was the end of the line. For him and for the Grahams—in more ways than one.
As he approached, the haze hovering on the horizon solidified into a nice enough town, but Jac hoped it wouldn’t take long to bring the Grahams to justice. He wanted to get on with his life, and he couldn’t until he had finished this one chore. Although he was only thirty years old, he felt ancient. He’d seen enough of the seamy side of life to age him beyond his years. Criminals and their evil deeds had hardened him so much he barely knew who he was anymore. Certainly not the idealistic young man who became a Deputy U. S. Marshal all those years ago. He didn’t even know where he belonged. Maybe when he finished this final arrest, he could find out. For the first time in over ten years, he could have a life of his own, complete with a home and family like most men his age.
But he didn’t dare take his mind off his prize. This arrest had to come first. He wouldn’t saddle any woman with a man who was hardly ever home. He would really retire from hunting criminals and maybe find some kind of business he’d enjoy. He had plenty of money to buy or start one. He didn’t use much money while he’d been trying to catch this slippery weasel, who preyed on unsuspecting, upstanding citizens.
Because of his obsession to catch Peter Graham and his daughter, he was no longer a marshal. The Old Man had given him a choice, give up this quest or turn in his badge. Jac knew his boss thought the ultimatum would make him back down. With great reluctance, he’d removed the star with the circle around it, the badge that made him official. Since then, he’d been on his own as he followed the trail of this confidence man and his family.
Good thing he’d saved so much of his pay over the years, and his needs were negligible. A pile of his money remained safe in a bank back East, waiting for him to get to the point where he could start living a real life. He wouldn’t have to worry about finances while he established himself. That thought brought a stiff smile to his face.
Sometimes, he’d been so close to catching the Grahams he could almost taste victory. But he always arrived after they left the vicinity. Then it would take him a while to find their trail again. They committed crimes in such a way that no one could prove they did it. Finally, Jac figured out there had to be two girls. And they must be identical twins. It was the only way they could’ve pulled off so many of those seemingly perfect crimes. But Jac knew there was no such thing. This family needed to be brought to justice, and he was the man to do that very thing.
Jac stopped his horse in front of the first hotel he came to. He looked up at the second-story windows. They even sported curtains. This must be a higher-class establishment than most of the places where he stayed during this long quest. After tying the reins of his mount to the hitching postrail, he removed his saddlebags and slung them across his shoulder.
He stepped up on the high wooden sidewalk without bothering to go down to where steps would’ve made it easier. His legs were long enough, and he was too tired to go even that much farther. The steady cadence of his boots on the boards, and the jingle of his spurs, accompanied him through the door. He wanted to remove his traveling gear and put on clean clothes. His whole body itched, because it had been so long since he’d worn clean garments.
A young man sat behind the hotel’s front desk, writing in an open book. His head bent forward, and Jac realized the man didn’t even notice anyone was around until he dropped his saddlebags on the counter.
“I’d like a room.”
The man looked startled as he slammed the book shut and glanced up. He stood and pulled the hotel register from a shelf under the counter. “Do you want a room that looks out on the street or one in the back where it’s quieter?”
Jac wished he could say, “In the back.”
He would enjoy the quiet. He knew how loud some towns became when the cowboys came in to drink and blow off steam.
Of course, this was pretty far South. Maybe most of the people around here were farmers and ranchers, not rowdies wanting to let loose and have what they called fun. He needed to be able to see who came and went. That was the only way he could keep a lookout for any of the Grahams.
“In the front would be fine.” Jac reached for his wallet. “Do I need to pay now?”
“How long you staying?” The man smiled up at Jac who stood several inches taller.
“I’m not really sure. How about if I pay you for a week, and we’ll see if I need to be here longer?”
The man pushed the register book toward Jac, handed him a pen, and moved the inkwell closer to him. “That would be fine, Mr....” He watched as Jac wrote his name. “…Andrews. That’ll be five dollars for the week.” He turned around and retrieved a key from the numbered cubbyhole behind him. “You’re in room three.”
“Where’s the best place to get a bath, a shave, and a meal?”
*****
Esther Brians put the finishing touches on her upswept, Gibson Girl hairstyle when Allen knocked on the door of her apartment. She shoved one last hairpin into her hair to anchor it before she answered the door.
“I’m coming.” Thick carpet muffled her footsteps as she crossed the parlor. She opened the door and hugged her brother. “Why didn’t you just use your key?”
Allen returned her hug, then stood back. “I only kept the key because you insisted. It’s a good idea for me to check on things for you when you’re out at the farm, since you’re living here alone. But I won’t use it for any other reason. You deserve your privacy.” He glanced around the room that had been Marie’s home before she and Allen married. He had spent a lot of time here visiting with his sister and later courting Marie. “I like what you’ve done with the place. It really expresses your personality.”
“Thank you, kind sir.” Esther gave a low curtsey. She and her brother had enjoyed a playful relationship all their lives.
