It was quick work. My three of a kind beat his pair of aces and there was a general uproar of disapproval throughout the club.
I pulled the cash toward me and then extracted five, one-hundred dollar bills. I pushed them toward McLean and said in a voice that those close by could hear, “It’s been an honor, sir. This is for our bar bill and I expect you to be in my office first thing in the morning with the signed title to your property. I have but one requirement,” I added and there was a hush. “I will hold title to the entire property until such time as the whorin’ bitch is gone and then I would like to lease back the house and its twenty acres to you, for a dollar a year. If you decide to vacate for any reason, including drinking your way to an early grave, it reverts to me. Will also be needing someone to keep an eye on the place and see to things — someone who might know a thing or two about the horse business. Pays a hundred thousand a year. I’ll have my attorney draw up the papers.”
McLean’s eyes went from desolation to a glint of consciousness and realization of what just transpired. His mouth worked up and down even as his head shook left and right. “Where will you live?” he finally asked.
“I’ll build,” I commented, standing.
“You are a gentleman, it’s true and a man who outranks his sire,” he said, paying me a high compliment indeed.
There was a general murmur as word spread of what just transpired. Mr. Dougherty, probably the most respectable of the equine pirates inside stopped me by the arm. “That was a noble thing to do, young LaViere, but how will you get her to sign off on it? Surely her name is also on the title.”
“She will have no choice,” I said quietly. “Liens must be satisfied before divorce settlements,” I said and he nodded, considering the legalities. What I neglected to tell him was that the errant Mrs. McLean was also one of my patients, one who habitually tugged down her neckline and reclined on the sofa with her legs opened for my approval.
I left Joe’s on a cloud of approval and the fresh air outside held promise.
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
Auggie
Depression sat heavily on my shoulders and I decided to stay home. It was time to put myself through some introspection. I was no longer a child, no longer the college student. I was a woman and if I wanted to be taken seriously, it was time I took myself seriously.
I began by going through my wardrobe, making piles of my clothes. One pile was high school things I’d held on to for sentimental reasons. These went into bags and would go for donation. The next pile was college clothes. Most of these would go for donation too. I kept a few pieces with the school logo and sorted through some sweaters I loved, and, of course, my riding clothes. This left me with what I’d bought since I’d graduated and it was scarce, to say the least. Tomorrow, I would drive into the city and buy myself a new wardrobe, maybe even stop for lunch and at the salon.
With all the clothes out of the closet, I spied boxes of keepsakes in the back. I dragged these out and began sorting. I found photo albums from when I was a young girl before everything was digital. Two of my favorites were collections of my younger days riding Steeplechase. I turned the pages, running my hand over the pictures in remembrance of those sunny days on the courses, the smell of the horses and the applause from onlookers as I was awarded ribbon after ribbon. Indeed, there were several pages where I’d stuck in these ribbons and they felt like children I’d given birth to. This was a huge part of my soul and I knew I could never leave it behind, not for anything or anyone.
I turned the page and saw pictures of riding barbecues my parents had held. My mother looked so fresh-faced, and slender and her hair was her natural shade of red. In other pictures, there were guests at the house, each one posing or deep in discussion or ignoring the camera completely. I turned the page and stopped in shock. There was a picture of Worth!
My mind blanked as I scrambled for an explanation and then realized that there was no way it could have been him. He would have been too young. I looked carefully and realized the man in the photos was not as tall and was stockier. This must be his father. How odd that neither Mother or Dad mentioned this. Perhaps they’d forgotten, I told myself as I continued to page through.
I found a picture of Mrs. Jessup in her prime. She’d been a beautiful woman, a proud carriage and gentleness in her smile, even then. It had been considered an honor when she attended an affair, a sort of supportive gesture that you had arrived and were one of the elite. Now she was rotting in that nasty facility. My heart ached for her. I resolved that I would get to the attorney as soon as possible and put our heads together to see what could be done to form a foundation.
This reminded me of the night before and Worth’s assurance to trust him and to call on Mrs. Jessup’s son for a sponsorship. I don’t know why Worth was so insistent, or what could have changed so quickly in the Jessup household, but this definitely bothered me.
Was I unable to trust Worth? Perhaps it was because I couldn’t trust anyone, no matter who they were. I certainly didn’t trust Mother, but Dad had never let me down. Was it possible that Worth was one of the good ones?
I could tell Mother didn’t approve of my seeing him, but why? Worth ticked all the boxes on her ‘best son-in-law’ checklist. So why the hesitation? I couldn’t ask because I knew she wouldn’t be honest, nor would she forbid our relationship because she knew it would only renew my rebellion. She couldn’t take any chances now that I was an adult.
Was Worth the forbidden candy for me? Did I truly care for him? In my heart, I knew the answer.
***
I loved the baby blue Mercedes Dad bought me for graduation. It suited me and drove like a well-trained horse. I skirted Mother’s questions as I loaded the bags of clothes for donation into the trunk and back seat. After dropping them off, I headed for the malls and for the more exclusive shops tucked here and there downtown.
My body changed since I was in school. While I hadn’t really put on weight, the more feminine areas of bust and hips had filled out and the increased exercise of riding had shaped my legs nicely. Thus, I opted for some short dresses that showed these off to my advantage. By the time I drove home, my back seat and trunk were as filled as they’d been coming into town. I carted everything upstairs and began hanging things up. Mother stopped in to see what I’d bought and I could actually see jealousy in her eyes at the assortment and most especially, the size.
“Why didn’t you tell me you knew Worth’s father?” I asked, intentionally taking her unaware.
She looked at me, a blank look on her face. “What do you mean?”