Coming Up Roses by Alice Duncan Read Free Book Online Page B

had joined the Wild West, except for that one awful year
when Annie had absented herself—she’d not condoned the inclusion of
another lady sharpshooter in the Wild West—Annie had substituted
for Rose’s family. Mother, father, teacher, moral arbiter: Annie
had been just about everything to Rose.
    “ Heck, no,” H.L. said. He walked over
to stand on the other side of Fairy and helped Rose straighten out
the blanket. Rose wished he hadn’t done that. “I’m really a great
guy. And I’m going to write a series of articles about you that
will bring you to the attention of the world.”
    Rose squinted at him, this time from over
Fairy’s graceful neck. She had to stand on tiptoes to do it, but
that was all right. She wanted to make sure he knew she wasn’t any
old backwoods hick. “I’ve performed in front of the crowned heads
of Europe, Mr. May, not to mention most of the celebrities in the
United States and its territories over here. What can you do for my
reputation that Colonel Cody hasn’t already done? I’m sure I don’t
need any publicity from you.”
    She placed special emphasis on the you in
order to make him understand that she considered him a mere
scribbler and worth little in the overall scheme of things. She
didn’t, of course, but she’d die sooner than let him know it.
    “ Nonsense. All performers can use
publicity. And you’re really something.”
    She was? Since she didn’t know what to say,
Rose remained silent, only leading Fairy to her stall. Fairy was
glad to be home. She let Rose know as much by nuzzling her cheek
before retiring for the night. Rose’s eyes filled with tears. At
least Fairy appreciated her. Because she didn’t want H.L. May to
know how much he was affecting her, she kept her back to him as she
retrieved a bucket, got some grain, filled Fairy’s feed bin, and
checked her water supply.
    “ There you go, girl.” Rose patted the
mare’s white rump and, unable to delay any longer, left the stall.
With a sigh, she closed and locked the stall door, then sucked in a
breath redolent of sweet hay and horses, and turned to confront her
tormenter.
    “ What exactly do you expect to
accomplish with these articles, Mr. May? And why do you want to
write about me? Wouldn’t you prefer to concentrate on a more famous
performer?”
    Annie Oakley was forever being written about.
Annie was used to it. Rose wasn’t. She feared she might get
big-headed if reporters suddenly started paying attention to her.
Worse, she feared that once they got to know her, they’d despise
her for her many deficiencies of education and refinement. In
Rose’s opinion, that would be much worse than anonymity.
    “ Everybody writes about folks who are
already famous, Miss Gilhooley. I’m interested in you.”
    “ Hmmm.” His statement might be taken in
more ways than one, if Rose weren’t so certain of her position in
life, which was quite low. If she hadn’t been so superior a natural
rider, she’d still be living on a miserable farm outside Deadwood,
Kansas, illiterate, ignorant, and shooting game for a living. It
was pure dumb luck—and her brother Freddie—that had brought Rose to
Colonel Cody’s attention.
    H.L. lifted his arms as if he were presenting
Rose to the world. “You’re a true phenomenon, Miss Gilhooley! I’ve
never seen anyone ride like you do. You’ve got to be the most
sensational performer I’ve ever seen, and you put on an absolutely
amazing bareback riding act. Why, you put every single one of the
circus performers I’ve seen to shame.”
    “ Thank you.”
    “ And I’m sure your story is
fascinating. According to the publicity dodger Cody sent to the
newspaper, you’ve been with the Wild West for six years. You must
have started when you were a baby!”
    “ I was sixteen,” Rose muttered, peeved.
Why did this man persist in thinking of her as a child? She didn’t
want him to. Or maybe she did.
    Fiddlesticks. H.L. May made her brain
hurt.
    “ That means