“Are you ready?” Allen picked up her jacket from the claret-colored velvet settee. After helping her into the wrap, he opened the door, and they proceeded down the stairs into the warm, spring twilight.
Esther placed her hand in the crook of his arm as they walked across the street to the hotel. “It was really nice of Marie to offer to keep Gerald and Linda’s children so we could take them out to dinner for their anniversary.”
“She loves those two little ones. And I do, too. They come over to our house a lot, since we live so close.”
When they entered the lobby of the hotel, Esther looked around. She didn’t come here often, but she always liked the friendly, yet elegant, atmosphere. The gaslights around the walls gave a warm glow to the plush carpeting and matching wallpaper. Esther liked the fact that they used a lot of potted plants in the decor. It enhanced the sense of opulence. When she came to the hotel, it made her feel that Denton was as cosmopolitan as Chicago or even New York City.
A man descending the wide staircase that dominated the room drew Esther’s attention. He stood taller than any other man she had ever seen. Although his body looked lean, muscles rippled under his shirt and slacks. His dark, clean-shaven face sported a neat mustache. He must have spent a lot of time in the sun, and the tan looked good on him. The top of his forehead appeared lighter than the rest of his face, evidence he wore a cowboy hat most of the time. The fine lines fanning out from the corner of each eye revealed that he squinted against the blazing sun, and they only enhanced his good looks. He wasn’t dressed like a cowboy, but as he walked down the stairs, he had that bowlegged gait of a man who spent most of his life on the back of a horse. His luxuriously thick, dark hair looked wet. It was slicked back, but separate locks were pulling into strong waves as they dried.
For some unexplainable reason, Esther was drawn to him. Her fingers tingled with the desire to brush back an errant curl that had drooped over his strong forehead. She had never felt this way about any man. For a moment, she held her breath in wonder. His most arresting feature, his eyes, shone a clear, icy blue. When his gaze met hers, something passed between them, a feeling both exciting…and disturbing. Uncomfortable, Esther quickly looked away.
What in the world is wrong with me? Maybe it was because all her close friends had husbands, and she wanted one, too. Why did some stranger affect her this way? It relieved Esther when Gerald and Lena arrived at that moment, and the four of them went into the dining room. She tried to dismiss the man from her thoughts as she followed her brothers and sister-in-law to their table.
*****
Jac stopped halfway down the stairs. What just happened? Needing something to eat, he was going to the restaurant, minding his own business, when a vision of loveliness entered the hotel. Her beauty almost took his breath away. He had seen those new Gibson Girl calendars. She looked as if she just stepped out of one. Petite with curves in all the right places, her delicate features proclaimed class and character. Her red hair formed into a poufy style that had a cluster of curls nestled in the crown. Curly tendrils brushed her cheeks and neck where he wished he could place his lips. He could just imagine how the silky strands would feel wrapped around his finger. He had to stop thinking like that!
When she looked into his eyes, he felt something he’d never experienced before. Something that crackled through the room, almost sucking out all the air, leaving them nothing to breathe. He wondered if anyone else sensed it. He glanced around, but no one paid either of them any attention.
He couldn’t seek a relationship yet. If he found one, or one found him, it would have to be a relationship with no strings attached, at least until his mission was over. He wasn’t ready to settle down, and that girl had strings dangling off her so long they would really hogtie a man.
Jac almost turned around and went back to his room, but just then his stomach rumbled so loud he was sure everyone within a mile radius could hear it. He had to get something to eat. If only she and her companions hadn’t gone into the dining room.
Jac continued toward the open doorway of the restaurant. His attention went immediately to the table where the woman and her friends sat. At least they were on one side of the room. He would just choose a table on the other side, and that would be the end of it.
With that decision made, he looked around the room for an empty table. He hadn’t thought this town would have many people staying at a hotel, but in the restaurant most of the tables were occupied. Finally, he spied an empty one on the exact opposite side of the room from where the woman and her party sat. With the large dining area separating them, he could almost forget she was there.
However, when Jac walked across the room and selected a place to sit, he chose a chair that gave him a clear view of the beauty. He couldn’t take his eyes off her until the waitress came for his order. He chose pot roast. It had been a long time since he had anything like that to eat. And he could tell from the mingled delicious smells wafting from the kitchen that hot rolls would arrive with his meal. In a place like this, there should be plenty of butter to melt into them. Soft white bread tasted better than the hardtack he carried in his saddlebags. He’d eaten enough hardtack these last few weeks to last a lifetime. His mouth watered just thinking about the meal he’d have to eat tonight.
When the waitress went to get him a cup of coffee, he glanced toward the table where the vision of loveliness sat. Her every move was grace itself. Her dainty hand fluttered like a butterfly on its way to pick up her glass of water. When she turned to speak to the man on her left, she cocked her head toward him, revealing a profile that looked just like his mother’s cameo. It was the only thing he still owned that had belonged to her, and he valued it. He kept that cameo locked in a safety deposit box of the bank where his savings resided. Someday, he planned to give it to his wife…if that day ever came.
