“Please tell me you weren’t planning on walking home alone in the middle of the night after your performance.”
Lily gave him a sheepish look. She knew it was foolish to walk home alone, especially after having been scolded by Jesse not too long ago for the same thing. “I didn’t really think about it one way or the other, to be honest. I didn’t plan anything past the performance.”
“I see. I’ll walk you home then. Let’s go.”
“All right,” she said in a resigned voice. She stepped to his side. “Did you recognize your wife’s hat and that’s how you knew it was me?”
“Yes, she mentioned she gave it to you, so it was easy enough to put two and two together.”
“Charlotte didn’t know about this,” Lily said quickly, not wanting to get her friend in trouble with her no-nonsense husband. “I thought of doing those songs all on my own and only discussed it with the madam. And I’m only doing it because the saloon needs the money.”
“You don’t have to explain yourself. Not to me, anyway. And yes, I assumed Charlotte knew nothing of this. She likely would have told me if so.”
They walked a few paces before Lily asked in a small voice, “Are you going to tell Jesse?”
Max gave her a sidelong glance. “No.”
She breathed a sigh of relief, but then he added, “You will tell him though, Lily.”
Her heartbeat quickened. “I can’t!” she exclaimed. “Jesse asked me to marry him before he left. I’m to be his wife, and I can’t bear his disappointment, especially after experiencing how pleased he was with me. Oh, I just can’t bear it,” she repeated, shaking her head in dismay.
Max didn’t say anything for some time. When they were within sight of Lily’s cabin, he finally spoke. “Husbands and wives occasionally get disappointed with each other. It’s unavoidable. But secrets are a real bad way to start a marriage. Jesse is a reasonable man, and he loves you. You two will work it out, and he will be pleased with you once again.”
Lily scowled. “The difference is that a husband doesn’t get spanked when his wife gets disappointed.”
Max smiled slightly. “That’s a fair point. But wives have their own ways of showing displeasure. And husbands are responsible for their wives’ safety. A smack on the bottom to prevent real harm from coming to you is fair enough, don’t you think?”
“In my experience, it’s been more than one smack, and I don’t see how preventing me from singing and dancing at the saloon is preventing harm from coming to me. I’ve never understood it.”
“Don’t you? I’m sure Jesse can explain that if you ask, but first off, you were fixin’ to walk home alone at night. That’s mighty dangerous. Second, the saloon is a rough place full of rough men, and you’re a young woman some might see as easy prey.”
Lily took a moment to take in his words, then sighed. “I suppose you’re right. I should tell him. I hate the thought of keeping this from Jesse anyway. He should know what goes on both with me and his saloon.”
“That’s right smart thinking, Lily. I’m glad you see it that way now.”
They walked up to the porch. “Thanks for walking me home, Max, and thanks for talking to me.”
“No problem. I’ll walk you home after each of your performances this week. You shouldn’t be going anywhere in the dark. All right?”
“All right, Max. I appreciate it, and I’m sure Jesse will appreciate it too when he finds out.”
He half turned to leave and then stopped. “By the way, you sure were something tonight. If I didn’t know it was you, I’d swear on my life that the Red Rose isn’t a hoax. I’d bet every tool in my shop that she exists and that every rumor about her magical voice is true.”
Lily grinned. “I’ll be sure to tell Jesse that, although I’m not sure it will help my case any.”
Max chuckled. “It’ll be all right, honey. Good night.”
*
A telegram was waiting for Jesse at the hotel counter when he arrived in Tucson after two long, tiresome days of travel. He sat at the small table in his room with a beer from the downstairs saloon, opened the envelope, and read the note. He read it again, slower. He blinked, shook his head, and read it for a third time, as though somehow the words might change if he did.
The Red Rose came to Weston <stop> Customers back and tipping <stop> Saloon saved and you can relax <stop> Flo
Jesse gulped down a final swig from his bottle and slammed it on the table. He stood and paced the room, crumpling the piece of paper in his hand. He knew what the note meant. It meant that his Lily had dressed herself as the Red Rose, with Flo’s help no doubt, and was performing to her little heart’s content in the saloon.