Come on, Maggie said. Follow me.
She led Raymond and Guthrie to a dark booth in the far corner that a friend from school had been saving for them. It’s about time, the woman said. I couldn’t have kept it much longer.
We’re here now, Maggie said. Thank you. We’ll take care of it.
They sat down. Raymond peered around in silent amazement and interest. There were other ranchers and farmers he knew, out for a Saturday night of dancing and partying, and a great number of people from town. He turned to look at the band and the people out on the floor dancing in wide circles. Presently a barmaid came up and they ordered drinks, then Guthrie and Maggie got up to dance to a song she said she liked. While they were gone the barmaid brought the tray of drinks and Raymond paid for them, and then the band stopped for a break and stepped down off the riser, and Maggie and Guthrie came back to the booth looking sweaty and red-faced and sat down across from him.
Did you pay for these? Guthrie said.
Yeah. It’s all right.
I still owe you a drink, Maggie said.
I ain’t forgetting.
Good, she said. I’m not either.
Maggie drank deeply from her glass, then she stood up and said she’d be back in a minute. Don’t let him disappear, she said to Guthrie.
He’s not going anywhere, Guthrie said.
The two men drank and talked about cattle, and Guthrie smoked, and Raymond asked him how his boys were doing, and all around them the big room stayed alive with movement and noise.
BEFORE THE BAND STARTED UP AGAIN MAGGIE RETURNED to the booth. With her was a woman Raymond didn’t know. She was short and middle-aged with curly dark hair, and she had on a shiny green dress with a bright floral pattern and short sleeves that revealed her round fleshy arms. Raymond, Maggie said, I want you to meet someone.
Raymond stood up out of the booth.
This is my friend Rose Tyler, Maggie said. And Rose, this is Raymond McPheron. I thought it was time you two got to know each other.
How do you do, Rose said.
Ma’am, Raymond said. They shook hands and he glanced at the booth. Would you care to join us?
Thank you, she said. I would.
She slid in and Raymond sat down beside her on the outside edge of the seat. Maggie sat down beside Guthrie across from them. Raymond put his hands forward on the table. He removed his hands and set them in his lap. Would you care to have a drink? he said.
That would be a very good idea, Rose said.
What would you like?
A whiskey sour.
He turned and peered out into the crowded dance hall. I wonder what you got to do to get that barmaid to come back, he said.
The band was playing a fast song, and Maggie nudged Guthrie and they stood up.
Where you two going? Raymond said. You’re not leaving, are you?
Oh, we’ll be back, Maggie said, then they moved out onto the floor and Guthrie swung her out and they began to dance.
Raymond watched them. He turned toward Rose. Maybe I should move over there to the other side.
You don’t have to, she said.
Well. He drank from his glass and swallowed. I’m sorry, I don’t believe I’ve ever heard of you, he said. Do you mind if I ask you about yourself?
I’ve lived in Holt a long time, Rose said. I work for Holt County Social Services.
Welfare, you mean.
Yes. But we don’t call it that anymore. I take care of people who need help. I have a caseload and try to help these people sort out their lives. I distribute food stamps and see that my clients get medical treatment, that kind of thing.
It must be a hard job.
It can be. But what about you? Rose said. I know you live out in the country. Maggie tells me you have a cattle ranch south of town.
Yes ma’am. We have a few cattle.
What kind?
Mostly crossbred blackbaldys.
I think I know that means they’re black with white faces.
Those are the ones. That’s correct.
I’ve heard of you, she said. About you and your brother. I suppose everybody in Holt heard about two men out in the country taking in a pregnant girl to live with them.
It was kind of hot news for a while, I guess, Raymond said. I didn’t much care for it myself. The way people talked. I couldn’t see how it was much of anybody else’s business.
No, Rose said. She looked at him and touched his arm. And I’m so sorry about your brother. I heard about that too. It must have been very hard.
Yes ma’am, it was. It was pretty bad.
He looked out to the dance floor but couldn’t see Maggie and Guthrie. Finally he said: I wonder what become of that barmaid.
Oh, she’ll be here after a while, Rose said. Wouldn’t you care to dance while we’re waiting?
Ma’am?
I said wouldn’t you care to dance.
Well, no ma’am. I don’t dance any. I never have done any dancing.
I have, she said. I can show you.
I’m afraid I’d step all over your toes.
They’ve been stepped on before. Will you try it?
You don’t think we could just sit here.
Let me show you.
Ma’am, I don’t know. You’d be awful sorry.
Let me worry about that. Let’s try.
Well, he said. He stood up and she slid out of the seat and took his hand and led him onto the floor. People were swirling around in what seemed to Raymond a violent and complicated commotion. The band finished the song to a small scattered applause, then began another in slow four-beat time. Raymond and Rose Tyler stood in the middle of the dance floor, and she drew his hand around the soft silky waist of her dress and set one of her hands on the shoulder of his wool shirt. Now just follow me, she said. She clasped his free hand and stepped back, pulling him toward her. He took a little step. Don’t look at your feet, she said.
What am I supposed to look at?
Look over my shoulder. Or you could look at me.
She moved backward and he followed her. She backed again and he stayed with her, moving slowly. Can you hear the beat? she said.
No ma’am. I can’t think about that and not step on you at the same time.
