Millie (Pendleton Petticoats Book 7) Page 24

  Consumed with his memories, Gideon stared blankly at something only he could see. Just when Millie concluded he had finished whatever he needed to say, Gideon spoke again. “Drunk or sober, my stepfather was a mean, vindictive, horrid man. He’s the reason I don’t drink and never will. He’s also the reason I’ll never marry. After growing up under his influence, I’m afraid I might turn into a man like Judas if I took a wife and had children.”

  “No, Gideon. No you wouldn’t,” Millie whispered, rising from her chair and kneeling on the floor in front of him. She placed her hands over his and gave them a comforting squeeze. “You’re a good, honorable man, Gideon McBride. You’re nothing like your stepfather. If your father was alive, I bet you’d be the spitting image of him.”

  Gideon gave her a soft smile. “I like to think so. My mother described him as having hair the color of a new penny. She said he had eyes that shone like a spring meadow with dimples in his cheeks. My middle name is Michael, after him.”

  “Your mother must have seen him in you.”

  “I suppose,” Gideon said, recalling the love his mother lavished upon him. “She’s the reason I enjoy cooking. It was something we did together, something that was just for the two of us without Judas involved.”

  Millie offered him a saucy smile. “I’m glad she taught you.”

  A ghost of a smile touched his lips. He turned over his hands, so he could clasp hers. “Now you know why keeping the saloons open is important to me, Millie. I’m afraid without a place to go that more men will vent their frustrations on their women and children.”

  “Oh, I hope not.” She took a seat beside him. “From my experience, it’s after they’ve imbibed when they lose the ability to control their tempers.”

  “What experience do you have? You said you know firsthand, but how, Millie. How do you know?”

  At the stricken look on her face, he wrapped an arm around her and pulled her against his side. She fit so perfectly there, like God had created only one woman to be held close to his heart and Millie was the one. Gideon might not ever take a chance on marriage, but it sure didn’t keep him from imagining what it would be like to spend his future with Millie.

  Finally, she spoke, her voice barely more than a whisper. “My parents loved each other and seemed happy, at least from what I can remember from my early years. My father worked as a civil engineer in Salem. He’d gone out to check on construction of a bridge he helped design and something happened. I was too young to know all the details, but something struck my father in the back and injured him quite badly. He was in horrible pain and spent months recovering. The company he worked for turned against him and he never returned to work. Once he recovered, he worked odd jobs and started drinking. My mother said it helped with his pain, but I think he drank to forget all that he’d lost. Mother supported us as best she could by working as a midwife and doing mending and stitching. That’s how I learned to sew, by helping her. We’d sit in the evenings and embroidery fancy linens, waiting for the moment when father would stumble in the door. The more he drank, the more violent he became.”

  Gideon rubbed his hand up and down her arm, hoping to offer her comfort.

  She tipped back her head and looked at him with tears in her eyes. “You aren’t the only one who bears scars from wicked men.”

  Visions of a young Millie being beaten by her drunken father made his jaw clench.

  Unaware of his anger, she continued. “Mother usually bore the brunt of Father’s wrath. She’d tell our friends that she fell down the steps or accidently bumped into the wall, but they knew. They all knew. One of mother’s friends tried to get us to leave, to live with her, but Father found out and threatened to kill us and her, so we stayed. One night, Father came home not quite as drunk as usual. He took off his belt and started hitting me with it. Mother grabbed it away from him, so he threw her down and…” A shudder passed over Millie and she curled tighter against Gideon’s chest. “She just couldn’t take anymore and something in her snapped. I don’t know how she got away from him, but she managed to grab the gun Father kept in the house. She shot him once in the chest and…” Millie choked on the words, “once in the head.”

  “Oh, Millie.” Gideon kissed her temple, not knowing what to say to a woman who had witnessed such horror. “How old were you, honey?”

  “Fifteen. I ran to the neighbor’s house and pounded on the door until they let me in. The police came and took my mother away and that was the last time I saw either of them.”

  “Is your mother still alive?” Gideon asked.

  “Last I heard. She’s serving a life sentence for murdering my father.” She brushed at tears trickling down her cheeks. In the past eleven years, it was the first time she’d told anyone her story. Despite the pain the memories resurrected, she felt as though a heavy weight had lifted from her chest by sharing it with Gideon. “Even though she killed him in self-defense, even though he most likely would have killed us both sooner or later, she’s the one in prison.”

  “Have you ever tried to get in touch with her?”

  “Years ago, but she refused to see me and sent my letters back unopened.”

  “So you’ve been on your own all this time?” Gideon rocked to one side and pulled a snowy white handkerchief from his pocket, handing it to her.

  “Yes. I was fortunate that Mother’s friend helped me get a job at a telephone office. I was good at being an operator and worked my way up through the ranks. When I was offered the position here in Pendleton to manage the office, I jumped at the opportunity to move somewhere no one knew me, where I wouldn’t have to endure the sympathetic stares of friends.” Millie released a long sigh. “Do you understand, Gideon, why prohibition is so important to me? If Father had never started drinking, I like to think he’d still be alive and Mother wouldn’t be the same as dead to me.”

