counterpart. "How long have you been here?"
"Three years. It may not be my home, but I have had to settle in here. I make enough money that one day I can bring my son over here and take care of him. I do not want anything," she paused, "or anyone to get in the way of that."
Lily snatched her hand back. "That is fine. I would not get in the way. I simply want to get out of here."
"That is not possible." Maria began to hand Lily the dressing garments.
"What do you mean that is not possible?"
Maria was frustrated by now. "What that means is that you must get used to being here and not make too much trouble, Senorita. That is what that means."
She thrust the garments out to Lily again.
As much as it pained Lily to step into the skirt, she did as Maria asked. By no means did she ever want to stand in the way of a mother and their child.
"I apologize. I just do not know how I got here. One minute, I am on my way to the market and my horse is spooked. The next minute, I see Jones, he offers to help me, and I wake up a day later on the dirt floor of a barn on his property."
Maria listened as she busied herself assisting Lily into the slip.
"It happens to the best of us."
Lily was not sure what to make of Maria's comment. Had the same thing happened to her? Unfortunately, it was not appropriate to ask a young woman whom she had just met, her entire life's story. If Maria wanted to tell her, she would eventually open up to her.
"I don't plan to be here long," Lily blurted out.
Maria was still silent, as she dressed Lily.
"I have a Texas Ranger and the sheriff looking for me."
Maria eyed her and then finished tightening Lily's corset. Lily sucked in her breath when Maria pulled the strings tighter. She had only worn a corset once or twice and it was the most uncomfortable feeling. She preferred to wear the beaded dresses and shirts that he mother made for her. Corsets were so restricting and besides, she was not one of the ladies in town that looked for social acceptance by wearing the roundest hoop skirt or the highest collar. Lily rarely pinned her hair back and preferred it to be in one single pony tail down her back.
"You and Senor Jones will be dining in the great room in about ten minutes. If you need anymore help, please let me know.
Maria bowed as she left the room, after dressing Lily, in a rush. The room was quaint, decorated in lace and embroidery. It was definitely a room for a woman and most definitely decorated with care. The bed was the largest she had ever seen and the she had never been privy to living in surroundings quite like this.
Lily was not sure how to handle the situation. What was she supposed to do? Pretend like she was okay with having dinner and idle conversation with a man that was holding her against her will?
Not exactly. But the thought of dinner was making her feel weak. She had not eaten since yesterday morning and she was famished.
She did not want Jones to think that she was enjoying his hand outs, but she needed a bit of nourishment. Lily braided her hair and let it fall down her back. She got ready for dinner with Jones. How she would get through the evening was a mystery to her. But she would have to do her best.
*
Lily had never been to a dinner so formal. Even having dinner at home with the sheriff, Miss Sarah, and Brent had not been so formal. Here the dinner plates looked delicate, the table clothes were trimmed in gold, and the table was set with lit candles and flowers as centerpieces. And from the feel of things, she knew that this was the normal state of living and not something done for her because she was a guest.
"You look ravishing, Lily."
When Jones spoke, it made Lily's skin crawl. He always seemed to be eyeing her with intent to do something to her, like she was a piece of property. Not like the way that Brent looked at her. When Brent looked at her, she felt adored and special, not coveted like Jones made her feel.
Lily did not respond. Instead she
"Three years. It may not be my home, but I have had to settle in here. I make enough money that one day I can bring my son over here and take care of him. I do not want anything," she paused, "or anyone to get in the way of that."
Lily snatched her hand back. "That is fine. I would not get in the way. I simply want to get out of here."
"That is not possible." Maria began to hand Lily the dressing garments.
"What do you mean that is not possible?"
Maria was frustrated by now. "What that means is that you must get used to being here and not make too much trouble, Senorita. That is what that means."
She thrust the garments out to Lily again.
As much as it pained Lily to step into the skirt, she did as Maria asked. By no means did she ever want to stand in the way of a mother and their child.
"I apologize. I just do not know how I got here. One minute, I am on my way to the market and my horse is spooked. The next minute, I see Jones, he offers to help me, and I wake up a day later on the dirt floor of a barn on his property."
Maria listened as she busied herself assisting Lily into the slip.
"It happens to the best of us."
Lily was not sure what to make of Maria's comment. Had the same thing happened to her? Unfortunately, it was not appropriate to ask a young woman whom she had just met, her entire life's story. If Maria wanted to tell her, she would eventually open up to her.
"I don't plan to be here long," Lily blurted out.
Maria was still silent, as she dressed Lily.
"I have a Texas Ranger and the sheriff looking for me."
Maria eyed her and then finished tightening Lily's corset. Lily sucked in her breath when Maria pulled the strings tighter. She had only worn a corset once or twice and it was the most uncomfortable feeling. She preferred to wear the beaded dresses and shirts that he mother made for her. Corsets were so restricting and besides, she was not one of the ladies in town that looked for social acceptance by wearing the roundest hoop skirt or the highest collar. Lily rarely pinned her hair back and preferred it to be in one single pony tail down her back.
"You and Senor Jones will be dining in the great room in about ten minutes. If you need anymore help, please let me know.
Maria bowed as she left the room, after dressing Lily, in a rush. The room was quaint, decorated in lace and embroidery. It was definitely a room for a woman and most definitely decorated with care. The bed was the largest she had ever seen and the she had never been privy to living in surroundings quite like this.
Lily was not sure how to handle the situation. What was she supposed to do? Pretend like she was okay with having dinner and idle conversation with a man that was holding her against her will?
Not exactly. But the thought of dinner was making her feel weak. She had not eaten since yesterday morning and she was famished.
She did not want Jones to think that she was enjoying his hand outs, but she needed a bit of nourishment. Lily braided her hair and let it fall down her back. She got ready for dinner with Jones. How she would get through the evening was a mystery to her. But she would have to do her best.
*
Lily had never been to a dinner so formal. Even having dinner at home with the sheriff, Miss Sarah, and Brent had not been so formal. Here the dinner plates looked delicate, the table clothes were trimmed in gold, and the table was set with lit candles and flowers as centerpieces. And from the feel of things, she knew that this was the normal state of living and not something done for her because she was a guest.
"You look ravishing, Lily."
When Jones spoke, it made Lily's skin crawl. He always seemed to be eyeing her with intent to do something to her, like she was a piece of property. Not like the way that Brent looked at her. When Brent looked at her, she felt adored and special, not coveted like Jones made her feel.
Lily did not respond. Instead she
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