Rescue on the Rio: Lilah (Finding Home Series #2) Read online

  Rescue on the Rio

  Finding Home Series

  "Lilah"

  Verna Clay

  For all heroic rescuers.

  Rescue on the Rio

  Finding Home Series

  "Lilah"

  Copyright © 2013 by Verna Clay

  All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce this book or portions thereof in any form whatsoever.

  For information contact:

  [email protected]

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  Publisher:

  M.O.I. Publishing

  "Mirrors of Imagination"

  Cover Design:

  Verna Clay

  Pictures:

  Fotoksa / Dreamstime.com (woman)

  Ericfoltz / iStockPhoto.com (Rio Grande River)

  This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are products of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events or locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

  Table of Contents

  Preface

  Prologue

  Chapter 1: Finding Lilah

  Chapter 2: Hallie's Letter

  Chapter 3: Clash of Wills

  Chapter 4: Brutus

  Chapter 5: Well Able

  Chapter 6: Train Station Blues

  Chapter 7: Headache

  Chapter 8: Posse

  Chapter 9: Fightin' Mad

  Chapter 10: Brutus Evens the Odds

  Chapter 11: New Destination

  Chapter 12: Laredo

  Chapter 13: History Lessons

  Chapter 14: Big G Ranch

  Chapter 15: Pearl

  Chapter 16: Bad Seed

  Chapter 17: Moving Forward

  Chapter 18: Traveling the Trails Again

  Chapter 19: San Antonio Madness

  Chapter 20: Family Ties

  Chapter 21: Heavenly Assistance

  Chapter 22: Transcontinental

  Chapter 23: Comeuppance

  Chapter 24: Overheard

  Chapter 25: Shortline to Reunion

  Chapter 26: Family Catch-Up

  Chapter 27: Townspeople

  Chapter 28: Showdown with Rush

  Epilogue

  Research Materials for Lilah: Rescue on the Rio

  Author's Note

  Missouri Challenge (excerpt)

  Finding Home Series #3

  Abby: Mail Order Bride (excerpt)

  Unconventional Series #1

  Novels and Novellas by Verna Clay

  Preface

  As always, I love peering into the minds of my heroes and heroines. For this story, it is Rush Garrett and Lilah Parker. Lilah is the sister of Hallie Wells Jerome from book one, Cry of the West, and Rush served in the military with Hallie's second husband, Cooper Jerome. It has been twenty years since the sisters parted ways and Cooper wants nothing more than to make his wife happy. It is to this end that he hires Rush, a bounty hunter, to locate Lilah and deliver a letter from Hallie encouraging her to travel to Oregon for a visit.

  The first meeting between Lilah and Rush is, shall we say, a mix up of personages; which was quite embarrassing for Lilah, but for me, great fun to write.

  Over the course of this adventure from New Orleans to Oregon, with some stop offs neither Rush nor Lilah foresaw, I gave them obstacles to overcome, but also plenty of time to get to know one another. Of course, Lilah has built tall fences around her heart, but I have a feeling Rush may have the fortitude and compassion to scale those barriers. I also have the feeling it will not be an easy task.

  Finally, heartfelt thanks to Damon Stafford, Rick Laws, and the friendly people at the Arizona Railway Museum in Chandler for taking time to answer my questions. Any factual errors are solely my responsibility. Research references are listed at the end of the book.

  Enjoy the Rescue,

  Verna Clay

  Prologue

  May, 1878

  Hallie Jerome stood beside her husband, Cooper, and waved goodbye to Rush Garrett as he mounted his horse. Circling her arms around Cooper's waist, she said, "Thank you, love."

  Cooper bent to kiss her cheek. "He'll find her, darlin'."

  "Yes, he will. And we'll have the biggest celebration Oregon City has ever seen. It'll be so big we'll have to use the Pittance Orphanage to fit everyone inside." Hallie's voice trembled as she repeated, "Yes, he'll find my sister."

  Chapter 1: Finding Lilah

  June, 1878

  Lilah Parker lovingly folded one of her sister's precious letters and returned it to its envelope. Placing the post back with the stack already inside an ornate chest, she fingered a tear. How I miss you, Hallie.

  Melancholia threatened to overwhelm her as she glanced around her beautifully appointed bedroom with its teak furniture and matching headboard imported from the Orient, the embossed lavender wallpaper from Europe, and the dark purple velvet draperies sewn by the finest seamstress in New Orleans. The affect was colorful, but elegant; bold, but tasteful. The room, however, gave her no pleasure. Years ago, her joy had waned along with her lust for life's adventures.

  She exited her room and went in search of Mary, her housekeeper and cook. In the two months since Lilah and Mary had bid a tearful farewell to Vera, the former cook, Lilah had done her best to help with household chores. Vera's departure, a result of dwindling funds from Lilah's benefactor, still rankled.

  What's to become of Mary and me?

  Finding Mary in the kitchen, she reached for a knife to help peel potatoes, but the woman who had become like a mother to her over the years, protested, "Honey, you go read that novel you started. I've got dinner taken care of."

