Free Deborah Camp by My Wild Rose Page B

ain’t been married to a drunk. Was her pappy a whiskey drinker?”
    He started to answer, but decided to protect Regina’s privacy. He shrugged off Emerald’s question.
    “Hey, how you gonna get them dresses over to those ladies without Miss Regina gettin’ suspicious?”
    “Dorrie Festerman.”
    “That gal who works for the Hampfs?”
    Theo nodded. “She’ll be here soon to collect them. She’s going to tell Regina that these dresses were among those donated to the poor.”
    “The poor?” Emerald laughed. “Who the hell would do such a darn-fool thing?”
    “You and the other girls here,” Theo said, smiling. “These are dresses you’ve grown tired of, so you gave them to Dorrie when she came around collecting for the poor. She knew the Hampfs wouldn’t find any good use of them, so she’ll offer them to Regina.” He grinned, proud of the story he’d worked on so carefully since he’d spotted Regina in the dry goods store and later in front of Miss Tally’s shop. The yearning on her face had wrung goodwill from his heart.
    Emerald popped a strawberry into her mouth. Her words were juicy with it when she spoke again. “Well, you’ve got this plan hammered out, ain’t ya?” She swallowed the fruit. “Wonder what Tom would think about it if I told him you were spending a goodly amount of time thinking how to make Mrs. Nation’s boarders happy?”
    “This has nothing to do with Tom.”
    “He’s after Mrs. Nation’s hide and you’re his lawyer.”
    “I am his lawyer, but Tom’s not out for Mrs. Nation’s hide. He wants money to rebuild the bar.”
    “I don’t think Tom would understand you being so chummy with those women in her house.”
    “I work for Tom, same as you. I don’t live the life he sees fit for me.” Theo knocked ash off the cigar into a porcelain tray. “So you have to work on the night of the cotillion?”
    “Sure.” She popped another berry into her mouth.
    “I thought maybe you’d go to the dance with me.”
    Emerald almost choked. “Me? Oh, go on. I swear, Theo Dane, you act like you don’t have a brain in your head sometimes. Why, I could never go to a thing like that with you.”
    “I don’t see why not.”
    “Because it ain’t done in polite society. Whoever heard of a businessman taking a whore to a town party?”
    “It would be worth it just to send all those upstanding women into swoons.”
    Emerald released a gusty laugh and Theo joined in. “Oh, that would be a sight,” Emerald said, hooting another laugh. “They’d split their corsets!”
    “Might be good for Eureka Springs. Sure you won’t change your mind and go with me?”
    “No.” Emerald sent him a heartfelt smile. “But thanks for asking, Theo. You’re the sweetest man I know.”
    He placed a finger to his lips. “Keep that to yourself, Em.” Standing, he pulled a bill from his pocket and offered it to her. “For the dresses. Go ahead, take it,” he insisted when she shook her head. “It’s for the other girls, too.”
    “Nope. Tell you what, you just bring all yourbusiness to us gals here at the Full Bucket and that’ll be payment enough.”
    Theo chuckled and dropped the bill into her lap. “Em, honey, I don’t have enough to go around.”
    Emerald laughed, dropping her gaze to a strategic place on his body. “That’s not what I hear, big gun. I hear there’s
plenty
to go around!”
    Theo chuckled and bent to kiss her rouged cheek. “God love you, Emerald. You’re good for my manly pride.”
    Regina was hanging wash on the line when she saw Dorrie Festerman trudging across the yard to her. Dorrie’s small, round face was pinched into creases of consternation and her arms were full of bright, dazzling fabrics.
    “Hello, Dorrie,” Regina said as the woman drew near. “What have you got there, dresses you want altered for the Spring Cotillion? I swear, I think every woman in this town is going to that party and they all want dresses made in a week’s