He was too short of breath to speak. All he could do was croak, “Goodness! My goodness.”
She leaned forward and kissed him softly on the lips. “Good night.”
Before he could say a word she was suddenly gone. He turned his head just in time to catch the motion of the Higginses’ door opening and closing. She was gone. Only the scent of her musk lingered to prove that she had been there.
He lay still for a few moments, slowly coming back to himself. He finally realized he was freezing to death with the blankets thrown back and his bare skin exposed to the chilly air. He jumped up, took two small logs off the wood stack, and threw them on the fire, jumping out of the way of the shower of sparks. Then, as quickly as he could, he pulled his jeans on, not bothering to button them back up. Finally he lay down and got under his two blankets. He laid his head back on the seat of his saddle and stared up at the ceiling, now visible by the glow from the replenished fire. Hell, he thought, did I dream that? Was she really out here? Did she just milk me and milk me dry? Did I ever even touch her? His hands ached for the feel of her breasts, her belly, her thatch, the warmth and caress of her vagina. But they were empty. He had touched her with his eyes and his imagination, but nothing else. She had been the ringmaster. All he’d done was lay back and be astonished.
He shook his head. The girl was no hooker, but if she wanted to be she could make a fortune. He’d never known a woman who could do what Rita Ann could. She could tease you and tempt you and hold your hand just away from the cookie plate, and then, all of a sudden, gorge you until you didn’t think anymore. She was truly something. He remembered her in the gray gown, remembered thinking how unremarkable and almost dowdy she’d seemed, about as exciting as an old-maid schoolteacher. Well, he wasn’t going to think that anymore.
With an effort he took his mind off her and turned on his side and forced his mind to go blank. As it was he was dead for sleep and, even if he hurried, he was probably going to get no more than five hours’ worth.
He awoke to the sound of someone moving around on the floor near his bed. He opened his eyes carefully, not sure for a second where he was or what time it was. He saw a pair of boots and then some old khaki pants, and looked up. It was Higgins putting more logs on the fire. He could see that it was still dark out, but the old man appeared to be up for the morning. Longarm sat up, rubbing at his eyes.
Higgins said, “Marshal, you awake? Hope I didn’t wake you up slinging these blamed logs around, but the old woman wanted this part of the place warmed up before her and the girl come out. She thought we’d all eat breakfast out here.”
“What time is it?” Longarm’s mouth felt like glue. “Hell, I was sleeping hard.”
“‘Bout half past five. But you can nod on off again if you be a mind. It’ll be a good half a hour ‘fore Sylvie can get breakfast fixed. Though she’s got Rita Ann a-he’pin’ her. That’s a right pert girl, you know that?”
“Yeah,” Longarm said. He yawned. Higgins was dressed in the tops of his long underwear with just his suspenders to hold up the old pair of pants he was wearing. The fire was heating up, and Longarm threw back the covers and went to hunting for his socks. When he’d found them, he pulled one on each foot and then put on his boots. He picked up his shirt and stood up. “I better move my bedroll before you set it on fire.”
Higgins looked around quickly. “I gettin’ fahr on you?”
“Naw. I just said it for a good excuse to get my old bones moving.” He began rolling up his blankets and slicker. He said, “Wonder about the doctor.”
“What about the doctor?”
“Wonder where he slept.”
Higgins turned around. “With the Mexicans, I’d reckon. I made it plain as paint to him that we wasn’t no hotel an’ didn’t have no room fer overnight guests. Said he was welcome to as much of the prairie as he could occupy.”
“Wonder what he thought about me and Rita Ann.”
Higgins turned away, dusting his hands. “Wa’l, that wouldn’t be any of his business. He come in here like a fine gentleman like yoreself an’ matters might of been different. But he staggers round here tryin’ to get free whiskey, he can go to blazes for all I care. I reckon we’ll eat on this end of the table, close to the fire. It won’t be quite sunup by the time Sylvie gets it on the table. And shore as hell won’t have warmed up none.”
“Wonder how the doctor made out last night. It was some cold, I would reckon.”
“Pshaw!” Higgins said. “Tanked up as he was, he’d of melted a heavy snowfall. Nosir, that man couldn’t have frozen in a snowbank. I wouldn’t go to lightin’ no matches around him. Nosiree, Bob. An’ if he was in here I’d make damn sure he never got close to the fahr.”
Longarm walked over close to the bar to get away from the now-roaring fire. He expected that Higgins had either gotten caught up in his own words and forgotten what he was doing, or was planning on heating the outside as well. The bottle of whiskey was sitting where he’d left it the night before, and even though it wasn’t daylight yet, he poured a little in a glass, added some water, and then took a mouthful and swished it around to clean his mouth up a little. He’d have liked to wash his face and the back of his neck, but the only water was at the back of the Higginses’ bedroom, and that was blocked off by whatever the ladies were doing.
He said to Higgins, “Don’t you reckon you ought to open the front door?”
The old man came over, sweating lightly. “What would I want to do that for?”
“Might be a rattlesnake out there is about froze. Might save his life.”
Higgins wheeled around and looked at the fire. “You know, I might have got that blaze built up a little. By golly, you are right. Gonna be too hot to eat at that end of the table. I reckon I had better open the front door. Let some air in here to mix around.”
He had barely gotten it open when Sylvia and Rita Ann came out of the household quarters, each of them carrying a platter. Higgins had lit several lamps, and Longarm got a good look at Rita Ann. She was wearing a flowered skirt and a plain white short-sleeved blouse. The skirt was short, coming just above her knees, and the blouse was of a thin material and tight, accentuating the shape and erectness of her breasts. She gave Longarm a sly smile and said, “Good morning, Mr. Long.”
“Good morning,” he said. He stared at her, thinking of how she’d looked in the gray dress the day before and then how she’d been that night. She was like a stick of dynamite, just lying there in a brown paper wrapper until you set it off. And then you got the surprise. And the explosion. And the fireworks. He kept staring at her, hoping she’d make some kind of sign so he’d be certain he hadn’t dreamed the night before, but she went serenely on with helping Mrs. Higgins lay breakfast.
Mrs. Higgins said, “Herman, whatever has possessed you?” She was fanning herself with an empty plate. “I thought it was hot in that kitchen but, laws, you have set the very fires of Hell loose in this place!”
Higgins looked guilty. “I got the front door open. She’ll cool off right quick.”
“Well, we can’t eat till it does. Laws, a person couldn’t put a bite of food in their mouth in such heat. Wouldn’t be healthy.”
Longarm went over to his saddlebags and got out his toothbrush and a bar of soap. He asked Mrs. Higgins if he might go in the bathroom and clean up a little.
She said, “Why, bless you, yes. Rita Ann will show you where they’s some bakin’ soda and salt for your teeth, won’t you, dear?”
Rita Ann looked over at Longarm. “I’d be right happy to,” she said.