  Normally, Lilah would have helped anyway, but perhaps a good book would distract her from her morose thoughts. Settling onto the settee in the sitting room of her two story townhouse, she reached for her book on a nearby table, but ended up staring blankly into the empty hearth, fingering another tear.

  Just as she had anticipated, her fading beauty had brought her to a crossroads. Now, at the age of thirty-eight, threads of gray hair were making an appearance and tiny lines creased the sides of her mouth and eyes; her shapely figure carried a few extra pounds. To the casual observer, she was just as lovely as she had always been, but to her benefactor, she was his aging mistress.

  For the past fifteen years, Charles Karney had kept her in style, and she had been the envy of women in her profession. However, Charles had finally been charmed by another; a young, beautiful, and vivacious courtesan with golden hair and burnished skin, possibly the most exotic woman in New Orleans, and coveted by all the wealthy gentlemen who supported mistresses, often with the approval of their wives. Years ago, Charles had confided that his wife, a supporter and leader of the most renowned charities, knew of his relationship with Lilah and, in fact, encouraged him to satisfy his lust with another woman, rather than herself.

  The fact that Charles was replacing her was not the reason for her anguish however, it was his request. How he could ask something so degrading was unbelievable. For fifteen years she had remained faithful to him, even during the fall and occupation of New Orleans by Union soldiers, and then throughout reconstruction, and now he wanted her to entertain a wealthy businessman just arrived from California whom he was trying to impress. She had not been misled by his use of the term "entertain." He wanted her to sleep with the stranger. The very thought brought bile to the back of her throat.

  Of course, she could refuse, but Charles had sweetened the request with money, no doubt a calculation on his part after reducing her allowance substantia
lly. He had said that if she chose to comply, he would give her a generous reward.

  Over the years, Lilah had saved against the day of her removal, but the amount amassed would only support her and Mary for a couple of years if they did nothing. Earning her keep by finding another patron, sickened her, and because of her age, it would only be a short time before she was again replaced. She did not want to continue being a man's mistress, but she needed additional funds to establish herself as a seamstress.

  Lilah fingered her diamond necklace. From the beginning, Charles had made it clear that when their arrangement ended, most of the jewelry bestowed upon her was not hers to keep. After all, it was shrewd business practices that had made him so wealthy and influential in the first place. There were some pieces, however, that with uncharacteristic generosity, he had given without restriction; most notably when she had pleased him exceptionally well. Lilah was also shrewd and always clarified the ultimate ownership of the jewelry, mentally adding pieces that could be sold in emergencies.

  The bottom line now, was that she needed all the money she could acquire, and when she'd asked Charles how much if she fulfilled his request, she had been staggered by his reply. Obviously, the gentleman he wanted her to "entertain" was very important to his financial empire.

  Emotional anguish threatened to double Lilah over. She and Charles had developed a friendship throughout the years, so his request of her services for someone else, hurt beyond measure. She wanted to flat out refuse and deride him for his insensitivity. However, when considering the future for Mary and herself, she knew she would comply. After all, she was already a fallen woman. What did one more encounter matter. She would give herself to a stranger, accept the money Charles offered, and then leave her beautiful townhouse along with faithful Mary. After finding a simple cottage, they would live out their lives in loneliness, Mary, an aged widow who, at the age of twenty, had lost the love of her life to cholera after only two weeks of marriage, and she, a woman who would always wonder what her life could have been had she made different choices.

  * * *

  Rush Garrett lifted his hand to knock on the elaborate door of the townhouse in a quiet community off the beaten path.

  Of course it's on the outskirts; the woman is a rich man's mistress.

  The door was opened by a large boned, harsh-faced, housekeeper wearing a white apron. Standing almost as tall as Rush's six-foot-two, she said, "May I help you?"

  Rush removed his Stetson. "Yes, ma'am, I'm here to see Miss Lilah Parker."

  The housekeeper stared at Rush with such animosity that he was taken aback. Before he could introduce himself, she said curtly, "Follow me," and started walking down the central hallway. She pointed at a hat rack. "You can stow your hat there." Rush did as requested and then followed the stiff-backed woman. His expectation was that he would be ushered into the library or sitting room, but she continued up a staircase at the rear. Following an upstairs hallway leading back toward the front of the house, she paused at a door and knocked three times before opening it.

  "Please go in, sir," she said with evident hostility.

  Rush lifted an eyebrow, nodded, and stepped past her into a bedroom. The housekeeper quietly shut the door.

  Immediately, Rush's attention was drawn to a woman gazing out one of three tall windows overlooking the street. From behind, he admired her upswept honey colored hair with corkscrew curls teasing her graceful neck and bared shoulders. Her lavender dress hugged generous curves and he found himself comparing her to her tiny sister, Hallie. He almost laughed aloud. Whereas his friend's wife was thin and reed like, this woman, at least from behind, was luscious. She turned and Rush's breath whooshed from his chest. Lilah Parker was exotically beautiful with the body of a goddess; a well-endowed goddess.

  For a second she seemed unnerved, but composed herself and stepped forward. "Welcome, sir. Please make yourself comfortable. Can I pour you a glass of wine, champagne, or something stronger?"

