A Lethal Lady
Chapter 11

If he thought he was going to give her details of his every move or decision, he was sadly mistaken. -Sheriff Wesley, I don't think it's right for you to hold a lady like this," Tom's eyes darkened instantly. It's not befitting such a respected gentleman in this town.

From the shock, Tom stood up, pushing the chair back sharply and standing a short distance away from Rouse. Such inappropriate proximity did draw the attention of the guest seated two tables away from them. But that didn't matter to Tom, if it got information out of the woman. -Lady?! Really, you're a lady? -she whispered without taking her eyes off him.

Rouse held his gaze, but inwardly he suspected that the man wouldn't give up if he could get as much information out of her as he could. Besides, what the hell with the closeness? They were too close, and that didn't look good, even if the audience was sparse. -Sheriff? -Suddenly Hilary's voice caught both their attention. What's wrong?

Rouse looked at Hilary, and he knew from the expression on her face that she was not happy about their proximity. Rouse wanted to avoid a misunderstanding, let alone a scandal over a jealous woman. So she released her grip on the sheriff's hand slyly. -With your permission," The blonde makes her way to the kitchen.

Knowing Hilary wasn't taking her eyes off him, Rouse opts to go around the tables and avoid walking past her, not because he was afraid of her, but because if he dared lay a finger on her he wouldn't hold back. It would not be very good for his record. Besides; that woman had fire in her eyes, let him take his anger out on the sheriff and not on her.

Once they were free of Rouse's presence, Hilary turned her gaze to the Tom.

-Any problems with the new clerk, sheriff?

-New clerk? You hired her?

-Yes, this morning. She came on the doctor's wife's recommendation, plus Lauren needs help with the hotel errands.

-I understand," he replies, sitting down.

-I know she's the stranger you found on the outskirts of town, if you mind her working here, I can fire her.

-That's fine. It doesn't matter.

By this time, Tom's hunger was gone. He resented the woman doing whatever she wanted, it was unbelievable how arrogant she was. But he would replace a way to be alone with her, without being disturbed, and at that moment he planned to interrogate her. And if he had to lock her in the cell, he would.

-Are you going to eat?

-Later," she replies, getting to her feet. Sorry, Hilary." He picks up his hat and nods by way of farewell.

The woman watches him leave, then goes to the kitchen. She takes the sheriff's untouched dinner and walks over to where her daughter and the deputy were... replaceing them both washing dishes.

-Are you in trouble with the law, Miss LeRoy? -Hilary asks loudly, then throws the dish on the table.

Lauren is startled by the violence with which her mother spoke, but Rouse doesn't even flinch at the woman's attitude. He just looked at her, he hadn't been wrong when he thought jealousy would drown the woman out. -No, I don't have a problem.

-It's not what I thought I saw a moment ago, I don't think the sheriff likes you.

-A lot of people don't like me," he stares at her.

Hilary averted her gaze, it was as if he was scanning her. He looked her up and down, I knew he didn't like her, but if he did, why the hell didn't he kick her out of the damn hotel once and for all?

-If you don't like me being here, I'll leave," he added defiantly, dropping the dishes.

-No, please mother. She's been helping me all day, and I've been able to finish the chores. Don't send her away. You know there aren't many ladies in town who want to work here, and the ones who do are the ones from the saloon. And you won't hire them. The mother looks at her daughter with a look of disapproval, it was only for a moment, but Rouse caught on quickly. What the hell was wrong with that woman, he wondered, why was she looking at her daughter like that?

-I won't throw her out, she'll keep working here. But I don't want to see you slacking off, let alone chasing after guests," she said with such irritation that Rouse was annoyed by her tone.

-You don't have to tell me, I'm not interested in anything you think. If I wanted to sell out, I'd have gone to the saloon.

Hilary gave him a last glance before leaving the kitchen.....

-She's always in a bad mood, I don't understand why.

-Why does she talk to you like that? Is she mad at you?

-If that's the case, then she's been upset with me since the day I was born. My mother is not very affectionate.

Something wasn't right, from the beginning Hilary didn't refer to her as her daughter. Rather, she described her as an employee, and now, she treated her as if she were a stranger. Rouse denied, and what did that have to do with her, she didn't care if this woman treated her daughter well or not. But even if she kept repeating it in her head, she couldn't help but feel a little irritated by what was going on between the two of them.

-Let's finish here, I want to go to sleep now.

-I understand, you must be in a lot of pain.

[...]

Tom enters the doctor's house and is greeted by the doctor's wife....

-Oh, sir, Wesley! What brings you here? Miss LeRoy is no longer in this house.

-I could see that," she replies with very little courtesy.

-I thought it wise to recommend her to Hilary, so that the young lady might be occupied with something, besides, she herself has asked me to help her replace a job," he excuses himself.

-My husband will be out in a moment, he's seeing a patient.

-Thank you very much.

I waited for what felt like a few minutes until Jesey came out of the room, accompanied by the blacksmith and his grandson.

-Sheriff, how are you doing? What happened to the young lady, the one my grandson found?

-That's what I came to ask the doctor.

-Oh, I see. In that case, we'll be leaving. With your permission.

-Come in.

-Tom, what's the matter? You must be aware by now that Miss LeRoy left this morning. As far as I know, Hilary has offered her a room, employment and food. According to my wife, she won't pay her much, but the lady accepted. -Why did you let her go?

-She is a very impetuous lady, I was not at home when she left, my wife is the one who helped her. By the time I returned, the lady had left.

-You shouldn't have let this happen, Jesey.

-I know," the doctor sits down in front of him. I'll tell you the truth, Tom, she's not fit to work in that hotel. I'm surprised she didn't come in to have her stitches checked.

Tom stands up, now he was anxious to meet her and bring her back to the doctor's house, even if he had to drag her out of the hotel.

-I'll go get her and bring her back," he said.

-I waited, sheriff. The trouble is, my wife wasn't too convinced about Miss LeRoy staying at the house. You know what she thinks, she doesn't think it's appropriate for a young unmarried woman to be alone. That's why I'm passing the responsibility to Hilary. -I understand," Tom hats his hat. I'll keep an eye on her personally at the hotel.

-My wife tells me Hilary gave her the room behind the hotel.

-We're seeing each other, doctor.

-Tom," the doctor's voice stops him. "She's just a lady in distress, she's alone and penniless, I don't think she's a dangerous woman. You should be a little tactful with her.

-Take care, Jesey." He nods, touching the tip of his hat and leaves the house, as he goes outside, the temperature had dropped a little, it was getting cold. A lady! -He whispers, as he looks at the hotel from afar.

Tom thought he would replace out what a lady this woman was, and if he had to be behind her all the time to replace out, he would do it. And he would start that very night.

He made his way to the hotel to replace Miss Rouse, he intended to ask her a few questions.

[...]

Wearing that heavy dress all the bloody day was torture, and it wasn't like the high society ladies' dresses. It was quite simple, but still, it was heavy and annoying. Luckily, she couldn't wear the corset; however, she didn't think it was necessary for her to wear it. She always felt it was an unnecessary garment.

As she stripped off each garment, the blonde was left in her underwear. She needed to take a bath. She was sure that, since she had been rescued, they had simply washed her body with a wet towel.

And from the hardness and bad smell of her hair, she sensed that she was right. She would take that bath, even if she had to do it outside.

In her petticoat and nightgown, the blonde steps out of her room, and the cool breeze ruffles her skin. The blonde looks around for the bathroom stall, and sees it in the background.

-Damn, how far away that damn place is.