  “I do understand, Millie, and I’m so, so sorry for all you’ve had to endure.” Gideon pressed another kiss to her temple and held her close.

  “I’m sorry for you, too, Gideon.” She gazed up at him with moisture filling her eyes. “And I’m sorry I’ve been so awful to you. Deep down, I knew you cared about me, no matter what those men said.”

  “It’s my fault for going along with their plans. However, the only reason I agreed in the first place was because you’d already caught my eye.”

  She grinned. “You’re just saying that to make me feel better.”

  “No, ma’am, I’m not. If I hadn’t been so taken with you, do you think I’d have allowed you and the other ladies to stand outside singing Saloons Must Go that first night you started your temperance work?”

  Gideon’s deep baritone filled her apartment with the song:

  Saloons must go, saloons must go

  Of home sweet home the deadliest foe;

  With pray’r and work the world we’ll show,

  Saloons must go!

  Millie giggled and smacked his chest. “If we sounded half that good when we sing, we’d probably have a lot more support for our cause.”

  He laughed and cuddled her close. “Would you give me a second chance, Miss Millie Matlock, to begin our friendship anew?”

  “That would be most satisfactory, Mr. McBride.”

  Chapter Twenty

  The first day of June arrived with a heat wave and a group of saloon owners nervously awaiting the outcome of the ballots being cast throughout not just the city of Pendleton, but Umatilla County.

  That evening, the saloons were all packed to overflowing as men gathered to mull over what would happen if the outcome swayed against their favor.

  While Gideon worked behind the bar at the Second Chance Saloon with Abel, Millie and her temperance committee stayed home. Antsy and unable to sit still that evening, Millie tugged on her gloves, pinned on her hat, and grabbed a parasol. She walked up the hill to visit Lacy and Grant.

  The couple welcomed her with genuine warmth and insisted she join them for dinner.

  Benea
th the cool shade of the trees in their backyard, they ate a simple meal Lacy made and discussed everything except the election.

  Grant brought up news he’d heard about a group wanting to blow up the Panama Canal. Lacy discussed Walker’s plans for the summer. Although he was in Portland attending college to become an architect, her brother hoped to spend some time home in July and August before the autumn session began.

  “I still can’t believe your father allowed Walker to go to school,” Millie said, sipping the glass of cold berry juice Lacy had served after dinner.

  “I can’t quite believe it either. I’m not sure if Walker’s pleading, my sister insisting, or Grandmother’s threats did the trick, but at least Walker is able to pursue his dreams.” Lacy smiled at her husband. “And he can do so without worrying about his finances thanks to my wonderful husband.”

  Grant shrugged in his typical humble fashion. “The boy has talent and it shouldn’t be wasted. I just hope he’ll decide to settle here when he finishes his schooling. We could use an architect of his caliber in town.”

  The conversation shifted to some of the neighboring communities.

  “Did you see the article in the paper about the Caledonian picnic?” Millie asked as she took another drink of the sweet strawberry juice.

  “I did. One of these years, we need to attend it,” Lacy said, smiling at her friend.

  Grant waggled his eyebrows and grinned at his wife. “You just want to see those Scotsmen running around in their kilts.”

  Lacy blushed and smacked his arm. “Maybe I want to purchase one and have you model it.”

  Their laughter filled the evening air as they continued to joke and tease until the sun started to set. Millie carried dishes inside but Lacy refused to let her help wash them.

  “It’ll be dark soon, Millie, and I don’t think it’s a good night for you to be out alone.”

  “I’d be happy to walk you home,” Grant said, taking a step closer to the door.

  Millie shook her head. “I assure you, I can make it to my apartment with no trouble. There isn’t a saloon between here and there, and I’m quite sure the downtown businesses on our street are all closed. I’ll be fine.”

  Before they could argue, Millie gave Lacy a hug, smiled at Grant, and then rushed out the door.

  She kept a lively pace down the hill, across the bridge, and to the telephone office door. Although part of her wished she could go see Gideon, she’d rather be dragged through the streets in only her chemise and drawers than set foot inside his saloon when it was open for business.

  Grateful he’d made the effort to talk to her and renew their friendship, Millie tried hard to convince herself it was best if they remained only friends.

  She’d seen Gideon several times since the night he’d barged in her door, but he’d not made any attempt to kiss her. Part of her was glad for his restraint, but mostly she was disappointed.

  In spite of her head telling her it was for the best, her heart, traitorous thing that it was, longed for his lips and his love.

  As she locked the door and started up the stairs, she listened to the telephone ring. The last week, she’d not allowed anyone to stay past six in the evening, concerned about her telephone girls being out at night.

  Once things settled down, she’d return to having the telephone service available in the evenings. In the meantime, she fielded calls until she went to bed.

  Hurrying to answer it, she connected the call then flicked on the stair light and went up to her apartment. She’d just donned her nightgown when another call come in so she yanked on her wrapper and rushed to answer it. Annoyed when it was Peter Downing wanting to tell his sweetheart good night, Millie connected the call then went upstairs to bed.