“Here’s your coffee, sir.” The waitress set the steaming china cup and its saucer in front of him. He glanced up at her, almost sorry for the interruption of his musing, but his stomach gave a louder growl than before.
“I guess it’s a good thing your meal is almost ready.” The woman gave him a friendly smile.
“Yes.” He lifted his cup toward her before he took a sip. “Thank you.” At least, he was able to remember his manners.
He picked up the cup and took a sip. Jac liked his coffee hot and strong, but not too strong. This coffee tasted wonderful. He set the cup down and looked back across the room.
Why did he torture himself this way? That woman had an escort. She might be married. But somehow, he didn’t think she was. He had spent too many years watching people not to know the signs. Nothing indicated that the couple was married or even romantically involved.
The other couple at the table was another matter. Marriage screamed from every look and touch they shared.
“Are you ready for this?” The waitress set his meal in front of him.
“Yes, bring it on.” Jac smiled up at her.
Steam rose from the plate, bringing with it the pleasant aroma of roast beef. Surrounding the meat, a generous helping of rich brown gravy covered carrots and potatoes. His stomach growled again. This time louder. He hoped the group across the room couldn’t hear it.
The waitress giggled as she walked away.
The first bite almost melted in his mouth. Heavenly! He chewed slowly, savoring the almost-forgotten flavors that mingled and reminded him of just how much he gave up to bring the Grahams to justice. He hoped that, at last, this was the town where he would arrest the man and his daughter or daughters.
The waitress returned with a dish of butter and a basket of hot yeast rolls. “Don’t forget to save room for dessert. Tonight, we have apple pie.”
Could life get any better than this? Jac took his time eating. He wanted to enjoy every minute of this good food. But more than that, he decided to just relax and enjoy watching the beautiful woman. Who knew? Someday he would be ready to settle down. Someday maybe he would find a woman much like her to marry.
*****
When they were seated at a table in the dining room, Esther decided to forget what had happened in the hotel lobby and concentrate on her brothers and sister-in-law. “Well, Linda, I guess it’s nice for you to go out without the children.”
Linda smiled at her. “Oh yes, it’s a real treat. It was good of you and Allen to plan this little celebration.”
“Actually, it was Marie’s idea.” Allen picked up his linen napkin and spread it across his lap.
“Why didn’t she come with us?” Linda smiled at her.
Esther laughed. “You mean besides the fact that she’s keeping your children for you?” Linda nodded. “I offered to keep them at the apartment, but Marie thought it would be special for Gerald’s brother and sister to take the two of you out.”
Allen picked up his fork and absently turned it over and over in his hands as if checking its weight. “She really likes having Olivia and Stephen at the house.” He put the fork down and cleared his throat. “She’s hoping we’ll have a little one ourselves pretty soon. I told her it has only been a few months since we married, and I enjoy our time together, but I’m eager for our own children, too.”
Gerald patted his wife’s hand. “Well, we have an announcement to make, and you two are the first to hear it.”
Linda blushed and looked down at the table in front of her. “We are going to have another baby.”
Esther got up, hurried around the table, and hugged her. “I’m so happy for you.” When she passed Gerald on the way back to her chair, she hugged him, too. “And I’m happy for you, big brother.”
The waitress came to their table. “What are we all having tonight?”
“This calls for steaks.” Allen looked at each of them in turn. “Unless you want something else. We have a lot to celebrate.”
When the waitress left, conversation flowed around the table, but Esther’s attention was divided.
That cowboy sat across the room. She could see him when she turned to talk to Allen. He seemed to be enjoying his food, but every once in a while, she felt his gaze on her. Why did he do that? It made her very uncomfortable. Even though she enjoyed having this time with her relatives, she couldn’t forget the man or the impression he made on her when they stood in the lobby.
Esther knew it didn’t make any sense. She felt drawn to him, even here in the dining room. She noticed when his coffee arrived. While he ate his roast beef and hot rolls, she looked at him from time to time. He had perfect table manners, not like most of the cowboys she had seen in the past. She didn’t want him to catch her watching, so she peeked at him out of the corner of her eyes to make sure it wasn’t when he was looking at her.
She was acting like a desperate old maid. Just because everyone else was married, it didn’t mean anything was wrong with her life, did it? Her business was successful, and she had a comfortable home, good friends, and a family who loved her.
But they weren’t a husband and children. She felt that deep longing she’d harbored since she became an adult. She wanted to be loved by a man the way her father loved her mother. The way Gerald loved Linda. The way Allen loved Marie. The way Marie’s brothers Oliver and Leonard loved their wives. She wanted a home of her own, not just an apartment above a store. …And she wanted children. To feel their arms around her neck. To have them call her, Mother.
Oh yes, Esther wanted all those things more than she could tell anyone. But that cowboy across the dining room wasn’t the man to give them to her.

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