Free The Gambler by Lily Graison

hall. Stopping at a room near the end, she
waited as he opened the door then turned to her and ushered her
inside.
     
    He carried in her things, her old carpetbag
and the packages her new clothes were in, laying them all on the
bed before turning to face her. “Keep your door bolted when you’re
inside the room and don’t leave unless you have to.” Walking back
to the door, he stopped and turned back to face her. “I’m across
the hall if you need anything.”
     
    And just like that, he was gone, leaving her
to stare at the closed bedroom door. Emmaline stared at it for long
minutes before she turned to look around the room. It wasn’t as
nice as the lobby of the hotel but the bed looked comfortable, the
blanket lying on top pristine white. A small table sat beside of it
with an oil lamp on top with the same fringe of crystals as the
ones downstairs had around the shade. Thick carpets covered the
wooden floor and a tall cabinet sat along one wall, its doors
covered in mirrored glass. A small table with one chair sat along
the other wall and although the room was small, it was the fanciest
space she’d ever had the pleasure to sleep in. And it was all paid
for.
     
    She grinned and laid her reticule on the bed
before removing her hat. The ugly calico dresses were still in the
brown wrapping and she busied herself removing them, snarling her
nose when she saw them again. After wearing the green satin
traveling dress all day, she didn't want to put on something as
plain as those other dresses but knew she’d stink to high heaven if
she was forced to wear the cumbersome fancy traveling dress every
minute of the day.
     
    Unbuttoning the jacket, she removed the dress
and reluctantly, slipped on the blue calico. It hung over her small
frame and even though the material and cut were unflattering, it
was ten times more comfortable.
     
    The sun was low in the sky when she looked
out the window. The street below was filled with people walking the
crowded sidewalks and she stared sightlessly at the town until
someone knocked on her door. She turned and walked across the room,
opening the door without asking who was there and was taken aback
when a man in a black suit jacket smiled back at her.
     
    “Your supper, Madame.”
     
    Emmaline smiled at him and reached for the
tray but he held on. “Allow me,” he said, indicating with his head
for her to step back.
     
    He placed the tray on the small table by the
wall and turned, leaving the room and pulling the door shut behind
him. Emmaline stared at the covered plate on the table and
grinned.
     
    Fancy hotel rooms and people bringing food
right to her door. Maybe she should stick with Tristan a bit longer
instead of grabbing the deed and running first chance she got. At
least she could get a good taste of the finer things in life for a
while. Heaven knew once she bought the tools needed to mine her
gold, the backbreaking work would wear her to the bone.
     
    She sat and ate fried chicken with green
beans cooked with onions and bacon. Fat fluffy biscuits with butter
and a piece of apple pie so hot and delicious she was tempted to go
ask for another piece.
     
    When she’d cleaned her plates and washed it
all down with the tastiest coffee she’d ever drunk, she sat back in
her chair, laid one hand across her stomach and sighed in pleasure.
She could get used to this.
     
    The noise outside grew as the sun sank lower.
Emmaline remained in her chair until the room grew dark and the
noise in the hall picked up in volume. A loud thump against her
door startled her and she rose to light the lamp only to realize
she had nothing to light it with.
     
    Knowing Tristan probably had a match, she
left her room, crossed the hall, and knocked on his door until her
knuckles were sore. Trying the door handle to find it locked, she
figured he’d gone to bed early and walked to the stairs, starting
down them to ask the man at the desk to light the lamp when she saw
Tristan walk out the