Listen to the music. Just try it. She began to count softly, looking at his face as she did, and he looked back at her, watching her lips. His face was concentrated, almost as if in pain, and he was holding himself back from her, so as not to press too close. They moved slowly around the floor among the other dancers, Rose still counting. They made a complete circuit. Then the song ended.
All right, thank you, Raymond said. Now I guess we better sit down.
Why? You’re doing fine. Didn’t you enjoy it?
I don’t know if you’d say enjoy exactly.
She smiled. You’re a nice man, she said.
I don’t know about that, either, he said.
The band began to play again. Oh, she said. A waltz. Now this is in three-four time.
The hell it is.
She laughed. Yes, it is.
I wasn’t even getting used to that other kind yet. I don’t know a thing about waltzes. Maybe I better take my seat.
No you don’t. You just have to count it out. Like before. I’ll teach you if you let me.
I suppose I can’t do no worse than I already done.
Put your arm around me again, please.
Like before?
Yes. Exactly like before.
He encircled her waist with his arm and she began to count it out for him. They moved slowly, one step, two steps, sliding around the floor, part of the crowd. Rose kept them moving.
LATER THEY WERE SITTING IN THE BOOTH AGAIN WITH Maggie Jones and Guthrie and they had each taken a second drink and were talking, and then a tall heavy man in a string tie and a brown western suit came up and asked Rose if she would care to dance. Raymond looked at her. All right, she said. He stood up and she slid out of the booth and the man led her onto the floor. Raymond watched them. The man knew how to dance, and was light on his feet despite his weight, and he twirled her around and they disappeared among the crowd of dancers.
I guess I’ll go on home now, Raymond said.
Why ever would you do that? Maggie said.
Because I know how this comes out.
No, you don’t. She’s only dancing with him. She’ll be back.
I don’t know that.
He turned toward the floor again as Rose and the man came swinging past.
Just wait, Maggie said. You’ll see.
Then the music ended and the man brought Rose back to the booth and thanked her. Raymond stood as she slid past him onto the seat and then sat back down beside her. There were little drops of sweat at her temples and her hair was damp at the edges of her face, her cheeks bright red. Would you get me another drink, please? she said.
I believe I can do that, Raymond said. He caught the eye of the barmaid and ordered them each another drink and they all began talking where they’d left off. After a while the big man in the string tie came back again to ask if Rose cared to dance, but she said she would sit this one out, that she was happy where she was.
Then Maggie and Guthrie went over to the bar to see some people they knew. Raymond waited until he saw they were talking with the other people, then turned back to Rose. Can I ask you something?
If you want to, Rose said.
I don’t even know how to ask it.
What do you want to know?
Well. I just want you to tell me right now if I got any chance of seeing you again. If you got somebody else hiding in the bushes I wish you’d tell me, so I don’t make a fool of myself.
She smiled. Hiding in the bushes? What bushes?
Any bushes.
There’s nobody hiding in the bushes.
There ain’t.
No. So does that mean you might call me?
Yes ma’am. That’s pretty much what it does mean.
When?
How about some night this coming week? Maybe you’d let me take you out for supper.
I’d look forward to it.
Would you?
Yes, I would.
Then I guess I’ll call you.
Then I guess I’ll be waiting.
Ma’am, I’ll be waiting myself, Raymond said.
THE DANCE ENDED AT MIDNIGHT AND THE LIGHTS CAME on in the dance hall, and the people in attendance at the firemen’s ball got up and moved up the stairs to the parking lot. Raymond walked Rose Tyler to her car and wished her good night, then turned toward home. Out in the country the wind had stopped and the entire vault of the moonless sky was crowded with stars. When he stepped out of the pickup, the house was dark and Victoria and Katie and Del Gutierrez were all in their beds. In the kitchen he turned the light on and got down a glass and drank some water, standing at the window looking out where the yardlight was shining across the outbuildings and over the horse barn and corrals.
Then Victoria came out to the kitchen in her nightgown and robe. She looked sleepy and dark-eyed.
Did I wake you? he said.
I heard you out here.
I thought I was being quiet.
How was it? she said. Did you have a good time?
I did.
What did you do?
Well, I spent most of the night with Tom and Maggie and a woman named Rose Tyler. Are you acquainted with her?
I don’t think so.
She’s a pretty nice woman.
What did she look like?
What did she look like? Well, she had dark hair. And she was about the same size as you, only not so thin.
What was she wearing?
I believe she had on a green dress. Kind of silky to the feel. She looked nice in it too.
And did you dance with her?
Yes ma’am. I was a dancing fool. She got me out there.
What kind of dancing?
Well, for one thing we did the waltz.
I don’t even know how to do that.
All you got to do is count it out. It’s three-four time Rose said.
Show me.
Now?
Yes.
Okay then. He took her hand and she set her other hand on his shoulder.
Go ahead. What’s wrong?
I’m trying to remember. Then he began to count and they danced twice around the kitchen table in a slow swaying movement, the old man with his stiff iron-gray hair and wool shirt and dark slacks, and the black-haired girl just risen from bed, come out to the room in her blue robe.
Thank you, she said when they had stopped.
I had me a good time tonight, he said.
I’m so glad.
And I know one other thing too. There’s a young girl that had her finger mixed up in this.
I might have had something to do with it, Victoria said. But not the dancing. I didn’t know about you and Rose Tyler.
He kissed her forehead. But don’t you do nothing else. I want to think I can manage the next step by myself.