  Long after she’d closed her eyes, she prayed for peace about whatever happened with the election.

  Tension hung thick in the air the following day as everyone awaited to hear the election results. Calls came in faster than they could be answered with people thirsty to know if the county would go dry.

  Finally, the editor at the newspaper called Millie with the preliminary results and asked her to remind everyone to check the newspaper the following day for complete details.

  Stunned by the voters’ support of prohibition, Umatilla County as well as Morrow, Union and Wallowa counties would go dry. As of the first of July, the saloons would close their doors.

  Millie didn’t know whether to cheer or cry. Gideon would be devastated by the news, although she didn’t think it would surprise him.

  She sent out a general call, and then spent the remainder of the afternoon fielding calls, reminding people to read the full details of the election results in the newspaper.

  It was nearly five when a lull came in the calls. Lacy removed her headset and rubbed her ear then grinned at Millie. “You should feel proud of your efforts, Millie. Without you, I don’t know that the prohibition effort would have succeeded.”

  “I appreciate all the support you and Grant offered.” Millie squeezed Lacy’s hand.

  Her friend gave her a thoughtful look. “You don’t seem very happy for a woman who just led her temperance committee to victory.”

  “I know. It’s just…” Millie couldn’t even find the words to express clearly her tumultuous feelings.

  “It’s okay, Millie. I understand.” Lacy offered her a sympathetic smile. “I’m sure Gideon does, too.”

  Unsettled, Millie nodded her head and swallowed down the emotion threatening to swamp her.

  Once the girls had all left for the day, she was about to lock the door when she saw Gideon walking her way. His hands were stuffed into his pockets and his shoulders appeared slightly slumped. The best word she could think of to describe him was defeated.

  Conviction gripped her heart and she questioned, for the hundredth time that day, if she’d done the right thing.

  Opening the door, she stepped onto the sidewalk and mustered a friendly smile. “What are you doing out this way?” she asked.

  He stopped beside her and shrugged his broad shoulders. “I needed to go for a walk to clear my head. Somehow, my feet carried me right to your door. Might I interest you in dinner at Caterina’s? I heard she’s serving lasagna tonight.”

  Millie grinned and pulled the door shut behind her, locking it. “You talked me into it.”

  They walked around the corner and meandered past Ilsa’s dress shop. The petite woman added tissue paper flowers to a summer window display and waved as they walked by.

  Millie returned her greeting and Gideon tipped his hat as they continued down the block to Caterina’s restaurant.

  Inside, they were quickly seated and Caterina brought them a plate of warm bread along with olive oil and her special blend of spices for dipping.

  “Enjoy your dinner,” she said, giving them both a smile before hurrying into the kitchen. Millie hid a laugh behind her napkin when she heard Caterina remind her two rascally boys to leave the cat alone and stay out of the cookie jar.

  “She seems to have her hands full with those twins,” Gideon observed as he broke off a piece of bread and dipped it in the oil.

  “She does. With Kade working so much, the children spend a lot of time here at the restaurant. It’s a good thing Rachel isn’t quite as rambunctious as her brothers.”

  Gideon grinned. “From what I heard, she can hold her own.”

  Millie smiled. “Did you see Brett’s black eye? Rachel hauled off and popped him one when he took her doll and wouldn’t give it back. She’s not even two.”

  “She’ll keep those boys on their toes.” Gideon smiled as a young woman carried out two plates of steaming lasagna and set the food in front of them. She refilled their water glasses then disappeared into the kitchen.

  As they ate, Millie and Gideon talked about his ranch, the many offers he had received from people interested in purchasing Carbonado, and the arrival of Bobby and Ellen Hawkins’ baby girl.

  Gideon also mentioned the trouble
little Cully’s mother was having in making ends meet.

  “Cully said his mother is looking for extra work. Seems the landlord told her he was raising the rent as of the beginning of July and she’s barely able to keep a roof over their heads as it is,” Gideon said, cutting through the layers of melted cheese, meat, and pasta on his plate with his fork. “I worry about Cully.”

  “He’s such a good boy and tries so hard to be helpful to his mother.” Millie was saddened to think of the poor woman having to take on more work. If she had an opening at the telephone office, she’d offer her a job, but she was fully staffed.

  “Do you think she’d work for me?”

  Millie’s fork stopped midair and she gave Gideon a surprised stare. She returned her fork to her plate before looking at him inquisitively. “What do you have in mind?”

  “Although we’ve both avoided the topic, I have until the first of July to close my saloon. I’ve been thinking about what I’d do with the building if I had to close and came up with an idea. Abel is interested, but I’d need more help.”

  Intrigued, Millie leaned forward. “What do you have planned?”

  Gideon glanced around to make sure no one listened to the conversation. Assured no one did, he set down his fork and placed his hands on his thighs to keep from reaching across the table and touching Millie. “I’m thinking about opening a restaurant.”

  Millie squealed in excitement then slapped a hand over her mouth, covering it with her napkin. Pretending to cough, she cleared her throat and took a drink of water, but her eyes held an enthusiastic spark. “I think that might be the best idea you’ve ever had.”