I pulled my horse up up aside of the wagon, leaned over and said “Well, ladies, we're going to make it into Sante Fe in a couple of hours, but you both look a little trail worn. We should pull over by that stream there, rest the horses so they look perky, and maybe spruce up a little. I could use a wash and shave myself.”
“ Horse, that's one of the better suggestions you've made lately. I feel like I've been rode hard and put up wet,” Sandra retorted.
I kind'a snickered at the rode hard bit, but I don't think she saw that. I hoped.
We pulled off the trail aways to behind some brush. I unhitched the horses and let them drink a little while the ladies got down, shook out some kinks, and stretched a bit. I have to tell you, when those two stretched with their arms up and pushed out their chests, even looking a little grubby, it was a sight to behold.
I lit a fire and made some coffee while the women took some clothing and a couple small bags from the wagon and went upstream some distance to wash and put clean clothes on.
I wanted everything to look spic and span when we pulled into town so I checked the wagon to see if it looked okay and groomed the horses. Then I went down to the creek, washed, shaved and pulled out some fancy duds I'd been saving for the occasion. I took some time dressing so I'd look good, even waxed my mustache.
My companions still hadn't returned and I was getting a little concerned. I started up the path a ways, but they must have heard me coming and cried out “Horse, you just go back to the wagon and we'll be along in just a little while.”
Well, anybody that's been around women for long knows what that means, so I settled in for a cup of coffee and maybe a nap.
I did doze off for a while, but was woke up by someone kicking my boot.
“ Holy jumpin' Jehosaphat! Who are you and what did you do to my lady friends!” I yelled while jumping to my feet.
I knew they had bought some new clothes and such when we'd stopped in that little town a while back, but they must have brought some with them too, 'cause I know they didn't sell these sort of clothes there. I was used to seeing them in trail clothes and what they had on now I couldn't hardly believe.
Sandra would have made the queen look like a scullery maid. She had on a long royal blue gown that showed off her figure but still looked elegant and tasteful. Her long blond, shining hair was kind'a bunched up on top of her head and had what looked like pearls wound around it. She wasn't wearing boots anymore, but some type of blue leather slipper that matched her gown. I don't know what, if any, type of makeup she had on but the sunburn she had acquired the last couple weeks was gone. She looked...delicious.
Jasmine was a completely different person than what I'd become used to, too. Instead of the little hellcat vixen I'd been acquainted with she had become the shy, demure assistant to Sandra's rich widow that her part called for. Her hair was in a shorter, curly, I guess you call it a bob, that laid on her neck and shoulders. Her plain dress was a soft gray that couldn't disguise her charms but muted them some. She wore a pair of black shoes that looked a little heavy but just what suited her appearance.
They both not only looked their parts, their demeanor was just as accurate. Sandra looked at me like she expected me to kneel. Jasmine's look was more subdued but, although there was nothing in her expression, said I was something distasteful the cat had just dragged in after killing it.
“ My ass in a teacup, ladies, I am totally bamboozled by what I see before me! If I didn't know you were actresses I'd swear you were exactly the women you are going to pose as.”
Jasmine sneered “That's what actresses do, you dimbrain. We told you we were good, didn't you believe us? But you don't look like the roughneck we've been traveling with either. You look very much like a gentleman and we know that's not true. Even your clothing is reputable.”
Then Sandra spoke up. “Mr. Horse, if you would be so kind as to help us into our conveyance, we could proceed from this wilderness toward civilization” with a haughty look at me.
Knowing when I've been put in my place, for now, I hooked up the horses, put the ladies in their “conveyance” which was still only a wagon, and we proceeded to civilization.
We arrived in Sante Fe amidst lots of stares at a man on horseback leading a wagon with some more horses tied to the back and two strikingly attractive, imperious looking women sitting in it.
I led the wagon to the best hotel in Sante Fe and stopped at the entrance. The ladies sat there, looking straight ahead, until I tied my horse and went to help them down. By this time a young Mexican boy came out, down the steps and, without asking, started to carry the bags inside. I gave Sandra my arm and led her into the foyer.
Immediately the manager appeared, and fawning and bowing, asked the ladies what he could do for them. Seems he recognized quality when he saw it. Sandra told him to arrange a suite for her and her companion.
He bowed and scraped to the desk and asked “Would you like to register now or after you've rested, madam? I'll have your rooms prepared immediately, if you would step into the lounge meanwhile I'll have some refreshments brought.”
He then turned to me and asked “Will you be staying with us too, sir? I can have a room ready in an hour or so.” He'd classified me as a lower class pretty quickly, so I thought I'd throw one back at him.
“ No, thank you, my good man, I'll be staying at my hacienda while I'm in town, but what is your name?”
His eyebrows rose, I could see his estimation of me had risen, and replied, “My name is Emilio Garcia, and I am glad to meet you Senor.”
I put my hand on his shoulder and gently led him to the side “Emilio, I am sure I can put my trust in your discretion, can't I?”
“ Oh, most assuredly, senor” he acknowledged.
“ Good, Emilio, as I have to tell you about the ladies I accompanied here. Mrs. Whitaker's husband died after an unfortunate accident. They were very much in love and she was very distraught for some time. She decided she didn't want to live in their home any more and not even in the same city as it had too many memories there.”
“ Oh, how terrible for her.” he lamented.
“ Yes, it was, for she was very instrumental in her husband's businesses and they were together much of the time. When he died he left her a considerable fortune but she didn't have the heart to run it by herself, again because of the memories. She left them in capable hands to be sold off and when she heard that I was coming here on my own business asked if I would bring her to help her bury her sadness and memories. As a close friend of her husband I certainly said I would comply with her wishes.
“ How very considerate and kind of you, senor.” He was eating this fabrication the girls and I had cooked up with a spoon.