--------
*Seven*
Frank and Vivian stood for several silent seconds, staring at each other, before Frank took off his hat and said, "Ma'am. Your son is not hurt much. He just grabbed hold of a mite more than he could handle, that's all."
"It was not a fair contest," Conrad objected. "That thug struck me before I was ready."
"What thug?" Vivian asked.
"Mr. Owens," one of the office workers said. "He was in here again about his money."
"The man I spoke with yesterday?" Vivian asked.
"Yes, ma'am."
"Did you give him his money, as I instructed?"
"Ah ... no, ma'am. We didn't."
"I told them not to pay him," Conrad said. "He was adequately compensated for the work he performed."
Vivian closed her eyes just for the briefest second and shook her head. "Conrad, you go see Dr. Bracken. Your jaw is bruised and swelling a bit."
"Mother -- "
"Now!"
"Yes, Mother."
"I'm pretty sure it isn't broken, ma'am," Frank said. "Just get some horse liniment and rub it on the sore spot. That'll take care of it."
"Horse liniment?" Conrad blurted. "I think not. I'll be back in a few minutes, Mother." He left the middle office, walking gingerly, rubbing his butt, which was probably bruised from impacting with the floor.
Outside, the excited shouting was still going on.
"A new strike, Mrs. Browning?" a bookkeeper asked.
"Yes. A big one. We'll be hiring again. And we need Mr. Owens. If he comes back in, pay him for the days he missed while hurt and put him back to work."
"Yes, ma'am."
"I'll probably see him around town, ma'am," Frank said. "I'll tell him to check back here."
"Thank you, Marshal. Would you please step into my office? I'd like to speak with you for a moment."
"Certainly, ma'am."
In the office, behind a closed door, Vivian grasped Frank's hands and held them for seconds. Finally she pulled back and sat down in one of several chairs in front of her desk. Frank sat down in the chair next to her.
"It's been a long time, Frank."
"Almost eighteen years."
"You know my father is dead?"
"I heard."
"Frank, I want you to know something. I knew within days that my father made up all those charges he was holding over you back in Denver. I also knew that you left to protect me -- "
"Water under the bridge, Viv. It's long over."
"No. Let me finish. I did some checking of my own, and found out father had paid those detectives to falsify charges against you. I confronted him with that knowledge. At first he denied it. Then, finally, he admitted what he'd done. He hated you until the day he closed his eyes forever. He threatened to cut me off financially if I didn't do his bidding. I didn't really have much choice in the matter. Or, more truthfully, I thought I didn't have a choice. When I finally realized father was bluffing, it was too late. You were gone without a trace, and I was pregnant."
That shook Frank right down to his spurs. He stared at Vivian for a long moment. "Are you telling me that ... Conrad is my son?"
"Yes."
Frank had almost blurted out, _You mean to tell me that prissy, arrogant little turd is my son?_ But he curbed his tongue at the last possible second. He stared at Viv until he was sure he could speak without betraying his totally mixed emotions. "Did the man you married know this?"
"Yes, Frank. He did. My late husband was a good, decent man. He raised Conrad as if he were his own."
"Does the boy know?"
"No. He doesn't have a clue."
"Your father had a hand in raising him, didn't he?"
"Quite a bit. He spent a lot of time back east with us. Several years before he died, father was with us almost all the time."
"Viv, ah ... the boy..." Frank paused and frowned.
"Doesn't fit in out here? I know. He probably never will. He hates the West. He loves to ride. He's really very good. But he won't ride out here."
"Why not?"
"The way he rides, his manner of dress. He just doesn't fit in."
"He rides one of those dinky English saddles?"
"Yes."
"Don't tell me wears one of those silly-looking riding outfits."
"Yes, he does."
"I bet he got a laugh from a lot of folks the first time he went out in public, bobbing up and down like a cork with a catfish on it."
Vivian smiled despite herself. "I'm afraid he did."
"I can imagine. Wish I'da seen that myself."
Viv's smile faded. "Why'd you come here, Frank? To this town, I mean."
"Oh, I didn't have anything else to do. Besides, I heard you were in trouble up here. Had a lot of silver to ship, and nobody would take it out for you."
"Tons of it, Frank. Tons and tons of it. Worth a fortune. But getting it out of these mountains and to a railroad has proven to be quite a chore."
"How many shipments have been hijacked?"
"Several. You have any ideas on how to get it out?"
"Oh, I imagine I could get some boys in here to take the shipments through. But they don't come cheap."
"I think I can afford them."
Frank smiled. "I 'spect you can, at that."
"Look into that for me, will you?"
"I sure will. I'll send some wires first thing in the morning."
"I would appreciate it. Frank? How are we going to handle this? You and I, I mean."
"How do you want to handle it, Viv?"
"I ... don't know. I'm not sure."
"Did you love him? Your late husband."
She averted her eyes for a few seconds and said, "No. I liked him. But I didn't love him."
"There has never been another woman for me, Viv."
"Nor another man for me, Frank. Not really."
"And there it stands, I suppose."
"I suppose so, Frank."
"It would cause talk if I came calling, wouldn't it?"
"If you don't come calling, Frank, I'll have some of my miners come looking for you."
Frank smiled at her. Vivian had lost none of her beauty. She had matured -- that was all. "I'll drop by tomorrow, Viv. What time will you be in the office?"
"From seven o'clock on. We'll be working long hours for a while, now that the new strike is in."
"I'll try to get by at midmorning. You'll be ready for a coffee break by then."
"I'll be here waiting, Frank. And don't be surprised at how I'm dressed."
"Oh?"
"I've set many a tongue wagging in this town by occasionally dressing in men's britches."
"Really?" Frank smiled as he met Viv's eyes. "Now _that_ I'd like to see." Viv was a very shapely lady.
Vivian returned his smile. "Midmorning tomorrow it is, Frank."
Frank picked up his hat from me carpeted floor by his chair and stood up. He looked at Vivian for a moment, then said, "What about Conrad, Viv?"
"Let's just let that alone for the time being. It's much too soon to even be thinking about that."
"As you wish, Viv. Tomorrow, then."
"Yes."
Frank left the office, closing the door behind him, and walked the length of the building to the front, ignoring the curious looks from the office workers. He stood on the boardwalk for a moment, listening to the excited whooping and hollering from the milling crowds on the main street. By this time tomorrow, the town would be filling up again. Closed and boarded-up stores would be reopening, and new merchants coming in. Surely there would be a couple more saloons. And there would be a lot of riffraff making their way to the town.