  Rush wanted a shot of whiskey, but he said, "Ah, no ma'am. Thank you, though." He stepped farther into the room. The bed to his left was distracting and he wiped images from his mind. This was Hallie's sister and Cooper had hired him to find her and persuade her to come to Oregon for a visit.

  The beauty stepped closer and Rush's brain felt like mush. He was just about to introduce himself when she stopped only a hairsbreadth from him. The top of her head reached the middle of his chest. She glanced upward. Now he had a close up of this stunning woman. He knew she was well into her thirties, and although her face was enhanced by women's paints, tiny lines could be seen at the corners of her eyes. Even so, to him, the lines only made her more desirable. Hers was the face of a woman who was anything but simpering. And although she lived in a lovely home, she did not give the impression of being spoiled. She seemed sure of herself, a woman who could hold her own in the world. Oddly, that fact increased her sensuality. However, he never mixed business with pleasure and he needed to reveal the reason for his presence.

  Unexpectedly, she reached a hand to the stubble on his face and he stared into gray-green eyes so pale as to seem otherworldly. His gaze roamed her aristocratic bone structure and straight, thin nose. On this woman, a cute up-tilted nose would have been an atrocity.

  Her hand moved from his face to the top button of his shirt, and was joined by her other hand. She said, "Would you like me to undress you?"

  "Excuse me, ma'am?"

  She sighed and her sweet breath distracted him. With nimble fingers, she unbuttoned his top button and moved to the next one. Although he still wore his duster, it did not detract her intent to undress him. Mesmerized, Rush lowered his lids to stare at her pink lips. When the top half of his shirt was unbuttoned, she slid her hands inside and caressed his upper body. For a second, he closed his eyes and wanted to give in to the craziness of the moment, but loyalty to his friends, as well as his gentlemanly instincts, would not allow it.

  Lifting his hands, he grasped her wrists to still her movements. "Ma'am, I think you've confused me with someone else. My name is Rush Garrett and I've been hired by your brother-in-law, Cooper Jerome, and your sister, Hallie, to find you and bring you to Oregon."

  The courtesan's eyes widened and she jerked her hands from inside his shirt at the same time she jumped backwards. Her foot caught on a throw rug and she started to topple. Rush grabbed her by the waist and jerked her forward, which brought her body flush against his, and he almost groaned as the lushness of her breasts molded to his lower chest. Lifting her hands, she pushed against him and backed away again.

  Her voice sounded breathless and her lips trembled when she said, "I-I don't understand."

  Patiently, Rush buttoned his shirt, and said, "I'm a friend of your brother-in-law. We served together as Northerners in the war, and, well, I'm sort of in the business of finding people, so he hired me to locate you." He reached into the pocket of his duster and retrieved an envelope. "This letter from your sister will explain everything." He stepped forward and the woman stepped backwards. Rather than approach her, he laid the letter on a nearby table.

  "Ma'am, I'll just wait downstairs while you read it."

  Chapter 2: Hallie's Letter

  Lilah watched the door close behind the cowboy. Her body trembled so violently she didn't know if she could make her legs move. Inhaling deeply, she stared at the letter for a long time. Finally, with tears clouding her vision, she forced herself toward the table. After another long pause, she lifted the letter and clutched it to her breast. She hadn't written her sister for over a year, and prior to that, she had only responded to Hallie's letters sporadically, always giving her return address as general delivery. She bit her quivering lip. It wasn't that she didn't want to write, it was that every time she did, she felt guilty for fabricating lies about her life. Her sister believed her to be a seamstress in a fashionable dress shop.

  Placing her finger under the flap, she slowly broke the seal, and with a pounding heart, removed the letter w
ritten on Hallie's familiar stationary. Her legs went weak so she moved to her bed and sat on the edge.

  By now, tears were dripping down her cheeks and she could barely make out Hallie's lovely handwriting.

  My dearest sister Lilah,

  If you are reading this letter, then my prayers have been answered. I have not received correspondence from you for so long that my mind wants to fear the worst. But I refuse to give in to those thoughts. It has been twenty years since we sold Pa and Ma's farm and went our separate ways. I pray that your life has been good. As for myself and Tim, we suffered great sorrow after Thomas's death, but the Good Lord sent us an honorable man to become my husband and Tim's father. These past twelve years of marriage to Cooper Jerome have filled my life with joy and given Tim two brothers and a sister. Maddie is ten years old and Beau is five. Cooper already had a son, and so Tim was blessed with an older brother named Jake.

  Of course, you know these happenings because you used to respond to my letters. However, it is my pleasure to write these things again.

  Now here is the crux of my letter, dearest sister. I miss you so much! And it is my greatest desire that we should laugh together again in this life. I know we shall reunite on the other side, but my heart yearns for you now.

  Cooper, ever mindful of completing my happiness, knows that the one thing lacking is your sweet presence. So, Lilah, if Mr. Garrett delivers this letter to you, please, please, consider allowing him to accompany you to Oregon. He is an honest man and you will be safe under his protection. He will guard you with his life. Cooper served bravely with him in the war and I first made his acquaintance seven years ago when he came to Oregon to visit us.