Read Online Cactus Flower by Alice Duncan - Free Book Online

Benson, Miss Gibb. At your service.”
He gave her a flourishing bow, removing his beaver hat and damned near
sweeping the floor with it. Nick shook his head and wondered sourly
if Eulalie Gibb would have every man in Rio Peñasco acting like fools
before she was through with them.
           “Bernie
owns the newspaper, Miss Gibb.”
           “Indeed,
I do, and I aim to write a most complimentary review of your splendid
opening night performance, Miss Gibb. May I sit with you?”
           “There
are only two chairs available,” Nick pointed out. He wasn’t about
to remove his hat from the extra one for this tub of lard to sit in.
           He
should have known better than to think he could thwart Bernie with such
an obvious ruse. At once, the fat man pulled up a chair from another
table. “That’s easily remedied.” He gave Nick another jovial wink.
           Nick,
far from jovial himself, fingered his gun until he noticed Eulalie eyeing
him in some alarm. He sighed and left his gun alone.
           “My
dear Miss Gibb,” Bernie went on, ignoring Nick’s overt hostility,
“I can’t tell you what a pleasure it is to see your delightful face
and form and to hear your magnificent voice in Rio Peñasco. I’m astonished
that such a lovely thing as you should have lowered herself to grace
our shabby home with your glorious presence.”
           “That
means he’s happy to meet you,” Nick said. He usually took pleasure
in whacking the garbage out of Bernie’s elaborate phrases, although
tonight he wasn’t enjoying it much.
           Bernie
laughed heartily. “Isn’t our Nick here a card? Don’t worry, though,
Miss Gibb. He may look like a bumpkin, but he’s not as doltish as
most of the uneducated rascals populating the territory.”
           A
bumpkin? Not as doltish? Nick glared at Bernie and shifted in his chair.
He guessed it wouldn’t be very nice to punch Bernie’s nose in, but
he might just do it if the man didn’t quit trying to make Nick look
like a yokel.
           “Mr.
Taggart? My goodness, no, Mr. Benson. Mr. Taggart has been my good angel
today.” Eulalie shot Nick one of her I’m-really-a-shy-and-oh-so-
sweet-country-girl
smiles. Nick frowned back at her, not believing it for a minute.
           “A
good angel, is he?” Bernie slapped Nick on the back, quite a bit harder
than was necessary.
           “That’s
me, Bernie.” Nick slapped Bernie’s back, too, and almost sent him
tumbling over, chair and all. He followed up his slap with a warning
look.
           Bernie
understood. He gave up trying to dislodge Nick by force or guile. They
both knew he couldn’t do it. “Well, well, well, I suppose wonders
will never cease. Does Miss Violet know you’re dining with Miss Gibb,
Nick?” Bernie’s piggy eyes squinted in Nick’s direction.
           Hell,
the old fart was trying to make Eulalie jealous. As if such a thing
were possible. She’d have to care about him first, and Nick knew good
and well she didn’t. “I expect Violet’s got her hands full tonight,
Bernie.” Nick smiled another warning at Bernie, who again caught on.
           He
cleared his throat. “Ah, I see. Well, isn’t that fine.” He leaned
toward Eulalie, who drew back slightly. Nick considered that a good
omen. “Miss Gibb, it would be my great pleasure to conduct an interview
with you for the Rio Peñasco Piper , our weekly newspaper. I
can see the headlines now.” Bernie spread his fat hands out over the
table and half closed his eyes, as if he were picturing a pile of gold
in his mind’s eye. “Prairie Rose Comes to Town.”
           “Prairie
Rose?” Nick guffawed rudely. “She’s more like a prickly pear,
if you ask me.”
           Eulalie
kicked him under the table. Nick frowned at her. She frowned back.
           Bernie’s
fleshy face, however, took on a