Her One Desire

Chapter Three

Chapter 3

Sam unlocked the doors the next day at noon as several men were waiting at the door for The Golden Lady to open on its first day of business. Dallas had told them to expect a few men during the day but most of their customers would be coming in later that night.

Dallas and Buck were both behind the bar ready for their first customers as Sam drifted over to the piano to begin playing some cheerful tunes.

"What will you have?" Buck asked the first customer who made it to the bar after looking the place over as the others were doing.

Harriet brought out a tray of sandwiches shed made along with hard boiled eggs and huge jar of pickles. "Lunch is two bits", she told the men. "If you want a bowl of stew and cornbread that will be four bits, just let Miss Dallas or Buck, the bartender, know."

"You make the stew Harriet?" a man asked.

Harriet frowned at the man. "Of course I did, Harold Prentiss. As most everyone in town already knows they hired me to be the cook here you lummox," Harriet answered the man then turned around and went back to her kitchen leaving smiles on Dallas and Buck's faces.

Harold Prentiss had to be the dumbest man in town, Harriet thought as she made her way back to the kitchen. She prayed this job would last and she could afford to move out of her sisters house. Her brother-in-law was getting to friendly when her sister wasnt around to see. She'd threatened to tell her sister Elle but Cedric just laughed said Elle wouldnt believe her. Harriet knew Miss Dallas was experienced at running a saloon but she did wonder about Buck and most of all about Miss Sam. Lord how she wished Gerard was still alive but wishing wouldnt bring him back and she had work to do.

The first customers of the day purchased their drinks and several purchased Harriets stew while the others her sandwiches. Sam kept an eye out for any trouble makers as she sat at the piano playing. They had arranged the piano in the back corner where she had a view of the whole saloon and front doors. The afternoon was busy as many town men came to see the new saloon along with Dallas and Sam and their British bartender.

After dark quite a few cowboys drifted in to drink and play cards at the various tables around the room. One of the visitors that night was Dan Hansen the attorney who rented the building to them.

"I'm impressed," he told Dallas as he stood at the bar drinking a glass of whiskey. "I didn't think you'd be able to open this quickly." When and if they moved on he'd be able to rent the place for probably double what he was charging them with all the improvements they'd made to the place, he thought as he looked around.

"We already had the fixtures and stock on there way here, Mr. Hansen. We just needed to find the right building." Dallas replied. "Any town can usually accommodate another saloon so Sam and I were sure we would open one here even if we had to erect a building to do so."

"Sam's an unusual woman. Not only is she fast with a gun I see shes not bad at piano playing either."

"Sam's had extensive training in the east, youd be surprised at what she knows how to play," Dallas replied to Hansen with a smile.

"Introduce me to this lovely lady, Dan."

Dallas turned to see a handsome man around fifty with salt and pepper hair come stand next to Mr. Hansen.

"Sure thing, Worth," Hansen replied. "Miss Dallas James, this is Mr. Worthington Schofield, a rancher in this area. And this lovely lady is Miss Dallas James part owner of The Golden Lady along with the lady at the piano."

"IT's a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Schofield," Dallas told the man.

"Same here Miss Dallas. I've been hearing about you two ladies since you arrived in town. I gather the lady at the piano is the one everyone is taking about at how fast with a gun she is and how she shot the gun right out of Clarence Coopers hand."