Page 28 of Taming Lady Temperance

Even though James had suspected her history, hearing her recount it and watching her posture wilt while she did so enraged his sense of justice. He wanted to crawl backward through time and stand between the spunky young girl with the pointed chin and rambunctious curls and the bully of a father who’d struck her with both words and fists. Even knowing the man couldn’t physically hurt her any longer didn’t quench the fire burning in James’s chest. For he saw the scars she bore. The hurt and mental anguish she carried.

Yet he also saw her incredible strength. To rise from such a harsh experience and become an educated, independent woman who refused to live life as a victim. Instead, she dedicated her energy and passion to improving society and fighting for the protection of women and children who faced the same adversity at home that she’d suffered.

Even now, her eyes glowed with zeal as she pushed her plate aside and met his gaze with a directness more common from a man.

“I read about the benefits of temperance rallies in The Union Signal, and I’d like to conduct one here in Albany. I’ve wanted to do one for years, but I never felt like I had enough community support to make an impact. However, over the last week, things have changed, and I now believe I’ll be able to gather a substantial number of participants. Enough to make a political statement and garner the attention of city officials.”

James just hoped she didn’t end up garnering the wrong kind of attention. Most of the city council members already considered her a nuisance.

“What do you envision happening at this rally?” he asked.

She smiled, and the light that entered her eyes proved infectious. Not only did he smile in return, but he found himself catching a bit of her enthusiasm as her animated hands drew shapes in the air while she described the scene.

“I picture us meeting at the schoolhouse on a Saturday afternoon, gathering signs, and practicing our temperance hymns. Then we’ll line up and begin our march.” She turned her attention toward the door as if waiting for her imaginary parade to process past the opening. “We’ll sing our way down Walnut Street, circle the courthouse square, then turn back up Main Street until we reach the Salt Fork Saloon. We’ll distribute temperance pledge forms along our route and invite others to join our band.

“Once we reach the end of our route, we’ll serenade Mr. Taggert and whomever happens to be patronizing his den of iniquity with some inspirational songs to encourage wayward souls to repent. Then we’ll conclude with a prayer meeting and disperse around suppertime.”

Her voice fell away, but it took a minute for her to turn her attention from the doorway to refocus on him.

“What do you think?”

James grinned. “I think you’ve given this a lot of thought.”

“I have. But not from the perspective of a lawman.” She leaned toward him, the bottom of her ribs pressing against the edge of the table. “Are there impediments I need to be aware of? Steps I need to take to ensure the safety of those who march with me?”

James appreciated the questions, especially since they would make his job easier as well as allow things to move more smoothly for her. And she didn’t look at him like someone who expected to be given blanket permission to do whatever she wanted. In fact, she reached into a pocket of her skirt and pulled out a tablet and pencil, ready to take notes on whatever information he shared.

Unfortunately, not everything would be easy to hear, but she seemed a practical-minded woman, so he figured she’d want him to shoot straight.

“I can assist with the safety aspect, but you need to understand that my duty to protect extends to Taggert and those frequenting his establishment as well.” Despite their growing friendship and his compassion for her mission, he couldn’t give her preferential treatment. If he did, he’d be just as corrupt as those lawmen who let themselves be swayed by bribes or threats from powerful men. “I will guard your protesters, but if any of them cross the line and engage in acts of vandalism or personal attacks, I will step in to defend the Salt Fork.”

She nodded, no disappointment readily apparent in her gaze. “I expected as much, but I’ll make a note to remind the group to leave their rotten vegetables at home.”

She looked down to scribble on the page in front of her, her mouth twitching slightly at one corner.

James fell a little bit in love with her at that moment. Not only because she believed him to be a man of integrity and didn’t try to manipulate him away from his neutral position, but because she was learning to find humor while pursuing her temperance work, something he’d not seen from her before. In the past, her reform work had always operated with a level of passionate seriousness that teetered on the edge of anger. It had lent her a bitter air that had drawn his pity. This Noreen, whose passion and purpose were fueled by hope instead of anger, drew him in an entirely new way. One that had nothing to do with pity.

“What else should I know?”

The rally. Right. Get your mind back on business, Paxton.

“It might be best to place a notice in the paper a few days before. Let people know what’s coming ahead of time so the businesses along your route won’t complain about you interfering with their customer traffic.”

Her pencil flew over her paper. “And we might even recruit people to the cause. Brilliant!”

James sat a little straighter. Rather nice to be considered brilliant by an intelligent woman.

Her pencil slowed, and her head came up, wrinkles forming across her brow. “But won’t that warn Mr. Taggert we’re coming? What if he tries to stop us somehow?”

“I’ll be there to ensure he doesn’t do anything illegal.” Like brandishing the shotgun the fellow kept behind his bar. “But really, it’s better not to take Taggert by surprise. A cornered animal is more likely to strike out wildly without thinking through the consequences. On the other hand, if he knows you’re coming, his response can be premeditated and calm. Less chance of things escalating into violence, which takes priority in my book. Though, you’re right about giving him time to plan. I imagine he will try to counteract your march somehow.”

Noreen grew thoughtful. “I suppose I’ll just have to prepare myself for some undermining tactics from that quarter and resolve not to let it derail me. Because you’re right. The safety of my ladies comes first.”

“You have proven to be quite resilient in the time I’ve known you, so I have no doubt of your ability to handle any scheme Taggert might cook up.”

A bit of pink colored her cheeks as a smile blossomed at his praise. The expression had a softening effect on her features and made it downright difficult to resist reaching across the narrow table to cup her face and stroke that pretty blush with the pad of his thumb.

Deciding he’d best distract his hands before they got him into trouble and added a whole new layer of complication to the friendship developing between him and Noreen, James grabbed the cloth-wrapped pound cake and sawed off a thick slab.